Friday 23 May 2008

A Great British Tradition

Continuing the "anti-holiday guide" theme, we're going to look at the British Bank Holiday Weekend.

Monday is the Spring Bank Holiday in this country. Most people have the day off, which makes a long weekend. Faced with a whole three days off work, lots of people decide to go away for a short "break".

Many of them start early to avoid the rush - the traffic on the motorways seemed busy this morning, with quite a few caravans. This will get worse throughout the day, until tomorrow the UK road network will resemble a large car park.

After spending the first of their three days stuck in traffic, the would-be-vacationers will arrive at their destination, and if they're lucky their kids won't have killed each other, or have covered the back seat of the car with vomit/urine/etc. No-one is likely to be very happy or enthusiastic at this point in their relaxing weekend away.

They will then spend the second day sitting in their caravan/chalet/hotel room looking out of the window. At the pouring rain. It always rains on a Bank Holiday Weekend. This is because they don't have any in the summer when there might be a chance of good weather.

Day Three, is of course spent sitting in another traffic jam trying to get home.

Many people have been holidaying like this for years, and have decided to do something different instead - short foreign breaks are now becoming more popular. Basically they spend the bit of time in between car journeys at the airport. Or rather two airports. You go to one, wait several hours because your flight has been delayed, fly to the other one, and just have enough time to grab a bagel and some duty free in the Departure Lounge before the flight home.

I really am at a loss to know why anyone goes anywhere at all on a Bank Holiday. Are people really stupid? Is it some kind of herd instinct? Anyway, that's what I won't be doing this weekend.

Instead, I'm hoping to spend some quality time writing the much-awaited Exotic Island post.

11 comments:

Bee said...

Weird. We're also off on Monday and it always rains and is chilly.

We never do anything that day, we always go out locally on Saturday then BBQ Sunday and relax Monday.

Oh the good life! ;op

Brian o vretanos said...

Yes, it's much more relaxing not to do anything too exciting ;-)

Jean Knee said...

it's always hot here.

Brian o vretanos said...

I suppose it can't be anything else, with all those sexy Texan accents...

Do people moan about the heat, like they moan about the rain here?

Jean Knee said...

it's mostly just me crying about the heat. it's so stinkin hot, it really is

Dan said...

I'm watching a movie this weekend, not sure if I should watch Iron Man, Indiana Jones or........Narnia. I don't want to watch Narnia but The Wife does.

Tracy Rambles On And On said...

Oh yay! The exotic island post is coming up! I'm so excited!

I've never understood why people feel the need to travel on the holidays. It always turns out miserable. I prefer staying home and doing nothing in particular. Less stress that way.

Brian o vretanos said...

Dan:

You should definitely go to see Narnia, because:

1. Your wife wants to see it.

2. It's religious, so God probably wants you to see it.

3. You can write a review on your blog, then I won't have to see it.

Tracy:

I completely agree. People who like being on holiday should go and live in a holiday resort.

Bee said...

Of course Dan will go see Narnia cuz he's jjjjwhipped!!

Dan said...

It's religious ????

I'm not whipped !

Brian o vretanos said...

Dan,

I believe that it's some kind of allegory - it's all about Christ's crucifixion. I had a Catholic friend who was a real fan of the books.