Last year I joined a fabulous group of women for a global writing challenge—Gail from Is This Mutton (UK) Deb from Deb’sWorld (Australia), Jill from Grown Up Glamour, Mary Katherine from MK’s Adventures in Style (USA), Penny from Frugal Fashion Shopper (UK), Australian blogger Sue Loncaric from Women Living Well After 50, Leslie Clingan from Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After and Marsha from Marsha In The Middle. On the third Thursday of every month we’ll respond to the prompt “Tell Us About XXX” which could cover any subject matter. It could be a blog post with opinions or memories; a poem, photos, anything at all. Last month, the challenge was BLOGGING and was prompted by Deb. This month, Mary Katherine chose the brilliant prompt of… HOLIDAYS & VACATIONS.
When you’re British, the word “holiday” doesn’t conjure up thoughts of Thanksgiving or Christmas, but rather the excitement of packing your bags, setting your out-of-office email, and heading off for some well-deserved time away. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good holiday? Growing up, I certainly did, though my early holidays were far from the jet-setting adventures I dream of now.
Back in the day, our family holidays were quintessentially British – think rainy Cleethorpes in a rented caravan, where we’d huddle up with hot cups of tea while the rain pattered against the tin roof. It might not have been glamorous, but those simple breaks have their own charm, don’t they? There’s something special about playing cards with family, reading a good book while wrapped in a blanket, or taking a stroll along a windy beach.
But things changed when my dad scored big on the football pools. Suddenly, our holidays went from wet and windy to warm and sunny. We found ourselves exploring new horizons, from the sun-drenched beaches of Malta to the vibrant streets of the Canary Islands, Tunisia, and even Barbados. Ah, Barbados – now that was a holiday to remember!
Barbados had its fair share of excitement. Picture this: my mum almost drowning, only to be rescued by a very helpful British man. It was one of those moments where time seems to slow down, but fortunately, it ended well, thanks to that quick-thinking stranger. And who could forget the flying fish that seemed to leap out of the sea just for us? Or the time my mum, sister, and I got our hair braided, complete with those little beads on the ends – we thought we were the epitome of cool!
But not all our memories were picture-perfect. One night, we were rudely awakened by a thief who’d broken into our place. To this day, the thought that he might have been hiding under one of our beds sends a shiver down my spine. My dad, in a heroic (but somewhat misguided) moment, chased the guy down the road – stark naked! Luckily, the thief didn’t get away with much, but that night is forever etched in my memory.
A few years later, we took a holiday to the Algarve, and it was there that my parents decided to make a life-changing decision – they moved us there! Suddenly, every day felt like a holiday, which meant our actual holidays became a bit of a rarity. But I didn’t mind too much – after all, we were living the dream in a place where others came to escape their everyday lives.
My next real holiday didn’t come until I was 19 and had been with Michael for about three years. And where did we choose to go? Back to England! There’s something comforting about going home, isn’t there? At least at that time, it kind of felt like going home. Now…it really doesn’t lol. But then I have lived here for almost 40 years!! We followed that up a few years later with our honeymoon, and can you guess where we went? Yep, England again! We spent it in the stunning Lake District, where we were blown away by the beauty of the place – though not so thrilled with the need to pay for parking everywhere. (It was a bit of a shock considering parking was free everywhere in the Algarve back then – how times have changed!)
As time went on, our holidays became a bit more adventurous. We’ve had the pleasure of exploring the breathtaking landscapes of Canada, from the Rockies in Alberta and British Columbia to the vibrant cities of Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. Canada really is an incredible place – so vast, so diverse, and so full of wonder.
We’ve also made our way across the States, ticking off cities like New York, Las Vegas, Boston, and Washington D.C., and everything in between. One of my all-time favourite holidays was our trip to Universal Studios in Florida. I was so excited when we arrived that I actually cried – and I was well into my 40s at the time! There’s just something about the magic of those theme parks that brings out the kid in all of us.
Closer to home, we’ve loved exploring the beauty of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales – each with its own unique charm and breathtaking scenery. And let’s not forget the charm of Europe. We’ve taken in the stunning landscapes of Switzerland, the rich history of Germany, and the romantic allure of France. There’s nothing quite like hiring a car and driving for miles, with the open road ahead and endless scenery to soak in.
These days, with our house build taking up most of our time and money, we haven’t had the chance for any proper holidays. But that hasn’t stopped us from dreaming! Once the dust has settled and we’re back on our feet, I can’t wait to hit the road again. My next big adventure? I’m eyeing up the west coast of the States – I’ve got my heart set on visiting Universal and Disney in LA, then taking that long, scenic drive all the way up to Seattle.
And the list doesn’t stop there! I’m dreaming of seeing the majestic Norwegian Fjords, exploring the natural wonders of Iceland, indulging in the culinary delights of Italy, and, well… pretty much everywhere else! Because for me, travel isn’t just about the destinations – it’s about the memories, the stories, and the sense of wonder that comes with every journey.
So here’s to holidays – may we all have many more adventures to look forward to, and may we never lose our love for the great escape!
Gail from Is This Mutton always kept a journal of her holidays as a child and shares some excerpts, including what the wallpaper looked like at a 1970s Bournemouth hotel. https://www.isthismutton.com
For this month’s prompt ‘vacations and holidays’ Leslie has chosen to write about the consequences of a particular trip home to Tennessee in 1997. You can read the details on her blog, here. https://onceuponatimehappilyeverafter.com/
Marsha is about to set out on an adventure with a friend. They’re visiting Ireland and Scotland for a whopping 16 days! But, that’s not what she’s writing about. Instead, she’s recounting the wonderful experience she and Nigel had riding on Amtrak! https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Debbie wonders if life is one big holiday after retirement. Her blog’s tagline is ‘Midlife – travel, fun adventure’ so holidays are an important part of her life. She reminisces on some fabulous holidays over the years. Deb’sWorld
Penny has looked back at her Tell us About Travel and sees she promised a Part 2. Well, here it is. And she thinks there might be a Part 3 in there somewhere! Click on this link to read all about it https://frugalfashionshopper.co.uk/
Jill is exploring the difference between travelling and holidays. www.grownup-glamour.com
Mary Katherine chose this month’s topic, as travel is just about her favourite thing. She reminisces about a couple of memorable trips from the distant past this month at https://mksadventure.com/
