• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chandler's Ford Today

  • Home
  • About
    • About Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research
  • Blog
    • Blogging Tips
  • Event
    • Upcoming Events
  • Community
    • Groups
    • Churches
    • Schools
    • GP Surgeries
    • Leisure
    • Library
    • Charities
      • Eastleigh Basics Bank
      • Cat & Kitten Rescue in Chandler’s Ford
    • Fair Trade
      • Traidcraft stalls in Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford Parish Council
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Site Policies
  • Site Archive
    • Site Archive 2018
    • Site Archive 2017
    • Site Archive 2016
    • Site Archive 2015
You are here: Home / History / My Isle Of Wight Summer Staycation

My Isle Of Wight Summer Staycation

August 9, 2014 By Janet Williams 3 Comments

I haven’t seen my son for 5 days as he had been ‘borrowed’ by my neighbours. Unfortunately he is coming home tomorrow.

My friend and neighbour borrowed my son for a week to the Isle of Wight, so that my single child and her single child could have fun together camping and playing with their family dogs.

My friend has been called by God to the ordained ministry in the Church of England and she will start her training next month, while she is based in the parish of Chandler’s Ford.

As my friend could handle her neighbour’s teenager for a week camping, I’m sure she passed the criteria for selection easily, showing qualities such as emotional stability, stamina, robustness, and resilience.

Janet at Osborne House (My husband cut off part of the house and part of my body.)
Janet at Osborne House
(My husband cut off part of the house and part of my body.)

Staycation at Osborne House

We also spent three days on the Isle of Wight, as I wanted to see the famous Osborne House in East Cowes.

Osborne House is an interesting place, and I also wrote about my historical discovery in this post: Queen Victoria’s Bed Cover From China.

The walk to the beach was enjoyable. However the lack of information on the impressive house was disappointing. There was very little information about the house, the architecture, displays (paintings, sculptures, royal gifts), or decoration.

If English Heritage provides some texts around the displays, it would inform and empower the visitors, who won’t have to keep asking the volunteers some repeated trivial questions.

The royal children held a ceremony to dedicate the foundation stone of the Swiss Cottage, Osborne House.
The royal children held a ceremony to dedicate the foundation stone of the Swiss Cottage, Osborne House.

One volunteer told me that many people have voiced the same opinion as I did.

“However, don’t forget, it is not a museum, it is a private House,” an English Heritage volunteer told me.

I believe English Heritage has the means and duty to provide essential information inside Osborne House. Why would they want to miss such a great educational opportunity?

Also, for the amount of money they charge for entry, many visitors would reasonably expect to be enlightened, as the information in the £4.99 guidebook is unfortunately insufficient.

Cost of staycation on the Isle of Wight

For this short trip, the cost included £80 with Red Funnel ferry, £180 for 2 nights in a lovely B&B called Sentry Mead in Totland.

While on the island, we also became members of English Heritage, £86 for two adults.

The cost for 2 adults to Osborne House was £27.80, and to Carisbrooke Castle was £16, so we thought it sensible to become members.

RIP: Bertie's Adder. Seen at Osborne House garden. (Bertie: Queen Victoria's eldest son.)
RIP: Bertie’s Adder. Seen at Osborne House garden. (Bertie: Queen Victoria’s eldest son.)

To be or not to be: English Heritage, or National Trust?

With my new English Heritage membership, I’ll try visiting a few more English Heritage places this year, instead of visiting National Trust sites.

In the past, we were sometimes members of National Trust, sometimes English Heritage, and I did get confused.

Occasionally I would get to a garden and was surprised that I had to pay, as I went to the ‘wrong’ garden, as my membership often belonged to the other organisation. I didn’t like this sort of surprise. I should have paid more attention to my membership and learnt about which house, garden, park, castle, ruin, monument, woodland, or beach belongs to which organisation.

My family
I’m the youngest of eight children.

Flying thousands of miles home

When I visited my family in Singapore and Malaysia two years ago, I paid for 2 air tickets (one adult and one child) for about £1,400.

Once we got there, my family were all eager to entertain us and pay for our expenses. There was no way I was allowed to pay.

Some of my family’s reasons are:

“You’re the youngest sibling, so you can’t pay.” (Hierarchy)

“Auntie, we are adults now and we now earn (more) money, so we can pay.” (Respect for auntie)

“You’re now like a foreigner, so let us treat you.” (Hospitality to ‘foreigners’)

“You in England don’t earn a lot of money, so you don’t have to pay.” (Reality check)

Durian is lovely. My son's encounter with durians  many years ago in Singapore.
My son’s encounter with durians many years ago in Singapore.

