When a Holiday Isn’t a Holiday—But Just What You Needed

As we head into the holiday season, I can’t help but think back to all my past holidays. Almost every one of them involved people—family, friends, chaos. Always someone snoring, someone chatting, someone asking “what’s for dinner?” every three hours. You know, holiday holidays. The kind where you play board games, eat too much, and argue about who’s hogging the bathroom.

And honestly? I love those.

But a couple of years ago, fried to a crisp by work, life, and general adulting, I decided to try something different: a wellness retreat. I wasn’t chasing enlightenment or a green juice cleanse. I just wanted to disappear and maybe—just maybe—not have to answer a single question for three days.

And while it wasn’t the kind of trip that had me lounging poolside with a cocktail, it was… transformative. Not conventionally “fun,” but exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

(Oh, and I also recently went on a solo trip that deserves its own post—so stay tuned for that delicious little tale.)

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Day One: Silence, Stillness, and… Quinoa?

I walked into the Elysia Wellness Retreat & Spa https://www.elysiaretreat.com.au/ and felt like I’d entered another dimension. The space was serene and minimal, with a gentle water cascade in the background. My brain instantly slowed down. For a brief moment, I even fantasized about being handed a chilled Riesling and some fancy cheese.

Plot twist: I was handed a warm quinoa salad and a glass of water.

My room was something else. Spotless, serene, and… completely silent. No TV, no minibar, no coffee, no Wi-Fi. Basically, no vices. If a hotel room could judge you gently, this one did.

But I wasn’t mad. The salad was actually delicious, the view from my balcony was breathtaking, and for the first time in a long time, I had nowhere to be. Just me, a pair of closed eyes, and the hills.

If you’re a multitasking parent, you’ll understand the sheer joy of not being needed for a few hours. It’s like finding buried treasure—except the treasure is silence and nobody calling your name.

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Sleep, Sweat, and a Candle That Deserved an Award

The food throughout the retreat was generous but intentional. No buffets to binge on, just lovingly crafted meals that left me nourished, not stuffed.

Then came the real shocker: I started sleeping. A lot. Like, “I sat down to journal and woke up drooling” levels of sleep. One nap turned into another, and then another, until I found myself having an evening bath in a giant tub with a little candle I’d requested—because honestly, what’s a bubble bath without a candle? That’s just sad soup.

Wrapped in silk pyjamas (because I came prepared), I fell asleep again.

But detox isn’t always dreamy. That night, I had the most vivid nightmares, complete with night sweats. I woke up soaked, like I’d run a marathon in my sleep. This continued for the next two nights—my body and brain clearly dumping years of backed-up stress.

Then one morning, I woke up… quiet.

Not the kind of quiet where you’re just groggy. No. The kind of mental quiet I’ve only felt during deep meditations—completely thoughtless, utterly calm. I hadn’t known how loud it had all been until the volume dial finally turned down.

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What I Took Back (Besides an Obsession with Herbal Teas)

The next day, I packed up and headed back home—but not without a new-found respect (and curiosity) for the wellness world. That retreat didn’t look or feel like a “holiday” in any of the ways I’d known. But it gave me something more lasting: rest, clarity, stillness, and a strangely delicious appreciation for warm quinoa.

Think about it

As we enter this festive season full of noise and novelty, I’m wondering—have you ever taken a trip that surprised you? One that wasn’t what you expected, but turned out to be just what your soul needed?