Studies from a report by the British Heart Foundation showed that the British spend over two hours each week dwelling on regrets and that the biggest regret for most people in life was not travelling more.
BHF Top British Lifetime Regrets:
• Not travelling more and seeing more of the world
• Not keeping in touch with friends from the past
• Taking too little exercise
Travelling and trying new things is one of the key things that makes us feel happy and fulfilled, so why waste time regretting what you could have done when you still have time to plan that extraordinary trip. Why not combine the trip with exercise or catching up with old friends to make it extra special? From exhilarating bungee jumps to relaxing in the lush Italian countryside, be inspired to travel with these once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Catch up with old friends in the UK: A forest tree-house for two
A forest break could be just the ticket for a holiday in the UK catching up with old faces from your past. Reconnect with nature and old friends with a log cabin holiday from Forest Holidays. To make your visit truly exceptional, indulge your inner-child with a stay in their forest tree-house cabins. The ground floor lodge has bedrooms, kitchen and a lounge that comes complete with log burning fire and private hot tub. The tree-house bedroom connects to the lodge via a wooden bridge and has an ensuite bathroom, lobby area and private balcony. Catch up and reminisce with long walks around the forest, followed by lazy dinners and an evening around the fire. The forests of the UK give you the chance to appreciate the amazing natural scenery and wildlife that’s right on our doorstep and groups can spend their days exploring the forest by foot or bicycle. You can even learn an adventurous new skill together like falconry or archery. If you prefer to catch up with a bit of pampering, try an in-cabin spa visit with a choice of massage and beauty treatments available.
See more of the world: Parachute jump in Madrid
Quite literally see more of the world with a parachute jump, one of the most exciting things in the world to do, promising an adrenaline rush that will leave you feeling invincible. Combine a parachute jump and extreme sightseeing with a sky dive over Madrid. With an inland location away from mountain ranges, Madrid is a popular place for a sky-dive due to amiable weather that is rarely disrupted by sea breezes or strong mountain winds.
The Spain Event company organise sky dives from a location 60km outside of the city. After a 30 minute ascent in the plane, the jumps are done in tandem with a Spanish Aerial Federation qualified instructor at a height of 12,500ft. The pure exhilaration of the free-fall will have the adrenaline rushing around your body and once the parachute opens you can soak up the magnificent sights of central Spain from a unique birds-eye view. Look out for the towers of Madrid in the north of the city as well as the miles of fields and pastures of rural Spain.
When your feet are back on the ground, visit Madrid’s famous art venues, from the Reina Sofia Art Museum which houses Picasso’s Guernica to the royal works of art in the Prado Museum. Madrid couldn’t be easier to get to; London City Airport has eight weekly flights operated by British Airways.
Exercise: Sailing in Greece
A once-in-a-lifetime trip doesn’t always have to be about extreme adventure and you can avoid regrets about not doing enough exercise with a holiday that allows you to learn a new skill whilst you’re away. Sailing is a fantastic skill that you can learn on holiday and develop and enjoy back at home. The azure waters of the Greek islands are perfect for a luxury sailing holiday. Whether you’re a keen sailor already or it’s something you’ve just always wanted to try, the Levante, Lakitira and Lemnos Beach resorts in Greece offer RYA Sailing Courses that cover everything from basic skills to racing. Mark Warner specialise in activity holidays and offer free sailing clinics for complete beginners, intermediates and more advanced sailors in their Greek resorts. The Third Annual Mark Warner Sailing Regatta Week takes place on the 22nd June 2013 on Levante Beach, and is a fun sailing festival with dinghy and multihull racing as well as feedback and tuition clinics from staff to boost your performance. A week sailing in June will also be enjoyable for your friends, family and supporters too, with high temperatures of 27°C and eleven hours of sunshine a day.
