Fun Therapy

It turns out that all the research I did in to which holiday to book, paid off.

With time off being so precious a chance to recharge, the last thing I want is to get it wrong and come home still tired.

But I can honestly say that where I’m usually eager to return to my beloved bungalow, this time I’d had so much fun that I was seriously reticent over returning to my responsibilities.

I wanted more play time.

The holiday started as soon as I embarked upon my train to the airport.  One of the NZ family who had been visiting was getting the same train in to town to pick up the Eurostar to Paris.

I was headed straight for Gatwick to catch a plane.

My destination was Samos. This is a small, yet still unspoiled Greek Island which is quite simply, stunning.

As soon as I arrived at our resort, I was blown away by the beauty of the bay. The colour of the sea was ever changing but always beautiful. And as water is one of my favourite things, I was pleased to immediately sample a lovely pool at the Hotel too, just a few short steps from the sea itself.

I was surrounded by my favourite things; a swimming pool, the sea, the sun, great people and good food. I had everything I needed. In fact, I didn’t set foot in a shop all week. Utter bliss!

My greatest dilemma of a morning post a holiday sized breakfast, was whether to set myself up at the pool or the beach.

Divine.

The beach often won out just because it was so utterly mesmerising simply to gaze out at. Plus the sound of the water gently lapping at the shore was akin to a sense of God stroking my hair. There was something SO comforting about it that I never tired of it.

Whilst I rarely sat on my lounger, on the odd occasion I did, I promptly fell asleep!

But it didn’t happen often for the call of the sea and all you could do on, in or by it was too delicious to resist.

I started off with kayaking which I seldom seem to do these days. And it was great to swim the length of the bay and back. Such a treat for the eyeballs compared to swimming lengths in a pool!

I also joined a few others for a walk down to another bay, this one a sandy affair.

Another day, I cycled a different route to the same bay for another dip in the cooling waters.

And a little later in the week, I cycled to a white chapel overlooking another secluded bay where I took yet another dip.

One morning, I dragged myself up for a 7am paddle boarding session. I hadn’t tried it before and have been wanting to for some time so I thought sunrise was as good a time as any to try! I wasn’t disappointed.  The silence alone was sacred.

Having thrown myself in to everything on offer including the early paddle board, I’d totally worn myself out by my mid week so I had to take a very early night!

Then after watching someone having a windsurfing lesson, I decided this was a great opportunity for me to have a go.  So I did! Apparently I have good core strength and balance as I was able to stand up and windsurf a little on my first lesson.  The pilates IS paying off!

In lesson two, after repeatedly falling in the sea and repeatedly clambering (unelegantly) back on to the board, I finally managed to fly across the sea for some distance before landing back in the sea’s cooling embrace. By which point, I noticed how far I’d come out and that I had no clue how to windsurf back the other way!! Fortunately, the lovely young man who had taught me swiftly appeared in a motor boat to tow me back.  

After that, said youngster took myself and another lady out on a cat (?) where I could simply laze on the side enjoying the view and the breeze.

Such fun!!

And that was just the fun of the daytimes.

Each evening at 5.00pm and 8.45pm, I attended dance lessons where we learned social foxtrot, the waltz, the cha-cha-cha, the rumba and the jive.  

It was just an explosion of FUN, FUN, FUN!!

I did skive off a couple of 5pm classes as I wanted to lounge around in the evening sunshine but otherwise I attended the lot, learned heaps and laughed masses!

The entire experience was a treat of the highest order.

Total fun therapy!

And now of course, it is time to plan the next one!