UK holidays are hard work

[ChocolateRiver]

We’re on holiday on the north Devon/Cornwall border. Staying in a converted barn on a farm. It’s lovely, the kids are having a great time but it’s such bloody hard work. Getting up early to get a parking space at the beach, making up picnics, putting sandy beach clothes/towels in washing machine, sorting out food, cooking etc, driving everywhere, hoovering up after beach days, tidying up - feel like I’m constantly on the go! And it’s so expensive, can’t afford to have all lunches and teas out. Don’t get me wrong, we’re having a nice time, but it’s definitely not a rest - we’re knackered. We usually go abroad but have stayed here due to Covid, we’ll be off abroad again next year if it’s possible.

@RampantIvy

In all fairnes, it took us less time to fly to Croatia one year (including travel at either end) than it took us to drive to Padstow from South Yorkshire one Saturday in August.

Very true. The journey North to Cornwall is never ending.

Ah yes, the wonderful M5 …………

We also had this joy - travelled down from Lancashire.

And this is why I’ve never holidayed in Cornwall. I run out of patience around Lyme Regis.

Erm no, it's just I don't like package holidays or staying in hotels for longer than a night or two.

And as it happens I don't eat breakfast so although I have indeed stayed in several nice hotels around the world with all the foods you describe on offer, I truly can't get excited about breakfast buffets!

Gosh. So much housework going on on this thread. And seemingly women doing it all by themselves.

@CoronaPeroni

Gosh. So much housework going on on this thread. And seemingly women doing it all by themselves.

I agree. I don’t mind cooking the odd meal but I love cooking it normally relaxes me. But DH is still doing the washing up or dealing with the dishwasher. What else is there to do?

I often think people are thinking they need to replica their home life when sc. I don’t feel the need to clean all the time, I won’t die if the beds are not made or just straightened.

If people can lie at the pool for day why can they just relax in a garden or house somewhere nice and just don’t do anything they normally do?

I am not saying children are easy, we had years DD needed us a lot for entertainment but we just ignore normal chores and concentrate on having a nice time with her. I wouldn’t have that at home

@CoronaPeroni

Gosh. So much housework going on on this thread. And seemingly women doing it all by themselves.

I thought the same. I've had many self catering holidays and never done any housework! We'd obviously clear up anything we spilled but generally just tidied up a bit before leaving. Didn't really cook either. Husband barbecued sometimes. The only thing I did was put stuff in the washing machine and hang up to dry but that hardly takes effort.

I'm also with the why so much housework camp.

Do these people have exceptionally messy families? We always leave a rental clean and tidy, but I don't spend much time doing a lot of housework.

We nearly always s/c. I find it relaxing as DH enjoys cooking and does most more of it if we are away. Like pp we clear up spillage etc and might potentially hoover before we left but otherwise wouldnt do much else.

I see your SC UK cottage and raise it with camping in Wales - another level of hard work.
I dream of Italy but instead will be in Anglesey.

Camping is hard work wherever you camp, especially at the beginning and the end of the holiday.

I’ve never done a stroke of housework on holiday beyond loading and unloading the dishwasher. Laundry is done at home and we eat out or buy a selection of deli foods and have a picnic inside or outdoors. A change of scene’s what it’s all about though.

Oh camping! Packing up all the gear .... trying to squeeze an 8 man tent into a bag the size of a sleeping bag 😡.

Worse still if it’s been wet and have to put the fucker up again in the garden to dry out ... exhausting.

Worse still if it’s been wet and have to put the fucker up again in the garden to dry out ... exhausting.

Yep. Been there, done that. The last time I camped was in 1979. It is something that really has no appeal to me. Not just the work, but being cold in the evening, the noise from other campers, trailing across a field to use the loo or have a shower, the lack of privacy.

Also, practical reasons - DH uses a CPAP machine and is very allergic to any kind of insect bite.

