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Journeys #2
Good Morning Diego Garcia
You're young, living comfortably in southern California. You're financially secure, though you don't know why or how. Your husband simply ignores you when you ask too many questions. He's hoping for another job overseas, doing something. You're not sure what, but you suspect it's not what he says.
You marriage is shaky. You survived a war in Cyprus together, lost everything. Now you're basically biding time.
A letter arrives from friends in Cyprus, now sailing a new yacht from Taiwan to Europe for a Swedish millionaire. You're invited to join them in Sri Lanka, as crew. Neither of you knows boats, but you'll learn -- the trip of a lifetime, cruising the Indian Ocean in a pleasure yacht!
And, it turns out, in monsoon season. With no charts. And an emotionally unstable crewmate. What could possibly go wrong?
Good Morning Diego Garcia tells one woman's harrowing experience of physical and emotional horror in the brutal sea. As the boat falls apart in storm after storm, so does the crew's sanity. But for the author, the shifting reality opens her to extraordinary perceptions, and makes her more resilient. Stranded on coral at the infamous Diego Garcia military base, they are reluctantly rescued, their boat repaired, and sent on their way to the Seychelles. All the while she keeps a journal, including her dreams.
Their arrival in India came as Prime Minister Indira Ghandi declared "The Emergency" in June 1975, and their return to fly back to the United States a few months later takes them to the radically-changed landscape of India during one of its darkest moments.
Less than two years later, they are in Brussels, and one particularly lucid dream about her husband comes close to being her last.
____
Five stars "Good Morning Diego A Journey of Discovery by Susan Joyce is Book 2 in a series of travel memoirs that chronicle her adventure from the US to Sri Lanka, to Bombay, and across the eternity of the ocean, an adventure that curiously led her deeper into the depths of herself. In one of those doodles she makes in the still, quiet hours of the day, she reveals her deepest thoughts and new vistas into her questing soul. Here is one that captures the pulse of her heart, and perhaps, the reason for this "Collect information! Embrace Unknown! Embrace Uncertainty!"
"In Good Morning Diego A Journey of Discovery, Susan Joyce comes across as a skillful storyteller. Her memoir goes beyond the retelling of a personal story to becoming one of the beautiful social commentaries of her time. Written with simplicity, this book is about courage. The tone can be serious, and at times humorous, but readers will love this book for the author's candor and honesty, and in the way she opens her heart to readers, revealing a very rich humanity. The dialogue, at every instant, feels honest and natural; the characters are as real and convincing as any non-fictional characters could be.
"The lessons from these personal travel stories are universal. It's interesting to see how the author's courage guides her in making choices that reveal her to herself and how embracing the unknown can be the surest path towards growth and self-discovery. This is one of the travel books that I'll highly recommend to readers. I loved the book. I smiled, laughed, and felt knots in my tummy at times. It's very entertaining and educative."
- Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
You marriage is shaky. You survived a war in Cyprus together, lost everything. Now you're basically biding time.
A letter arrives from friends in Cyprus, now sailing a new yacht from Taiwan to Europe for a Swedish millionaire. You're invited to join them in Sri Lanka, as crew. Neither of you knows boats, but you'll learn -- the trip of a lifetime, cruising the Indian Ocean in a pleasure yacht!
And, it turns out, in monsoon season. With no charts. And an emotionally unstable crewmate. What could possibly go wrong?
Good Morning Diego Garcia tells one woman's harrowing experience of physical and emotional horror in the brutal sea. As the boat falls apart in storm after storm, so does the crew's sanity. But for the author, the shifting reality opens her to extraordinary perceptions, and makes her more resilient. Stranded on coral at the infamous Diego Garcia military base, they are reluctantly rescued, their boat repaired, and sent on their way to the Seychelles. All the while she keeps a journal, including her dreams.
Their arrival in India came as Prime Minister Indira Ghandi declared "The Emergency" in June 1975, and their return to fly back to the United States a few months later takes them to the radically-changed landscape of India during one of its darkest moments.
Less than two years later, they are in Brussels, and one particularly lucid dream about her husband comes close to being her last.
____
Five stars "Good Morning Diego A Journey of Discovery by Susan Joyce is Book 2 in a series of travel memoirs that chronicle her adventure from the US to Sri Lanka, to Bombay, and across the eternity of the ocean, an adventure that curiously led her deeper into the depths of herself. In one of those doodles she makes in the still, quiet hours of the day, she reveals her deepest thoughts and new vistas into her questing soul. Here is one that captures the pulse of her heart, and perhaps, the reason for this "Collect information! Embrace Unknown! Embrace Uncertainty!"
"In Good Morning Diego A Journey of Discovery, Susan Joyce comes across as a skillful storyteller. Her memoir goes beyond the retelling of a personal story to becoming one of the beautiful social commentaries of her time. Written with simplicity, this book is about courage. The tone can be serious, and at times humorous, but readers will love this book for the author's candor and honesty, and in the way she opens her heart to readers, revealing a very rich humanity. The dialogue, at every instant, feels honest and natural; the characters are as real and convincing as any non-fictional characters could be.
"The lessons from these personal travel stories are universal. It's interesting to see how the author's courage guides her in making choices that reveal her to herself and how embracing the unknown can be the surest path towards growth and self-discovery. This is one of the travel books that I'll highly recommend to readers. I loved the book. I smiled, laughed, and felt knots in my tummy at times. It's very entertaining and educative."
- Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
- GenresMemoirTravelNonfiction
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2016
8 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Susan Joyce
15 books145 followersBorn in Los Angeles California, Susan Joyce spent most of her childhood in Tucson, Arizona and returned to LA as a young working woman. Inspired as a child by postcards from her globe-trotting great aunt, Susan left the United States at age 20 to see the world.
She planned on being gone for a year, but ended up living her 20s and 30s in Europe and the Middle East. As a Jill of all trades, she worked as a secretary, freelance writer, taught computer classes, wrote songs, and became an accomplished artist while writing her first children's book, "Peel, the Extraordinary Elephant." An award winning author and editor of children's books. Susan has just completed a memoir of a twelve year 'roller-coaster' period of her life, titled "The Lullaby Illusion--A Journey of Awakening."
She planned on being gone for a year, but ended up living her 20s and 30s in Europe and the Middle East. As a Jill of all trades, she worked as a secretary, freelance writer, taught computer classes, wrote songs, and became an accomplished artist while writing her first children's book, "Peel, the Extraordinary Elephant." An award winning author and editor of children's books. Susan has just completed a memoir of a twelve year 'roller-coaster' period of her life, titled "The Lullaby Illusion--A Journey of Awakening."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 18, 2017
Wow...what a rich, full life Ms. Joyce has lived! I would like to thank her for affording me a fantastic, on-the-edge-of-your-seat trip without the dozen or so heart attacks I would have certainly suffered, had I taken the voyage in the physical sense. Thankfully, due to her incredible imagery and storytelling I was able to easily live vicariously through Ms. Joyce - appreciating the sights, smells, and sounds along the way. Reading this gave me the advantage of time - time to digest twists and turns along her journey and reflect on what I would imagine my responses to have been. I can't imagine I would have held up as well as Ms. Joyce, had I faced the surprises and challenges she did "in the flesh". I am in awe of the grace and wisdom Ms. Joyce demonstrated as she contemplated, accepted and embraced life physically, spiritually, and emotionally, despite the rough seas she had to navigate (both figuratively and literally). It was fascinating to me how much of the experience described on the pages mirrors "The Life Experience". To some extent we all anticipate smooth sailing along a well-charted course...maybe even hope for a downright luxurious excursion. Sometimes, though, we find ourselves on an unfamiliar ship, being tossed around in stormy seas with no map...and it is these unexpected, powerful and destructive forces of fate that seem to free our strength and conviction, hidden deep within us, that we didn't even know we had. Thank you so much, Ms. Joyce, for sharing your incredible story!
June 29, 2016
A tour of the places they saw and a tour of the foods.
