|
Moonsail Limited
Making Words Work For You |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The English Seaside Holiday
Stripy deckchairs, fish & chips, the bandstand, the pier, fresh seafood stalls, Walls ice-cream bricks, amusement arcades, saucy postcards, crab-fishing from the jetty, cream teas, Punch & Judy, sandcastles: all essential, timeless ingredients for the perfect seaside holiday in the UK.
Prior to launching Moonsail in 2004, my career had been spent mostly in the airline industry which meant plenty of travel opportunities. As well as trips all round the US and Caribbean (I worked for a US airline), there were trips to Europe, plus cheap deals to be had on other airlines to places like India and Australia. It was whilst working in this industry that I met my wife – we got married on Crane Beach in Barbados.
Since starting our own family we have ventured abroad a couple of times (to Cyprus and Spain) but to be honest, we’re finding ourselves more and more attracted to holidaying in the UK. And I want to make an important point here: It’s not just because it’s ‘easier’ (ie, not having to fly). It’s because we’re realising that, through travelling abroad for so many years, we’ve missed out on one of life’s great pleasures: the English Seaside Holiday.
We took our first UK holiday back in 2000 – a week in the Isle of Wight. It was a place where we both had fond memories of highly-enjoyed childhood holidays. Going in the first week of May was a slight gamble weatherwise but we got lucky and actually managed to get sunburned on Shanklin beach several days running.
When daughter no.1 came along, we ventured to Cyprus the first year then headed to Swanage in Dorset for the second – another fondly-remembered childhood holiday resort. We were plagued with bad weather but memory pales this inconvenience into insignificance – it was still a great holiday.
On a week in Southwold one July we had rain EVERY day. But of course when you do get a fine day, it’s a revelation – you’re keen to soak up every last drop of sun because tomorrow it might rain. Whereas if you go somewhere like Spain, you pretty much know the weather will be fine so you end up taking it for granted – perhaps even complaining about the heat and the glare of the sun (after all, we are English).
But here, even if it does rain, there’s something quite comforting about stiff sea breezes or cozy afternoons by the fire (in June this was…) drying your clothes and waiting for the rain to stop. Next week we’re off to Dorset for another family holiday and celebration of a milestone birthday for me. Watching the weather forecast, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for sun and blue skies – but with the young family by my side, I know it will be a memorable holiday regardless of what mother nature throws at us.
You can keep your Barbados – I’m off to Swanage for a spot of crab-fishing with the kids…
|
|
