Atlantis Paradise Island Resort of the Bahamas – Photo Credit: R. Birkel
Winter can be harsh. It’s cold, and Mother Nature serves us snow, sleet, freezing rain and black ice. On days when there are blizzards or snow days, cabin fever can set in. A sure-fire way to battle the winter blues and win, is to virtually getaway. It’s great for the mind, body and spirit to somehow leave the winter weather behind, even if only in your mind, and concentrate on warmth and relaxation. This version of a virtual vacation is not like having a getaway memory planted in your brain like in the movie Total Recall, but it will provide plenty of Hygge therapy while keeping your wallet intact. It can last 5 minutes, an hour or the entire day if you plan it right.
If you have a fireplace, start a nice crackling fire to sit in front of. If not, turn up the heat or use a space heater to warm your chilled bones, and play some reggae, calypso or Hawaiian music. Now that you’re in a tropical state of mind, eat some tropical fruit or prepare a Caribbean or Polynesian meal. Afterwards, make a cocktail to indulge in and enjoy it stretched out on a lounge chair or the sofa while watching the above video on a smart TV, laptop, or tablet to get in a relaxed mood. To really add to the atmosphere, fill up a vaporizer with water and lots of salt to replicate the humidity of a tropical location. Aromatherapy adds another layer of virtual reality, using floral essential oils or even a spritz of air freshener.
Enhance this experience with time in your jacuzzi or bathtub, or have someone give you a massage at home while listening to island music. If you have some sand available, pour some in a box or small sandbox, heat it with a blow dryer, sit down next to it and sink your feet into the warm sand. Do whatever it takes to simulate a beach vacation.
This undertaking could easily turn a blizzard day into a virtual vacation on Jamaica, Hawaii or beyond. Mahalo!