the joy of living

Transcription

the joy of living

SKYROS
GREECE
THAILAND
CUBA
CAMBODIA
ISLE OF WIGHT
and new this year
VIETNAM
the joy of living
2011/2012
Skyros: ‘the first and still
the best’ alternative holiday
The Guardian
An impressive staff of eighty top notch tutors including this year actors/directors Steven Berkoff
and Jason Connery, actress Annabelle Apsion, writers Lindsay Clarke, Michèle Roberts, Monique Roffey,
Jennie Rooney and Robert Rowland Smith, comedians Logan Murray and Arthur Smith, filmmaker Julian Doyle,
songwriters Dean Friedman, Susie Self and Sarah Warwick, pilates master Alan Herdman, psychotherapists Ari
Badaines, Dina Glouberman and Malcolm Stern as well as many other distinguished professionals.
The benefits of a Skyros holiday last long after the
suntan has faded. They include new friendships and
relationships, new interests, a fresh outlook or even
a whole new way forward. The sense of renewed
confidence and excitement about life is palpable.
Skyros: ‘the first
and still the best’.
The Guardian
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Skyros...
...the holiday you can take home with you
O
ver the years as many as twenty thousand people have
revelled in the Skyros spirit of adventure, creativity and
joy. Many have explored new possibilities, pursued
new ideas and unearthed talents they didn’t even suspect they
possessed. Others have taken the opportunity to reassess
their life, redefine their needs and re-set their priorities.
means freedom to be who we are, having friends who are there
Unlike a yoga retreat or a Spa, Skyros is not about one thing or
another. It is about life itself - a life that makes sense in a world
that makes sense. It is about doing rather than having, creating
rather than consuming and belonging rather than retreating
into the garden of your private world. It is about becoming
rather than being.
best in ourselves ennobles life. Fulfilling our potential, likewise,
The world in which we live is obsessed with ‘more’ because
what we have is never good enough. But ‘more’ in the Skyros
context means something different from that which our
materialistic, consumer culture provides. It means the fulfilment
of our potentials as human beings rather than professionals
and the pursuit of the best in all fields of human activity. It also
in both good times and bad, and a community in which we feel
we belong. It means a beautiful life.
Skyros is fun - it is after all a holiday, and we can always laugh
at ourselves. But its vision re-opens the windows to the dream.
Recapturing the early days of innocence and affirming what is
asserts man’s power over his creations - the market, machines,
technology, systems, ideologies or fundamentalist beliefs - and
reclaims our future.
Skyros has no gurus to preach the ‘truth’ and does not intend
to provide answers. But it does question and challenge our
culture’s assumptions and helps people to get in touch with
their gut feelings and do what they need to do to lead a happy
and fulfilling life.
If this strikes a chord with you, then join us and experience the
Skyros magic for yourself.
Yannis
Andricopoulos
A Skyros holiday engages the individual in courses, activities and events that open the heart,
expand the mind, recharge the body and uplift the spirit.
Skyros, now in its 32nd year, offers over one hundred courses facilitated by a distinguished
international staff. Courses are inspiring and entertaining. They are usually held outdoors in the
beautiful landscape.
The Skyros community - informal, friendly, relaxed, and yet vibrant - brings people together in a
way daily life rarely does. Its safe and congenial atmosphere makes it possible for everyone to
feel at home straightaway.
Time Out summed up the Skyros experience as ‘the sheer, crazy overwhelming joy of letting
go and feeling alive’. Elle magazine described it as ‘magically successful thanks to its
unique alchemy of people, settings and ideals’.
The benefits of a Skyros holiday last long after the suntan has faded. They include new friendships
and relationships, new interests, a fresh outlook or even a whole new way forward. The sense of
renewed confidence and excitement about life is palpable. Skyros is truly a unique holiday.
Poet Hugo Williams described Skyros as the holiday ‘you can take home with you’.
Skyros this year launches two new beach holiday destinations – in Cambodia and Vietnam. They are
both blessed with sun-drenched beaches, crystal-clear waters, protected forests and the heritage of
an ancient land. We hope you’ll enjoy exploring them with us.
Skyros 9 Eastcliff Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6AA, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1983 86 55 66. Fax: +44 (0)1983 86 55 37. Email: [email protected]. www.skyros.com
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Skyros
across three continents
Greece
Southeast Asia
ATSITSA BAY
CAMBODIA
Atsitsa, on the pine-forested seaside of Skyros
island, is an adventure into the joys and pleasures of life. With a wide range of courses available, it’s an ideal place to try something new,
learn new skills and discover hidden talents.
Its large community is vibrant, fun and bursting with creativity – the perfect place to make
friends for life. (pp 8 - 15)
Whether celebrating New Year on an unspoilt
beach, trekking in the jungle or visiting the
world-famous temples of Angkor Wat, get a
glimpse of Cambodia the tourists seldom see.
(pp 24 – 26)
THE SKYROS CENTRE
The Skyros Centre, in picturesque Skyros Village, with panoramic views of mountains and
the sea, is home to the Writers’ Lab and the
Life Choices programme. Along with its indepth courses, participants can join the yoga
and music & art courses whilst enjoying all the
pleasures of a Greek island holiday. (pp 16 – 21)
The Writers’ Lab
Facilitated by top writers, the Lab is designed
to help those who want to develop their writing skills. You are sure to emerge with pieces of
work of which to feel proud. (pp 18 – 19)
Life Choices
The Skyros Centre offers an in-depth Life
Choices programme which can inspire you to
move from where you are to where you want to
be. Make the day you join us the first of the rest
of your life. (pp 20 - 21)
Cuba
This is Skyros with a Latin vibe. Learn to salsa
with the Latino experts or find inspiration for
your writings in Havana’s rich culture.
(pp 22 – 23)
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VIETNAM
Experience the vibrant culture, outstanding
scenery and tranquil beaches of this re-emerging country. Vietnam offers an unequalled travel
experience.
(pp 24 – 26)
THAILAND
A luxurious, relaxing holiday in an environmentally friendly 5-star resort with excellent
courses, white sandy beaches and a fabulous
spa. Don’t miss the optional elephant trekking
and snorkelling trips. (pp 24 - 26)
Isle of Wight
On the east coast of the IoW, just 2.5 hours
from London, The Grange offers weekend
courses, b&b and events. Reconnect here with
your Skyros friends, breathe in the fresh sea air,
take it easy and relax.
(pp 28 – 29)
The founders
Skyros was established in 1979 by American
psychologist Dr Dina Glouberman and Greek
journalist Dr Yannis Andricopoulos. It was
Europe’s first ever alternative holiday centre
and remains the world leader – ‘the first and still
the best’, according to The Guardian.
Skyros pioneered the concept of educational
holidays and the holistic approach to life within
a community in exquisite locations.
Yannis
Andricopoulos,
Ph.D, a former political
journalist and editor of i-to-i
magazine, is author of several books on 20th century
Greek and European history.
His trilogy - In Bed with Madness, The Greek Inheritance and The Future of
the Past - is inspired by his involvement in both
the truculent world of politics and the graceful,
personal world of Skyros.
Dina Glouberman, Ph.D, is
the author of the acclaimed
book The Joy of Burnout
(4th edition), and the bestselling classic Life Choices,
Life Changes (6th edition),
both widely translated. She
pioneered Imagework, the imagery-based
approach to life change. A former university
lecturer and psychotherapist, she runs training
courses in imagework worldwide.
‘Let your hair down, take risks,
expand horizons, go on a Skyros
holiday.’
‘Skyros, the sophisticated
urbanite’s retreat of choice.’
Mariella Frostrup - The Independent
Tom Fordyce - The Times
EARLY BIRD!
Receive £75 discount if you book and pay in full by the 10th of December for the March Cuba holiday, by
the 18th of February for Greece, by the 12th of August for the November Cuba holiday and by the 16th of
September 2011 for South East Asia (2011 –2012).
FRIENDS of SKYROS
Friends of Skyros (past participants) receive another discount of £75 per session. This is additional to
the Early Bird.
EXTRA SESSIONS
Those who book more than one holiday this season after the expiry of the Early Bird are entitled to £100
off any additional session. No other discounts are applicable here.
Isle o
f Wig
ht
Cuba
T hailand
Who goes to Skyros?
Skyros attracts holiday-makers from all over the world. All ages are
represented, from 5 to 85, but approximately 70 per cent of all participants are aged 30 – 50. During school holidays, families are also
part of the mix in Atsitsa. Participants are overwhelmingly professionals – from teachers and nurses to IT experts, managers and
entrepreneurs. A huge majority - over 80 per cent - report that the
Skyros experience had a lasting positive effect on their lives. Even
after they have said that Skyros was the ‘holiday of a lifetime’, nearly
a third come back again and again.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is it OK to join a Skyros Holiday on my own?
A. A
Skyros holiday is ideal for solo travellers although couples,
friends and families are welcome too.
Q. Will there be other people my age?
A. T
he majority of participants are aged 30 to 50, but ages range
from 5 to 85!
Q. How easy or difficult is the travel?
A. Book our transfer and let us take care of you.
Q. W
hat is the difference between The Skyros Centre and Atsitsa
Bay?
A. A
tsitsa, surrounded by sea and pine forest, offers a wide choice
of courses and simple but comfortable accommodation. The
focus is its community life. The Skyros Centre, in Skyros village,
offers in-depth courses and higher accommodation standards.
Life there is merged with that of the village.
Q. Is there a single room supplement?
A. S
kyros offers solo travellers the opportunity to avoid single supplements by sharing twin accommodation with another person.
Many of those who share end up close friends for life!
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Skyros Island
living in more than one century at once
Sung about by Homer and full of ancient memories, Skyros is a
magical, ancient isle in the tranquil Aegean Sea.
Its old village, with its narrow cobblestone streets, is graced
with an unhurried intimacy and wholesome humanness long
lost in contemporary big cities. The white cubic-style houses
are shaded by grapevines waving gracefully in the glittering
sunlight. In its square, the villagers, tempered by lingering
memories of millennia, still seem to watch with curiosity the
visitors from their future.
Yet Skyros is a wonderful mixture of tradition and global trends.
Doors are left unlocked, children play out until late and weddings and special events are celebrated by the entire community. On the other hand, young men drink whisky at cool,
funky bars and young women are as fashion-conscious as their
counterparts in London’s West End. The island lives in more
than one century at once.
The island’s long history goes far beyond the reach of memory. Recent archaeological finds at Palamari, near Atsitsa,
have uncovered a well-fortified village dating back to the early
Bronze Age (2800 BC). Artefacts from the site are on display at
the local archaeological museum.
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Achilles, the hero of the Trojan war, spent his early years on
the island, and Athenian hero Theseus, the man who slew the
dreaded minotaur of Crete, died there.
King Lycomedes’ palace on top of the village hill was built in
pre-Homerian times, rebuilt by the Byzantines and then again
by the Venetians. The Byzantine monastery of Saint George,
built on the ruins of an ancient temple, is still intact. So are
many old traditions, including the island’s mesmerising goat
festival which, rooted in Olympian Greece, draws visitors from
all over the world.
Rupert Brooke, the English poet, is buried in a tranquil olive
grove on the southern part of the island, that ‘corner of a foreign field that is forever England’.
