Well, it took a few weeks of not drinking… but that sneaky wee voice inside my head popped up again and it said:

You know, you could always have a drink when you go away on holiday.

How ironic! One of the reasons that the start of the not drinking was not so hard was that I’d gone on holiday with the family, moving around Vietnam quite a bit… and I had decided long before that I wouldn’t drink any wine when away. I knew it would be easier there, not the same triggers as home and it was not going to be a relaxing by the pool with a glass of fizz type of vacation.

Cheap and cheerful pho shops in Vietnam do not have a wine list! Beer is the drink of choice, but I’ve never been a beer drinker.

Anyway, the devious chatter in my head also said:

Have a drink on holiday, when you go off somewhere on your own. Where nobody knows you, so they don’t know you have stopped. Nobody to see you… you can just do it when away and who will know.

But WHY, sneaky voice? WHY would I do that? Where’s the benefit for me?

I knew it was all going too well and was feeling too good and too easy. I had been surprised. Now I need to work out what this need is that has come up… and what can I do with it.

I had had a sneaky voice also when I was drinking… but that’s a story for another day.

PS A cool day, what a revelation… felt so lively compared to the past two weeks of heat exhaustion. I went for an early morning walk, to Byng Street Cafe and back. 3km, coffee, 3km… no rush to be anywhere, a joy.

The sun was red, hazy smoke around too.