29/01/2026
Can I tell you about my first 'retreat' experience?
It was an accident. I never thought to go on a retreat.
I had a holiday planned and had to keep postponing it for one reason or another. Honestly, my natural reaction to that holiday, the same location over and over - always for surf or dive and not exactly the same location, but same country - my insides were twisting. I knew I was too comfortable, not stepping out of my comfort zone since I moved back to Australia. I did live and work in Broome/Gibb/Kunnunurra and Shark Bay (amaaaaziing!), and Bremer Bay - seasonal.... but the rest of the world used to be my oyster...
I lived in Europe for 14 years, travelled far and wide. Lived for language, culture and learning. Some may judge for my past, but what can I say if I wanted new and exciting and .. non English countries offer so much for personal growth. My opinion only. Opening our hearts & minds, diversity is wonderful. If they wouldn't let me take holidays at work, I quit and found another job. How can you do that? My friends would ask. It's not that hard. I guess I am very comfortable with change having moved from 1 country to another on my own. Learning a new language, finding a job, friends and a life. It's only as difficult as you make it. As we get older it becomes a little harder.
I kept receiving posts about a retreat to Tahiti swimming with the humpback whales. I wasn't searching for this. The humpbacks, woah! My heart is under the ocean. I was doing too many things. Kayak, kitesurf, scuba, surf, bike, hike, boat, spearfish, fishing (for the future if that exists anymore)... I have all the toys. Too much, then not enough time under the ocean.
The feeling it gave me, seeing that post. My heart was being pulled - compared to the subconscious feeling of that other repetitive holiday, it wasn't my head talking. Still, I could not let myself spend that much money on a holiday. I messaged about it, the posts kept arriving. I didn't forget.
Over time, two important people in my life gave their approval to this super expensive holiday. "Just do it! You never know what the future holds." Eventually, I gave in. I never spend my tax back on anything special. I don't pay for beauty items, I shop at the oppy. I booked that holiday!
The best thing I ever did! 20 days! 5 days under the ocean every day with the humpbacks! What an experience of a lifetime, I could never have even imagined. Moorea, incredible! Everything easy, excursions organised, a posse to play with, a home in paradise. The days just got better. Tahiti being French, I didn't think about speaking enough of the language to be able to communicate with the local people - added experience for being multilingual. The rush it gives me to communicate in another language, to pull it off. Being given gifts from local people, because we feel each other. I also love travelling on my own. The rest of the holiday, I dived between islands. The diving environment is very easy to meet people.
Why do we need to wait for approval to do what we know our heart desires? I guess I am quite lucky to be able to do what many can't.
I was so stuck in mining. Thinking about money, it absolutely didn't make me a better person. Thank goodness I never got that mortgage and stayed trapped for the rest of my life. Thank you Deon for the message that saved me. And thank goodness I overcame sabotage to do what makes me happy every day. Hard, for sure. Learning every day, great. If we don't try, we won't succeed. I am very lucky to be able to try.
The point in all of this? To follow our hearts. 🥰
- Mandy - Founder of Aqualibrium Ocean Adventures x
