However as I keep returning I know why it is. I have only had 2 organised holidays, at least what I think other people would call holidays.
I went to Lanzerote with a husband I had in another life and I did a 3 week trip across Canada and took a young man with me. Floozy that I am!
Don’t get me wrong I have travelled the world to do previous jobs, Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe and Birmingham but I have not repeated the sort of holidays my friends look forward to.
All of that though does not mean that I am unable to answer the question.
The best holiday I have been on was a weekend with my daughter a couple of winters ago she was 6.
The snow started the day before we were due to go away to “London”. We had nipped off on a day trip to London a few months before on the train but this time we were driving the whole way and staying in a Hotel in Watford. (Hence the quotes around “London”). It was just before Christmas and the snow started to fall the day before we were due to leave – it stopped in the night but then in the morning as I was casually packing things up it started to snow and it was really mad, it was laying so thick and so fast!
So that was it – “Blurt – get up if we don’t go now we won’t make it! It could get a bit scary, are you willing to give it a go? We might not get far the snow has gone mad!”
Blurt gave it a bit of thought and declared she was up for it and then she got up and made sure she had her essential cuddly companions all tucked in a sturdy bag.
We waded through the snow (in our chafing work boots) and got to the car which I had fortunately not left on the hill outside my house (I wouldn’t have got out) The car was parked on a little street with shops on it. The local shopkeepers were already out with brushes and shovels, clearing steps and cars.
Myself and Blurt were hailed by name and spotting my snowploughing suitcase that I was about to put in my car they got to work digging it out and sweeping it off. (Yes that’s the kind of town I live in – who would want to go on holiday!?)
With the car prepped by my friendly community and them waving us off, we set off into rather poor conditions, I had checked the status of the roads that I wished to travel by and I knew if I could get to the main roads we would not be at any real risk. Please don’t think I was being fool hardy with myself and my child. I also had safety equipment and shovels in the car as my normal journey to work was extensive anyway at that time and I am a be prepared sort of lassie.
This is Blurt and Connie Car at dawn a few months before the snow on our previous trip to London. Parked near the shops with the nice shopkeepers.
We were off and after the first 20 miles which were pretty rotten then things eased up and it was fairly good.
We had a great time in London for a lovely long weekend. We went to see the ballet (Beatrix Potter – Royal Opera House) and went to the German Market to see Santa and it was all lovely. We had our nails done to match our dresses. Blurt was a rich red and I was silver. Blurt got shouted at in the street for being beautiful!
There was some other chaos that ensued on that holiday with Blurt and I that involved fire escapes, us inching round the side of the hotel in the dark and a grouchy taxi driver but I’ll leave it there for now. The chaos of course is normal because as I have said before – Chaos does follow me like a little piddly puppy, but it also helps Blurt and I distinguish one trip from another in our memories.
It was an adventure, we saw new things and we had good company – the best sort of holiday.