‘That resort will be great for you’, said one.
‘I stayed at the sister resort nearby recently,’ said the other. ‘It was wonderful.’
So we booked this luxurious holiday. As I write, sitting by the pool, the temperature in the mid-30s and a cold beer beside me, it has exceeded my expectations.
We have discovered the luxury of all inclusive holidays, when you can forget about money, time, QOF, prescribing budgets, and so on. We are surrounded by Russians and Germans, so can escape from British small talk. We retreat into the bubble of our marriage and friendship, and are re-created.
My wife is a nurse specialising in miscarriage, so deals daily with bereavement. After nearly 30 years, I find the daily workload of practice more onerous than when I started. So we take 6 weeks’ holiday a year, 2 weeks every 4 months, to keep our sanity and recharge our batteries. We take many books, take off our watches, and enjoy our food and alcohol.
It was once stated that 90% of people never taste anything new after the age of 35 years. Well, I am in the other 10%, always trying different foods. All inclusive holidays have a buffet system, with local and international food on offer. I have encountered spices and foods that I have never heard of before. My wife has been my guide, as she previously studied catering. We enjoy our alcohol, and drink less than we used to, as it is freely available, so we don’t abuse it. I have discovered cocktails of all sorts of colours and tastes.
I was raised in a tough country village. When Freddie Laker started his cheap flights, my father viciously criticised those going abroad on holiday. He accused them of profligacy and damaging the UK balance of payments. What would he think of us now? I believe I have overcome most of my guilt about these holidays, but still have some misgivings about the luxury and, to me, huge cost of each package. But hey, I can afford it, I’m a rich GP with no mortgage and all four children are off our hands …
So now we are well rested, recreated, and ready for work. We must shortly plan the next holiday. My advisers will help. Were they helpful travel agents, trying to persuade us to fork out that bit more? No, they were two of my work colleagues: a receptionist and the cleaner.
- © British Journal of General Practice, 2010.