We used to stay in hotels (always Uk) I hated DH seemed to think it was the only way to have a proper "holiday" and refused a cottage. It was lovely for him but I have horrendous food allergies so breakfast and meals were a nightmare. Dd1 has ADD and ASD and although she likes the light on to read at home she freaks out in hotels and wants tv and lights off to sleep which is not fun for the rest of us plus despite being hands on at home he seems to ignore everything that needs doing so it fell to me to keep them quiet etc. Now we glamp in pods, the kids love the novelty and because it's not an actual house DH is fine with it We bring our own food (me) and they can buy something local to cook/Bbq and they can run free until they drop. I'm a seasoned organiser so the stuff and rinsing out beach gear I'm used to we do it weekends at home anyway.

I agree that a camping trip for a family is such hard work.

Gathering the gear takes a couple of days beforehand. Putting it all up on arrival takes ages. The weather is so important in determining the experience, but several days of rain can leave everyone damp and cold and however cheerful you are, it’s hard to enjoy that. And unless you’re prepared to then spend big on indoor attractions and eating out all the time (which most people camping aren’t prepared or able to do) the. It can be miserable.

And yes, that awful putting away at the end when you get home.

And often it’s not even that cheap peak season.

I’d rather stay in a shabby and tiny cottage or caravan than have to do the transportation of stuff. I do t object to sleeping in a tent or being outdoors but it’s the work before and after that ruins the holiday for me.

But I know lots of people love it also that it can be the affordable way for a family with several kids to get a holiday….and that’s not to be knocked.

I like camping but to be fair, DH does the lions share of the work because he just loves the whole thing and loves doing it all!

It really doesn't need to take 2 days. I'm a single parent with primary age dc. I'm also the only one of my camping group with an attic so I store ALL the equipment. Last week we got up in the morning at wound 8.30 and with the help of dc got everything down from the attic - 2 tents, table, kitchen stand, 2x stoves, huge box of kitchen/camping gear - (plates, cutlery, utensils, accessories, pans, pegs, tea towels, torches, you get the idea) all the bedding zipped into giant IKEA bags, camping chairs, gazebo, cool box and probably a shit load more I've forgotten about. Carried it all downstairs and outside with help of dc who then went and packed their things while I did a bit of car Tetris. Came in threw my own stuff in a bag and was ready to go by 11.30am. Stopped at Asda for lunch bits to be eaten on arrival at campsite. Arrived long before friend who was at a different pitch anyway and within about 5 minutes of unpacking tent had 2 men acting the saviour to a poor helpless woman having to pitch a tent alone. (I'm more than capable but happily took the offer) by time friend arrived 1.5 hours later tent was up, mattresses inflated, bedrooms organised and I was sat happily with a glass of wine and book. Took even less time for the 2 of us to get hers fully organised - so much easier for couples. As for getting the tent back in the bag I'm an absolute master. Takes arm power but I do everyone's with space to spare every time 😆

I do get that camping isn't for everyone but every type of holiday referenced seems there are people making it harder than it needs to be.

The thing about AI is it does away with the mental load. I'm a single parent. My children are teens now and can cook a meal if asked, but won't do any planning of anything. They just don't think ahead enough yet. And none of them are old enough to drive. I am a taxi service at home and I don't want to drive on my holidays.

Eating out is even a hassle, finding somewhere we all fancy at a time everyone can do.

When I go AI, I don't have to drive at all which I much prefer. Abroad the kids still enjoy going in the pool so that's free entertainment and we don't have set mealtimes because I choose AI with food available all day. Everyone can eat something different and we don't all have to eat at the same time for every meal. I choose good quality hotels and the food has always been nice - chips etc are available if you want them, but so is fresh fish, grilled meats, salads, local specialities.

Yes I know UK hotels will provide meals, but it will be at set times without the pick and choose snacks available all day. And the weather makes all the difference abroad. It's been lovely here recently, but I've had really cold, wet holidays in August in the past. So then you're looking for and planning activities for wet weather. Which will need booking ahead and probably driving to. All mental load.

I've never been AI, but I do understand what people say and that the 'easy' factor is worth a lot when you only have 2 weeks away in a year.

Yes, in lots of ways AI is the lazy option, but why not if its your holiday. There's no merit in suffering and no points for doing worthy stuff if it's not what you enjoy.