‘The island is miraculously unspoilt. No large-scale tourism,
no big hotels, a curving stretch of sandy beach that was
virtually deserted… moreover, Skyros town has a centre and
vivacity that seems to come from another century.’
Louise Doughty - The Daily Telegraph
Time difference GMT + 2 hours.
Skyros’ local school, new medical equipment
for its Health Centre, the refurbishment of its
school theatre and the protection of its forest.
Skyros also supports the welfare of the Skyrian horses, dogs and cats, work of the island’s
folk dance society and the local children’s TaeKwon-Do group.
Language Greek
Economic Responsibility
Currency Euro
Temperature 24/31°C during daytime
Visa requirements None for Europeans
Unlike so many multinational holiday companies, Skyros uses locally owned and maintained facilities with policies in place that favour
local produce and services. Guests visiting
shops, bars and tavernas offsite are, likewise,
directly benefiting the local economy. Locals
are employed wherever this is possible – on
Salsa dancing trips to Cuba, for example, each
participant is matched to a local dance partner
specifically employed for the purpose.
Useful Information
Flights Various inc. Aegean Airlines, BA, Easyjet, Olympic
Flight time Approx 3 hours 35 minutes from London to Athens.
There are no direct flights to Skyros from the
UK. Guests arrive in Athens, where they spend
the night before embarking on their journey to
the island. In Athens people have time to visit
Plaka, the old part of Athens, or the fabulous
new Acropolis museum. The varied journey
through beautiful countryside and seas that
follows gives people a chance to see more of
Greece – it also enables them to forge their
initial connections with other participants. This
journey is, in any case, not just delightful but
also necessary if you want to enjoy an unspoilt
tourist destination – direct flights tend to ruin
such beautiful destinations!
‘Fantastic breaks’
Suzy Bennett - The Daily Telegraph
The ethical dimension
Skyros provides holistic holidays that emphasise being rather than having, doing rather than
consuming, and cooperating rather than competing. The aim is to create an ethical mini-society which can inspire changes beneficial both to
the individual and to the world in which we live.
Social Responsibility
In tune with this aim, Skyros encourages
responsible integration with the local communities including the teaching of local history, culture and language or the sponsorship of events
such as the Skyros mini-marathon. In Southeast Asia, guests are encouraged to give locals
English lessons and we have local guides. In
the same spirit, Skyros has contributed generously towards the purchase of computers for
Environmental responsibility
Atsitsa is fully in tune with the natural environment. Motorised sea sports have never been
introduced, kitchen and shower water is recycled, the showers are heated by solar panels
and the external lighting is solar-powered. We
are also working with the local authority to bring
further recycling to the island – plastic, glass
and aluminium. The resort in Koh Chang is one
of the few in Thailand to win a Greenleaf award
for being an environmentally friendly hotel.
Among other things, it sponsors its own orchid
garden to encourage rare breeds and has
planted a special flower garden for the benefit
of butterflies.
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Atsitsa Bay
community and individuality
R
ight by the sea and embraced by a magnificent pine
forest, Atsitsa has a magical quality that enchants the
senses and makes inroads to the heart. There is a feeling that you have just come back home – is it because people
lived, and their civilisation thrived, in this area long before history began?
Atsitsa’s main stone villa commands a supreme position in the
bay. Its huts, in which most of the participants and staff choose
to live, are situated in lush gardens and are shaded by pine and
fruit trees.
Atsitsa’s delightful community – 30 to 80 guests at a time – is
friendly and bursting with life. In its ambience, people feel free
to engage in new activities, stretch themselves beyond what
they had thought possible, make new friends and enjoy life to
the full.
Courses are held outdoors on beautiful stone terraces,
between the pine forest and the sea. People are free to do as
much or as little as they want. There is always time to sunbathe,
swim, walk in the pine forest and enjoy the tranquility of the bay.
The evenings are taken up by parties, lively discussions and
spontaneous, often hilarious events. Atsitsa’s unique atmosphere owes a great deal to its community structures pioneered
‘The courses are excellent but I soon realised
that they are simply adjunct to a wonderfully
relaxed holiday.’
Carmel Thomason - Manchester Evening News
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and practised over the years. These include demos (community affairs), œkos (home groups), co-listening (real communication) and light community work such as vegetable chopping
and fruit picking.
The beauty of Atsitsa is its simplicity, its intimate connection
with nature and its timeless detachment from the outside
world. The atmosphere of trust it generates enables everyone
to open up, venture into uncharted waters and make connections rarely made in the outside world.
The Atsitsa Bay community
Community is at the very heart of the Atsitsa Bay experience.
The range and quality of the numerous courses, all run by
excellent facilitators, make Atsitsa Bay an exceptional holiday
destination.
But Atsitsa Bay is far more than its courses. It’s a new world
we all aspire to see. It’s the trust the members of its community
naturally develop with each other, the ensuing emergence of
one’s real self as opposed to a self distorted by necessities and
burdens, and the powerful bonds forged between people that
sometimes last for life.
‘I had anticipated
that a New Age fog
of earnest escapism
might cloud the air.
My scepticism was
evaporated. They’ve
got the balance
right’.
Sarah Kent - Time Out
In Atsitsa you can be completely at home: with yourself, with
others, and with nature. You can play, experiment, sing, do
things you haven’t done since childhood or just be silly. It’s a
place to feel free.
Hence people can go for the seemingly impossible and expand
their limits to the limits of the sea. Truly amazing impromptu
events emerge as a regular feature of the Atsitsa Bay programme: its legendary cabaret, the fancy dress parties, the
midnight swims, the music and the singing, the Pea Fairs, the
street theatre shows, the comedy improvisation events and so
much more. Individuality in this environment, shaped only by
the requirements of beauty, only blossoms.
None of this would have come about without the Atsitsa Bay
community spirit. Community is the quintessence of life, the
earth in which the tree of our existence is rooted.
Each Atsitsa Bay holiday provides:•1
0 nights’ shared accommodation in charming twin-bedded huts set amongst pine trees
and close to the sea (single huts & upgrades to
house subject to availability)
• Three delicious meals per day
•U
p to 5 hours of courses, including yoga, from a
choice of up to 16 different courses
• A variety of evening activities & cafe-bar
• Optional individual treatments payable on site
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Atsitsa Bay
in tune with nature
‘The most talked about holistic holiday destination
in Europe, Skyros offers a multi-layered holiday
experience which, at its most gentle, means relaxation,
socialising and great food and, at its most profound, the
confidence and insight to change your life.’
Times Online
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Accommodation
Daily life
Atsitsa participants live simply and comfortably just moments
from the sea. Some stay in the spacious stone villa and most
in 2-person bamboo huts situated in the midst of lush gardens
and shaded by pine and fruit trees. A limited number of single
huts are available. Atsitsa has its own cafe-bar, an ideal place
to sip cool drinks, watch the glorious sunsets over the sea and
dance the night away.
Courses run for four days in both the first and the second half
of the holiday. Some of them are four-day events and others
just drop-ins. Participants can choose either or both. The day
starts with early morning courses (up to one hour), followed by
community events, mid-morning courses (two hours) and late
afternoon courses (two hours). The actual programme is determined at the beginning of each session and participants sign
up on the spot. On their free day participants can go for an
organised event such as a boat trip, a visit to Skyros town with
its enticing shops, tavernas, bars and clubs or tour the island.
Alternatively, they can stay home and enjoy doing nothing.
Food
Atsitsa has gained such an outstanding reputation for its cuisine in terms of both quality and quantity that some participants
claim they return just for the food! The freshest ingredients are
always used – locally sourced seasonal fruits and vegetables,
natural yoghurt and cheeses, pulses and grains. Lunches tend
to be vegetarian and Mediterranean in style. Meat or fish is
served in the evenings and vegetarians are always catered for.
Nightlife
Evening activities include spontaneous events such as parties,
singing, games, talks, comedy shows or
a swim by moonlight.
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Atsitsa Bay
a truly amazing programme
• Holidays begin on the 1st, the 11th and the 21st of each month from June to mid-September
• Fly in to Athens on the day before the 10-night break begins and fly home on the last day of the
holiday
• Courses and activities run for a total of eight days with a day’s break halfway through
• Childcare is available during course time on the three August sessions (AT11, AT12 & AT13)
• For further information on courses and facilitators please check our website www.skyros.com
AT5: Wed 1 - Sat 11 June
£695
Courses & Activities:
Comedy, Drawing, Dreams, Film Making,
Flow Yoga, Improve your Memory, Laughter
Yoga, Life Skills, Meditation, Mindful Living,
Music, Painting, Restorative Yoga, Sailing,
Singing, Walks, Windsurfing.
Facilitators:
Julian Doyle, Michael Eales (D), Mark
Gunston, Laura Heininger, Sharon
Mcdonald, Logan Murray, Jonathan Newey,
Johanna Wood.
AT7: Tues 21 June - Fri 1 July
£745
Beginners’ Guitar, Charismatic Presence,
Creativity, Dancing, Drawing, Dynamic Yoga,
Jamming, Mandala making, Music-making,
Outdoor Art, Sailing, Self-presentation,
Singing, Stained Glass, T’ai Chi, Theatre,
Walks, Windsurfing, Writing.
Facilitators:
Annabelle Apsion, Mark Gunston, Richard
Layzell (D), Richard Lewis, Sharon Mcdonald,
Stoney Parsons, Ilene Sawka, Kym Suttle.
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AT8: Fri 1 - Mon 11 July £795
AT6: Sat 11 - Tues 21 June
£745
Beginners’ Guitar, Bodywork, Body
Language, Comedy, Flirtshop, Flow Yoga,
Games, Jamming, Meditation, Musicmaking, Painting, Photography, Restorative
Yoga, Sailing, Singing, Storytelling, Walks,
Weaving, Windsurfing.
Facilitators:
David Babsky, Alison Goldie, Mark Gunston,
Laura Heininger, Richard Lewis, Sharon
Mcdonald, Theresa Sundt, Silke Ziehl (D).
AT9: Mon 11 - Thurs 21 July
£845
Body Flow, Dance, Kundalini Yoga,
Meditation & Chanting, Mosaics, Outdoor
Art, Sacred Dance, Sailing, Short Film
Making, Singing, Street Theatre, T’ai Chi,
Theatre, Walks, Windsurfing, Yoga.
Art, Body Flow, Dance, Kundalini Yoga,
Mandalas, Meditation, Mosaics, Music,
Painting, Sailing, Singing, Sound Healing,
Street Theatre, Theatre, T’ai Chi, Tantra,
Walks, Windsurfing, Yoga.
Facilitators:
Jason Connery, Richard Layzell (D), Sharon
Mcdonald, Cathy Skora, Kym Suttle, Roz
Wates, John Wigham, Helen Yeomans.
Facilitators:
Dean Friedman, Martin and Hanna Jelfs,
Richard Layzell (D), Sharon Mcdonald, Susie
Self, Cathy Skora, Marina Sossi, Roz Wates,
John Wigham.
‘In the evenings we got together in the bar to
discuss our personal triumphs and insights
with a renewed enthusiasm for life.’
Kerry Clark - Marie Claire
EARLY BIRD! - Receive £75 discount if you book and pay in full for an Atsitsa holiday by the 18th of February.
