Holistic Holidays

If we take the dictionary definition of holiday then we know it is derived from Holy Day – a day set aside for worship, contemplation and commemoration of special events.
These days, however, we interpret a holiday as leisure time away from work and our every day surroundings that we can devote to relaxation and pleasure. But how often these days do our holidays deliver true relaxation or pleasure? Aren’t most types of traditional holiday more likely to be fraught and stressful rather than soothing and restful… or far too costly either in financial or environmental terms. What fun is there in traipsing half way across the country, fractious children in tow, to an airport to be herded onto a plane to another airport to be herded yet again onto a coach to the concrete monstrosity that has been sold to us as the perfect holiday “village”. Hemmed in and swamped by others engaging in the sad beach towel sun bed territory marking ritual and whiling away days of acute disappointment on overcrowded beaches. The closest you get to local culture is the ubiquitous Irish or Sports bar where everything comes with greasy chips and ketchup including the paella. Blissful? Far from it but that is what an awful lot of people settle for because it looks, initially at least, to be cheap and the weather is likely to be good. Time for a rethink.
If a change is going to be as good as a rest then let’s be sure that we find a holiday that scores highly for everyone in our party without it costing a fortune or resulting in disappointment, squabbles and discord. And rather than wait a whole year for one fortnight away why not look to take long weekends throughout the year to refresh and restore ourselves? Let’s remove the pressure to conform and follow the herd and do our own thing instead. We only get to live that week or fortnight once… let’s make the best of it we can.

Where to begin?
If you are simply choosing a holiday for yourself then, quite literally, the world is your oyster. But if you are single, especially newly single for whatever reason, then travelling alone isn’t always what it is cracked up to be. It takes confidence and whilst it may seem safer there is nothing worse than being the lone singleton on a holiday designed for couples and families. It can be much better if you set out instead to meet lots of other largely compatible people of both sexes who are in the same boat. No, not 18-30 or other such commercial singles holidays but holidays that could see you spending a week working as part of a volunteer team restoring old stone walls in the Peak District or learning to sail, taking a walking or cycling break in another part of the country.
Or if cooking is your passion, trying one of the brilliant cookery and gastro holidays on offer which could see you trying your hand at many new dishes as well as developing your skills. Then there are practical arts and crafts based holidays, climbing and orienteering holidays. Or perhaps you’ve yearned to book yourself on a detox break where you can spend a long weekend or a week learning how to take better care of your body, de-stressing and cleansing your system, losing weight or building up your fitness levels. Maybe you’ve always wanted to focus on yoga or pilates or are ready to start on a journey of learning to practise NLP, EFT or Reiki. Or perhaps you fancy joining a women’s only or men’s only camp. And don’t forget the myriad festivals taking place which can make for a brilliant change of scene and pace. Then there are sports based breaks with coaching and training – if you fancy brushing up your tennis skills or learning to fence or trying white water rafting or kayaking or surfing come to that. Or if you are in search of new cultures and have an interest in history, nature, and exploration there are numerous small group guided tours to all parts of the world including many that have strong eco credentials.
If you are seeking holiday ideas for family, friends or groups then interesting options on your doorstep include rentals of large country houses which are brilliant for a shared holiday or they can accommodate a group of you for a retreat or residential course if you have like-minded friends who’d like to share it. An example, The Old Mine House in Dartmoor National Park can sleep 20 and is offered on a fully catered or a self catering basis. www.oldminehouse-dartmoor.co.uk There are similar options available on Exmoor and in small coastal villages throughout the region.
Groups with children to take into account might consider finding a well located camp site and booking pitches together so that you create your own camp within the campsite. Children love camping and will enjoy the freedom you can allow them away from busy roads. You can also organise group games and share the cooking between your various friends. This is a fabulous low cost kind of holiday which is seriously good for single parents who might not take their kids camping if it means being the only adult in the party. Camp sites also tend to attract friendly types and you can usually bet on your children making new friends and sharing games with others. If your budget stretches to it you might even consider booking onto a site with ready pitched teepees or finding a site with an organised week of family activities. It is worth delving into. If you live in the countryside then think about taking a break in London or in another great city. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can find short term flats to rent in good areas which mean you can save money by cooking some of your own meals or, at least, making your own picnic lunches. The extra space is good too if you have children with you. There are countless things to do in London that cost nothing at all – like visits to great museums and galleries, markets, sightseeing on foot, as well as lovely parks and open spaces to see. Coach travel is relatively inexpensive and you can also get good deals with advance purchases of rail tickets. Well worth looking at especially if the children are aged between eight and twelve.
There are also a number of organisations offering retreats which focus on special interests like, for example, a Devon based detox retreat is offered by Karuna. This is a great idea for friends who wish to resolve weight or addiction problems or to simply slow down and learn how relax properly.
Others may choose to book a weekend’s riding or rock climbing – or, if the budget really isn’t available to do much at all, simply take yourself out walking and exploring for whole days at a time. This is the peak time for booking holidays… so why not let your imagination run away with you. Get online at home or in the library and see what you can find that grabs you!