‘I return with a new sense of purpose’: why wellbeing retreats are my favourite escape

For writer Siam Goorwich, a holiday should be a chance to relax and refresh. Photograph: Rick Pushinsky/The Guardian

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I love going on holiday but I’m not a fan of the packed itinerary, back-to-back excursions type of trip. To my mind, a holiday shouldn’t just be a change of scenery, but an escape. An escape from routine, an escape from the everyday, an escape from the general busyness of daily life. I want to get away, switch off, unwind and return refreshed, with a renewed sense of poise and purpose.