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HELLO!

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heleniatrou

Seventeen years together. Twelve with a ring on it

Seventeen years together. Twelve with a ring on it. You make me feel like I'm 17 all over again but with brains😅 Happy anniversary, amore mio, il mio amore della mia vita. I love living this big, wild, worldwide adventure with you🥰💕💘💖💌

Want to know the best times of the year to visit G

Want to know the best times of the year to visit Greece? Well, that's no easy question. Among other things, it depends who you're travelling with (if anyone at all), what you want to do and where you want to go. Last year, I sought to answer this question via a story commissioned by my lovely editors at @lonelyplanet digital. Considering the searingly hot summer we're having this year, the article could certainly use an update. Two quick tips for now. One, keep in mind that heatwaves are a possibility as early as the start of June. Two, if you're looking for a cooler summer vacay in Greece, head to the mountain villages in the north of the country. Click the link in my bio to read the full story
#Greece #greeksummer #greekbeaches #greekislands #greece🇬🇷

8091km might separate us (for the time being) but

8091km might separate us (for the time being) but whenever I get together with my BFF Patsy, that geographical distance means nothing. I had the great fortune to meet her in Athens back in 1997 when I was working with her husband John (thank you, JJ!!) at a weekly newspaper and we hit it off right away.
When they moved back to Canada, I was sad. But I always look forward to their annual Greek holiday jaunt, so we can meet up. Last year, it didn't happen but we made up for it this year. Usually it's a day hanging out on the beach catching up on life. But this time, we went out to dance our 50-plus a$$es off! And it felt so damn GOOD! We danced, we laughed, we danced some more, we sweated and laughed some more. Thankfully, the beach bar-club played plenty of good RnB choons for us old schoolers before cranking it up with afrobeats and dancehall for the kids.
Every time we hang out, it seems like it's never enough time but I'm so grateful and feel so blessed to have this amazing, deeply loving, kind, big-hearted, honest, witty, intelligent, daring and absolutely hilarious woman in my life. I mean, look at her glow. Love you for life, Pats mou! I've got your back forever. See you next year🤩😍
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#bff #bestfriends

Love bites: When diving in Indonesia's Raja Ampat

Love bites: When diving in Indonesia's Raja Ampat islands, you gotta watch yourself. Sailing aboard the luxury traditional phinisi Prana by Atzaró in May, Carlo captured a titan triggerfish as it lunged for his GoPro. Our fabulous dive instructor Roy, who received a warning nip on the leg, explained that these intriguing creatures are fierce defenders of their nests. Featuring a greyish body, bold, dark lines and a bright yellow-orange face, titan triggerfish can weigh up to several kilograms. Excuse us as we get out of her way🤿🐠
Video @carloraciti
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#pranabyatzaro #phinisi #luxuryyacht #yachting #rajaampat #indonesia #diving #scuba #sealife #padi #tropicalfish

🇬🇷 I find it amazing when complete strangers

🇬🇷 I find it amazing when complete strangers leap into my inbox and ask for *free* travel tips on my areas of expertise - Greece and yachting. I don't always answer but when I do spend time writing up a few ideas, despite looming deadlines, some don't even thank me!
Obviously, I'll send links to my stories if they're helpful in answering queries. But, I'm going to stop with the free lunch now. Freelance doesn't mean free.
✍🏼In fact, I'm thinking about charging consultation fees for personalised travel recommendations on Greece. Do I know any freelance travel writers who do this for their area/s of expertise? If so, how? I'm not particularly interested in involving a middleman or using a platform. Or being a travel agent. That would likely drive me mad😅.
I've worked extremely hard over almost 30 years building my Greece travel niche on the ground. So, no middleman is going to take a cut.
💙🤍I'm Greek. I've lived in Greece year-round (when not travelling) since 1996. I speak the language, understand the culture because it's my culture, maintain a hefty digital Rolodex of connections and, crucially, I can cut through the BS. Trust me, there's a whole lot more of the latter now, when it comes to travel advice online, thanks in large part to AI. Also, there are plenty trying to cash in on Greece's tourism boom, minus the qualifications. If I had a euro for every time I read "Greece expert"...
🏃🏽‍♀️Things tend to change fast in Greece, so if you don't live here or truly get the culture, you miss a whole lot. And if you take into account issues like peak season crowds and climate change, it can be confusing to know where to go, when and what to do.
🧐I believe my journalistic eye, paired with the fact I was raised in Australia, allow me to cultivate and cast a conscientious, critical eye on all things Greece. There is so much I experience on my travels that simply don't make it into the stories I write. I'm about keeping things real, open and honest.
🌎So, I'm considering providing hyper-customised, fluff-free, objective, sustainability-minded travel advice on Greece as a service. I'm curious. Is this something you'd consider paying for?
📷@carloraciti

