Full Circle

I feel a bit stupid and exposed saying this, but...
I never thought I'd say this, but maybe I've nearly come full circle... not sure how long this'll last (esp when I'm back in the UK!) though.

One of the reasons I cited for wanting to come to Asia a few years ago, was to "get it out of my system". Once I've been to these places I've wanted to go to and dreamed of going to, maybe then I can get on with the day to day living and holidaying in Britian/ Europe.

The only beach holiday I've had whilst being on JET, was a few weeks after I arrived. I went to the beach in Miyagi, with some people I'd met at church the previous week or so. I slept in late, went bodyboarding and swimming in the day and ate nice food for lunch and at night. Add in the odd game of monopoly and having a BBQ, it was a great and relaxing time away.
A few weeks ago- no- last week, I went to a beach for my friend's birthday party. The highlight for me was swimming in the sea and playing ball games in the water. I probably enjoyed it so much as it was reminiscent of all those family holidays in France in the summer. - Staying in an old gite, sleep in late whilst Mum & Dad go shopping/ read/ prepare the lunch; going to a beach or a lake and go swimming and playing some kind of volleyball thing in the water, after eating a picnic lunch and sunbathing in the shade.

It's weird that with all the places I have on offer to go to this summer, the thing I want to do the most is go to a beach/ sandy area; lie in the shade; try and get a suntan whilst playing in the water; relaxing, sleeping and eating nourishing yet simple food.*

Oh dear, I could go to Bangkok or Bali, Kuala Lumpur or Kuwait (well maybe not that last one), but really I'd like the dry heat of a European summer; beach and volleyball; and lunch consisting of french baguette, tomatoes & parlsey, not much shallot & goats cheese or ham/ salami. Seems a bit sad that I'm trying to recreate my childhood holidays (when at the time, i was hoping we'd go to Indonesia) in my holidays now. One year I told Dad I didn't want to go to France because it was 'boring'. So the next year we went to Wales & I asked why we weren't going to France. After that, it was France again year after year. I'm looking forward to going back there soon. I know things won't be the same as when I was 10 (or any age really). My favourite times we either bodyboarding in the beach near St Giles Croix de Vie or doing a human pyramid - well, sitting on my brother's shoulders, who was sitting on Mum's shoulders in the water (in a lake in the Vendee?)... & one time wondering why I fell off and finding out it was cos Tom was waving at Dad's camera and had let go of me!

Well, sorry Mum & Dad (and Tom) for complaining all those times when I was younger. But I / we did have fun! (And who else would let me lie-in on holiday until 12 noon at least every day without dragging me out of bed/ trying to wake me up any earlier- thanks!)
[btw I'm not really trying to recreate this all the time. *i obviously do want to visit new places and see new sights/ smell new smells... but deep down the image of a holiday in my head is what characterised ones in my childhood. and nothing else will come close in terms of having a relaxing break.]