10 BITS OF BALANCED HOLIDAY WELLNESS

What’s the furthest one could get from a wellness break? Probably one of those Brits abroad boozy night clubbing holidays that make me shudder! Not for me! That said, I am pretty sure each and every sailing regatta is in its own way just as bad. They just begin  more elegantly! The times I have taken a week off to go sailing and come back to work needing to take a holiday to recover. Late nights after long hours on the water. Obviously with insufficient water, poor food (cereal bar at best) and too much sunshine. The only aspect of remote wellness is the physical activity of sailing! But that is of course with no warm up and leads to many bruises. So even the benefits of the activity are debatable!

Anyhow, we live we learn, it’s all an adventure. These days it’s tamer and the raucous days are behind us! The thought of the full 8 days and nights of Cowes week is exhausting just to think about!

So, based on our hobby, our love of small hotels off the beaten track and avoiding other people as best we can… You may have guessed a spa break isn’t our approach to wellness! Don’t get me wrong, I love falling asleep during a hot stone massage (best one to date – Alila Diwa Goa), but there’s so much more to well-being. For us it is about balance and most importantly doing what makes us feel alive and well.

Fresh air and vitamin D

And this doesn’t even need a big trip to be happy and healthy. Fresh air from a walk in the country is perfect. In fact it’s fresh sea air which gives the best nights sleep ever. Being outside is what matters. The working week is office based and so we automatically associate relaxing with the great outdoors. And (I assume it isn’t just me) isn’t the smell of your skin when you have had sunshine on it the best? I hate sunburn but the feeling of warm skin makes me feel so much more alive! I am definitely a sunflower – happier on a sunny day, even in winter.

Best place for it: is always Cornwall, and there’s plenty of undiscovered fresh sea air not far from home

Putting some miles in

Be it bike or foot, we always see a lot of a place under our own steam. And I love exploring slowly at the same time as getting a spot of exercise. We don’t go anywhere without either our trainers, a pair of walking boots or some wellies. And I have to say the best places are always the ones that only someone on foot can get to. City bikes are springing up everywhere and we ride them right out of the city! It’s also excellent when a hotel has recommended walks to help with local knowledge.

Best place for it: levada and other walking trails in Madeira and the bikes in Cascais 

Sleeping in

All the fresh air and exercise means we take a complete disregard for alarm clocks and routine. In fact sometimes we purposefully avoid hotels so that even structured breakfast time isn’t necessary! OK so we normally still wake up at work getting up time, but who cares. I check the clock, have a glug of water, maybe pop to the loo and open the curtains to see the view. And then roll over and go back to sleep. Bliss! A lie in is particularly rewarding when you wake up and know you have no need to move, for hours!

Best place for it: there’s nowhere quite like the Chewton Glen treehouses and breakfast even arrives in a hamper

Fresh fruit

I eat so much more fruit when we are away. The breakfast buffet is the perfect place for choice and also has exotic fruits we would never have at home. It makes such a good start to the day. We now make our own orange juice at home each weekend just to have an extra bit of freshness in home life! I was told in a coaching session recently that frozen fruit is as healthy as fresh – which is good as I have plenty!

Best place for it: it might be a big buffet at Qasr al Sarab but that means all the fruits, a rainbow on the plate

Swimming

There’s no pool near where we live so I don’t swim often. It’s the treat when we go away. I have long picked hotels by their pools. The Chedi Muscat takes a lot of the blame there, and I definitely swam further here than anywhere else. But swimming is such an easy way to get exercise quietly and enjoy a beautiful view.

Best place for it: oh Chedi Muscat you made me a pool snob, but 104 metres is hard to beat!

Eating all the food

Life is definitely about balance. Whilst breakfast might be a fruit fest, the treat is definitely that holidays mean finding excellent local food and restaurants to cater for the whims you didn’t know you even had. If we are out exploring in the sunshine all day then a rich supper has definitely been earnt. And there’s nothing better than mooching around quaint town looking for a locals-only restaurant for lunch! I am sure it isn’t just me that has noticed just how fresh vegetables are anywhere abroad?!

Best place for it: Israel is a foodie delight, an amazing cultural mix of taste and freshness

Beautiful views

There’s a lot to be said for sitting in front of a beautiful view. With no plans. And absolutely without a need to take a photo. Just to enjoy it. We have the most spectacular view from bed at home and I know the benefit that brings. But being away from home and just being able to enjoy the here and now without rushing to get somewhere really is one of my favourite things.

Best place for it: one of our best jet-lagged mornings was at Strawberry Hill in Jamaica, just spectacular

A glass of wine in the sun

Wellness isn’t all about what’s good for you. It’s about a bit of balance and stopping and relaxing. Whether it is that first glass of fizz at the airport. Or sitting down at 2pm for a glass of wine in the sunshine. When you spend 12 hours in an office most working days of the year, something so simple really does have its benefits! Sometimes even a cup of tea will do!

Best place for it: the Kinsterna in Greece has its own vineyard, where better!

Lolling

I struggle to do nothing. I can be pretty hectic and always on the go. If something needs doing I will do it straight away. Sitting still isn’t a strength. We can never take a all-inc beach holiday, it would be mind-numbing. But we can do a half-day of lolling, a day at a push. Kindle, pool (and wine), warmth, a sunshade and as few other people as possible is good. It has its benefits, just being able to stop and do nothing.

Best place for it: a tented villa at the Jaipur Oberoi – peacocks and tranquil gardens away from the bustling city

Doing what suits you

We both love to explore and see the local surroundings. Mr P loves his running, even in 30 degrees. I love my books and an extra hour of sleep while he runs. We don’t do everything together on holiday. And we definitely don’t plan any trip by the day or minute. What’s important is that we both get the things we need that help us relax the best.

Best place for it: anywhere.

And that’s just it, that’s our formula for wellness. On holiday and in fact at home. When we are happy and relaxed then life is wellness on a plate.

So what do you think? A good approach to rounded wellness at the same time as having a fun adventure? What have I missed?

Travel linkup: Our March topic is travel and well-being. Have they interlinked for you in the past? Have you ever planned trips around your health, relaxation or perhaps a ‘medicinal’ spa weekend? Just pop your post up over the first week of the month (the 1st – 7th March 2018), add it to the link up widget found on Adventures of a London Kiwi, SilverSpoon London, Follow Your Sunshine or Sophie’s Suitcase. There are no rules – just check out some of the other cool bloggers that are involved in that months travel link up; make a few comments here and there and tweet a few of the posts out to your followers that you think they will love. 

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