Told that I'm 'always' travelling.

Oh yes, the eye rolling! My partner and I used to go abroad at least 4 times a year. We also had a sailing boat and would be away sailing (west coast of Scotland) most weekends from Easter to October. The envy from some people was palpable. But we both had high earning jobs, I have no children and his children grew up a long time ago - we could afford it. We then made the eye rolling worse by moving abroad 15 years ago. We still travel a lot but they are probably less aware of it.

My sib is always travelling and that's fine. I do sometimes comment about it to my DH, never them, mostly because it underscores how different our lives are and how free my sib is. It's not envy because I'm a bit of a homebody anyway, it just really underlines how different our lives are.

Then again, they make a lot of assumptions about my life too. Doesn't matter.

OP your friends sound a bit jealous tbh possibly because of the freedom aspect while they are tied with normal /mundane life.
A friend of mine has travelled most of the world throughout her life, she had an excellent salary /pension so why wouldn't she continue to do so?
She sends postcards and snap shots from her phone from various places where she embraces the local culture. Not a tourist doing beaches and the usual stuff.
I'm happy for her that she is enjoying her life, me? I'm a home bird 100%.

Are you single and they are settled down? This is ringing vague bells of what my smug married friends would say to me when they were say 31 and sprogged up and I was single and flitting around (and was actually pretty miserable). I think they felt sorry for me but they wanted to say something about my life that implied it was somehow interesting, when they actually couldn't think of anything worse than living my life.

I’d nod and smile. I do quite a lot of travel but less than a FB friend of mine. She is on a limited budget but prioritizes travel, particularly short European breaks. And good for her. She tags many of her posts (also dats out in the Uk) with #never at work. Fair enough! Given her age she’s likely worked for 40 years!

But trips really don't have to cost a lot. I often go to Asia for a month at a time. Apart from flights ( which I could get cheaply if I didn't like BC) the who month costs me a max of £800. Yet people spend thousands on a week in Europe.

The number of people who say " I don't know how you can afford that" but at the same time they think nothing of spending £500 on a weekend, or keep a caravan etc

I get this too, and I simply eye roll! 😂 Some people have boxed themselves in with their closed mindedness. I travel fairly regularly and don’t have children (imagine the outrage). It’s a “them” problem as far as I’m concerned. Just eye roll, it usually works 😂

I get this too and people saying how do you afford it you are always away. Thing is I look for deals, book in advance, go short breaks and am single so don't need to organise with another person. I just respond I know now after years of feeling like had to justify/make excuses when really I just think life is for living!

For habitual homebodies such as myself, it can be hard to empathise with the urge to travel.

It's not so much the destinations (unless they're choosing heat and sun, which I dislike), more all the discomfort, stress and tedium of travel itself, especially if you're travelling far for a very short stay.

I go away one a month, be it a holiday, city break, spa break! I work hard I pay for it, I am not in debt and I couldn't give a flying fig what anyone else thinks

Why does it bother you, you can’t stop them saying it (well unless you stop spending time with them) so probably better to work out why it irks you. It’s bringing something up in you that you feel you have to defend.

My late mother was a bit like this- comments about how we were always on holiday or eating out- I think she sort of resented it - dunno why - maybe because her own world had contracted due to mobility issues.

When people see you spending money on something, they usually:

1. Assume your budget and requirements are the same as theirs, and therefore the cost.
2. Think that this is on top of all the other costs that they also usually spend money on too.

People don't think, "oh, x doesn't have the same car as me and walks to work so they can afford abc". They think "my life costs y, so their life must cost y, yet they can also afford to buy abc, which if I was planning for it would cost ££££". (I was thinking this the other day when packing clothes I've had for 10-15y for a holiday - MIL mentioned cost of new clothes as a holiday expense).

And even our nearest and dearest can have wildly incorrect assumptions about our income.

My friend sent me a job she thought I might like - it paid 25% less than my current job, and she clearly thought it was a big boost for me.

Your lifestyle isn't my lifestyle and never has been.
I would dearly love to have the confidence to do what you do, to be relaxed about travelling, especially abroad and by myself.
Perhaps there is an element of jealousy in the people who make these comments?

Anyway OP honestly don't pay any attention to those who choose to make snidey comments. And don't feel you have to justify yourself, on MN or in real life. Just enjoy your lifestyle.

Might it just be an off hand comment, not meant as an insult. You say they are wealthy enough to travel, but don't, could they simply not be interested in your travels and trying to find something to say?

Only on MN.

It’s envy pure and simple. Even if they have the money, they don’t have the time, or the imagination, or any other reason -
grass is always greener etc

You need to challenge it calmly in the moment. You don’t need to be rude but when they say “you are always travelling” just breathe slowly, draw yourself more upright, look them in the eye and say something clearly like; “why does my travel bother you?” and keep your eyes on theirs and then don’t fill in the silence.

Obviously only say the above if you are sure you have not been boastful or insensitive about your trips, for example, talking about travelling in front of people who you know can’t afford to go away.

There are always a certain number of people in a group who try to criticise or undermine for whatever reason; they comment on your appearance or accent or something that makes you stand out as “different”. It’s usually rather sad, playground stuff because they feel insecure, so make themselves feel better by putting you down and trying to make you feel like an outsider. It’s best dealt with then and there. Make it clear how petty they are being and that you have noticed, and it usually stops.

I didn't suggest you weren't entitled to post a couple of pictures, nor imply it. Being boastful was just a theory.

It could well be the negative environmental effect that bothers them. I have friends who portrays themself as environmentally conscious by doing stuff like only driving second hand ev’s, reuse bathwater to water the garden, only use bar shampoo etc. But then they also fly away on holiday 5-6 times a year and that doesn’t seem to bother them. It’s a bit hypocritical and not very smart.

We are exactly the same - always get a cheap deal and go self catering - find a local supermarket etc. Probably looks to others who only do a 2 weeks in the sun type holiday like we are always going off somewhere but we are shrewd with it!

Perhaps your the sidekick friend, they can make snide comments to you but expect you to relish hearing about their travels.

Try not telling them for a bit, if they ask you haven’t been away for a while, you can reply, oh I have but didn’t want to bore people with the details.