A brief recap: Since arriving at Ocean Villas Luz in August 2020, writer David Lugg has been experiencing all aspects of Luz Life. This is his review of May 2024:
Next week, my daughter will be celebrating her 2nd birthday. We’re going to have a picnic on the beach with games and a paddling pool. It’s unlikely that she will remember it, but I have no doubt that she will have a lot of fun on the day. Because that’s what being a toddler is all about. Toddlers don’t worry about the past. They’re not interested in the future. Toddlers enjoy the here and the now. Cuddles on demand, endless toys for entertainment, food appearing like magic out of ovens and cupboards. Life is pretty good as a toddler. It’s fun.
There’s a lot to be said for living in the moment. We become spontaneous. An act of spontaneity is usually an action from the heart. A decision made from our desires. Many of our favourite memories come from a spur of the moment decision. Smiles are spontaneous. Laughter is spontaneous. I would go as far as to say that spontaneity allows us to express who we really are inside. No planning, no business meetings, no spreadsheets, no Zoom calls – just a moment delivered straight from the heart.
Our day to day lives don’t always allow us the possibility to make a spontaneous choice. We usually have schedules to adhere to or routines to follow. Whether we feel or not, our freedom is restricted by timetables and appointments. But fear not, there is a solution from the humdrum of day-to-day repetition. It’s called travel. And it’s the greatest reason for spontaneity.
Okay, I grant you that getting time off in the holiday diary or booking a flight might take a bit of planning, but once you have arrived at your destination, the world is your spontaneous oyster. Aside from brushing your teeth, almost every action can be made without a plan. Gin and tonic on the terrace? Sounds good to me. Fancy an ice cream at 11am? Go for it. Want to build a sandcastle? Be my guest. We won’t judge. The list goes on. And what a fine list it is too.
Conversely, and perhaps just as important, the list provides you with a glorious opportunity to do nothing – such as enjoy a spontaneous lie in. I thought you were going for a walk this morning? No, I decided to have an extra cup of coffee in bed. Who fancies a swim in the sea? Nope, not me. I’m going to lie by the pool and read my book. Bliss. Spontaneity allows you to do what you really want. And stops you doing anything that you don’t.
A holiday at Ocean Villas Luz provides the ideal platform for living in the moment. There are so many wonderful activities on our doorstep that you can wake up in the morning and see how you feel on the day. There’s little need to plan ahead but if there is anything I can do to make your stay more enjoyable, just pop down to our office from Monday to Friday and I will take the stress out of planning for you.
So, there we go. We can all take inspiration from my wonderful daughter and be a little bit more toddler. As you can see, a holiday to Ocean Villas Luz offers a lot of parallels. There are endless toys to play with (boat trips, waterparks, swimming pools), food that appears like magic (restaurants, cafes and bars) and cuddles on demand. Okay, I can’t guarantee you cuddles on demand, but you might find that a holiday in Praia da Luz is the just the cuddle you need.
More news next month.
David Lugg
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All photo images owned by David Lugg