Last week we talked about staycations and how easy it is to plan a staycation in your local hometown that is stress free and easy on the wallet. Thank you to Laly Falcao (of @rheamatter on Instagram) who is a native of Recife, Brazil for contributing her thoughts on having a staycation and how she has a staycation in her own hometown.
From Laly,
Every now and then we need some time to wind down, let the stressful work days behind and put our feet up for more than a weekend.
In Brazil, many workers get 30 days of paid vacations, but the vast majority of Brazilians can’t afford to travel to far away destinations. So most vacations and holidays are spent at home.
Staycations can be as fulfilling as a trip to the other side of the planet, free of jetlag and money drainage. The secret is to plan ahead so you can enjoy those precious free days. I lived my whole life in the same coastal Brazilian city, Recife, on the equatorial zone. Recife is sunny all year around with miles and miles of sandy beaches. But believe me, beaches can get boring too. Luckily, Recife has more to offer than just its main attraction.
Being a tourist in your own town is the best cliché of all when it comes to staycations. As an insider you get to choose the best time of the year for your vacations, because you already know what the weather is going to be like. You know when traffic is going to be terrible and when that amazing church or park or museum is going to be crowded. Additionally there is no stress about a different language or currency and no pressure to go out if you wake up in the mood to stay in.
Not to mention there’s always a nearby location that you feel like visiting a couple of hours away. For example, just forty minutes away from my sea-level city, is a beautiful Sierra, with amazing views. It is perfect for honing those photography skills with landscape shots.
But my favorite part of any staycation is the time I get to myself. I can sit and relax, knowing there are no errands to run for the days to come. I get to chill on my hammock with just my books and the sunshine – paradise as I like to call it.
The possibilities of a staycation are endless, because you are not restrained by hotel reservations or plane tickets. Tackle that recipe you’ve been wanting to try but didn’t have time for, learn a new craft and go crazy with the glue gun. The point is to relax, vacations are not a fancy thing, they are important as part of a well balanced, healthy life.
So do yourself a favor and be happy, be healthy and staycation to your heart’s content, or until those 30 days end.
Laly, thank you so much for this rendition of what a staycation means to you and how you staycation in your hometown in Brazil. We can almost imagine that sunshine, the warm ocean breeze and those dramatic views from the Sierra!
{Credit: Words and photos by Laly Falcon from Recife, Brazil also known as @rheamatter on Instagram}
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