Joys of holidaying at home

Imagine a holiday with no hotel bill to pay. A holiday where you get to live like a local, but have all the comforts of your own home. Well, that’s the kind of holiday I’m having this summer: a ‘staycation’.

A number of factors contributed to my not venturing out of the country these holidays. For starters, I didn’t really feel like chasing fun – all that planning, the packing, the panicking – I need a holiday just thinking about it.

Secondly, there’s that thing called financial constraints – I’m sure, as I write, the postman has just posted another bill for me. And thirdly – you can call me soppy here – I am falling in love with my own land again.

Ironically, my love of foreign travel has helped me to reignite my love affair with home. I’ve been wowed by what I’ve seen in Europe, in Asia and in Africa but it has helped me compare and contrast too. Consequently I don’t take Malta for granted anymore.

You’re thinking: how can you possibly be on holiday mode when you’re still going about your daily toils? And how is it possible to keep the kids entertained?

It’s just a matter of switching off the white noise of politics and news crackling in our ears, take some time out from those indoor plasticky faux-entertainment places and reconnect with what we really love and cherish about our land.

The trick is to get the children in holiday mode too. But this is easy, for the list of what we can do in the summer holidays, for free (or almost free), is infinite:

Village feasts

There is nothing like going back to the happy memories of childhood. Irrespective of your religious beliefs as an adult, the village festa is the ultimate trip to nostalgia: the balloons, the fireworks, the band playing the same old village tunes, the candy floss, the smell of booze and incense in the air. Children love it, because it’s colourful, it’s noisy, it’s feisty, and everyone seems to be in a jolly mood.

Lunching out

If you’re on holiday you have to treat yourself to lunch every now and then. I absolutely hate restaurants where you can barely hear yourself think, let alone talk to your dining mates, because of the huge din of screaming kids squealing over some chicken nuggets and Coca Cola.

My ‘staycation’ tip is to avoid those places which advertise those horrid ‘kids menus’. So far, I’ve only come across two places where I enjoy lunching and dining with kids in tow: that’s Malata in Valletta – where children can run about in St George’s Square when they’re bored waiting for the food, and Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar, where children have ample gardens to run about in and cuddly toys to play with while we drink our wine, or sip our teas. (Do drop me a line if you know of any other, non-claustrophobiceating places).

Cultural outings

Start off with the catacombs in Rabat. Children always like the thrill of going underground, somewhere where you need a torch and is vaguely spooky. It’s an excellent lesson in history and a good chance to talk about life and death.

Then move on to the Limestone Heritage Park and Gardens in Siġġiewi and the Falconry Centre in Siġġiewi, the prehistoric temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra in Qrendi, and end with a trip to St James Cavalier in Valletta.

Avoid going to shoddy museums where there are no activities for children because that means the parent has to do the entertaining – and remember you’re on holiday.

Round up your holidays with a Frecce Tricolori bang at the Malta Air Show on the last weekend of September before going back to school (maltairshow.com).

Playgrounds

You can always trot to your town playground, but seeing as these are the holidays, aim for the best: the Ta’ Qali Adventure Park and the Ġnien Bonello Du Puis in Tigné, Sliema.

Get your girlfriends to come over with a picnic rug, a few snacks and some gossip and you’re sorted for the evening while the children burn out any extra hyper energy.

Until summer canopies are put up (are they ever?), do not, at all costs, venture anywhere these parks before 5 p.m.

Gardens

San Anton Garden is perfect for summer evenings. Unlike the high-heeled crowds who trod the gardens on winter Sundays, in summer this garden is quieter, save for the occasional peacock squawk.

The Kitchen Gardens at the very end of San Anton has been restored to life again and is open to the public with a cafeteria in situ. There’s the added bonus that all sales from the cafeteria go to the Community Chest Fund.

For a spot of ‘staycation’ charity, drive the kids down to the Inspire Animal Park at Razzett tal-Ħbiberija. Take a book and catch up on your reading while the kids are busy checking out the resident animals.

Beaching

This is completely free and always enjoyable. There’s the fact that children never want to get out of the sea.

If they’re bored give them a noodle (tried and tested) and they’ll entertain themselves for hours on end. Next you can get them to skim stones. Which stones skim best? Who can get the stone furthest out to sea? (Hah, they’re off before you can say ‘competition’).

If you stay out late at ‘hippie’ beaches like Riviera, St George’s Bay or Golden Bay there’s a good chance that you and the kids will be entertained by the 20-somethings beating on their African drums, and doing a spot of fire juggling and other balancing acts.

Star gazing

August is the perfect month for star gazing in Malta. Picnic on the roof as the sun goes down. Spray yourself with a mosquito anti-repellent. Then lie down on towels, pondering the eternal mysteries of theuniverse.

Gazing at the stars always fills us with wonder and sweet delicious confusion. Kids come up with a myriad questions and stories about aliens, fairies and star shapes. Meanwhile you can take time to wish on a shooting star, like say, a holiday in the Maldives next year.

Stay at home

People are scared to stay at home all day because they think the kids will get bored: but we reckon without the huge untapped store of creativity. If you let the children exist around you – you don’t even have to play with them.

“Leave kids to their own devices,” says author Tom Hodgkinson, “these are solitary skills that will serve them well in future when they are waiting at the airport”. Unless they opt for ‘staycations’, of course.