FRIENDS of SKYROS - Friends of Skyros (past participants) receive another discount of £75 per session. This is additional to the Early Bird.
EXTRA SESSIONS - Those who book more than one holiday this season after the expiry of the Early Bird are entitled to £100 off any
additional session. No other discounts are applicable here.
AT10: Thurs 21 - Sun 31 July
£895
AT11: Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Aug
£945
Bridge, Dance, Drawing, 5 Rhythms
Dance, Kum Nye, Life Skills, Meditation,
Mindfulness, Sailing, Singing, Songwriting,
Tantric Love, Theatre, Walks, Watercolour,
Windsurfing, Yoga.
Bridge, Clowning, Drawing, 5 Rhythms
Dance, Improvisation & Games, Life
Skills, Meditation, Pilates, Sailing, Singing,
Songwriting, Theatre, Walks, Watercolour,
Windsurfing, Yoga.
Facilitators:
Michael Gahagan, Mark Gunston, Jo Hardy,
Martin & Hanna Jelfs, Sharon Mcdonald,
Malcolm Stern (D), Marina Sossi, Sarah
Warwick.
Facilitators:
Kristin Fredricksson, Michael Gahagan,
Mark Gunston, Alan Herdman, Sharon
Mcdonald, Malcolm Stern (D), Sarah
Warwick, Andreas Vetsch.
AT13: Sun 21 - Wed 31 Aug
£895
Ceroc, Comedy Improvisation, Haiku
Writing, Magic Tricks, Music & Singing,
Outdoor Adventure, Painting & Drawing,
Poetry, Sailing, Style & Image, Theatre,
Facilitators:
Andrea Gates, Mark Gunston, Sarah
Livingstone, Sharon Mcdonald, Andrew
Risner (D), Andreas Vetsch, Colin Williams,
Berny Woodward.
AT14: Thurs 1 - Sun 11 Sept
£845
AT12: Thurs 11 - Sun 21 Aug
£895
Authentic Movement, Body-Mind Centering,
Ceroc, Comedy Improvisation, Living
Tantra, Magic Tricks, Mindfulness, Morning
Pages, Positive Thinking, Sailing, Singing,
Songwriting, Theatre, Walks, Watercolour,
Windsurfing, Yoga,
Facilitators:
Jan Day, Mark Gunston, Jens Johannsen
(D), Sarah Livingstone, Sharon Mcdonald,
Andrew Risner, Andreas Vetsch, Sarah
Warwick.
AT15: Sun 11 - Wed 21 Sept
£795
Alexander Technique, Dance, Greek
Dancing, Life Skills, Massage, Meditation,
Painting, Raqs Sharqi, Sailing, Singing &
Multi-instrumental Performance, Vision
Board, Walks, Windsurfing, Working with
Colour, Yoga.
Creativity, Dance, Life Skills, Living Wild,
Massage, Meditation, Painting, Playing with
Colour, Photography, Sailing, Salsa
& Merengue, Sense Magic, Singing &
Multi-instrumental Performance, Storytelling,
Facilitators:
Siobhan Cox-Carlos, Ken Eyerman, Dina
Glouberman (D), Mark Gunston, Judy
Hammond, Sharon Mcdonald, Tom Morley,
Lani O’Hanlon.
Facilitators:
Ken Eyerman, Mark Gunston, John Harris,
Sharon Mcdonald, Tom Morley, Lani
O’Hanlon (D), Kel Portman, Chris Salisbury.
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Atsitsa Bay
the facilitators
Michael Gahagan
Jo Hardy
Michael’s art is exhibited in a number
of galleries and presented in several
books and magazines. He encourages people to develop their own
art. (AT10 & 11)
Jo is an accredited 5 Rhythms
teacher. She is also a
psychotherapist and supervisor
with many years of experience in a
process oriented mindfulness-based
approach. (AT10)
Andrea Gates
John Harris
Andrea has over 12 years experience in the image business. She will
advise on colour and style, enabling
people to highlight their individual
personalities through what they
wear. (AT13)
John, who has studied Systemic
approaches since 2002, has
furthered his studies at the CSISS in
2007-9. He also teaches Argentine
Tango and Cuban Salsa and is a
Hatha Yoga teacher. (AT15)
David Babsky
Dina Glouberman
Laura Heininger
David, formerly Technical Editor of
Practical Photography magazine,
has taught photography and moviemaking and will help participants
improve their techniques. Bring your
own camera. (AT6)
Dina, author of the classics The Joy
of Burnout and Life Choices, Life
Changes, has pioneered Imagework.
Formerly a university lecturer and
psychotherapist, she co-founded
Skyros. (AT14)
Laura’s own teaching style has
developed through an appreciation
for the diversity of yoga styles,
having studied Scaravelli, Vinyasa
Flow, Kundalini and Restorative
yoga. (AT5 & 6)
Siobhan Cox-Carlos
Alison Goldie
Martin & Hanna Jelfs
Siobhan has shown her artwork
extensively throughout Ireland
and North America. She has
wide experience of teaching
and facilitating art and creative
workshops. (AT14)
Alison has been teaching
improvisation, drama and comedy
for over 20 years and is the founder
of the Weird Sisters theatre
company. She is also a TV presenter.
(AT6)
Martin and Hanna are a couple who
have been teaching intimacy and
tantra courses for 15 years. Martin has
been a psychotherapist for 25 years
and Hanna has been practicing T’ai
Chi for over twenty years. (AT9 & 10)
Jan Day
Mark Gunston
Jens Johannsen
Jan has been leading workshops on
intimacy, relationships, sexuality and
life vision since 1999 in Europe and
Hawaii. She is a certified coach and
Art of Being teacher. (AT12)
Mark has been teaching skiing and
watersports for 30 years in Europe
and the US. He has been teaching
in Atsitsa since 1996. He is also a
qualified Life Coach. (AT5 - 15)
Jens is a dancer and movement
teacher/therapist from Germany.
He has been exploring the relations
of body and mind since 1978. He
runs Body Mind Centering training
worldwide. (AT12)
Annabelle Apsion
Annabelle is best known for
her role in the hit television
series Shameless, as well
as Soldier, Soldier, The
Lakes, Midsomer Murders
and Coronation Street.
She has taught theatre,
self-presentation and vocal
work over the last 10 years
and is also co-founder
and practitioner of Rosen
Method Bodywork in the
UK. (AT7)
Michael Eales
Michael, a group facilitator for 26
years, is one of the leading figures
in Humanistic Psychology. He is
the co-author of The Personal
Management Handbook and The
Coaching Cube. (AT5)
Ken Eyerman
Ken, author of Massage, has
taught yoga and bodywork for 30
years and directs his own training
programme. He was named as one
of London’s Evening Standard’s top
three masseurs. (AT14 & 15)
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Richard Layzell
Jason Connery
Jason, well known in
England for his portrayal
of Robin Hood in Robin of
Sherwood, has appeared
in many other films and
television serials. In 2008
he made his directoral
debut with the movie
Pandemic that was
followed by The Devil’s
Tomb and this year the
After Dark Originals. (AT8)
Richard is an award-winning artist,
writer and teacher. His current exhibition, The Manifestation, (with Tania
Koswycz) is touring the UK, and
their dialogues, Cream Pages, has
recently been published. (AT7 - 9)
Richard Lewis
Richard is a musician, film maker
and writer who has worked for many
companies incl Microsoft, Skype
& Oxford Univ Press. He believes
everyone is creative. (AT6 & 7)
Kristin Fredricksson
Judy Hammond
Sarah Livingstone
Kristin is an award winning theatre
maker, performer, director and
Feldenkrais practitioner who
teaches regularly at universities and
drama schools in the UK and further
afield. (AT11)
Judy has many years’ experience
teaching Alexander Technique, Raqs
Sharqi and Moving Mindfully. She
has a theatre background as dancer,
choreographer & director. (AT14)
Sarah is an established painter,
printmaker, psychotherapist and
university lecturer with a passion for
working with individuals to expand
their creative freedom. (AT12 & 13)
Sharon Mcdonald
Ilene Sawka
Sarah Warwick
Sharon, a science teacher for
20 years, has been sailing for
thirteen years and has clocked
up about 11,000 miles on Greater
Manchester Challenge as a volunteer
watchleader. (AT5 - AT15)
Originally from Chicago, Ilene has
helped people to celebrate their
creativity and perform at a level
they would have previously thought
impossible. She lives in Stockholm.
(AT7)
Sarah is an internationally acclaimed
singer, songwriter, performer and
recording artist with 3 number one
dance hits in the UK and the US.
She also runs voice workshops.
(AT10 - 12)
Tom Morley
From playing kit drums with the band
Scritti Politti in his 20’s, through
songwriting in his 30’s, to studying
psychology in his 40’s, Tom is now
an expert at applying his knowledge
to community needs. (AT14 & 15)
Jonathan Newey
Jonathan Newey is an award winning
artist with nearly 20 years as an art
teacher in adult education. He comes
from a long line of artists in his family
and has experience in a wide range
of mediums and subjects. (AT5)
Roz Wates
Logan Murray
Logan is an accomplished
stand-up comedian
(performing at every major
comedy club and festival
in the UK), TV and radio
writer, presenter, actor
as well as stage-director
and author. His book
‘Be a Great Stand Up’,
currently tops the Amazon
bestselling list and he is one
of the best Comedy tutors
in the country. (AT5)
Roz is a mosaic artist who works
with a variety of styles and
techniques and lectures and writes
about mosaics. She works mainly
on commission for private clients &
public bodies. (AT8 - 9)
John Wigham
A Skyros windsurfing instructor since
1994, John went on to introduce
music, street theatre and general
silliness into his repertoire. While
not doing this, he’s a landscape
architect based in Dubai. (AT8 & 9)
Lani O’Hanlon
Susie Self
Colin Williams
Lani, co-creator and author of
Dancing the Rainbow, is a voice
& movement artist, writer and
holistic therapist with over 15 years
experience as a director & teacher/
trainer. (AT14 & 15)
Susie, a singer/songwriter, performs
at Covent Garden, Glyndebourne
and co-starred with Jasper Carrot in
the West End. She leads voice and
sound healing retreats. Her latest
album is Seachanges. (AT9)
Colin has long experience in the field
of creative digital music-making and
currently runs a recording studio
in Bristol. In Skyros he will give
participants the opportunity to create
original pieces of music. (AT13)
Stoney Parsons
Cathy Skora
Johanna Wood
Stoney is a professional stained
glass artist and a painter. Her glass
work and paintings are all about
colour. She enjoys teaching and her
courses are practical, creative and
fun! (AT7)
Cathy is founder and director of the
US Folkloric Productions Dance
Company and has been teaching
and performing dance internationally
for over 15 years. (AT8 & 9)
Johanna, a singer and choral director, plays piano, sax and accordion.
Her Rock Choirs released a top 10
album in 2010. She runs harmony
workshops at the Central School of
Speech & Drama and in Kent. (AT5)
Marina Sossi
Berny Woodward
Marina, a yoga teacher, is an
accomplished theatre director,
writer and performer who has
worked internationally with theatres,
galleries, festivals, prisons, health
and mental health groups. (AT9 & 10)
Berny holds the UK Mountain Instructors Certificate and has extensive
experience having worked in the RAF
as an Outdoor Adventure Instructor
for over 20 years. He is also a self
taught artist and poet. (AT13)
Julian Doyle
Julian is one of the world’s
most versatile film-makers.
