I am the first to admit that “doing nothing” is not my strong suit. I get bored easily and I like to feel perpetually productive. The closest I get to ‘nothing’ is watching TV while simultaneously ironing, talking on the phone and mentally planning my agenda, meals and to do list for the next 3 days. I’m also not a huge fan of “do nothing” holidays. After 24 hours of luxuriating around a pool I start tapping my fingers and annoying the bejesus out of those around me. I know it’s illogical, but other people doing nothing also irritates me (there goes all future holiday invites). Our family vacations have usually resembled a cross between a school history excursion and an episode of the Amazing Race. Every day has a rigid and full itinerary and no stone is left unturned, because in my mind “who knows when we’ll be back here again.” My kids look longingly at insta pics of their friends lying beside a horizonless pool in Bali as we head off at dawn on our 30km bike ride around the Mekong delta.

I wish I was that cool, “let’s just wing it” chick … but I totally am not. So, as I start planning my  Golden Gap Year I am beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. Planning a 2 week holiday can involve months of research to identify the perfect itinerary, tours and hotels, so holy shit …  where to start with planning a whole year? Which got me to thinking that maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me that it’s time to “let go.” To let go of my anal, control freak, perfectionist tendencies. Shit … I’m doing a great job of making myself sound like a total punish. Self-promotion is clearly not my forte. And nor is ‘letting go’ … The notion of a ‘loose itinerary’ makes me break out in hives. Am I tool old to relinquish control and learn to go with the flow? Time (and a years supply of bepanthen to treat aforementioned hives) will tell.