Staycation

Unless you are a teacher or parent the only warning of any upcoming school holidays is the dramatic hike in flight and holiday prices. If you live in the Westcountry the first physical sign is often the increase in traffic jams often caused by the number of slow moving caravans blocking up the roads. The early arrival of this years Easter and the poorer than average weather forecast did not deter British tourists from packing up their cars and heading to various UK destinations. The appeal of keeping it local has been significantly increased as a result of the recent terror threats in Europe, at least that is having a positive impact on local businesses.

It is usually the appeal of some “guaranteed” sunshine that lures me back to the airport to catch a flight for a foreign holiday. After the busy travel fuelled past few months my own bed and home cooking had a much stronger appeal than a sandy beach. I embraced a “staycation” and actually unpacked my wash bag for the first time since the beginning of February, it was the most uplifting and refreshing experience.

The challenge of holidaying at home is switching off. Two separate trips with family and friends to a local spa for some indulgence significantly helped with this, complimented by a mini shopping spree and plenty of spring fresh air. We are so absorbed in our day to day lives with the constant bombardment of jobs to do, social media to be distracted by and friends to keep up with that it is easy to ignore what we have on our doorstep. Previously I struggled to understand the thinking behind a staycation, now I am already looking to book my summer holiday, at home.