Who knew that going on a holiday would be so much appreciated? If there’s one thing the Covid Pandemic has taught us, it is that we mustn’t take anything for granted. That goes for all the things that seemed so normal in everyday life, like being together with family, eating out, going to a concert or even going on a shopping spree. And it certainly goes for going on a holiday. I think that we all have activities or outings that we particularly missed during the various lockdowns. For us, it was going on a holiday. As it turns out, it only takes a virus to turn it all upside down.
Going on a Holiday: Top Priority
Holidays have always been an important and essential part of my life. Even as a child, when most families just didn’t travel abroad, we always went to a warmer country for two weeks a year. Be it with a tent or a caravan, my father had the same feeling I have that he just had to get away to the sunshine and different cultures.
My mother often didn’t share that same enthusiasm, she was always a bit homesick. No matter if all her loved ones surrounded her while away from home, she still wanted nothing more than to go back. I’m so glad I didn’t inherit that trait from her, holidays have always been my top priority in life, and therefore a top priority in my finances. The money part dictates of course where I go on my holiday, but no matter how I go, for how long or how far, I enjoy each and every one of my destinations.
Changing Plans Due to Covid
So, even though we stayed closer to home then we normally do, going on a vacation again this year was an extra treat! For the longest time, it was uncertain if we would be going at all. Every country on the map of Europe is coloured green, yellow, orange or red, depending on the number of Covid infections in the past week. And based on that, every country, even the ones in the EU, have their own rules when it comes to Covid and the possibilities of tourists to visit their country. We had first set our sights on the United Kingdom, but with the numbers on the rise there due to the Delta variant, that was altered to plans for Austria.
We’ve just come back from Austria, and it was a good stay, even though everything was different then usual. For every hotel, restaurant or terrace to have a few drinks, we had to produce our Corona-Check App on the phone to show that we were vaccinated. In the first week, my daughter’s vaccination wasn’t valid yet, so she had to do a test daily. Still, we managed to do all the things we love doing on a vacation, wandering around Lech, Klagenfurt and Salzburg.
Reverting to my Old Hobby
There’s one thing I didn’t do though. I didn’t play any video games! I did take my Switch with me, but after the first few days it remained untouched. Strangely, it’s always the same pattern when I’m away from home. You’d think that with more free time on my hands my favorite hobby would benefit. Allowing me to finally catch up with some good games waiting for me. But no matter my resolution when packing my favorite handheld, it never amounts to anything.
I was going to catch up in Monster Hunter Stories 2. But ended up doing what I always do: reading lots and lots of books instead.
Funny how at these times of total relaxation I revert to my old favorite hobby. Because, before the gaming bug bit me, my spare time was spent reading ( or gardening, but that’s a story for another time). It used to be a challenge packing all the books I wanted to read and still have space left in my suitcase for my clothes and shoes. I knew I would need six or seven of them to get me through; having an iPad and the Kindle app changed all of that. Now, I have a huge collection of books gathered over the years in my Kindle. And when a new book has been added in my favorite series that I wasn’t aware of yet, I just download it when I’m ready for it.
The vacation is over, seven books read during the two weeks. Most by Dakota Cassidy and some by Renee George, venturing into the lighthearted stories with a paranormal twist. Tomorrow it’s back to the daily grind, and somehow I’m sure when normal life resumes, so will my need to play video games!
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