I get that turning up and finding everything is there for everyone is very liberating....good, activities and stuff to keep everyone happy. An actually, keeping everyone of a variety of ages happy isn't always easy. Yes it's expensive and you are paying for convenience etc, but for lots of people it's worth it.

As a very small drinker and someone who doesn't actually eat that much either or want to constantly pick, I feel it's not good value for me personally, but I think it would be worth trying once.

I've been the typical person against things like Disneyland and most things that aren't basic self catering, but having tried DIsneyLand Paris for 4 days in one of their hotels, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. AI is enjoyed by so many, I suspect I'd enjoy it too. It doesn't have to be either camping in a basic field, or self catering in basic cottage or full scale AI. I Could probably enjoy all of them.

Perhaps we should try it before the kids don't want to come on holiday anymore with us, I'm sure they'd like it. And there is certainly some truth that when the kids are having a ball, everyone enjoys themselves...and that applies to all ages.

With older teens now, I feel the years if family holidays aren't endless. I think I need to push myself to spend bigger and not worry about it, because there aren't endless years to get to try these things.

AI has never worked for us. One of us doesn’t drink at all and the other very little, we don’t want to pay for other people to get pissed all day.

Perhaps it like a lot of these inclusive deals in all areas of life. Unless you consume large, you generally do t get what you pay for. But people like it because by paying upfront it is budgeted for and there aren't any nasty surprises. And they'd rather pay more for certainty than risk having a surprise bill.

It depends too if you and your family want to eat and drink all day and if the kids nag for food and drink and it always costs you an arm and leg anyway. On one level, it's nice to let the kids have as much ice cream as they like and multiple drinks, but really who needs that? What's wrong with just buying 1 ice cream and having 1 drink with dinner and then drinking water? Perhaps it sounds Spartan to those interested in AI.

My kids love a good meal out. However they don't constantly ask for drinks and snacks and want more of everything. I suspect we could stay in nice hotel half board or self cater and eat in a restaurant one meal a day for far less than AI. If you're not a big consumer, it's true that you are subsidising others. But I still think it would be worth trying once just to see. What I do t like is the idea that any of us would start pigging out to 'get value' and I can imagine that happens a bit....or that we become very wasteful just because it's included....so ordering another drink just becaue we can and then leaving 3/4 of it because we didn't really need it. I just don't like the idea if that.

@rantymcrantface66

It really doesn't need to take 2 days. I'm a single parent with primary age dc. I'm also the only one of my camping group with an attic so I store ALL the equipment. Last week we got up in the morning at wound 8.30 and with the help of dc got everything down from the attic - 2 tents, table, kitchen stand, 2x stoves, huge box of kitchen/camping gear - (plates, cutlery, utensils, accessories, pans, pegs, tea towels, torches, you get the idea) all the bedding zipped into giant IKEA bags, camping chairs, gazebo, cool box and probably a shit load more I've forgotten about. Carried it all downstairs and outside with help of dc who then went and packed their things while I did a bit of car Tetris. Came in threw my own stuff in a bag and was ready to go by 11.30am. Stopped at Asda for lunch bits to be eaten on arrival at campsite. Arrived long before friend who was at a different pitch anyway and within about 5 minutes of unpacking tent had 2 men acting the saviour to a poor helpless woman having to pitch a tent alone. (I'm more than capable but happily took the offer) by time friend arrived 1.5 hours later tent was up, mattresses inflated, bedrooms organised and I was sat happily with a glass of wine and book. Took even less time for the 2 of us to get hers fully organised - so much easier for couples. As for getting the tent back in the bag I'm an absolute master. Takes arm power but I do everyone's with space to spare every time 😆

I do get that camping isn't for everyone but every type of holiday referenced seems there are people making it harder than it needs to be.

That sounds fantastic, but this would never happen with my DH, who likes to micromanage any packing and stores our camping gear all over the house.

If you want to stay in a nice hotel go as expensive as you can manage on half board @WombatChocolate. Your main meals are sorted and you can explore little cafes and bars at lunch time. If you want lunch - we usually eat enough for breakfast to get us through to dinner.