Hydra in Winter

When I jet off for two weeks on Hydra, I'm not seeking a sun-kissed Greek island escape; instead, I'm chasing the story of my husband's great-great grandfather—Australia's first Greek convict, and a pirate! Yes, I married into a pirate family, and the quest for the family parrot continues!

Not deterred by cold driving rain and my zero Greek language skills, I begin my search by appealing for help from the local archivists. But as I settle into a shipowner's mansion on the harbour, sample Hydra's fresh seafood, and hike the island's hills, the warm hospitality of the islanders transforms my urgent quest into a joyful lesson in slow travel. And it ignites a new passion: writing.

I share funny observations on everything from powerful ship-owning families (my in-laws!) to the charm of the island's architecture and its donkeys. It's a funny, heartwarming adventure for:

• lovers of travel books
• history buffs
• Philhellenes
• aspiring seadogs
• procrastinating novelists
• seasoned travellers and armchair adventurers alike
• anyone trying to keep the spark alive at any age

Chrónos is the measured, ticking seconds of daily life; kairós represents those rare, significant moments that transcend ordinary time. Hydra is kairós.

- Shelley Dark, Hydra in Winter

"Reading Hydra in Winter is like drinking a bottomless glass of champagne—bubbly, refreshing, and bound to make you laugh." - Kyra Geddes, author of The Story Thief