He has written, directed,
photographed, edited and
created special Fxs in feature
films such as Terry Gilliam’s
Timebandits. He edited
Monty Python’s film Life of
Brian, directed the Chemical
Wedding and his latest book
‘The Life of Brian/Jesus’ is
billed as ‘the book that will
ruin Christmas!’ (AT5)
Malcolm Stern
Malcolm is a group and individual
psychotherapist, co-founder of
Alternatives at St James Church,
London. He recently co-presented
Channel 4’s relationships series.
(AT10 & 11)
Alan Herdman
Alan set up Britain’s
first-ever Pilates studio
with actors, dancers
and singers as his first
clients. He has written
several books including
The Pilates Directory
and Pilates: Creating the
Body you Want. He runs a
training course for Pilates
instructors and teaches in
dance schools and studios
internationally. (AT11)
Kel Portman
Theresa Sundt
Kel, formerly a senior university
lecturer, is an artist, photographer
and printmaker. He is also an
experienced RYA windsurfing
instructor. (AT15)
Theresa is a professional artist
and art teacher focusing on the
therapeutic qualities of colour. Her
book The Art of Colour Therapy has
been translated in four languages.
(AT6)
Andrew Risner
Kym Suttle
Helen Yeomans
Andrew, a professional speaker
and change strategist, presents
workshops and seminars throughout
Europe. He has a backgound in
business and stand-up comedy.
(AT12 & 13)
Kym has been teaching yoga since
1996 and his style is influenced by
his years as a dance/choreography
teacher (he has an MA in Dance
Studies & Choreography) and as an
actor. (AT7 & 8)
Helen, an experienced singing
teacher, choir director and composer
based in Devon, England, directs
her own performance choir, Glorious
Chorus, for which she writes all the
music. (AT8)
Chris Salisbury
Andreas Vetsch
Silke Ziehl
Chris is an outdoor instructor and
storyteller with a background in the
theatre, a training in therapy and a
career in environmental education
with the Devon Wildlife Trust and
WildWise. (AT15)
Andreas is a former film and TV
director, who teaches yoga in Zurich
and leads workshops and retreats
all over Europe. He has just toured
Switzerland with a comedy show.
(AT11 - 13)
Silke is a body psychotherapist
specialising in training professionals.
She is the founder of the Entelia
Institute for Creative Bodywork in
Munich and London, and a member
of the Open Centre, London. (AT6)
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The Skyros Centre
creativity and wellness
T
he Skyros Centre, home of the Writers’ Lab and the Life
Choices programme, nestles on the hillside at the edge
of Skyros village. Built high up to evade the clutches
of Mediterranean pirates, the village is accessible only by foot
through narrow, cobblestoned streets. The long, sandy beach
is a pleasant ten minute walk away.
The Centre’s courtyard, shaded by fig and pomegranate trees,
has a panoramic view of the valley and the Aegean. Its white
walls are covered by bougainvilleas and grapevines.
In this delightful environment people can enjoy the unalloyed
beauty of Greece, engage in joyful activities and relish the
company of new and often life-long connections. Stepping
back from the stress of everyday life, they can also reach new
insights, reconnect with the source of their creativity, and
experience a wonderful sense of liberation. As one participant
wrote, ‘Skyros is sunshine for the soul’.
In the first half of the day, people can choose an in-depth
course – either a Writers’ Lab or a Life Choices course. The
course develops over nine days punctuated by a day’s break inbetween. Subject to space, participants can, if they wish, move
to the other programme for the second half of the session.
In the late afternoon, the Music & Arts programme is open to all
without pre-booking on three days of each half of the holiday.
After this people usually meet for dinner in the village. Whether
one goes for stuffed tomatoes or grilled fish at a taverna by
the sea, dinner is almost a spiritual experience. With the night
always young, there may well be dancing until late or walking in
the moonlight through the magical landscape.
‘I have had one life-changing holiday - on
the Greek island of Skyros... I had just given
up my job with Shell. I wasn’t quite sure what
to do with my life, so I enrolled on a creative
writing course and learnt how to do massage,
in the hope that something would occur to me.
People kept saying that I was really funny,
and ought to be a comedian, so I thought I’d
give it a go.’
Jimmy Carr - The Sunday Times
Accommodation
Participants stay in rooms close to the Centre that combine
modern comforts with a Skyrian ambience. Most are en-suite
rooms or small apartments, and others are charming rooms
within traditional houses. The styles vary but all have air conditioning, a fridge and a kettle as standard. Participants normally
share a twin room. Some single rooms are available and bookable in advance at £245 per session in the low season and
£295 in the high season (21 July - 31 August).
16
are mainly vegetarian, with meat or fish served when there is
dinner instead. Meals take place on the Centre’s terrace which
affords a panoramic view towards the sea. Food is prepared
by Vasso, about whom writer Michèle Roberts wrote, ‘Where
is heaven? Here on earth, in Skyros, in Vasso’s kitchen’. In the
evenings there are plenty of options to choose from in the village, from traditional tavernas to sophisticated restaurants
serving modern Greek cuisine. Meals and snacks are available
in the village and by the beach. (£10 – £30).
Daily life
A typical day begins with gentle yoga followed by breakfast.
The main course, either the Writers’ Lab (WL) or Life Choices
(LC), is held between 10.30am and 1.30pm. After lunch people
can stroll down to the sea or have a siesta, which even Churchill recommended in his memoirs! Late afternoons, between
6pm and 8pm, are reserved for the Music & Arts events or
occasional ‘Taste of Greece’ event including talks, Greek music
and dance and visits to places of interest. Every session offers
the traditional Skyros structures of demos (community affairs),
co-listening (effective communication) and light community
work such as vegetable chopping or watering the plants. Oneto-one massage treatments are available on site.
Nightlife
Skyros’ nightlife is relaxed yet has much to offer. The bars are
open until the early hours and so are tavernas with delicious
traditional food. Dance the night away in the village’s nightclubs.
Each Skyros Centre holiday provides:• 10 nights’ shared accommodation in an air-conditioned twin room (single upgrades available)
• Half board
Food
• Up to 5 hours of courses, per weekday
The Centre offers half board (usually breakfast and lunch).
Adapted from the villagers’ traditional diet, meals are based
on fresh, natural and local ingredients. Lunches in the Centre
• Yoga every course day morning
• Optional massage treatments available on site
The Programme at a glance
Thurs 21 Apr - Sun 1 May
£795
Greek and Roman Easter
Mon 11 - Thurs 21 July
£895
Early Morning Yoga
Early Morning Yoga
WL1 Spin Straw into Gold
Joyce Dunbar
LC1 Passion for Life
Frank Shapiro
MA1 Playing with Colour
Theresa Sundt (D)
Sun 1 - Wed 11 May
£745
Early Morning Yoga
WL2 Get Going!
Michèle Roberts
LC2 Life Choices, Life
Changes
Dina Glouberman
(D)
Theresa Sundt
Wed 11 - Sat 21 May
£695
WL9 From Poetry to
Prose
Robert Rowland
Smith
LC9 The Courage to
Change
Malcolm Stern
(D)
MA9 Music & Singing
Sarah Warwick
Thurs 21 - Sun 31 July
£945
Early Morning Yoga
WL10 Aspects of Novelwriting
Jennie Rooney
LC10 Choose Life at Any
Risk
Ari Badaines (D)
MA10 Music & Painting
Susie Self
Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Aug
Early Morning Yoga
£995
WL3 The Craft of Fiction
Lindsay Clarke
Early Morning Yoga
LC3 Mastering
Uncertainty
Michael Eales (D)
WL11 Writing From Life
Aminatta Forna
MA3 Free Your Creativity
Hazel Carey
LC11 Longings & Love
Ari Badaines (D)
MA11 Music & Painting
Susie Self
Sat 21 - Tues 31 May
£745
Early Morning Yoga
WL4 A Life Full of Stories
Amanda Smyth (D)
LC4 Get Out Your Own
Way
Catherine
Thompson
MA4 Photography & Video
Julian Doyle
Wed 1 - Sat 11 June
£745
Early Morning Yoga
WL5 A Story is a Story
Richard Beard
LC5 Seeing is Believing
Aaron Swartz
MA5 The Funny Side of Life
Alison Goldie (D)
Sat 11 - Tues 21 June
£795
Early Morning Yoga
WL6 Your Writer’s Voice
Crysse Morrison
LC6 Attract Your Ideal
Partner
Frank Shapiro (D)
MA6 Music & Singing
Johanna Wood
Tues 21 June - Fri 1 July
£795
Thurs 11 - Sun 21 Aug
Early Morning Yoga
WL12 The First Novel
Shelley Weiner
LC12 The Path of
Happiness
Michael Eales (D)
MA12 Music Making
Colin Williams
WL7 True Stories
Helena Drysdale
LC7 Coming Alive
Claire Schrader
Theresa Sundt (D)
Fri 1 - Mon 11 July
£845
Early Morning Yoga
WL8 The Art of Writing
Fiction
Sam North
LC8 Allowing Love
Elizabeth Bunker
MA8 Mime & Improvisation
David Zucker (D)
WL : Writers’ Lab LC : Life Coaching
MA : Music & Arts D : Director
Sessions begin on the 1st, the 11th and
the 21st of each month.
This popular programme is a counterpoint to
the main morning courses, offering a creative
space where participants from both in-depth
courses, can learn and have fun together.
Theresa Sundt offers a vibrant journey exploring colour as inspiration for artwork in Playing
with Colour (MA1, MA2, MA7)
Let your sense of wellbeing flourish with Hazel
Carey’s Free Your Creativity workshops
including song, dance and play. (MA3)
Julian Doyle, of Monty Python fame, guides
you in developing your photographic and directorial skills. Photography & Video (MA4)
Improvise with Alison Goldie and explore The
Funny Side of Life unblocking the imagination
and even enjoy being silly. (MA5)
Jo Wood will bring the evenings alive with
Music and Singing. Jo says “if you can talk
you can sing.” (MA6)
Develop flexibility in dealing with the unexpected through Mime, Improvisation &
Story Telling with David Zucker. (MA8)
An exciting journey of vocal discoveries, Music
& Singing with Sarah Warwick explores the
amazing power of sound and song. (MA9)
Susie Self will facilitate Music & Painting
helping you to deepen self expression through
voicework and painting. (MA10 & 11)
Explore the ‘Art of Jamming’, building rhythms,
melody and writing lyrics in Colin Williams’
Music Making course. (MA12)
£945
Vocalist Kate Daniels brings Jazz and Blues
and Beyond. Find your rhythm and enjoy creating your own sound. (MA13)
WL13 Life Writing
Monique Roffey
LC13 Life Choices, Life
Changes
Dina Glouberman
(D)
Create your own Style and Image with Andrea Gates. Find styles that reflect you, your
personality and body shape. (MA14)
MA13 Jazz, Blues &
Beyond
Kate Daniels
Sun 21 - Wed 31 Aug
Early Morning Yoga
Thurs 1 - Sun 11 Sept
£895
Early Morning Yoga
WL14 Life Fiction
Kevan Manwaring
LC14 Successful Living
Kate Daniels (D)
MA14 Style and Image
Andrea Gates
Sun 11 - Wed 21 Sept
Early Morning Yoga
£945
Music & Arts Programme
£845
Early Morning Yoga
WL15 So How D’you Get
Your Ideas?
