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WHAT IS A ‘STAYCATION’?

A staycation is a vacation at home. A true staycation is a vacation you enjoy while staying in your own home.

Why have a staycation?  Well, because there are heaps of things you can do on holidays in your own town. A staycation means that you let yourself do holiday stuff.  It enables your mind to switch from “What do I need to do?” to ”What do I want to do?”  Sure, the lawns needed to be mowed and the washing needed to be done, but that meant you never learnt to kite-surf or visit the art gallery.  If you choose to have a staycation, rather than flying off for a holiday, you save money on airfares and accommodation.  Instead, you get to spoil yourself.  You eat at that new restaurant everyone is raving about, go to a gig and listen to music you love, or laugh your way through a play at your local theatre.  While doing so, you reduce your carbon footprint (as well as avoiding yucky overpriced airport food and being stuck on a plane for hours).  You don’t get sick, which happens so often at the start of holidays as you rush around like a crazy chook getting your shots, updating your passport, and buying luggage.  Instead, you sleep in your own bed and wake up without the alarm clock.  The day stretches before you like a blank canvas to be coloured as you wish. You feel great as you are supporting your local artists, musicians, retailers and restaurants, well actually your local economy, by spending money at home.

You might be wondering how you can stay at home and have a holiday.  Isn’t that a contradiction?  Well, actually no!  The key to a successful staycation is to act as if you are actually on a holiday.  Really truly!  You need to be strict with yourself about this.  It means you tell your work and family that you will be on holidays. Say that on your voicemail.  If you have an answering machine, switch it off.  You don’t want to come home at the end of a fun day and have to return calls.  Don’t get captured by the ‘time bandits’ in your life.  (People who do not respect your time.)  Don’t get sucked in (“Sure Aunty, I will just come around and mow your lawns this week since I’m on leave!”)  Deal with the time bandits as you would if you were going on an overseas holiday.  Get the chores done beforehand or think of alternatives.  (“Sorry Aunty, I’m on holidays that week, but I can …”).  You need to do the stuff you would usually do before going away rather than leave it to the staycation (pay bills, do your washing, etc…)  If you are lucky enough to be friends with your neighbours, ask them to collect your mail – and give it to you at the end of your staycation!  If you give yourself a budget on holidays, then do the same for your staycation.  Remember to plan, just as you would for any holiday – what do you want to do?  Where to do you want to go?

If you are lucky enough to live in Melbourne, you can have a wonderful staycation.  I live in Melbourne and I love my staycations!  And just in case you feel like whinging about Melbourne’s weather, can I just say “get over it!!”  :  )  If it is too hot or too cold or too windy, there is plenty to do inside.  Be flexible, have indoor and outdoor options planned, and check the weather report before you venture out.

How long is a staycation?  It can be a day, a weekend or longer.  Just remember, you can’t mix’n'match.  So, if you are on staycation for a week, you can’t spend one of the days preparing your tax return!

Still a staycation sceptic?  Try it for a weekend and see how you go.  I think you will love it!

 
ABOUT THE BLOG

It’s personal, partisan and probably contains peccadillos. I review everything myself.  You are invited to share your experiences by commenting on the reviews.

If I am reviewing any restaurant, I always attend it at least twice before writing the review. I do this to ensure that there are no ‘one-hit wonders’ and to see whether I receive the same level of service as the previous time.  I do my reviews anonymously so that there is no special treatment.  I taste or drink what I am reviewing, except if it is meat.  I eat seafood, but am otherwise vegetarian.  So, I depend on my dining companions to give me feedback about the meat dishes.  I think this gives you, the reader, the benefit of some different palates.  On a final food note, I maintain a healthy and balanced diet.  However, I do occasionally indulge my sweet tooth!

You will not read ‘bad’ reviews in this blog.  Why?  Life is too short.  If I don’t like the place or the food, I can’t be bothered giving them the time of day!  I value kindness, good manners, a smile and a sense of humour.

 
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

I grew up in Melbourne, and hit the road with a friend, in her old Holden, at an early age.  We were away for nearly a year, travelling around Australia.  Since then, I’ve travelled from the Himalayas to Hiroshima, and from Milan to Milford Sound.  I’ve been lucky enough to have seen more than my share of the world.  However, like many in demanding jobs, I worked really long hours.  After a health scare several years ago, including a near death experience, I realised that if I didn’t put my health first, and enjoy life a bit more, I was headed for a very early exit.  I cut back on my work hours. Hubby and I packed up our house in the ‘burbs, and moved into the inner city.  We sold the second car, and I began walking to and from work.  We both took up jogging.  We enjoy the parks and don’t miss our backyard at all!