I always thought of myself as someone who loves islands but staying on a mountain top villa in Crete made me realize I might be addicted to both—-islands AND mountains! I found this excerpt from my journal after staying on a farm villa in Crete.

“As much as I worship the scenery–white, blue, the Cyclades, cruise ships, windjammers, speedboats in the sea, exquisite shops, beautiful beaches, white marble floors and winding streets, chaise lounges, etc….I think I am realizing that I love the countryside too. The scented herbs of a hill meadow, the crow of a rooster, the maaaaa-ing of goats, the taste of goat milk, cheese, the swirl of wine you taste, grown from the vineyard you are staying on—all part of the country charm…

We’ve heard birdsong and watched seagulls flying in groups off the cliffs. We’ve seen layers and layers of white umbrellas that look like statues on this cliff and huge pots of geraniums and other flowers on every balcony. It’s a visual overload. It is worth all the sleeplessness, travel planning, costs and saving to get here. Exhaustion before relaxation…but utter relaxation once you get settled. No emails, no phone messages, no sorting of mail, no dishes or laundry, no feeding of pets….just meeting your basic needs and desires.” 

Follow this lesson plan to build trip itineraries with your family:

Travel Lesson Plan: Integrate the Concepts