‘I go abroad and then fly home on time for bed’

For most people, the idea of ​​a holiday abroad implies packing a suitcase and being out for at least one weekend, if not a week or more.

But for Monica Stott, a single day is enough to fly to another country, explore and return home before bedtime.

Wrexham’s 37 -year -old player enjoys participating in vacations that are known online as an extreme day excursions, and has visited Milan, Bergamo, Lisbon, Amsterdam and even Reykjavik for a single day.

“I think people are always surprised that you really feel that you have had a vacation,” said Monica.

Monica, who is a full -time travel blogger, said that the idea of ​​an extreme day excursion occurred for the first time while traveling for work.

“My first extreme day trips went to Ireland when I had customers there,” he explained.

“It often appeared for a one or two meeting meeting and returned home. Then I realized that I could stay (a little more) and make a full day.”

Then, Mónica discovered a series of Facebook groups where people shared their own extreme day travel experiences, and was inspired to start reserving yours in their free time.

“There are research that suggests that most of their best vacation memories are carried out in the first or two days. When I thought about it, I agreed. Many of the best moments happen when you arrive for the first time.

“You arrive on time for breakfast, squeeze as much as you can and then fly home at night. It’s an intense, busy and crazy day.”

While Monica enjoys the days busy in one place, Luka Chijutomi-Ghosh, a 18-year-old student from Cardiff, has taken things one step further.

“It started on Christmas Eve when I found a flight back to Prague for less than £ 15. I reserved it immediately, but then I realized that the flight landed in Prague at 9:00 p.m. and returned to the United Kingdom at 09:00,” Luka said.

“Then, I thought I could treat it as if it were a day, sleep day and walk around the city at night.”

Luka said he realized that he only needed six hours to explore a city.

A weeks later, when I was on vacation in Paris, he decided to see how many neighboring countries could travel inside a day by train.

“I went to Luxembourg, Brussels and Amsterdam, and I returned to Paris on the same day,” he said.

Luka’s logic, he said, was that it would probably have spent so long traveling if it were on a day excursion in the United Kingdom.

Facebook groups where people share their experiences of making trips from an extreme day have acquired hundreds of thousands of members, with some specifically focused on regional airports in the United Kingdom.

Mónica and Luka said their trips were efficient, economical and helped break their routines without the need of a week away from home.

“People always say they would love to visit places like Paris or Rome, but they don’t have time or money for a long trip. This is a way to avoid that,” said Monica.

For Luka, it is also a practical choice.

“I look at how much students an expense, sometimes up to £ 60 or £ 70. If I can get a return flight for less than £ 20 and experience a completely new city, why not?”

Despite Monika and Luka’s enthusiasm, extreme day trips have received criticism for their environmental impact.

Flying is responsible for 2.4% of world emissions of greenhouse gases and 8% of the United Kingdom emissions.

These gases heat the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change.

Both Monica and Luka recognize this issue.

“I think that if that means that people are taking many more flights, and the airlines are putting more flights, then I see that as a negative impact,” Monica said.

“But many people who make an extreme day trips are doing it because they cannot afford to take a longer vacation or have no time.

“I don’t think it’s fair to say that a person’s holidays are more important than someone else’s holidays, because they go for a longer time.”

Luka argued that flights would often continue anyway.

“The seat will be occupied by someone,” he said.

“In addition, if you can use another form of transport, then it would be a good idea. For example, on my trip that involved three cities, I did not take a single flight.”

Both also said that the extreme day trips were attractive due to the high cost of public transport within the United Kingdom.

Monica said her trips required careful planning.

“I try to choose destinations that are less than a two -hour flight. Once you arrive more than two hours, it is such a long day of travel.”

He also said he tried to keep calm at the airport to avoid unnecessary stress.

“Many people really get excited or anxious at the airport, and that can be exhausting,” he said.

“If you only treat it how to climb a train or a bus, you don’t use all your energy with that anxiety prior to vacations.”