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The Victorian leisured classes started off holidaying as we know it today, often heading seaside to places like Brighton and Hastings to “take the air” or to cities such as Tunbridge Wells and Bath, to take the equally healing waters. Holidays abroad are a relatively recent invention, first via steam ships - my mum remembers her first trip abroad to Ibiza in the 1950’s when there was just one hotel and one taxi on the island - how things have changed!

The advent of air travel in the 1960s initiated the huge boom of package holidays which has gained popularity and momentum ever since, and the choice of traditional Mediterranean destinations has expanded to encompass the most glamorous cities and remotest outposts of the globe. The choice of where to go, how to get there and what to do when you arrive has never been greater, but if considering travel abroad one thing is certain - it is going to be pricey.

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HOLIDAYSA change is as good as a rest, as they say, and this is never more true when it comes to summertime and that all-important break from routine - the Summer Holiday!

The idea of summer holidays are deeply entrenched in our collective history. When schools for all were established in Victorian times, long summer holidays were vital to free up children to help bring the harvest home. Even though few children head to the countryside to help on the farms these days, the longest holiday of the year has become something of an institution in itself, bringing with it expectations of quality time, rest, recuperation, adventure, fun and a healthy dose of wellbeing.

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With times of austerity hitting the pockets of many families it is worth looking again at the traditional summer holiday model and wondering if its key qualities of adventure, fun, rest and well-being can be achieved on a budget, or even by a well-planned stay-cation.

Time is in many ways our greatest commodity and a summer holiday, even if we stay at home can give us this. We have a week, maybe two, to down tools, turn off the computer, ditch the routine, and make the most of the simple things in life peppered, perhaps, with a little luxury. Perhaps a visit to a local spa or night or two in a local town, a day out with the kids, a walk ending up with a cold shandy in a country pub, a trip to London…. A properly planned a stay-cation could offer all the relaxation of getting away without the time and cost of travel itself.

If however, a holiday away from home, is within financial reach, it is worth considering a visit to

your local travel agent to explore the options and offers open to you. Whilst the internet initially caused a slump in demand for traditional travel agent services, according to Emma from Baldwins in Uckfield, people are being drawn back to the security and support the travel agent can offer when booking a holiday.

Early bird bookings, travelling outside school holidays and making a careful choice of destination can all help reduce the cost of holidays abroad. A few years ago the European refugee crisis put many holiday makers off visiting the Greek Islands for instance, but it has since boomed in popularity. On the other hand Turkey is attracting less interest this year meaning there are lots of good value holidays still on offer for this destination on the High Street.

Whatever you do, wherever you go or don’t go, remember that ultimately your summer holiday represents time. Time for you, time for family and friends, time to catch up with yourself in this often too-busy world, time to discover more about the world around you perhaps - there is no reason why a small market town on the other side of the world is any more interesting than the one you live in .

Stay-cation = get up late, eat breakfast in bed, go to the beach, have a glass of wine at lunch, , eat a dinner outside by lantern-light. Doesn’t sound too bad does it? So let’s go for it, let’s switch off the TV, the internet, put the phone on silent. It is summer. Long awaited summer. Nature is at her best. Let’s get out there. The day is yours. The sun is shining. Anything could happen. Happy Holidays.

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To advertise call 01825 705066 or e-mail adverts@uckfieldmatters.co.uk

MATTERBy Michelle Pearce

“Wherever you go - or don’t go - remember that

your summer holiday represents time: Time for you, time for family and friends, time to catch up

with yourself in this often too-busy world; time to

discover more about the world around you.”

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