Holidays at Home

by Michael Smith (Veshengro), RFA

Seeing the impact the so-called “Credit Crunch” appears to be having on the finances on the individual, and not the individual alone, and also the rising costs of food and gasoline, it is my opinion that we shall, beginning with the year 2008, see the return to people taking their vacation more at home than at resorts or abroad.

Parks and Open Spaces will, I am sure, be more in use this summer, that is to say 2008, and if the money situation is anything to go by, also in years to come.

With the rising fuel costs and the increase of the general cost of living, from food to taxes, people are going to be turning the penny around a few times before they are going to spend it. Therefore, vacation at home may just be the result. Those that have a nice home and a nice garden I have never been able to understand as to why they would, not only spend the money, but the time and effort, to travel abroad for a for a few weeks holiday and then return more exhausted than when they left.

I remember before the times of the package holidays and the cheap flights to all over the world that people vacationed at home, in their own gardens, or those in the urban areas on their allotments, or went for a day or so to the seaside, and such. Others, especially the working classes that had the funds had a caravan by the seaside or some hitched up a caravan and went on holiday travelling about. Yet again others went on cycling tours with tent, including with their children. But even caravanning probably is out with the rise of fuel costs.

People who could not afford to go away or did not want to stayed, as said, at home in their own gardens, if they had such, or on their allotments, or went to the local parks and open spaces as much as possible.

Seeing the current economic climate, in the United Kingdom as much as in the United States and elsewhere, with the rising cost of living, of fuel, of food, of everything it would seem, it is more and more likely now that with the summer of 2008 we may just see a beginning of the “stay at home” holidays again.

Not a bad thing either, I am sure. Aside from saving money the local parks and open spaces will, once again, see a real resurgence of and in use and the powers that be might then be more reluctant to even think of getting rid off parks and open spaces. The other good thing of the “stay at home” vacations is the fact that such holidays put less of an impact on the environment (do take your litter home with you from your visit to the park and the woods please) in that there is less fuel used, and that aside from the money that is being saved. This saved money, or at least part of it, can then be spent in the local economy, at home.

Aside from the Parks and the Open Spaces in preparation for the “stay at home” vacations the garden centers and such stores will, I am sure, also find a lot of people visiting.

Allotments finally could find takers again as well. While in some parts of this country there is a waiting list for allotments in other parts, such as in some of the London Boroughs and other areas you cannot give a plot away. Entire allotment garden areas lie empty and overgrown. What a possibility for a real nice garden colony where to spend one's vacation close to home.

The Parks Departments and their staff will, in times like this if and when people will vacation at home, as just might happen this year, have their work cut out as, aside from the good people visiting parks in such instances, there are also always those that have to misbehave. On the other hand the simple pressure that an influx of a great number of people – more people that there have been for ages – puts onto the Parks and Park Staff will mean that, at times, litter may not be removed from areas as fast as people might like.

Again here the admonishment to all: Please, as far as possible, take your refuse home with you and do not leave it in the countryside or the park. If a litter bin is full do not put your bags of litter on top. It gets blown off, or taken off by wildlife, and scattered all over the area.

During the hot spells do not light or barbecues in parks, open spaces or woodlands. Aside from the fact that in most cases this is against the laws or bylaws it is also a fire hazard.

Leave wildlife alone and no, Bambi is not abandoned. His mother will be back soon. Do not touch him. If you do his mother may definitely abandon him and he will die.

Aside from this: enjoy your holiday in the parks and open spaces in our towns and our countryside, but please follow the Countrycode.

A “stay at home” holiday, with visits to the local parks and open spaces, as well as the local attractions – and there are more than you might think, regardless where you may live – is much more beneficial to you, and not just in respect to your pocketbook, as well as to Mother Nature (as long as you respect Her when you are out and about in the countryside during such a “stay at home” vacation.

Save money and reduce your environmental footprint (I refuse to call it carbon footprint or CO2 footprint) and have a relaxing time by having a “Holiday at Home”.

© M Smith (Veshengro), May 2008