Sabbatical stories: Claire Malkinson explores Marrakech and Australia
by Claire Malkinson, Head of Bespoke New Business
Earlier this summer I took a sabbatical, away from my role as Head of Bespoke New Business at Rendall & Rittner, to spend five weeks exploring Marrakech and Australia. The opportunity to take a sabbatical is a great incentive for long-serving Rendall & Rittner employees to enjoy an extended time away to focus on your wellbeing, do something a little bit different and return to work fully refreshed.
My sabbatical began with a long weekend in Marrakech with a friend, which was a wonderful way to start my time away from work. Relatively speaking it’s not that far from home by plane, but it provides an opportunity to experience an entirely different culture. We spent a lot of time wandering and getting lost in the Souks, soaking up the sensory overload of sights, sounds and smells. We walked outside the Medina walls to enjoy the beautiful oasis of the Jardin Majorelle, and took a trip into the desert for a camel ride, quad bike tour and a traditional meal under the desert stars.
After a few days back at home, I went to Australia for three and a half weeks with my husband and our two teenagers. After a few chilly days in Sydney we travelled up to the Tropics of Queensland and spent four unforgettable days sailing around the Whitsundays on a 100ft dive yacht; snorkelling, diving, paddleboarding and whale spotting interspersed with sunbathing on deck. It was wonderful, even if rather rough and windy at times.
We then hired a motorhome and continued our journey up the coastline all the way to Cape Tribulation, which was another highlight because it’s as far north as you can get without a four-wheel drive. We saw huge crocodiles in the Daintree river and trekked through the Daintree Rainforest, which is the oldest tropical rainforest in the world. Camping up in Cape Tribulation on the edge of the beach in the rainforest was a very special experience. The final highlight amongst many was taking a day trip out to the outer Great Barrier Reef to snorkel amongst the corals and fish. The reef is in great health there and we were lucky enough to see a Whitetip reef shark and a huge Humphead Parrotfish, along with the tiny ‘Nemo’ clown fish and many more fabulous corals and fish.
Having the opportunity to take a sabbatical gave me time to just switch off and focus on my wellbeing. My team was fantastic; colleagues knew they could contact me if they needed to however I didn’t receive a single message, meaning I really did switch off. It was very special to be able to have that time as a family to make memories without having to juggle the normal pressures of day-to-day life. I’ve returned to work rejuvenated, with lots of stories to share, and have been encouraging my colleagues to start planning their own upcoming sabbaticals.
