Planning a holiday can be a stressful time, a self fulfilling prophecy whereby you become so exhausted in the booking and logistical process that you just need a holiday to recover.
The package holiday of the 1970's was revolutionary in that it required very little organisation apart from spending monies, clothing, flip flops and getting to the airport or point of departure on time and either sober or not. The saturation of short haul flight European Resorts between June and August by the English caused a reaction to this form of recreation and fellow countrymen, wanting to give the impression of being a bit more cultured and adventurous looked to other parts of the globe. The Spanish Riviera was too much like Clacton and sights were set on a 5 hour plus flight time which encompassed the Greek Islands, Egypt and Turkey or to arguably more exotic destinations such as Dominican Republic, Mexico and South East Asia.
Travelling in itself was a sophisticated experience and demands were made for a luxury holiday in all senses of the word. The more grading stars and features of an exclusive calibre the better. The bubble of cheap and spontaneous travel would soon be set to burst and in more recent years austerity, recession and even ecological concessions have had an impact on our annual jaunts to distant parts. We now have to consider our own carbon footprint and how to offset the environmental impact of jet travel, yet more cause for anxiety and soul searching.
I have just come across the perfect antidote to this dilemna.
How about a weeks vacation as a member of an Iron Age Village in Denmark?
The venue is Sagnlandet Lejre translated as 'Land of Legends' a cultural centre which, in addition to the main Iron Age Village has in remaining ascending date order, a Stone Age Camp, Viking Market and 19th Century Farm setting.
It is not a case of just booking a place but having to apply and meet specific criteria in order for what is in effect a socio-economic experiment to work.
It must be one of the few holidays where you do not need to take a full suitcase because everything authentically stone age is provided. The village is a group of seven wattle and daub and thatched houses and a Smithy set amongst what is described as the sacrificial bog. Each house takes between 4 and 8 persons and priority is given to a full household from the same family group as long as there is a sufficient age range from young children to seniors. Occupants, not termed as guests are required to undertake daily tasks as part of a co-operative covering grinding flour, fetching water, forging iron, chopping wood and gathering wild plants. Hours are not that authentic being 10am to 5pm rather than dawn to dusk. The activity only takes place during the summer months so as not to expose sensitive and cossetted 21st Century folk to other seasonal hardships.
Those going up for the experience are more than likely to have an idea what they are to encounter. Otherwise Customer Services would be extremely busy explaining the absence of Wi-Fi, sachets of instant coffee and a trouser press in the mud huts. Some may attend out of genuine empathy with the period , others as some form of purge or detox from modern life.
A degree of weight loss may be expected from the tone of the Welcome Pack consisting of cereals, milk, cream, meat, beans, apples, nuts, onions and mushrooms.
It is not however all chores and smelting. Those Iron Agers obviously knew how to enjoy themselves in the great outdoors and on offer are fire making, fashioning iron implements, rustic baking and if an exchange visit could be arranged with the Stone Age Camp much fun could be had with competitive stone pulling and striving to make the best dug out boat from a tree trunk.
Who says that different cultures cannot live and thrive in perfect harmony?
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