Diary format, journal, travelogue, call it what you will-these are all my favourite forms of memoirs. I love that authors write things down as they are happening and you then get so much detail in their books. In her book Susan Joyce chronicles what was going to be a marvellous trip, a trip of a lifetime with friends on the yacht Zozo. There they were thinking of this luxury trip and they didn't have any clue what it would actually entail! On starting this book, I have to say that I didn't know what Diego Garcia was, I didn't know if I was supposed to know and was I being a bit dumb?! I asked my partner if he knew (he didn't know). I wondered whether it was better not to look it up and just read and find out as the book went on? So that's what I did, I just read it and resisted the urge to look it up. You do find out what it is in the book and it certainly doesn’t matter if you don’t know what it is. Sometimes the dialogue sections are quite abbreviated but I soon got into the style. It’s short, snappy, no excess waffle. It all moves along well and keeps your interest. Then we have much fuller, richly detailed descriptions of the places they visit. I love this sort of thing: talking about foreign foods which I hadn't already heard about and using such mouth-watering descriptions! Excellent description of how they found India as they landed. The contrasts between the poverty and the better areas are perfectly described. I like how the book looks on the page: clear, spacing between the lines and paragraphs etc, it’s easy on the eye (I was reading the kindle edition). I love how the author educates you about the different foods they tried and how she tantalises your taste buds through her skilful description of the sights, sounds and smells of the foods. I also love how she asked a waiter about how something was cooked and about some of the ingredients. A feast of a book-both regarding mentions of the foods and the rich travel experiences. Very interesting info re snakes and snake charmer-something I didn't already know. This is just the type of book I love: about a person's travel experiences to exotic and far flung places which I've never visited and I can experience them from my armchair. I love to learn about the history and features of such places and you certainly get plenty of that in this book. A tour of the places they saw and a tour of the foods. I love how the author took her journal everywhere-even to restaurants-thank heaven we have so much detail, some of this could have been forgotten if she hadn't written so much down. This provides a comforting and luxurious read, good to curl up with-I sensed there would be some storm after the calm though. Through the writing she skilfully evokes the sights, sounds, smells and tastes she was experiencing. I learned from her previous memoir that Susan Joyce is also an artist, as well as an author. In her writing she almost paints with her words and that's how you get such a vivid picture of everything she experienced. She sees batik art for the first time-we know from her first memoir she is later inspired to try it herself. I loved the chapter where she was at the artist's shop and we found out how this art is created. You feel you are there with her, seeing what she saw, you can smell the aromas she describes so skilfully. An absolute feast for the senses is encapsulated in this book. I loved learning so much and picturing so much-the next best thing to going there yourself! This book was SO interesting to me. I think it is even better than her first book. I was right into it from the start- gripping! This book is a mine of information. Susan is your guide relating snippets of info about everything you see on your travels. What a hair-raising adventure! So much information, a feast of facts and figures. Some totally scary stuff and some wondrous scenes too. Fascinating. A journey of discovery-an apt subtitle-I discovered about many things reading this that I didn't already know about. She creates beautiful pictures with her words.
Diary format, journal, travelogue, call it what you will-these are all my favourite forms of memoirs. I love that authors write things down as they are happening and you then get so much detail in their books. In her book Susan Joyce chronicles what was going to be a marvellous trip, a trip of a lifetime with friends on the yacht Zozo. There they were thinking of this luxury trip and they didn't have any clue what it would actually entail! On starting this book, I have to say that I didn't know what Diego Garcia was, I didn't know if I was supposed to know and was I being a bit dumb?! I asked my partner if he knew (he didn't know). I wondered whether it was better not to look it up and just read and find out as the book went on? So that's what I did, I just read it and resisted the urge to look it up. You do find out what it is in the book and it certainly doesn’t matter if you don’t know what it is. Sometimes the dialogue sections are quite abbreviated but I soon got into the style. It’s short, snappy, no excess waffle. It all moves along well and keeps your interest. Then we have much fuller, richly detailed descriptions of the places they visit. I love this sort of thing: talking about foreign foods which I hadn't already heard about and using such mouth-watering descriptions! Excellent description of how they found India as they landed. The contrasts between the poverty and the better areas are perfectly described. I like how the book looks on the page: clear, spacing between the lines and paragraphs etc, it’s easy on the eye (I was reading the kindle edition). I love how the author educates you about the different foods they tried and how she tantalises your taste buds through her skilful description of the sights, sounds and smells of the foods. I also love how she asked a waiter about how something was cooked and about some of the ingredients. A feast of a book-both regarding mentions of the foods and the rich travel experiences. Very interesting info re snakes and snake charmer-something I didn't already know. This is just the type of book I love: about a person's travel experiences to exotic and far flung places which I've never visited and I can experience them from my armchair. I love to learn about the history and features of such places and you certainly get plenty of that in this book. A tour of the places they saw and a tour of the foods. I love how the author took her journal everywhere-even to restaurants-thank heaven we have so much detail, some of this could have been forgotten if she hadn't written so much down. This provides a comforting and luxurious read, good to curl up with-I sensed there would be some storm after the calm though. Through the writing she skilfully evokes the sights, sounds, smells and tastes she was experiencing. I learned from her previous memoir that Susan Joyce is also an artist, as well as an author. In her writing she almost paints with her words and that's how you get such a vivid picture of everything she experienced. She sees batik art for the first time-we know from her first memoir she is later inspired to try it herself. I loved the chapter where she was at the artist's shop and we found out how this art is created. You feel you are there with her, seeing what she saw, you can smell the aromas she describes so skilfully. An absolute feast for the senses is encapsulated in this book. I loved learning so much and picturing so much-the next best thing to going there yourself! This book was SO interesting to me. I think it is even better than her first book. I was right into it from the start- gripping! This book is a mine of information. Susan is your guide relating snippets of info about everything you see on your travels. What a hair-raising adventure! So much information, a feast of facts and figures. Some totally scary stuff and some wondrous scenes too. Fascinating. A journey of discovery-an apt subtitle-I discovered about many things reading this that I didn't already know about. She creates beautiful pictures with her words.
February 12, 2017
It really is a great journey, but I was expecting more details on Diego Garcia, yet it doesn't. Maybe I expect too much. LOL.
April 29, 2016
Having read Susan Joyce’s first memoir and being enthralled by it I had high expectations of Good Morning Diego Garcia. I was not disappointed whatsoever. If anything it’s even more exciting! What an adventure! What a life changing experience! Susan and her husband Charles are invited to accompany Dylan and Mia, a couple she knew from Cyprus, to crew a yacht from Trincomalee, Sri Lanka to the Seychelles, all the way across the Indian Ocean then north through the Suez Canal. They decide it’s an opportunity not to be missed. Little do they know what lies ahead. They spend some time in India before finally getting to Sri Lanka and Susan describes all the sights, smells and tastes of the continent so vividly that we could be travelling alongside her. It’s an assault on the senses, from the stench of death to the sweet aroma of sandalwood. They travel on to Trincomalee where they finally embark on their journey across the ocean aboard the yacht Zozo. However the journey is beset with danger and they are caught up in terrifying storms. The boat is tossed up on mountainous waves and flung down into troughs. How it survived is a miracle. Add to this the fraught relationship between Susan and her husband and you have a not to be forgotten memoir. They do say that truth is stranger than fiction – read this book and you will discover that statement to be absolutely true. I had never heard of Diego Garcia but what a fascinating and disturbing story lies there. The memoir is called a journey of discovery and it certainly is and on several levels. But the most important one is that Susan discovers she can be free and independent – on July 4th – Independence Day. Co incidence or not? It’s a well deserved 5 stars from me. Highly recommended.
March 19, 2016
Over 50% of the book club members had read Susan's first book, 'The Lullaby Illusion' prior to joining this discussion and contributing towards this review of Good Morning Diego Garcia. That said, there was little disparity between the feedback of members who had read book 1 and those new to Susan's writing. Those new to Susan's writing style and storytelling did not feel disadvantaged in understanding or relation to this book because of not reading book 1 first.
Therefore, the overwhelming opinion was that this book can be read as a standalone publication, even though it is book 2 in the Journeys Series. That said, of the 50% who had not read book 1, 40% have now expressed a desire to read it.
Although in non-fiction, memoir writing there is no plot to create or develop, had this been fiction we would be saying that the plot was well executed, therefore, the fact that this is a true story exemplifies the skill of the author to enable the reader to experience the emotions and reality of her physical and psychological journey.
Susan writes fluently and engages with the reader on all levels adding to the enhancement of the reading experience.
Writing: The language and style used complements the storytelling, as does the use of dialogue in the expression of true emotions. The book is well constructed and edited and has a smooth easy to follow progression throughout. For readers who are not well travelled, this is an excellent way to experience a virtual tour of taste, sights and sounds on far-flung shores in less than ideal circumstances at times.
Therefore, the overwhelming opinion was that this book can be read as a standalone publication, even though it is book 2 in the Journeys Series. That said, of the 50% who had not read book 1, 40% have now expressed a desire to read it.
Although in non-fiction, memoir writing there is no plot to create or develop, had this been fiction we would be saying that the plot was well executed, therefore, the fact that this is a true story exemplifies the skill of the author to enable the reader to experience the emotions and reality of her physical and psychological journey.
Susan writes fluently and engages with the reader on all levels adding to the enhancement of the reading experience.
Writing: The language and style used complements the storytelling, as does the use of dialogue in the expression of true emotions. The book is well constructed and edited and has a smooth easy to follow progression throughout. For readers who are not well travelled, this is an excellent way to experience a virtual tour of taste, sights and sounds on far-flung shores in less than ideal circumstances at times.
