Congrats on 36 days. That's terrific!
My story has common threads with yours. My early sobriety was more an white-knuckler rather than a well-constructed plan. (I didn't join SR until about two weeks after getting back.) A long-planned vacation came five weeks after Day One; trips usually meant lots and lots of wine. By then, though, I wanted very much to keep my sobriety intact. A few things that worked for me:
- Early to bed and early to rise. The latter, I know, seems incompatible with the whole reason we vacation but I enjoyed some glorious moments in the morning, ones I never could have seen in the bad old days.
- Cannot-put-'em-down books. One murder mystery and one non-fiction were both gripping and proved immensely helpful.
- Walks, walks and more walks. The more fresh air and sunshine, the better. You'll be amazed how good you feel for those early morning jaunts.
One tool I have learned via SR is to take a hard view toward alcohol. Think of it as something that ought to come with a skull and crossbones, the poison it is for those of us who simply cannot drink.
Finally, and this is vital, be ruthless about your sobriety. One of my SR classmates says he visualizes sobriety/recovery as a delicate Ming Dynasty vase, something that needs careful guarding. I like that metaphor and it's akin to the protectiveness I felt on that vacation. Each day made me feel stronger.
I hope you enjoy Vanuatu. It sounds breathtaking. It will be even more beautiful viewed through the lens of sobriety and enjoyed with the clarity that comes with it.