Louisa Young
LC15 Being Ourselves
Gaie Houston (D)
MA15 The Inner Artist
Siobhan Cox-Carlos
Wed 21 Sept - Sat 1 Oct
£795
Early Morning Yoga
WL16 Creating Comedy
Arthur Smith
LC16 Be Your Own Best
Coach
Jackee Holder
MA16 Dancing the
Rainbow
Lani O’Hanlon (D)
For more information on courses and facilitators
please check our website - www.skyros.com
Let your Inner Artist emerge with Siobhan
Cox-Carlos and experiment with different
media to express your creative side. (MA15)
Try new ways of moving, replenish your energy
and reconnect with the spontaneous you. Lani
O’Hanlon, Dancing The Rainbow (MA16)
You need to book either the Writers’ Lab or the
Life Coaching programme. The early morning
yoga courses and the late afternoon Music &
Art courses are available in all sessions and
open to all without pre-booking.
Arrive in Athens the day before the holiday
begins and departure on the last day.
EARLY BIRD! - Receive £75
discount if you book and pay in full for
a Skyros Centre holiday by 18th Feb.
FRIENDS of SKYROS - (past
participants) receive another discount
of £75 per session. This is additional to
the Early Bird.
EXTRA SESSIONS - Those who
book more than one holiday this season
after the expiry of the Early Bird are
entitled to £100 off any additional
session. No other discounts are
applicable here.
17
Writer’s Lab
inspired by the gods of Greece
The Guardian named Skyros as Number 1 of ‘the world’s
best five writing holidays’.
The Guardian
T
he Writers’ Lab in Skyros island, Greece, offers writers, thinkers and dabblers the opportunity to learn
from distinguished writers, share the joys and struggles of the creative process, discover their strengths and
polish their skills.
In an idyllic environment, far away from the demands and
routines dictated by a busy life, course participants can
navigate beyond old boundaries and emerge with pieces of
writing of which to feel proud.
Indeed, former Writers’ Lab participants such as Susan
Elderkin, Crysse Morrison, Shani Solomons, Emma Darwin
or Grace Wynne-Jones have gone on to publish books or to
stage plays they started, developed or completed in Skyros.
Courses are open to novices with a secret passion for writing as much as to writers who already have a book under
their belt. The tutors enjoy helping people at any stage of
development – so do come with work in progress or just
an empty page.
The Skyros Writers’ Lab has built up an excellent reputation
over the years. Steven Berkoff, Rachel Billington, Margaret Drabble, Hanif Kureishi, D M Thomas, Sue Townsend,
Marina Warner, Hugo Williams and many others, including
Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners such as Hilary Mantel,
James Kelman, Barry Unsworth, Bernice Rubens and Alison Lurie, have graced the centre with their presence over
the years and given hundreds of people the benefit of their
experience.
18
WL1: Thurs 21 Apr - Sun 1 May
£795
Spin Straw into Gold
WL7: Tues 21 June - Fri 1 July
£795
True Stories
WL13: Sun 21 - Wed 31 Aug
£945
Life Writing
Joyce Dunbar
Helena Drysdale
Monique Roffey
Joyce, author of over 80 books
including a 12-step guide to writing,
will teach you how to turn the stuff
of life into well-crafted fiction with
magic and meaning. Whether you
want to write a novel, a memoir or a
short story, this course is for you.
One of the best routes into writing
is through true stories. Helena will
explore real life experiences with you
and the form of writing that stem
from these – memoir, biography,
fiction, poetry. She has published
many novels inc Looking for George.
The course will look at what it
means to write from your own life
or the lives of those close to you.
Monique teaches Creative Writing
for English PEN, Arvon and Goldsmiths. Her latest novel is The White
Woman on the Green Bicycle.
WL2: Sun 1 - Wed 11 May
£745
Get Going!
WL8: Fri 1 - Mon 11 July
£845
The Art of Writing Fiction
WL14: Thurs 1 - Sun 11 Sept
£895
Life Fiction
Michèle Roberts
Sam North
Kevan Manwaring
Michèle, former professor of
Creative Writing at the UEA, uses
exercises and games to explore a
variety of forms and techniques. She
is the author of many novels inc. the
acclaimed Daughters of the House
shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
The course will explore the largescale challenges of writing fiction. It
will then narrow its focus to look at
the creation of the ‘voice’ of a novel,
and prose style. Sam has written
eight novels and has received a
Somerset Maugham Award.
We’ll explore autobiographical material and look at ideas, characters,
dialogue, plot, themes, tone, points
of view, beginnings, endings and
more. Kevan writes fiction, nonfiction and poetry and teaches for the
OU. He is a professional storyteller.
WL3: Wed 11 - Sat 21 May
£695
The Craft of Fiction
WL9: Mon 11 - Thurs 21 July
£895
From Poetry to Prose
WL15: Sun 11 - Wed 21 Sept
£845
So Where D’you Get Your Ideas?
Lindsay Clarke
Robert Rowland Smith
Louisa Young
Whitbread Prize winner Lindsay will
run exercises on openings, character development, dialogue, structure
and setting, and on ways to stimulate the imagination. His latest of the
seven novels he has written is the
much praised The Water Theatre.
The course covers poetry, fiction
and non-fiction, with a balance
of theory and practice as well as
advice on working with publishers and agents. Robert is a writer,
journalist and teacher. He is a faculty
member at The School of Life.
Where do you go to find your ideas,
what you do with them, how do you
put the right ones together, look after
them so they will come to fruition,
keep them coming or get rid of them?
Louisa, a journalist for many years, has
written 10 books, 3 of them novels.
WL4: Sat 21 - Tues 31 May
£745
A Life Full of Stories
WL10: Thurs 21 - Sun 31 July
£945
Aspects of Novel-writing
WL16: Wed 21 - Sat 1 Oct
£795
Creating Comedy
Amanda Smyth
Jennie Rooney
Arthur Smith
Develop tools to unlock your creative
writing life while learning to mine
your own experiences to produce
meaningful works of fiction. Amanda’s
Black Rock won the French First
Novel Award in 2010 and was shortlisted for the prestigious Prix Femina.
Each day we will focus on a different
aspect of novel-writing with practical
exercises and experimentation. Jennie has published two novels, the
first shortlisted for the Costa First
Novel Award. It was also a Richard
and Judy Debut Book Club choice.
Arthur, a comedian, writer and broadcaster, wll help to bring out the funny
in everybody. Whether you wish to
write gags, sitcoms or plays, you will
find something here to stimulate you.
At the end, the group will present a
comedy night to the other students.
WL5: Wed 1 - Sat 11 June
£745
True or False: A Story is a Story
WL11: Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Aug
£995
Writing From Life
Richard Beard
Aminatta Forna
When does non-fiction become creative? How does a writer make fiction
read like real life? What skills apply to
fiction and non-fiction alike? Richard
is the author of four novels and three
non-fiction books and director of The
National Academy of Writing.
How can you capture your own life
experiences and transform them into
memoir, essay, travel writing or nature
writing? Aminatta, a creative writing
tutor and author of The Devil that
Danced in the Water and other novels,
will offer you all the help you need.
WL6: Sat 11 - Tues 21 June
£795
Your Writer’s Voice
WL12: Thurs 11 - Sun 21 Aug
‘So am I writing a novel? The
answer is still no. But after a week
on Skyros I may be inching ever
closer to making a start.’
Róisin Ingle - The Irish Times
£945
The First Novel
Crysse Morrison
Shelley Weiner
Working from memories and imagination, Crysse’s course will focus on
finding ideas and exploring writing
styles. Crysse, an experienced
writing tutor, writes fiction, drama
and performance poetry and has a
regular column in Writing Magazine.
The course offers practical advice in
a supportive environment. Characterisation, plot and setting are explored,
with a focus on individual work. Shelley is a novelist, short-story writer and
journalist who has established herself
as an inspirational tutor.
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Life Choices
breaking old boundaries, winning new ground
O
ur choices go far beyond those of previous generations. Perhaps, we don’t necessarily expect to have a
career for life or live in the country in which we were
born, or even live with our partner till death do us part. Just as
confusing are the values we choose to go for in an era in which
anything is as good as anything else.
Some choices are easy but others, particularly those forced
upon us by circumstances, are not. Which way will you go in
the area of relationships, values, career, health, sexuality or in
dealing with all the current uncertainty and stress? How do
you take care of all the necessities and at the same time grow
and develop as a human being? Or what do you do if, despite
everything, life is not bringing you the contentment you expect
and you don’t know what will?
Deciding on such issues is never quite straightforward. But the
Life Choices programme of The Skyros Centre can help you
to take stock, listen to the whispers of your soul and move on.
Within its warm, relaxed environment, and with the help of
world-class teachers and like-minded participants, you will be
fully supported to find your way to a life that makes sense. The
Centre itself doesn’t provide answers. It will, however, give you
all the encouragement you need to leave behind limiting beliefs.
The programme’s facilitators are known for their warmth and
integrity as much as for their expertise. They are there to support, inspire and encourage participants to listen to their own
inner voice and find their own path. They come from a range
of traditions, from the motivational to the therapeutic, which is
indicated in the course descriptions.
Each ten-night holiday is split into two with four days of courses
in each half and a day’s break in-between. The courses,
enhanced by the informal atmosphere, the new friendships,
and the magical qualities of village life, run for three hours per
day in the mid-mornings.
Why not dip your toes into the Life Choices programme and
watch the sun rising from the Aegean on a really new day?
‘I felt I made bonds that will last a lifetime
because the friendships were based on getting to
know the real me and vice versa.’
Anne Roper - Sunday Independent
‘The games people play on the Greek island of Skyros have nothing to do with fitness, stamina or winning
medals. Instead, they’re all about conquering your fears, freeing your spirit and having the sort of fun
you probably haven’t since you were a kid.’
Paul Mansfield - The Sunday Telegraph
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LC1: Thurs 21 Apr - Sun 1 May
£795
Regain Your Passion for Life
LC7: Tues 21 June - Fri 1 July
£795
Coming Alive
LC13: Sun 21 - Wed 31 Aug
£945
Life Choices, Life Changes
Frank Shapiro
Claire Schrader
Dina Glouberman
Life should be exciting. Having passion for what you enjoy in life is key
to being happy, healthy and active.
Bring back laughter, fun and a
positive outlook. Frank is one of the
leading motivators and has written
about getting the most out of life.
Do you want to access all the power
that lies within you and live in an
inspiring and energising way, firing on
all cylinders? Claire, an award winning
playwright, drama therapist and performance artist, will be there to help
you express the joy of being alive.
Author of the classics Life Choices,
Life Changes and The Joy of Burnout, Dina will show you how to listen
to your soul’s whispers, find your
natural brilliance, overcome fears,
solve problems, make wise choices
- and go for it.
