Aah the promise of a holiday, some time away from the nitty gritty of everyday life. While foreign travel might be off the agenda for most of us, there’s the enticing prospect of a staycation (even if there’s no guarantee of 24/7 sunshine). Whether staycation, camping trip, AirBnB or a hotel break by the seaside, just the prospect of doing something a little bit different sounds rather appealing!
So when we came across Laura Craik’s article Are you a staycation cliché in a recent issue of Sunday Times Style, we knew that we had to share excerpts. So funny! She says…. Step away from the hot tub! Laura Craik identifies 2021s minibreak tribes. (Prepare to recognise yourself).
• The happy glampers: Tom and Penny just love the great outdoors. Hiking, trekking, walking and wild swimming are pursuits that make them happy, provided the wild swim takes place between May and September, when the water isn’t too cold. They’ve never been fussed about fancy foreign holidays: it’s the simple life for them. Their ideal holiday? A good old-fashioned, back-to-nature camping trip: just sling some Hunter wellies and Craghoppers fleeces into the Osprey rucksack and off they go. Nothing beats the sound of rain pitter-pattering on canvas. Well, provided the canvas is erected by someone else and contains mattresses, throws, cute little sheepskin rugs and some fairy lights. Tom’s back isn’t what it was and sleeping bags play havoc with Penny’s perimenopause. A feather duvet it is then.
• The festival teens: Lila, Lola and Lou have had a terrible year. The pandemic has been so terribly tough for teenagers, keeping them in their bedrooms and robbing them of all the usual social skills bar the ability to Snapchat all night on their iPhone 12s. And if these new mutant strains keep surfacing, they may not even be able to go on a gap year. Which is why their parents have promised that if they do well in their A-levels – or even if they don’t – they’ll be able to go to Reading Festival. Lou’s Dad is an A&R head in the music industry, so getting tickets was a cinch. On August Bank Hol, they’re off to see Yungblud, Baby Queen, Digga D and loads of other acts they’ve never really heard of, with a contraband bottle of Smirnoff and a rucksack full of ketamine.
• Hot tub Harriet: Truth be told, Harriet isn’t that bothered if she can’t jet off abroad this summer. Flying makes her nervous. Besides, there are so many picturesque places in England to visit that you can enjoy without the faff of foreign currency. She’ll go anywhere, really – cottage, lodge, B&B, log cabin – provided it has one particular amenity: it has got to have a hot tub While other holidaymakers thirst for exotic beaches and clear blue seas, all Harriet wants is to pop on her swimming costume, tie up her hair with a scrunchie and settle into the hot tub with a glass of prosecco, where she will happily sit until long after the sun goes down, then emerge reeking of strong chlorine.
• Other than to ski, Neil doesn’t know why anyone bothers going abroad. Why would you, when you’ve got Cornwall on your doorstep? Every August without fail, he and his family pack a suitcase full of Billabong (Neil), Boden (his wife), Outerknown and Hurly (his teenage sons) and drive down to the St Endoc Hotel in Rock. Once there, they feast on Rick Stein’s seafood in nearby Padstow, surf to their heart’s content and party the night away to Nineties house, a source of contention for Neil’s sons, who would really rather their Dad didn’t throw weird shapes on the dancefloor. Or dye his hair. Or steal their Vissla hoodies.
• Sarah who once went to Space: Sarah loves Ibiza. I mean, sure, everyone loves Ibiza – but Sarah really loves it. She discovered it long before the Russians, and remembers its authentic side – when it was all about coffee at Anita’s, languorous yoga classes and trepanning. And Space. Did she tell you she used to go to Space? Now that was a club. While Sarah is holding out hope that the White Isle will soon be Covid-free and opening up to tourists, she has booked a long weekend at the Selina in Brighton as an insurance policy. It’s a new hotel whose website talks about digital nomads and features photos of drunk people in kaftans. She has packed a selection of boho maxidresses, and a Loewe x Paula’s Ibiza basket bag and is ready to party. Brighton isn’t Beefa, but it has a beach, bars and boho vibes aplenty – her phrase, not Brighton’s
Futon Company says: Frankly, after more than a year in and out of lockdown, the prospect of leaving the house sounds really, really exciting! Even if it’s just a day trip to the beach or a hang-out in the park. Wherever your destination of choice, there are plenty of sleepover staples that are guaranteed to bring a holiday vibe to your trip!
