Am I now Completely Mad ( longish post)

Have a WONDERFUL time! You sound as if you deserve it. Only pity is you can't for longer . Try forget the pressures of home and enjoy every minute. It sounds like your son definitely needs to start taking responsibility for his own life - you have done plenty.

Go for itGrannylynn It will be a wonderful experience. You deserve it 100%

Hi grannylyn

You're worried in-case something happens, i:e eldest son dies,
and you'll spend the rest of your life blaming yourself. I can understand that I had a brother who died of drink and drugs when he was 21 and we all felt terribly for years after, but it happens, that's life.

The other posters say "If it was me.... ect", but its not them its YOU.

I don't know what I would do, I'm not in that situation and perhaps I wouldn't have giver a second thought to, but who knows.
Good luck on your soul searching, you will make the right decision.

Go for it. Have a brilliant time. It's your money. Enjoy it.

Go on your holiday grannylyn, it sounds wonderful and you have earned it.

What took you so long?

Good for you enjoy every minute of your trip

Well done you, on all counts!

I'm not sure if you'll need any jabs before travelling, and maybe malaria pills???

Now go and have a fabulous time, despite the possible curry problem!

Happy holidays

Totally agree with all comments grannylyn....don't you dare cancel.
Have a lovely holiday

GO! GO! GO!

My son aged 37 has a drink problem, both he and his wife smoke weed day n night, social services have been called out more than once with regard to the two children. Today (believe it or not) they are taking over as landlord and landlady of a pub, probably funded by my mad elderly mother.

My husband died in 2007, the following year they opened a restaurant, which i helped to fund. Of course it didnt work out and he left the area owing thousands.

Anyway this isnt about me but just wanted to point out sometimes we can be so overwhelmed with love for our children we cant see we are neglecting ourselves and, to be totally honest, not making them stand on their own two feet.

Go to India, enjoy your life, I think you have done your bit

grannylyn

Stop asking for permission.!!!

Go girl go.

Have a great time, savour every moment and when you get home I hope you find a further inner strength to say enough is enough, this is my time from this point onwards.

GO! It's your time to live a little. You'll love India provided you accept it as it is. There is appalling poverty next to incredible wealth, animals living alongside people seemingly completely independently, rubbish and life lived in the open and very publicly, and traffic which makes London seem deserted. Despite all this everyone is non-judgemental open and smiley. It's wonderful! I hope you'll manage to see the Taj Mahal. It's mind-blowing! We loved it.
DH has a very tender difficult tummy and I have a garlic intolerance, but we didn't suffer any Delhi-belly. We were very careful to try to eat freshly cooked food. Because much of Indian food contains garlic I had a restricted diet - but there was so much choice it was fine and I was quite happy to live off the wonderful puddings!
Enjoy your trip!

Good for you. Take medication for your tummy and off you go. our children need reminding every once in a while that 'we to have a life to live too'

As Riverwalk says, if it's a reasonable tour company you'll stay in amazing hotels. We went with Naturetrek (for the tigers and birds) and stayed in maharajah's palaces, beautiful lodges and modern hotels with wonderful facilities.

Where are you going? When are you going? Who are you touring with? Isn't it exiting?!

Grannylynn, I think you have to do this. Well done for booking your holiday and have no more doubts about doing it. I have a sneaking suspicion you feel some guilt too, but you shouldn't. You've been a good mother, and your irresponsible son is a grown man who has chosen his own path all his life, and relies on you and the state to bail him out. I bet you wished he'd chosen another course, because our children remain our beloved children till the day we die, and it's hard, if not impossible to stop thinking about them. Your selfish son must have caused you many sleepless nights.

My philosophy on retiring is "It's my turn now" to live life and spend money in any way I choose.I hope you can adopt it too, and do your own thing without any guilt or worries, knowing you've done your best by your children. You can't take your money with you when you pop your clogs, so go for it and have fun!

Have a lovely time in India, and report back to us. I have felt very inspired to go there by the TV travelogues, and the Marigold Hotel films

You never know you might not want to come back. I've always wanted to stay.

You have done everything you can for your children to, by the sound of it, your own detriment. I know we as parents feel we have a responsibility to our off spring no matter how old they are or how much they depend on us, financially and emotionally. Go and have some 'me time' you deserve it. I hope that they appreciate that you need to take care of yourself sometimes.
Go have a fantastic time, live a little you deserve it.

grannylynn your story is familiar and how brave of you to open up . Our children can be wonderful or a trial in equal measures !! Go for it , you deserve to do this nice thing for yourself

Go for it. Have a brilliant time.

Go have your adventure.
Recharge your batteries

Things might have changed when you get back or they will be just the same.
But you will have had your adventure, when the winter comes you can close your eyes and be back in India
No one can take that away from you.

So best foot forward in to the

go on it sounds fantastic, about time you looked after yourself. get some probiotics and start them before you go, it keeps tummy working.

Oh grannylyn I am proud of you, what a wonderful thing to do. Your son has made his own choices, he is an adult and you have done all you could, more than manhy would have done, so don't let him hold you back. I haven't been to India but the people I know who have seem to have avoided stomach problems and all had a wonderful time, some truly awesome images. We have eaten in the 'Indian' restaurant (Sindhu) on the P&O ships and have found a really wide range of food, the majority of it is spiced but not overly spicy if you get what I mean. Friends also tell us that in India there is a range of food, so don't worry too much. I know you will be sensible with the food, take what medicines you miht need with you, ask for advice and help when you get there but most of all enjoy it all. A wonderful experience, I suspect if you don't go you will always regret it. Do tell us all about it when you return and have so much fun.

Just lay in industrial quantities of Immodium and have the holiday of a lifetime!!
You could write Best Marigold Hotel Part III when you come back to make a bob or two!

I've got nothing to add to the foregoing, comments. Perhaps this Is just the first of many other adventures. One thing, you must tell us all about it!

Go for it and enjoy yourself. Make sure you take out a health insurance just in case you need it and you won't need to worry about anything. Also a good camera for lots of photo. You will,have a fabulous time.