Over at Pushing Rubber, Adam notes a post of Cappy's, and affirms that a true holiday, actually getting some rest, is not a "holiday" at all.

Remember what I said the other week about rest and rejuvenation? It’s pretty important seeing as it could quite literally save your life.

I was gratified to read that piece from Cappy. He’s had a recent health scare and it has woken him up, (although I very much hope that it doesn’t transform him into some vegan health nut because that would be sad when we would have to dispose of him forever.)

Hiking mountains is not a holiday. Nor is climbing mountains, nor skiing down those same mountains. Hell, a month ago I took three days to go and watch the Spa Grand Prix with a friend and I was so exhausted afterwards that it took me a week to recover. The most exhausting thing that you can do in the modern world is travel so why would anyone think that traveling to take a holiday will help relax you, let alone recharge your batteries?

I used to joke that, after getting back from vacation, I needed a vacation from my vacation. The days were so full of activities, and worse, of stress related to trying to coordinate all of them, that I never actually got much rest. I'd get back, exhausted, and not refreshed and ready to face work and the troubles of life.

Shortly after realizing what the problem was - overscheduling and too much "fun" (a lot of it was) - I changed how vacations and trips for the family were planned. The most important one was to cut back to one "event" or whatever on any given day being planned. No more rushing from doing one thing instead of taking the time to enjoy it, to get to the next, with the stress that such time pressure caused. If we went to Cades Cove to hike a trail, that's what we did. We got to ride the loop as part of the experience, and if not too tired, would hop out at various sites to look at old churches and buildings.

Aside, there's one spooky as hell old schoolhouse up there. I didn't want to stay after dark.

And we didn't plan for a swim at a commonly used watering hole on the way back - but if the weather was right, and we had time and weren't already tired from the previous hike to a waterfall and swim, we could take advantage of it.

And if things didn't fall into place, no loss.

I also planned for a day with "nothing to do" for every several days out. No outings, no meetings with people, even other family across town. If at my dads, I may spend half the day napping, or quietly saying nothing and reading in one of the paired recliner-chairs in the corner, my dad in the other. Or go for a walk, or cook, or whatever struck my mood.

In short - read, nap, chill, sun myself, swim, walk, whatever, but nothing that required organization and logistics unless it struck my fancy.