AIBU to want my holiday to last longer/forever

Hopefully, with more openness, people can't get away with putting things like NFN on records. I wouldn't let it drop if someone wrote similar in my records.

Living in a small community sounds wonderful but I know the novelty would wear off for me. I live in a small town in the west country, on the outskirts of a city. Everything is to hand - a short car drive to several large supermarkets, DIY stores, garden centres and so on. Yet we have local amenities as well - butcher, newsagent, bakers, florists, little coffee shops, library, swimming pool, community centre.
If we want to escape the bustle we are just a few minutes drive from open countryside, moorland, miles of coastline. Plus the wider area is awash with historic country houses and gardens to visit, little market towns to wander around.
I find holidays very stressful, mainly because of health problems, but also because DH wants to be on the go all the time, sightseeing whereas, like Rowantree* I just want to sit and soak up the atmosphere, people watching or reading. I am always so ready to come home and relax.

I am the same with holidays, although I try and pick somewhere where the view is nearly as good as ours, or we just sit there and say how much nicer it is around us!

I miss the sea, so I always try and pick somewhere overlooking the water, be it sea or lake or river.

I do not miss the lack of amenities - I shop online for most things, and can get to things like swimming pool etc by driving about 16 miles or so - you just get used to that. We have a local garage about a mile away which sells some groceries, and another mile and a half further on is an excellent shop in the next village. The lovely thing to me is that when you go into the shops (or the pub) everyone knows you and we stop and chat and discuss the latest gossip!

AshTree, you could almost be describing the small town where I live! And although I enjoy seeing sites of historic interest, I also like to sit in a café and soak up the ambiance when I'm on holiday - a healthy balance is what I aim for.

Years ago we had a lovely family holiday in Ford and Etal. We went to Hadrian's Wall, a beautiful herb garden near Hexham which I don't think exists any more, Hexham itself and Bamburgh Castle where I told our children the story (and sang the song) about the Laidly Worm. We took them to Beamish and a few other places too.

I'd like to go again. I recall walking on deserted, windswept and beautiful beaches. No crowds and it was all just very......different. Otherworldly

I can see there are definite advantages to being in a caring village community where everyone looks out for each other. But with few people, if you don't fit in, it must be difficult to find good friends and a niche for yourself(ves). In a town, there are often other places you can go and interest groups to join. But then, I suppose if people find they don't enjoy living in a village and can't feel a part of life there, they move away, if they can.
I think I'd be a bit scared of moving away from home. I'm not that good at making lots of friends and have often felt an outsider at various stages of life and a bit of an oddity and I value and cherish the few good friends I have where we live now. I don't know how I'd cope starting afresh. Maybe I'm just a coward. I admire anyone with the courage and sense of adventure to start afresh elsewhere. Go for it! :D