We’re all going on a summer holiday... or so we all wish.
Love Holidays
I love holidays, and it’s nice to be able to travel to some fun places and to be able to spend time with my mother and other relatives, but it hasn’t always been easy. There were times when we had no children and no mortgage and could leave at the drop of the hat to head overseas. Then there were times when we had children and lots of expenses, including a mortgage and school fees!
Holidays for the lean times
During these years, we’d save for a couple years for a big holiday. One thing we never did was travel on credit cards as we knew we’d never be able to pay them off. Some of our friends are now in this position (some now retired and with lots less income and some young and experiencing big mortgages). So, how can they have a great holiday without going into debt?
YHA
Holidays are expensive, aren’t they? Well, have you tried staying in a youth hostel? Did you know that you can join at any age and that they have family package prices? There are some lovely hostels at top locations including many beach ones.
Camping
Camping is another way to travel more cheaply. Yes, buying the gear is expensive initially, but perhaps you can borrow some from a friend. I know we borrowed gear one year and travelled the west coast of the US with young children. We had a ball (and so did the kids!).
House Exchange
Perhaps you don’t fancy a hard bed, well I have another idea. What about changing houses with friends in another city or town? In their sixties, my parents exchanged with friends in Holland for a month and then later exchanged with another couple for another couple months in Stockholm. However, it doesn’t have to be an exotic location. It can be fun to get to know another area even if it isn’t a usual tourist destination. You know some of our overseas visitors have said that Yass was the highlight of their overseas trip.
Yass?
What did we show them in Yass? Just the town really. Oh and they all loved the play at the Rep theatre. Every play has been popular. They just loved the intimate little theatre where they got to talk to the stars. The local shops with wonderful shopkeepers were popular. Seeing the sheep and local farms was a hit, and some have been lucky enough to see Burrinjuck and its wonderful, accessible wildlife!
And if you really can’t get away this year, why not spend a day in town. When did you last visit the museum or the railway museum or Cooma Cottage or how about the archives?
Canberra
If you can get to Canberra, there is even more to see. Have you seen all of the following lately: the National Museum, the National Gallery, Parliament House (old and new), Regatta Point, the lake, the National Archives, Black Mountain, the Botanic Gardens, the War Memorial, Calthorpes House, the Bicycle Museum and so much more.
I know that I’ve left out so much to do in Yass and in Canberra, so why don’t you hop on to the blog and add some more places for the world to see.
Have a wonderful Christmas and I hope you also have a holiday (even if it’s only one day). Enjoy.
Until January
Useful Links
http://webweedswisdom.blogspot.com/
http://www.yha.com.au
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2750996-canberra_things_to_do-i-rec-y
http://www.canberrabicyclemuseum.com.au/
