Hi, 

 

Since the last couple of vacations, one thing that has become a constant companion of ours is our Kindle. Be it a weekend getaway to Bhandardara, or a trip to the coffee estates of Karnataka, spending an hour or two reading, either with a cup of coffee or wrapped in a warm blanket, has become a routine in our vacations. Sometimes we spend a day just lazying around in the resort with absolutely no intention to do anything. While we find it completely normal and quite relaxing, many people think that we waste our vacation days when they hear about this routine of ours. One of the acquaintances of my wife was shocked to see a picture posted by my wife on insta where she was reading. 

 

It makes me wonder why should a vacation be supposed to be planned to the last minute and packed with all sorts of activities to be done, places to be visited, etc. Why can't they be easygoing, where you go through each day like a tortoise and not a rabbit hopping here and there?      

 

Slow Vacations, as I like to call them, seem like an alien concept for many people. It's a vacation where you do nothing but relax all day and engage in something that brings you calm and peace. It can be reading, painting, or maybe even music, and it doesn't involve you engaging in any other activity. However, it's somewhat looked down upon by most folks. Even if a place or any activity is missed out in their itinerary, people get a feeling of an unsuccessful vacation which they then keep on thinking about for the next couple of months.  

 

I've also seen that vacations have become a topic of comparison between people. Some people love to boast of places they have visited. They secretly feel proud when they cover more places or activities than others, at a lesser amount, and have more insta-worthy pictures when compared with their friends. That baffles me a lot since the whole purpose of going on vacation is lost in these naive quests. 

 

If you do some research on this topic of Slow Vacations, you'll find that many people practice the same thing in their own way. Some go for a spa or yoga retreat; some go to a quiet place to tap their creative side; those who have the luxury head to their farmhouse to relax, and some prefer a no-to-do list vacation. Still, the low acceptance of this kind of vacationing puzzles me a lot, especially in today's time when we all need a break from our ever-busy schedule. 

 

People are ready to make plans in advance to take guided meditation courses like Vipassana. But when it comes to trying something similar at a smaller scale for themselves, like taking even baby steps if need be, they give up easily as many things to distract them from taking that slow vacation. 

 

Do you think it's that hard to attempt a slow vacation of your own, or am I stretching it a lot?

 

Have you ever tried your version of slow vacation? How did that go? I'd love to hear the details if you are up for a talk. 

 

Until next month,

Pranay