holiday.

This time last week I was going through photos from the holiday in Bali I’d just returned from. I already want to go back. Partly because Bali is so cheap and I miss only paying $5 for a meal or $1 for a taxi home after a night out (I now hate Perth taxi’s, their prices and lack of existence on a Saturday night, even more than I used to). But mainly, I miss waking up every day without worrying that I should be doing something more than cruising the markets and laying about the pool bar. I miss going out at night and being completely carefree, not having to worry about anyone but myself and my two friends. I miss having a fun, new experience planned for the day and money to spend. I miss not having to deal with anything else. 

                      

Of course, these things don’t just relate to Bali. They can be transferred to any holiday destination you so choose. They are the reason people love holidays so much. You can do things you would never do at home. You can be a little bit more crazy than usual, spend a little bit more money than you should and drink a little bit more than you do, because hey, you’re on holidays. You’ve allocated time for doing absolutely nothing (this works best if your holiday destination is somewhere with sun and pool lounges). You’ve (hopefully) spent months in advance being a very good little saver, restraining yourself from even stepping foot in a shopping centre, squirreling your money away like, well like a squirrel does with nuts for the winter and now it’s time to spend, spend, spend (without feeling guilty!). You get to go sight-seeing, experience different cultures and participate in lots of fun activities. You get to ask people several times what they are saying because you don’t understand the language and walk around with a map in front of your face because you don’t know where you are! Ok, so that’s not actually the fun part of holidays, but it’s still part of the experience.

   

   

For me, being single while on holiday was also a new experience all by itself. For the few non-family holidays I’ve been on, I’ve always had someone waiting for me back home, which has never bothered me and never will (the thought of breaking up with someone JUST because I’m going on holidays will never cross my mind). But, for that truly carefree aspect of holidaying, for meeting new people, for flirting with strangers, it’s kind of nice not having to worry about a significant other. And not just for your sake, but theirs too. It’s nice not having to worry how they’re coping, or that you haven’t been msging them enough, or if that new colleague who you knew was a manipulative flirt the moment you met her is trying to make a move on your man just because you’re out of the country (bitch!). And, of course, being a sucker for romance, I've always liked the idea of a holiday romance (though I’d recommend a more romantic destination than Kuta, Bali, if that’s what you’re after).

So, the moral of my story is this; everyone wants to be able to holiday their whole life. That’s it, that’s my entire moral. I’m not going to add some shit about how ‘of course life isn’t a holiday and you have to work to get what you want and working for it will make you appreciate it all so much more’. NO. That’s not true. If we could all holiday our whole lives, and do it in style (i.e. with an endless supply of money, a great immune system and a private jet) then everyone would be happy all the time. I’m glad I’m going away again in 2 weeks, that’s all I can say.