February 18, 2016
I was given this book to Beta Read--This is a fascinating memoir about a couple who are asked to help crew a sailboat from Sri Lanka thru the Suez canal and back to Europe. Susan isn't sure but her husband convinces her so off they go for a supposed 3 month sailing trip!! HaHa, what could possibly go wrong. How about a declared emergency in Bombay so they couldn't catch their flight on to Sri Lanka but guess what--the airlines put them up in a luxury hotel and they had time to do some sightseeing. They finally made it to Sri Lanka and the taxi driver took them to the sailboat and life was looking good--was it. Dylan and Mia are the friends they would be sailing with and you have to be very happy together to spend so much time together in a small boat. Dylan wanted to get started because the Indian Ocean can be quite treacherous if sailed at the wrong time but he was waiting for the charts to arrive--after several days Dylan made the decision that they needed to leave without the charts. Storms, scary storms, broken boat parts and finally landing someplace that they weren't supposed to be. After repairs they are off again--many wonderful and scary times until they hit the Seychelles. I love Susan's writing and I so want to go visit--I am not going to give away the story but it is a book you won't want to put down.
February 10, 2016
As you read this exciting book just keep reminding yourself, the author is alive and that fact is stunning in light of their adventurous ocean crossing. This book is a highly entertaining read, causing me to get little accomplished for a short time. I've not had an ocean voyage grip me like this since reading The Perfect Storm. Kudos, Susan Joyce. Buy this book and prepare for a great adventure.
March 13, 2016
Susan Joyce does it again!
Just as I did "The Lullaby Illusion: A Journey of Awakening" (Journeys – Volume 1).. I thoroughly enjoyed hitching a ride with Susan as she shared her incredible journey with me and her readers. I absolutely love Susan's writing style... and would read anything she wrote. Great Memoir!
Just as I did "The Lullaby Illusion: A Journey of Awakening" (Journeys – Volume 1).. I thoroughly enjoyed hitching a ride with Susan as she shared her incredible journey with me and her readers. I absolutely love Susan's writing style... and would read anything she wrote. Great Memoir!
December 11, 2020
I was intrigued by the title of Susan Joyce’s memoir, Good Morning, Diego Garcia. Right away, I am drawn in when I learn the author is writing a book about her experience surviving the Coup de ’tat and subsequent war in Cyprus in 1975. As that endeavor is halted by a turn of good fortune in being offered to sail the Indian Ocean from Sri Lanka to Seychelles.
I really enjoyed reading the detailed and extensive cultural dishes Joyce describes on the plane, in various cities in India and Sri Lanka and the Seychelles. I was dying to try it for myself! I also liked it that the author knew cultural appropriateness. I appreciated her honest responses to the situations that arose throughout the trip – behaviors, cultural and political events, etc. I liked that she researched the places she visited, and talked about how she jotted things down during her travels to jog her memory while documenting the events in what ultimately became her memoir. It strikes me as to how much unrest the world experienced in the mid-70s around the same time period. The relationships and dangers she describes as her trip unfolds through the Indian Ocean as an inexperienced ship hand reminds me of an unrelated memoir by Tom Tune as he delivers medicine on his yacht, The Dorcas Sue. His crew undergoes similar hardships on a trip through the stormy seas to Trinidad.
Throughout the memoir, the author recounts a series of visions and dreams that reveal instability in her personal life at that time. Yet they also provide a certain confidence and wisdom in moving her forward. I think that’s what I liked the most.
With the sensory descriptions of the food, the harrowing drama of the ship’s passage through the Indian Ocean during the monsoon period, and Joyce’s personal journey, I found this memoir quite fascinating. It receives 5 stars for zeroing in on a tumultuous period of history, world travel and personal growth. I highly recommend this memoir.
I really enjoyed reading the detailed and extensive cultural dishes Joyce describes on the plane, in various cities in India and Sri Lanka and the Seychelles. I was dying to try it for myself! I also liked it that the author knew cultural appropriateness. I appreciated her honest responses to the situations that arose throughout the trip – behaviors, cultural and political events, etc. I liked that she researched the places she visited, and talked about how she jotted things down during her travels to jog her memory while documenting the events in what ultimately became her memoir. It strikes me as to how much unrest the world experienced in the mid-70s around the same time period. The relationships and dangers she describes as her trip unfolds through the Indian Ocean as an inexperienced ship hand reminds me of an unrelated memoir by Tom Tune as he delivers medicine on his yacht, The Dorcas Sue. His crew undergoes similar hardships on a trip through the stormy seas to Trinidad.
Throughout the memoir, the author recounts a series of visions and dreams that reveal instability in her personal life at that time. Yet they also provide a certain confidence and wisdom in moving her forward. I think that’s what I liked the most.
With the sensory descriptions of the food, the harrowing drama of the ship’s passage through the Indian Ocean during the monsoon period, and Joyce’s personal journey, I found this memoir quite fascinating. It receives 5 stars for zeroing in on a tumultuous period of history, world travel and personal growth. I highly recommend this memoir.
September 26, 2018
After surviving the traumatic events of the Cyprus coup, Susan and Charles are settling into a quiet life in California. However, an invitation to sail with old friends across the Indian Ocean and on through the Suez Canal takes the couple on another roller coaster adventure.
The Indian State of Emergency disrupts their journey to Sri Lanka. However, they delight in visiting several cities and breathtaking sites including the Taj Mahal. I loved reading Susan's detailed descriptions of India and it's cuisine.
Arriving in Sri Lanka, they join their friends Mia, Dylan and Alon on board the luxurious yacht Zozo. However, the charts for their sea voyage have not arrived and it grows increasingly likely that they will be caught in difficult sea conditions.
Dylan decides to set sail without the charts and plans to navigate with the aid of "the heavens." Storm after storm lash the yacht and crew, while Susan undergoes a huge personal transformation.
I was rooting for her throughout, and cheered her decision to embark on her own personal voyage.
The Indian State of Emergency disrupts their journey to Sri Lanka. However, they delight in visiting several cities and breathtaking sites including the Taj Mahal. I loved reading Susan's detailed descriptions of India and it's cuisine.
Arriving in Sri Lanka, they join their friends Mia, Dylan and Alon on board the luxurious yacht Zozo. However, the charts for their sea voyage have not arrived and it grows increasingly likely that they will be caught in difficult sea conditions.
Dylan decides to set sail without the charts and plans to navigate with the aid of "the heavens." Storm after storm lash the yacht and crew, while Susan undergoes a huge personal transformation.
I was rooting for her throughout, and cheered her decision to embark on her own personal voyage.
February 9, 2016
With Good Morning Diego Garcia: A Journey of Discovery (Journeys – Book 2), talented author Susan Joyce relates her further memoirs, which she began in The Lullaby Illusion: A Journey of Awakening (Journeys – Volume 1). The result is a fascinating book, combining the genres of memoirs and travel books, relating the author’s further adventures, when she and her husband, Charles, are invited by friends to travel in a yacht they are breaking in on its maiden voyage, and they travel to many exotic locations. Like in the first book, the author undergoes an internal journey of self-discovery as well as experiencing the journey of a lifetime places many people only dream of seeing.
Good Morning Diego Garcia begins with the narrator and Charles back in Ojai, California, after having spent a tumultuous time in Cyprus, living through the 1974 coup and war there. The couple are settling into a house they have rented, with Charles waiting on his old job to call him back and let him know work is available for him. They do not seem to be worried about financial matters very much, as Charles has money socked away in at least a couple of bank accounts for them to get by on.
A momentous letter arrives in the mail, that changes the lives of the narrator and her husband forever. The letter is from friends of theirs, Mia and Dylan, who are currently in Taiwan. Their friends are also the friends of a Swedish millionaire, who owns several yachts, and has purchased a new one. The Swedish millionaire always has the yachts broken in on their maiden voyages before he travels on them, and Mia and Dylan invite the narrator and Charles on the voyage, to “help crew the yacht from Trincormalee, Sri Lanka to the Seychelles. All the way across the Indian Ocean, and on north through the Suez Canal.”
They made plans to meet up with Dylan and Mia at the port city of Trincomalee on the east coast of Sri Lanka. The name of the yacht they traveled on was ZoZo.
Just to get to where the narrator and Charles eventually met up with Dylan and Mia was an adventure, in itself. They travel to Bombay, where Charles scores some hashish, and they get to stay in beautiful 5-star hotels, while they see the great disparity between the rich and the poor in Bombay and India, when they have a hotel located near the Taj Mahal.
The narrator notes in several places in Good Morning Diego Garcia that she was keeping a journal of her travels. She must have been thorough as the descriptions of the people they meet and the sights that they see are wonderfully described, making the narrator’s adventures become very real for readers of her books.
Though the narrator and her husband have never crewed a yacht before, they are thrilled, at first, about the prospect of traveling on a yacht to various destinations around the Indian Ocean. However, they discover that the voyage will be occurring during the monsoon season, and their journey will not be quite as pleasant as they had anticipated it would be.
Along with their journeys, the narrator recounts her fascination with the books of Edgar Cayce, and the importance of dreams to him and to herself. She also asks philosophical questions, at times, for instance, wondering why cows in India are considered to be sacred, but not humans.
That’s all before they even meet up with Dylan and Mia, and start on a journey that will take them the destinations like the Seychelles and the island Diego Garcia, a volcanic atoll in the Indian Ocean that is the largest of the 60 small islands comprising the Chagos Archipelago, before they return eventually to India and then head on to Brussels, Belguim, in 1976.
