To SEE the world

Is a two-week vacation every year enough?

I have just returned from a two weeks summer vacation, and although the UK is not in the EU anymore (damn you, Brexit!), I am fortunate that a few short flights and drives meant that I could visit four countries during the two weeks, visiting many places I had not seen before.

Positano, Italy at Dusk by Dimitry B on Unsplash

I have really enjoyed my break, my time with my family and the beautiful surroundings I have been in during the last couple of weeks.

However, while travelling, I had a constant nagging thought in my mind that “I could be fitting in paid work while travelling like this”.

And this reflection has increased now I am back home, in the rain, in dull surroundings, working via a laptop and the internet.

This is a little misleading. I need to attend the office and in-person events regularly, so I understand that my current professional life requires me to be physically in the UK for a good percentage of the time.

I also understand that working when travelling would still entail the stress of meetings, deadlines, being tied to a laptop for hours on end and generally not being able to act as if I am on holiday.

But doing so whilst sitting on a balcony overlooking the sea, or knowing that at 6 pm when you clock off, I can spend an hour in the pool, would be so much better.

I also must consider that I have a 5-year who requires a full-time education. But there are schools all over the world, right? And maybe my daughter could pick up a second language in the process?

I have spent the first 39 years of my life putting most things in the ‘someday’ box, which, from experience, should be relabelled into the ‘no day’ box.

I am going to do some research over the coming days, weeks, and maybe months to see if it is feasible to build a life that I want to live with my family whilst being able to see more of the world than the 2-weeks a year we currently enjoy.

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