Are you jealous of people who go on lots of holidays?

[Jobs4kids]

I know a number of people who go on multiple holidays a year, often to exotic, "bucket list" places. Mostly I find out via their Facebook posts. I don't do too badly myself (generally 1 main holiday abroad plus at least 3 short breaks per year) but I often feel quite envious and wonder if I should be doing more before I get too old (am in my 50s). However, although I mostly enjoy my holidays, I'm always glad to get home to my own space and think I would actually find it quite stressful to go away so often. I'm aware I'm lucky and know there are people who never get away, either due to financial, health or other constraints or simply because they don't want to. I'm also aware you can have an enjoyable life without going away from home - seeing friends, hobbies, days out or even at home baking, watching netflix etc.

I realise that pre-social media I probably wouldn't even be aware of most people's holidays unless I saw them and they told me about them, so that's obviously a factor too.

Anyone else feel like this?

I can kind of understand where your brother is coming from. I’ve not had a partner for many years and the thought of a singles holiday does not remotely appeal. Not everyone wants to go away by themselves. Table for 1 etc.

Yes hugely. I am a traveller by nature and feel completely constricted by lack of money to do all of the things I’d love to do with my teens now or by myself in the future. We are currently watching the snowboarding and whilst I’m enjoying it… I am also feeling gutted that we can’t go on a skiing / snowboarding holiday.

I live in quite a rich area in London and am surrounded by families that do this kind of holiday often.

We travel lots and I love visiting new places but I also really love my life at home. I love hearing of where family and friends are visiting. I don’t get jealous, but I often feel ‘vigorously inspired’ to try somewhere after hearing about a wonderful trip there. It’s how we’ve discovered some real gems- most recently Slovenia and Zambia.

No.

We are doing up our house and that’s my priority atm. We will end up with a lovely home which I love spending time in. In a year it will be finished and we can then have some more exotic holidays.

No, I don’t.
I have a bit of fear of flying as I’ve got older (but also when I didn’t have the fear I was never one for going away every year). So when I hear of somebody going away abroad now I don’t consider what they are doing when they are away, I just check the news to make sure their plane hasn’t crashed on the way, and then think if their plane crashes on the way back at least they will have died doing something they loved! I’m aware it’s very irrational (and nobody actually knows I have this fear), but it means I feel zero envy.

I have to admit im sometimes envious, I know lots of SAHM with teen (or older) children that go on lots of weekends away, and holidays. I'm envious that they dont need to work and they get lots of holidays! I enjoy my job and wouldnt want not to work, but id love a bit more free time.

One even said to me (not joking ) at least i didnt have to worry about packing or jetlag....when i said I was just working over the easter holidays, one year, and they were going somewhere long haul.

Yes im jealous.

I'm a bit envious yes. My group of friends are always discussing holidays.

Actually, reading about your holidays @Jobs4kids im jealous of you

I really love seeing and hearing about other peoples holidays, even if I’m a bit envious when the weather is crappy at home. I travelled a fair bit before kids but have only done European family holidays since they were born (plus a few European city breaks with friends) but it’s a BIG world out there and I am itching with wanderlust.

Our plan is to travel worldwide again once we’re not tethered to school holidays, preferably just us or with friends. I would say that’s our biggest priority in life in our 50s and 60s. Bring. It. On.

I’m not . I’ve small kids and while I used to love travelling to exotic places the thoughts of it at the moment just makes me feel tired to be honest

No …

I think they think I am, though!

Not at all.

I find holidaying, particularly outside the UK to be stressful and not really coming out on top if I looked at positives vs negatives.

I'm not a massive traveller, but I have been a little jealous (I'm almost never jealous of anything!) of other people's travel the last few years as DH has had very inconsistent earnings the last 5 years and while mine have improved I've basically had to pay out of my savings for the holidays we have had in this time. And I've noted other friends with kids a similar age have been able to have long haul holidays and a few weekends away each year which we haven't been able to do.

