Paddy Leigh Fermor was a phenomenon. Much has been written about him and the PLF Society provides a vast source of fascinating information, in writings, videos and a blog.

Perhaps the first chapter of “A Time of Gifts”, written in the form of a letter to Paddy’s friend, Xan Fielding, gives a great introduction, almost an explanation of his need to set himself such a goal, to walk from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople.

The image of the young Paddy is the only one that I have included in this blog because, for me, it expresses the love of life that pervades the ‘A Time of of Gifts’. He had overcame the challenges that he had experienced in his early life. And he was determined to look outwards, to witness all around him and describe his experiences in his many notebooks.

Like Paddy, my education was an interesting, but also rather turbulent. My first memory of Primary School was of a wonderful, but probably of too short duration, at Captain Perk’s School in Amesbury. Then to two forces schools in Germany, before being dispatched to the Convent in Belgium at the age of 9. A truly horrible experience. I became increasingly rebellious. My brothers insist that this was the first of three schools from which my parents were asked to withdraw my presence. Definitely my relationship with my class teacher, Mother Victoria, in my next school, St Josephs in Nicosia, was not a happy one and I was constantly asked to stand out in the sun, often just walking home. I was then sent to another convent in England. Another experience which was not too satisfactory for both parties. Another convent did however survive my existence for couple of years

Since then much has happened, some of it great – I have three great grown-up children! But some of it has been truly tough and perhaps it was that rather difficult childhood that made me into a survivor.

My last project, in Cape Town, South Africa, has now come to an end, but my hunger for adventure has not. So when I was wanting another challenge, I found ‘A Time of Gifts’. It didn’t take long to become enchanted. Patrick Leigh Fermor’s wonderfully lyrical expressive style and his incredible erudition is captivating. But, please bear in mind, as I have to, I am an old lady, not able to walk to Constantinople. I will use my 2 month’s Global Interrail Pass to follow his route backwards from Budapest (“Between the Woods and the Water”, I know). I can be seen as a 3 year old with my Burmese nanny, as a pupil at St. Ursuline Convent in Tildonck, Belgium, and as me, more recently!.