The Holiday Mindset — Escaping the grind.
Chris — “Dude where the hell have you been!”
Max — “I just come back from Cuba”
Chris- “Fantastic, what did you get up to?
Max — “Just laid around all day by the pool at the hotel, it was five start hotel so it was pretty sweet.”
A recent conversation which I had with a good friend which irritated me. Finding out that he had spent 7 days lying by the man made pool and eating everynight at the Paradisus Varadero Resort & Spa in Cuba. Here is five reasons not to be like Max.
1. Get out of the hotel.
The hotel swimming pool is not going to tell you anything about the countries culture. Get your hiking boots out explore where you are. This means doing your research before you arrive at the hotel.
2. Your on holiday — put it away
No Facebook, no email, no phone calls or texting. This is your time off. Set automated messages like the the one I made below for your email to inform people only to contact you if it really matters.
3. Hotel breakfast — Chocolate croissants and a late please. Really?
Wherever you travel, eating and drinking the same food you have everyday is not really bringing you anything other than the norm. Find out what the local foods and drinks are.
For example when in Hawaii
Cocktail of choice to drink whilst in San Francisco — The Southern Cross
The cocktail of Hawaii — Mai Thia. One Mai Thai please.
How adventurous will you be? Open your mind and try something new.
4. Never repeat — Explore!
So you stayed at an epic hotel or spent all night drinking cocktails at bar on holiday, and you had an amazing time. So you revisit the same hotel or bar for the next couple of years replicating your experiences. STOP NOW. There are so many wonderful places in the world to go and see. “If we do not explore we do not see. “ Christopher Columbus
5. Go where the locals go.
Eating in the hotel restaurants only lead to one thing, a very expensive bill. Get in you car and find where the locals eat. Here is a small clip of local bar which I found in Kauai — which was also featured in the film The Descendents staring George Clooney.
Total bill — $54 — Two Hawaiian Pizza’s — 6 Mai Thia’s and a kick ass local band playing all night. About the price of one meal in the hotel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGJgW_-9wXo
Enjoy the times by the pool but avoid being like Max who spends all day by the hotel pool. Get the most out of your vacation.
