Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight – #Memoir Repacking for Greece: A Mediterranean Odyssey (Packing for Greece travel series) by Sally Jane Smith

Delighted to share the news of the latest release by Sally Jane Smith, Repacking for Greece: A Mediterranean Odyssey the sequel to her wonderful first book about her adventures in Greece…

About the book

When a long-forgotten, apartheid-era arrest record derails Sally’s plans for a Canadian family holiday, she packs her mum’s 1978 travel diary and sets out solo for Greece instead.

As she journeys to the landmarks her mother once visited — and discovers many more — Sally immerses us in Greece’s awe-inspiring landscapes and fascinating heritage sites. She delights in absorbing the country’s rich history and connecting the dots between legend, location and contemporary literature.

Insightful, intelligent and with an infectious sense of wonder, Sally embraces a gentler approach to travel: facing her fears, abandoning old anxieties, and finding joy in the simple pleasures of her own Greek odyssey.

Book Two in the ‘Packing for Greece’ series travels to Athens and Delphi on the mainland; Nafplio, Mycenae, Epidavros and Methana on the Peloponnese Peninsula; and the islands of Hydra, Poros, Kefalonia and Corfu (with a side trip to Albania).

Pre-order the book for April 20th: Universal Link – Or: Amazon AU – Or: Amazon UK – Or: Amazon US

Also by Sally Jane Smith

My review for Unpacking for Greece July 15th 2023

Many of us have reached a point in our lives where we wonder where our more adventurous and youthful zest for life has retired too. Middle age is often attached to the word ‘crisis’ although most of the time it is a less dramatic point, where you realise that you have fallen into a routine within a comfort zone.

Sally Jane Smith, for a number of reasons, reached that point in her life, but unlike most of us, decided to take a very direct and brave step. Travel today is frought with new challenges, particularly following security concerns and also Covid. It takes courage to decide to visit a place where you don’t speak the language, are reliant on sometimes unpredictable public transport and there is not the safety net of friends or family.

It is a quest in every sense of the word. Accompanied by a very small and cryptic journal her mother wrote during her own visit to Greece in 1978, Sally Jane Smith decided to follow in her footsteps, and also visit some of the fascinating historic sites of this ancient civilisation.

The author has a wonderfully descriptive way of writing that invites you to join her as she explores the islands, to the point that you don’t notice that there are no photographs to illustrate her discoveries. I found myself thoroughly engaged and it certainly expanded my limited knowledge of not just the physical evidence of the past civilisations, but the impact of invaders, and also those that were welcomed with open arms from other cultures and religions.

This was also a daunting physical challenge as Sally Jane ventures forth most days on foot to walk miles in search of her selected historic sites, and certainly had some interesting experiences with her long suffering suitcase.

There are plenty of highlights during the trip, including a lovely writer’s retreat where the author met with kindness and suggestions of where to visit and to eat from the others during her stay. She was certainly met with kindness and assistance from almost everyone she came into contact with despite the language barrier, with only one or two disturbing moments with ATM, tour guides and taxi drivers.

I came away from reading this memoir with a much more informed perspective of Greece and whilst I may not visit the country myself, I certainly have gained a huge respect of its culture and determination across thousands of years to thrive. It is also an entertaining reflection on middle-age and discovering your mojo again, with a renewed passion to explore further.

I can highly recommend and look forward to Packing for Greece: A Gentler Odyssey

Buy the books: Amazon AU – Amazon US – Amazon UK – Follow Sally Jane: Goodreads –  Website – Facebook: Journeys In Pages – Twitter: @JourneysInPages

About Sally Jane Smith

Sally Jane Smith has lived on five continents and visited thirty-three countries, but she gives credit to Greece for turning her into a writer. She has worked in museums, universities, a language institute, a residence for people with disabilities, an art gallery, a primary school and a wildlife park. She also co-hosts two book clubs and assists the organisers of a biennial book-themed convention. She is currently based in Australia.

Sally completed a Varuna residency in 2018 and has published travel articles in Gulf News, JourneyWoman and TripFiction, and craft pieces in Women’s Ink! and Brevity Blog. Sally’s story of her great-great-grandmother’s extraordinary life appears in the anthology Itchy Feet: Tales of Travel and Adventure. Her exploration of travel and grief is included in the Newcastle Short Story Award Anthology 2022. Her first book, Unpacking for Greece, was selected as a ‘Reading Greece Book of the Month’ by Greek News Agenda, a Greek government website.

Excerpts from the Packing for Greece series have been awarded First Place Non-Fiction in the Port Writers Open Literary Competition and shortlisted in the National Writing Competition organised by the Society of Women Writers NSW.

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will explore Sally Jane’s book further.. Sally