To some a Staycation means not going abroad for their holiday, for others it means staying at home in the garden. With our bathroom being ripped out and hopefully replaced, we took the bus into town with our wheelie cases.
Friday evening we arrived in torrential rain, Saturday and Sunday saw heat waves and on our last night we watched the lightning from our balcony.
For writers and photographers, finding interesting places to stay is vital. We had five nights at an Art Deco hotel which I’m sure has seen better days, but makes a good Premiere Inn. We had a front balcony, only on the second floor, but still fun to look out at everything going on. Westover Road has also seen better days; now an interesting mix with art galleries, posh jewellers and pub at the other end, the lovely Pavilion across the road from abandoned Odeon cinemas and a YMCA hostel next to the hotel. Opposite us, coaches delivered endless day trippers.
After breakfast on the first morning we went up to the ninth floor and found a writer and photographer’s delight, the rear view; a riot of fire escapes with a little old house surrounded by layers of building developments. A walk up the road took us to the official opening of a newly pedestrianised area, Darth Vader and friends turned up collecting money for charity.
Down at the pier and the main beach, which you always see in newspaper pictures of seaside hot spots, was busy, busy, busy; beach parties with tables laden with food and very loud sound systems. A walk to the end of the pier brought a bit of peace and a good view of the zip wire which takes you back to the beach.
What did I learn from pretending to be a visitor? The homeless group that always seems to be there when I go to Bournemouth and get off the bus, IS always there; a double bed arrangement which stretches halfway across the pavement with several occupants near to our busy hotel. Of course they are not the only homeless; in a town full of happy holiday makers and lively young language students they are the spectre at the feast and Darth Vader isn’t the only one ignoring them. In the gardens there are buskers and a young man doing fire juggling with a sign ‘Homeless but Trying’. At the shops there are Big Issue sellers. I bought a Big Issue.
The Royal Bath Hotel nearby is a great place to stroll into. Sit and cool off inside the huge fascinating lounge or enjoy the sun in the gardens. You could stay all day, people watching, plug in your lap top etc. without anyone noticing. This hotel has also seen better days, as we discovered when we went there for dinner one evening to try the ‘special three course meal’ – no wonder it was so reasonable; we needn’t have worried about being smartly dressed, there were some very strange guests.
On our last day we went abroad on a cruise; bus to Poole Quay for a boat trip to the start of the Jurassic coast at Old Harry Rock and then to Swanage on The Isle of Purbeck, an hour’s trip. We disembarked at the restored Victorian Pier for five hours ashore. A short walk takes you through the pleasant seaside town to the station where you can see steam trains, take a ride to Corfe Castle or have a snack in the railway carriage cafe. A walk out to Peveril Point and we could stand on the cliffs and look back to Bournemouth.
For more Staycation pictures visit my website.
https://www.ccsidewriter.co.uk/chapter-two-coastal-views
https://www.ccsidewriter.co.uk/chapter-five-beach-writer-s-blog/
Have you been on a Staycation?
Times and Tides of a Beachwriter 
You sure saw a lot.
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It sounds like you really made it into a holiday some great images, Janet…It is many, many years since I have visited that area of the woods …I believe Corfe Castle was a school trip to Swanage and that was many many moons ago far more than I care to admit to 🙂
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Thanks Carol. Yes it is a magical part of the world and the inspiration for
Enid Blyton’s Famous Five I believe. I don’t suppose the castle has changed much – still a ruin, but an iconic ruin beloved by photographers.
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Looks like a rather lovely ‘holiday’. 😀
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Yes thanks!
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I’d love a little staycation, but looking at the prices puts me off. Seems like you could go abroad for a week all inclusive cheaper than you can travel and stay somewhere self catering in the UK sometimes. I’ve never been to Bournemouth but it’s on my bucket list. You would have thought the council there would have been more proactive with the homeless, especially by where tourists get off (sadly it’s more to do with image and money than genuine compassion most of the time). Lovely to see your trip though and the cruise at the end sounds like a great way to finish! xx
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The council does have a street team who we are told ‘try to engage’ with the homeless and their ‘complex issues’. Of course they are not all locals, people drift here, but when you see empty buildings of all sorts it seems ridiculous people sitting and sleeping on pavements. Hope you get to Bournemouth one day.
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It really does seem stupid to have empty buildings. In my last job, I worked with various people with housing difficulties and also those who were street homeless. Part of the charity worked specifically with finding emergency/temporary and more permanent housing for the homeless. I’d like to hope Bournemouth have similar companies & charities there, like with the work of that street team you mentioned.
I hope you have a lovely week ahead 🙂
xx
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Thanks, I’m sure they do and when there is a cold snap and they have to provide accomodation there is a flurry of activity – though it seems to be churches putting up beds not businesses that own empty buildings!
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