Restorative, sustaining and affordable: the joy of a go-nowhere holiday

If you live in Australia and have a social media account, you probably spent your winter either on the slopes, on holiday in the northern hemisphere, or scrolling through the pictures of those who were enjoying the first option.

A few years ago, I would have found it torturous being in group three: friends sunbathing on the beaches of Greece, influencers filming reels while skiing, and colleagues exploring the south of France. After two years without being able to travel, I was so burnt out from the pandemic that even thinking about a large holiday (read: parenting in an exotic location with my children) made me dreadful.

Instead of going on holiday, I stayed at home and did whatever I wanted. I sent my children to school, took time off from work, and did absolutely anything I felt like. I took baths and went for walks. I also experimented with the kitchen, read, and did some cooking. I booked a more luxurious hotel than I could afford to stay in on vacation. I took longer baths, spent time in the sauna, and lounged around in my robe. I gave up drinking alcohol and booked a facial to enjoy my evenings without the distraction of wine. I also temporarily deleted Instagram to enjoy my time and not waste it on other people.

It turns out that my holidays at home often meant doing Nothing. This was a refreshing thing.

Jenny Odell writes in her book How to Do Nothing that without time and space to do Nothing, “we cannot think, reflect or heal ourselves individually or collectively.”

She says that by doing Nothing, we “deprogram” ourselves from the modern world, with its intense culture and rush, while also engaging in “sustenance.” This is a necessary break for anyone who feels “too disassembled” to take meaningful action.

Karima Tabbouch and Karima Hazim co-run the Sunday Kitchen Cooking School with their mother, Sivine. This year, they decided to stay at home. Although the mother of two felt an “overwhelming desire to travel” as soon as borders opened, she still had unfulfilled bookings and was worried that traveling with children would not provide the comfort and ease she craved.

She chose to enjoy her favorite holiday pastimes from the comfort of her backyard. It was a much better and cheaper option. She went on long walks and ate incredible meals with desserts because she didn’t need to get up early for work. She also went to the theater and the movies.

She says, “The first week I had a complete mess. I couldn’t relax or find my feet on ‘holidays’ because I was technically home with the temptations of work and routine all around me.” “I also felt insanely bad, thinking about how absurd the idea was.”

By the end of her break, she had found her groove. The time off allowed me to reflect and plan my time better. I intend to continue doing this in the future and have already blocked out six months to go on holiday at home.

Hazim’s not the only person who finds the idea of going nowhere appealing. While she and I used ours as a way to disconnect from our daily routines, YA writer Jeremy Lachlan takes his time at home in order to get out of the fantasy worlds he created to reconnect with reality.

Lachlan describes a staycation as “nothing to plan except ‘What will I eat today’ and What relaxing activity am I going do?'” No rush to the airports. No long-haul flights. No more checking in and out or living from a suitcase. “Don’t get me incorrect, I am looking forward to another overseas adventure. But when it comes to relaxing after a stressful period at work, I need to spend a quiet week to get used to the real world.”

He spends the time cooking and cleaning, watching movies and reading books, hanging out with his friends, and visiting local bookstores and cafes. His only concern is breakfast and doing his crossword.

He says that reacquainting oneself with your surroundings can be very therapeutic. “Reminding you that the world has been moving along without you.”

It’s the most enjoyable part of the experience, in my opinion: instead of returning from a beautiful place with jet lag and the post-holiday blahs, a holiday at home allows you to celebrate your everyday. You learn to include leisure activities in your work week. Lachlan says that you might not be able to see the whole world, but “your little corner” of it could still be a beautiful place.