Follow your passion vacations
May 4th, 2008 | By admin | Category: Fashion, Sports
From the terrace outside the art school, Ella Yang took in the same sweeping vistas that have motivated artists since medieval times. Historic buildings hug the mountaintop in Italy that she called home for three weeks after taking a break from her high-powered New York life for a vacation to indulge in her passion: painting.
“For once I’m going to do something I’ve always wanted to do,” Yang told herself.
Those interests and hobbies that are an inescapable fulfillment come with a heavy price tag-valuable time. When life gets in the way, vacations that specifically pamper passions offer a rewarding experience, whether that’s learning to tango or singing in an Oxford choir.
For Yang, that meant a trip to Umbria, Italy, in the countryside between Florence and Rome. For three weeks she painted every day with instruction from the school’s faculty and listened to lectures from professionals.
The International School of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture was intense, she says. It had less sightseeing and more instruction than other programs, but that’s just what Yang wanted.
“Like any person working full-time and only doing their passion on the weekend, you can only make so much progress,” she says. It was such a rewarding vacation, that after three weeks of painting and months of soul-searching, Yang decided to leave investment consulting behind and open an art studio bearing her name in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Yang’s passion vacation was truly a life-changing experience, but vacations can be a way to develop your hobbies without switching careers. A writing weekend in Greece provides calm, focused time to explore story ideas or to simply work on that novel you stashed away ages ago. Swaying on a hammock overlooking the clear blue sea could be just the inspiration a fledging writer needs. Perhaps cooking lessons in France will add the necessary spice to your life… and your kitchen. A trip to the Rhode School of Cuisine in Provence provides hands-on instruction with a professional chef, forays into the local markets and training in the preparation of classic French dishes.
“If you do something with a culinary theme, you know you’re going to eat well,” says Paula Ward, a frequent traveler whose vacations often include cooking experiences. She adds that the classes and instruction are “a great way to get acclimated to a city.” Training staff know the food, the best local markets and restaurants. The experiences are intimate and in-depth, exploring new cuisines and new regions of the country and world. Ward has participated in cooking instruction in New Orleans and Asheville, N.C. “It’s a great way to connect with other travelers and the citizens of the city you’re visiting.”
The travel industry understands that whether a beginner or an expert, everyone needs to coddle their passions. Analia Ogando, director of business development at the Hilton Buenos Aires, developed a Totally Tango package to complement guests’ stay in Argentina. The experience includes a private dance lesson for two with an award-winning dancer, tickets to a dinner show at Esquina Carlos Gardel, a 1940s-style club named for the father of tango, and two tickets to the World Tango Museum. To practice moves at home, the Hilton throws in a Techno-Tango CD.
“Some are well-educated [in the tango] and some know nothing about the dance,” Ogando says of the guests who have purchased the package. But like most trips based around on interests and hobbies, the lessons are adjusted to meet all experience levels.
If adrenaline is the passion, fast-paced vacations like fox hunting or racecar driving may be the best choice. In Arizona, celebrities, musicians and professional athletes have turned to the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving for private race and technique instruction. Luckily, the school is open to anyone who feels the need for speed. But when it’s the feel of real horsepower that revs your engine, equestrian vacations, like fox hunting on Ireland’s West Coast, might be the perfect trip.
When hobbies are involved, many take pleasure in a vacation that simply allows them to give their passion some much-needed attention.
Tags: amp, ariz, china, cooking lessons, countryside, dis, dl, ela, historic buildings, ins, interests and hobbies, medieval times, mountaintop, passions, professional chef, rewarding vacation, story ideas