There is a moment in the day when time stops mattering. It is not the morning, when we are still thinking about everything we could do, nor the evening, when the day is already beginning to draw to a close. It is that part of the afternoon when the sun slowly drops, the pace changes and, almost without realising it, you have gone quite a while without looking at your phone or wondering what time it is. A conversation carries on, the last swim never really turns out to be the last, and nobody seems to be in much of a hurry to leave. When was the last time an afternoon felt this long, this much your own?
WHEN TIME STRETCHES BECAUSE THERE IS NO RUSH
For much of the year, we live by the clock. There are times to get up, work, eat, collect the children, exercise, arrive somewhere or finish whatever is still waiting to be done. That is why one of the most enjoyable feelings on holiday comes when we stop constantly thinking about what comes next. It does not happen all at once. Little by little, your body realises there is nowhere you need to be at a particular time and that staying where you are for a little longer can be a plan in itself.
Afternoons have a lot of that about them. You can stay on your sun lounger because you still feel like it, order something to drink and let the conversation continue, or decide to wander down to the sea simply because it is there. It does not really matter whether it is five, six or a little later. Switching off happens almost unnoticed, when the clock stops organising your day and you begin deciding according to what you feel like doing at that particular moment.
BETWEEN THE POOL AND THE SEA
Some afternoons begin beside the pool and nobody knows exactly where they will end. The children still have enough energy for another swim, to invent a new game, enjoy the activities or meet up again with the friends they have made during the holiday. Meanwhile, the adults can join in, chat, rest or simply sit and watch the afternoon unfold.
At Hotel Tahití Playa, there is something that makes those changes of plan particularly easy: the Mediterranean is just a few steps away. You can go from the pool to the beach without getting in the car, preparing anything or turning it into an excursion. All you have to do is get up and walk down to the shore. Perhaps for a swim, a walk along the sand or simply a change of scenery for a while before heading back. Having the sea so close allows it to become a natural part of the holiday, without needing to organise your day around it.
WHEN THE LIGHT BEGINS TO CHANGE
As the afternoon moves on, the landscape changes too. The sun loses some of its intensity, the temperature becomes more pleasant and the Mediterranean takes on different shades. It is one of those times when you feel like staying outside a little longer, walking beside the sea or simply sitting and watching the day gradually change.
Santa Susanna also takes on a different pace at this time of day. Walking without a particular destination, stopping for a moment in front of the water or carrying on because nobody feels like going back yet are plans that emerge without having been arranged. Nothing extraordinary needs to happen. That is precisely part of the appeal: for a few days, we can allow ourselves to do something that is not always so easy in everyday life — simply be somewhere without constantly thinking about what comes next.
THE SCENES WE END UP REMEMBERING
When we think about a holiday before we experience it, we tend to imagine the big moments. Yet as time passes, our memories often hold on to much smaller things. The swim that was meant to last ten minutes and ended up lasting an hour. The ice cream that melted before you could finish it. An unexpected conversation while the children were playing, or an afternoon when nobody knew exactly what time it was.
They may seem like insignificant scenes, but they eventually become part of the story of every trip. They were not on any list and there was no need to book them in advance. They simply happened because there was time for them to happen. And perhaps that is why we remember them differently: because we were not trying to turn them into special moments while we were living them.
AN AFTERNOON FOR EVERYONE
When travelling as a family, not everyone wants to do the same thing at the same time. The children may want to carry on playing just as the adults are beginning to think about resting. Someone wants another swim, someone else would rather sit quietly, and another person may still feel like joining an activity. Holidays are also about finding that balance without every decision having to become a plan for everyone.
Afternoons are particularly good for that kind of freedom. There is room to share time together and also for everyone to enjoy themselves in their own way. Afterwards, everyone meets up again, talks about what they have been doing and the day carries on. You do not need to spend every minute together to feel that you are sharing a holiday. Sometimes, knowing that everyone is enjoying their time in the way they want makes the moments together even better.
AND SUDDENLY, NIGHT HAS FALLEN
Perhaps that is the best part of those afternoons that seem as though they will never end. At some point, you look around and the light has completely changed. The children start getting hungry, someone suggests going upstairs to get ready for dinner, and that is when you realise just how much time has passed.
There has been no need to fill the afternoon with plans to feel that it was worthwhile. There has been the pool, perhaps the beach, an activity, conversations, laughter, silences and that simple pleasure of not being in any hurry. Tomorrow there will be time to think about what to do next. For now, there is still the evening ahead.
And when a holiday manages to turn an ordinary afternoon into one of those moments you remember once you are back home, it is probably because something has gone right.
Book your next seaside getaway at Hotel Tahití Playa and rediscover those afternoons when the only thing that matters is having nowhere to rush to.
