It's Official - Britain Needs Another Holiday!

So the chances are, if you’re British, you haven’t had a holiday in far too long. Yes, you have time off work – but it’s pretty likely that you rarely go anywhere, spending a good deal of your annual leave at home. And if you’re anything like me, being at home leads to all manner of unexciting things such as doing the washing and (kill me now) ironing. It’s not good. And now there’s a name for it. Vacationitis.

When was the last time you had the chance to jet off into the sunset?

A recent study by Hilton has found that, on average, us full time workers in the UK only spend 8 of our 24 day leave allowance actually enjoying ourselves. The other 16 days are when we tackle “domestic admin” (a phrase that’s making me feel itchy already). Worse still, half of us haven’t had a holiday in over a year, with a jaw-dropping 5% being holiday deprived for 10 years or more. Of course, there’ll always be times when we’re redecorating, or waiting for a new bed/wardrobe/fridge to be delivered. But 10 years without a holiday? Not good. Last year I posted about the findings from a study by the British Heart Foundation which showed that not travelling enough was the top regret among us Brits. Better to regret something you did do than something you didn't.  And it seems to be no fluke that the people who do travel don’t tend to ever regret it. So what are we waiting for?

The current climate of economic struggles and the need to cut back on our disposable spends can certainly mean we’re unable to do all the travelling we’d wish, but with commitment and savvy planning you can still go on holiday! And if you can, you should! I’m a firm believer that a change of scene is one of the best ways to forget about the worries of trudging life’s treadmill. 

If you physically take yourself away from your problems, you can learn to let them bother you less. And there’s no better distraction than a beautiful view, a new city to explore, or the feeling of the ocean supporting your work-weary bones. A trip away is chance for you to remember that you’re more than your full-time job (even if it’s a job you love).

Two weeks of this? Don't mind if I do!

And before you start to wonder how you’ll afford a two week break in the sun – well it won’t work for everyone. And if two weeks away seems like far too long for you to be away from your reality (or possibly just from family who rely on you), the odd overnight break or weekend away can truly work wonders. Look at budget airlines and consider European cities other than the usual suspects of Paris and Rome. These are beautiful places, but it’s entirely possible you’ll get a better bargain flying to somewhere like Lisbon in Portugal or Bilbao in Spain.  Both are on my radar for bargain flight prices, and in a few months I’ll be posting about just how far I can make my money go on an upcoming three night break to the Portuguese capital.

There are also your local travel options to explore. Have you been to the museums close to where you live? Have you ever stayed in a hotel in your own city? You might be surprised by what’s on offer – many city hotels do excellent deals, and if you take a Monday off work, there’s every possibility of a cheap Sunday overnight stay, with dinner often thrown in too.

You don't necessarily need to travel far to just take the time to enjoy the good things in life

So there you go!  You really don’t have to go far to make the most of a holiday (though if you can, good for you!). It’s much more about making the choice to do something, or go somewhere purely for the purpose of enjoyment, and then to make sure you stick by your decision.

Don’t be a vacationitis statistic!

And don’t stay home doing the ironing on your day off!

Have you ever felt like you wasted your time off? And where would you suggest is a good place to visit if you can only manage a few days off work? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Understanding and Underestimating the Power of Photographs

In the beginning, writing about my travels and the thoughts that they provoked was all for me. It was a way I could keep memories alive; a way to take me back to places I loved without the need to go anywhere at all. Only when I turned my writing into this blog, did I realise something pretty fundamental. 

My photographs were rubbish!

They were mostly holiday snaps. You know, stand in front of a vaguely acceptable view with a cocktail in your hand, grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat. And while pictures like that are great for your own mementos, they just don't cut it when you put them in a post. 

A photo taken with my old camera - I still love it for that view of Venice

I've always watched other people with their cameras, and I'm guilty of thinking that maybe taking photographs was easy. It's not. But taking good pictures means you're rewarded. And in more recent trips, I've come to appreciate the mosaic of memories I've created through my snapping more than ever before.

My favourite photo of the poet Dante, in Verona

Reading travel blogs makes you see that although words can indeed be enough, a photo has an instant impact and the power of a strong image pulls the reader into the page, hungry for more. I know this because it happens to me all the time. I'm engaged by a photograph, and the words that seem to sing alongside it, manage to paint me into that picture. The combination makes me want to be there, or sometimes, believe I already am.