Good Morning Diego Garcia: A Journey of Discovery (Journeys – Book 2), is an extremely well- written account about the narrator’s travels to exotic locales, as well as being a story of her emotional and spiritual growth as a person. It is a Must Read for anyone who loves reading captivating and engrossing travel memoirs, and especially for fans of the author’s first book in the series, The Lullaby Illusion: A Journey of Awakening (Journeys – Volume 1).
Good Morning Diego Garcia begins with the narrator and Charles back in Ojai, California, after having spent a tumultuous time in Cyprus, living through the 1974 coup and war there. The couple are settling into a house they have rented, with Charles waiting on his old job to call him back and let him know work is available for him. They do not seem to be worried about financial matters very much, as Charles has money socked away in at least a couple of bank accounts for them to get by on.
A momentous letter arrives in the mail, that changes the lives of the narrator and her husband forever. The letter is from friends of theirs, Mia and Dylan, who are currently in Taiwan. Their friends are also the friends of a Swedish millionaire, who owns several yachts, and has purchased a new one. The Swedish millionaire always has the yachts broken in on their maiden voyages before he travels on them, and Mia and Dylan invite the narrator and Charles on the voyage, to “help crew the yacht from Trincormalee, Sri Lanka to the Seychelles. All the way across the Indian Ocean, and on north through the Suez Canal.”
They made plans to meet up with Dylan and Mia at the port city of Trincomalee on the east coast of Sri Lanka. The name of the yacht they traveled on was ZoZo.
Just to get to where the narrator and Charles eventually met up with Dylan and Mia was an adventure, in itself. They travel to Bombay, where Charles scores some hashish, and they get to stay in beautiful 5-star hotels, while they see the great disparity between the rich and the poor in Bombay and India, when they have a hotel located near the Taj Mahal.
The narrator notes in several places in Good Morning Diego Garcia that she was keeping a journal of her travels. She must have been thorough as the descriptions of the people they meet and the sights that they see are wonderfully described, making the narrator’s adventures become very real for readers of her books.
Though the narrator and her husband have never crewed a yacht before, they are thrilled, at first, about the prospect of traveling on a yacht to various destinations around the Indian Ocean. However, they discover that the voyage will be occurring during the monsoon season, and their journey will not be quite as pleasant as they had anticipated it would be.
Along with their journeys, the narrator recounts her fascination with the books of Edgar Cayce, and the importance of dreams to him and to herself. She also asks philosophical questions, at times, for instance, wondering why cows in India are considered to be sacred, but not humans.
That’s all before they even meet up with Dylan and Mia, and start on a journey that will take them the destinations like the Seychelles and the island Diego Garcia, a volcanic atoll in the Indian Ocean that is the largest of the 60 small islands comprising the Chagos Archipelago, before they return eventually to India and then head on to Brussels, Belguim, in 1976.
Good Morning Diego Garcia: A Journey of Discovery (Journeys – Book 2), is an extremely well- written account about the narrator’s travels to exotic locales, as well as being a story of her emotional and spiritual growth as a person. It is a Must Read for anyone who loves reading captivating and engrossing travel memoirs, and especially for fans of the author’s first book in the series, The Lullaby Illusion: A Journey of Awakening (Journeys – Volume 1).
February 10, 2016
Many people choose to spend much of their lives in the safe comfort and security of what is known to them. A few people like Author Susan Joyce, seem to spend a great portion of their time discovering new ways of broadening their life experiences and their encounters with discomfort, irrespective of it being one or four cornerstones of life, physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual. The saving grace for the author is her willingness and ability to grow and learn from these encounters.
"Good Morning Diego Garcia" is a memoir covering a brief period in the author's life when she and her husband are invited to spend time as crew, sailing from Sri Lanka to the Seychelles, up through the Suez Canal and places beyond. Well that was the intended plan. In life, for those who follow Robert Frost's advice and " . . . take the road less travelled", plans have away of changing. Little could the author and her husband, really know what they were to experience on that fateful journey. There is a proverb attributed to many different nationalities, to the effect that people make plans and (the) god(s) laughs. The author and her husband were about to find out their own meaning of such a saying.
As with her first book "The Lullaby Illusion: A Journey of Awakening" the author has utilised her lyrical writing style to bring the reader into her story. She has painted wonderful word pictures of life in Sri Lanka; the people, the animals, the colours, the aromas, the general richness of life that she observed while waiting to sail across the Indian Ocean to the Seychelles. Such is her writing, that the reader cannot help but feel transported to the island, becoming an invisible participant in the author's life at that time. The writing style changes appropriately once the boat sets sail from Trincomalee, ranging from the lyrical to the more strident and harsh, as the boat and it's crew face the cacophony of endless days of storms along with the conflictual and discordant behaviour of the captain, towards the crew.
It seems appropriate to offer a quote from my review of the author's first book that is equally applicable to this book "Without giving anything away, it is only the author’s belief in herself, and her ability to trust and act on her intuitive feelings, that carries her through the great, the good, the sad, the fearful, the adverse and the indifferent." Fortunately Susan Joyce is not swayed by the quote from the fictional Captain Jack Sparrow . . . "The problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude to the problem." Inherent in her being is a positive attitude that knowing one's self allows her to stride forward in life, re-framing negatives and learning from all her experiences, even if sometimes, the learning takes just a little longer to achieve. No stride so important for her own well-being, than the stride she takes at the end of this story.
I unreservedly recommend Good Morning Diego Garcia as not only a most enjoyable read, but a challenge to the reader about their own belief systems, finding the conscious light that shines through the darkest of times.
"Good Morning Diego Garcia" is a memoir covering a brief period in the author's life when she and her husband are invited to spend time as crew, sailing from Sri Lanka to the Seychelles, up through the Suez Canal and places beyond. Well that was the intended plan. In life, for those who follow Robert Frost's advice and " . . . take the road less travelled", plans have away of changing. Little could the author and her husband, really know what they were to experience on that fateful journey. There is a proverb attributed to many different nationalities, to the effect that people make plans and (the) god(s) laughs. The author and her husband were about to find out their own meaning of such a saying.
As with her first book "The Lullaby Illusion: A Journey of Awakening" the author has utilised her lyrical writing style to bring the reader into her story. She has painted wonderful word pictures of life in Sri Lanka; the people, the animals, the colours, the aromas, the general richness of life that she observed while waiting to sail across the Indian Ocean to the Seychelles. Such is her writing, that the reader cannot help but feel transported to the island, becoming an invisible participant in the author's life at that time. The writing style changes appropriately once the boat sets sail from Trincomalee, ranging from the lyrical to the more strident and harsh, as the boat and it's crew face the cacophony of endless days of storms along with the conflictual and discordant behaviour of the captain, towards the crew.
It seems appropriate to offer a quote from my review of the author's first book that is equally applicable to this book "Without giving anything away, it is only the author’s belief in herself, and her ability to trust and act on her intuitive feelings, that carries her through the great, the good, the sad, the fearful, the adverse and the indifferent." Fortunately Susan Joyce is not swayed by the quote from the fictional Captain Jack Sparrow . . . "The problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude to the problem." Inherent in her being is a positive attitude that knowing one's self allows her to stride forward in life, re-framing negatives and learning from all her experiences, even if sometimes, the learning takes just a little longer to achieve. No stride so important for her own well-being, than the stride she takes at the end of this story.
I unreservedly recommend Good Morning Diego Garcia as not only a most enjoyable read, but a challenge to the reader about their own belief systems, finding the conscious light that shines through the darkest of times.
July 24, 2016
*This review is for the audiobook edition of this book*
An excellent travel memoir.
I have actually read this book before and still enjoyed experiencing it again via audiobook edition-there are so many fascinating facts and information, it's certainly well worth listening to again. My ideal is for memoir authors to read their own audiobook really but I accept that time can be an issue-and maybe not having all the tech gear. I think this narrator (Karen Commins) was a good choice. The author is American, I've not heard her voice but I could imagine this narrator sounding very like her, her voice seemed to fit well. I liked her unhurried reading of this book and the emotions she conveyed. I wasn't so keen on her putting a lower voice on when reading the author's husband's comments-I prefer readers to continue in their natural voice throughout.
There are so many memorable moments in this book but I think the way the author describes the foods they experienced on their trip, such vivid detail, is excellent. Also gripping is their often harrowing journey.
