There is the briefest of entries in my travelogue today, just noting that I caught the 14.00 hrs bus from Matala to Heraklion to catch the boat to Piraeus. The past 31 days of beach life have been wonderful and pivotal, as noted in my previous post. I don't know why I did not record … Continue reading Big Trip Day 89 – Leaving Matala
Author: Derek Lee
I was born in Croydon, South London and eventually settled in Northamptonshire. After more than 30 years as a clinical psychologist in the NHS, my welcome retirement finds me dabbling in bits and pieces - e.g., writing, running, martial arts and photography.
Big Trip Day 86 – Matala in Colour
Today is the day after my 20th birthday. The notes relating to this post were recorded tomorrow, so to speak - 7th July 1973. They cover 14 pages of my travelogue. I thought long and hard about how I would capture the essence of the day, or indeed whether to cover it at all in … Continue reading Big Trip Day 86 – Matala in Colour
Big Trip Day 72 – Matala
Yes, still here! The travelogue entry for today covers last night and the early hours of this morning. I wrote it while sitting under a tree in the late afternoon. I'm afraid it does not reflect well upon the beach-life me of years ago. OK, being honest, maybe it is not too far removed from … Continue reading Big Trip Day 72 – Matala
Big Trip Day 70 – Matala
The entries in my travelogue for today refer to last night through to early this morning. I thought long and hard about how much detail I should reveal, but I believe this is an honest and accurate account of a strange time. The evening began with 3 or 4 glasses of red wine in our … Continue reading Big Trip Day 70 – Matala
Big Trip Day 65 – Matala
I noted in my post for Day 60 that I was not sure of the name of the cafe where we used to spend an inordinate amount of time. I thought it was Mama's Cafe but my internet searches could only find Mama's Bakery. I knew it was the postal address I used and, lo … Continue reading Big Trip Day 65 – Matala
Big Trip Day 62 – Matala
And this morning we were told to move on by the police; had 2 and a half bottles of retsina last night; quite nice. Such is beach life. The police were just going through the motions. It was back in the late 1960s that they evicted the hippies from the caves. I will still be … Continue reading Big Trip Day 62 – Matala
Big Trip Day 60 – Matala
The opening words of this travelogue entry are taken from D. H. Lawrence's short story On The Lago di Garda as I remember, but I have not been able to find the actual quotation... And before I go to sleep, there are the stars above me...and the moon and silent clouds and darkness...and waking during … Continue reading Big Trip Day 60 – Matala
Big Trip Day 58 – To Matala
The boat departed Piraeus around 19.00 hrs on Day 57 and arrived at Heraklion at 07.00 hrs this morning. I don't think I had the luxury of a cabin so I must have huddled down somewhere on board to get a bit of sleep. I need to reprimand my younger self for not keeping a … Continue reading Big Trip Day 58 – To Matala
Big Trip Day 57 – Piraeus towards Heraklion
This morning at 09.40 finds me sitting by the harbour in Praeus, having just bought my ticket to Heraklion. If anything deserves a sit down and time to write in my notebook, then spending money for travel is right up there! The equivalent of £2 for a 12-hour trip. The only draw back is that … Continue reading Big Trip Day 57 – Piraeus towards Heraklion
Big Trip Day 56 – Mykines to Piraeus
A little leftover from yesterday - I finished reading Henry Miller's Colossus of Marousi and started Hemingway's Snows of Kilimanjaro that some guy gave me. So already this trip has also been a bit of a literary journey for me as well as a geographical and psychological one. I hit the road at 09.00 this … Continue reading Big Trip Day 56 – Mykines to Piraeus
Psychologist on the Move 