…the going on holiday feeling!

I don’t know about you, but no matter how much you love your job you always smile a smile of relief on Friday afternoons. No alarm clocks, no telephone calls and no difficult questions.

Ive always worked hard, but with that comes a real appreciation of ‘my time’ and going home at the end of the day and relaxing. I admit I’m sometimes pretty bad at it, always with one half of my mind thinking about what tomorrow may bring, but I try.

For me ‘that Friday feeling’ is magnified by an immeasurable amount before you leave to go on your next adventure. It could be you are leaving for a long weekend, perhaps two weeks or even six months. I’m all for as long a trip as possible, but for now I have to settle for the two week option and even leaving for that amount of time gives me that warm fuzzy feeling.

For the weeks leading up to it you may have been reading the trusty Lonely Planet or watching any documentary going that remotely relates to you trip. The odd Google search helps with preparation not to mention the last minute panic over bug spray and sun cream (which incidentally I often forget to put on, much to Dean’s annoyance…)

All of a sudden your trip creeps up on you. One week of work left and panic sets in. Will you finish everything on time, will that last piece of work be done? Of course it will as you go in
early, you leave late and like every good employee, you pull out all the stops to deliver what is needed.

Now I don’t know about you but I’m partial to a bit of paper around my desk. I try to be green. I often fail. Part of the holiday preparation is to take the furniture polish in and I go on a tidying and cleaning frenzy at the end of my last day. OCD kicks in and even though I remind myself ‘I’m only going for two weeks’ I find the need to clean all those crevices that probably contain inherited dirt. This frenzy also translates to home too – our house is at its cleanest just before we go away!

Anyway with the last swipe of the duster I move the empty coffee cup in its resting position, move it again and line it up a third time (everything must be straight you know!). With that it’s time to take one last look around the office and with a sigh say to myself, ‘next time I see you it will all be over!’

Without looking back I pickup my things, bid my farewells (let’s be fair, most people have already gone as I have spent so long cleaning) and head for the door. The feeling of relaxation washes over me (a feeling only bettered by walking into the airport). The freedom of travel awaits. News sights, sounds and smells ahead. New friends to make. This is why we work, to experience the highs of our time off. As I walk through the door I will the holiday to last forever…..

– Natalie