In a couple of weeks’ time, I’ll be jetting off on a well-deserved holiday. It was booked a couple of months ago while my partner and I were under the influence of bursts of dopamine in anticipation of the oncoming summer.
The notion quickly turned into reality; within minutes flights were booked and thoughts turned to tanning, sunscreen and those two magical words — all inclusive. It’ll be our first proper holiday together, he and I, and I’m looking forward to having nothing to do for seven days except lie on the side of a pool or on the beach and watch my body take on a golden brown hue, with himself by my side, and listen to the sounds of water lapping the beach or being splashed around by excited children.
I’ve missed the beach and the sound of water terribly since leaving Dubai in 2016. When I lived there, I would often drive down to the nearest beach by myself, usually in the morning, before the sun got too hot or the beach packed with sun-worshippers and large families armed with babies, barbecues and wind-breakers. I would lie on a towel or blanket, close my eyes and try to decipher the secrets of the sea through the soothing, rustling sound of salt water stirring up the sand. It will be nice to hear those sounds again and walk along with the brown, blue and grey grains under my bare feet, dipping a toe into the water when I get too hot.
And it’ll be nice to share that with someone else too, although the said man has revealed that he can’t swim. So it’ll be a decidedly dry affair for him. But I’ll make time to cool myself down in the water now and again, and make jokes about pushing him in, of course.
Preparations are now underway to trim down a few pounds before having to reveal my body in a bikini or other swimwear. But I know that once I’m there these thoughts will fade and I’ll simply enjoy being free to do what I want and to take full advantage of the weather, the food and the feeling of anonymity that visiting a different country gives a person.
The thought that everyone is there to have fun and escape from their usual days and working lives ushers in a sense of liberation, that there are no expectations, no judgements and no stress to be anything or do anything.
But mostly I’d like to lose a few pounds because I know that I’m going to eat my own weight in delicious treats on a daily basis — did I mention it’s all inclusive? There will be big breakfasts, snacks and drinks to be had every hour on the hour and tonnes of ice cream to devour. I’ll be a whale by the time I get back to normality, but a happy whale and one rested and ready for the rest of the summer.
I suppose that’s what holidays are about; taking a small break from reality to recharge, rest and make some memories with those you love or even make memories and go on many adventures as a lone traveller. The lure of the sea and the promise of freedom is enough for me, and I intend to enjoy every second.
Christina Curran is a freelance journalist based in Northern Ireland.
