INA WO(A)NDERS: ABOUT SUMMER HEAT
There are questions that have been bothering me my whole life. One of them is: Why on earth do so many people spend their well-earned vacation in places where it is often much hotter than is good for us? most popular travel destinations for Germans include Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Croatia - all countries that complain about new heat records year after year. Of course: heat and sun often go hand in hand. And sunlight helps our body produce vitamin D, strengthens our immune system, lowers blood pressure and ensures that more happiness hormones flow through our bloodstream. But too much sun can damage our skin. And persistently high temperatures can lead to life-threatening circulatory problems. So I still don't think my question is so unjustified: why do people voluntarily put themselves through this on holiday?
The heat makes priorities melt like melting ice
At the end of July I was in France with my van. Here I was hit by the same heat wave that made the athletes and visitors to the Olympic Games in Paris sweat excessively. For me, 38°C in the shade meant up to 44°C in the van without air conditioning. And that changed everything. Up until then I had planned my road trip from Portugal back to Germany based on one maxim: Make the most of it! Wake up in a different place every day, do a bit of work, look for a new destination, drive there, work a bit more and then go hiking, cycling, making music and socializing. The days and experiences swirled past me like soap bubbles, jam-packed as they were. And all of that had a lot to do with euphoria, fun, discovery, throwing myself into it and YOLO. Until the heat wave came and made my priorities melt away like melting ice.
Heat forces us to slow down life
France, which had been so inviting until then, closed its doors. All the shutters in the picturesque villages were firmly closed, and there was no one to be seen on the streets. Not even the sun made an appearance. Instead of a blue sky, a strange veil of clouds stretched from horizon to horizon, pressing the heat firmly to the ground. "La chaleur avec le ciel blanc" - the heat with the white sky is what the nice lady I was floating next to in the Lac de Sagnat called it. Since the heat wave had started, my travel plans had only revolved around parking somewhere near water and simply: being. I, who had driven more than 2000 kilometers through Portugal, Spain and the South of France and hiked more than 100 kilometers in the last four weeks, stopped. Did almost nothing. Surrendered to the heat. I didn't cook, I hardly worked and even let the guitar simmer in its case. And suddenly I realized: this is what a vacation must feel like.
It took about a week for the temperatures to mercifully settle back below 30 degrees and for the bees to return to my bum. But since then I can understand a little better why people seek out the heat on holiday. Because it's the best excuse in the world to do nothing.
Are you more of a heat-loving sun worshipper or are you already planning your next Coolcation? I am always happy to receive feedback, suggestions or questions – please leave a comment or send an email to [email protected].
© Photos: Pexels / Matteo Milan, Nitin Creative; Ina Hiester
Ina Hiester
Ina is a digital nomad and travels through Europe by land and sea. The journalist is always on the lookout for special places for Good Travel, philosophizes about travel in her column, takes photographs, makes music and writes articles on all kinds of environmental and sustainability topics.
Carla Sophie
Dear Ina,
I'm not a big fan of the heat either. I mean, who likes to sweat? I like to go hiking, see things or take long walks. It shouldn't be so warm that I just want to sit in a cold room with a cold Coke. But I still want to see the places. The trick is to just go there when it's cooler. As a bonus, there's even less going on. For example, I was in Mallorca in September, where it's between 20 and 28 degrees. Just perfect for me. The pleasant temperatures are also great for hiking.
I can only recommend it, and the price is also a definite advantage. In the real summer you'll find me in Sweden or Finland, I just prefer the temperatures there.