LC2: Sun 1 - Wed 11 May
£745
Life Choices, Life Changes
LC8: Fri 1 - Mon 11 July
£845
Allowing Love
LC14: Thurs 1 - Sun 11 Sept
£895
Steps to Successful Living
Dina Glouberman
Elizabeth Bunker
Kate Daniels
Author of the classics Life Choices,
Life Changes and The Joy of Burnout, Dina will show you how to listen
to your soul’s whispers, find your
natural brilliance, overcome fears,
solve problems, make wise choices
- and go for it.
Come play, dance, sing, become
more of who you truly are and
explore the power of love to protect,
hold, heal and transform. Elizabeth,
an American meditation teacher and
spiritual guide for 38 years, is also a
dancer, singer and writer.
Develop skills, strategies and confidence to move your work, life and
relationships towards your goals. Kate,
a systemic psychotherapist at the
Tavistock Clinic with a background in
the corporate field, is also a jazz singer
who performs her own songs.
LC3: Wed 11 - Sat 21 May
£695
Mastering Uncertainty
LC9: Mon 11 - Thurs 21 July
£895
The Courage to Change
Michael Eales
Malcolm Stern
Self-mastery helps to transform
blocks and fears so we can learn
to live with impermanence with
more strength and resourcefulness,
and face life with more confidence.
Michael is one of the leading figures
in Humanistic Psychology.
This workshop will use psychotherapy, dance and bodywork, sharing,
ritual and healing to transform ourselves and liberate potential. Malcolm
is a group and individual psychotherapist and co-founder of Alternatives
at St James Church, London.
LC4: Sat 21 - Tues 31 May
£745
Get Out Your Own Way
LC10: Thurs 21 - Sun 31 July
£945
Choose Life at Any Risk
Catherine Thompson
Ari Badaines
Explore goal-setting, aligning values
with goals, life-purpose and core
strengths in order to take action
to be at your best. Learn the tools
you need. Catherine is a coach,
columnist and has appeared on TV
and radio.
Ari will use a variety of approaches,
including some from psychodrama
and gestalt therapy to gain new
awareness and experience more
satisfying ways of being. He runs
courses worldwide and has been a
Skyros facilitator since 1982.
LC5: Wed 1 - Sat 11 June
£745
Seeing Is Believing
£995
Love, Longings and Intimacy
Aaron Swartz
Our faces impact on the world,
and the world reacts. But how do
we present ourselves? Aaron, an
inspirational actor, director and
psychotherapist, will enable you to
see yourself with the eyes of others
and, if you need to, change.
LC6: Sat 11 - Tues 21 June
LC11: Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Aug
£795
Attract Your Ideal Partner
LC15: Sun 11 - Wed 21 Sept
£845
Being Ourselves
Ari Badaines
Gaie Houston
Ari will look at the origins of unmet
needs for love, acceptance and
nurturing, the subsequent longings,
and how to work through the blocks
to a more satisfying way of relating. A
Skyros facilitator since 1982 he is an
American living in Australia.
This workshop will see why and how
people limit themselves and then
focus on expanding the participants’
potential to be more of themselves.
A psychotherapist and playwright,
Gaie has written eight books and
loves learning through fun.
LC12: Thurs 11 - Sun 21 Aug
£945
The Path of Happiness
LC16: Wed 21 - Sat 1 Oct
£795
Be Your Own Best Coach
Frank Shapiro
Michael Eales
Jackee Holder
How do you do that? Frank, one of the
country’s leading motivators, will look
with you at what is attractive from the
inside out and help you understand
that by being your authentic self you
will attract like-minded people and
interesting situations like a magnet.
Humanistic Psychologist and writer
Michael will focus on finding your
sense of meaning and purpose, living
in the here and now, developing
emotional resilience and finding connection with others. All this and lots
of fun, too!
A holistic introduction to Self-Coaching, the programme will include a
range of dynamic coaching tools and
techniques based on Jackee’s book
of the same title. She has twenty
years experience in leadership and
organisational development.
21
Skyros in Cuba
salsa, literature, culture and history
H
avana, a UNESCO World heritage site, is one of the
oldest, grandest and safest cities in the Americas. It
is also one of the loveliest. Its beguiling ice-cream coloured colonial buildings, the high concentration of museums
and galleries, the stunning vibrancy of Cuban music and dance
and the charismatic Habaneros give it a cultural punch well
beyond its size and economic status. Add to all this the tropical
climate and you have a potent cocktail.
Havana is the perfect place to learn Cuba’s national dance –
salsa. Our authentic Cuban style salsa classes are facilitated by
a top Cuban dance tutor. Each participant has a local Cuban
dance partner who will always be there to mentor each person’s progress and ensure a high quality learning experience.
Likewise, the influence Cuban isolation has exerted on its people’s myths, fantasies and national psyche, makes the country a unique place for writers and artists. Great Cuban writers,
from José Marti to Alèjo Carpentier and José Lezama Lima,
and more famous non-Cuban ones, from Ernest Hemingway
to Gabriel Garcia Márquez and from Jean Paul Sartre to Günter Grass, have found in Cuba a source of inspiration. Skyros
will honour this tradition and, alongside salsa, it will also run a
writers’ course with Amanda Smyth and later in the year with
Steven Berkoff.
Outside course hours, local guides will help people gain an
insight into Cuban history and culture.
The day is easy-going. It begins with some gentle yoga followed by a delicious breakfast, the community meeting and
workshops led by Cubans on the history and culture of Cuba.
Participants can stroll leisurely through the city, where they can
get a glimpse of life without Mcdonald’s, and enjoy Havana’s
rebel nature, which is a crucial part of its allure. The salsa and
the writing courses are held in the late afternoon.
Evenings offer balmy weather and a chance to walk the many
and varied shopping streets of La Habana Vieja, the old
Havana, visit dazzling nightclubs and shows, and even dance
salsa in the streets! The programme includes a half day Havana
city tour and optional excursions to beaches, a traditional cigar
factory and local beauty spots.
Accommodation
Skyros-in-Cuba uses the famous 5-star Habana Libre hotel.
Centrally located in the district of Vedado, the hotel – in earlier
times called the Hilton – passed through the revolution relatively
unscathed. Fidel Castro liked it so much that he initially located
his headquarters there. The magnificent mosaic wall, designed
by Amelia Pelaez, mercifully survived the hotel’s renovations
made at a later stage. The hotel offers breathtaking views of
Havana, the sea and the Morro fortress. Conveniently located, it
offers easy access to the eastern beaches. Its top floor is home
to one of Havana’s night clubs hosting top Cuban bands nightly.
Food
You can eat well on simply prepared wholesome food. Cuba
was a pioneer in the use of ecological farming. Seafood, particularly lobster, prawns and fresh tuna are of excellent quality. Vegetarianism is in its infancy but restaurants respond to
requests.
22
Daily life
The day begins with a gentle yoga class followed by a delicious
buffet breakfast served in the poolside restaurant. This is followed by a short get-together and then the session on Cuban
history and culture often involving visits to places of interest.
After lunch, participants can visit (by taxi) some of the beautiful
beaches or shop in Old Havana. Courses are held between
5.00pm and 7.00pm (salsa) and 5.00pm and 8.00pm (writing)
and evenings include visits to local salsa clubs, jazz venues,
dance shows or the Cuban National Ballet and Opera. The
Cubans, even when life comes with plenty of grit, gripes and its
share of inequalities, have never lost their passion for partying.
The night-life of their capital is legendary!
Useful Information
Flights Virgin Atlantic (designated), BA, Cubana, Martinair, Air France,
Iberia
Flight time approx 9 hours 40 minutes from London to Havana (direct)
Time difference GMT - 5 hours
Language Spanish
Currency Cuban Convertible Pesos (can be purchased at airport on
arrival)
Visa requirements assports must be valid for 6 months after return date. Tourist
P
Visa card required prior to entry to Cuba (approx. £25 although
free if flight booked through Holiday Place).
‘Dancing in the streets is optional.’
The Daily Mail
Sun 20 - Wed 30 March
£1095
Early Morning Yoga
John Harris
CS1 Cuban Salsa
Damarys Suarez
CW1 A Life Full of Stories
Amanda Smyth
Cuban History & Culture
Rita Ojeda
Sun 20 - Wed 30 November
£1095
Early Morning Yoga
CS2 Cuban Salsa
Damarys Suarez
CW2 Creative Writing
Steven Berkoff
Cuban History & Culture
Rita Ojeda
Participants choose either of the two in-depth
courses: salsa or writing. The early morning
yoga class and the Cuban culture and history
walks and talks are open to all.
Each Skyros in Cuba holiday
provides:• 10 nights’ shared accommodation in a 5-star twin-room (single
upgrades available)
• Breakfast and two evening meals
• Participation in the day’s courses
and activities
• Transfers (if on designated flight)
from and to the airport, and
• A half day Havana city tour
23
Skyros in Southeast Asia
Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand
T
his region of Southeast Asia, also known as Indochina,
contains cultures influenced by both India and China. It
evokes images of rice fields, glittering temples, saffronrobed monks, untouched rural landscapes, idyllic beaches and
the friendliness of local people.
We are extending our range from Thailand and Angkor Wat
in Cambodia to add a new Cambodian beach holiday and a
new country destination, Vietnam. As these countries open up,
now is the time to explore such beautiful and unspoilt areas.
Skyros-in-Paradise, as many participants have called it, offers
an unforgettable adventure in which one can make wonderful
new friends, enjoy a different culture and be inspired.
Cambodia
As well as our Cambodia Adventure tour to the temples
of Angkor Wat (see right) we are offering a beach holiday in
Sihanoukville. The 4-star Sokha Beach Resort is Cambodian
owned and set amongst acres of beautifully landscaped gardens with its own one mile pristine white sandy beach. The
resort has two restaurants and three bars, swimming pool,
tennis, gym and Spa, Sihanoukville is a place to unwind in a
laid back atmosphere, enjoy ocean-fresh seafood and take in
a snorkelling trip.
Vietnam
This is a country of outstanding natural beauty and vibrancy.
Located on the idyllic Phu Quoc island just a one hour flight
from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), the 4-star Phu Quoc resort
nestles among coconut groves and an abundance of lush tropical greenery on a private palm lined sandy beach. The resort
has a swimming pool, restaurant and bars overlooking the sea.
You can also see village life, visit local markets, or enjoy the
Marine National Park. The perfect balance between adventure
and relaxation.
Thailand
This holiday is hosted in the exclusive Aiyapura Resort & Spa
on the magical island of Koh Chang, a Marine National Park
300km south-east of Bangkok. The 5-star resort, sited in a
spectacular private bay, has a Green Leaf Award for environmental friendliness. Here you can delight in the Spa, sip cocktails and enjoy the world-renowned Thai cooking. Koh Chang is
hassle free and White Sand Beach, 10 minutes away by courtesy coach, has lively restaurants, bars and dancing until the
early hours.
‘The setting is exquisite and the spa is
stunning. Anyone looking for a physical,
mental or emotional clear-out will find
the perfect crucible for just that.’
