I am a traveller, an explorer and a foodie. A lover of history, architecture and culture.

When I travel somewhere new I want to soak it all in. Eat all the best food, see the most amazing sights and climb the tallest of towers. We don’t rush on vacation, but we also don’t laze around too much either. We definitely don’t spend days long days at the beach or by a pool, that’s not our vacation style. In fact, I can’t say that I’ve even ever stayed at a resort before.

So when Tim said that he had to go to Greece for work and he’d be put up at a resort, I was excited by this new fangled idea of relaxation. We didn’t get a summer here in England so the idea of it being warm enough to swim or lay by the pool was a draw in and of itself. Immediately, I began to fantasize about warm summer days and I couldn’t wait to get there.

Driving through the small villages on Euboea to get to the resort was typically Greek. We were entertained by how similar the landscape is to California and the reckless moped drivers carrying everything from a tray of iced coffees to a large plastic non-folding lawn chair. It was chaotic to say the least. But then we arrived at the Negroponte Resort and it’s like the whole world outside melted away.

A beautiful marble stepped entrance greeted us followed by a vast lobby with sea-foam green plush couches. From there we were taken to our room which, I later learned, was one of the best in the resort. We had amazing views of the beach and pool from our balcony, a lounge, a bedroom and a giant bathtub. Plus, plenty of storage in which to unpack because this was the beginning of a six week trip and we had of clothes plenty to riffle through.

A small sandy beach was just steps from the rooms and a large pool that took center stage. Secluded away, your only glimpse of the rest of the world was the glittering lights of the mainland across the Euobean Gulf. The the outdoor section of the restaurant was a sweeping covered patio where we ate every delicious meal with the most beautiful views imaginable. This was especially true at dinner when the red orange sunset illuminated the distant mountains.

In our everyday life we are always on the go. Running errands, cooking meals, grocery shopping, cleaning the house and ridiculous amounts of laundry (I mean really… how do the two of us make so much laundry?!) But on this glorious trip with no errands to run, no dishes to do or house to clean I suddenly found myself with nothing but time. As one who suffered from generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD, I often find my mind racing. I struggle with being able to just relax and do “nothing.” But that’s just what I was able to do in Greece and it was amazing.

I spent mornings eating breakfast, drinking coffee, reading and looking out at the bay. Afternoons were filled with workouts in the gym, a dip in the salt-water pool and more lounging in the sun. In the evening we drank cocktails at the poolside bar, chatted with the other Americans and staff, had dinner and enjoyed live music. Though I spent my days alone while Tim was at work, I never felt lonely. I didn’t talk to other resort guests much (most of them were French and I don’t speak a lick of it)but the staff was amazing. Almost every single staff member was friendly and helpful and some even became friends. It was truly a vacation like none other.

Traveling gives so much opportunity to experience other cultures, see shows, museums, visit restaurants and meet locals. It is something that I’m truly blessed to get to do more often than most. But sometimes, just sometimes, it’s really nice to have a trip where you don’t rush through museums, or stress about dinner reservations. Because it’s all right there, you have everything you could possibly need relax and just enjoy life. And they make sure of that at Negroponte.

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