The importance of holidays

Glenelg

I’ve been back from Australia for nearly a week now, with jetlag and work having prevented me from doing much else. Fortunately, Nick has been able to post a couple of accounts of our brilliant holiday.

Highlights for me included: meeting friends in Glenelg and Sydney, and being hosted by our friend KJ in Melbourne; walking Holdfast Bay from Glenelg to Brighton; re-acquaintance with Sydney Ferries; the walk from Coogee to Bondi; new discoveries Balmain and Balmoral Beach; Melbourne’s funky Carlton area and the marvellous Ian Potter Centre; Bushrangers Bay on the Mornington Peninsula; and the pleasure of sunlight and warmth in the middle of winter. 

I read seven books, including the bizarre and fascinating ‘The Songlines’ by Bruce Chatwin, and ‘Freedom’ by Jonathan Franzen, which is a great novel but would perhaps not be fully appreciated by younger readers.

Sydney CBD from the ferry

It was the most refreshing break I’ve had for years – but why?



Most important was the length of time. In three weeks, it’s possible to have both a proper rest and to do interesting things.



Also, I would usually take some work with

me on holiday, which would never get done.

This time, I didn’t even pretend, but planned

for a complete break.

Minimum access to the internet, including no

checking of work e-mails, was strangely

soothing. A basic Aussie number mobile

phone sufficed for communication with

Manly ferry and the Harbour Bridge

friends and for Christmas messages home.

  

Finally, going to places we already knew removed a lot of stress, and in the least familiar location (Melbourne) we had the luxury of staying with a friend.

So in future it’s long holidays in the sun for me, travelling light and without much technology in tow.

Unfortunately, long holidays require longer periods of work in between, so for now it’s back to porridge.....