Intellectual snobs tell me that there is nothing more boring than a vacation just lying around doing sweet F.A.

I get their point. It is invigorating to have an adventure. To travel to places that are unknown. To marvel at architectural wonders ancient and new. To hike through forests, to see magnificent flora and fauna, waterfalls and mountains. Visit monuments and take in fabulous museums and art galleries. Even to go through the agony and ecstasy of new food, new customs and impossible language barriers.

And then…there is just sitting in a heap for a precious 16 days.

I chose to disconnect completely from the world of television, or high stakes deals or cutting edge design. I wanted the least possible sensory input possible.

I took 5 books to read, articles to catch up on, and had good intentions about visiting the gym, (which never happened).

I hadn’t realised just how tired I was. For the first week and half I was practically unconscious and did nothing but listen to the ocean, walk a little and swim, but mostly sleep.

In the final 5 days I started to come back to life and my exhaustion gradually lifted. I walked for miles early in the morning, then scurried into the shade of my beach cabana for the rest of the day, (see the photo- my lemon-mint-yummy drink in hand). I read 3 of my books and all the catch-up articles.

As the peace and quiet worked its magic new ideas started bubbling up from nowhere. I started sketching an idea for a garden fountain I had imagined and dreamed of in my exhausted haze. I have no idea if it will work or not, won’t know until I send it off to be fabricated.

Inspiration comes so often from doing nothing, not forcing the mind and body to keep on functioning when every fibre of your being is telling you to STOP!

But doing nothing is a lost art plus it’s a luxury with our crazy, fast paced lives. But whenever possible, doing nothing is exactly what we need.

And…I wasn’t bored for a minute.

I hope you all get a break and whatever you choose to do, you come home feeling a lot better than when you left.