On the 3rd worst holiday ever - pity party

[BlowDryRat]

TLDR: we are in Cornwall, staying in a caravan with walls so thin I can hear the DC breathing at night. All the pre-planned, booked months ago activities have been cancelled because it won't stop F-ing raining. Everywhere else is rammed or fully booked and wonders why we didn't book months ago We resorted to taking the children to the cinema on Tuesday, then to an English Heritage place exactly the same as every other English Heritage place that doesn't take me 5 hours to drive to. Today we are at the Eden Project. DD keeps trying to steal leaves and flowers and whining for ice cream. DS just wants a rest or to go on the zip wire,which is fully booked and I didn't pre-book because we did zip wiring last week. I'm allergic to all the rare plants and keep sneezing. All the ice cream is made with weird stuff.

I've paid a grand to live in a caravan, doing things that I could do within an hour of home. I can't wait to go home. I know lots of people are 'going on holiday' by camping under their imaginary dining table this summer but

I can't get past one thousand quid for a week in a caravan! Is that the standard price now?

@alwayscrashinginthesamecar1

I can't get past one thousand quid for a week in a caravan! Is that the standard price now?

Doesn’t seem that bad to me? We’re paying £1000 for a week for 4 adults - that’s only £36 per person per night

Well guess where I currently am. Wondering why everyone's complaining about traffic jams and everything being booked out... We are staying with a friend and quite honestly we've had a lovely time just pottering. We did not plan to eat out for dinner cos that would have been stupid. We've had lovely lunch out then whacked out the portable bbq. And we've been to the not too packed beach and been kayaking.

The only shitty thing was the 3hr traffic jam when the m6 shut on the way down.

I can't say im looking forward to the return journey mind as we have kayaks on the car roof (give us a wave if you see us) though.

I think people have odd expectations of uk holidays and thats really the issue.

Blimey. I'm in Oz and have booked a 4 star hotel in the city centre for Saturday night for two for $150, which is about 80 quid I think? So yeah, I do think 144 pounds a night is a lot for four adults to stay in a caravan!

The Lobster Hatchery in Padstow is great. Just don't go into Rick Steins shop unless you have money to burn.

@PeacheyPeach we took DD 5 she loves the rides and can go on most things now.
We got there for when it opened, went straight to the hornet ride, thankfully we did this first as the Q a few hours later was ridiculous!
But we'd done everything by lunch time. Indoor soft plays aren't open nor are the outdoor play areas.
The Victorian street and blitz bit is interesting though.

If your kids are over 120cm I think they can go on everything - possibly with an adult.

@cancancan thank you xx I was wondering if it would appeal to teenagers?

@daisyjgrey

Er, what do you all think the people who live in Devon and Cornwall do when it rains?!

It's so busy here at the minute that it's taking me 40 minutes to do what is normally a ten minute journey and I can't go anywhere without being stood in queue of people complaining that it's either too wet or too hot or the beach is the wrong colour or that a seagull deigned to look at them funny.

You haven't fallen off the edge of the world.

Well, I'm taking it they go to work or whatever the tourists would do where THEY come from when they're just going about their daily business. But if they've paid a LOT of money (and let's face it, Cornwall is a rip-off not cheap) for their only week away in a shit year, then they've a right to feel a bit disappointed when it rains all week. When you live in a tourist place, it's fairly easy to get an opportunity to see and experience it in nice weather as you can do things on more of an impromptu basis when it suits. If you have one set week there out of 365 days it is a disappointing not to be able to do a lot of the stuff you wanted to do (that the place sells itself on) because the weather turns out too bad.

It's real, people's disappointment. Some people have worked their socks off in stressful jobs right through COVID, putting their own health at risk. They have done extra shifts, or done overtime for nothing just to get through the extra work caused by COVID regs. They can't risk going abroad because their work doesn't permit them to do the required quarantine etc so place a lot of importance on their one week away to try and get some fresh air and sunshine and relax on a beach for a few hours with a warm breeze in their face.

I think the issue is that a lot of people just think of Devon or Cornwall when they think of English holidays and aren't used to booking them. No thinking outside the box. We used to think that way and spent years wasting so many hours even trying to get there, stuck in traffic jams, never mind struggling with the local traffic once there. We spent extra to book nice places with gardens or balconies that we never ended up using because it was rainy and cold. We eventually gave up and started driving to France, or saving up a wee bit extra for a flight somewhere. It was a revelation, just having a bit of guaranteed sunshine when you need to destress.

