The last family holiday I went on as a kid with my parents was to the Greek island of Chios when I was 15. I can still remember my dad driving our rented Jeep into the mountains and boldly ordering goat’s head (yep!) for lunch, and then balking when the waiter dug out the eyeball and force-fed it to him. I have fond memories of just living all day on the beach, and the mountains of chips we ate with mayonnaise because we wanted to appear sophisticated (while secretly yearning for ketchup). You can’t beat a holiday that is completely paid for by somebody else.

Fast forward 21 years to last Christmas, and my first proper holiday as an adult (defined as: I wasn’t working or visting family). I took my sons to Tenerife because I wanted sun and they were both studying Spanish at school. We stayed at Santa Cruz de Tenerife because it promised beautiful architecture for me, a beach for the kids, and garlic prawns for everyone. I loved it. Dinner at 10pm, once it had cooled outside, is perfect for someone like me who doesn’t start work til 8pm. The shallow beach with no risk of an undertow again suited the mother in me just fine (although I think the boys were secretly hoping for a shark sighting). I will definitely be going back, even though now it’s me who’s paying for it. 

Ria Lina: Riawakening is on tour until Friday 3 November.