This is only the third book I have read in audiobook format. I’ve never been particularly keen to try audiobooks before listening to ‘That One Moment’ by Amy Daws. (That one totally converted me so now I'm listening to more). There used to be a children’s TV programme in England called ‘Jackanory’ when I was little-where a guest star-usually well-known, an actor etc. used to read a story out to viewers. I never liked this as I didn’t like all the different and what I considered 'funny' voices which the narrator used to put on. I preferred to read a book myself. ‘That One Moment’ completely changed my mind on audiobooks as it has duet narration-the male parts are read by a male and the female voices are done by a female. This was ‘just right’ in my opinion and pure luxury as the two audiobooks I have listened to since I have enjoyed but I have been wishing ‘but if they had this male and female dual narration it would be so much better!’ I think I’ve been spoilt! I like the nice natural, clear tone to Karen Commins’ voice, it’s a nice steady pace, when she’s just speaking normally. I’m not a fan of audiobook narrators putting on a man’s voice if they are female. It just doesn’t sound quite right to me and upsets the flow. I’d prefer them just to read it all in their own voice-one can tell when it’s a different character speaking when the author has put comments such as ‘Charles said’ etc. I think it would flow better rather than the voice artist keep trying to change their voice.
I did enjoy this book again though. I enjoyed it very much indeed. I loved it the first time when I read it and it was great to be able to listen to it whilst getting other things done at the same time-eg. housework etc. I’ve found audiobooks are so convenient that way and am getting ‘into them’ now. This is an excellent travel memoir.
An excellent travel memoir.
I have actually read this book before and still enjoyed experiencing it again via audiobook edition-there are so many fascinating facts and information, it's certainly well worth listening to again. My ideal is for memoir authors to read their own audiobook really but I accept that time can be an issue-and maybe not having all the tech gear. I think this narrator (Karen Commins) was a good choice. The author is American, I've not heard her voice but I could imagine this narrator sounding very like her, her voice seemed to fit well. I liked her unhurried reading of this book and the emotions she conveyed. I wasn't so keen on her putting a lower voice on when reading the author's husband's comments-I prefer readers to continue in their natural voice throughout.
There are so many memorable moments in this book but I think the way the author describes the foods they experienced on their trip, such vivid detail, is excellent. Also gripping is their often harrowing journey.
This is only the third book I have read in audiobook format. I’ve never been particularly keen to try audiobooks before listening to ‘That One Moment’ by Amy Daws. (That one totally converted me so now I'm listening to more). There used to be a children’s TV programme in England called ‘Jackanory’ when I was little-where a guest star-usually well-known, an actor etc. used to read a story out to viewers. I never liked this as I didn’t like all the different and what I considered 'funny' voices which the narrator used to put on. I preferred to read a book myself. ‘That One Moment’ completely changed my mind on audiobooks as it has duet narration-the male parts are read by a male and the female voices are done by a female. This was ‘just right’ in my opinion and pure luxury as the two audiobooks I have listened to since I have enjoyed but I have been wishing ‘but if they had this male and female dual narration it would be so much better!’ I think I’ve been spoilt! I like the nice natural, clear tone to Karen Commins’ voice, it’s a nice steady pace, when she’s just speaking normally. I’m not a fan of audiobook narrators putting on a man’s voice if they are female. It just doesn’t sound quite right to me and upsets the flow. I’d prefer them just to read it all in their own voice-one can tell when it’s a different character speaking when the author has put comments such as ‘Charles said’ etc. I think it would flow better rather than the voice artist keep trying to change their voice.
I did enjoy this book again though. I enjoyed it very much indeed. I loved it the first time when I read it and it was great to be able to listen to it whilst getting other things done at the same time-eg. housework etc. I’ve found audiobooks are so convenient that way and am getting ‘into them’ now. This is an excellent travel memoir.
March 19, 2016
It's a long journey from Ojai California to a pleasure yacht on the Indian Ocean, and one normally undertaken with a certain degree of expertise under one's belt, using a roadmap for success.
Susan Joyce had neither. What she did have was a shaky marriage, a comfortable (if not naïve) life in Southern California, and the lure of a different world which was accompanied (she discovered later) by a set of falsehoods and dangers that nearly cost her life.
Good Morning Diego Garcia: A Voyage of Discovery documents the process whereby she grasps for something greater than stability and comfort, only to find herself nearly losing everything - a second time.
Not everyone would opt to embark on a sailing trip only to find out too late that it's taking place during monsoon season. Not everyone would jump at the offer to help crew a new boat with a set of strangers when one's own experience as a sailor is limited. And few would survive the storms that batter ship and psyche alike as Joyce comes to discover that the illusions in her world are all too stark and real, and hold the possibility of ending everything she knows.
To call Good Morning Diego Garcia a memoir or a travelogue - or even a sailing yarn - would be to do it a grave disservice. Joyce's ability to take the higher road of adventure and insight and elevate them to new heights in a format that transcends all of the usual approaches to either memoir or travel story makes it a standout in both genres.
One the reasons why this is so is the author's attention to plenty of dialogue between everyone involved, and to presenting different perspectives on hopes, dreams, and events: "I prepared pork chops and coleslaw for dinner, and pondered the life jacket answer for a few moments, imagining what strange creatures might live in the deep waters of the Indian Ocean eagerly waiting to nibble on toes and fingers of a human floating in a life jacket. “An opportunity like this can’t be missed,” Charles said, pouring us wine."
Another reason why Good Morning Diego Garcia shines so strongly is that it's, quite simply, the kind of adventure of a lifetime that so many dreams of and so few achieve (not the marital challenges; but the ideal of sailing exotic seas on a luxury yacht.) It all sounds so alluring, so romantic, and so wonderful.
Hold that thought. Good Morning Diego Garcia explores the other side of it. And it'll bring along a wealth of readers - memoir fans, armchair travelers, sailors of large and small ships, and would-be-adventurers - for a rollicking good ride filled with rolling waters and cultural encounters, history, politics, and people living in limbo in more ways than one.
The edge of adventure has never felt so compelling.
Susan Joyce had neither. What she did have was a shaky marriage, a comfortable (if not naïve) life in Southern California, and the lure of a different world which was accompanied (she discovered later) by a set of falsehoods and dangers that nearly cost her life.
Good Morning Diego Garcia: A Voyage of Discovery documents the process whereby she grasps for something greater than stability and comfort, only to find herself nearly losing everything - a second time.
Not everyone would opt to embark on a sailing trip only to find out too late that it's taking place during monsoon season. Not everyone would jump at the offer to help crew a new boat with a set of strangers when one's own experience as a sailor is limited. And few would survive the storms that batter ship and psyche alike as Joyce comes to discover that the illusions in her world are all too stark and real, and hold the possibility of ending everything she knows.
To call Good Morning Diego Garcia a memoir or a travelogue - or even a sailing yarn - would be to do it a grave disservice. Joyce's ability to take the higher road of adventure and insight and elevate them to new heights in a format that transcends all of the usual approaches to either memoir or travel story makes it a standout in both genres.
One the reasons why this is so is the author's attention to plenty of dialogue between everyone involved, and to presenting different perspectives on hopes, dreams, and events: "I prepared pork chops and coleslaw for dinner, and pondered the life jacket answer for a few moments, imagining what strange creatures might live in the deep waters of the Indian Ocean eagerly waiting to nibble on toes and fingers of a human floating in a life jacket. “An opportunity like this can’t be missed,” Charles said, pouring us wine."
Another reason why Good Morning Diego Garcia shines so strongly is that it's, quite simply, the kind of adventure of a lifetime that so many dreams of and so few achieve (not the marital challenges; but the ideal of sailing exotic seas on a luxury yacht.) It all sounds so alluring, so romantic, and so wonderful.
Hold that thought. Good Morning Diego Garcia explores the other side of it. And it'll bring along a wealth of readers - memoir fans, armchair travelers, sailors of large and small ships, and would-be-adventurers - for a rollicking good ride filled with rolling waters and cultural encounters, history, politics, and people living in limbo in more ways than one.
The edge of adventure has never felt so compelling.
March 20, 2016
‘A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.’ — Lao-Tzu
Los Angeles native Susan Joyce has written a second travel memoir based on her experiences and observations and ideas from her extensive travels throughout the globe. She lived in many places – including the Middle East and Europe and has worked as a secretary, a freelance writer, a teacher of computer classes and has written songs and become an artist. Add to this her avocation of writing a very successful series of children’s books and now adult novels and the spectrum of her talent seems to cover a broad range.
She has begun writing her Journey series – the first being THE LULLABY ILLUSION – A JOURNEY OF AWAKENING that won prizes for its unique coverage of the politics of Europe, the United States, and Israel. Now she offers her second ‘Journey’ – a fascinating view of crossing the Indian Ocean in monsoon season.
For those scratching their heads about the title, Diego Garcia is an atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia is the largest of the 60 small islands comprising the Chagos Archipelago. Now with tidbit of memory jogging, Susan opens her book in Ojai, California in 1975 and her synopsis condenses the pleasures of this book well: ‘You’re young, living comfortably in southern California. You’re financially secure, though you don’t know why or how. Your husband simply ignores you when you ask too many questions. He’s hoping for another job overseas, doing something. You’re not sure what, but you suspect it’s not what he says. Your marriage is shaky. You survived a war in Cyprus together, and lost everything. Now you’re basically biding time. A letter arrives from friends you knew in Cyprus. They’re sailing a new yacht from Taiwan to Europe for a Swedish millionaire. You’re invited to join them in Sri Lanka, as crew. Neither of you knows boats, but you’ll learn — it will be the trip of a lifetime, cruising the Indian Ocean in a pleasure yacht! And, it turns out, in monsoon season. With no charts. And an emotionally unstable crew mate. What could possibly go wrong?’ Jump on board and find out!
