Holidays when younger
For the first 8 years of my life all of our holidays were your typical UK holiday - Pontins, Butlins etc. It'd be quite the family affair with people coming from all over the country to get together and enjoy some time away from the hustle and bustle of every day life.
I have fond memories of staying in chalets, taking part in the donkey derby, bike rides and swimming competitions.
It was very full on, but so much fun, and those holidays were a really lovely part of childhood for me.
Our first holiday abroad was to Spain with my dad. We could only go because he had been working away to earn more money for the family, that was in 1982. We actually flew from Southend Airport as well, which was one of the smallest airports at that time.
(Me on a horse in Spain)
Our second holiday abroad was to Majorca, we stayed in a relative's flat, with no immediate access to a swimming pool or anything - we had to walk down to another complex to swim or opt for the beach instead. I'll never forget it as my poor brother got so badly burnt at the beginning of the holiday that his back turned into one giant blister! Though comical in a way to now look back on - he's ginger and should have been more prepared 🤣 - child me definitely didn't think so and believed he ruined the holiday completely, as lots of shade was required thereafter.
Way back when it was quite normal for the majority of family holidays to take place in the UK, the "staycation" trend now was just the norm back then and getting on a plane to travel hundreds, if not thousands, of miles was the anomaly. Now that seems to be the other way around.
What do you remember from holidays for your childhood? How does it differ from what your children have experienced in theirs?
For me those Butlins and Pontins holidays are like the pinnacle of British childhood, I think anyone who's never experienced one is missing out! It's almost like a rite of passage. There are more of these types of places popping up now - with options such as Haven, Parkdean Resorts, Hoseasons, and many more... each one seems to have something extra to offer and those traditional UK family park holidays have gone from standard seems and craft clubs to horse riding, rock climbing, paragliding, you name it, someone does it! All of the activities you would once only access elsewhere is now available on your doorstep.
Alfie has been very lucky to see so much of the world already, but we make sure to reiterate to him just how fortunate he is to do so. We do what we can to find the best deals though, to make use of money saving tips and tricks, and get them as low-cost as possible, so it doesn't necessarily mean it's costing more than a UK holiday would do.
What was your favourite holiday when you were younger?