The word 'gafia'¹, and several variations thereof, was developed within the science fiction community and popularised by the sci-fi newsletter Ansible.

The word itself is an acronym, the letters standing for Getting Away From It All. Therefore, someone escaping from the pressures of work, and going somewhere else for a few days can be said to be gafia - they are 'getting away from it all'.

Once coined, the word quickly gained its own variations. For example, to gafiate is the act of getting away, and if you have gafiaed, then you have got away, but since returned.