An with that invitation we are off on a memorable journey that is at once an adventure, a travel memoir, a story of a marriage, and it is all true. Her writing style involves the reader from the first page on and the privilege of reading such an adventure from a woman’s point of view is richly rewarding. Remember the old film ‘Mrs. Mike’? That is the flavor and the pleasure of accompanying Susan on this ‘discovery journey’. Highly Recommended.
Los Angeles native Susan Joyce has written a second travel memoir based on her experiences and observations and ideas from her extensive travels throughout the globe. She lived in many places – including the Middle East and Europe and has worked as a secretary, a freelance writer, a teacher of computer classes and has written songs and become an artist. Add to this her avocation of writing a very successful series of children’s books and now adult novels and the spectrum of her talent seems to cover a broad range.
She has begun writing her Journey series – the first being THE LULLABY ILLUSION – A JOURNEY OF AWAKENING that won prizes for its unique coverage of the politics of Europe, the United States, and Israel. Now she offers her second ‘Journey’ – a fascinating view of crossing the Indian Ocean in monsoon season.
For those scratching their heads about the title, Diego Garcia is an atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia is the largest of the 60 small islands comprising the Chagos Archipelago. Now with tidbit of memory jogging, Susan opens her book in Ojai, California in 1975 and her synopsis condenses the pleasures of this book well: ‘You’re young, living comfortably in southern California. You’re financially secure, though you don’t know why or how. Your husband simply ignores you when you ask too many questions. He’s hoping for another job overseas, doing something. You’re not sure what, but you suspect it’s not what he says. Your marriage is shaky. You survived a war in Cyprus together, and lost everything. Now you’re basically biding time. A letter arrives from friends you knew in Cyprus. They’re sailing a new yacht from Taiwan to Europe for a Swedish millionaire. You’re invited to join them in Sri Lanka, as crew. Neither of you knows boats, but you’ll learn — it will be the trip of a lifetime, cruising the Indian Ocean in a pleasure yacht! And, it turns out, in monsoon season. With no charts. And an emotionally unstable crew mate. What could possibly go wrong?’ Jump on board and find out!
An with that invitation we are off on a memorable journey that is at once an adventure, a travel memoir, a story of a marriage, and it is all true. Her writing style involves the reader from the first page on and the privilege of reading such an adventure from a woman’s point of view is richly rewarding. Remember the old film ‘Mrs. Mike’? That is the flavor and the pleasure of accompanying Susan on this ‘discovery journey’. Highly Recommended.
April 11, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Good Morning Diego Garcia by Susan Joyce in exchange for an honest review.
What a pleasure to read and review Good Morning Diego Garcia by Susan Joyce.
Good Morning Diego Garcia is listed as a travel adventure/memoir but it was so easy to forget that and lose myself in the magnificence of Susan Joyce’s writing.
Good Morning Diego Garcia is Ms. Joyce’s personal voyage across the Indian Ocean. . .during monsoon season. But more than that, she records the sights, the smells, the tastes, the sounds and the feelings of each step of her journey.
“As the sea stirred my senses, I became the curious, wide open-eyed child again, welcoming the power of magic.
Examining these connections, I realized I had touched on a greater truth; the reality of how I fit into the bigger picture of life. The quieter I became, the more I could see and hear. Was it my imagination? Or was I experiencing a heightened awareness as a result of being in tune with nature. Floating in this immense ocean at eye level, gave me a new appreciation for how massive the universe is, and how small and insignificant a human is by comparison. A small speck in the full spectrum of life on earth.
I had traveled far and wide to find myself; to discover my core. My soul.
I knew with certainty I would stay in touch with the collective unconsciousness in my life from this moment forward.” Susan Joyce (2016-01-06T06:00:00+00:00). Good Morning Diego Garcia (Kindle Locations 1718-1724). Kindle Edition.
My emotions were so engaged in every step of the journey that I didn’t want to, no I couldn’t put this book down. Every step of this journey is burned into my memory as if I’d lived it myself.
I highly recommend Good Morning Diego Garcia by Susan Joyce and I humbly offer five steaming cups of Room With Books coffee in honor of this wonderful voyage.
©February 29, 2016
~Patricia, Room With Books~
What a pleasure to read and review Good Morning Diego Garcia by Susan Joyce.
Good Morning Diego Garcia is listed as a travel adventure/memoir but it was so easy to forget that and lose myself in the magnificence of Susan Joyce’s writing.
Good Morning Diego Garcia is Ms. Joyce’s personal voyage across the Indian Ocean. . .during monsoon season. But more than that, she records the sights, the smells, the tastes, the sounds and the feelings of each step of her journey.
“As the sea stirred my senses, I became the curious, wide open-eyed child again, welcoming the power of magic.
Examining these connections, I realized I had touched on a greater truth; the reality of how I fit into the bigger picture of life. The quieter I became, the more I could see and hear. Was it my imagination? Or was I experiencing a heightened awareness as a result of being in tune with nature. Floating in this immense ocean at eye level, gave me a new appreciation for how massive the universe is, and how small and insignificant a human is by comparison. A small speck in the full spectrum of life on earth.
I had traveled far and wide to find myself; to discover my core. My soul.
I knew with certainty I would stay in touch with the collective unconsciousness in my life from this moment forward.” Susan Joyce (2016-01-06T06:00:00+00:00). Good Morning Diego Garcia (Kindle Locations 1718-1724). Kindle Edition.
My emotions were so engaged in every step of the journey that I didn’t want to, no I couldn’t put this book down. Every step of this journey is burned into my memory as if I’d lived it myself.
I highly recommend Good Morning Diego Garcia by Susan Joyce and I humbly offer five steaming cups of Room With Books coffee in honor of this wonderful voyage.
©February 29, 2016
~Patricia, Room With Books~
June 22, 2016
I was lucky enough to beta read this Memoir - I couldn't wait, as I so enjoyed The Lullaby Illusion by this Author. Thank goodness the Author kept a diary is all I can say - although how she managed that in such turbulent seas I just can't fathom - but she did and we're lucky enough to read about her time from leaving California to embark on a trip across the Indian Ocean whilst helping to crew a sailboat - in monsoon season no less. …… It's 1975, having survived a war in Cyprus and now living in a marriage that's not certain - a letter arrives from friends - this letter leads to crewing a new yacht across the Indian Ocean - without sea-maps… The Author kept me gripped - again! It was nail-biting at times. You can almost 'feel' the sea - the storms all-but blow your socks off - It's scary stuff. You're kept 'involved' in the relationships & time spent with the other members of the crew and 'taken' ashore when the crew managed to anchor somewhere for supplies and provisions - the conversations they had - conspiracy theories shared and friendships made all add so much to this story. The air of mystery is always there! The Author finds out more about herself and 'others' during this journey - I'm not great at finding the right words for reviews but I know how important it is to leave them - I don't like to give too much away - I have no problem in recommending this Memoir - it's a well written winner in my humble opinion.
February 9, 2016
I do like a well thought out book title – one that catches the eye and makes one want to pick up the book to learn more of which may lie between the covers. Such is the case with “Good Morning Diego Garcia”. I have to confess that I read this author’s first book, “The Lullaby Illusion” a long while ago, and it was one which I enjoyed hugely. Would I reap the same sort of satisfaction from the next book on her journey of awakening, soul searching and globetrotting? Well, yes, indeed I did! Without a doubt, this author can draw her reader into her life experiences, this time travelling in India on her way to crewing a boat from Sri Lanka to the Seychelles, with a cornucopia of experiences along the way. Never having been lucky enough to have undertaken such wide travels and the experiences to be enjoyed from them, I felt fortuitous to be able to enjoy them vicariously, as it were, and from the security of my armchair. Not for me, thank you, to participate in near-death experiences during a tropical storm on the Equator, even though it is clear that the author learnt so much from it about her inner self. Simple yet credible dialogue between husband and wife plays a large part in moving things along, allowing the author to move almost seamlessly from one inspiring episode of personal revelation to another on this rollercoaster of a ride. Another winner, without doubt.
April 11, 2016
The only thing wrong with this book is now I have an insatiable craving to read the first book in the series! (Well, I suppose the craving is satiable, just by buying the book!) I love that this is written as a novel, but yet it's the real life happenings of Susan Joyce. Sometimes I would lose myself in the story, and then remember that this really happened to someone, and it would just blow my mind. It definitely reads like a great story, but it's the chronicling of her life. I have done a little bit of international travel, nothing like Susan, but I've always wanted to do more. This book is kind of like salve for that desire, the story making me feel like I'm right there myself. But at the same time, it makes me want to travel more!
