The small holiday things you’ll really miss

[OhTheseSummerNiiiiights]

I love getting off the plane onto the shoogly steps and feeling the warmth. I’m convinced it’s a different warmth to when it gets warm here.

Also sitting down to eat beside the lake/ sea, knowing the food will be gorgeous.

I've been eating as many meals as possible outside while the weathers been good as that's one of my favourite things - the food tastes better, the meals more leisurely - it makes a huge difference.

Totally agree about the warmth - I sat in the garden yesterday and tried to convince myself I was on holiday And what a lovely word "shoogly" is - I had never heard it before so had to look it up and shall definitely use it

I will miss the heat you mention OP. I call it ‘hair dryer heat’ because it’s like being blasted in the face with one.

I’ll also miss having a couple of wines with lunch, a snooze, a late swim and going out when it gets cooler.

I won’t miss having to get ready directly under the air con to stop my hair sticking to my neck and make up sliding off my face though

Just being somewhere else. If there's one thing I've realised during lockdown it's that I should have moved somewhere better years ago.

Lovely bread, that you buy fresh each day. I know I could do that here but it's not the same when you're not eating it on a terrace/balcony

Local wine
Amazing tapas
People watching from my favourite bar in the town square
The sound of the sea
A really cold beer in a frozen glass
Mooching round the local shops
Snoozing by the pool and waking up wondering where the hell I am
The lovely local food you can get in the supermarket

Aaaaaah I miss Spain so much!

I very rarely drink at home but on holiday will have a lunch time pina colada and usually one at tea, it's has been my holiday thing for years (Not exactly exciting, I know )

Planning a trip somewhere each day of holiday and scaring my DH with my driving. 'They are offensive drivers here in xxx, you've got to join them!'

I love fresh bread. DS and I used to go to the supermarket every morning on our last holiday to stock up on Lays, Fanta Lemon, watermelon and bread.

Ice cold beer on the beach or by the pool at teatime. Reading whole books in one sitting. Cool showers after a day in the sun. Playing card games with the family on a balcony with a view. Leisurely family dinners sitting outside till really late. Sigh....

Oh thank you for this thread!

• breakfast buffets at hotels
• discovering new places
• swimming in the sea
• being lovely and warm in the evenings
• no chores for a week or two

I also like cakes for breakfast

Yes - the heat, it is different!

• Not having to think about food or food shopping for 2 weeks
• Having fun with my teens - they never seem so worried about being with Mum and Dad on holiday (less chance of being seen I suppose!!)
• Reading loads of books without feeling guilty

The heat as you step off the plane
Breakfast buffets
Reading on a sun lounger listening to the waves
Sitting on the balcony drying off after a shower before getting ready to go and eat somewhere with an amazing view

The other evening we were out walking near sunset and it was that lovely pink light and warm feeling that reminds me of the Med. The breeze reminded me it wasn't real though

Eating whatever the fuck you want for a whole week

Cake for breakfast - BRING IT ON!

Beer/wine at lunch - YES PLEASE!

Ice cream while out for a walk - LOTS!

Staying up eating nuts and olives - OH YEAH!

Deciding where to eat dinner.
Dressing up a bit for dinner.
Enjoying several swims a day in the sea.
No cooking or chores.
Enjoying a different daily routine.

Agree re the heat :-)

breakfast buffets
discovering new places
snorkelling
warm in the evenings
not thinking about what to cook/when to shop/who's washing the dishes
wine with lunch
tonnes of ice cream :-D

I always do AI now so super relaxed, only have to think about where we want to explore

Breakfast buffet, oh yes.

The (as near as dammit) guarantee that the weather will be lovely.

Spanish supermarkets (foreign supermarkets in general)
Foreign bakeries - bread and pastry things and cakes
El Corte Inglés
Lovely ice cream that's just so much nicer than ice cream here, and in so many flavours
Lovely lovely food everywhere
Spanish magazines that always come with some sort of cover mounted tat gift like handbags and jewellery, I never buy magazines here but I love these
Fruit and veg that actually taste like something other than just watery

I love four pm after a busy day in France.

The kids have swum/beached themselves out and had fun, and are playing with friends near the caravan or reading.

DH and I crack open cold rose or beers and pour bowls of nuts and snacks, and sit with books for an hour, soaking in more sun.

Then he starts the BBQ and I keep reading, waiting for my delicious bbq tea. And....repeat each day! I get through about six or seven books on my hols now the dc are older.

Heaven.

(My only concession to movement then is getting up to throw a salad together and put out cutlery!)

Everyone being relaxed and happy from sully teenage boys to a lively 8 year old.

The cool shower before bed, usually using miniature posh lotions and potions I don't bother using at home, looking out to the sea and then going to sleep in an air conditioned room.

Also sitting down to eat beside the lake/ sea, knowing the food will be gorgeous.
I've had too many disappointing holiday meals to feel this one

I'll just miss the holiday thing generally. I do like a foreign food shop though; the food itself, and laughing at the 'lost in translation' brand names I'm a child

Was thinking yesterday about a recent holiday in Croatia where DP and I would get up and scramble down a little rocky path to swim in the sea every morning, then walk to the local cafe for a coffee with disgusting sweet squirty cream. I'd never order that at home but in that context it was perfect.

I sometimes wish I'd got stranded in Croatia for lockdown

The after beach shower is very very pleasant.

I will miss the “slack” feeling you have when abroad somewhere hot. There’s no routine as such. It doesn’t matter what time you go out to eat as there will always be a table somewhere. The way the waiters fuss over you and the kids and nothings too much trouble. Ice cream every night for the kids and the fabulous flavours and different options that we just don’t seem to get here. The million different types of fresh fish available. Strolling back hand in hand in the dark and it’s still warm and hearing the music from the hotels and people having a good time. I even miss the bonkers hotel entertainment (Last year there was an act which basically just made all different sizes of bubbles with different contraptions!)
God I can’t wait to go abroad again!