The rhythmic chirp of the cicadas wake me. Nature's alarm letting me know the sun has risen and another day has begun. My time for escape is now. I leave my room and tip-toe gingerly up the creaky spiral staircase, taking care not to wake my family. I push my feet into my flip-flops and open the heavy door, closing it softly with a light click. As I walk out, my face is instantly slapped by a wall of heat and my nose is filled with the smell of the baking earth and the wild oregano growing within the grass. I start my journey towards the beach. I make my way down the drive; the steepness forcing me into a slow jog. I give a friendly nod to the spider in the fig tree at the bottom of the drive. Carrying the blissful smell of the figs in my nose, I cross the road. I look out upon the beach, a view of perfect desolation and pristine beauty. I amble eagerly down the slipway, and upon reaching the bottom, I take off my flip-flops so I can feel the sensation of the soft sand between my toes. Entering the shallows, the water soothes me like a soft blanket. As I calmly wade further out, the contrast between the sun-kissed surface of the water and the depths that lie beneath becomes apparent. I float in perfect comfort, block out thoughts and feelings and just float. Just me, peacefully alone with the songs of birds and the tiny waves slowly rolling into shore. The magic of Nature engulfs me. Any negative feelings are cast into the sea and left to drift out with the tide. True tranquillity is restored, and I am ready to face the day.