The relationship issues that she is experiencing with her husband makes for great reading, too. If you've been in a relationship for several years, you will be able to relate to what they're going through. Being in my 30's and coming up on ten years of marriage, I could see a lot of myself in their story. But no spoilers here. Read the book yourself! Actually, save yourself my agony and read both of the books in the series!
The relationship issues that she is experiencing with her husband makes for great reading, too. If you've been in a relationship for several years, you will be able to relate to what they're going through. Being in my 30's and coming up on ten years of marriage, I could see a lot of myself in their story. But no spoilers here. Read the book yourself! Actually, save yourself my agony and read both of the books in the series!
March 13, 2016
Batten down the hatches! This memoir will take you on a wild ride across the Indian Ocean on a 54’ yacht. This is the second book in a series of Susan Joyce’s memoirs. In this book she and her husband Charles agree to join their friends Dylan and Mia as they sail a yacht from Sri Lanka to the Seychelles. The author’s vivid descriptions have you feeling like you are right there with her. When she described the storms on the ocean I actually started to feel queasy. This story takes place in 1975 and the author incorporates well the political upheaval taking place in the India and Sri Lanka at the time. The trip also turns out to be a significant personal journey for the author and she includes her many reflections throughout the story.
I really enjoyed the story and the author’s descriptions of all the places they visited. If I were planning a trip to India, this book would certainly give me lots of ideas for things to do and see.
Alinefromabook’s recommendation: THUMBS-UP! To a great travel story/memoir.
Happy Reading!
I really enjoyed the story and the author’s descriptions of all the places they visited. If I were planning a trip to India, this book would certainly give me lots of ideas for things to do and see.
Alinefromabook’s recommendation: THUMBS-UP! To a great travel story/memoir.
Happy Reading!
June 20, 2016
This book starts innocently enough in California when Susan and her husband, Charles, are offered an adventure on the ship, Zozo, sailing from Sri Lanka to the Seychelles. They accept the invitation and what ensues is an adventure beyond their wildest dreams and nightmares. Just getting to Sri Lanka to meet the boat is an adventure as they encounter unrest in India. Finally in Sri Lanka, they make the voyage without charts in 1975 during monsoon season aboard a ship that seems to be cursed because of the many equipment failures and mishaps it endures. Relationships with the friends and crew are tested, including her own marriage. The descriptions of local foods was interesting, whether in India, Sri Lanka, aboard the ship, in the Seychelles, Brussels or in London, where the book ends. I enjoyed the travelogue type tale greatly. I also enjoyed learning about Diego Garcia and the historical significance of it, and of the war in Cypress and "The Emergency" in Indian in the mid 1970s.
August 5, 2017
Curried Suspense
Having read Lullaby Illusions, Joyce's first memoir, I was curious to find out what happened next, of course. As a result of this sailing adventure (traversing the Indian Ocean, on a lark between her husband's job assignments), she not only encountered more than too many monsoons, but very troubling suspicions of similar intensity. Like most dramatic experiences, unexpected gifts emerged, and her reflections reset the compass of her personal journey.
My senses were delighted en route. I had to stop and light mid-80s sandalwood incense, I'd apparently kept just for this occasion, to put me right into the scene, and Joyce's descriptions of Indian food? I admit to having made a lovely curry to enjoy, as well, while reading the entire book on this snowy day in Massachusetts.
Having read Lullaby Illusions, Joyce's first memoir, I was curious to find out what happened next, of course. As a result of this sailing adventure (traversing the Indian Ocean, on a lark between her husband's job assignments), she not only encountered more than too many monsoons, but very troubling suspicions of similar intensity. Like most dramatic experiences, unexpected gifts emerged, and her reflections reset the compass of her personal journey.
My senses were delighted en route. I had to stop and light mid-80s sandalwood incense, I'd apparently kept just for this occasion, to put me right into the scene, and Joyce's descriptions of Indian food? I admit to having made a lovely curry to enjoy, as well, while reading the entire book on this snowy day in Massachusetts.
March 7, 2016
A good adventure is one you survive. A great adventure occurs, when not only do you survive, but you learn something from it. Ms. Joyce survived not only one, but also two great adventures. While she details her adventures from a first person narrative, including many personal details, it also highlighted how little respect women were afforded even in the 1970’s. From Ms. Joyce not having control of her money to her husband making the decisions that involved both of them.
This enlightening memoir included growth and insight along with her travelogue touches. It also took me back to a time where traveling across the world was not an easy thing, and was often dangerous. Kudos to Ms. Joyce for being lucky in this lifetime and in all the others too.
This enlightening memoir included growth and insight along with her travelogue touches. It also took me back to a time where traveling across the world was not an easy thing, and was often dangerous. Kudos to Ms. Joyce for being lucky in this lifetime and in all the others too.
May 24, 2016
Last year I read “The Lullaby Illusion” and absolutely loved it! It was a very exciting, cannot-put-it-down kind of book. I was ever so happy to see there was a sequel out this year, so I grabbed it up and started reading it right away. I didn't think anything would be as gripping as “The Lullaby Illusion” and I couldn't have been more mistaken. Susan Joyce has had way more than her share of adventures for one person. Having been on sail-boats (in semi-calm seas) I knew what she was experiencing during the crossing of the Indian Ocean and I found myself hyperventilating during all the sea storm episodes. The author is a master with words, you will feel like you are right there with her! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves travel memoirs, especially the adventurous kind!
July 1, 2016
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I’VE READ THIS YEAR
I was tempted to buy this book as I liked the title and I knew it was a memoir, but I was not expecting to read such a good book – it blew me away. I ignored the piles of dishes, I switched off the TV and I read in bed until I couldn’t keep my eyes open. This reads like a novel and some of the passages are so descriptive, especially the ocean crossing were so vivid, you were right there battling the monsoon. The book also resounded for me with the parallels in boating and a husband you know is hiding a secret. All in all, a great book worth each of the 5 stars.
I was tempted to buy this book as I liked the title and I knew it was a memoir, but I was not expecting to read such a good book – it blew me away. I ignored the piles of dishes, I switched off the TV and I read in bed until I couldn’t keep my eyes open. This reads like a novel and some of the passages are so descriptive, especially the ocean crossing were so vivid, you were right there battling the monsoon. The book also resounded for me with the parallels in boating and a husband you know is hiding a secret. All in all, a great book worth each of the 5 stars.
July 9, 2020
Having read The Lullaby Illusion I was excited and could not wait to be continuing with Susan and Charles life adventures. Susan´s explicit and descriptive writing drew me into their story and I was fascinated.
They were invited to join Dylan, Mia and Mia´s brother Alon to crew a yacht from Trincomalee, Sri Lanka to the Seychelles. Charles decided it was an adventure not to be missed, arranging all the details they soon set off for their new adventure. Their travels to Sri Lanka are disrupted by The Indian State of Emergency so they delight in visiting several cities and breathtaking sites including the Taj Mahal all of which are so beautifully described.
Once in Sri Lanka they prepare the Luxury Yacht in readiness for their journey across the Indian Ocean and through the Suez Canal. After a nasty incident at the souk Dylan, nickname Sinbad the Sailor by Susan, decides to set sail without the awaited charts and plans to navigate with the aid of ´the stars´.
Tempestuous Seas causing storm after storm lash the yacht and they all fear for their safety, I could almost feel the roiling of the seas. There were also storms below deck with moody people on board, sly questions being once again asked if she really knew her husband and what he did for a living. Once again Susan´s fear was palpable of not knowing who her husband really is and was suspicious that they are hiding a disturbing truth from her.
Eventually land is spotted and, due to damage to the Yacht during the many storms, they call for assistance. There many calls are ignored but eventually they they are granted a berthing at Diego Garcia, a secret Naval base, to carry out repairs.
Back at sea their journey continues and knowing she is being kept safe from both the tempestuous seas and people on board by her Guardian Angel Susan makes the most of her time on board. Even so she and Charles decide that once they berth in the Seychelles they are going to ask Dylan to release them from the onward journey into Europe. This is granted but not without bad feelings and an obvious argument.
Throughout the journey Susan has been writing notes and drawings in her trusty journal. Once in the Seychelles she once again finds peace and with the help of a borrowed typewriter starts on her writings of the voyage and finds herself. Susan undergoes a personal transformation helping her to make the decision to embark on her own personal voyage.
A well deserved 5* from me and I can highly recommend both books in Susan´s Journey Series.
Thank you Susan
They were invited to join Dylan, Mia and Mia´s brother Alon to crew a yacht from Trincomalee, Sri Lanka to the Seychelles. Charles decided it was an adventure not to be missed, arranging all the details they soon set off for their new adventure. Their travels to Sri Lanka are disrupted by The Indian State of Emergency so they delight in visiting several cities and breathtaking sites including the Taj Mahal all of which are so beautifully described.
Once in Sri Lanka they prepare the Luxury Yacht in readiness for their journey across the Indian Ocean and through the Suez Canal. After a nasty incident at the souk Dylan, nickname Sinbad the Sailor by Susan, decides to set sail without the awaited charts and plans to navigate with the aid of ´the stars´.
