Not so long ago, I got to take a weekend trip away with the family. We just needed a break away from the busy everyday life schedules and we found a relaxing place nearby to chill. It was just an hour away from home and it looked decent enough for a few days of clearing the mind. I did not realize how great it really was going to be.

I am currently in the midst of the great test week and had loads to take with me to cover for the tests during this lovely time. I took my study notes with and expected to be drained due to the busy weekend away where I had the impression, I was not going to get much relaxing done. I was lucky enough to be able to sit by the pool whilst having the biggest picnic in the history of all picnics I have ever had and studied. It was probably the best study session I have had in a while.

Other than the great study sessions though, I had the greatest feeling of belonging. We stayed at the Misty Hills Country Hotel and Spa. I got in contact with them after a bit of research and ended up finding them and thought they were the place we would need. I was put on holiday planning duty and took it all on myself to plan a weekend to relax. After the emails back and forth, I got the permission to take Fudge. She deserved a breakaway too. She still had to work however; she did a pretty good job of it too.

The resort was super accommodating and let Fudge stay with me in the room. I obviously packed her whole bag and took her bed and blanket with, so she felt right at home. The bonus about this place was that as someone with a service dog, I felt quite comfortable and like I belonged. It is sometimes so hard to go places where Fudge is not sometimes fought against by her mere presence on the premises.

Fudge found the place super comfortable too. She has never worked so well in a place like this. She usually gets excited and wants to smell every little twig we walk past. This time, she took me all over with no struggle and it was an absolute breeze. She really took this holiday seriously when she jumped on me whilst relaxing on a swing bed and refused to move. It’s not like there was a whole open garden and tones of other spaces for her to sit. But no, sit on me….

We did a bunch of activities where we played archery, did some laser pigeon shooting and played a bit of classic fetch. Just so all parties were entertained. During the activities, the guide was really accommodating and things just ran so smoothly. I honestly felt like I did more chilling than studying. That’s saying something as I added up the hours of studying to chilling and there was a deficit difference. Not favouring the chilling part of the ratio.

The rooms were spacious. There was no clutter and it was that much easier to get around the room.  Easy mobility around the restaurants and along the paths to the pools and spa. It made it super inclusive and I am definitely going to go back. In fact, my mum loved it so such, I got permission from my dad to book a date weekend the weekend straight after we came home. So, this place will certainly be seeing us again. The clean facilities and friendly staff were always appreciated and makes the trip all the more rememberable. It’s always nice to remember a place for the positive impression it leaves on you rather than the opposite.

The beauty of belonging in the places you visit, emphasises the possibilities that are out there that not everyone is aware of. It proves just how much you can fit in and feel comfortable in your own skin without worrying about the unspoken critics. I can never get enough of the feeling of just being in the right place at the right time. I feel like the way to say this however is,

“Being in any place at any time.”

There should never be a time where you feel that you are an inconvenience to the host.

“The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.” – Rian Tracy