Holidays. Are they important to you ?

My friend is very outgoing and was recently made redundant. At nearly 60, she decided to not look for another job so she can spend time with her older husband who is retired. She is living frugally but manages to get out and about in her locality. She has always loved travelling, I used to say that she should have been a travel agent as she loves all the planning and research as well as the holiday itself.

So she shocked me when she said that, after a few months of only visiting local areas and letting her husband do most of the driving, she is losing confidence with travel and with driving. She becomes anxious about potential train or traffic delays or weather conditions eg flooding. Only a few months ago, she would have taken it all in her stride. She's only 59 and not a home body! She's the last person I'd have expected to be affected like this, she's always been so confident.

I do think travel is good for our brains and coping skills. I go abroad once a year with family but as a recent retiree, I love travelling around the UK by public transport and if we get a bit lost, well Britain is a small country! I especially love a solo trip, though that doesn't happen often. I love exploring new places or revisiting old ones. I've been to (and lived in) many places around the world but not much of my own country so I'm making up for that. We live in a beautiful country after all with wonderful architecture and history and gorgeous countryside. It's good to remind myself of that.

Someone mentioned not remembering a holiday for long once they are back home. I keep a journal and print out mini-photos, buy postcards and keep tickets which I paste in the journal and write about what we've done each day - no hardship as I already keep a journal. I love looking back on it.

I also enjoy letter-writing so every time I write about the trip, I re-live the memory and it cements itself in my mind.

Never thought I'd ever hear myself saying this but holidays simply hold no allure for me any more. Simply can't be bothered with the general preparation or airport faff. If I do change my mind it will certainly be for a lazy cruise which takes me to a different place every day with minimum effort from me.

I travelled more by living abroad rather than holidays , and worked for an airline for a while to allow me to travel further than I could have afforded on my own. When my son was young and we lived in the uk we bought a very old yacht, and so our holidays were spent sailing. Visited France and the scilly isles and went right round Ireland and loved the west coast of scotland and the Hebrides. Loved the sailing, and as a purist only used an engine to go in and out of harbours where they had bylaws about that. But loved mostly anchoring up on our own or meeting a couple of other boats.
A real sense of freedom - of course ruled by the weather to a certain extent - but we could change our minds , stop and start as we liked. It was camping on water really, as of course still had cooking to do (and at an angle!) and shopping could be hard work as of course no car to take things in.

To have a little luxury we used to have a couple of weekends staying at a farmhouse b/B or in a small hotel. in spring and auttumn. Whilst my husband was still working he only had his holiday available so it was always sailing for that. which was his great pleasure . I then used to go alone, or occasionally with a friend in about February time, on a cheap trip often to Italy as I went to see Art and Music. So never tried to emulate the smart italian women, but used to have smartish trousers and tops and sensible shoes and waterproofs with a good rucksac. That allowed me to be first in the queue to visit the Uffizi or go to see the sistine chapel etc. I used to sometimes go to Venice and get the local waterbus and go off and around different piazzas. Dont know about these days but then if you stood up to drink your coffee it cost less. Had some great trips doing things like that, but now couldnt do the walking sadly.

Still love travelling to anywhere and still finding new things to enjoy. I will be 80 this year and so plan to go somewhere abroad for one more time as I expect the insurance will mean that I cant afford it so long as I can get around safely I still plan to keep travelling in this country. Over the years have visited most of the uk and will look forward to contiuing to enjoy wonderful scenery, and country. Have never been a person who wanted to just sit on a beach but am still an RHS member and have my yellow book NGS so I am sure that there will be many lovely gardens to enjoy. I am a widow and miss my husband of course, but the one thing about being on your own is that I dont need to book weeks in advance etc, but can just decide last minute . Up until the Covid stuation I was happy to stay in yha and other hostels, as all I want is a clean bed and a shower and to be able to get my breakfast very early if my back wakes me up, so can be off and away by 6am sometimes. dont think I shall be doing that anymore !!
So, will be checking my box for the car, ready for travelling, with plates mugs cutlery etc etc so can have picnics as I travel, and never need to sit in some noisy boring place, but like to buy food, and then go off to sit up in the moors, or close to the sea in a quiet place. So probably be the last time I get round bits of Britian. I shall still enjoy being at home too, and have my books and music and things to do so it is not that I dont like being at home. I think the most important thing is to think what will give you pleasure, and not a lot of stress to organise it. When money was very tight , we used to think of just days that would be a treat for us, and some of those were simply giving ourselves permission to do no housework and have "a day off" where we just did as we liked, so we could read all day or be out in the garden and ignore the washing etc. and then we would go mad and buy fish and chips or a chinese takeaway!! Enjoy whatever floats your boat and give yourselves a mental day off at least. We all do our best for our families and help with childcare or whatever is needed but we alsoneed to say this couple of days are for me.