Marianne Macdonald - (London) Evening Standard
24
Winter 2010/2011
SA1: Fri 14 Jan - Sun 23 Jan 2011
Courses
£1,245
Cambodia Adventure
Temples & Jungles
On the Exploration Path
Michael Eales
Photography & Writing
Julian Doyle
SA2: Tue 25 Jan - Sat 5 Feb 2011
£1,245
Thailand Beach
Early Morning Yoga
Life Choices
Dina Glouberman
Music & Songwriting
Richard Lewis
Winter 2011/2012
SA3: Thur 29 Dec ’11 - Sun 8 Jan ’12
£1,245
Early Morning Yoga
Life Choices
Dina Glouberman
T’ai Chi, Art, Theatre
Richard Layzell
£1,195
Cambodia Adventure
Temples & Jungles
On the Exploration Path
Michael Eales
Your Writer’s Journey
Crysse Morrison
SA5: Sun 22 Jan - Wed 1 Feb 2012
Accommodation
Participants share comfortable, superior airconditioned twin rooms with ensuite facilities
and balconies. Single upgrades and deluxe
rooms are available. The beach resorts offer
excellent facilities including restaurants, spas,
gyms, swimming pools and water sports.
Food
Cambodia Beach - NEW
SA4: Tue 10 Jan - Thur 19 Jan 2012
Courses are informal and held on the beach,
by the pool or in a private, air-conditioned
group room. They run for eight days with a oneday break halfway through. Participants can
choose up to two courses per day or take time
out to make the most of their surroundings.
The Skyros groups are warm and friendly. The
holidays offer optional Spa treatments and local
activities such as snorkelling off coral reefs and
elephant trekking.
£1,095
Vietnam Beach - NEW
Southeast Asian cuisine has a worldwide reputation. Meals are flavourful and seasoned with
lemongrass and basil and there is an emphasis on fresh seafood. Breakfast and lunch
are provided at the resorts and take the form
of sumptuous buffets with a huge range of
options including vegetarian and more spicy
food. There are always delicious options for
vegetarians.
Daily Life
The day starts with gentle yoga and a swim in
the pool or the sea. The main courses are held
between 10.45 and 13.15 when people break
for lunch. The afternoon is free to relax, engage
in the full range of resort activities, enjoy the spa
or take a trip into town. Late afternoon courses
start at 17.30. There are a variety of excursions and evenings out where participants can
explore the local environment.
Cambodia Adventure:
Jungles and temples
This is a 10-day overland tour to the worldrenowned ancient Khmer temples of Angkor
Wat. The temples are among Southeast Asia’s
historical and cultural highlights, listed in 1992
by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
The 2011 tour includes one night on arrival in
Bangkok at the 5-star Sofitel Silom, followed
by three nights at the splendid Jungle Lodge
in Khao Yai National Park before travelling on to
Siem Reap for four nights at the 5-star Sokha
Angkor Resort and a final night in Bangkok.
The 2012 tour begins from Phnom Penh and
includes one night at the 4-star Phnom Penh
Hotel, followed by three nights in Battambang, an important area for wildlife conservation, before travelling on to Siem Reap for four
nights at the Sokha Angkor Resort and back to
Phnom Penh for the final night.
Courses on both tours are held out and about in
the jungle or amidst awe-inspiring temples. The
tour includes a trip to Tonle Sap Great Lake,
the Fine Art School and colourful local markets.
‘I returned rejuvenated, healthy
and more positive, and with
three new close friends.’
Tracey Jenning - Health and Fitness
Early Morning Yoga
Passionate Living
Malcolm Stern
Music & Singing
Sarah Warwick
SA6: Sun 5 Feb - Wed 15 Feb 2012
£1,195
Thailand Beach
Early Morning Yoga
Choose Life At Any Risk
Ari Badaines
Life Writing
Monique Roffey
For more information on courses and facilitators
please check our website - www.skyros.com
Each Skyros in Southeast Asia
holiday provides:•S
hared accommodation in a
superior twin room (single and
deluxe upgrades available)
• Half board
•T
wo different weekday courses
•E
arly morning yoga
•O
ptional trips and spa treatments
available
25
Skyros in Southeast Asia
Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand
Useful Information
TransfersThe Cambodia Beach transfer begins at the 4-star Phnom
Penh hotel. Phnom Penh is a vibrant city offering a mix of Khmer
pagodas, French Colonial architecture and Asian shophouses.
There will be time to visit the Royal Palace or the National Museum.
The Thailand transfer offers two nights in the luxury 5-star Sofitel Silom hotel in Bangkok. In this fascinating city there will be an
excursion to one of its cultural highlights and also a chance to
experience the city’s colourful nightlife.
For Vietnam you need to book a flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) plus a domestic flight to Phu Quoc. If it is easier to break your
journey in Ho Chi Minh City, we can arrange overnight accommodation at the 5-star Sofitel Saigon Plaza within walking distance of
the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Reunification Palace.
If required, Skyros can arrange extra days in Phnom Penh, Ho
Chi Minh City or Bangkok.
Flights Book your own flights to the transfer destination. Direct and
cheaper indirect options are available.
Time difference GMT + 7 hours.
Currency Currency Thai baht (in Thailand), US dollars (in Cambodia) and
Vietnamese Dong (in Vietnam)
Visa requirements Passports must be valid for 6 months after return date and a
free 30 day Visa is granted at the airport for Thailand. You need
to purchase a Cambodian visa at the Cambodian border for 25
US dollars. A 30 day ‘Visa on Arrival’ for Vietnam can be applied
for online.
26
EARLY BIRD! - Receive £75
discount if you book and pay in full by
the 16th of September for a holiday in
Southeast Asia (2011-12).
FRIENDS of SKYROS - (past
participants) receive another discount
of £75 per session. This is additional
to the Early Bird.
EXTRA SESSIONS - Those who
book more than one holiday this season
after the expiry of the Early Bird are
entitled to £100 off any additional
session. No other discounts are
applicable here.
Skyros in the Press
the most talked about holistic holiday
The Observer: “To read Skyros press coverage is to choke on cliched words like ‘life changing’, ‘transforming’. Yet
at the end of two weeks, Skyros has been all of these.” Kate Rew
Skyros has been the subject of numerous features in the British and foreign press over the
years. The very short extracts on this page represent only a tiny sample of them.
The Stage 4 November 2010
The long, rich history of ancient Greece felt alive
around me and this, along with the stories of my
students, encouraged me to take a longer, more
measured view of things. I felt able to reflect on
the previous months and years, undistracted by
the clamour of workaday life. Arthur Smith
Daily Telegraph 2 July 2010
Skyros is a place where at night you can dance
and party on the beach, as only the Greeks
know how, and still be awake to speak to the
sunrise. Peter Owen Jones
The Times 8 March 2010
Skyros: ‘the sophisticated urbanite’s retreat of
choice.’ Tom Fordyce
The Irish Times 6 March 2010
It seems that, whatever way you sample Skyros,
it has a huge impact, which is why people keep
returning year after year. Ailbhe Brilley
The Sunday Times 10 January 2010
Skyros: one the world’s 100 best summer holidays. Provide the punch line yourself after a
week’s comedy-writing course. Stephen Bleach
The Daily Telegraph 3 January 2010
Be More Creative. Stained glass and mosaicmaking are two of this summer’s creative
courses offered by Skyros Holidays. The emphasis is on fun, and the aim to learn the skills and
techniques needed to continue the craft once
you return home. Sophie Butler
Bella August 2009
Amazing things happen on Skyros – just ask the
visitors who return again and again.
The Daily Telegraph 31 May 2009
Well I’m back from the Greek island of Skyros
and although I know it’s bad manners to wax lyrical about a trip away – it was lovely. The island is
miraculously unspoilt. Louise Doughty
(London) Evening Standard 16 Jan 2009
The setting (in Koh Chang island, Thailand) is
exquisite and the spa is stunning. Anyone looking for a physical, mental or emotional clear-out
will find the perfect crucible for just that.
Marianne Macdonald
The Lady January 2009
There is a magical quality about Atsitsa...
Susan Valentine
Manchester Evening News 10 January 2009
The courses are excellent but I soon realised
that they are simply adjunct to a wonderfully
relaxed holiday. Carmel Thomason
Spirit & Destiny January 2009
A friend had raved about Skyros’ alternative,
holistic holidays, with their courses run by top
notch tutors in a friendly community atmosphere. Amanda Riley-Jones
Woman & Home November 2008
By the end of the trip (to Havana), no one wanted
to leave and, eight months on, we’re all in touch.
Red August 2008
I now realise that helping people is what I always
wanted to do. I didn’t really know who I was until
I went on that holiday. If I hadn’t gone I’d still be
a TV producer. Jennie Dempster
The Irish Times 7 June 2008
So am I writing a novel? The answer is still no.
But after a week on Skyros I may be inching ever
closer to making a start. Róisín Ingle
The Guardian 7 June 2008
The Guardian named Skyros as the No 1 of the
World’s Five Best Writing Holidays.
The Financial Times 10/11 May 2008
I have now been in Skyros five times...Skyros
has taught me that travel is like love: as you get
older, the appeal of newness wears thin. There
is something richer, more layered, and ultimately
more beautiful, about knowledge acquired over
time. Susan Elderkin
The Guardian Online 20 March 2008
Best alternative holiday: Skyros. The first and still
the best. I haven’t met anyone who’s been there
who didn’t love it.
The Sunday Times 6 January 2008
I have had one life-changing holiday - on the
Greek island of Skyros... I had just given up my
job with Shell. I wasn’t quite sure what to do
with my life, so I enrolled on a creative writing
course and learnt how to do massage, in the
hope that something would occur to me. People kept saying that I was really funny, and ought
to be a comedian, so I thought I’d give it a go.
Jimmy Carr
The Independent 24 November 2007
There was a wide selection of courses to choose
from... the [Dream] course was fascinating.
David Robbins
Times Online 19 June 2007
The most talked about holistic holiday experience destination in Europe since it was founded
in 1979, Skyros offers a multi-layered holiday
experience which, at its most gentle, means
relaxation, socialising and great food and, at its
most profound, the confidence and insight to
change your life.
The Birmingham Post 17 March 2007
I was stunned when I saw them. They (the Atsitsa
group) looked transformed. A week earlier these
had been pasty, stressed faces and bodies, yet
they now looked rejuvenated. and it wasn’t just
the tan. Of course, our Skyros Centre group was
the same, but we hadn’t noticed it among ourselves. Clive Leighton
Jewish Chronicle 2 March 2007
Skyros is different because it is opening up participants to possibilities. What you take back
from this island is more than you get from a typical holiday. Sharon Garfinkel
Daily Express September 2006
After a week on the island of Skyros, I feel fitter,
calmer and braver than I have for a long time. It
felt as though we were close to nature and, as
time went on, close to each other. Rachel Baird
Elle September 2005
Abandoning every last vestige of dignity, I find
myself humming to this group of strangers. Later
on, I look in the mirror and decide my eyes are
beautiful. Something has definitely shifted in the
way I see myself.
Sunday Tribune Ireland, July 2005
Returning home after a week on Skyros was like
waking up from a dream: When friends asked
how it was, it was hard to think of anything more
specific to say than an expansive ‘wonderful’.
Roberta Gray
The Sunday Telegraph AUS March 2004
The games people play on the Greek island of
Skyros have nothing to do with fitness, stamina
or winning medals. Instead they’re all about conquering your fears, freeing your spirit and having
the sort of fun you probably haven’t since you
were a kid. Deb Hunt
27
The Grange
Isle of Wight - home from home
T
he Grange, a beautiful Georgian country house, is in the
charming old village of Shanklin on the east coast of the
Isle of Wight. Nestled in greenery, it is very secluded.
