Am I odd because I don't much enjoy holidays?

Had a brilliant week even though I was a bit panicky beforehand. Enjoyed it so much we are now going on another holiday, just a week again. In my case I obviously just needed to make myself 'go'. I feel so much better than I did a few weeks ago. To other people who would like to go on holiday but feel fear, my advice is 'fight your fear'. You could be feeling so much better after your holiday.

I hate holidays and travel. I dislike the concern of staying somewhere where the accommodation may not be as advertised. Damp beds in Greece spring to mind, from a holiday over 20 years ago. I am also petrified of flying and hate the stress and disruption of travel.

However. I love exploring other cultures. Which means I mostly enjoy working overseas (as I will do now until I retire). Once the trauma of travel is over, I love getting to know a place, and becoming 'a local'.

Photograph is from my recent train journey around lake Geneva.

Callistemon, they did indeed count them - which is a real worry!

I used to love holidays abroad during the winter.Nothing nicer than feeling the sun on my back knowing how cold it was at home! Alas my bikini days are well and truly over ? and like many of you, holidays don’t appeal to me anymore. A very occasional weekend away in a nice hotel is enough for me now or a cottage by the sea.

I thought they counted them all out and counted them back in again.
However, I do remember when one of our ladies' group got left behind after a trip.
They always read out the names now.

One of my daughters went on a school trip to France in her first year at High school.

At the coach station, on the way back, they were told to visit the loo if they needed to. When she got back the coach was gone.

She sat and waited, hoping they'd notice that they'd left her behind - before they got all the way back to England.

'Were you scared?' I asked. 'I was a bit worried I'd get very hungry and I can't speak French' she said! (I would have been hysterical myself.) Half an hour later, they returned.

That has really put me off a Saga holiday Tillybelle!
I thought they would be very helpful and empathetic to those who may not be as speedy as we were.

A holiday is really a break from your hectic working life. Since I retired, my life is peaceful and relaxed anyway - one long holiday!

Agree totally with Tillybelle.
I can't bear that P&O ad with Rob Bryden which gives the false impression of a Cruise where you have the Ship to yourselves; no crowds etc.. The reality is quite different, I assure you, and the buyers of this ad will have a rude awakening.

Can no longer stand the thought of flying; the horrible Airports; the "sardine-tin" seating and the danger of catching something through breathing dirty air. Twice I've had "Easyjet flu" Add to that, do not like sitting in the sun and bored with sightseeing. Just a miserable old cow, really.
My pleasure of travel now come from helping my 18 yr. GD to see the world with a little bit of spending money. Holidays by proxy,

SunnySusie
I forgot to say earlier, I couldn't agree with you more! I hate crowds and being herded into buses and coaches and queuing at airports. I heard on TV recently that if you go to Xian to see the Terracotta Army, you will only see it on a screen on a video because of all the heads of people in the way blocking the view.
That reminded me of the other places I had been to in my life and how it was really quite arduous dealing with begging children selling cards for example, and other travellers not turning up for the coach or the reverse, everyone turning up early and the coach leaving 10 minutes early with me still at the hotel! The Hotel Manager insisted on sending me by taxi and charged it to the holiday company as he had been there when the tour manager had told us what time we would leave. That same TM was rude and constantly intruding on my moments of peace and quiet to sell her extra tours. She loudly complained about the disabled people and left two of us behind in Vienna. It was a Saga holiday with a cruise on the Danube. My advice is book the cruise directly with the boat operator! That wasn't my only frightful Saga holiday! One was horrific, when they took over a company I booked with to see Latin America. They could not organise the flights. We did not have a proper long-haul plane, but a small one. It was something like 8 hrs late going back. We had to stop mid flight, but not disembark, to refuel and empty the loos. There weren't enough coffees and teas. The Crewe were pushed beyond human endurance. I had a migraine. The loo queue was banging my headrest all the time. The whole journey took such a long time (I forget how long now, 20 or so hours) that I would have preferred to be dead. I will never go away with that company again.
Anyway, I don't want to go away again. It takes too long to organise my tablets! But mainly it's because I refuse to be away from my dogs unless I really have to.
Travel is a hassle as far as I am concerned and makes you leave behind those you love the most.

Think I’ll add my name to the odd,
I enjoy booking the holiday, and the looking forward. But hate the packing, the organising that happens at the airport, and the travelling to the holiday. I’d love someone else to be the organiser, I’d like the pleasure of just turning up.
As soon as we are on our way to the airport, I just want to go home.

Once I’m there I’m ok and do enjoy the total rest of e everyday life. But I miss the family.
We’re happy to just go to Spain now, no long flights. And only 7 days for us.
Everyone is different, but I don’t understand the yearning to go to far flung places, it has no appeal for me.

