Talk About Blyton!

Unlisted - Enid Blyton in general – Holidays

March 31, 2015 – Brendan Joseph Fitzpatrick says: I went on a walking holiday in Corsica a few years ago, we were having our packed lunches sitting on a grassy slope admiring the views, one lady remarked how food tastes better outside,someone else chipped in stating that she sounded like Anne in the Famous 5,that was it, the discussions about the general election and the forthcoming world cup were thrown out of the window as the talks got really interesting regarding the books. One guy thought that it was the secret 7 who got whisked away in an aeroplane to a secret valley and one lady thought that Barney had a parrot, needless to say I pointed out the facts. One lady who worked in a mobile library reckoned that Mr Pinkwhistle was brilliant.
March 31, 2015 – Misty says: When I am on holiday I always pretend I am at one of the locations from an Enid Blyton book. (By the way this is Evie M here I just changed my username).
	Daisy says: Yes, we know, Misty!
March 31, 2015 – Misty says: YOU know, Daisy, but Brendan might not, hence the reason why I made it clear for him.
	Daisy says: You should stay mysterious, Misty!
March 31, 2015 – Evie M says: Oh, that's not the point of me changing my name, it was because I don't like the name Evie, even though that's my real name. I think I'll just go back to Evie M, that way we'll avoid any confusion.
	Daisy says: There's no confusion, Evie. We know who you are.
April 2, 2015 – Nigel says: Oh goodness, can't you just keep to one name????
July 29, 2015 – Janet says: Back to the topic,something similar happened with me like that, Evie!!
August 17, 2017 – Paul says: The BBC site on Enid mentioned that illnesses in her stories are invariably solved with a seaside holiday. Is this true or is it another myth?
	Daisy says: In some of Enid's books a seaside holiday is recommended after an illness. In Enid's time the good sea air was thought to help any illness.
August 18, 2017 – Nigel says: Daisy is quite right. Back in the 50s (and before) clean sea air - and good wholesome country air - complete with farm smells! - were thought to cure all manner of illnesses that us city fair contracted. Of course, wherever you are, air is mainly 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% carbon dioxide.
August 19, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: Not only in Enid Blyton's book but in many books of long ago, " Sea Air' was considered very good to regain health after a long illness. I have read in East Lynne by Mrs. Heery Wood too where Lady Isabel Carlyle was sent to a sea side place to recuperate from her weakened state by her husband and she was indeed vitalized by the sea air and improved a lot. The colour came back in her cheeks and she walked briskly and in short returned to life full of vim and vigour. As children we were encouraged to go for walks along the sea shore where there is more 'ozone' or go to the hill stations where the fresh mountain air could make all your ills go away. What a lovely way to get well soon!
	Daisy says: That's right, and in Enid's book - Five Get into a Fix, the Five went to the mountains in Wales to recover.
August 22, 2017 – Nigel says: It makes you wonder where the people who lived in the Welsh mountains or the seaside/country went to, to get better. Central London, maybe?
	Fatty says: Maybe they never got ill! Of course, they could always come to Peterswood!
August 22, 2017 – Paul says: That's a possible discussion - which place featured in Enid's stories would you like to visit for a holiday?
	Fatty says: We have a topic on this very subject, Paul. Click here.
August 26, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: In one of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books , the Five go off in Caravan. I too would like to have a caravan holiday also as I have never had one before. However I would like to have a modern caravan with good facilities like a well fitted kitchen plus dining area, a toilet/shower cubicle and an awning which could cover an outdoor sitting place. Of course it should have a cosy sitting room and a nice bedroom with picture windows all around. How I would enjoy myself were I to have such a lovely caravan and park it at different caravan camp sites. My caravan would give me days and days of pleasure on a holiday. . I would name my caravan "Summer Days".
	Fatty says: I think a holiday chalet or cottage would be more up your street, Avan!
August 26, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: Yes Fatty, since I do like creature comforts, a holiday cottage or chalet would be more comfortable for me but the reason I want a modern caravan is that then you do not get stuck at one site but can move about from place to place and do not have to pack and unpack either, as it is more or less like a home on wheels.
