Sydney is home now, I have been living here for the past 10 years, at first on a temporary basis and now as a permanent resident. But having my little brother on a short vacation made home a little more like it. From the moment his visit was confirmed, I started planning. I was resolute in my determination to make this a fun-filled, wholesome, and leisurely visit, a trip he will remember forever. 

This trip held further significance because it was going to be his first-ever break in a long time. From the time he started excelling in his academics and then subsequently in his career by qualifying in some of the tough and highly competitive examinations, he had not taken any time off for himself. He kept reaching his targets and setting new goals upon conquering the last one. Surely, a lot of energy must have been expended for each pursuit accumulating in burnout over years. I needed this trip to be his chance to blow off steam and revive for the next challenge. Hence, I wanted to have a meticulous plan to execute this agenda. 

My plan included taking him to the iconic landmarks of Sydney, a weekend getaway to hunter’s valley, watching new-years fireworks, interstate travel to Melbourne (Going by train and returning on the flight), getting him to try some of the delectable cuisines of the world available in some of the wonderful food establishment and spending some quality time at home bonding and catching up on what we missed living apart for years. I tried to put myself in his shoes viewing this whole plan from his perspective and anticipating a perfect score. For some, it may be devoid of a lot of quintessential Australian undertakings, but knowing him as much as I did, I thought this will be just the right mix. 

Following his arrival, we were able to partake in most of the activities I had planned and more. He even went on a few trips with his friends who lived here. This must mean that the trip was a success, but I couldn’t quite claim that. Despite unfailingly perfect weather, the absence of unexpected mishaps, and surprised, and bonus recreational undertakings, I still felt there was room for further merriment. Supreme experiences lust for more it seems. 

Instead of being grateful for this fortunate reunion and a fun-filled holiday, I was compelled to grow critical of what went wrong. 

But something did dampen the experience towards the last leg of the holiday resulting in this feeling of discontentment. And that was our lagging health. Although the first half of our holidays were great, our health started to deteriorate towards the end. We caught a cold and suffered from a sore throat as well as a mild fever. We felt drained and exhausted leading to the cancellation of some of our planned activities and even the ones we undertook felt obligatory. When we were home, we spent as much time as possible resting. And we are to be blamed for this hiccup, for paying no heed to our physical well-being.  

Most of the time, we were eating out, consuming alcohol on a daily basis, walking for hours in the scorching heat, and then resorting to chilled drinks and ac-controlled temperatures, getting insufficient sleep, and not doing anything to look after our health. And why should we think about health and fitness when we are on holiday, correct? After all, holidays are the time to indulge and become carefree. I realised that it is a flawed argument having experienced the consequences firsthand. 

Remaining physically fit is paramount to enjoying your holidays to the fullest. The vitality of physical well-being is often overlooked when it comes to making the most of your vacation and holidays. One assumes the mere act of indulging in a recreational pursuit must equate to a step towards better overall health. While that is certainly true since we need to take periodic breaks from our hectic, monotonous schedules to retain our good health, it is also true that we need to prepare our bodies and mind for the exhaustion that holidays often bring. Unless one is going off to a spa resort with services booked all through the stay, it is crucial that we remember to pamper our bodies so that we can capitalize on the joys of holidaying. I have realised this from my own experience of holidays marred by ill health. 

Here is a list of things that I could have incorporated to make holidays remorse free. 

• Preparing the body to adjust well to new terrain (Climate, weather, water, time-zone, and lifestyle); One way to do that would have been to consume supplements (Vitamins and minerals) to boost immunity, after consulting with a physician or a health care professional

• Taking sufficient rest and eating light and healthy few days before the planned travel 

• Adjusting the sleep cycle to correspond well with the changing time Zone. 

• Ensuring breakfast, the first meal of the day is always nourishing and energizing. Making a mental note to stay hydrated throughout the day and consume one serve of fruit/a healthy smoothie 

• Setting up a schedule that ensures 7-8 hours of sleep daily

• During summer, utilize the morning and late afternoon hours to go out and stay indoors during the time of peak heat. 

• Taking 15-20 minutes every day to complete light exercise 

• And when severely exhausted, take a day to rest or maybe even get a massage and other relaxing treatments 

I suggest that one should always find time to attend to their health even when they are surrounded by the most tempting of distractions.