Pinch me…
Sometimes life takes you somewhere so beautiful, so surreal, that you have to stop and ask yourself if it’s really yours. This is one of those chapters, where the Mediterranean sun beats down, the scent of pine lingers in the air, and our “backyard” just happens to be a place where others come for their holidays.

That’s exactly how it feels every single day. Even now, with work going on, 38-degree heat, the boat looking like a war zone, and Philou and I spending our time at the pool. That last part is a true blessing, she can stay in that chlorinated water all day long, on her own, with other children, with us, it doesn’t matter, as long as she doesn’t have to get out.

I, on the other hand, am quite content beside the pool. There’s always someone to talk to, and the hotel feels like a home base, the people are so friendly and there’s always a conversation to be had. But I’m not one to sit still for long. I start to feel restless knowing Edwin is toiling away in the heat while I try to keep out of the way. Only three more days to go…

Still, when I look around, let the sun warm me (sometimes a bit too much), and breathe in the pine scent from the trees across the water, I can’t help but feel grateful. Almost everyone around us is here on holiday and I can see why. It’s wonderful here. For us, this is slowly, yes, we’re still not quite used to it, becoming our home. Not somewhere we’re settling permanently, but a familiar base, a place we’ve known for a while and where we now live with our home on the water.

Yesterday, I drove with Philou along the familiar roads where we’ve already made so many memories. We did some ordinary shopping in local stores, and it felt suspiciously good. The heat is here, but strangely enough, you get used to it. Water is always close by.

Next week, Edwin is heading back to the Netherlands for a few days to do some work on our house there and to me, that feels so far away. Apart from the fact that it will be strange to be here without him, it also makes me aware of where “home” is for us now.

So yes, above all, it’s this feeling of pinch me: is this real? Has this really become our backyard? Are we really living our lives here, in a different way, but with a rhythm that suits us just as well? Being able to give ourselves and especially our Philou this free way of life is an enormous gift. And yes, there are less glamorous sides to it too: missing people, the endless boat maintenance, and little time for yourself… but honestly, in return you have your own base in places where people come to enjoy life to the fullest.

So once again – pinch me… Because sometimes, the dream isn’t a faraway goal, it’s the life you suddenly realise you’re already living.

Written by: Mirjam