By William Coleman
Well, last year certainly was one for the books. Now we have a fresh new year ahead of us we look forward to bettering ourselves and plan for a brighter touring future.
It’s safe to say that 12 months ago we looked at the new year with a tad more optimism than we may do this one. With that in mind, the CaravanTimes team are smiling and very much looking forward to making 2021 the best it can be.
Our main focus of 2021 is to get outside as much as possible, all while sticking to the guidelines set out by the government. We all may have to stay in or stay close to home but we can still better ourselves. Why not cook that one dish you’ve avoided or dust off the guitar and finally learn to play?
With all that in mind here are some of our New Year’s resolutions to keep this year bright and wonderful.
Getting active and fit
It seemed that during the various 2020 lockdown periods people went one of two ways: slimmed down with exercise or raided the biscuit tin a bit too often – we shan’t name names. Now that we have a new year ahead of us we can use the fresh start to reduce the waistline and look and feel your best.
There may be changes to the rules on going outside and where you can visit, but Boris and co urge you to exercise and stretch those legs.
Emma Dodd of CaravanTimes said: “My resolution for 2021 is to get outside every day. I live on the coast and enjoy stunning views across the Firth of Forth to Fife. Whether it’s going for a brisk half an hour walk on my lunch break or a coldwater swim, usually at the weekend, I always feel better after going outside.
“Looking out of the window at the Scottish weather can sometimes be off-putting, but as Alfred Wainwright said, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing’. So, this year I will endeavour to step outside my front door at least once a day no matter what the elements throw at me and irrespective of how many layers I have to put on!”
There are so many advantages to getting outside and staying active. Its been proven that your mental wellbeing is positively affected by both exercise and being in the wilderness. If you ever have anxiety, a brisk walk in the woods is the best medicine. Now you can see why caravan holidays are becoming so popular.
On top of that, the healthier you are the better your body can fight off colds, the flu and other types of illness. This is a win-win resolution that we all should take up.
Try a new activity
As of right now, travel has a slight question mark over it due to the spread of Covid, but we have our fingers crossed that at some point this year we can travel freely to destinations right here in the UK and try something new.
One CaravanTimes videographer, James Lee-Warner, has taken up long-distance cycling and had planned several road trips last year that he was unable to complete. He has vowed to take at least one of these adventures this year once travel is safer.
“Last year I had to cancel a lot of cycling trips due to not being able to mix with other households. This year I will be reducing the numbers of people I’d planned on travelling with and stick to those I live with.
“Once the rules ease I will be hopping on the mountain bike and cycling from the Isle of Dogs down to the Jurassic Coast. After the 127-mile ride, I am hoping to find a fossil, but I would settle for a cold pint and a big bag of fish and chips by the sea”, said James.
Whatever you want to do this year, look back at 2020 and live every day to the fullest. Take nothing for granted and set yourself some life goals that are going to make you happy and healthy.
