Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Holiday vs prospect of war

179 replies

WisterWayne · 07/04/2024 19:03

DH and I are lucky enough to have twin girls, they will be 7 in June. They have always been very into Disney, love Frozen and all the princesses.

About 2 years ago DH and I made a decision we'd love to take them to Disneyworld in Orlando - DH also loves Star Wars so seemed like a wonderful trip.

We have literally spent 2 long, hard years saving, going without little luxuries such as takeaways/weekends away so that we have enough money not only to book holiday of a lifetime but have spending money put by too - we didn't want to book the wonderful thing then worry about spending whilst we're there.

Both DH and I are on very average wages, only slightly above minimum and this holiday really means a lot to us, I can't wait for our girls to see everything they love on screen come to life.

Family know we have been saving and we finally have enough so are now ready to book but today DH's mum took me aside and said it would be silly to book now as we're on the verge of a world war and all our precious savings would be wasted.

I confess I don't watch a lot of news, my world is quite small and revolves around my family, my job and our friends - however I am of course aware of the terrible conflict in Ukraine and everything going on in Gaza. I've also heard things on the radio in passing about army chiefs suggesting conscription and moving into a pre war age. But in truth don't understand a lot of it and don't want to terrify myself going into all the reading.

DH's mum is usually very level headed, calm and rational and isn't a conspiracy theorist or anything similar but... is she right? Would we be foolish to book an American holiday right now?

If a war broke out how would something like that even look these days? My only reference is the 1940s when people didn't go on luxury long haul flights as far as I'm aware.

Can anyone who understands advise?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
MississippiAF · 07/04/2024 19:06

Erm, no she’s batshit. Florida is fine. Enjoy.

Landlubber2019 · 07/04/2024 19:06

I think your mil is wrong and in your situation, I would be excitedly planning ahead!!!!

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/04/2024 19:07

today DH's mum took me aside and said it would be silly to book now as we're on the verge of a world war and all our precious savings would be wasted

We are? on what does she base this assertion?

The army chiefs are talking about conscription (hint: not going to happen because 2024 is nothing like 1939) to push the govt into more defence spending - their line is 'look, if we don't spend more money we'll be forced to depend on a citizen's army.'

awopbopaloobopawopbamboom · 07/04/2024 19:07

What? No. Please tell her she is batshit.

CuttingMeOpenthenHealingMeFine · 07/04/2024 19:07

People have been saying this for two years now, ever since Russia invaded Ukraine.

There already are wars raging, they might get wider, they might not, you can’t live your life on ‘what if’.

When you think of Covid, no one saw that coming, lots of holidays were cancelled and refunds given. Literally anything could happen so just book your holiday.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/04/2024 19:08

As ever, first post nails it. I'm off to Oz in September and the thought of world war is the last thing I'm worrying about.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 07/04/2024 19:09

If WW3 breaks out, losing your Disney holiday will be the least of your problems.

Your MIL is Batshit. Book your holiday and have a fabulous time.

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 07/04/2024 19:12

Hi

We are in seriously dangerous times#
I was worried sick re Mr Pootins initial rant on the night of the invasions.#I feared a nuke out soon, within 2 weeks

There is not a great danger of war but the way the puppy is barking ie English gov, no wonder Pootin singles us out

What I fear more so is a big misunderstanding EG missile attack mistake for nuke attack and response and Armageddon

I also fear some crazy person to hack nuke systems of Russian or usa/etc and launch a strike

I'd want to survive but as it will be affecting the whole planet, those left behind will suffer a lot more than those taken out in the intial strikes.

TBH, we did touch on/consider a buker build under our garden during the first week or so of Pootins war

Sadly, Pootin is as bad as our lot as a lot of stuff was going on in the Ukraine and the right wing in Russia took action - both sides have lost good, innocent people.

Russian soldeirs on the whole dont have a great choice if they refuse to fight Potis war

Pootin is a coward, shits self from Covid but reads to have kiled hundreds of thousands of people inc children

MissyB1 · 07/04/2024 19:12

1: Your Mil is being a drama llama
2: If you kept up with current affairs yourself you wouldn’t be anxious about what the drama llama said.
3: Go on your holiday.

Hiphopopotamonster · 07/04/2024 19:12

Absolutely batshit - she doesn’t sound calm and level headed!

Also, absolutely none of my business but I really don’t understand giving up every luxury and nice thing for years for a ‘holiday of a lifetime’. It seems so much pressure to put on a couple of weeks. What if it doesn’t match expectations or the weather is awful or one of you gets ill etc. When it’s been your absolute focus it just seems mad. Would it not be better to have lots of little nice things during your normal life? Occasional treats and mini breaks and cheaper holidays to interesting places? Like I said, none of my business though and not what you asked, and I hope it lives up to your expectations.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/04/2024 19:13

Does she not want you to go for some reason and this is her way of putting you off ?(I mean, it sounds extreme but some people can be that manipulative).

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/04/2024 19:14

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 07/04/2024 19:12

Hi

We are in seriously dangerous times#
I was worried sick re Mr Pootins initial rant on the night of the invasions.#I feared a nuke out soon, within 2 weeks

There is not a great danger of war but the way the puppy is barking ie English gov, no wonder Pootin singles us out

What I fear more so is a big misunderstanding EG missile attack mistake for nuke attack and response and Armageddon

I also fear some crazy person to hack nuke systems of Russian or usa/etc and launch a strike

I'd want to survive but as it will be affecting the whole planet, those left behind will suffer a lot more than those taken out in the intial strikes.

