It’s tempting to look at the upcoming gap in your working calendar & think “right – here’s my chance to take up yoga, lose a stone, learn to relax & maybe I’ll start that Spanish course I downloaded last year, if I can fit it in”.
An understandable ambition, more or less guaranteed to create stress, from your desperation to squeeze everything into that very brief window, to your post-break review of the tasks you failed to accomplish. This is exactly the opposite of what you’d like to achieve.
Choose the right holiday, however, & that state of healthy relaxation you’re seeking will very naturally wander up, find you, & settle in. Why not…
…learn to play golf in Turkey?
Turkey’s Mediterranean coast is reliably sunny, naturally stunning, cheap to fly to & splattered with world class spa-style golf resorts. Many offer generous “learn to play” packages which include plenty of down-time.
You’ll need to swap flipflops for acceptable shoes, but it won’t demand much investment. Keep costs low by practising with lake balls & renting or borrowing equipment. If you’re unsure, many UK golf clubs will happily give you a taster lesson before you commit.
Golf feels authentically luxurious, & it’s deceptively good for you. You don’t notice the walking, stretching & fresh air – you’re hell-bent on reaching the next hole – but they’re happening anyway, & you’ll feel the benefits quickly.
…or stay on an island without any cars?
Whether you’re chilled-out country or hardened town, it still takes a good 24 hours to get used to a total absence of motorised vehicles. Actually, there are a couple of tractors. But Sark & Herm, in the Channel Islands, are devoid of cars, motorbikes, buses – they’re small enough that walking to your accommodation is easy (or you can book a horse & cart if necessary).
Zero cars equals instantly healthy holiday. Nothing like a break from constant borderline carbon monoxide poisoning to perk you up. The added bonus is that night skies here are amazing, with no smog or street lighting to blot out the intense Milky Way. During daytime, you’ll be ambling about the startlingly beautiful – & puffin-speckled – coastline, discovering intriguing caves & lovely bays, on foot, bike, horseback, or even propelled by fins if you fancy a little scuba.
The water here is exceptionally clear & yields excellent seafood, which is served up, super-fresh, healthy & tasty, in many of the islands’ restaurants. You will have to exercise some caution, foodwise, though – Sark boasts its own chocolate factory. Be warned – it takes Herculean willpower to resist its dreamy smells. Luckily they sell chocs in 2s & 3s, so you can avoid going crazy.
Stress can ruthlessly rip up your health. You sleep terribly, your immune system grinds to a halt without rest. You start curling into a defensive ball, your muscles clenched into sore, crunchy lumps of tension. Relaxation isn’t a luxury – it’s essential – & it’s not always the product of a self-improvement regime. There’s no need to abandon yourself to compulsions & excess – a five day booze-binge & sunburn will send you home toxic (& ultimately wrinkled). Just – for goodness sake – take a break.
Image by Island-Life
