What is this obsession with holiday?

My dd and SiL were among ‘those types’ who twice headed for Bournemouth with Gdcs during the first heatwave. The beach there is apparently 11 miles long and - as was clear from the many photos and little videos they sent of Gdcs thoroughly enjoying themselves - there was masses of space for people to spread out in perfect safety.

Of course littering and leaving human waste is disgusting, but there’s always going to be a minority who don’t give a toss. I can’t say I’m at all surprised at people flocking to the beach during one of our all too rare spells of proper beach weather. It’s not as if anyone can rely on it happening again in the U.K. even all summer, especially not at the weekend.
You only have to compare last weekend with the previous one. From blistering hot to cool and wet.

And amazingly enough, a lot of people, my family included, do really love sun, sand and sea.
If you don’t, fine, but there are plenty who do, and they’re certainly not all ‘those types’.

My DH never liked holidays at home or abroad. He said he did enough travelling for work. Unfortunately he had a hobby which involved lifestock and it was my job to look after them while he was away. Then, one year I told him he had to take a week off, as I wanted to take DDs to Greece. It was wonderful and I got the courage to take them to various places over the years. I feel as if I’ve missed out on so much by being tied down by his hobby, so when that changed I was off over the Pond every year with DD2 in her wheelchair!
Now, DH has relapsed for the second time, so I’ve got to accept no more holidays for ‘however long’ and then I could be incapable of going anywhere. Carpe Diem!!

All these future plans seem very sensible for those of us who can put stuff on hold until it's safer.

But I can't see any sign that anybody is concerned at the loss of heathcare that is going to hit Brits holidaying in Europe in the New Year.

I wonder if that will put a bigger damper on all our lives than the current global emergency.

Maybe we will have to rethink holidays. I had to, when I ended up divorced after 34 years and without funds for the wonderful foreign holidays my ex and I had enjoyed. But then I discovered the YHA and I have had the loveliest times staying in dorms with some super people, some of my age (67), many younger, and cooking and eating in communal kitchens. Some of you may be reading this in horror, but before my life changed so drastically I would NEVER have imagined I'd be sleeping in a room with other people. (There's a lovely YH in central London, by the way, ideal for sightseeing. Not possible now, I know, but it will resume.) The YHA do private rooms too. But maybe you know this already....?

MY, I'll second that. Spent a wonderful overnight in YHA in Glasgow 13th March. Last night of social life (theatre) berfore lockdown. I had a splendid single ensuite, cheap as chips and clean as a whistle. Would recommend them to anyone. My reasons are not financial. More common senseical! I've met some splendid folks there. Often use hotels too but location is king.

I really miss the chance to go on holiday. My husband and have worked hard over the years. He still works part time. The idea is to be grateful for our health and do as much as we can while we can. We’ve saved for this as well. We have both been widowed in the past and value the opportunities we have. We are disappointed that we can’t travel at the moment but appreciate our good fortune in other ways.

Kim19 what a lovely way to spend your last night of social life before lockdown. Mine was in the YHA in Borth (west Wales), almost on the beach, where there's an ancient sunken forest. Wonderful.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Love travelling and usually go abroad 3 times a year but all my holidays this year have been cancelled. Hopefully will be travelling again next year. Being contained in a plane is not safe at moment.

Personally I take most things seen on the TV news with a pinch of salt, particularly interviews with the general public. The journalists are looking to make a good news story. They dont conduct a comprehensive survey of the views of the majority beforehand and then try to reflect reality. Reality is undoubtedly too boring. My guess is a minority are raring to go on holiday, a minority are horrified at the thought, and about 90% of people are somewhere in the middle. As someone pointed out in an earlier message on this thread, the whole Bournemouth beach scenario relied heavily on photos and footage taken on the very busiest part of the beach using camera angles to make it look as if people were sitting on top of each other. No doubt the reporters are very happy their story took off and gained number one slot here and around the world, but it probably reflected reality for a few hundred yards of one beach in the UK on the hottest day of the year. Full stop.

My plans to visit the Northern Isles have been shelved yet again. I really want to go in June for the long light nights - the 'simmer dim'. Maybe next year...

We do many pet sits around Europe, since we lost our beautiful dog in 2016. It has allowed us to have more holidays than we could have afforded but more importantly we love looking after the animals. Beach holidays have always bored me. Doing these sits gives us something to look forward to and makes us feel we are still useful, particularly not having grandchildren to help out with. We take the Sits very seriously and treat it as a job, but do enjoy the cafe culture. My dream was to always move to Portugal, but Brexit has put paid to that - could never afford the Private Healthcare now required. We've had to cancel 3 Sits this year and cannot see us being happy to travel anywhere for the foreseeable future. To start with we have enjoyed our own comfortable bed, settee and home but now I need something to look forward to. I also miss my swimming at the gym, which helped keep me positive but cannot see me going back there either. We walk two dogs for two neighbours who are disabled, but it's the routine. I am happier with something to look forward and the pet sits in a warmer climate certainly helped and of course it was always very nice to come home.