DH is just starting a new longish contract next week, but then our oldest will be going to university later this year and when they finish our youngest will probably start, so we have another 6 years of not much spare money, and I feel a bit like we've missed out on a window of opportunity to have some more nice holiday experiences with our kids.

Not jealous at all.

I am not a holiday fan. I like having lots of room to myself. Hotels are becoming very claustrophobic for me unless you spend thousands, so I miss my home and garden. I also won't do package, or charter flights or anywhere long haul. I basically dislike other people too, so nowhere where it is busy.

We did find a fab place in a quiet part of Sardinia that we visited every year, until the social media types found it. Now it is very expensive and full of loud obnoxious folk.

If anyone can recommend somewhere in Europe, not busy or full of other tourists, that would be perfect.

No, never jealous of anyone or anything - it's just a waste of time/emotion.

You also never know the reality of what goes on behind the scenes. I've known people who've lived a "lavish" lifestyle who've either been drowning in debt or who've been in an abusive marriage.

A wise person once told me to just concentrate on yourself, do what you want to do, work on self confidence etc., and not get bogged down thinking about what other people have or what they do. It's proved to be very wise advice.

I've had lots of exciting/adventurous holidays over the decades and yes, there are places I regret not going to, but I don't feel jealous or envious of those who go to those places - I just feel glad for them that they are doing it!

Yes

No. I feel a bit hopeless and sad, as they clearly aren't thinking twice about the impact of flying on the climate. It's nice for your friends, crossing destinations off their bucket lists, but I can't imagine how desperate it must be for people living in the places on the planet worst impacted by catastrophic climate change, knowing that there are jolly holiday-makers in the UK who will blithely ignore what is broadly accepted climate science in pursuit of individual pleasure. We have children of climate refugees at my school; children whose parents have been displaced by conflicts, the root of which lies in resources made scarce due to a changing climate: fresh water and dry land. They're just the first of many, and we continue to ignore climate science at our peril.

I’m more inspired than jealous. In one circle of friends we have the youngest children and some couples are off on cheap weekends which I am envious of as we can’t do this with school etc. We get away more than most people and definitely more than they all did when their kids were younger so no envy, just happy for them and looking forward to that phase in life too.

I have single friends/cousins who properly travel and I see them as living my alternative life had I not chosen to get married and have kids.

Envious of the time off they can have yes

We go away about 7 times a year that includes short breaks, week long holidays, this country and abroad. I call them all holidays

Its still not enough for me.

Not really. I find travelling expensive. There’s one couple I know who are literally away every 2-3 months but she rents her house (he has his own house) so it’s obvious where she wants to spend her money. It can be a little irritating when they post their humble brag holidays though.

I am one of those people, and trust me you should not be envious of me 😂

me & my husband go on lots of holidays, all over the world, with our 14 year old.

I do get lots of the ‘god another holiday’ comments off people but in the main I find they’re from women with more than one child. The last ‘another holiday’ comment was from my pregnant with her 4th colleague. We had many miscarriages and our son came along after 6 cycles of IVF. I’d have loved more children then but he cost us almost 50k! When he was here we had a choice to make - a good lifestyle or plunge all our money into trying for another child with no guarantee. We chose the former. I’m so glad we did. I’d love to have said to my colleague ‘god another one’ when she announced her pregnancy but that would make me as bad as her!

Stop buying cheap crap from China.
Campaign to stop the rich and politicians using private jets/helicopters.
So much more would have more impact on climate change than normal people having a few foreign holidays.

In a way as visits to my mum/my PIL do take away a chunk of my annual leave nowadays which I could use otherwise to go to places I want to visit. As much as I love them, these trips aren't a holiday.
Until 6-7 years ago my mum/PIL would come to us but due to their age and health problems it's just not possible anymore.

Also with DD having ASD/ADHD some travel destinations just never worked for her, she wouldn't cope with a trip to Asia or Africa so we had to wait until she is now at uni to go on our own.