Flying solo

I’m sitting in London City Airport, waiting to board my flight to Barcelona. From there, I’ll take a taxi down to Sitges and spend a week lying in the sun and generally relaxing just as much as I can. 

Groundbreaking, right? 

Longtime readers will know I have a thing for Sitges, but this time, there’s something quite different about my visit. 

I’m going alone. 

I was in Sitges with TheFrankFlyer and some friends last month and, on the return journey in Barcelona airport, made a snap decision to take advantage of incredibly cheap flights and book another visit. Nobody else was available to come, so I’m heading there by myself. 

This is my very first holiday by myself and I’m feeling a mixture of excitement and a nagging sense of anxiety that I’ve forgotten something important. But, as with all visits to Spain, anything that’s been left behind in London can be easily replaced once I arrive. 

I’m not going to Mars, after all.

So what do I plan to do with my week? 

As you’d expect, I want to spend quite a lot of time relaxing in the sun. I have a backlog of books I’d like to complete – lots started, as is my habit. I also want to do some creative work, editing a few work-related YouTube videos (though it doesn’t feel like work to me) and maybe even do a video of the trip. 

I also want to (re)kick-start my yoga habit, get plenty of sleep and enjoy some nice meals in town. A bit of a personal wellbeing retreat.

Nothing like my usual visits to Sitges then, which are characterised by lots of partying, very late nights and a mission to get downstairs for breakfast before the hotel spots serving it. 

I’m actually taking a break from alcohol, as well as moderating my intake of caffeine. So it’s going to be quite a ‘dry’ holiday from that perspective. But it will mean I’ll get the sleep I need and probably decide to head back to my hotel at a sensible time, not when I’m far too tired to face the walk. 

But that’s not all.

On the 24th, I’ll fly from Barcelona over to Majorca and meet TheFrankFlyer. We’ll spend an additional week there, spending some time with his parents. Cue more sunbathing and reading, but probably a few more late nights and meals I’d not eat at home. 

I’m not a monk, after all!

Then, hoping the investment in my wellbeing and relaxation has paid off, I’ll hit September running, with lots of interesting client work (and travel) lined up.

But, let’s get through this initial solo week first, eh?

(Photo by Austin Mabe on Unsplash)