TBH, we did touch on/consider a buker build under our garden during the first week or so of Pootins war

Sadly, Pootin is as bad as our lot as a lot of stuff was going on in the Ukraine and the right wing in Russia took action - both sides have lost good, innocent people.

Russian soldeirs on the whole dont have a great choice if they refuse to fight Potis war

Pootin is a coward, shits self from Covid but reads to have kiled hundreds of thousands of people inc children

U ok, hun?

MississippiAF · 07/04/2024 19:15

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 07/04/2024 19:12

Hi

We are in seriously dangerous times#
I was worried sick re Mr Pootins initial rant on the night of the invasions.#I feared a nuke out soon, within 2 weeks

There is not a great danger of war but the way the puppy is barking ie English gov, no wonder Pootin singles us out

What I fear more so is a big misunderstanding EG missile attack mistake for nuke attack and response and Armageddon

I also fear some crazy person to hack nuke systems of Russian or usa/etc and launch a strike

I'd want to survive but as it will be affecting the whole planet, those left behind will suffer a lot more than those taken out in the intial strikes.

TBH, we did touch on/consider a buker build under our garden during the first week or so of Pootins war

Sadly, Pootin is as bad as our lot as a lot of stuff was going on in the Ukraine and the right wing in Russia took action - both sides have lost good, innocent people.

Russian soldeirs on the whole dont have a great choice if they refuse to fight Potis war

Pootin is a coward, shits self from Covid but reads to have kiled hundreds of thousands of people inc children

I don’t believe you are in fact, a distinguished commentator

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 07/04/2024 19:15

awopbopaloobopawopbamboom · 07/04/2024 19:07

What? No. Please tell her she is batshit.

I'm, me and my OH are both in our early 60's and vauglely recall the so-called 'Cold War'

UK is a little island and Russia covers the worlds third landmass

Sadly, some at the top in Russia and USA feel they could survive a limited nuke war - they are thicker than donkey shit to think that

YellowDaffodilRedTulip · 07/04/2024 19:16

Surely being on the verge of a war should mean you do the trip whilst you still can? A fun last memory before the borders close and they take your fridges to build tanks.

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 07/04/2024 19:16

Read a reputable news source, ignore your MIL, book your holiday (and travel insurance there will always be unexpected events/illness that can impact holidays)

Nw22 · 07/04/2024 19:16

I have only been thinking about this when considering a holiday to Oman. Not because I think there will be a world war but because of the proximity to current conflicts. I think if war impacts holidays to Florida you will have bigger problems than missing a holiday.

DrinkinghelpsThinking · 07/04/2024 19:16

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/04/2024 19:14

U ok, hun?

Show quote history

I always thought Putin was bad, but this Pootin fella sounds even worse!

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/04/2024 19:17

DrinkinghelpsThinking · 07/04/2024 19:16

I always thought Putin was bad, but this Pootin fella sounds even worse!

Show quote history

I have a feeling someone's a bit well refreshed, know what I mean? 😏

Crunchymum · 07/04/2024 19:18

Not sure if Pootin is meant to be a clever play on Putin?

It isn't.

HowardTJMoon · 07/04/2024 19:20

Putin's going to continue being a dick but I don't think anyone seriously thinks he's got the appetite to really go up against NATO as a whole. Russia's struggling against just Ukraine. It simply doesn't have the resources to go up against the rest of the world. Even if it did, it couldn't do it and make a profit from it so Putin's backers aren't going to be interested.

As for the middle east then, sadly, it's an unstable area in which there's been ongoing problems for decades. What's happening now is awful but compared to events in the past like the Arab-Israeli war, the Iran-Iraq war, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait etc then it's really not that different.

We've been through worse times than this. Go on holiday. You'll have a fantastic time.

amylou8 · 07/04/2024 19:21

Book your holiday. Chances are it will be fine. If not we'll all have bigger things to worry about than a missed holiday.

Mary7241 · 07/04/2024 19:22

I’m going to be slightly more sympathetic…

First, book the holiday. It’ll be fabulous and your girls are a great age for it

but try to discuss with husband, MIL’s husband and MIL what is causing her to feel this way. My husband is absolutely terrified of global war. Can’t read news or look online. He sees a reference and it haunts him for days - it’s a nightmare sometimes cos I think he actually downplays it. He wants to have plans for if it happens and we’re separated. He doesn’t see the point in planning for the future

he’s not ‘batshit’, he has ocd and these thoughts have really taken hold. Is there anything that could support your mil having some kind of mental health issue that she needs support with? these aren’t really rational thoughts and they are clearly beginning to have an impact on daily life ; if she’s said this to you then what has she changed or put off herself?

so book the holiday but try to have a conversation with those who love her about why she feels this way

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 07/04/2024 19:23

She is being hysterical

Book and Go and stop giving nonsense headspace

HowardTJMoon · 07/04/2024 19:24

You can't "hack" nuclear systems to launch a strike. There are too many humans involved in the chain.