Normally, at this time of year, when we scroll through social media, we’re used to seeing pictures of our friends or extended family enjoying their summer vacation. But not this year, Bobo.
This Summer of 2020, most of us find ourselves in a position of either not being able to, or justifiably not wanting to, cross the border and venture into new lands. This has catapulted the ‘staycation’ into the forefront of the holiday-makers’ minds, and this buzz word, (a portmanteau of “stay” and “vacation,”) is opening up new horizons in domestic tourism, all around the world.
In some ways, a staycation is, arguably, more relaxing than a foreign holiday. There’s the obviously lack of travel time involved, no headaches over passports close to expiration, no security checks that confiscate the toothpaste, no kids asking “are we there yet?”. Plus, because we are not alone in our pandemic predicament, a staycation is easier to coordinate with friends, which is always a bonus for children and parents alike.
In the time B.C. (Before – Covid) the staycation was tinged with a slight shade of ‘lame’ in comparison to real travel. It was also synonymous with saving money. Not leaving the country does effectively eradicate the expenses of the airline tickets, taxi fares and rental cars, after all. But there are so many more benefits to a staycation than watching the bank balance.
For one, a staycation is absolutely more relaxing! Real travel is a ton of fun, and looks great on the Instagram account when you kiss in front of Rome’s Trevi Fountain, but it can also be stressful and very tiring. I can attest to this, when after a family mini-break to Manhattan in December 2017, where we packed in a Broadway show, Christmas light displays, ice skating and as many museums and shops as possible in 72 hours, I came home needing a vacation from my vacation. ‘Holiday-exhaustion’ is undoubtedly a First World Problem. There’s understandably not much sympathy out there for travel-fatigue. But the problem felt very real when I collapsed at the end of the three-day whirlwind trip, as the doctor hooks me up to the IV drip in hospital, and says “try slowing down and spending some time at home.”
Our staycation for Summer 2020 is an easy, breezy 45-minute drive from home, at the Caribbean Club, a luxury boutique hotel in Grand Cayman that overlooks the ocean. It’s located at the heart of Cayman’s beautiful Seven Mile Beach. This means that to the front of the property, you can dig your toes into soft sand and stare out to sea towards the sunset. From this vantage point, all you can see, due north and south, is an expanse of turquoise and white, stretched for miles in both directions, The property backs onto the main road with a selection of shops, restaurants and spas, and the Camana Bay complex all within an easy walk. The central position, however, doesn’t compromise the tranquility of this resort. The place is an oasis of calm, and I immediately forget all the niggling work issues I had been mulling over all week.
I arrive alone, armed with a small bag and a few key supplies (aka wine and crisps). A and B have last minute plans to see friends nearby, and D can’t join me until later. I’m not bothered, quite the opposite, it’s wonderful to have a little me-time. I have packed my yoga mat, which fits perfectly on the wrap-around balcony, and my workout gear for barefoot beach walks, so my intentions are already set for a little self-care. I clock that there is a Thai massage place over the road, a couple of hair salons, plus a wellness centre. If I had to spend these next three days here all by myself here I’d still be on cloud nine.
Time is always a precious commodity; all too rare when you have a busy work schedule and family life. A staycation affords you extra time that you can’t put a price on. No wasted hours sitting in the airport, or standing at the rental car desk. No wasted day getting to and from the destination. This feels like bonus time, so I decide to use it wisely. Nothing compounds the importance of time with friends more than the announcement that a friend is leaving. I have been reeling ever since I first heard the news that one of my soul mates is moving back to Toronto, and now her last weekend has arrived. And so, I invite her over to share the golden glow of sunset spilling into the balcony of my weekend home-from-home. We settle into cosy chairs overlooking the sea, and she off-loads all the hassles she is having tying up loose ends, uprooting a family of five from island life, and travelling with a dog and eight years’ worth of possessions. We talk about how her eldest son N, and my daughter A, and have been best friends since Third Grade, and they are both broken-hearted. I hand over her farewell gift of a framed palm tree print, and she tells me that leaving Cayman is so much harder than it ever was to leave Canada. It is therapeutic as we listen to the sound of the waves soothing our sad words. I show her around, as if this place were my own. She works in interior design, and gives me undeserved kudos for my seriously stylish hangout. There are designer touches in every room, even the bathrooms have original works of art hanging above the loo.
By the time D joins, he announces that our dog is walked and the cats are fed. Another perk of a staycation is that you don’t have to make pet care decisions. Our animals are happy at home alone, as long as there is food, water and someone to let them outside at intervals. Finding a pet sitter, or a reliable kennels, is another stress I am grateful not to worry about this weekend.
We find ourselves alone, just the two of us, no kids, no animals and nowhere to be. The master bathroom has a romantic his’n’hers shower, with matching faucets at either side of an opulently long marble rectangle, and a huge rain shower in the middle should you wish to share. It’s almost as if we are are on honeymoon, except we have WiFi, and kids who might show up any minute.
Another benefit of a staycation is that it is easier to plan. Most families have that one person who is appointed for pre-vacation planning. This is usually an unspoken assignment, whereby the role is neither acknowledged nor thanked. More often than not, this task falls to the mum, who is simultaneously in charge of coordinating the entire family’s laundry, packing, prescriptions, appointments, and end-of-year-school-report conversations before the holiday can start. Sometimes, I have had pre-summer moments where I exasperate “This vacation is already stressing me out!” But this summer, I didn’t spend hours on the computer obsessively researching the best deals and did not pre-book any ‘must-do’ excursions. I just rocked up, chilled out, then got invited to a nearby party on a friend’s boat. D & I laugh and dance into the night with our group of friends who we have known for years. There isn’t anywhere else in the word we would rather be than in Cayman right now.
Finally, the beautiful thing about a staycation in a time of crisis, is that it offers the opportunity to do the right thing. Supporting local businesses, by stopping in at the cafe round the corner, the local grocery store, and the small day spa, all puts money back into the local economy. There is also the environmental benefit, with a reduced or zero carbon footprint, just by cutting out the part that involves getting on a plane.
This summer holiday, consider a staycation, and if you can make the time, make it at least a week. You might fit in a trip to those local places you have always wanted to visit, but always get moved down in the list of priorities. If I were to do my Cayman Staycation all over again, I would fit in a dive of the USS Kittiwake wreck and sip a pina-colada poolside!
To book a staycation at the Caribbean Club contact Danielle Wolfe on 928-6449 or email reservations@caribclub.com
Doesn’t my hat fit right in?!
