We’re now in the midst of the bleak midwinter. The joys of Christmas have passed. Winter is in full swing. Let’s face it: the month of January (despite being my birthday month) is depressing.
I suffer from SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder – so I really dread this time of year. I’m a winter-born, but I love the time of spring. The sun shines, flowers start to bloom, everything comes alive… and suddenly the world is filled with colour once again.
In 2022, I had to take a sudden trip to the Caribbean in mid-January. I had a stopover in Barbados but can’t say I was immediately impressed as I arrived in the late evening, and I couldn’t see anything. But when I awoke and got out of bed the next morning, the sun was shining, I could see the hotel’s pool and beach from my window, and I was filled with some much-needed joy.
I started my day by delighting in a delicious breakfast of a stack of pancakes with maple syrup (my mouth still waters thinking about it!), enjoying both breakfast and lunch sitting by the pool. Following this, I spent the better part of the day walking on the beach and browsing around the local shops.
Barbados is a truly beautiful island that I hope to go back to one day. The scenery was amazing, the people were super friendly and it was lovely to bask in the winter sun. I couldn’t believe that just a day before, I had been at home in grey, sodden England – I started to feel the January blues leaving me.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time to explore the island before I was off to my next destination: Dominica. But winter for me that year was short which made it sweet. And what with all the travel adverts on T.V trying to lure me into booking a winter holiday, I have to say they may just win!
