THE HALF BIRD

Discover the incredible story of one woman s solo journey from Land s End to the shores of Greece exploring the unexpected joy of solitude self discovery and resilience It s hard to read The Half Bird without wondering whether you could do it too It may be better to start by pondering Smillie s wider message that to work out what will truly make you happy you first need to stop and smell the air around you Guardian We have no idea how much resilience there is inside us until we have to draw on it We learn that we grow through adversity only as we go through it That we crave happiness like plants leaning toward the light When Susan quit her job in London and set sail off the south coast of England on her beloved sailboat Isean she was unaware this spontaneous departure would lead to a three year journey spanning several countries across the continent With only the very basics on board resourcefulness becomes an unexpected source of joy and contentment The highs and lows of living in such an extreme way awakens a newfound appreciation for the beauty of her surroundings for being safe for just being alive For all the physical and navigational challenges of her journey the other side of her story reveals a more important change an inner jour