In my youth the thought of spending year after year in the same holiday location would make me shiver with revulsion.
The world is so big, we have so little time & so much to see.
Then ironically, older me steps in with the joy of hindsight.
And older me is writing this from our 12thm or maybe it’s our 13th year, of staying in the same caravan park, in Crantock, Cornwall.
What younger me never realised is the sheer joy of returning to the same place year after year.
As we drive into the Cornish streets, my small but imperfectly perfect family recall the holiday songs from years gone by, squeak with excitement as familiar landmarks come into sight. Warm memories flood us as the promise of new ones lure us in.
At the caravan park, I walk the paths with my grown up kids, years retract and I see my then three year old twins in the park, I watch with a wry smile my youngest learn to scoot.
I am engulfed in images of the friends who have joined us over the years laughing, drinking, surfing – my history plays out in scene’s, delighting my eyes.
I see Emma and Steve, waving from their van, a bottle of Prosecco in hand, Arlo wrapped up in his game, Felix – football in hand, Baxter forever five.
Neil and Kelly, my Cornish family, emerge from the tent, Neil with every piece of kit needed to make every moment magical on the beach, Kelly, magnificent in her bikini, Bella buried in a book, Lola surfing a wave and munching a croissant snaffled from my van and Tillie just beaming like the sunbeam she is.
Helen, Marcus, Ben, Evie, Anya – my oldest of friends, I delight in the knowledge we raised our kids together on a Cornish shoreline, cementing friendships for life.
The names continue (Anna, Oli, Henry, Maya, Sam, Andy, Freya, Lily, Isla and never forgetting our gorgeous Stacey, and the grandparents – Pete, Shirl, Johnny and Maria and more) this place, this tiny part of Cornwall has caused so much happiness in my world. Whereas a solo parent, I’ve had the absolutely luscious luxury of having an army help give my kids the best holiday fortnight every single year.
Why wouldn’t I want to repeat this time and time again.
Why wouldn’t I want to see the memories of my family growing up dancing round my current vacation.
Surfing, flow rides, paddle boards, slip and slides, escape rooms, body boarding in the rain, runs on the coast, dog walks to WiFi free beaches, drinks in The Piskie.
Every year, we tell the same stories, when Neil had an ambulance, when Owen flew at the AquApark, when Kelly went on the Banana Boat, when Kelly fell off the banana boat, when we lost Kelly on the run…..
Every year they spark the same laughter.
Younger me had no idea.
Older me remains very grateful for this place.
