Life is busy right?

Aside from work, there are always expectations and commitments we either place on ourselves or our husbands, wives and partners delegate to us.

One of the first things that was pointed out to me in becoming a dad was that you often forget to be an adult; instead always just being a parent. Now I’m certainly not saying that my life is any busier than the bloke sitting next to me as I write this, but it had me thinking that sometimes you just need to give back to yourself and literally schedule time to relax and re-charge the mind.

Late last year when I sat down to plan and explore holiday destinations for 2019, the usual culprits came into the equation; Sunshine Coast, Bali, Hawaii and Figi. My ideal of a holiday was certainly guided by sunshine and being able to access kid-friendly activities. That being said, at the time I was going through a big change in career in transitioning from full-time employment to being out on my own and the grind of consulting, The stresses and financial pressure that I was under at the time in addition to a passing suggestion from a friend had me stumble upon the Cook Islands as a holiday destination.

Now, full disclosure, I had no idea where this place even was on the map let alone how it would suit my ideals of a destination holiday. Google suggested that the main island of Raratonga was “the Pacific Ocean’s version of the Maldives..” – pristine water surrounded by coral reef created a waist-deep water lagoon littered with colourful sea-life. I really couldn’t fault the online description nor the images, my concern was managing a 2 yr old and a 4 yr old on international flights.. But no, that was alleviated with the fact that the Cook Islands is geographically north-west of New Zealand’s north island and a mere 5 hour flight from Sydney.  Another win.

After coming across the Moana Sands cluster of hotels on the south coast of the mainland, the exceptionally well-priced water-front properties were inviting and well-suited for the needs of my young family. The decision was easy to book this accommodation. So we were locked in and ready for a taste of a new country and culture we knew nothing about meaning that the appeal also came from the fact we had no expectations from the moment we flew out of Sydney.

So you might now be wondering how this whole scenario plays into the “Food for the soul” tagline about now right? Well here it is..

As I write this on my way back into Sydney, I can honestly say that this international destination far exceeded my expectations beyond imaginable. Why? It delivers the perfect combination of pure paradise, endless sunshine, water activities and the ability to remove yourself from life’s big issues (of which most are actually minor in reality). The Huffington Post did a study in 2018 on the 5 reasons why travel feeds your soul and how the destination in particular can have major impact on how your subconscious mindset re-sets. The research concluded that your soul can be re-invigorated through the following 5 key elements; disconnect, reflection, environmental, play and cultural tuning. Moana Sands and the Cooks Islands as an international holiday destination delivered all of that without skipping a beat

The simple things which we have come to assume in the western world like wifi doesn’t exist in the Cook Islands – you need to buy a sim card and buy data – so you simply don’t bother doing it whilst you’re there which forces you to disconnect. The sunrises and the sunsets literally last for hours and provide the perfect setting for quiet meditation/yoga and the chance to reflect personally, professionally and spiritually. The white sandy beaches and turquoise water are often deserted, expect for a few hermit crabs, and completely void of any rubbish and pollution. The Maori islander origins are as strong as ever and the small population of 17,000 feels like a warm, tight-knit community banded together by the gratitude and pure respect they have for the small island beneath their feet.

As a parent with young kids, to have a non-threatening beach at your doorstep laced with coral reef and colourful fish every single morning brings equal parts joy to kids and adults alike. The excitement my kids had with the prospect of swimming all day long and the delight I had of salt water, sunshine, snorkelling and canoeing without opening my wallet and not more than 10 steps from where I slept at night was pure bliss. It ticks all the boxes and, equally important, it did so comfortably within a family budget international holiday.

Travelrepublic.co and traveller.com.au (two of the most highly reviewed websites globally on travel destinations) both rank the Maldives at No.1 on the list of the world’s top 10 most relaxing holiday destinations. However, funnily enough, the articles both detail the exorbitant costs in which you would need to take out a small loan to truly enjoy . 2 hour massages @ $450 a pop, accommodation @ $2100/night and all-inclusive packages mean that there are minimal options to keep you on a respectable budget. Geo-tagging the Maldives on Instagram might get you a few more likes but the return on your investment simply can’t be justified.

If you want a taste of pure paradise, the opportunity to re-charge your soul and still come home with change in your pocket; make the Cook Islands your next holiday destination.

I can’t wait to go back already.

Live the life you love.