📢Thrilled to share our debut for Thrillist: a f

📢Thrilled to share our debut for Thrillist: a first-person narrative on all the weird and wonderful wildlife that photographer Carlo Raciti and I encountered on an expedition voyage with Australian-based Aurora Expeditions, plying the Pacific coastline of Costa Rica and Panama, including the canal.
🐒As first-time visitors to Central America, this expedition voyage proved the best possible introduction to the region. For 13 days, we trekked through national parks in both countries, including Manuel Antonio and Corcovado, snorkelled over coral reefs and crossed rivers in boats. In a constant state of awe, we listened to the sound of birdcalls such as the "coo coo coo" of a male trogon, peered at animals like a seed-crunching white-nosed coatimundi which went about their day (thankfully) completely uninterested in our presence and absorbed the aroma of half-eaten mangoes cast to the ground by cheeky howler monkeys swinging in jungle treetops. And, of course, we saw sloths - more than we bargained for.
Above all, it was a privilege to have enthusiastic, deeply knowledgeable expedition guides and local naturalist guides, like Conrad Weston, Phoebe Edge and Gerson Cedeño Sequeira, lead us on small group tours of the land and at sea. Home to mind-boggling biodiversity, it's heartening to see how both countries are so dedicated to wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism development.
Click the link in bio to read the full story. Images by Carlo Raciti.
#cruising #CostaRica #Panama #wildlife #wildlifephotographer #wildlifephotography #expeditioncruises #auroraexpeditions #smallshipcruises #centralamerica

REPOST from @afarmedia. Read my review of One&Only

Welcome, 2024! I love you already. Happy New Year

Welcome, 2024! I love you already. Happy New Year everyone!
Let's be good to one another. And when in doubt, put on some music and dance. Thanks @idrakayne for bringing the good vibes🥂💕💃🏾🕺🏾💃🏻🕺🏼
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#happynewyear #2024 #newyearseve #athens #greece

Whew, what a year it's been! I've been on the jour

Whew, what a year it's been! I've been on the journalism block for a while now but I still feel like a bit of a freelancer newbie. 2023 marks my fifth year as a freelance journalist and content marketing writer.
When I struck out on my own at the end of 2018 and created my micro-business, I was nervous but giddily excited. It felt like jumping off a ship without a lifejacket. That ship was all the staffer positions I held. I wasn't sure if I would sink or swim. But, sure enough, I swam. The first few laps reminded me of competing in school swimming competitions as a shy, sports-averse teen; excruciatingly slow.
Then 2020 hit like a tidal wave and we all know what happened. Travel writing became mostly irrelevant. The work dried up along with much of my desire to chase work. But I managed to push past this self-pity phase.
Fast-forward to 2023 and I'm proud to say I've accomplished more than I could have imagined. I saw on-the-ground research come to life in three @lonelyplanet guidebooks.
There were stories I was intent on telling, like the one I wrote for @adventurecom, about young Antiguan female sailors working hard to edge their way into the marine industry. I had the good fortune to crew with them in my first Caribbean yacht race - @sailingweekantigua
2023 saw me break some personal records. For a single destination, Antigua and Barbuda , I pitched 64 media outlets. And landed five commissions. There were thrilling firsts with debuts in publications I've dreamed of writing for since I started covering tourism in 1997. I interviewed Leonardo Ferragamo for Robb Report and hitched a ride on a Nautor Swan racing yacht in Porto Cervo. For Travel + Leisure, I sailed the Med on Sea Cloud Cruises' tall ship Sea Cloud Spirit. Above all, I'm honoured that new-to-me editors have placed their trust in me.
My heartfelt thanks to my partner-in-crime Carlo Raciti and wider family (with whom I now enjoy real quality time) for their support, my fab editorial and content clients, workwives, colleagues, PRs and those who read my words.
To borrow a lyric from Janelle Monáe: "I don't step, I don't walk, I don't dance, I just float!". This is how I'm stepping into 2024.