I used to go for different locations abroad and new experiences when booking holidays, but I also knew people who thought the most important thing was to completely relax on holiday. They'd just drive to the nearest beach or camping site and chill: have barbecues, read, fish and sleep!
It's harder now we're older and there's also the point that holidays are more expensive.
I'd say holidays are just as important now, but we only do a short city break abroad for a "new experience" and take comfort in a longer break in the UK, in a familiar place, where we don't waste time getting lost and where we already know the things we like to do and see.

We only ever holidayed once a year, 2 weeks in the UK in our touring caravan, but I always looked forward to going away.
Now I`m on my own and not very mobile anymore, holidays have gone up the spout. I do miss them, but also know I wouldn`t enjoy not being able to get about very well, plus I don`t drive.

My husband & I, (sorry I sound like the Queen!)
Used to love exploring on little jaunt's, particularly around the UK.
However, the roads are so mad & dangerous nowadays that we don't bother much anymore.
It's sad really & I feel quiet angry about it too as my world is getting smaller and less enjoyable. 🤔

Etoile2701

I am wondering how much insurance would cost for my husband who is nearly 81 with COPD for a short trip to France this summer. I have tried to find out online but I couldn't get the websites to work.

Hi Etoile, given your husband's age and health conditions you'll need to ring insurance companies for a quote. If you are driving and use the tunnel you can get insurance up to age 85 and with pre-existing conditions without health questions.

TheWeirdoAgain1

Holidays are vitally important to me. I have an entire week off from work in April which coincides with my 60th birthday on the 29th so I'll drive off to a hotel in Whitby then for a meal in a Fine Dine Indian Restaurant where they serve gorgeous food and cold beer!

As much as I love my job as a carer in a home for adults with disabilities I HAVE to have a few days off at times!

I have a passport but have never been abroad, I just use it as ID. I've read about lone women travelers abroad and the dangers they can face so I stay here in the UK!

I think you would find most countries perfectly safe.. I have done loads of solo travelling and never felt unsafe.. even in South Africa where I worked for a year.. Try it..

Holidays are vitally important to me. I have an entire week off from work in April which coincides with my 60th birthday on the 29th so I'll drive off to a hotel in Whitby then for a meal in a Fine Dine Indian Restaurant where they serve gorgeous food and cold beer!

As much as I love my job as a carer in a home for adults with disabilities I HAVE to have a few days off at times!

I have a passport but have never been abroad, I just use it as ID. I've read about lone women travelers abroad and the dangers they can face so I stay here in the UK!

Yes they are important, but having said that I think most of my long haul travelling days are behind me. I count myself lucky to have been to some of the world's wonderful places, particularly much of the Americas, from Canada to Argentina and many of the countries in between, including of course the US. My husband would still like to go to NZ, but neither of us can really face such a long haul. I remember how I felt when I first went to Australia, it wiped me out for ages and I was young then. Anyway, I've just booked a lovely looking place in Devon for late June, more or less overlooking the beach looking towards Burgh Island. Of late, it certainly wasn't a thing when I was younger, I now love going away in England and occasionally Wales. Maybe we will get to France or Italy later in the year, ideally I'd go everywhere by train if I could avoid flying, something else I've come to hate along with extreme heat.

I am wondering how much insurance would cost for my husband who is nearly 81 with COPD for a short trip to France this summer. I have tried to find out online but I couldn't get the websites to work.

I love my holidays, in Portugal, always with at least one family member, often with six of us, bliss 😀

we prefer pottering around holidays, visiting places of interest, finding places thers do not go,

We are the same M0nica but ideally like to see the places people do go to ad well (eg. Herculaneum, Matera, Paestum) but off-season.

I wouldn't book anywhere that "will do" in terms of accommodation and would prefer to go less often if I can't afford what feels like luxury.
It doesn't have to be big or glamorous but it does have to be beautiful whether it's a villa or s hotel.

When the children were growing up nearly all our holidays were camping.
I love the (different) freedom of not having to bother with tents - though not a lot beats staying in one - if you can get up and down easily!

We generally have had 3 or 4 weeks away at a run - from the end of August ideally... but haven't gone on an actual "holiday" recently as we've had other expenses.
🙁

I do love the whole thing about choosing, comparing, planning the journey and the accommodation and then exploring once we arrive.
I have never been on a package type trip because I want flexibility.
I miss not having a holiday. I do look at places to stay at least once a week!

