The perpetual holiday...

Travelling is one of the most enjoyable experiences I have in life. The experiences gained, new places I see, people I meet and that deep feeling of fulfilment is something I find deeply satisfying. That moment I walk through airport security into the departure lounge feels wondrous, like the entire world is open before me and anything is possible.

That holiday-travel vibe isn't one that I feel only at that moment, or whilst on holiday though, it's a feeling that starts well before the holiday and stays well after. Although, having said that the post-holiday feeling could well be just a little bit of depression as well but things soon perk up when the next holiday presents itself.

My partner and I enjoy the planning stage of holidays and for us that's when the holiday begins. Sure, we may be at work still, but we find the planning stage enjoyable, exciting and interesting. It's not as good as the holiday itself, but if one needs to be stuck at home at the daily grind wouldn't it be preferable to be planning a holiday?

We don't always schedule and set our holiday's in rock, I mean what we do and when, however we research where we want to go, what we want to see, experience and do which gives us a deeper enjoyment once we are there. Sure, actually doing those things are the real pay-off but the planning can be exciting too. An example was the process of planning our bike-riding days around Paris and Versailles, France. Could the planning of those events actually compare to actually biking around those areas aimlessly, the baguette and coffee we enjoyed in the Tuileries Garden or the Grand Canal at the Versailles Palace? Well, no definitely not, but the expectation of those, and other, events was a great comfort through the months of working and adulting leading up to the holiday.

That's what the planning and researching phase does for us...It gives us the expectation of the holiday to look forward to, to immerse ourselves in and to keep us focused and on track prior to the holiday...And that post-holiday depression I mentioned earlier? Well, it's a real thing, for us anyway however it really just gives us a chance to re-visit that holiday, the experiences, memories and photo's and to get warmed up for the next!

We begin to plan each holiday when we return from the last and manage to get a great deal of value from each of them in that way. Sure, we can't be on holiday all the time however immersing ourselves in the feeling of being on holiday goes a long way to keeping us happy, motivated and driving towards the next chance to get away!

The image you see is the Boscastle harbour in Cornwall UK. The natural iinlet is protected by two harbour walls made of stone and built in 1584. It's the only significant harbour for 32 kilometres along the coast. The lovely little village extends back up the River Valency and the Jordan and is a picturesque location. Boscastle is nestled within the Cornwall AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) but despite its beauty we were happy to see it was not inundated with tourists.

The 12th century motte-and-bailey fortress is all but gone now but it, Botreaux Castle lives on in memory through being the namesake of the town of Boscastle. The harbour was used to import limestone and coal and was known for the export of slate and other farming-type produce. These days it's a lovely place to stay a couple of days, walk the South-West Coastal Path and enjoy the local foods, views and attractions found in the surrounding areas. we found it to be a perfect little spot and would go back in a shot!

Ok, I had better trundle off and get back to planning the next adventure. Thanks for coming by.