It’s slightly off-season in this beautiful seaside resort, only those with time to spare are here. The view from the third floor balcony is idyllic. Palm trees, lush green manicured gardens and then, as if that’s not enough, lapping at the edges of all of this, is the ocean. Waves break the shore in a monotonous but gratifying way, they lap the sand and send a frothy top that dissipates from the swell to the edge. Sounds of the sea, lazy, relaxing.

A man in his mid-sixties, maybe, sits staring seaward – sunglasses shield his eyes from the clear blue sky. He doesn’t look happy, he doesn’t look sad, he’s just sitting there on his balcony watching the ocean role. I watch him for a few minutes, off and on, to get a sense of his purpose, he doesn’t move and I lose interest.

A couple walk along the edge of the sand. She has thick white hair, sharply styled, his is grey and he’s semi-bald. The two look lean and fit and are dressed in long shorts to their knees. She has her collar fashionably turned upwards. As they saunter along I wonder what their day has in store…do they go back to one of the beautiful balconies and stare seaward also?

Two mature aged women sit on chairs watching the same thing that everyone else is watching, that is, whoever is walking or riding past. They chat occasionally, pick up their books, then chat again. One woman checks her watch from time to time. They look like they are having a lovely relaxed day. But, I have a sneaking suspicion they would like something to do, I could be wrong.

It’s quiet here. The sound of the waves are constant, representing the familiar association with company that never leaves. The well-appointed luxury apartments glimmer in the sun. Relaxing and lazy. There is a sort of silent rider saying ‘we have earned this.’

The sparkling blue pool sits splendid in full view of the spotless balconies with their sun lounges and fancy glass-topped tables and chairs. The pool is mostly untouched by activity. No kids squealing, jumping and calling. The families are elsewhere it seems. Their parents juggling work and the stress of daily life. They haven’t earned the ‘lazy life’ yet it seems. Yes, the pool adds to the aesthetic value,  calm and relaxed, you can do what you want, you can even swim! I watch, read and consider being the only person in the pool.

And just when the oldies outnumber everyone, along come two small boys – however, who is close behind them?…Gramps and Nana! The kids parents work and live in the area and the grandparents are visiting!

So, here I am in this wonderland of ‘something’. Nothing to worry me, nothing to distract me except at my own doing. I can choose to read, walk the beach, swim in the shiny pool, drink coffee or even open a bottle of wine. So, why do I find myself looking at these fabulous surroundings and thinking ‘what’s this all about?’

Maybe, just maybe it feels a little too good, too quiet, too lazy, too shiny, too clean and too wonderful! I may fit the age profile and have the time to take a bit of a holiday but there is something about doing nothing that scares me, just a bit.  And, doing it a with a whole lot of other people my age makes me a tad nervous.

So, no disrespect to the beautiful setting, the lovely apartments and the other folk my age, I just haven’t found the recipe to become a good lazy holiday candidate.  Maybe, I haven’t earned it yet!