Guest Author - Nicola Jane Soen

British people are still really quite traditional, when it comes to their bank holiday. Though there habits are strange to some! On Sunday many still love to enjoy that favourite, the traditional Sunday roast; although now it’s often brought and eaten down the local pub. The men (and women) often then go back home and watch the local footie (football!) match on television. Then often go to sleep, or attempt DIY.

This is often a favourite pastime on a bank holiday. If of course, ones family does not choose to get into traffic jam on one of the motorways trying to get to the seaside or a fun park. These fun parks are packed on bank holidays. Full of sticky, demanding children and tense uptight and frequently skint (no money!) parents.

Down the seaside is not much different. Packed so full of people, so that there is not even a small square of sand visible in the view of the helicopter hovering overhead! Candyfloss vendors, hot donut stalls, hot dog vendors all selling their wares and stall full of kiddies plastic windmills, buckets, spades, blow up boats and strange local oddities; as well as shops selling rock and candy that would make dentists wince.

Pubs and restaurants spilling over, and the public all jostling for their space, there are certain beaches that, if one wants peace and quiet, one must avoid at all costs!

Then, as previously mentioned, there are those Brits who use the precious bank holiday to do that English staple; DIY. This involves a visit to the local B&Q giant store, where you see them wandering around with pallets stacked full of plants or boards of wood and paint etc.
The sound of the lawn mower has been humming like a bee since six o’clock that morning. All sound ceases at around 3pm for the big roast and either some sport or a nap. As afternoon draws on BBQ’s are lit, and the family Brit spends time together. In the paddling pool, lounging around and eating burnt sausages.

These weekends are great for bonding and social time. Stuck in boiling heat on the motorway, surrounded by mess left from the DIY that now needs a professional to put it right or in bed with food poisoning from half cooked sausages many a Brit grimaces to his or her spouse, NEVER AGAIN! Promises of not repeating this nightmare are made aplenty with threats to the children of grounding or no pocket money for life because of their un-angelic like behaviour and the mortgage over charge of the cost of the trip to the park, are also forth coming.

However, all this changes; After weeks of noses to the grindstone, 8 till 6pm working hours and house chores taking the whole weekend and carting children to and from numerous clubs; one beings again to hear the suggestion, fancy a day at the seaside this bank holiday? We can always take the BBQ…