The singular, most important project I started thi

The singular, most important project I started this year was serving as godmother to my precious nephew - my baby sister's son. A couple of days shy of his third birthday, we baptised him (he put up a fight alright but the priest wasn't fazed) in the presence of loving family and friends. Thankfully, afterwards we managed an island escape for a few days of memorable family vacation, releasing all the pent-up stress leading up to the big day.
@marillenaetc
@kompel1926 thank you for entrusting us with this sacred role. Carlo and I hope to serve as worthy godparents, positive role models who will help guide him emotionally, practically and spiritually.
We look forward to nurturing and advising you, little one, as you grow and mature into a kind, loving, selfless young gentleman. We are certain you will make a positive impact on this world and truly hope you and your sister see peace in your lifetimes. We love you both so much. And, don't forget - you've got an Italian uncle and godfather rolled into one, so call on him whenever you need him😉
Baptism photos @carloraciti
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#babyboy #baptism #godparents #godmother #godfather #wearefamily #richauntiesupreme

With their sleek teak decks, opulent staterooms an

With their sleek teak decks, opulent staterooms and billowing sails, I've long admired traditional windjammers navigating the high seas, from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean and the South Pacific to South America. So, when @travelandleisure commissioned me to review the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit, Hamburg-based Sea Cloud Cruises' newest tall ship, I leapt on board before you could yell "Mutiny on the Bounty!".
Accompanied by photographer Carlo Raciti, I was the first journalist to experience a cruise on the 452-foot (138m) ship for US media. What excited me the most was that this is the only cruise vessel of its kind sailed by hand.
We spent nine days cruising the Mediterranean in balmy October weather, hugging the Italian and French Rivieras before entering the Balearic Sea. Aeolus blessed us with plentiful winds, which meant the vessel's 22 professional square-rigged vessel seamen and deckhands, of a total 85 crew, could set all 28 sails on sea days and beyond. Sea Cloud Spirit is no slouch when it comes to knot speed, either.
Click on my bio to read the review.
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#tallships #windjammer #seacloudspirit #seacloudcruises #cruising #smallshipcruising #mediterranean #sailing #squarerigged #luxurycruise

It's been such a hectic year that I haven't gotten

It's been such a hectic year that I haven't gotten around to sharing news of these twins, which came out in June. @carloraciti and I had so much fun digging deep into Central Greece, from Delphi to Meteora and Agrafa to Messolongi, for @lonelyplanet's 16th edition of its Greece guidebook and the first edition of Experience Greece. Copious amounts of lamb chops, meze, endless tsipouro, hiking through forests, scaling steps to churches and monasteries, gliding across still lagoons, exploring quirky museums but, above all, meeting some of the loveliest individuals. What a thrill to be part of the LP family🌏
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#lonelyplanet #Greece #centralgreece #traveljournalist #travelwriter #travelphotographer

In my debut for @adventurecom, a publication I ha

In my debut for @adventurecom, a publication I have long admired for its ethics-led mission, I outline how sailing is teaching young Antiguan women to aim for the stars. What a thrill that it coincides with Antigua and Barbuda's independence day.
Tourism is the twin island nation's biggest money-spinner, accounting for about 50 percent of GDP and more than 46 percent of direct and indirect employment. Yachting, in particular, has experienced exponential growth over the past decade. The vibrant Lesser Antilles nation is one of the Eastern Caribbean’s prime yachting destinations, regularly hosting regattas and island-hopping cruisers.
Antiguans have long been considered master craftsmen, with exceptional woodwork and boatbuilding expertise, yet are glaringly few and far between when it comes to the local lucrative yachting scene.
It’s a telling reflection of the lack of diversity in yachting and racing worldwide, enduring bastions of affluent white men.
But, now, young Antiguan women are pushing through these barriers and getting their foot in the door of the island nation's marine industry. When Carlo and I visited Antigua and Barbuda in April-May during Antigua Sailing Week, we met several ambitious female sailors and I had the opportunity to race with them.
This is our fourth story from that visit and the one we're most proud of. I look forward to getting back on the water with Camberya (Lily), Ryanne and Giliana - "the fearsome threesome", sharing a Ting post-race and seeing them blossom into captains of their very own vessels. Of course, I'm keeping a close eye on you and your global yacht racing success, Emily Gaillard. This story would be nothing without the brilliant imagery of @carloraciti Thank you @nofixedplans for believing in this story and for your thoughtful editing.
Click on my bio to read the story.
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#caribbean #antiguaandbarbuda
#antiguasailingweek
#sailingyacht #sailing #yachting #diversity #DEI #womenwhosail #WWS #yachtracing

