This post was inspired by a Daily Prompt from 2013 – Come Fly with Me: Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home. I took a look at current daily posts but this one was the first to get me thinking.

The furthest I have travelled from home is Samos, Greece. This trip took place in the summer of 2012. It is very memorable for me because it’s the first (and thus far last) holiday I have been on with my parents in a hot climate. My Dad doesn’t get on with the heat so we usually go to Scotland, France or Italy for our holidays. In 2012, however, a trip to Samos was arranged. It makes much more sense to me now, because my parents were in fact planning to get a puppy the following summer but were keeping it as a surprise. Naturally, we couldn’t take a dog abroad, and certainly not somewhere as intensely hot at Greece. So, I was blissfully unaware of the circumstances behind our trip, but was perfectly happy to oblige. (Our Cockapoo Jasmine is now nearly two!)

This holiday was so special to all of us because we relaxed. At home, amongst the stress of work, school and general everyday happenings, it’s not possible (especially for my mum) to sit back and breathe for a moment. But when you’re two thousand miles from home, it’s a lot easier to do nothing because there’s nothing to do.

The first thing I noticed when I arrived in Greece was the abundance of cats. I must have stroked about a hundred cats during my stay, which I loved. At the apartment we were staying in, a stray female had set up permanent camp with her new litter of kittens. I was accustomed to opening the door of a morning and seeing her sat outside as if expecting an invitation to enter.

We often saw this feisty one lounging by the pool with her litter, who tended to clamber all over her to get to her milk. Cat instinct told them not to wander near the water’s edge, and they were perfectly happy playing on the Mummy Climbing Frame.

Anyway, probably enough about cats. They just featured quite heavily!

The apartment was situated a good walk from the town, and access to shops required a decent trek. During the day, this was a workout, especially in the blistering heat! At night it was magical; we often saw shooting stars, a phenomenon I’ve never seen before or since. Nightfall also treated us to glimpses of bats swooping over the pool for a sip of water. It was warm enough to sit by the bar watching them at 11pm with our legs dangling in the pool. They were far too quick for photos though, sadly.

Most days we lounged at the beach. I spent my sunbathing hours reading Dracula. Not only is it now one of my all time favourite books, but it will always remind me of this trip.

I’d also never seen such dazzling blue water before I went to Greece. The seascapes were a watercolour painter’s paradise. Had I the skill, I would have certainly tried to capture the aquamarine tones. As well as vivid greens and blues, we were treated to salmon pinks when the sun went down. Over dinner we often had a sunset to watch.

It seems fitting that I complete this post with a sunset. I’ve enjoyed reliving this happy memory. It’s slightly different to what I’ve been posting up until this point but why not inject a little variety once in a while?