I was lucky enough to get a part time job to a disabled couple who went on cruises several times a year. I've travelled all over the world with them and was keen to try a cruise with DH who was not at all keen. I booked it and told him afterwards. Well, he loved it so much we've been on several ssince He's always hated airports. You just drive and park at Southampton, after the staff take your luggage from the car, and put it in your room, bars, pool, jacuzzi, snack bar all open straight away. Lots of comfy seats where you can be alone if you wish. We used P&O and Royal Caribbean.
One one cruise I was chatting to an older lady who had been paired up with another lady to share a room and they had become firm friends. Not sure if it was through the cruise liner or a different organisation but a good idea for anyone not wanting to be alone on their first solo holiday. HTH someone contemplating a first solo holiday

I do like holidays but there never seems to be much time!

Last year I had 3 holidays, unusually. I spent a month with DS1 and his family in NZ. Then in June I went to Denmark to stay with DB.
Finally in August I managed a week on the Isle of Skye at the Gaelic college for a short course.

This year I am moving house so probably won't go away. That's quite enough excitement. Although this Friday I am going to a pottery weekend on the Isle of Cumbrae.

I would have gone South at New year but had a hip replacement instead.

As you get older, priorities change.
When DH was alive, we travelled quite a lot in this country and others.
I must say half the joy has gone now so I prefer to stay with people I know or with family.

I enjoy having visitors too and 3 people are provisionally booked in. 😃

I like going on holiday but DH hates the airport faff so much that even if he agrees to go I end up stressing because he is so miserable!
He's OK once we are there though!
I think this might be my last time abroad with him. Will have to find a friend to go with in future. DH quite happy for me to do that but I don't yet know anyone whose DH is happy for them to....!

I love my holidays abroad it was always my plan to travel more once I retired. I go twice a year to some where warm and sunny with 2 girlfriends who love it to. We choose a different destination each year.

No, I’d rather never have to sleep away from home ever again. I am now committed to a week in Rhodes for my daughter’s wedding, after huge angst over leaving the dogs and massive anxiety about the travelling, the hotel, the crowds and noise, the wedding… and now I’m fretting about the food in Greece - I have cut out most meat as it caused gallstone problems, and more recently I’m on a steep learning curve to manage IBS. I’ve been able to relax some of the restrictions on a low FODMAP diet, others will stay off-limits as the bathroom urgency is so hard to cope with. I don’t trust hotel kitchens with eg salads and will try to stick to food I can peel, I foresee a week of oranges and bananas. What about signage, when the alphabet isn’t familiar? Google Translate?

I know that this trip will be the very last holiday I will ever agree to, there’s no place like home.

I have been all over the world Hawaii,all over US lived in US Mexico,Egypt,Australia,Canada
and all over Europe I'm not so bothered anymore as I've been lucky. Prefer home now,apart from the weather, lots I want to see her .

I haven't been overseas since Covid. I really don't want to fly anymore but will have to if I need to as I have relatives who live abroad.

When I first retired I fancied a European train journey by myself but when I thought about the reality of having to take a backpack I went off the idea.

Holidays at home though are great fun, mostly with friends for short breaks.

I am planning a proper family holiday on the coast for my 70th, because going abroad is beyond my budget now anyway.

I have many very happy memories of travelling to different places though, so sometimes I just remember those and don't worry too much about doing all that faffing at airports again.

Plus I hate packing!

We used to love going on holiday especially when we started planning road trips in the USA and Canada. The last time we had a holiday was in 2016, the high cost of travel insurance now we have turned 80 and the fact that our dog now suffers from anxiety means we have decided to put a stop to holidays of any length, we now settle for a few days away when out son can come and look after our dog.

When the children were small, holidays were always bucket and spade - usually in Cornwall or camping by Cumbrian lakes (think swallows and amazons😊).Later it was cycling holidays in France. We have never chosen beach holidays in the heat.

I'd live to go on holiday but at present we have a rather old dog and I'd not want to leave her. She comes with us on holiday in the uk but abroad is out of the question at the moment.

Omg! You sound just like me!
I hate the hassle of airports and resent spending time in queues, just to get some sunshine which can now be far too hot for me. I don’t enjoy sitting on a beach or round a pool for two weeks with loads of children and loud speakers and a week doesn’t seem worth the journeys.
Give me my comfortable home, lovely garden and my dog to walk any day!

I do enjoy holidays, and this year it will hopefully be a river cruise inFrance and Switzerland. We have spent time in the U.K. during the years since covid, largely because our now deceased dog was elderly and needed our presence.

We almost certainly will spend more time on holiday this year - haven’t made our minds up yet.

Saying all that I do enjoy our day to day life at home with its interests and hobbies etc. so holidays in the U.K. are very enjoyable.