We usually go away at Easter-time and more often than not
the great British weather is good to us. Easter and Christmas are my
favourite breaks because they are the only time of year I take holiday and my
desk looks exactly as I left it when I return to the office. For this reason I
find I switch off completely to enjoy the break I have embarked on
with my family.
This year we took our caravan to a site just a short
fifteen minute drive away. Having packed wellies, jumpers, shorts, sandals and
sunscreen we prepared for all the elements the great British weather
might have in store for us. The fridge was replenished with some delightful
treats, we stocked up on loo roll and we filled every nook of the caravan with
the things we might need whilst away. I took a look at our blossom tree as we
pulled away from the house and thought what a late bloomer we have.
Now, I wouldn’t like to labour under any misapprehensions
here – I am a lady who likes her creature comforts and when we first bought the
caravan last summer, I wasn’t quite sure it would be for me. The thought of me,
my husband and the three kids in such a confined space can sometimes fill me
with dread – after all we have one child on the cusp of adolescence and another
having just exited toddler stages. However, several caravan trips down the
line, it is safe to say I rather enjoy our breaks away in it.
Being a relative newbie to caravan and camping life some
things do still surprise me. For example, our first morning on site, 9.00am on
Good Friday, our middle child decided she needed to grace the toilet block. A
rule in our caravan is that there are no ‘number twos’ in the caravan toilet
(emergencies are permitted and having a three year old it is sometimes hard to
enforce this rule as things can often happen without forewarning). I took
daughter number two over to the large block which vaguely resembled a cattle
shed (although it is quite a luxurious block with lots of home comforts) and as
we walked back across the site to the caravan, the mildew from the grass
invading the sliders on our feet and the birds chattering in the spring morning
sunshine, the first mental note I made was how many of the sites inhabitants
still appeared to be sleeping. This is a good reflection of how relaxed our
trip was to be. Everyone seems to run to their own order in their own time
which makes the holiday less hectic. With three children, although being on
holiday is mostly wonderful it can also be exhausting, particularly when said
children want to do and see everything within the first nineteen minutes of
arriving at any holiday destination.
Drinking my first cup of tea of the day and looking out
over the site I noticed many of our fellow campers wondering to and from the
toilet block in their pyjamas, dressing gowns and other bedtime attire.
Admittedly when we made our visit earlier that morning, daughter number two and
I had our pyjamas and a jumper on. I did feel a little self conscious walking
across a field without my daytime clothes on and I did find I had wrapped my arms
around myself subconsciously to contain parts of me that usually require
restraining by my clothes. However, I soon realised that this was part of
caravan and camping life and no matter what site you go to, it will always be
acceptable to walk around in your nightwear. Furthermore, it can be a source of
mild amusement whilst observing others over your first cup of tea of the day.
I made sure that I packed a couple of reading books, my
notepad and sketching pencils for the break. I did find myself once or twice
with time to sit in the sunshine, as the weather was kind to us on this
occasion, so I took the rare opportunity to do some reading, writing and
drawing in the peaceful warmth of the sun. I looked over from time to time to
the pool nearby where my husband was teaching the children how to fish. I felt
a kind of ease and contentment I haven’t felt for a while. That was until it
was disturbed by a scream from my eldest. My gut somersaulted as I pictured her
falling into the pool, something which wouldn’t have at all surprised me her
being the clumsiest nut I know. I was afraid to look up to where the scream had
emanated from but having remembered I hadn’t heard a ‘splash’ I was relieved to
see that her scream was induced by her fear of the live maggots her dad was
trying to teach her to put on the fishing hook. My hammering heart having
resumed a more natural beat, I turned back to my task.
One of the main reasons I love being away in the
caravan is because the children seem to have a freedom like they have nowhere
else. During our break they would ride their scooters and bikes, they made new
friends and they were happy in the outdoors. Our mealtimes were often
obscure but it fit in with our temporary routine and although bedtime was often
later, so was waking up time. There was ice cream and milkshakes galore and a
visit from the Easter Bunny meant that we had copious amounts of chocolate to
devour. The children even managed to coerce their dad into joining in an Easter
Egg Hunt which ended in a debate amongst the parents about a typographical
error on the trail making the final puzzle difficult to decipher. I think the
physical and mental stimulation did everyone some good.
Looking around me one of the afternoons, content after a meal and a glass of wine, the sun was shining. I noticed the trees had now fully regrown their leaves after the winter, the grass seemed greener and daisies dotted around me. I realised then that I enjoy being away in the caravan so much because it’s such a simple life away from the complexities of the everyday. No matter whether we have travelled near or far, each time I have reached a contentment I rarely get when I am at home. As we returned home I looked up at our blossom tree and it was in full bloom, beautiful and vibrant and as though it was fully awake after a long autumn/winter. It was reflective of how I felt after our break away – recharged, bright and energetic. Who needs to go to a tropical destination when you can feel so rejuvenated having visited all corners of our country in your own home from home? So a luxury break or the great outdoors – I will take both because the great outdoors can be just the luxury break you need.
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