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I've been working for a personal injury solicitors firm for three months now and in that time I have written about holiday injury compensation claims regarding food poisoning on cruise ships, motorbike touring holiday accidents, quad biking accidents in Greece and campers tripping over thoughtlessly placed tent pegs in the Lake District.
At home currently, I am in the process of planning next year's holiday and, whilst poring over several Summer Sun holiday brochures, I have had constant recall of all the research I have done on dodgy swimming pools, badly constructed hotel balconies and the inherent dangers of Mexican horse riding excursions for the uninitiated.
So, I ask you, are holidays really good for your health?
Earlier this week, my family and I took a day cycling trip in the New Forest. We hired top-spec suspension mountain bikes, put on our matching black cycle helmets and pedalled out into Brockenhurst looking like a family from a yoghurt commercial.
Initially, all was well - my partner rides a seven mile journey to work every day and my son and daughter are both fit individuals and keen members of our local athletics club. However, for me, a confirmed desk driver and armchair sports enthusiast, after a mere 45 minutes in the saddle I was feeling a little aggrieved.
You see, this day trip was a much awaited prize and should have been perfect for all of us.
Last year, as a family, we had gone to an International Athletics Grand Prix meeting at Crystal Palace, London and during the proceedings there was a lucky seat competition. Much to my bemusement they announced my seat number to the 14,000 spectators, my face popped up on the 40 foot screen and we were duly handed a generous gift voucher for one of those companies that deal in "experiences".
Immediately there was a family contretemps; my 15 year-old son had swapped seats with me not 15 minutes earlier, so that I could discuss homeward travel arrangements with my partner, and although he was relieved that it was not his face up on the screen being told to smile and wave to the crowd, he did quickly remind me that he was holding the ticket for seat no: S28.
Back at home, I looked at the "experiences" available on the website. A gourmet chocolate day quickly grabbed my attention, as did the Sunday lunch jazz cruise along the Thames, but when I deliberated with George, saying that we should share the prize, he looked resolutely at the paintballing day and the aqua sphereing experience (for those sensible souls who do not know, aqua sphereing involves climbing into a giant beach ball that is half full of water and then being pushed down a hill).
Eventually, after ruling out a pampering day for two with shiatsu massage and rose petal face masks, we settled on the New Forest cycling trip.
After two hours in the saddle and two hill climbs, I had gone a nice shade of purple and had got off my bike at least six times. We arrived at the mid way lunch stop, just as the heavens opened, and, in the calm of an old fashioned country inn, enjoyed a lovely pub lunch and a pint of real ale (though I found to my cost, about 35 minutes later, that gravel cycle tracks and real ale don't mix).
It rained almost continuously from then on, but luckily most of the way back to Brockenhurst was down hill. The kids started racing through puddles, howling as the bikes sent rivers of mud splashing up all around them. Finally they were getting dirty and going fast; they were in mountain bike heaven and enjoying themselves to the full.
Personally, I was in lactic acid hell; my legs were burning, my rear end was screaming, and my lunch was yelling, "Let me rest, woman, let me rest."
I finally found joy as my partner and I free-wheeled side-by-side down a long steep hill. I screamed and laughed with unashamed childish glee as the rain splashed off my visor and the wind whipped at my arms and legs, and I found myself letting my fingers slip free of the brakes so that I would go faster and faster.
It was only a day trip and luckily we had no cause for a holiday accident injury claim. Our hired bikes were without mechanical fault, the delicious food from the pub was not chock full of E-coli bacterium, and not one of us slipped, tripped or fell. In fact it was a very good day and we returned home exhausted, but exhilarated.
So, on second thoughts, holidays can be good for your health, and holiday injury shouldn't stop you from planning a wonderful experience. Talking about "experience", I wonder if my partner would like a pampering spa holiday with all-inclusive rose petal face masks. I'll put it to him tonight.
