I don't know how you guys handle it, but often enough I need some downtime just for myself. I then feel the strong urge to be alone somewhere – secluded, remote, quiet and preferably with a calming view. Escape my own life for an hour to slow down, breathe, think. I guess that's the little Buddhist inside me ;)

Luckily, at home I have the perfect place for these 'urges' – a hill close to my house which takes me about half an hour to jog up, with a beautiful view across the countryside. I really treasured those occasions I was able to take some time off to go there when I was in Germany last week. Mostly because here in Den Haag I don't really have such a place. An isolated spot at the beach used to work for me in the beginning, but since a couple of weeks it's being occupied by seasonal beach bars and fences – it's a damn ugly sight actually.

Anyways, I think it's very benefiting to have such a sanctuary / refuge, really helps sometimes. Guess, I'm just gonna have to start looking again...