How to holiday sober

Here’s how you go on holiday and don’t drink.

1) Go on holiday

2) Don’t drink

And here are some reasons why this is a bloody good idea.

1) Saving money. Booze is expensive. And at the rate I used to drink it you could add hundreds to my holiday bill. But now I don’t drink I have more to spend on lovely indulgences for myself like clothes, massages (yes!), activities (that I’m more inclined to do nowadays) and trinkets.

2) Sleeping well. When I used to go on holiday and enthusiastically booze throughout I’d sleep like utter crap and slowly get more shattered as the holiday went on. Now I’m sober I have decent sleeps every night and wake up to lovely…

3) Holiday mornings. There is nothing like waking up in a new place feeling well rested, calm and ready for the day ahead. I love hangover free, guilt free holiday mornings. They are quiet and gentle and leave me….

4) Feeling calm. There are often so many little issues to deal with on holiday. Family dynamics/logistical issues/group decision making/insect bites/sunburn/lost property/managing spending etc etc. But now that I keep my head clear all the time (and don’t mess up my brain chemistry with copious amounts of booze) I’m far better at accepting and navigating through little issues, and as a result I stay calmer inside myself. It’s a subtle low-level feeling of calm but very noticeable (and in stark contrast to the subtle level of angst I used to often experience when travelling away).

5) Food and drink. Rather than just chase the next hit of alcohol I’m more into enjoying the foods and drinks strangers are making for me day after day.

6) Better memories. So many of my past holidays I think back on now and mostly just remember how hammered I got throughout. It’s sad but I used to think that holidays were just an good excuse to drink more than usual. It might have felt like a good idea at the time but looking back it doesn’t present very well. Now I can look back on my holidays knowing that I fully immersed myself in the experience enjoying it for what it naturally offered, rather than trying to enhance it with a liquid drug that costs heaps of money, messes up my sleep, blurs my emotions and disconnects me from my friends and family.

Like I said.. sober holidays are the best!!!

Love, Mrs D xxx

P.S. Here’s a great post on how to travel sober by the website Hip Sobriety.