Getting away may be good for your soul---but is it good for everyone else?

---By BEN HEALY

If you feel like you need a vacation, you're almost certainly right Americans get far fewer paid days off than workers in petty much any other industrialized democracy and the time we actually take off has declined significantly, from 20.3 days in 1987 to 17.2 days in 2017.

Beyond souvenirs and suntans, the best reason to take a break may be your own health. For the Helsinki Businessmen Study-- 40-year cardiovascular (心血管的) health study that also happens to be the working title of the solo album I'll probably never get around 10 recording ---researchers treated men at risk of heart disease. From 1974 to 2004 those men who took atl east three weeks of vacation were 379% less likely to die than those who t fewer weeks off.

Even if we don't view time of as a matter of life and death, people who take more of their allotted vacation time tend to find their work more meaningful. Vacation can yield other benefits, too: People who took all or most of their paid vacation time to travel were more likely than others to report a recent raise or bonus.

And time not taken depresses more than individual career prospects In 2017, the average us worker left six paid vacation days unused, which works out to 705 million days of travel nationally, enough to support 1.9 million travel-related jobs.

From longevity to career growth to macroeconomic achievements, the cease for vacation seems open-and shut. Yet the picture's not entirely rosy. Tourism's carbon footprint grew four times as much as expected from 2009 to 2013, and accounted for 8 percent of all greenhouse gas emission in that period. What's more, the travel industry is expected to consume 92 percent more water in 2050 than it did in 2010, and 189 percent more land. In other environmental news, people are less likely too recycle while on vacation (both because they are unsure how to, and because getting away with things seems to be a key part of getting away from it all)

The frisson(短暂的、突然的兴奋或恐惧) of pitching plastic is not the only thrill tempting travelers. Interviews wit tourists returning from various international destinations revealed that they used more drugs while on vacation than in everyday life. Other studies have found that people are more likely to eat with abandon while traveling: On vacations of one to three weeks, tourists gain an average of 0.7 pounds, a significant portion of average annual weight gain. Finally, a 2015 study found that "travel and leisure" provoked envy---perhaps the single most toxic substance known to man--more than any other attribute( 特性) examined (including "relationship and family," "appearance" and “money and material possessions"). The effect may be especially severe on social media: 62% of people who described Facebook-caused bouts(发作) of jealousy said they'd been triggered by travel or leisure experiences--versus less than a quarter of people whose envy had been piqued(激起) in person.

So for your own health and sanity(心智健全)，book that vacation. But for everyone else's, please travel as sustainably as you can, and take it easy with the Instagram.

Flying down a 488-meter-long slide provides plenty of excitement for most people. But for those who like more extreme adventures, Nicaragua offers an even more exciting slide experience. The thought of racing down an active volcano with only a board is enough to get most people hot under the collar. But for thrill-seeking sports fanatics, boarding down a 2,380-foot-high volcano at the speed of 80 km/h is the coolest sport around.

Thousands of travelers are heading to the foothills of Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro to take part in the new sporting craze (狂热). Surfers, dressed in protective jump suits, knee-pads and helmets, receive brief instructions and then try sliding down a short slope(斜坡). After that, it’s time for the real thing. Sitting on their specially-constructed boards, surfers push off and fly straight down a 488-meter-long slope. The black volcanic ash provides a dusty, dirty ride. But boarders usually arrive at the bottom with smiles on their faces.

Phillip Southan, owner and manager of Bigfoot Hostel and Green Pathways Tours, said, "We started offering this trip in 2005 and it has become so popular. This is a unique tour as nowhere else in the world can you board down an active volcano."

"What we offer is a tour for everyone with absolutely no experience. One of the greatest attractions of the tour is that you get a bit of everything. Since 2005, more than 10,000 people have traveled to Cerro Negro to give it a try."

"When you are on the top you will have the opportunity to stand near the crater(火山口) and see a smoking volcano. But the biggest risk is that you will take the chance of getting some scratches if you fall over."

"Many years of experience has taken this tour to a level where it is safe but still fun and for some people a little frightening. We are always working on ways to continue improving it for the future."

Booking

The majority of event tickets are on sale from Bath Box Office.

▼ Online: www. bathboxoffice.org.uk

▼ By email: boxoflfice@bathfesicals.org.uk

▼ By telephone: +44(0)1225 463362 (Monday to Friday)

▼ In person: Bath Box Office, Bath Visitor Information Centre, Abbey Chambers.

Opening times: Monday-Saturday 10:30am to 5pm (Closed on Sunday)

Tickets not on sale at Bath Box Office are indicated on our website and also in the programme.

Travel information

Bath will be very crowded on Saturdays，so we recommend that you start earlier for your journey considering the busy traffic.

Find out about travelling to Bath by car，train, coach and plane. The main train station is Bath Spa, the closest airport is Bristol, and there is quite a lot of parking but it fills up quickly. National Express has coaches to and from Bath.

Parking

The closest car park to the Assembly Rooms (the starting point for the Promenade) is located in Charlotte Street, which is divided into several sections. Parking in the top section means the shortest walk to the start in the Assembly Rooms.

Park and Ride will be very busy on Saturdays with visitors to the city. Please allow plenty of time to park and catch the bus, and we suggest at least one hour from parking the car to getting into the city center plus walking time from the bus stop to the Assembly Rooms.

Accessibility

For accessibility, please see the list. Most places are a least partly accessible. If using a wheelchair, please advise the Box office so that suitable arrangements can be made for your comfort.