Tempestuous Seas causing storm after storm lash the yacht and they all fear for their safety, I could almost feel the roiling of the seas. There were also storms below deck with moody people on board, sly questions being once again asked if she really knew her husband and what he did for a living. Once again Susan´s fear was palpable of not knowing who her husband really is and was suspicious that they are hiding a disturbing truth from her.
Eventually land is spotted and, due to damage to the Yacht during the many storms, they call for assistance. There many calls are ignored but eventually they they are granted a berthing at Diego Garcia, a secret Naval base, to carry out repairs.
Back at sea their journey continues and knowing she is being kept safe from both the tempestuous seas and people on board by her Guardian Angel Susan makes the most of her time on board. Even so she and Charles decide that once they berth in the Seychelles they are going to ask Dylan to release them from the onward journey into Europe. This is granted but not without bad feelings and an obvious argument.
Throughout the journey Susan has been writing notes and drawings in her trusty journal. Once in the Seychelles she once again finds peace and with the help of a borrowed typewriter starts on her writings of the voyage and finds herself. Susan undergoes a personal transformation helping her to make the decision to embark on her own personal voyage.
A well deserved 5* from me and I can highly recommend both books in Susan´s Journey Series.
Thank you Susan
July 4, 2019
What a fascinating read! I didn't stop until it was finished. Wow, there's a lot of content on so many levels in Susan Joyce's 2nd Journey book. I must read #1 now. The way she incorporated the episodes from the years before, with the present was smooth and masterful, and suspenseful. There's the first hint at a new adventure, folding in the Cypress recovery and her previous near death experience. And there's Charles. Quickly they are on the move and the travel information was very informative. I could feel the tension when their plane averts disaster on the runway. The frustration of the delays in India and the circumstances playing out politically balanced against the wonderful places they get to enjoy in the various cities, the food extravaganzas juxtaposed by the intense poverty is powerful commentary. Once in Sri Lanka things take a swift left turn with the tenor and undercurrents encountered on the yacht, "Zozo" (ominous). Susan starts having visions and uncertain feelings about what comes next. Simultaneously she produces her books and starts taking her soul out to study. This was actually my favorite bits. Her conversations with Alon and Mia about her thoughts and her intense feeling of alertness and aliveness, as the Indian Ocean voyage starts badly and gets worse. Then all the suspense is not only about where they are and will they make it, but about who everyone is on the yacht. Susan has otherworldly understanding I connected with, thinking Yes! Finally overcoming danger and disaster they reach the military complex of Diego Garcia. More secrets and curiosities. I'd been hoping they could bail there, but nooo on to the Seychelles - more tough crossings. The brief respite there and separation from the yacht for good still retaining the feeling of ominous events - past, present and looking ahead. Back in CA Susan finally wants to get out of the limbo lifestyle and work on her own projects and self worth. Charles controls all the money and decisions where they will live due to his "occupation". The new assignment in Brussels brings out that last straw for Susan. Shocking twists and turmoil encompass the last of the book. Wow! My mind is still boggled. I highly recommend this book.
December 28, 2024
An unforgettable account of survival, resilience, and awakening
Good Morning Diego Garcia is an engrossing memoir that begins with the promise of adventure but quickly descends into a tale of peril, disillusionment, and self-discovery.
When her husband proposed they join an acquaintance to deliver a yacht from Sri Lanka to the Mediterranean, it seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime. However, as the journey unfolds, it becomes clear that this voyage was not just physically treacherous but emotionally and psychologically harrowing.
When they join the boat, the atmosphere was uneasy, shadowed by unspoken secrets and simmering tensions. Joyce's crumbling marriage adds another layer of vulnerability, as it becomes painfully clear that after ten years, she didn't truly know the man she had entrusted her life to. The isolation of the open ocean amplifies every unease. Relentless storms and the claustrophobic reality of being confined to a small vessel with an unstable group of people all combine to create an atmosphere of palpable dread. Danger felt ever-present and escape impossible. Yet, amidst the chaos, Joyce captures moments of profound beauty. Her portrayal of Sri Lanka, India, and the Seychelles is rich and sensory, with descriptions of food so vivid and mouth-watering that they made me want to go there immediately.
But this is more than just a memoir of survival at sea. The author touches on the political turmoil of the world she was navigating, from Indira Gandhi's oppressive 'Emergency', the Tamil Tigers' insurgency, and the human rights injustices surrounding the forced removal of the Chagos Islanders. These historical threads remain unsettlingly relevant today; a sobering reminder of power's corrupting influence and humanity's abject failure to learn from the past.
This memoir is a slow burn. It reminded me of Graham Greene's The Quiet American. But this isn't fiction – it's raw, real, and deeply affecting.
Good Morning Diego Garcia is an unforgettable account of survival, resilience, and awakening. I devoured this book in one sitting, carried along by its currents of fear, beauty, and ultimately, hope.
Good Morning Diego Garcia is an engrossing memoir that begins with the promise of adventure but quickly descends into a tale of peril, disillusionment, and self-discovery.
When her husband proposed they join an acquaintance to deliver a yacht from Sri Lanka to the Mediterranean, it seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime. However, as the journey unfolds, it becomes clear that this voyage was not just physically treacherous but emotionally and psychologically harrowing.
When they join the boat, the atmosphere was uneasy, shadowed by unspoken secrets and simmering tensions. Joyce's crumbling marriage adds another layer of vulnerability, as it becomes painfully clear that after ten years, she didn't truly know the man she had entrusted her life to. The isolation of the open ocean amplifies every unease. Relentless storms and the claustrophobic reality of being confined to a small vessel with an unstable group of people all combine to create an atmosphere of palpable dread. Danger felt ever-present and escape impossible. Yet, amidst the chaos, Joyce captures moments of profound beauty. Her portrayal of Sri Lanka, India, and the Seychelles is rich and sensory, with descriptions of food so vivid and mouth-watering that they made me want to go there immediately.
But this is more than just a memoir of survival at sea. The author touches on the political turmoil of the world she was navigating, from Indira Gandhi's oppressive 'Emergency', the Tamil Tigers' insurgency, and the human rights injustices surrounding the forced removal of the Chagos Islanders. These historical threads remain unsettlingly relevant today; a sobering reminder of power's corrupting influence and humanity's abject failure to learn from the past.
This memoir is a slow burn. It reminded me of Graham Greene's The Quiet American. But this isn't fiction – it's raw, real, and deeply affecting.
Good Morning Diego Garcia is an unforgettable account of survival, resilience, and awakening. I devoured this book in one sitting, carried along by its currents of fear, beauty, and ultimately, hope.
December 10, 2024
It was fascinating to read of the authors life as she travelled in 1974-75 to many places I have never been, through India to Sri Lanka and then across the Indian Ocean on a 54 foot yacht to Seychelles. I had to keep reminding myself that she lived to write the book! No charts? Monsoons? Political unrest?
All the while she is learning to listen to her inner voice, both in visions and in dreams. The political happenings and the travel in India and other places were enlightening but all those details were a little fleeting for me, dropped as they were into my void of prior knowledge of those times in that part of the world, leaving me with a feel of being in another universe from hers at that time. According to what she writes this feeling is something this author would relate to quite well, probably with a smile.
What I will remember of this story is that she listened to her inner voice and how this was presented to her in vivid ways which I suspect are different for each of us, and through her story might be compelled to listen better to our own if we do not already do so.
It was satisfying to read and learn of events that passed fifty years ago and be inspired by her determination to live life to the fullest. I recommend this book.
I got this book as a gift from a memoir website.
All the while she is learning to listen to her inner voice, both in visions and in dreams. The political happenings and the travel in India and other places were enlightening but all those details were a little fleeting for me, dropped as they were into my void of prior knowledge of those times in that part of the world, leaving me with a feel of being in another universe from hers at that time. According to what she writes this feeling is something this author would relate to quite well, probably with a smile.
What I will remember of this story is that she listened to her inner voice and how this was presented to her in vivid ways which I suspect are different for each of us, and through her story might be compelled to listen better to our own if we do not already do so.
It was satisfying to read and learn of events that passed fifty years ago and be inspired by her determination to live life to the fullest. I recommend this book.
I got this book as a gift from a memoir website.
November 16, 2022
Susan and Charles are invited to help crew a yacht with three friends, sailing from Sri Lanka to the Seychelles and then on-wards through the Suez Canal. What an adventure they think, but it was monsoon season and they set sail without charts. This is when the book really got interesting for me, it was edge of the seat stuff, while the tempest was whirling around them, inside there was mystery and intrigue. What was the secret that Susan’s husband was hiding? Everyone on board appeared to be hiding something. Lost at sea, their vessel storm damaged, they drift, despondent, alone on a vast ocean, will they ever see land again? And how does Diego Garcia fit into all of this? Susan turns to her books and writing for salvation, her dreams appear to be warning her of danger, guiding her to find the truth. What a read, absolute 5 stars from me!
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