Year: 2017

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Travel

I retired at the age of 60 after nearly 40 years as a teacher. I have been offered part time work, but decided that I was really going to retire.

So, doing up my flat (apartment), going to the theatre and concerts and such like have been entertaining me for more than three years now.

My first holiday was to one of my favourite places, maybe my favourite place. Chicago. Lots of other places in the USA followed: Washington, Seattle, New York of course, and Canada, ie Toronto.

I get a reaction from people I know. It’s usually ‘oh boring’, ‘but you have been there before, lots of times, you must have seen everything’ and ‘why not go somewhere more adventurous’. Someone said ‘oh you must hate cities, hire a Winnebago and drive through the wilderness for a couple of weeks’. As I don’t drive, get bored by sea, sand and scenery and love culture, people and activity, it is obvious I will go to a city.

When I am too old to fly long distances, which will be very soon I imagine, I will go to nearer places. Stockholm is on the list, as is Glasgow.

But, I don’t understand why people want to criticise me for my holiday choices, especially to places they have never been to.

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Christmas is here

Actually, it seems like Xmas has been here since Easter. Certainly, pubs and restaurants were taking last minute Christmas bookings in July, some people I know had decorations up in October, I wrote my (few) cards weeks ago. The food delivery services were saying get your last minute booking in September.

When I was little, Xmas was a big thing for several reasons. The country came to a halt basically from Christmas Eve until after the new year. Shops were rarely open, people didn’t go out. It was dismal. All you could do was stay home, watch tv, eat and argue.

But now there are plenty of places open on Xmas Day even. OK, public transport does not run, except certain services, and taxis charge a fortune, but pubs and restaurants are open and busy, and many shops. By Boxing Day, it’s back to normal (the USA don’t have Boxing Day) in the UK. Some, not many but some, people work. The sales are on, everyone literally does DIY.

The need to buy a 15 tonne turkey to get a family of 4 through 3 weeks seems to have gone. Whatever made Xmas special, and that does not mean good, is no more. Here in the UK, we are becoming even more American.

Americans celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey, then the next day it’s sales. After Xmas day, USA shops are open for people to return gifts for something they actually want. We don’t do that here – you can’t really return stuff unless it is faulty. We’ve mostly forgotten the so-called religious significance, thank goodness, and it’s a time for shops to count their profits. Don’t make expected sales at Xmas and you are doomed for the year.