- At the Alcazar, Segovia, Spain
I recently returned from a week in Madrid with my husband. We had a fantastic time eating tapas, exploring the city's neighbourhoods, visiting old palaces and cathedrals, and spending time with our friends and fantastic hosts, Vicky and Gonzalo. It has been a while since I've been on a true vacation and I'd forgotten how freeing it feels to travel far away from home and every day life and experience something new and unfamiliar. On the flight home I thought about how I could bring the best parts of my time in Madrid home with me:
1. Weekdays don't have to be boring. Unless I have dinner plans with friends, I have a tendency to come home from work and settle in for the night. But who says it has to be that way? It is amazing how much you fit into one day when you are on vacation. Why not come home and go for a bike ride, or visit a nearby art gallery, or walk to your neighbourhood ice cream shop?
2. Take one day on the weekend off completely. What is so fantastic about vacations is that they really allow you to disconnect. No errands, no work emails, no housework. Why not designate a day on the weekend to truly turn off? Get all your errands and housework done on one day, and let the other day be your vacation day. Plan to spend that day in the park with a picnic, or a day excursion out of the town, or even just spend time visiting sites within your own city.
3. Try something new. In a new town, you have to take risks. There is no dependable way to choose the right menu item. So why not go beyond your comfort zone at home? Try the local Indian restaurant. Go listen to some flamenco guitar just to see if you like it. Watch a documentary if you normally go for hollywood flicks.
Nothing can replace a far-off vacation. But why not try to incorporate the best parts of a trip away into your life today?
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