I also couldn’t seem to stop my family stuffing money to us. Almost everyone would give my son a Red Envelope containing money. Red envelopes with money are traditional gifts that we give children and parents during the Chinese New Year, but they can also be given generally as gifts too, especially for greeting and parting.

On our returning, my mum would somehow find more red envelopes from the family to give us – as gestures of good luck and happiness.

My son received quite a few hundred dollars each time and he would return to England with a luggage of books and lots of toys.

Is staycation in England cheaper and better, or should I be flying home to Malaysia and Singapore? I do wonder.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email

Related posts:

Devout Buddhist in Sri Lanka.A Temple For A Tooth? How Often Have You Used a £50 Note? Bathing House Kandy Lake featureKandy Lake vs Chandler’s Ford Lakes Kandy War Memorial featureThere’s Some Corner Of A Foreign Field tuk tuk in Sri Lanka.Tuk-tuk: My Transport Of Delight
Tags: architecture, culture, education, history, memory, storytelling, travel

About Janet Williams

I created Chandler's Ford Today. I use this website to share our passions and inspiring stories, to build a connected community. We inform, educate and enlighten. We share resources.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ruby says

    August 21, 2014 at 6:30 pm

    I took a day trip to the IOW on Monday. We went to Carisbrooke Castle (also English Heritage, and so our National Trust membership wasn’t valid). I did think how advantageous it would be for English Heritage and National Trust to offer reduced admission prices to members of the other organisation. But then I have to tell myself that I don’t become a member to get free admission; I do it to provide money to support the charity. The free admission is just a bonus.

    We also found – though too late in the day to have time to enjoy it – a delightful beach. It was sheltered, uncrowded, and the shops along the front catered for every taste – ice cream and snacks, hot takeaway, sit-down meal.

    Reply
  2. Janet Williams says

    August 21, 2014 at 6:55 pm

    I’m happy to support the charity, but I also expect a good-value-for-money experience. For my age, educational background, and my preference for cultural stimulation, I do think there is so much more English Heritage could do to improve both Carisbrooke Castle and Osborne House.

    I also bought gifts from the shop afterwards – some jam and chilli stuff. They are quite tasty.

    I’m not fond of war re-enactment – with the help from a few adults wearing costumes, kids were play fighting with weapons that the English Heritage was selling outdoor (a special stall outdoor) at Carisbrooke Castle. I watched and didn’t see they were taught anything there. There was no story telling – just getting kids together to form two groups and fight (kill) for fun. It disturbed me a bit. Then I thought I didn’t have small children with me, and perhaps mad fighting / killing was what some parents wouldn’t mind. English Heritage needed to sell those ‘weapons’ to survive, possibly.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. From Chandler's Ford I Get Around - Chandler's Ford Today says:
    January 23, 2015 at 12:08 am

    […] sailed (mainly thanks to the Isle of Wight ferries!), I’ve walked, I’ve cycled (I was never that keen, I prefer a good walk) and […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Chandler's Ford Today blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Top Posts & Pages

999, 111, 101, 112? Emergency Numbers You Must Know
101 Things to Put into Room 101
101 Things to Put into Room 101 - Part 7 - The Final Leg
Home
Cat & Kitten Rescue in Chandler's Ford
New 0300 Phone Numbers for Hampshire County Council
Read Bill Bryson's Portrayal of Eastleigh Town. Do You Agree?
First Aider and First Responder
Peculiar British House Numbering System
My Passion For Woodwork

Categories

Tags

arts and crafts books Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford Today Chandler’s Ford community charity Christianity Christmas church community creative writing culture Eastleigh Eastleigh Borough Council education entertainment event family fundraising gardening gardening tips good neighbours Hiltingbury Hiltingbury Road history hobby how-to interview Joan Adamson Joan Adelaide Goater local businesses local interest memory Methodist Church music nature news reading review social storytelling theatre travel Winchester Road writing

Recent Comments

  • Doug Clews on Smart Phone – No thank you
  • Zorba on Smart Phone – No thank you
  • Christine Lassam on July Gardening Tips by Wellie
  • Allison Symes on St George’s Day Glide
  • Gopi on St George’s Day Glide
  • Marny on St George’s Day Glide

Regular Writers and Contributors

Janet Williams Allison Symes Mike Sedgwick Rick Goater Doug Clews chippy minton Martin Napier Roger White Andy Vining Gopi Chandroth Nicola Slade Wellie Roger Clark Ray Fishman Hazel Bateman SO53 News

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

Reviews of local performances and places

Reviews of local performances and places

Copyright © 2022 Chandler's Ford Today. WordPress. Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.