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

(106 Posts)
Framilode Sat 08-Feb-20 18:02:31

Is there anyone else like me? I go on holiday because my husband loves travelling but I always feel a little stressed the whole time I am away. What I really like is being at home in my own space. We have been to some wonderful countries but, left to myself, I wouldn't go on holiday.

Kandinsky Sat 08-Feb-20 18:05:30

I’m exactly the same.
I’d rather be sitting in my garden with a nice cup of tea.

lemongrove Sat 08-Feb-20 18:08:47

Almost like you, I like the thought of a holiday but as it comes nearer, the thought of all the packing and going to the airport etc puts me off.Once we actually set off though am ok and always enjoy the holiday, but really a week is enough, but DH likes two weeks away, so we often settle on ten days ( not as good as seven!)I always look forward to going home again.
We go abroad more rarely now than we used to and if we didn’t have an actual holiday ( as opposed to a few days here and there with friends) I wouldn’t worry at all.

ExD1938 Sat 08-Feb-20 18:13:24

No you're not odd at all. My DH doesn't like holidays, so he doesn't take them.
I love holidays, so I go alone - really on my own, and I go everywhere. Just once a year I save up and take off to the sun for a week (only a week because I do feel guilty in leaving him) but it does us both a world of good. I've been to Paris, the States, Oz, Roumania, Morocco - to name the ones that I can recall off the cuff.
I am now 81 years old and finding travel insurance difficult and expensive - but I pay up and carry on.

I won't get on my soapbox re single supplements !!!!

anniezzz09 Sat 08-Feb-20 18:13:52

I don't think you're odd Framilode but there's nowt so strange as folk as they say. How different we all are. I love travelling but my husband hates it, he'd be happy never to leave home at all.

I suppose the answer, as is often said on GN threads, is for couples to holiday separately if they have different tastes but not many do that. I wonder why.

BlueBelle Sat 08-Feb-20 18:14:32

I used to love going away and travelling but now I m just like you and after a few days I m raring to get home and back to normal

BlueSky Sat 08-Feb-20 18:15:59

Same here. I used the enjoy going away, used to plan holidays and breaks at the beginning of the year. Now am reluctant to go and only go occasional to keep DH happy. Not sure why it happens, I put it down to depression but I just enjoy being at home with all my home comforts! As I'm not a beach type even the weather doesn't make that much difference.

TrendyNannie6 Sat 08-Feb-20 18:16:22

Nope, I’m like you just love being at home, my dh exactly the same

anniezzz09 Sat 08-Feb-20 18:16:39

Ha, ha, ExD1938, we cross-posted! You are brave and I am dead impressed that you do it at 81.

Was your DH ever resentful, in the beginning say? Mine often comes on holiday so as not to be left out, and sometimes that annoys me! You must be confident about your health and fitness though? Good luck to you for getting on and doing it.

SirChenjin Sat 08-Feb-20 18:23:20

I’m the same although I’m usually fine once I get there. Our older two are off doing their own thing now but we’ve also got a 12 almost 13 year old who is constantly bbbbbooorrrreeedddd because he hasn’t got his friends there and DH and I are now looking for a quiet lounge by the pool with sightseeing to local historical sites so our holidays seem to involve a lot of compromises and trying to keep a pre teen happy.

Calendargirl Sat 08-Feb-20 18:23:48

Snap lemongrove, I could have written your post!

Septimia Sat 08-Feb-20 18:50:10

From our honeymoon onwards we always ran into vehicle trouble on holiday, so I used to be on edge waiting for something to happen. As we had relatively little money for emergency repairs it was always a worry.

Now, as then, I enjoy planning the holiday and look forward to going away until the time draws near, then I start to worry. At least no we can afford the car repairs if necessary!

Sara65 Sat 08-Feb-20 18:53:58

My friend and I were having a chat, and I was telling her about some very big and unexpected expense, she said, well not all bad news then, you won’t be able to afford to go on holiday this year.

