TRAVEL
Travel via donkey or mule is common in Santorini
Blue-domed churches offer a pop of colour in the white city
Taken on John’ s third visit to Santorini
The Architecture of Colour:
A Travel Odyssey Through White and Blue
John Hui | Article Julia Hui | Photos
Since retiring and transitioning into the world of professional travel planning, my life has been defined by the horizon.
My wife and I have been fortunate enough to visit more than sixty-eight countries, but as I sit on a cruise ship now, looking back through the thousands of photographs we have collected over the years, two distinct themes emerge from the digital archives: the pristine, blinding white of the Greek islands and the vibrant, soothing blues of Morocco.
The White Dream: Santorini’ s Timeless Appeal
When I first began my travel business, I joined a“ fam tour”( a kind of promotional tour for industry professionals) that included the Greek island of Santorini. It was truly overwhelming. I could hardly believe that such a landscape, where human architecture harmonizes so perfectly with the rugged cliffs, existed on this earth. The iconic whitedomed buildings clinging to the hillsides looked exactly like the postcards I had admired in travel
magazines; I was absolutely blown away by how the light danced off the whitewashed walls.
However, because we were visiting on a cruise port call, we had to leave before sunset— the moment when the island truly transforms. My wife and I promised ourselves we would return, and we eventually did, staying in a cliff-side cave hotel to witness, and photograph, what many consider to be the world’ s most beautiful sunset.
My biggest regret during that initial trip was the lack of time to truly experience the island, away from the massive cruise ship crowds. So, when planning our second trip, I began researching the island’ s seasonal fluctuations to find the best time to avoid heavy foot traffic. I used travel data to identify the days with the fewest ships in port, and watched my favourite hotel in Oia like a hawk. When the price hit my target range, I booked it, securing a fivestar experience for under $ 200 USD— a testament to the value of patience in travel planning.
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