There was a line from the philosophy book “Zorba” that went something like “happy is the man who before dying sails the Aegean sea”. When I first read it I was

There was a line from the philosophy book “Zorba” that went something like “happy is the man who before dying sails the Aegean sea”. When I first read it I was like - yeah right, another exasperation l. But a few years later I happened to go to a sailing coarse in Greece (Thessaloniki) and OMG was the author right. There are a lot of seas / oceans about, but very few places with so many small islands to scoot about. And honestly going on a boat as a tourist does not really prepare you for the experience of sailing yourself. When the wind powers the boat there is no noise, you’re just gliding through with the power of your wit and ages of engineering. Dolphins swim around you, cause its fun for them and no smelly propellers, and the camaraderie you form with your fellow sailers is intense, cause you depend on each other for survival. And at the end of the day you anchor in some cosy beach, swim around and go to the local taverna for cheap drinks and amazing food. Sailing the aegean sea is definitely something you should do at least once before you die.