We both prefer to stay at home.

rubysong Sat 08-Feb-20 19:02:22

Good to hear it's not just me! We have DS1 and family in California so we have to travel sometimes, but apart from that abroad doesn't interest me. I love a few days somewhere new in this country, finding a bit of history, a nice meal or two and a wander round charity shops. Many of my friends take long haul holidays frequently, with no regard for climate change. Travel doesn't seem to broaden the mind in most cases, I can usually beat them in the geography round of our village quiz.

kittylester Sat 08-Feb-20 19:02:59

We arent that fussed about going away. Hate flying and airports!

We do like 4/5 night trips to places we haven't been in the uk and also going back to places we love.

It's our golden wedding anniversary this year and we tried to find a holiday that really 'floated our boat' and decided to redo the lounge instead. Dh has been heard to mutter 'a big holiday would have been easier!' during the planning of our refurb.

We are definitely odd in our family though. One of my brothers is off round the world and the other is off to Australia soon. Meanwhile Dh's brother has just come back from nz.

Our argument is that we spend more time in the lounge than on holiday!!!!

GrannySomerset Sat 08-Feb-20 19:06:10

DH has often commented that I am the only person he knows who gets more and more cheerful as the holiday progresses and going home gets closer!

Sara65 Sat 08-Feb-20 19:09:47

I agree Kitty, I can’t face airports and all the hassle that goes with them. I’ve always hated flying. That said, we’ve had some wonderful holidays, but now, holidaying in the UK is enough, and preferably, not for too long.

rockgran Sat 08-Feb-20 19:26:00

Me too - I've done a lot of travelling but never really enjoyed it. My husband loves it. I like that I have been but never actually want to go. Left to my own devices I would probably never leave the house!

M0nica Sat 08-Feb-20 19:33:43

I have never liked long holidays. 8 to 10 days is as long as I want to be away, but as others have mentioned we have started to have short breaks. We had 5 days in Wales last year and are contemplating a 4 day cruise on the Queen Mary from Southampton to Hamburg and back this year.

DH has - and still does - enough flying for work so we have been travelling round Europe by train; northern Spain, Switzerland and Germany so far, but others planned. The only downside is having to lug one's bags everywhere, no checking in and having kuggage whisked away and returned (hopefully) when you reach your destination.

Kitty we celebrated our Golden Wedding with outrageous extravagence. We hired a huge house in the centre of Bath and invited our nearest and dearest to join us for a week. 14 in all. With Bath at our feet, quite literally, people formed informal groups each day to go and see different sights in and around Bath and then we met up in the evening to talk about our days over an informal supper and sitting round and chatting. Utterly extravagent but the best holiday we have ever had.

Callistemon Sat 08-Feb-20 19:59:50

I like being away and exploring new places but really dislike the planning, the booking, the packing and the travelling.

If only someone would just do all that and transport me to where I want to be.
DH is happy to go as long as I do all the planning etc.

MissAdventure Sat 08-Feb-20 20:07:52

I'm not interested.
I can watch high quality videos online of places I'd like to see, and I don't even have to take my slippers off.

cornergran Sat 08-Feb-20 20:09:16

Many longer holidays have been the triumph of hope over experience for me when I have sat counting the days until I can go home. It’s odd, I usually enjoy the planning, preparation and anticipation more than the reality. Maybe I expect too much. We’re both happier with short breaks now, Phew.

Callistemon Sat 08-Feb-20 20:11:35

cornergran perhaps we can come to some arrangement- you plan and I'll go and report back to you wink

Framilode Sat 08-Feb-20 20:21:10

Glad there are some others who feel the same as me. I always feel guilty because my husband says I have no spirit of adventure. I enjoy going to our holiday place in Spain but that is home from home.

ginny Sat 08-Feb-20 20:48:06

I dislike the planning and the packing and a few days before we are due to go I wonder why I am. However once I am on my way all is fine. I love visiting new places, having new experiences and seeing different cultures. Just for a couple of weeks mind. Then I am happy to go back home.