Chasing Sunsets And Stories
For folks in the Northern Hemisphere, January has the unenviable reputation of being the least loved month. Its cold, short and wet days, following straight after festive December, coupled with returning to work or routine lead to a sense of post-holiday blues. It’s therefore not surprising that January is a peak booking month for holidays. It’s how people cope with the dreariness!
One of the best parts of a holiday is the time spent with people that matter to us; be they friends or family. Those times soon become treasured memories when the holiday ends. Especially once everyone goes back to the humdrum-ness of their daily lives. Missing someone? We start recollecting the times we’ve shared together. Stressed at work? We zone out, mentally escaping into a place and time that brought us joy. It seems we each have a store of memories mostly populated by people and places that bring us the solace and comfort which make everyday life bearable.
Personally, I love going through old photos - both print and digital. Sitting on the floor (don’t ask why, but it has to be on the floor), surrounded by albums strewn around me. Picture the scene. Almost every floor space covered in hard-backed photo albums, items of particular interest taken out of their pouches, maximally displayed on every available space. There may be a few where I struggle to recollect a name or two, while some resurrect the ghost of youthful exuberance and dare-devilry. But the big winners are always the photos that transport me to a place of hope and expectancy. Photos taken many years back, but hinting at possibilities. Teasing out a future that time would eventually validate.
Going over old photos leads to hours of reminiscing and story telling. The who, where, what-were-you-doing and why type of stories. Digging into my memory bank, rummaging for answers, I’m reminded of the beauty of the world around us, the wonder of discovering new places, the kindness of people I met along the way and the power of friendships. Those snapshots, seemingly frozen in time, are living reminders of a precious time and place where we experienced hope. They carry power to unleash a wealth of memories that reaffirm who we are, what we value and the unique journeys we’ve taken to get to where we are today.
Medics tell us that reminiscing is good for our health. Authors of a scientific study on stress in the USA found out that “recalling happy memories elicits positive feelings and enhances our wellbeing.” I certainly don't need further convincing.
Like bread and butter, travel and story telling go hand-in-hand. We read reviews and listen to those who’ve made the journey to a place before us. Yet, we return with our own version of the same place and its people. We return with our own perspectives and narratives. We return with stories that are uniquely ours. There’s a big world out there with an infinite number of stories waiting to be written.
What stories are you yearning to tell? Talk to us. We’ll make it happen.
If you need inspiration for your story settings this year, check out a few of our favourite places in the links below.