Postcard From France

As life hurtles apace, we are left with the conflicted feelings of it dragging us along, and passing us by, at the same time. Conflict is poisonous to the psyche (or the soul, if you prefer), and must be resolved, otherwise it gnaws at your every sinew like rats chewing on power lines.

Is there a way to recalibrate, and reset your equilibrium? All too many of us choose the short-term quick fixes with long-term consequences, like booze and bad food, while others try to overcompensate with exercise and an obsession with looking fabulous, worse still is drugs (prescription or otherwise). We don’t have to look too far to find examples of this, in fact, if we’re honest, we need look no further than our own bathroom mirrors.

So what’s the real solution?

To my mind, the only thing guaranteed to right our listing vessels, and steer us away from the Sirens on myriad rocky shores, is travel. A simple change of scenery is worth a thousand medical prescriptions; the warm sun on your face, or maybe a snowflake on your tongue, is perhaps the most powerful medication on earth. On a holiday, the cold beer or two in the afternoon, the extra glass of wine with dinner, and the over the top dessert filled with caramel and cream, serve only to enhance the experience.

Also, they give you a real reason to hit the gym when you get home.