Considering a holiday with a group half my age, where most are strangers.

Your missing a young person's holiday to Ibiza is a party holiday, opportunity to pull and let hair down. Its really not something you do with people your mums age.

Does Op really want to look like the babysitter ? Or be the butt of Grab-a-granny jokes from other young groups.

She will absolutely change the dynamic of the holiday, group of young folk going away for maybe the first or second time.

If it was a sight seeing tour or an activity holiday (golf, ski, diving, cooking etc etc) where the emphasis is on doing something other than being young and getting drunk and partying I'd think different.

But in the old sober moments in the morning these young girls are not going to want Op tagging along.

But the situation in the OP’s case is this is a group of friends of which op is friends with one person in the group (and not close). The others were strangers. The one friend the op did have in the group hadn’t and didn’t invite her. Instead it was one of the women that the op hadn’t met before who known the op all of two drinks in to the evening. They were all talking about it and this one person mentioned the op should join. Having not run it by the group at large and clearly just feeling a bit awkward that they were all talking about it around one person who was not invited

Well said.

My youngest daughter and her friends at uni’s favourite club is the one that has 80s nights where half the attendees are women her mum’s age. The atmosphere is great and they feel much safer!

Likewise their favourite pub is a traditional one with patrons of all ages. Two of them have joined the septuagenarian cards league and another pal plays golf with the fifty year olds. All very healthy and happy relationships.

It seems to me a very peculiar aspect of British culture that differently aged people are not supposed to be friends with each other and on the rare occasions they are, they
must never socialise in public. Older people are expected to feel shame in the presence of younger people and to accept that enjoying their company and stereotypically ‘youthful’ activity is ‘sad’. How strange.

In my youth I had several older woman friends who I did go out with and was in no way unusual in doing so. Restricting yourself to partícular age bands risks losing out on so
much.

Hell would have to freeze over before I'd do that. But, OP, just go to Ibiza! If you don't want to go alone, find a group tour that you can latch on to. If you're into something like yoga, go on a yoga retreat. I don't understand why your going to Ibiza is dependent on women half you age? Help me.

Honestly, take no notice. When I was young I was very happy to be with older people and didn’t worry about looking “uncool” because there was an older person in our group. Same goes for present day. I’m very happy to be with a younger crew.

You care a lot about what other people think. Many people are confident in themselves and don’t need to worry about what people think.

The idea of you getting a neighbouring hotel is almost as bad as you staying in the same hotel!

Just don’t mention it again Op!! And come back to update if you go!!

I wouldn’t go for the group; it would be like somebody’s mum tagging along. I’d try to find an older friend to go with at a different time. I have been on holiday with a friend who is 5 years older than me and her friend who was 10 years older than me but the kids were the same age so it didn’t really matter….

How uncool for the group, round the pool with other young groups and they have Op. People will absolutely assume she's someone's mum.

Even in nightclubs boys will be wary of approaching, would you be game for approaching a group of young lads, if they had a Dad in tow?

You don't want to try chating someone up in front of their parent.

Fine to go with your own age group or daughter , not fine to go with 25 year old strangers

50 isn’t old at all and I used to really get along with a woman that age at work when I was 25 who would be fun on a night out, I’d definitely do what someone else said and holiday alone but meet up with them for a big night out maybe! Then if they are really encouraging about you joining them more then you can do, or if you fancy a day alone exploring you have that flexibility.

I would go, and stay in a nice hotel and meet up with them ocassionally. Why not? I don't think it's weird at all. Age is just a number

In my 30s a group of us used to go away once a year or so and the eldest were in their 50s…I found it hard to keep up with them to be honest. It was fine. Friends of friends mostly.

see if it gets brought up again.

otherwise just go on your own!

What’s wrong with being mistaken for someone’s mum?

You’re extremely ageist! Wow.
I think I’d be pleased.

This!

I don't think they were just being polite at all - a 25 year old isn’t going to ask you just out of politeness, they clearly like you. And I find the argument about not being part of their social group funny - how do we widen our friendship group if we don’t include others? Don’t listen to people trying to put you down. Of course there are loads of 50 year olds going to Ibiza - they never stopped. You’re clearly a sociable and well-liked individual. I think you should make your own arrangements and see them there. I’ve just seen @BanjoShoesresponse and I agree.

Op go on a different holiday or with just your friend.

Don't go with a group half your age. People will assume your someone's mum.

They are going on what used to be a 18-30 holiday. Political correctness stopped companies being able to be agest. But that doesn't mean its right to be 50 going with a group of young girls on holiday.

I'd find it weird if my neice was to go on a girls holiday and one brought a friend the age of me.

Just don't

I’ve been on group holidays where we’ve ended up staying in different but nearby places. It’s fine . I would do that if you go so you have somewhere to escape to. But I’d wait to see if they follow up on the invitation as it may well have been a drunken on that they didn’t really mean and I wouldn’t be offended by that.

You've got to go - why the fuck not! You're invited, you seem self-aware enough to know not to force yourself on them, they share an interest in something you really want to do.. its only 4 nights!

I've think you're right to wait for it to be brought back up but if it is, definitely go!!

I can’t tell you how much they will privately talk about the weird woman they went out for drinks once with, older than their mum, who has booked a neighbouring hotel.