Welcome to Sleepy Shorts Short Stories for Bedtime. This podcast is brought to you
by I have a story to tell you that will help take your mind off
all of your worries and cares. Just listen and relax, then drift peacefully
into sleep. It's time to turn off the lights and snuggle into your bed.
Find your most comfortable position there. Now take a few seconds to relax
your mind. It's time to sleep. Time to rest and rejuvenate our minds
and bodies. In order to prepare our bodies for sleep, let's do a
couple of muscle relaxation and breathing exercises. I want you to inhale for account
of three, and while doing so, tighten all of your muscles and inhale
one two, three, Hold your breath, keep your muscles tense. Now
exhale to account of six. While you relax all of your muscles one two,
three, four, five six, feel your body sinking deeper into your
bed. Let's do this one more time. Take a deep three second breath
as you tighten your muscles, hold it now, relax and exhale to account
of six. Let your body sink even deeper into your bed. Now it's
time for your sleepy short let me help you fall asleep a Turkish vacation.
Vacations are so relaxing, filled with wonderful moments that later become precious memories.
In summer, some people head to the seaside, while others can't wait to
escape to the mountains in order to take a deep breath and fill their lungs
with fresh cool air. Stepping out of your everyday routine just makes you feel
so relaxed, fills your soul with peace, and makes you forget about anything
frustrating or negative that came before last summer. I set out to do something
a bit adventurous, something different that would help me unwind after a busy year.
As an elementary school teacher, it's often the educator that's more excited for
the summer break than the students, and I looked forward to the end of
the year with anticipation since all the teaching, grading, and creating lesson plans
would finally be behind me. Now it was time to accomplish all the things
on my travel bucket list for the summer and enjoy it to the fullest so
I could recharge my batteries. Vacations are important not only for the physical health,
but also the mental health. And I was in need of a break
to nourish my soul, so I stopped into a travel agency. I don't
know why, but every time I walk into a travel agency office, I
can almost feel the waves of the sea caressing my skin and my muscles,
relaxing with a cool, refreshing beverage in my hand. The woman who helped
me welcomed me with a smile, and perhaps it was because of her experience,
but it seemed she already knew what I was looking for, so it
should have come as no surprise when she suggested my dream get away. She
didn't actually have to say anything, but just hand me in inviting brochure.
On it, there was a photo depicting a woman under an umbrella, laying
on a lounge chair with a cocktail on a table next to her, A
straw lay askew in the glass, alongside a tiny umbrella and an orange twist.
The drink made my mouth water, and the beach beyond looked immaculate in
the photo, the sand resembling tiny particles of gold, which seemed to bathe
the entire scene in a rich luster. A teeky style bar sat behind the
woman in the picture, and the bartender was making cocktails for some people waiting
in a queue. Just gazing at the photo, I could almost hear the
chatter of the small crowd, along with a sound of waves breaking against the
shoreline. The water took on various colors of turcos or dark blue, corresponding
to the shadows and reflected sunlight. But when the waves crashed into the shore,
the foam took on the color of pale green and sandy white. I
was reminded of the sea glass I used to collect as a child. Visiting
the seashore. The brochure ignited a spark inside me and a smile on my
face. This was the place I was certain I wanted to vacation there.
When I asked the travel agent where it was, she said it was in
Turkey on its south coast. She explained everything carefully in detail about the hotel
and travel vouchers, along with many of the customs, traditions, and of
course the delicious food. I am a huge, huge fan of coffee,
and I knew that I must try the Turkish coffee made in a special pot
in the hot sand. The price for the vacation was reasonable, but I
knew that no money in the world would prevent me from going. Since I
was sold, only a few days remained until my departure. I tried to
pack light, since I wanted to save some room for souvenirs that would remind
me of my relaxing and peaceful holiday. It was an evening flight, and
as the plane took off, I started to drift into a deep sleep.
Traveling by plane always makes me fall asleep easily, though eventually the change in
air pressure woke me up. It was a pleasant flight. As soon as
we passed through customs, there was a man who welcomed us and directed us
to a shuttle that would take us to the hotel. Everyone was kind and
helpful, and they provided us with all the necessary information about our stay there.
We arrived at the hotel and the first thing I noticed was a large
fountain in the hotel lobby. I stood in front of it fixated for a
moment. The sound made me instantly relax and feel as if my vacation had
officially begun. The rooms at the hotel were spotless, and there was a
lavender scent that permeated the air. Candles had been lit in anticipation of our
arrival, and the flames bathed the room in an inviting glow. The bed
was so comfortable and soft, and the pillows were made of a very fine
material that felt cooling to my face. But I wasn't ready to go to
sleep yet. Instead, I planned to relax in a hot bath laced with
essential oils. So I paid a visit to the hotel gift shop in order
to buy some additional toiletries. The employee there suggested that perhaps I might want
to visit the hotel spa instead, and that sounded heavenly. The clerk led
me downstairs to the spa, a room that included a Turkish bath that put
my hotel bath tub to shame. I entered the warm, steamy chamber and
was met by soothing music playing in the background, while the scent of lavender
and rose invaded my senses in a good way. I was met by a
very nice attendant whose primary job was to help me relax. I was happy
to oblige. She began with a gentle head massage. It felt like magic.
All of my previous worries just melted away. Then she brushed my hair
and rubbed some oils into it to soften it and prepare it for the salty
water of the sea. She applied a mask to my face that included a
poultice of dried rose petals. Finally, she misted my face with a toner
created from various herbs and rose water. She massaged my body with oil,
which made my muscles relax completely. After that, she drew me a bath
and the traditional Turkish way. It was a totally new experience for me,
and afterwards my skin felt incredibly soft. I felt like a new person.
After my spa treatment, I was led to the beach to experience a Turkish
coffee prepared in a special coffee pot in the sand. I had never enjoyed
coffee prepared this way before. The heat from the sand actually boiled the dark
brew. They served it with Turkish Delight, a dessert traditionally enjoyed with coffee.
Every bite and sip were truly exquisite, and the aromas opened my senses.
On the beach, I heard some relaxing music playing off in the distance,
so I followed it to the beach bar. The staff at the bar
was very friendly and they wanted to make sure I was taken care of assisting
with any possible need. I brought a few paperbacks with me, and between
the waves, the cocktails, and the easy beach reads, I'm not sure
I could have felt more relaxed. While we were in Turkey, we decided
to visit some other cities near the coast. We experienced a mixture of various
nationalities and everyone we encountered had a story to tell. It felt like a
crossroads of different cultures. I met some really interesting people on my trip.
I enjoyed talking with them about various aspects of life, and I was amazed
by their point of view. The poolside small talk was informative and charming.
Actually, the entire vacation passed this way, enjoying the food and culture and
chatting with tourists. No planning, no timetables. Everything seemed so perfect and
felt just right. I enjoyed every second of it. The trip healed my
wounds, relieved my worries and stress, relaxed my mind, and calmed my
soul. It was exactly what I needed. I came back home with a
lot of wonderful and amazing memories. I also brought some small souvenirs to cheer
me up. Every time I look at them, I will be reminded of
the relaxing sound of the waves crashing into the sand, and the summer breeze
caressing my skin, and of delicious seaside cocktails, strong coffee, and hot
baths. As summer came to a close, with batteries recharged, I felt
equipped to start the new school year, relaxed and refreshed, yet energized.
My trip was precisely a medicine I needed to feel better, renewed, and
refreshed. Good Night, more to to more to more to to to to
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