Are holidays over-rated?

I would say so. All sorts of everything seem to happen on holiday and the rented villa for the whole family usually turns out to be five star hotel serviced solely by mum and dad. This is my second year without a summer holiday, have I missed it ? not one bit.

Add in a sudden bout of cystitis on the tour bus and an extremely long walk to Saint Marks Square before I found a loo , then a long drink of water cost a fortune , but I loved my holidays and am glad I have them to look back on ........ then there was the last night in Japan ...........

I prefer short breaks but wouldn't mind not going away.

I remember camping holidays with all the children - packing food, clothes, bedding, toiletries, toys, games - aaahhhh!

Yes our expectations of holidays are often too high. Given all the stress of preparation, airports, travel its usually almost time to come home before we have relaxed. Triumph of hope over experience.

Sounds a shocker OP but you will have lots to dine out on when you are home! Hope it improves from now on.

So sorry for your awful ups and downs ( literally) and the older I get the more I agree I ve had some difficult journeys and the holiday never really realise my expectations

We are on holiday at the moment and having a blissful time. We rent the same comfortable apartment every year on a tiny creek in south-east France. Our terrace overlooks the beach. We drive down from our home in Normandy, stay at the same hotels overnight and shop in the same places.
The thing we love most is swimming for hours in the Mediterranean so that is what we do. ?

We gave up on airports ages ago, and every time we've been abroad some mishap or other has befallen us. I started a two week holiday in Greece by falling through a rotten board on a jetty, DH fell off a bike and landed in a ditch, I had the world's most horrendous period, but apart from that we had a fantastic time . We are currently packing for a week in Wales - usually something we look forward to - but neither of us feel that well at the moment and frankly even putting clothes in a case is too much of a effort without the thought of a long drive.

I never have great expectations of a holiday so if it turns out to be full of mayhem and misfortune so be it . Gives you something to talk about when you get back home though.
We used to have 3 foreign holidays a year (when I was in a well paid job) but gave that up when I had skin cancer .All I ever expected was some sunshine , lots of lazy days , long nights and plenty of drunken sex!!!
Still look forward to my holidays away but now in UK and in a caravan. Love it

I generally enjoy a holiday - although most holidays contain at least one or two mishaps or inconveniences.

Sometimes I think that last-minute short breaks are just as enjoyable because there aren't so many expectations that things should be perfect. And as a short break is less expensive, for me at least there is less regret if things aren't quite as good as I'd hoped.

Holidays are one way of ensuring we appreciate home.... That's how OH and I look at it, anyway.

Blinko
Oh how true.

Oh how I would love the chance to make a comment.
It is 7 years since we went to Lake Cards a lovely holiday but my H was already showing signs of his downturn.
The year after we went to Wales with family but he was totally disoriented and it was hardwork for me.. I now prefer to stay at home with him in familiar surroundings, but how I long for a holiday in the sun (without him).

That should be Garda!!

I live for holidays - I love going away either in the UK or abroad and within a couple of weeks of being back home my feet start itching and I have to start researching the next trip. I never use a travel agent and always book everything myself. It works out a lot cheaper for long haul travel and satisfies the control freak in me!

I used to love our holidays. We only usually had one per year, and since 2000 they were in our own touring caravan, but we went to some lovely places. All that`s gone by the board now, I`d love a holiday to look forward to.

I always remember a line from the late great Blanche Hunt in Corrie on returning from holiday - "Holidays are all very well but it's nice to get home to your own toilet"!

Thanks for all the comments. And especially the poignant ones wishing for a chance to have a holiday again, because of partner illness etc.

I know I have to live in the moment, and put the stress aside. Poignant for me too at the moment, because my father recently died and mum has developed dementia ( she couldn't cope with losing him).

Dad drove all over Europe in the seventies when it was unusual for Brits to drive abroad on holiday. It seemed less stressful then....but I wasn't the one doing the driving, I was simply enjoying soaking up the vibes and waiting to see if my A-level results were good enough to get me to university!

Every time we see queues at Airports on the TV we thank our lucky stars that we now choose UK holidays.

We like to go back to places we have visited before such as the New Forest or the Purbecks. However we do find new places to visit.

I take a bag of medicines just in case for headaches, sickness and diarrhoea, sore throat and cystitis. In addition eye drops for tired eyes and irritated eyes. Plus all my prescribed tablets.

A week is long enough for me and like Kitty I am satisfied with a number of short breaks.

However I am always happy to get back to my home.

Oh blinko I know just what you mean. We spent years joining my French penfriend's family on camping hols in France. It was such hard work but we have lovely memories as do our DDs. I used to say the only point of camping was to make you appreciate your own home more. . . .and to give you immense sympathy for refugees.
Said penfriend is now terminally ill-so sad.

I love holidays. We recently we returned from the wettest one ever in Scotland but can honestly say we still had a great time and managed to visit all the places on our agenda. City breaks, beach holidays, walking, cultural, bring them all on. We have decided to "do it now" while we are still healthy enough to enjoy. I'm hoping to settle for cruises when we become less mobile. But after the travel it's always a pleasure to return to your own bed and the company and love of family.

Not every one is married or paired off with their ideal holiday partner. I am not. DH and I get on so well at home but on holiday he has much more energy and stamina I feel exhausted trying to keep up with him.
I enjoy ny visits to the UK - on my own staying with family and chatting. I saw so much when I was in my 20s when Italy had almost no tourism and you could go anywhere without queueing. Now I live in a place famous for its touist attractions and feel sorry for the groups trailing about, feeling hot, wanting a sit down.
Yes holidays are over-rated.

I love holidays, as does DH. LOVE cruises, love planes, love auto touring, love it all.

I love holidays. As soon as I'm back I start planning the next one. Off for a month island hopping round Turkey and Greece in a weeks time. Going with a girlfriend leaving our men at home!!