Should I Stay or Should I Go?
UK’s beaches have been hitting the headlines as people have been flocking to the coast as the mercury rises. As the current pandemic continues to wreak havoc on our best-laid plans, and with quarantine rules constantly changing, many Britons are holidaying at home. The humble staycation is finally getting its day in the sun.
For the uber paranoid (like myself), just stepping out of the front door makes my anxiety-o-meter shoot straight to panic. Just reading about packed beaches and lack of social distancing makes me want to bolt the front door shut until the next millennium, (which incidentally, is when I expect the government to appropriately grapple with the pandemic). It’s safe to say that international travel is a definite no-no for me at the moment.
Holidays and travel. I live for them. I love the adventure; the excitement of discovering a new place, the food and being somewhere that is not here. Train travel is romantic and delays inevitable, but it’s okay because it’s not the commuter train into the city. I am free from the shackles of the humdrum of life. But that’s what a holiday is, right? A chance to relax, reset, discover and reclaim your time. I know you don’t have to do that abroad but I like to. In all honesty, you can do that anywhere. You can do it at home and this year I, and many Brits shall.
I’m embarrassed to say it: I’ve seen more of Australia than I have my own home country. Go ahead - a ring that bell and shout ‘shame, shame, shame’ for all to hear. It’s just that here wasn’t as interesting as abroad, although the UK does have so much to offer.
Now’s the time to explore our home. People come from afar to see us! We have the history stretching back aeons, a rich mix of cultures and some very odd traditions. Anyone for chasing a wheel of cheese down a hill or racing with a flaming tar barrel on their back? We have vineyards and lavender fields to rival France, the beautiful landscapes of the Scottish Highlands and the valleys of Wales and, if you’re after a good craic, then it’s a short skip and a hop over to Northern Ireland.
The thought of not getting up at the crack of dawn to get to the airport and having to leave extra early just in case you get stuck on the motorway thrills me. Say goodbye to jetlag, long hours sitting in a cramped space and hello fewer carbon emissions. Aviation emits about 2.4% of the global CO2, while the whole travel industry is responsible for around 5% of global warming if you take into account other gases and the water vapour trails created by the planes. Cast your mind back to early 2020, the time Before Covid UK, when a certain Swedish gal by the name of Greta Thunberg was urging us not to fly. Can you remember such a time? Well, look at us now! What a difference a few months and a pandemic make.
But, with every positive, comes a negative. My heart sinks every time I read an article about the overcrowding, the litter left behind and locals saying they’re worried about going out because of people forgetting we are still in a pandemic. It makes me want to bolt that door again.
Back in June, Bournemouth declared a major incident because of overcrowding and people were told to stay away as thousands hit the beach, while 33 tonnes of waste were collected along the Dorset coastline. I’ve seen social media posts about irresponsible parking and gridlocked roads, while last month, volunteers in the Lake District said trees were cut down and described the mound of rubbish left behind as heartbreaking.
I’m flummoxed as to why people are cutting down trees in the Lake District and are unable to take their rubbish with them. What happened to take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints? It just makes me… angry. I’m sure the same people who have no respect for the environment or locals here will feel they have the same entitlement abroad.
I get that people want to get away from their homes, cut loose and have fun (and so they should) while staycations will give our local economy a much-needed boost. However, it needs to be in a sustainable, respectful way that doesn’t overwhelm the locals and ensures that we look after each other and our planet. In all honesty, this should be the way whether we decide to holiday at home or abroad.
Written by Sarah Rajabalee
Sarah used to work in the travel industry but Covid decided it wasn’t to be. She is studying to be a counsellor and spends a lot of her time writing assignments. She is also a photographer and you can find her on Instagram @SarahRajabalee.