Granted, we all want to take in everything we can as fast as we can so that we can say we’ve “been there, done that, got the T-shirt,” when all of our friends start bragging about the exotic places they’ve gone. But a true vacation is only a vacation if you actually feel rested when you finish it, in our opinion. So here are a few ways to truly relax while on vacation.
We’ve featured several spots for vacation destinations that you can go to in order to “get away from it all.” But no matter where you go, you are likely to be tired when you get back if you don’t rest a bit along the way. After all, isn’t that what vacations are for?
Catch up on your reading
Think about all of the time you spend carpooling kids, going to business meetings, finishing deadlines for work, tending to older parents, going to this and that social event, and so forth. Now is the time to catch up on some reading. Whether it be trade publications, fashion magazines, car mechanic weeklys, or whatever, read what you want and enjoy it. You don’t usually have time to leisurely read that John Grisham novel during the workweek either, unless you are particularly skilled at managing your time. So catch up on your reading. The Skycap News staff highly recommends a hammock for this!
Call people you haven’t talked to in awhile
Sometimes friends that you don’t talk to often get lost in the shuffle. Sometimes they are busy too, but whatever the reason, life is too short to neglect friends. So call up that old classmate or ex-beau and start a conversation. FaceTime or Skype works great for catching up too. They will be delighted to hear from you.
Just do nothing
This is the hardest thing for people to do on vacation. They want to go to that last waterpark, museum, or ancient house, so they can write it up in their vacation journal. It seems that the more they can do, the better vacation they think they’ve had. But just sitting on the beach watching the waves or as the old song goes, “sitting on the dock of the bay. . . watching the tide roll away,” can be one of the most relaxing and rejuvenating activities you can engage in. Once again, that hammock works great!
Write in your journal
Journals are great, to reflect on life, the things you do, what you dream, and other things, whether you are on vacation or not. But doing this while on vacation allows you to record all of the important things that happen, and reflect on how you feel about them as well. You could even use some of the ideas you write down as narration for a vacation video later. For additional travel tips, please refer to How to Document Your Vacation.
Take a short vacation from technology
This is the hardest one for me, by far. I always want to stay connected to close friends, family, work. . . but, everyone needs a total break once in awhile, so turn off your computer and cell phone and just enjoy the sounds of silence for awhile. The messages will be there when you get back from vacation. Now, get back in that hammock and relax!
So, read a magazine or book, call friends, write, and escape from technology. . . just for a while. You’ll be surprised how it will recharge your batteries, revitalize your life, and make you feel like you had a real vacation and don’t need a “vacation from your vacation!” Now, for one of the ultimate worldwide experiences in relaxation, please check out the “MALDIVES Relaxing Chill-Out Luxury Lounge” video: