Highlight of the week 12/02/12 - 18/02/12

This one is easy! The highlight of this week also fell on Saturday and it involved me consuming a G&T or two before climbing aboard a Boeing 777 bound for Dubai :-) 

After a hectic working week of struggling to get loose ends tied up, ongoing projects handed over and trying to get as many orders as possible in ahead of my annual leave, this was a much needed break!

The flight itself didn't go as smoothly as usual though...

• I requested a window seat at check in and got allocated a H seat, now being a 3-4-3 seat row aeroplane I didn't think anymore of it but on boarding it became obvious H was an aisle seat :-(
• We departed late - no big deal I suppose but when you've a 7 hour flight ahead you do just want to get on with it!
• My media screen didn't work and didn't until 3.5 hours into the flight.
• The lunch menu was a choice of either chicken smothered in 'killer pepper' sauce or lamb curry (I am allergic to peppers and I don't like lamb so avoid eating it where possible)
• The headsets were collected 15 mins before landing meaning I missed the end of the film I was watching (strangely on the return leg I was allowed to wear them right up until we landed!)

I'm not really selling this as highlight of the week am I? Lol.

Seriously though, the instances above made the flight less comfortable than it could have been but I made it to Dubai safe and sound with several complimentary G&T's consumed and the prospect of a week of sun, relaxation and exploration ahead of me - that certainly made it the highlight of an otherwise very stressful and exhausting week!

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Holidays

I live for my holidays...  No, I really do!  It's a phrase that's often banded about & I have no doubt that most people do enjoy their break away or, at the very least, their break from work - it is, after all, human nature. Holidays to me however, are much more than a break away from the daily grind... Holidays are up there with running for me (& sometimes I'm lucky enough to combine the two!) & to that end I make the most of every single day of annual leave I have from work. Each holiday to me is another exciting adventure!

So, what kind of holiday is my 'type'? Well, in truth I don't really stick to one type of holiday, in fact they vary tremendously between camping, city breaks, beach holidays, sight seeing holidays, cruises & of course, long weekends catching up with friends who have moved away.

For the most part I am a solo traveller - some would probably think that lonely or boring but for me it just adds to the 'adventure'! I am a great believer that there is no better travel companion than yourself. Seeing the sights & exploring new locations without having to accommodate the plans of others or having a day of sun & solitude on the beach with a good book, a gorgeous view & little interruption for me is a perfect way to spend the day on holiday - couple that with evenings of socialising with friends who live locally, friends who have also travelled to the chosen destination or even people you have only just met (after all strangers are just friends you don't know yet) & I believe you have the perfect holiday mix!

There is the inevitable downside to travelling. Long journey times, unscheduled delays, waiting around for connecting trains/flights & in some cases jetlag can all take their toll & mar an otherwise relaxing/action packed* (delete as appropriate) break... That is, if you let it!

Of course, I'd rather not have any of the downsides but it happens... Yes it's an inconvenience but strangely, it's also often an opportunity! I've met the most interesting people, sampled the strangest foods & made some unique purchases whilst travelling to & from holiday locations - there's no better way to pass the time than to engage in a random conversation or activity that under normal circumstances you probably wouldn't & I often find those experiences teach me something new.

There's a whole world out there to see, so many people to meet, places to visit & yet a relatively short lifetime to fit it all in.  Even if time or funds mean the distance is limited, there will be so many hidden jewels nearby that many of us won't have scratched the surface of yet!

I usually have 2 or 3 breaks planned ahead, albeit loosely, so each time I return home I have something else to look forward to :-)  Not only that, I find working this way means I never get caught in the 'I meant to sort something out but never got around to it' trap which I hear so often.  When I reach retirement age I want to look back on a life of adventure & randomness, not one of missed opportunities & routineness.

On that note, I'd better crack on... I have another case to pack! ;-)

***Be sure to check out the blog archive on the right for previous posts***