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Take some retro board games along on your next caravan break
Published:
31 July 2012
Modern technology is a funny thing, isn’t it? These days, it doesn’t matter how much we want to escape into the countryside or unwind at the beach during a caravan break, there's still a part of us that tries to stay connected to the outside world.
Part of the problem of course, is that we can: the way smartphones and the ever-popular tablets work these days means that we can phone a friend, watch a film, send an email or post a photo on a social networking site at the touch of a button from pretty much anywhere with internet access.
The thing is, sometimes you want to unwind without the use of your favourite gadgets. There's a reason we often refer to relaxing as "unplugging" – how chilled out can you possibly be if you're connected to the rest of the world 24-7?
But what is the alternative? Well, one idea would be to simply find other ways of entertaining yourself on holiday that don’t involve some kind of gadget. Remember board games and how competitive you used to get over things like Snakes and Ladders or who stole whose Monopoly money?
Well, it might seem a bit outdated now, but why not take some board games (or a deck of cards) along on your next caravan trip? Your friends and family will probably find it a little bit different, but you might find that a night of retro entertainment is just what the doctor ordered as it gives you a chance to unwind and relax without constantly checking emails or updating your Facebook status.
But which one to choose? Well, Monopoly and Scrabble tend to be good buys for a group holiday with mates or your loved ones. For one thing, these games tend to last for ages, and therefore keep you entertained longer than, say, Uno. For another thing, they do actually require you to stretch yourself mentally (at least a little bit) and can even spark a bit of healthy competition.
Chess is a good option if it's just you and one other person; it might not be the most romantic way to spend an evening, but you'll probably have a good laugh with a mock rivalry as you race to see who gets check mate first.