🚨Journo alert! 2023 has been a whirlwind of exc

🚨Journo alert!
2023 has been a whirlwind of exciting new collaborations with some fantastic editors at media outlets in the travel, yachting, luxury, lifestyle and well-being spheres. Meanwhile, I've expanded my work for existing editorial clients, such as Lonely Planet, who frequently tap me for my Greece expertise.
2024 is almost here, so I'll soon be planning out my travel schedule for the year. I would love to hear from PRs, especially those repping tourism boards and DMOs, about unique story angles, new and existing reasons to visit a destination, and fascinating individuals I could interview on the ground.
Especially interested in:
💚Sustainable and regenerative travel
🏝Island and coastal destinations
🦍Nature and wildlife
⛵Sailing yacht destinations and experiences that have had little coverage
💦Yacht racing and regattas in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and beyond
🌟New sailing yacht launches
🛳Small ship cruising, particularly expedition cruises
🐨Returning to Australia to get under the skin of my birthplace and home till age 25. WA, QLD, NSW, NT and TAS PRs - hello!
👟Destinations and experiences with a midlife fitness and well-being focus
🥗Foodie destinations and experiences
I prefer individual visits so I can tailor the itinerary to my areas of interest and have the flexibility to explore story angles I might discover on the ground.
Click the link in my bio to view work samples.
Email me at hi@heleniatrou.com
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#journoalert #journorequest #traveljournalist #travelwriter #travelwriting #yachting #yachtingwriter #sailing #sailingyacht #goexplore #travelstories #sustainabletravel #nature #wildlife

Typical me, a day late. But our love is always rig

Typical me, a day late. But our love is always right on time.
Sweet 16 years together, 11 with a ring on it. Here's to many more crazy adventures, sending us down the wrong roads, harnessing winds from the Med to the Caribbean (manifesting the South Pacific next), experiencing culture through a culinary lens, chasing the dream shot and making new friends around the world.
Amore mio, ti amo tantissimo💕
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#anniversary #undeniable #antiguaandbarbuda #serifos #kefalonia #Greece #loveislove #travelwriter #travelphotographer

🇦🇬🇬🇷Phew, it's high summer in Athens a

🇦🇬🇬🇷Phew, it's high summer in Athens and steaming hot right now and all this island girl can think about are the islands (Greek and Caribbean), beach-hopping, sailing, yacht racing, dancing and, generally, letting my hair down. As I write one more story from our time in Antigua and Barbuda, where we raced at Antigua Sailing Week (ASW), I'm listening to a Spotify playlist I created and dedicated to this West Indies wonder, the beautiful people we met there and the event itself. And I can't help but get up from my office chair now and then and move to the reggae riddims. At ASW, the Caribbean yacht racing season's much-loved annual curtain closer, I raced on two boats, one of which was the all-female Hatha Maris, part of sailing school Second Star Sailing's fleet. On the final day of the week-long regatta, we came absolutely last in the final race but did we whine about it? Hell no. As we motored back to the marina, we celebrated our participation in Antigua Sailing Week with some serious wining and grinding. Thanks to beloved crewmember Lilly @_ak.aya_ for capturing my onboard joy. PS, my main role when I race is grinder, so I'm thinking no coincidence there😅
@antiguaandbarbuda
@sailingweekantigua
@secondstarsailing
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#thisishowwewine #thisishowwegrind #grinder #sailing #antiguasailingweek #antiguaandbarbuda #yachting #yachtrace #sailingrace #regatta #sailfast #secondstarsailing #caribbean #sailthecaribbean #islandgirl #islandlife #womenwhosail

