Reality called again...

As you read this, I’m probably winging my way back home from a week in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, after a much-deserved week off, a holiday, a vacation, or whatever. In fact, in a perfect world we probably all think we should get not one, but two holidays every year... each about six months long.

I’m pretty sure that the Sultanate offers the greatest certainty of sun-on-your-back, anywhere. It’s beautiful, largely organic, distinctly cultural tourism, with significant points of difference, and I guess in terms of wooing more visitors to its shores, could be more aggressive in offering a culturally diverse experience to be integrated into many of Dubai’s tourist packages. For most who travel to the emirates, a few ‘down days’ of heritage hospitality, natural beauty, contemplation, meditation, and relaxation, away from the hustle-and-bustle of the big city would be welcome, and as a tourism teaser would almost certainly result in a return to the Sultanate of Oman in the future. It would be a way of leaving them wanting more.

And although beauty does have an address, and it is in Oman, I still think that there are possibilities in two very different market places. The first for the desert-walking, camel-riding, desert camp, cultural and traditional afficionados, and the second for beach-loving, sun-seeking, all-inclusive, music-lovin’ young ones. I know... not everyone’s cup of tea but think of the money! But for those who are here, or who have been here, whether it’s the Mediterranean hotspots like Ibiza, with its eighty beaches, one-of-a-kind Venice, breath-taking Santorini, charming Sicily, the walled city of Montenegro, historic Athens, the cobbled streets of Dubrovnik, the artistry of Florence, the incredible Los Ramblas of Barcelona, or the grand old lady that is Rome. Or how about ‘living the life,’ in Monaco for a few days, where you might run into a proper celeb, that’s not just a reality TV wannabe? There’s a price to pay for that conflicted decision-making that makes you choose between a lifetime of knowing that “You must save money,” according to your parents, and your conscience, that voice inside your head that always seems to be advising of the ‘right’ thing to do. And then there’s that cheeky little chap on your shoulder whispering, “Go... go on... you’re only young once.” And of course, sun, sand, and spending always win out, don’t they? Hehe, and you always go on holiday with the best of intentions: staying cheap, cooking your own meals, taking in the ‘culture, “I’m not gonna party all the time!” And what happens? You spend like there’s no tomorrow, eat takeaways and fast food the whole time, shout more than your turn, and end up borrowing a few dollars on your last day ‘coz you’ve maxed out your credit card. Hey, you’re not alone... everyone does it... it’s holidayitis.

Anyway. Holidays. They have always been something we feel we deserve, something we look forward to, and yet the reality is that they are something that rarely live up to their ‘advance publicity,’ involve spending more than you really want to spend, and you end up arriving home with a shedload of ‘stuff’ you bought that you will never use or wear, absolutely dog-tired because you tried to relive your youth and prove that a candle really does burn at both ends – it doesn’t – and you can bet your boots that the homeward trip is more punctuated with either hangover-itis, sunburnt regret, or long silences, all due to you both wanting to do different things at the same time, leading to unresolved ‘issues.’ Then when you get home, there’s all the post-holiday laundry to be done. It was such fun being away... But, with few genuine regrets, one may well forget the taste of foie gras, caviar, and champagne... yet still continue to dine on new travel experiences. Happy holidays!