SINGAPORE — Last year, I took four holidays: Two in the region and two further afield, to Japan and Hong Kong. This puts me squarely among the 26.8 per cent of Singaporeans who take up to four vacations a year.

Greedy? I agree. But I’m just like many who feel like we could do with one more break. In fact, 70.8 per cent of Singaporeans perceive themselves to be vacation-deprived — which, according to Expedia’s quirkily named Vacation Deprivation Report 2015 released earlier this year, makes us the second most vacation-deprived nation in the Asia-Pacific and third globally, after the United Arab Emirates (76.4 per cent) and Malaysia (72.7 per cent).

A closer look at the report’s statistics reveals more fascinating nuggets of information: Singaporeans use up almost all of their annual vacation days (14 out of 15 days) compared with South Koreans, who take the least amount of leave (only six out of 15 days).

This would make the Koreans the world’s most vacation-deprived workers, yet they don’t feel all that pained: Only 56.6 per cent feel “very or somewhat vacation-deprived”, which is in line with the global average of 53 per cent.

And while Malaysians might feel more deprived than us, it might be because they take 10 out of their 14 days of annual leave.

TAKE THE MONEY OR THE LEAVE

Why is it that despite taking almost all of our vacation days, Singaporeans still feel like they’re in constant need of a holiday? Mind you, 50.4 per cent of us take up to two vacations a year. Many might point to the 15 days of leave and say that hardly feels sufficient, especially when compared with Europeans who enjoy 30 days of vacation annually and mostly finish them up. But that doesn’t quite explain it. Folks in Hong Kong get 15 days of leave on average and they don’t feel as deprived.

Could it be down to our workaholic culture, where a holiday may never quite feel like a good rest? A survey last year by Randstad, one of the world’s largest human-resources service providers, revealed that 51 per cent of Singaporeans said their bosses expect them to be contactable even on holidays. A holiday used to be about getting away, but with technology we’re so connected that it never feels like a real break. The group chats for work never stop buzzing; even if the messages might not have anything to do with us, we can’t help but check — and inadvertently (or otherwise) get involved.

We’re also a pragmatic lot. While we may grumble that we don’t have enough leave days or need another holiday, we’d rather take money any day. In the same Expedia survey, seven out of 10 Singaporeans prefer a pay raise than more vacation days.

Perhaps therein lies the struggle: We’re dying for a holiday but we crave for more money. And the only way to get the dough is by working harder and proving ourselves to the bosses — and that means being on call even while on a holiday. We then whinge and moan that we feel vacation-deprived.

THE NEED TO ESCAPE

But I think that’s scratching the surface of the issue. The problem, to me at least, is geography. As a Singaporean friend of mine, who’s also an avid traveller, puts it succinctly: “(Singapore) is claustrophobic and hot and the people p*** me off so I MUST GET OUT.”

Okay, so it’s partly geography. Let’s put it this way — Ubin is no Jeju. Singaporeans have been so conditioned to be conscious of our small size and limitations that we naturally look elsewhere for our thrills. For beaches, there are better ones across the Causeway in Rawa, or in Phuket. For mountains, there are, literally and metaphorically, cooler peaks in Bandung and Cameron Highlands. I’m not trying to compare — I’m only stating the obvious because these are reasons we travel, right?

Neither am I saying that Singapore is boring. Far from it. We have so much — in fact, too much — going on in our events calendar. Because we can’t simply drive out into the countryside to see flowers bloom on a whim. But hey, there’s always the Flowers Dome at Gardens by the Bay, which is currently hosting a display of (real) cherry and plum blossoms by the way.

Singapore’s size and, consequently, high-density population amplify what I want to get away from the most: The intense pace of life here, where it feels like everyone’s rushing for something — the next appointment, the latest food fad (is it back to ramen again?), to cash in on the property downturn, register our child at a popular kindergarten, book a ride on both Uber and GrabCar to see which comes first because we simply don’t want to wait ... I don’t know what exactly we’re rushing for; maybe we’re just chasing our tails, but it’s hard to ignore with “kancheong” bosses on our backs and anxious parents to answer to. When this feels like it’s everywhere, we have nowhere else to go to except the airport. I’m sure it’s not a sheer coincidence that Iceland, with its amazingly vast open skies, spectacular screen-saver-worthy-scenery and population density of just three persons per square km, is trending heavily with Singaporean travellers.

SPOILT FOR CHOICE

Our excellent geographical location also puts us in a favourable position to zip out of this pressure cooker easily. It makes the idea of a holiday tantalisingly close — all the time.

We can be in the wineries of Western Australia with a five-hour flight, or watching the sunset from a Krabi beach with two. Thanks to low-cost airlines, direct flights to these nearby destinations aren’t that pricey. Hotels and Airbnbs in neighbouring countries needn’t be expensive either. Yes, I’d take that S$399 package for a weekend to restore my sanity and reset.

Getting out of Singapore is a chance to step out of the system, even if it’s just temporarily. Life is more colourful overseas because things are not as efficient, things are messy, things are dirty, things are different. And you realise that’s absolutely okay. People get by very well — happier and freer, more at ease and at peace sometimes.

It reminds us that the WhatsApp buzz from your friend to check out the hottest new brunch spot can wait; that the email from the boss doesn’t matter in the greater scheme of things. It’s about opening our eyes a little more to what we truly need in our lives. And in our case, it’s one more getaway, isn’t it?