As The Mind Wanders

It’s been a couple of days since I got back from a short trip to Alleppey. What’s not to enjoy the serene atmosphere, the mighty waters and nature, and a quietness that calms the soul. It was a good break from the hectic schedule, and it was completely different from our previous vacation to Ladakh. As much as a landscape heaven it is, Ladakh was taxing despite having enough time to recover from the travel. So, when I noticed the long weekend around the Independence day I knew it was time for another trip. A few hours on MakeMyTrip and Tripadvisor later, we finalized where to go, booked tickets and accommodation.

Alleppey it was.

We stayed at Lake Palace Resort, an amazingly well maintained 15 acres property that seemed to tell us it was where people came to relax. The lawns, coconut trees, the artificial lake next to the Vembanad lake,  the swimming pool within the artificial lake, the water villas, the pathways to go around the property, and a buggy ride if you weren’t in the mind for walking – they had it all.  We enjoyed the sounds of the waves and the winds. It was serene. We got back after 4 days, and we felt rejuvenated, having soaked a lot of good vibes. Without a specific agenda, we lazed around aimlessly. A good session of ayurvedic massage ensured we didn’t step out of the villa. We could chill out all day.

While we went around the lake on a ‘sunset’ cruise, I was smiling for no reason. When your mind is relatively free, the clarity of thought is surprising. It was this clarity that made me realize how I needed a break more than a holiday. A break from your routine, the people around and from where you are. Sometimes you need a break from yourself. That’s the kind of break I had in mind.

Let me elaborate on my idea of a perfect break.

I love it when I don’t have to wake up with an alarm. The days when I can trust my body alarm and wake up whenever I want to, are the days I wake up with a refreshing smile. After I wake up, I usually go over the tasks for the day. It’s mostly with a sense of urgency and wondering ‘what’s next.’ But during a break, I wake up without an agenda. I prefer not to follow any routine and just live the day as it comes. I’d like to have breakfast at 1 pm or lunch at 6 pm. Sometimes I’d forget about a meal, and I wouldn’t fuss over missing it. There are days where I’d have 2 breakfasts before lunch and still count the hours left to hog the next meal.

When it comes to spending the day, my most favorite activity is to do nothing and giving my brain a break. One minute I’d be reading and then the next minute I’d want to write about a brilliant idea that crosses my mind. And a couple of minutes later, I’d start binge-watching Netflix. I’d then go back to surfing the web and reading the most random articles wondering how I ended up there in the first place.

I tend to keep to myself when I’m trying to relax and avoid speaking unless I’ve to share my preference for pizzas or ice cream toppings. In times like these, going for a run or a boat ride (in this case) or basically, any activity that doesn’t involve opening my mouth is always a favorite. If Apple Health could monitor the number of words uttered in those days, I’m sure it would’ve been less than a half of my normal speech rate.

To sum it up, any non-working day where no one is constantly telling me what to do (especially that annoying voice inside your head), a day without an agenda is my kind of a holiday. While some prefer to socialize, I prefer to keep to myself. It’s how I recharge my batteries. It feels good to stay away from observing social niceties and other rules by which we live. For all you know, it might give you an entirely different perspective, and you might wonder what took you so long to get there. And that works for me.

So, what’s your idea of a perfect break?