Geekesse I feel exactly the same. I'm always better when I've had time away. Working from home means I'm even more I'm need of a break away, pref abroad where shops don't shut early like they do here. I quite fancy Spain or Greek Islands

Haven't felt tgey need to holiday abroad for a few years. The horrendous behaviour of folk at airports and then holiday venues just put me off. I can't understand why folk want to fly off as soon as allowed as most of the popular holiday destinations are going to have restrictions on pool use and beaches. No night clubs open. Will wait until I can visit friends in Canada - safely.

SunnySusie

Personally I take most things seen on the TV news with a pinch of salt, particularly interviews with the general public. The journalists are looking to make a good news story. They dont conduct a comprehensive survey of the views of the majority beforehand and then try to reflect reality. Reality is undoubtedly too boring. My guess is a minority are raring to go on holiday, a minority are horrified at the thought, and about 90% of people are somewhere in the middle. As someone pointed out in an earlier message on this thread, the whole Bournemouth beach scenario relied heavily on photos and footage taken on the very busiest part of the beach using camera angles to make it look as if people were sitting on top of each other. No doubt the reporters are very happy their story took off and gained number one slot here and around the world, but it probably reflected reality for a few hundred yards of one beach in the UK on the hottest day of the year. Full stop.

Well said, though it’s allowed people to feel very sanctimonious and superior (no one here!). “Those people” had probably been desperate to get away from the same grey streets and give their children a treat: a day out at the beach. Children who have had their schools shut, their playgrounds shut, often their parks shut, so imagine the joy of going to their nearest big beach on a hot day and having, for once, some fun and normality. They probably did, then the papers were full of distorted photos of the “idiots”. People pointed and judged from their comfortable gardens where life was pretty much the same as it had always been. I’m not judging anyone here, I too initially got caught up in the hype and distortion. Once you start putting yourself in the shoes of those who went, you start seeing things differently. Also, no one sits a few inches from strangers on a beach, you naturally space out. And everyone was outside where we know the risk of transmission is much lower, especially in the hot sun.

As for the litter - no excuse, but when did you last see an anti-litter media /tv campaign? People tend not to think that their tiny action will matter. Education is all.

As for the question, I do have a garden and comfortable home and a lovely family but also a spirit of adventure, and life has seemed very flat and colourless with it seeming like Groundhog Day over and over. We did postpone our holiday abroad to next year but are looking forward to several UK short trips away. I do not judge anyone for choosing to holiday abroad

Holidays are for when kids are small.... beaches , buckets and spades..... now, I just can’t be bothered . All the stress of them... no thanks . Bottle of wine and my garden on a sunny day. Haven’t been away for 13 years... and not likely to now.

I wish people who like to go away on holiday would or could tell me why they do like holidays.

PS Marion58, that is interesting. I can understand why you travel to pet sit, and feel bored by beach holidays.

Someone once told me she and her husband like to "get away from the bricks" which well summed up why they liked to go away to the countryside in their campervan.

I haven’t had a proper holiday for quite some time ( not by choice) Alexa but for me the draw would be ......

The almost guaranteed sunshine
Being waited on ( or just cooked for)
Swimming in a pool
Swimming in the sea
Eating nice food
Wearing nicer clothes
Feeling the sun on me
Experiencing a different culture
Visiting unusual places

I could go on and on and on and on ...... sigh

I hope you can do so again gillybob. I think you must have
had some really successful holidays like you describe.

I find different cultures hard work to fit in with, but I might like to be in an unusual place if it was comfortable although when I was younger I was more adventurous.

I would like to swim in the sea, but not the effort to get there and live in a hotel or rented place.

Like many on here I just want to be able to see my daughter and family as I miss them so very much. There are no longer any cases left where they are however I do not want to catch it en route and take it there. I know that will happen anyway though.

We’ve transferred both our holidays to next year and will stay put for the time being! Amazed however by friends who have just booked a self catering holiday in the UK for September. They have had ourselves and others running around for them shopping, prescriptions etc for the whole of lockdown only going out for gentle walks! Wonder who will have the job of stocking them up for ‘their holiday?’

I have lovely memories of the the last proper holiday I had Alexa . I would love to do it again .....maybe in my next life

We have a break in cottage, in a rural location booked for October and will go to that. We always take our beloved dog with us, so this is normal for us.
For now just getting excited about our static caravan site opening up on Saturday. Very easy to socially distance there. we can chat to neighbours across the way, from our decking area, a very wide pathway between us. Lovely walks for Sid the dog in local woods. Can't wait.