I am a home bird, and happy to be so. ???

I didn't have a holiday last year and didn't miss it. I flew to the UK half a dozen times to stay with my mother, who then died in the summer, and was in the US twice to look after my grandson, and then to help out when they had a baby.

Fortunately I love the travelling part, too - ordering strange coffee variations in airport cafés and browsing the shops, buying sweets, people watching.

We do go on holiday, but there is a lot to be said for spending the money on making your home nice - after all you spend approximately 50 weeks of the year at home and only 2 on holiday.

Like you, Framilode, I felt like a boring stick in the mud, beside my many outgoing and adventurous friends. One especially often phones with the list of her diary details of plays, concerts, dinners etc as well as trips abroad. I always say I am really happy at home. I don't think she believes me.

So what if people think I am dull?! It's my life and now. at over 70 yrs, I shall try and use it how I wish! Here's a cheer for all my home-loving friends!! ??☕️

I'm so glad you asked Framilode! You are not mad! Or if you are, then so am I!

I have done a lot of travelling and am quite glad I did it but I'm very happy to say I am only too pleased to stay at home now! It's like being on holiday in a way anyway! Some holidays were so stressful - the ones with my husband.

Now I really love being at home on my own except for my dogs. Right now the dogs and I are so happy together I don't even want to go out much and have to push myself to remember my dear friends and pop in to say hello to them!

I hated holidays and used to count the days to the middle (right, we've broken the back of it) and then count down to going home day. I disliked having no choice but to stay in that place until the flight home. I never go abroad now. My annual holiday is a week long residential karate course held at Lancaster University every August.

I'm so pleased there are many other people like me. I have always felt guilty about this and a stick in the mud. We are all different and I like the familiar.

Don't do long haul any more since ending up in a hospital in the U.S after only three days into a holiday.Appendicitis at my age ?Well insured fortunately.Not unusual it could have happened any time I was told nothing to do with age.Never the less, and not that I hadn't experienced many far away countries over the years,this put stop to any long distance ideas I might have for the future..

I love this thread because I have discovered there are so many other people like me who are quite happy at home and dont feel the need to go on holiday. The majority of my friends who have retired in the last five years or so, are busy jetting around the planet, cramming in as many visits to as many countries as possible 'whilst they are still fit and young enough'. Sometimes their conversation opener is 'have you got any exciting holidays planned?' and when I answer 'no' they look totally bemused. Some start suggesting places and urging me to travel whilst I have the chance or I will regret it later. The trouble is I actively dislike airports, crowds, hassle, jet lag, hotels, long journeys and worst of all packing. My favourite way to visit other countries is sitting on my sofa watching Simon Reeve travel programmes. I am sure I learn far more about distant places that way than actually visiting them. I am perfectly happy at home. I love my house and garden, I love where I live, I have my friends around me, I am never bored. I actually like doing the same walks over and over and visiting familiar places to watch them change with the seasons, I just dont seem to need an endless round of novelty.

Oh hang on...on second reading I don’t think you meant a temper you have on holiday

mum's 'temper holiday

I have that too! I remember really losing it on the street with my teenage daughter once. I was doing that ‘shouting quietly through gritted teeth’ thing after she’d pushed one too many buttons while pointing my finger at her - forgetting I was holding my youngest son’s new plastic knife he’d bought in the toy shop (the ‘blade’ disappeared into the hilt on pressing so no damage could be done with it). The people in the cafe window opposite were - it looked like I was holding a knife up to her . Not my finest moment

Some years ago I did what my family call 'mum's 'temper holiday'.
For the first time ever I was on my own, no one to worry about, just doing what ever pleased me. I loved it and found I was never lonely. As long as I paid my way and had a smile on my face I had all the company I needed if I wanted it.
I have never done it since but often think it was the best holiday I have ever had.

To everyone who does not like holidays - I say I totally understand. I used to love going on holiday. Done lots of long haul as well as short haul. But now I am terrible. I feel very sorry for my husband as he is always up for a holiday. Well, we have booked a week away to the Canaries. I am feeling a bit of panic and sickness butt I will make myself go. I'm sure I will be ok once there. I do hope so! It's only a week!!!!!

chattycathy, my DH died two years ago and we always used to have a couple of holidays each year.
So last year I took the plunge and decided to go on my own, and did a river cruise and then a sea cruise; they were just normal holidays, not solos, and I had a great time, and people were so friendly.
This year for the first time I am trying a solos holiday, hoping that there will be company when I feel like it, and also some independent time. The sea cruise is like last year, just going on my own, knowing there will be couples on board but also many single people. Plenty of people to chat to, but also time alone if I want.

I'm a home bird, have no desire to go on 'holiday' in terms of beaches and going abroad anymore. Just want to see the British Isles and my family!