My name is Sheri, and I am an internet addict. There, I said it. From patiently waiting ’till 7 pm in the dial-up days to the uncapped data we know and love today, home is where the Wifi is, or the 3G signal is strong – as the case may be. We try to find the Goldilocks balance between too much internet and not enough in order to satisfy all curiosities from memes to messenger. But what if you were made to go cold turkey? That’s what happened to me last weekend at my staycation with Argyll Holidays and dare I say it, it probably one of the best things that could have happened.
So imagine this, you arrive at your beautiful lodge, put your bags away, check out your surroundings and realise, that there’s no reception. Your search for the wifi box, there isn’t one. You call the reception and they confirm – this is a no Wifi zone. You are 3.5 days away from your nearest router – unless someone from another network tethers you – and you are trying to act cool. Except you’re not cool and freaking out one wifi refresh at a time. The thought of being completely internetless was incredibly daunting, but luckily for me, I had stunning views like this on my side….
Studies suggest that reducing the use of social media (and the internet in general) can increase creativity, and while I don’t doubt it, I can honestly say I’ve never tried it. As someone who lives life online, works as a digital freelancer and has the general attention span of a small child, my internet usage is high and consists of many rabbit holes of open tabs, social media platforms and completely fried brain at the end of the day. It’s easy to see how we can develop such unhealthy dependencies to online activity. More often than not it’s as our social media lives flourish, the potential for comparison, stalking, distraction, FOMO, jealousy gets greater. Taking a step back for a few days is like hitting that reset button, but you know, IRL. I mean with views like this it was hard to not forget the phone and be present.
Our Argyll Holidays lodge was located just outside Lochgoilhead. As its name suggests, the village sits at the head of Loch Goil and is surrounded by snowy mountains known collectively as the Arrochar Alps. It’s just over an hour from Glasgow so the perfect getaway for city lovers to country bumpkins who just want to appreciate the picturesque beauty of Scotland. From just aimlessly wandering to strolling through Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park or even your choice of four Munro’s to clime, you can enjoy the dramatic scenery of mountain slopes, coastal waters, and dense forests at any fitness level. Don’t even get me started on the incredible pub grub around, the perfect hearty meal after exploring.
We stayed at one of Argyll Holiday’s many dog-friendly lodges situated on the pretty river’s edge in Drimsynie Estate Holiday Village. If you are heading for a social detox, an outdoor hottub and your BFF being there makes it a whole lot easier! There’s really something in drinking bubbles while surrounded by them, outside in a beautiful remote setting that makes you really not give a fuck about the rest of the world, or the internet for that matter!
So after 3 whole days with only sporadic internet usage, how did I get on? I would be lying if I said it was easy. Everything is so God damn beautiful you can’t help but want to share what’s around you. But one thing I did notice though was that I was’nt walking around with my phone in my hand as a security blanket. Even coming home after the trip I had my phone in the other room for at least an hour before I noticed. YUP – GROWTH! So whether you go for the scenery, the dog walks, the amazing local eateries or to have yourself a mini digital detox, be sure to put the phone away and see Argyll with your very own eyes. I promise it won’t disappoint! Have you ever went on a digital detox?
Thanks to Argyll Holidays for having us!
