Bitten By a Snake? Collapse From Heat Exhaustion? Special Statement on News of Death in Symi of British TV presenter Michael Mosley
Word to the wise: Greek islands are real places, not postcards. And they get hot.
Death in Symi, the setting for the movie “Pascali’s Island.” According to The Independent, on Sunday June 9 “Dr Michael Mosley’s body has been found just metres from saftey in Symi, Greece, after an extensive search for the TV doctor entered its fifth day.
The body was discovered next to an umbrella beneath a fence that runs around the bar on Agia Marina beach on the Greek island, according to officials.”
There is widespread speculation that the popular BBC producer and presenter may have succumbed to heat exhaustion or even been bitten by an Ottoman viper snake.
Whatever the cause of death may turn out to be, this incident, which has captured the attention of the Greek and British media, serves as a cautionary tale for tourists everywhere, not only in Greece.
Remember that what may seem to you like a postcard-perfect holiday island is a very real place, with real landscapes and in summer, really hot temperatures. Remember that the locals know these places way better than you do — and there’s a reason you tend not to see many of them out and about during the scorching heat of day.
A couple summers ago in Crete, I took a boat from the town of Sfakia to Loutro, a hamlet that is only accessible by boat or by a long walk. On board the boat I met a Swiss couple who told me that their hotel receptionist told them they could walk to Loutro, but they gave up when they realized how difficult and hot it was, even with enough water. Without enough water, such a foray can prove not just futile but fatal. We agreed that the hotel was remiss in advising them to take that hike — in any event, they decided to take the boat instead.
What happened in Symi is still unclear, but it is very likely that high temperatures led to heatstroke — which is often preceded by dehydration and disorientation. It can happen faster than you think, and regardless of how young and healthy you are.
As a native of Southern California, I am always amazed at the number of frankly stupid people who hit the hiking trails in Palm Springs in summer, when daytime temperatures routinely reach the likes of 118 degrees Fahrenheit. No local in their right mind would dream of going outside in such temperatures unless it’s for a car ride to the nearest air conditioned grocery store, let alone set out on rocky terrain. Sadly, every year, a number of hapless tourists get lost, overheated, and die. Needlessly.
Instagram is partly to blame. That and social media tend to reduce destinations to the most superficial, but there is way more to them than appearances. The bottom line is these places are real, and nature is unforgiving. If you are not prepared, it will literally fry you.
Take note. Do your homework and stay hydrated at all times in the Greek summer (or California or wherever) heat. And travel responsibly — or stay home.
