That is the dilemma facing most of us at this time. The UK government is yet to decide whether to change the May 17th for international travel and even then the list of destinations that UK residents can travel to is likely to be limited. So we are faced with 1982 eternal dilemma of staying or going. The original release hit No.17 in the UK charts, whilst the re-release in 1991 made it to No.1. Unlike The Clash who waitied 10 years before asking the question for a second time, we here on Travellogs have only waited 10 months. Let’s hope we get to a choice of whether we go
Our postings on Travellogs focus on the going, so this time round we are going to look at the advantages of staying.
Like for like on the whole the cost of a UK holiday for most of us is cheaper than abroad. No airport parking charges, transfers at the other end, holiday insurance just to name a few additional costs. In addition the value of the pound has fallen since Brexit so that holiday abroad would have cost you more this year anyway.
In the UK we actually have some really beautiful scenery. We covered the Scottish 500 mile route awhile back. The views are breathtaking. For those of you who have watched the excellent TV series “Hinterland”* or “The Bay” cannot have helped being moved by the beautiful beaches and magnificent mountain views of West Wales and Lancashire respectively.
There is so much history and most of us have hardly touched it as we have been more focused on travelling abroad. You might be familiar with the more obvious historical sites like Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, the Roman Baths or Edinburgh Castle, but consider places a little less famous like Wells Cathedral in Somerset. We have a tremendous industrial heritage here in the UK. Why not visit the Big Pit in South Wales and go down into a real coal mine, visit the Black Country Museum and see what life was like for working families 100 years ago.
For your French or Italian cuisine, we export cheese and spirits all over the world. Why not take some time out to sample some great British food. In recent years there has been an explosion in craft beers, small dairies, bakeries, sausage makers, just to name a few. This plus all the tradition British foods, like Cornish Pasties, Eccles Cakes and the like, your eyes and stomach will be well taken care of. Can you really beat freshly cooked fish and chips eaten from the wrapper as you stroll along the prom. Finally there are many world class restaurants here on our doorstep.
This past year has been stressful enough so why don’t you just stay in the UK, no PCR checks, no need to apply for a new passport, or a visa, does my insurance cover me for x, y and z or even have the kennels or cattery got spaces. What is the new luggage allowance on my low cost airline, is my suitcase the right size. No problem in the UK take the kitchen sink with you.
Actually, the rail network is very efficient in the UK and booking in advance and off peak makes it a reasonable option if you want to do a long trip and aren’t planning to travel far when you get there. There are a range of railcards that will give you significant savings. Taking your own car will mean that you are not having to worry about learning to drive a hire car, that you have never heard of, never mind sat in before if you want to get out and about.
For a small country we actually have a lot to offer, just think about our wonderful National Parks and stunning coastline and at the end of the day you are bound to find a pub to suit all tastes.
Contact Maggie today to help you plan and book your UK break this year.
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