Upper Middle Class not well travelled AIBU?

This has to rank among the stupidest threads ever on MN

We can afford to go anywhere, between us when we were younger DH and I have travelled as far as Brazil, China, all over the US, Australia, SE Asia but I no longer have any desire to go further than skiing in the Alps in the winter, a couple of lovely villa holidays in Italy, south of France or Greece in the summer and a European city break. I like nice places to stay, good food, good wine and a short commute. We can afford to pay for our DC and grandchildren to join us. What’s wrong with that?

Im not upper middle class though. I very much agree with the pp that said certain groups of people prefer luxury over roughing it. Our former long distance trips have been exhausting, lots of accommodation swapping, lots of travel both to get there and whilst over there trying to cram in as many sights as possible. Fun, a great experience, but not a holiday.

What's it got to do with you?
Why does someone need to be 'well travelled'?
Why can't they go on holidays they enjoy rather than to show off?

Is this a humble brag - are you itching to tell us how well travelled you are compared to them.

I hate to see people jetting off to ever more remote & 'exotic' locations which are then harmed & damaged by the tourism.

Skiing is totally a social marker. I remember when I first started working, there were people who looked at me like I had 3 heads when I said I’d never been. We’ve ended up going a few times but I don’t love it having learnt as an adult but am keen for the children to know what they’re doing at a basic level.

I can see how people who have been forever and can afford a swanky resort in Feb half term might just continue that out of habit. It’s the most expensive time to go, in some workplaces it feels like that is the ‘done thing’ and lots of them will genuinely love it and live for that week.

The same money point is not true though. A week or two in the same summer apartment in Spain can be 2-3k, there are lots of cheap flights. A week in Mauritius or Barbados in Feb half term is £10k.

Ime (raised in a more modest home but married to posher DH), upper middle class folk dont typically spend as much relative to their income on holidays or cars.

I would also add we often have to work on holidays so going to those familiar places with a good wfh set up and internet access is also one reason why we do it

I don't think it's to do with class. It's personality.
You like the excitement of change; they like the familiarity of the known.

My parents go to the same ( UK) place they've been to for 45 years. They've got enough savings to go anywhere they like 2-3 times a year. They like that they know where to park, what things there are nearby, what the traffic is like on a Tuesday evening etc.

We went to the same ( or nearby) place for 4 or 5 years because we needed to know that ds ( who has asd) had places he was comfortable with.

My dd and partner like to try new things, so they've been to more countries in the last 3 years than my parents have been to put together in their life - and df travelled a bit with work and dm hitchhikers round Europe at least a couple if times with friends.

People are free to like whatever they like!

This often happens if a family own a holiday property. You don't pay to go stay in someone else's "for a change" when you have your own. DH, the kids and I have been to France and Spain a lot, simply because our parents have property there. A friend skis in Tignes every year because its where her auntie has a chalet.

I love seeing new places, but travel doesn’t make you a better person.

If you are working , you have a set number of holidays a year. If you visit the same place on repeat, when do you get to travel elsewhere?

This is us, essentially because we own homes in those places where we have all our stuffs, a great set up and loads of friends around. It doesn’t prevent us from travelling elsewhere from times to times for different holidays, but the main challenge for us now is finding a time when everyone (parents and children - teens & young adults) is free at the same time. We used to do it more when children were 5-15 but now it’s more complicated so we find having a base where everyone can come as of when they’re free even if just for an extended weekend is the best option.

It's not hard to imagine why people might prefer something different to you. But sometimes we can be surprised. For instance, there were a couple of posts upthread about social capital from holidays - people regularly bonding with 'People Like Us' through leisure time in predictable places.

Despite having known a small horde of UMC people and having taken many of the same holidays (once each, for me), I'd never realised this. As soon as I read it, it made perfect sense.

See, you can learn stuff by asking questions!

I actually wish I could holiday in theme parks at every chance as that kind of holiday makes me happier than any other. But now my DD is older I am taking her on all kinds of holidays so that she has more of a view of the world. If they are wealthy they probably did a lot of worldwide travel in their youth.

Well it isn’t exclusively upper MC, lots of WC folk go to the same region every year too. I think some people feel more comfortable with what they know.

Working class and upper class have far more in common that the floundering middle 😉

I go to the same place at Easter for a holiday, same at Christmas and then my spring holiday in the same location (all different places) this though doesn’t mean I’m not well travelled.
, I’ve visited over 30 countries and stayed 3-6 months in some.
what I observe is you making assumptions

I don’t think class is remotely relevant here. I know WC people who choose the same holiday destinations year after year.

It is just a preference.

Do they work for their money? If they earn well they probably have demanding jobs and not much time to research new destinations every time. They might also find the planning stressful, so going to the same few places they already know and love eliminates that stress.

Skiing holidays are usually spent on the slopes. As long as you’ve found a ski resort that caters to your needs, there’s not much point changing as it’s not a sightseeing holiday.

There's a joy in familiarity too and from novelty. There's one place I return to regularly. I have favourite bars, restaurants, walks and places I love to go to. I'm considering retiring there. I also love novelty and exploring different places. The last holiday I went on we visited loads of places and had once in a lifetime experiences. I loved that too. It's not hard to imagine why people might prefer something different to you.

I'm currently on annual leave from a shitty admin job, staying in the same Spanish villa we've been to for the last decade. We also spend time in another apartment in Spain regularly - they're both family-owned places and we are so lucky to have the chance to visit somewhere we know is a great location, great restaurants, beaches, neighbours etc.

We've also had a handful of intercontinental holidays as well as short city breaks in Europe, because the Spanish places are owned we only have to pay for flights and entertainment so freeing up money for other trips. DH travels for work A LOT and appreciates the familiarity of returning to the same couple of places.

Not sure where/how shitty admin job and 2 Spanish properties at our disposal puts me in your class descriptors op?

This, some holidays are just about having time out.
other holidays are for seeing the world but I also did that pre kids and hopefully can when they are older again. That being said I do want to also take my kids to see the world and will do adventurous holidays with them but alongside the recharge ones

People go where they like. You gonna start lecturing the working classes about always going to Benidorm or Ibiza?

Going to the same place each year means a lot less stress, which is what many people want from a holiday.

I like to do a mix of holidays - some are for exploring and seeing new places whilst others are for having fun and relaxing. For the latter I am happy going back to the places I know where I can do that (whilst also mixing in trying new ones).
It’s also very easy to get into a routine. I think everyone should be able to holiday as they want within their time and budget constraints

Why are people getting uppity just because class was mentioned? Then post after post of the same "What's it got to do with you" comments, seem like people posting just wanna have a go at someone! Get a life instead of following the crowd, sheeple! Leave OP alone!