The writer takes a selfie in Ikaria with his nephew Kai (left) and his wife, Marnie McGregor.Andrew Tzembelicos/Supplied
Last summer, we had a big fat Greek adventure. It included visiting three islands and always-buzzing Athens.
My spouse and I usually spend lots of time in Greece – I have dual citizenship. So, “Greek summer” wasn’t new. But having our 17-year-old nephew, Kai, join us for almost a month was completely out of the ordinary.
We don’t have kids, so plenty of advice came our way. We were warned about teens, their moodiness, their excessive screen use. Not wanting to prejudge, we listened but politely tuned out. For everyone’s sake, we built in a fail-safe: changeable tickets.
A big test came early: Kai had to get from Vancouver to Athens via Toronto before flying to the remote island of Ikaria. Making all those connections and navigating customs in a foreign country, solo, would challenge even the most experienced traveller. Kai was unfazed. When we met him that August afternoon, at the tiny island airport in the blazing sunshine, he was upbeat and amazingly chill, if a bit dishevelled.
We’d picked Ikaria for its fledgling surf scene, something Kai had been getting into. However, conditions wouldn’t co-operate. So, we pivoted. We attended Ikaria’s largest and most famous panagiri, or feast day, celebrating the country’s Aug. 15 Assumption holiday. With more than 6,000 people eating, drinking and dancing to traditional Greek music in a remote forest, it was a spectacle. Beyond the cultural aspect, unlike anything any of us had ever seen, getting there involved driving difficult unpaved roads. Kai, sitting “shotgun” as navigator, quietly consulted the maps, guiding us with ease and genuine calm.
To break things up, we’d preplanned some surprises. First up, introducing him to a second island. With its cosmopolitan charm and Italian influences, Syros has beautiful buildings in red, yellow and pink, not the typical Greek blue and white of other Cycladic islands. Checking in around midnight, we dropped our bags then joined the lively night scene in the town of Ermoupolis. Our Syros days involved beach visits, SUP, swimming from the famed Vaporia platform, chess matches (Kai usually won) and introducing him to the TV series Curb Your Enthusiasm. We thought he’d prefer Ikaria for its wild, rural nature but he really took to Syros, its hustle and bustle mere steps from our door.
Ermoupolis at Syros island.Pnik/Getty Images
A city kid at heart, Kai couldn’t wait to get to Athens. As he’d already seen the historical sites on a short visit in 2019, he wanted to scout vintage clothing shops. Heading downtown on a blistering late August afternoon, we criss-crossed the labyrinth of streets in the Plaka and Psyrri neighbourhoods, visiting as many shops as our tolerance for the 35 C heat would permit. I quietly watched from nearby as he used the basic Greek he’d picked up with shopkeepers.
We’d planned to further explore the city and the Athens Riviera, but Kai came down with a nasty cold. But the pause in our travels may have been a good thing since we’d sensed he was tiring of the heat and being on the go. Kai stayed inside for five straight days, playing video games, eating homemade chicken soup and ramen delivered by motorbike.
Once he’d recovered, we had a final surprise. An adventure for just me and Kai on the tiny island of Agistri, a 90-minute ferry ride from the port of Piraeus. We both enjoyed the low-key vibe, azure waters and simple tavernas where you visit the kitchen to select the day’s catch.
We swam, ate and had some deeper conversations – about life plans, hopes and fears. Kai and I talk regularly, but I don’t see him often, so I welcomed his openness. It deepened our mutual trust.
But my favourite day together occurred on our last day in Agistri. We rented a motorboat and circumnavigated the island, taking turns at the helm, swimming in the crystal waters and cranking the tunes – a motley mix of Greek pop and Kendrick Lamar.
Beyond getting to know Kai better, practically an adult, with opinions, insights, tastes and good sensibilities, my wife and I learned about ourselves as a couple without kids – namely, that we can be flexible.
We adjusted to the fact Kai would rise between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. It’s what teens do. While he slept, we’d have an early swim or lingering breakfast. We’d read and plan our days. However, on early travel days Kai was always up and ready.
We adjusted to the blast zone that was Kai’s room. Thankfully, he confined the chaos to his room; we looked past it, vacuuming whenever we could.
We gave him his space, finding nearby basketball courts so he could shoot hoops when he needed time on his own.
Like all teens, Kai spent considerable time on his devices with headphones. Yet, he was always engaged – one earphone slightly off so he could be part of any conversation. We talked at meals. He also watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding with us (when in Greece!) which prompted a meaningful discussion about my roots.
Greece is good for the soul. The food, sunshine, people and infectious chaos. Kai understood this in 2019, that much more five years later. Seeing photos as the trip unfolded, his parents said how genuinely happy he looked.
As he gets older, Kai may (or may not) want to spend time travelling with us. If he does, we look forward to our future adventures and more quality time together.
