Opinion
When I was a child, we never dreamed of an overseas holiday
Lee Tulloch
Travel columnistI’m sitting under a palm tree writing this.
I’m travelling in Fiji and while I’m the solo guest on a small island today, I’ve been staying at a couple of the family resorts on the main island for the last few days.
Both resorts are popular with Australians, and I’m amazed at the sizes of the family groups. Sometimes two families travelling together. Often grandparents have come along too.
It’s the simple things ... Credit: Getty Images
I can understand why Fiji is such a popular spot – not too far away, beautiful and welcoming people who are wonderful with kids, guaranteed warm weather (sometimes humid or raining in wet season, but that doesn’t seem to matter) and a strong culture that embraces everyone. I’m jealous of the kids – I’ve often thought I’d like to have my own Fijian nanny while on holiday.
Seeing all these families overseas together makes me think again about how lucky we are. Fiji can be a budget destination, relatively speaking, with plenty of flight/resort packages available, especially in the off seasons of February-March. But there are always additional expenses when travelling overseas.
For people on low incomes or with little disposable income, it’s still a stretch.
When I was a child, we never dreamed of an overseas holiday. It was not on the radar at all for a middle-working class family. Few of my friends ever went overseas, and I didn’t go for the first time until my mid-20s. Those friends who did, came from backgrounds with roots in other countries.
And there were the “rich” boys sent to my high school who were driven to school in a Rolls Royce (a source of great embarrassment to them) and who I think went skiing in winter. But that was considered exceptional.
Instead of a tropical holiday abroad, we camped at Booti Booti National Park.Credit: iStock
Our family went camping every holiday. My sister and I never felt we missed out. In fact, it was always pointed out to us that kids in inner-city neighbourhoods didn’t even have this opportunity. Mine was a very churchy neighbourhood and often less well-off kids were invited to church camps too.
We went camping to Gippsland at Easter. To Tewantin and all the way up the east coast at Christmas. Sometimes to Port Fairy or Warrnambool in Victoria. We’d do the coast, which was slower, or take inland routes through Orange and Parkes.
Memories of pitching tents and playing beach cricket are still some of the most cherished.Credit: iStock
Motels were too expensive, except on very hot days when Dad didn’t want to drive in the heat. Luckily, he was physically strong and could pitch tents and fish the surf sometimes for meals. (My sister Coral and I weren’t so good at that, but we loved sitting in the dunes watching.)
I have the best memories and they’re vivid. The local Olympic pool in Orange, where we stopped for a refresher. Sitting in a tent in Booti Booti National Park laughing hilariously while Mum read us Winnie the Pooh. Dressing up in a cardboard box for a costume party at the camp at Lake Tyers.
Rather than feeling like I missed out on an overseas trip, I’m so glad we had the opportunity to enjoy these modest pleasures which taught us resourcefulness and an appreciation of nature.
I worry that parents who can’t afford the Fiji or Bali trip feel they’re cheating their kids of a vital experience. They’re not.
Children love simple things. The wonder of walking on sand for the first time, or watching a gecko run up a tree, or grilling fish straight from the sea. All those things people can pay a premium for, too.
As adults, the world is often coloured by our history and present responsibilities and it’s difficult to replicate those uncomplicated moments. That is, unless you have your own kids or grandkids – and then it’s an opportunity to see the world through naive eyes once again.
In which case, there’s really no need to feel you to feel you have to keep up with the Joneses and book that Bali holiday.
International travel is great for kids, that’s for sure. I’ve been a big proponent of it – the early exposure to other cultures and languages is so enriching. And there are times when you’d love those Fijian or Samoan nannies to take over the childcare for you.
But in those early years the children are not missing anything. The fun of pitching a tent on a riverbank, playing cricket on a beach, or reading a book by torchlight under canvas – these things can make equally wonderful memories.
We’re blessed to have the opportunity for these.
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