Trying to capture the colours of Munich, in the street outside the Cathedral

So I've upgraded my camera. And even though it's still a compact point and shoot, it's infinitely better than the digi-dinosaur I was using before. I'm also learning. When I look at the photos of blogs like Adventurous Kate, or Eurotriptips, I know I've got a long way to go, both in terms of shooting and in editing, too. So I scour travel sites I love in search of tips on photography and I try harder (even if it slows us down) when we're out and about. These days, my camera comes out with me almost all the time. Just in case. 

And when I don't have my camera, I'm using my smartphone - the potential in this is phenomenal. And with a plethora of helpful apps, I've plenty to keep me busy.

A different look at Liverpool - and a photo from a smartphone

I've started to see the world with a different eye, and it looks good! Maybe good enough for you to start to see the difference. I can only hope! In the meantime, while I'm writing up my travels from the past, don't be too disappointed with the photography (or lack, thereof). It's a learning curve, but I'm improving, I promise. 

And if you've anything to teach me I'll be entirely grateful for your photography tips!

How important is photography to you? And what advice would you give this eager to learn amateur? Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear from you!

What Top 10 Things Will You Most Regret?

The other day, my husband told me about something he'd heard on BBC radio because he knew instantly that it would strike a chord with me.  

A recent study by the British Heart Foundation has found that the number one regret amongst us Brits is that we wish we'd travelled more.

Although a similar study found that number one on our to-do list was winning the lottery (it's good to have realistic goals!), none of us seem to end up on our deathbeds reminiscing about the time we were one number away from a big win.  

Instead we wish we'd seen the Pyramids, wandered around the canals of  Venice or floated in the Dead Sea. 

Venice's Grand Canal

And while we might have other regrets, like not keeping in touch with old friends, or not working harder in school, more than anything we wish we'd just seen more of the world. (You can click here to have a look at the full list).

When I was younger, travel for me meant a single fortnight away in the sun each year on a family holiday. As I grew up, I aimed to fly away from home more than once a year. But even once I achieved that goal, I still only ever booked one trip at a time and always waited until I got home before I attempted to line up the next one. In a peculiar way, I think it's because I felt guilty somehow. Like I should be spending my money on something else, even though I wasn't sure what.

Now I've decided life's simply too short. I know I already save for the future, so what's so wrong with spending the money I can, taking advantage of cheap flight deals when I find them? And instead of weighing up whether to click "book now" for a few days or even longer (and sometimes watching that cheap deal slip away), now I just do it.

The Sacre Coeur in Paris

I'm not planning on embarking on a round the world trip and giving up my job - it works for some and I admire them for it, truly enjoying a good read of  their travel tales. But this is my life, and my time. I'll do what it takes to make me happy, and I'm fine travelling around my work commitments. For me, this means I never have to work whilst I'm travelling and can always enjoy the experience as a holiday. 

It doesn't matter that I'm not travelling full time, it's just a privilege to travel at all. And I'm happy to say that I've started as I mean to go on, so when I breathe my last breath, I'll have a mind full of memories. And although I might not see all of the world in the end, I'll know I tried and I'll rest assured I won't be regretting all those cheap flights I booked.

What about you? As always, I'd love to hear your comments.

Making My Peace With Part-Time Travel

I thought it might be ever so slightly difficult for me to write this, because I’m still a little afraid to admit my truth. You see, much as I love to hear about the adventures of others and get a buzz from reading the thoughts of many a round the world travel blogger, I actually have no great wish to go backpacking.

I am proud to be a part time traveller.

My weekend "backpack"

I don’t know if you’ll take me seriously when I tell you that I never took a gap year because I never wanted to. Maybe you think this makes me a tourist and not a traveller? I hope I can be a bit of both. That’s my plan.

I don’t spend my working day wishing I could pack it all in and set off around the globe indefinitely. I just spend my lunchtimes taking on line inspiration from the experiences of others and planning where my next wave of annual leave or a forthcoming bank holiday weekend could take me.

You might think I’m mad for having a full time job; that it keeps me from seeing the world. I think it simply funds my exploits so that I can see the world chunk by chunk in my own style, and affords me a few home comforts along the way. Of course, I still have to cut my cloth according to my means, but I am sure all travellers would agree that you can go anywhere on any budget. Your experiences might be different to someone with twice as much, or half as little as you, but they’ll be your adventures (however adventurous you are) and they’ll be as rewarding as you want to make them.

So for now, I’ll keep recounting my tales and tips from my part time travels, but I’ll also keep looking to all you full time round the world nomads for my lunchtime inspiration.

For the record, my next jaunt is to fair Verona and I can’t wait to tell you all about it on my return.

Then, after that who knows?

The world is everyone’s oyster. How you see it is up to you.

How do you get to see the world? I’d love to know.