Snow in October? Sun in April? The weather being completely up the shizer really does leave us holiday makers with few options. Jess Delahaye suggests we re-think the Package Holiday and precariously goes where no self-respecting traveller has dared go before...
What do you do when you’re desperate for a holiday, short on cash and every fibre in your body cries a little at that dreaded word; ‘package’? Use and abuse it my friends! That’s all you can do to make the guilt go away. Of course, I’m talking from the point of view of a young woman who, like many others my age, grew up on package holidays to Spain and the Canaries. Perhaps one too many scary child entertainers and definitely one too many karaoke renditions of ‘Big Spender’ (particularly those given by my oh-so-demure mother) have left their scars after all. Or perhaps I’ve just grown up.
Whatever the reason, if I had my way every holiday would see me globe-trotting to some distant land, living it up like the locals, forgetting everything British and becoming foreign for those fourteen days of pure escapism. Unfortunately, the reality makes that ideal almost impossible to achieve without a fair bit of planning and saving; two things I ain’t too hot at! But at a time when the great British weather seems to be at an all-time low, who can blame anyone for going off in search of some sun? Not I.
That’s why I recently plucked up enough courage to book a two week package holiday for two to Crete. I say ‘package,’ we only really used the parts of the ‘package’ we wanted, which makes the whole situation seem completely acceptable. Your flights, transfers and accommodation are all there ready and waiting and, more often than not, the complexes and hotels on offer are in prime locations with everything on your doorstep.
This was how it was in Crete; a nice pool just long enough for a few energizing lengths, clean and spacious (if very basic) apartments with the all-important air con. A short walk away were the wonderfully peaceful beach coves and we were never more than five minutes from a good selection of Greek restaurants and bars to fill those balmy nights. What more could you want?
Let it be noted that we tried in vain to avoid the travel company rep, Richard, ‘til the bugger hunted us down and begged us to join him for quiz night (I think his team numbers were low – he had the look of a desperate man!) We declined but decided to use him instead to book a scuba diving lesson and a trip to Spinalonga Island (a former leper colony and emotive place to visit). Richard wasn’t best pleased - you could tell - but he was gaining his commission and that, I thought, was enough from us.
An artists impression of Richard and co.
All in all, the holiday was a success and a really wonderful time was had by the two of us, although I think we were lucky that the resort we chose hadn’t been completely invaded by Brits (I’m sorry but we are the main offenders) so it still retained much of its Greek charm. In fact I don’t think I saw one Brit-themed pub in the whole resort; some feat these days.
And although I still cringe at the idea of succumbing to the package holiday – I think it’s a deep-running fear of supporting the very businesses that are taking all the charm away from these beautiful resorts – I would probably succumb again. These locals now rely on tourists like us who are usually only too happy to take on that role and really, I wouldn’t deny any Brit two weeks of sun, sea and flip-flops with our climate as it is right now.
Jess Delahaye
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