August 26, 2017 – Anonymous says: Ofcourse, Fatty says only as a joke that Welsh people should come to Peterswood for change of air, but truly Peterswood is such a nice peaceful and lovely village that anyone who has any health issues or even other problems would soon forget their ills and become happy and stong again. I for one woud love to have lived there, can anyone tell me where Peterswood is in England today?
	Fatty says: It is thought to be based on Bourne End, in Buckinghamshire - especially around Coldmoorholme Lane, where Enid used to live.
August 27, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: If I were to win an exceptional lottery and there is no limitation to money to be spent on a holiday, I would book my husband and myself for a World Cruise on a luxury Ocean Liner. It would be first class all the way with the best accomodation available , the best gourmet food, all luxury suites and cars for sightseeing at ports of call. I would take full advantage of the beauty salons and massage parlours and other facilities available on board. I would call for room service for every little thing were I to feel too lazy to step outside my stateroom. I would also take along a maid for me , a valet for my husband and a secretary for both of us who would handle all the nitty gritty and make all travel and other arrangements for us. In short, I would not exert myself to do a thing but would be the Queen and make my husband the King of all we survey!
	Fatty says: As you posted in the Holidays in Blyton Locations thread, I have moved this to the generel Holidays thread, Avan.
September 3, 2017 – Paul says: If I won the lottery, I'd invest in research to cure cancer, diabetes etc.
September 9, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: Holidays! I remember how exciting it was as a child to hear the family make holiday plans. There would be first the decision to be made on where to go for a holiday, then the planning of an itenary, then the booking of train tickets, finally the packing and on the long awaited day, off we went. These were the days when it would never be a break of 3 nights-4 days but a proper holiday of at least a month. But those were affordable times, sometimes we would book a bungalow on rent for a full month, the family would also take along a cook hired for the duration of that month, and the amount of bags and baggages we would have with us! And it was always with reluctance that we returned back to the city and already we would be planning for our next holiday.
	Daisy says: Gosh that was a long holiday, Avan. We were lucky as kids if we got a week. And we never had the money to take along a cook!
September 9, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: Daisy, the holidays I wrote about were during very different times, then things were very affordable , we were simple middle class families, and there was nothing exotic about these breaks. And family in those times meant not only a single unit of mother , father and their children but also extended families like aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins. Even very close friends were considered family as were very close neighbours. And all went together on holidays and when the cost was shared, it worked out very economically. So in case I have given an idea of something expensive and grand and exclusive, nothing could be further from that. Also a cook was essential to help with such a large group and the ladies all worked in tandem with the cook. Everyone pitched in to do everything together. But why are you surprised on the mention of a cook being present? In Enid Blyton's Five FindOuters series , Pip and Bets have a cook , Fatty has a cook and they have maids as well, that too live- in maids , besides they have garderners and all sort of help and that too on a regular basis. So it is a bit difficult for me to understand why you find it out of the ordianry to find people take a cook along with them and that too for the short duration of a holiday period.
	Daisy says: Your holidays with family and friends, sound wonderful, Avan. Sadly I wasn't in the same era and things like a maid and a cook just wasn't affordable. One of the reasons why I personally love to read about - cooks and a maid - in the Blyton books.
September 13, 2017 – Paul Austin says: Sadly, Daisy, it's un PC to call a female home help a "maid" now. We're told to use "housekeeper" as the home help can be male these days.
	Daisy says: I was using the word "maid" as in Blyton times, not these times, Paul!
October 27, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: I also did not know that it is un PC to say maid for a home helper these days till I read the above post. Glad to learn this and will bear it in mind. . All persons do not have the same capabilities and each one has his own special ability which is deserving of appreciation and none should be considered superior or inferior.
November 3, 2017 – Nigel says: I don't think it's a case of being "un-PC", Avan, it's just an out-of-date term. A bit like referring to a home-help as a char lady. Housemaids, kitchenmaids, scullerymaids were often very young, and were maids - the old term for young single girls.

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