I've long coveted all the one-off shows, tours and

I've long coveted all the one-off shows, tours and festivals in the US and UK featuring soul, RnB, hip hop, jazz and reggae artists I love. Growing up in Australia, my first concert was Rock Steady Crew. My Dad still remembers it, no doubt. He sat high up in the rafters while my sister Popi and I rushed to the front, busting out our breakdance moves😅. Through the years there, I was lucky to be able to catch some of my favourites, including Prince, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, De La Soul and living legends like Stevie Wonder. Since moving to Athens, I've also seen some greats, like James Brown, Jay-Z, Method Man and Redman and, more recently, Grandmaster Flash. I'm sure there are plenty I've missed just because I haven't kept a close eye on disparate coverage of upcoming shows. I'm actually surprised at how many artists make it to little ole Athens, considering their small fanbase here.
So, when I noticed that two UK music legends, DJ Norman Jay, of Notting Hill Carnival fame, and Jazzie B (photo), of Soul II Soul, would be playing SNFCC, I was determined to be there, rain, hail or shine. Thankfully, the heavens didn't open, as forecast, and we could sing and dance our way through the weekend, via two two-hour sets. Their shows hit rewind on memories of good times had during singledom, beloved friends - particularly one no longer with us, others who have moved or live far away, crazy adventures and a wild mix of emotions. Classic tracks like Soul II Soul's "Keep On Movin'" pushed me to keep going then and continue to do so today. Many songs I'd always dedicated to the Future One (and I tell him often), while I've repurposed others. Music is Life and Love. Life is about living. I think about all the great artists we've lost over the years and it pains me to think we'll never hear them live again. But the music they gifted us is forever. Above all, this past weekend, during which I bumped into long-lost relatives and friends, underlined the fact that we need to live in the now. Buy the ticket. Go to that show. Sing. Dance. Celebrate. I know I'm not missing any more artists when they fly through. Thank you for the music!🌹💜🎶🎤🎛

I'm still flying high (though still a little jetla

I'm still flying high (though still a little jetlagged) from our recent inaugural trip to Antigua and Barbuda. Everywhere we went, whether it was in the colourful streets of St John's or historical Nelson's Dockyard for @reggaeinthepark_asw, we'd hear this infectious track by Jamaican artist @chronixxmusic. And absolutely everyone would be singing and jamming along. Skankin' Sweet might be from 2017 but, clearly, it is still a favourite among Antiguans and Barbudans. Although I initially thought the refrain was "Everybody wanna be like Rick"😅, rather than "Everybody wanna feel irie", Skankin' Sweet is also now one of my all-time favourite reggae tracks. The music and lyrics will forever remind me of the incredible time we had in this twin-island nation. And I plan to keep it on repeat all summer long💚🎶🔥💙🇦🇬🌴
@sailingweekantigua
@antiguaandbarbuda
@npr
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#antiguaandbarbuda #reggae #reggaevibes #chronixx #skankinsweet #caribbean #islandtime #islandlife #antiguasailingweek #feelingirie #MyAntiguanAdventure

Happy Independence Day 🇬🇷💙🤍💙🤍 .

Happy Independence Day 🇬🇷💙🤍💙🤍
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#Greece #independenceday #freedom #greekindependenceday

Planning to visit the Greek islands for the first

Planning to visit the Greek islands for the first time this year? It's thrilling, for sure, but can also make your head spin at the myriad options. Well, I might be able to offer a little tip or two😉
I'm thrilled to share my digital debut for @lonelyplanet featuring on the home page today, which offers a starting point for you to plan out your inaugural island-hopping adventure. Will it be the stark Cyclades and its soul-reviving Aegean waters, the Ionian and its pairing of verdant landscapes with turquoise seas or the lesser-visited isles of the earthy Dodecanese? Sure, there's plenty more to explore but, hopefully, this will give you an idea of how and where to start🤔 Check link in my bio or story💙🌞⛵️🏖🌊
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#lonelyplanet #Greece #greekislands #aegeanislands #southaegean #northaegean #ionian #sporades #crete #dodecanese #cyclades #saronic #greeksummer #islandhopping #sailing #islandlife #islander #islandgirl #greekbeaches #travelwriter

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