Yet it’s only moments from the picturesque thatched pubs and
cosy tea rooms, the local train station, shops and restaurants
and, best of all, the long sandy beach.
Visitors can certainly take it easy here – relax, sleep deeply,
enjoy a meandering walk down to the beach and breathe in the
fresh sea air. To increase the feel-good factor, they can also
book a massage and/or beauty treatments or opt for one-toone tuition in a subject of their choice.
The Grange offers a wide variety of weekend courses with
exceptional facilitators including award-winning authors, leading life coaches, outstanding singers and yoga teachers. Taking a short course at The Grange is a great way to try something different, meet interesting people and return home with
newly discovered talents and possibilities!
28
So close to London, The Grange can easily become a favourite
destination for a short break or, even better, ‘home from home’
as many people have been pleased to discover.
The Grange, which has been awarded the AA’s 4-star Guest
Accommodation grading, has 16 bedrooms. Soothing and
comfortable, each one is elegantly decorated in natural tones mirroring the surrounding environment. Power showers
and complementary luxury toiletries
ensure a good start to each day.
February 2011
September 2011
Friday 11 - Sunday 13
Valentine’s Flirtshop with Alison Goldie
Love Your Body & Life with Katrina Brunsden
Playing with Colour with Theresa Sundt
A Life Full of Stories with Amanda Smyth
Body Language with Silke Ziehl
October 2011
March 2011
Friday 30 Sept - Sunday 2 Oct
Photography and Filming with Julian Doyle
Friday 4 - Sunday 6
Writing Fiction with Sam North
Friday 7 - Sunday 9
Yoga with Awareness with Ken Eyerman
Digital Photography with David Babsky
Moving Mindfully with Judy Hammond
(women only)
Dreams & Dreaming with Michael Eales
Intuitive Baking with Alison Waldegrave
Drawing & Painting with Kel Portman
Kitchen Table Writer with Alice Jolly
April 2011
November 2011
Friday 1 - Sunday 3
The Power of your Voice with Sarah Warwick
Friday 4 - Sunday 6
Cuban Salsa with John Harris
Your Writer’s Voice with Crysse Morrison
Attract your Ideal Partner with Frank Shapiro
Yoga with Awareness with Ken Eyerman
Painting & Sketching with Michael Gahagan
Friday 22 - Monday 25 (Easter)
Celebrate Spring with Alison Goldie &
Andrew Risner
Writing from Life with Helena Drysdale
Friday 29 April - Mon 2 May (Bank Hol)
Drawing from Nature with Sarah Livingstone
December 2011
May 2011
Saturday 24 - Tuesday 27
Christmas Celebration with Susie Self and
Andrew Risner
Friday 6 - Sunday 8
Fiction Writing with Jennie Rooney
Friday 30 Dec - Monday 2 Jan 2012
Welcoming in the New Year with Malcolm
Stern and Sarah Warwick
Passionate Living with Malcolm Stern
(men only)
Walk Tall, Feel Fabulous with Kate Daniels
For more information see
www.thegrangebythesea.com
or call The Grange on:01983 867 644
June 2011
Friday 3 - Sunday 5
Live Your Dream Life with Cate Mackenzie
Courses
Weekends
(20% discount for previous
Grange/Skyros guests)
B&B (open all year round)
(Rate per person
sharing a twin or double
bedroom per night)
Bank Holidays
£75 Low Season
5 Jan - 26 March 16 Oct - 22 Dec
£100
Mid Season
High Season
27 March - 26 May 27 May - 17 Sept
18 Sept - 15 Oct 23 Dec - 3 Jan 2012
Weekends Fri & Sat
£50
£54
£58
Weekdays Sun - Thurs
£44
£48
£52
Single room supplement £25 per night. To book phone 01983 867 644 or book online at
www.thegrangebythesea.com. Christmas and New Year at The Grange are all-inclusive and cost
£425. (10% off for previous Grange/Skyros guests)
29
Travel Information
2011/2012
Note: For all destinations,
book flights early for the best
possible prices and timings
Greece
Flights to Athens
Take any flight to arrive in Athens the day before the Skyros
holiday begins. Our courtesy bus will leave the Athens Airport
Tourist Bus Park at 7pm and take you to the Titania Hotel for an
overnight stay in central Athens.
Reaching the Transfer Hotel
If the 7pm courtesy bus to the Titania Hotel does not suit your
time of arrival, take an airport taxi to the Titania Hotel to join the
Transfer. Alternatively, take the new Metro to Syntagma and
change once towards Omonia. Disembark at the first stop,
Panepistimio, and take the 3-minute walk to the hotel.
The Titania Hotel, Athens
The Titania Hotel is located in the heart of Athens in Panepistimiou Avenue, between Syntagma and Omonia, the two main
squares in Athens. A 4-star hotel with 5-star facilities (see www.
titania.gr), the Titania features panoramic views over the city from
the rooftop bar.
Group Transfer to Skyros Island
The return group transfer includes one night’s accommodation
in a twin shared room at the Titania Hotel plus return coach and
ferry to Skyros island. Single upgrades at the hotel are available
at a supplement of £45. Group Transfer: £155
Domestic Flights to Skyros Island
Athens–Skyros–Athens flights can be booked through the
airline that operates them. However, at the time of going to
press we are uncertain about the new flight arrangements. Try
checking this year’s domestic flight provider online at www.
skyexpress.gr.
Cuba
Designated Flight to Havana
Virgin Atlantic (phone Holiday Place on 020 7644 1700 or see
www.virgin-atlantic.com) offer direct flights from Gatwick. Take
this designated flight to enjoy a courtesy airport collection. Otherwise, please take a taxi to the Habana Libre Hotel (approx. £15).
30
Southeast
Asia
Cambodia Adventure
Book a flight to arrive on the first day of the holiday in either Bangkok for the 2011 holiday, or Phnom Penh for
the 2012 holiday. Take an airport taxi (around £5) to either the
5-star Sofitel Silom Hotel in Bangkok or the 4-star Phnom Penh
Hotel. This is the first night of your holiday. Fly home on the last
day of the holiday. No transfer required.
Thailand Beach holiday
Book your return flight to arrive in Bangkok the day
before the holiday begins and fly home the day after
it ends. The return group transfer includes two nights
accommodation in a twin shared room at the 5-star
Sofitel Silom Hotel plus return coach and ferry to Koh
Chang island. Single upgrades at the hotel are available at £55 per night. Group Transfer: £175
Cambodia Beach holiday
Book your return flight to arrive in Phnom Penh the day
before the holiday begins and fly home the day after
it ends. The return group transfer includes two nights
accommodation in a twin shared room at the 4-star Phnom
Penh Hotel plus return coach to Sihanoukville. Single upgrades
at the hotel are £55 per night. Group Transfer: £175
Vietnam Beach holiday
Book your international flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and
your onward domestic flight to the island of Phu Quoc so that
you arrive on the first day of the holiday and depart on the last
day. No transfer required.
Easy Booking
book online or by phone
Online: www.skyros.com
By phone: 01983 86 55 66 (open weekdays
09.30 - 20.00, Saturdays 10.00 - 16.00, 24-hr
answering service)
Deposit: £50
7-day refund guarantee: if you cancel in writing
within 7 days of booking, we will give you a full
refund.
Fees
The Atsitsa Bay fees, as little as £69.50 per day
(low season) and no more than £94.50 per day
(high season) (before any discounts) cover the
cost of shared accommodation, all meals and
participation in all courses and activities. At the
Skyros Centre, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, it’s half-board, and in Cuba, breakfast and
two dinners. Travel expenses are not included.
Children
Children (age 5–15): 50 per cent of adult participant fees. Those aged 16 – 22 and full-time
students receive 20% discount. Childcare during course time is available in the month of
August in Atsitsa.
Bursaries are available on request.
Accommodation upgrades
regulations for package holidays.
Upgrades need to be booked in advance.
Disabilities
Atsitsa: £175 per session for a single hut and
£75 per session for shared twin accommodation in the house. Single accommodation in the
house is subject to availability.
The centres in Greece are not wheelchair
accessible but we have catered for a variety of
special requirements in the past. Please call the
office to discuss your needs either in Greece or
at our other locations.
The Skyros Centre: Single upgrades: £245 per
session in the low season and £295 in the high
season (21 July - 31 August).
Cuba: Single upgrades: £295 per holiday.
Southeast Asia: Singles upgrades: £475
per session (subject to availability). Deluxe
upgrades available on request.
Travel insurance
You must have travel insurance. Skyros itself
has IPP cover (International Passenger Protection insurance) in accordance with government
Cancellations
If you cancel: (a) More than eight weeks before
departure, the deposit is forfeited. (b) Less
than eight weeks before departure, the following percentage of the total fee is retained or
payable, even if the balance remains outstanding: 4 – 8 weeks: 40%; 2 - 4 weeks: 60%; 1 - 2
weeks: 75%; less than one week: 100% of the
holiday and transfer fee retained or payable. In
many cases, cancellation fees are covered by
insurance. Notification of the cancellation of
the holiday must be given in writing to us and
the flight company immediately - failure to do
so may prejudice your entitlement to claim a
refund. No refunds can be made once participants are in their place of destination.
Disclaimer
We believe all the information in our brochure
is correct when we go to press. However, due
to staff cancellations, bad weather, low bookings, mechanical faults, or other situations outside our control, some amenities or courses
described may become temporarily or permanently unavailable. We reserve the right to make
changes to our programme, courses or facilitators. We are not travel agents or flight carriers
and therefore do not take responsibility for flight
arrangements, delays or cancellations.
Photography: Our thanks to all those who sent in their holiday snaps for our use including: Ron Addelman, Mary Allen, Sarah Helena Barmer,
Sue Bishop, Anne Blandford, Jinny Briant, Liz Clayfield, Gabrielle de Warderner, Paul Deane, Julian Doyle, Michael Frazer, Mark Gunston,
Stephanie Hikes, Alison Jacobs, Yvette Jeal, Sally Jones, Jeff Laytham, Sarah Mandow, Kevan Manwaring, Paul McVay, Sharon Mcdonald,
Sarah Middleton, Sheena Morgan, Crysse Morrison, Miriam O’Keeffe, Sue Overfield, Stoney Parsons, Kel Portman, Karin Reimondos, Jane
Salvage, Richard Swarbrick, Paul Tate, Allegra Taylor, Sarah Taylor, David Tillett, Hazel Townesend, Andreas Vetsch, Liz Warren, Hoel Wenche,
Victoria White, Tess Williams, John Wigham, Mary Jo Duffy and many others.
31
SKYROS
‘The most talked about holistic
holiday destination in Europe.’
Times Online
‘It’s a magical, healing place that
brings out the best in people.’
Here’s Health
‘Magically successful thanks to its
unique alchemy of people, setting
and ideals.’
Elle
‘It was, quite honestly, the best
holiday of my life. So for once, a
brochure got it right.’
Sunday Independent
Skyros 9 Eastcliff Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6AA, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1983 86 55 66. Fax: +44 (0)1983 86 55 37. Email: [email protected]. www.skyros.com

the joy of living

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