However last year we cancelled our hol abroad and booked a week in rural Dorset instead. Another revelation! Had never been there before and (apart from Durdle Door at 2 pm) it was lovely and peaceful. The accommodation was so much cheaper so we had a nice house in a quiet village with no other tourists, could always get a table at the nice, friendly village pub (no resentment towards tourists there). I have to say I preferred it to Cornwall and wish we'd gone years ago.

Seal Sanctuary in Gweek! Last entrance 3pm tho. Seals don’t mind the rain. My DC love it.

@PeacheyPeach um honestly I'd think they'd be bored after half an hour!

@cancancan awww think I will save my money then!!! Might try the seal sanctuary though!

was the weather bad last night op?

Well youre bundle of laughs lol.

I live in Cornwall, very close to Eden. I'm not quite sure what the issue with the ice cream is as it's always been normal when we've been. Not been since Christmas though. I guess we're less bothered by the rain because we get so much of it and it isn't great to have rain on your holiday. But, as other posters have said, check the forecast at lots of different places as the weather is often totally different on opposite coasts. I hope you do manage to enjoy the rest of your trip. How much longer are you here for?

A friend who is a native Cornwellian(?) who says the weather always gets awful as soon as the summer holidays starts and gets better as soon as they end. BIL and family are just heading back a day or two early from their break there.

My friend is currently having a shit time in Cornwall with her surely tweens. Perhaps you should hook up for cards and Gin?😁

I don’t understand, it’s been lovely weather again today!

I used to live in Cornwall. One of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I truly love Cornwall. However, you couldn't pay me to be there in the summer! Everywhere is packed, over priced and it rains all the time! I feel blessed that I got to enjoy Cornwall all year round - much more enjoyable out of season.

You paid a grand? Did you book through haven, parkdeans or some other holiday company?

We went to Haven in Ayr a couple of years ago now and it was brilliant. But I tracked down a private owner.

Honestly for anyone thinking of caravanning in the UK in the future - book through a private owner. Ok you have to pay for your passes and book them in advance but it cuts down the cost dramatically. This is how I found my private owner and honestly would do it again.

It's rubbish when you have a rubbish holiday. Scotland has been glorious this whole month of July. Apart from slight drizzle the last couple of days which was welcomed.

I hope you can manage to enjoy some of your holiday at least.

www.ukcaravans4hire.com/caravans-in-scotland.html

I'd say stuff it and go home....I can't do caravans..worst nightmare. I feel for you ..big glass of wine sent virtually.

daisyjgrey
“Er, what do you all think the people who live in Devon and Cornwall do when it rains?!

It's so busy here at the minute that it's taking me 40 minutes to do what is normally a ten minute journey and I can't go anywhere without being stood in queue of people complaining that it's either too wet or too hot or the beach is the wrong colour or that a seagull deigned to look at them funny.

You haven't fallen off the edge of the world”

BUT THE POINT US THAT YOU ARNG HAVING YOUR HOLIDAY RUINED! IF YOU HAD A WEEK OFF TO A GREEK ISLAND AND YOUR KIDS WERE BORED YOU’D BE FED UP TOO.

COME TO LONDON. ITS FULL OF FREE MUSEUMS AND EXHIBITIONS - WE’RE RAINPROOF AND WELCOMING😆

Very odd about the ice cream, i presume you mean just in the Eden project? I’ve been all over Cornwall and always had delicious ‘normal’ ice cream pretty much everyday (my dc are obsessed with the stuff 🙄)

Where gonna butlins lots of entertainment and indoor stuff half board

Ahhh... Another person on holiday complaining about other folk on holiday. Everyone had the same idea and yet you all turned up at the same place and thought you would be the only one.

I feel your pain. We went to a stupidly expensive caravan on great Yarmouth last year and has similar experiences. I vowed never again! This year we are staying put and have hired a hot tub, made a fake beach in the back garden and arranged day trips away. We are going to camp in our back field for 2 nights (maybe we will see!). England is too small for so many people visiting the same places. Poor you xxx