Has anyone else completely lost the desire to go on holiday?

[TrueCrimeFanatic]

When I was young I travelled a lot. First with my parents, then as a young adult. I travelled far and wide, to the USA in one direction and the far east in the other. I loved it and lots of places inbetween. After I met and married DH and had kids we settled into the Mediterranean style 2 weeks in the sun style holidays and breaks in the U.K.

we're now in our 60s, been retired for some years and just gone completely off holidaying, home or abroad. We think about the hassle at airports, the crowds in the cities at both home and abroad. The rain and general bad weather in the U.K.

We are away right now in England and it rained a lot of the day yesterday so we only went out for a couple of hours, did a museum and a cafe at a seaside resort, returned to our lodge and just sat and read. It was quite boring. Infact we are returning home today, a day earlier than planned.

Discussing it last night we realised we’ve both lost the desire to holiday, we miss having our stuff around us particularly as all our hobbies are quite creative. ( can’t exactly take a piano on holiday)

Have others reached this point where they just have no desire to holiday any more. Am I abnormal? Just curious if others have come to this conclusion or have opinions on this?

Different reasons - money is really tight and I resent spending money on holidays, but do so for the children. Also DH has a chronic health condition, and it's more logistically challenging. He has to take all his medical stuff with him, and is limited on what he can do. When he was healthy and we had more money, I didn't resent holidays one iota. I'm 20 years younger than you are, so maybe this makes a difference in perspective too.

I've never been a big traveller . I'm easily in the last 25% of my lifespan but have only ever been to European / Mediterranean places so not widely travelled except in UK
I haven't been on a plane for 25 years .

I see no point at all in a domestic holiday, in fact I don't really consider that a holiday at all. I do love an abroad trip, though.

Yes- combined with anxiety about leaving my home. I worry that something will happen when I’m not there. I do like a weekend away, hotel with a pool, somewhere interesting. We do national trust in the area, any particular ‘sights’. Then I’m very relieved to be home again!

I’m the opposite! The only way I can manage living in this grey depressing country is by managing to leave it a few times a year!

No. I’ve not lost my desire to go. We fly business and don’t have annoying dc around me. I’m very very choosy about hotels and where I stay. My complaint is that the uk is too hot! Don’t mind a bit of rain! Go to east Anglia if you don’t want rain! I find pleasure in great restaurants, museums, churches, nature, walking, local artisan shopping and I avoid crowded cities abroad! Theres still
plenty for me to see and do and DH and me are over 70! We love new experiences.

No - I love going on holiday both in the UK or abroad. I still enjoy exploring places I've never been and revisiting places I like. Driving to Germany for a break next week and I'm irrationally excited about it.😆
We're all different.

I’m heading that way. I’m close to 60 now and I’ve realised I don’t really need to factor holidays into my retirement budget because I know by then I won’t be bothered.

I’m getting my last few trips in now but I do find it more tiring/stressful than I did 10 years ago. I’m also single (with no plans to change that) and while I have happily gone on many holidays alone, that’s also lost appeal now. I don’t want to go with friends, tried that once and it was a disaster! Even less so do I want to book a group thing with a load of strangers.

I didn’t think I’d ever reach this point but I’ve seen the places I really wanted to see so I don’t really feel sad about it.

I’m 38 and I’ve never really desired holidays. I don’t particularly dislike the travelling part, and I have a nice time once I’m there, but I always feel like I’d be having a better time at home. Like you I enjoy my piano and other hobbies that I can only do at home, and I’m also quite materialistic and enjoy being at home with all my stuff around me rather than somewhere else with a small fraction of my stuff in a suitcase.

I don’t mind going somewhere if there is something specific I want to see or do (I also want to see the Bayeux Tapestry again, I saw it years ago in Normandy and loved it) but I have no interest in going away just for the general feeling of being on holiday.

People won’t like this sentiment, but I feel like people who are obsessed with going on holiday aren’t really happy with their lives and therefore feel they need a break from it. I love my life and never need a break from it.

I’m the same. I’ve been to rnough places USA, Australia, India, Europe, to not feel I’m
missing out if I no longer travel. The thought of being on a plane for hours in economy fills me with dread.

We're away atm. We have returned to a beautiful island we have visited 3 times before. I've been counting down the days for our return almost from the moment we arrived. DH is enjoying putting his feet up, I'm bored. Problem is we are off on a 3 week tour in November and I'm hoping I don't spoil it by longing for the flight home.
Since we retired I don't feel that I 'need' a holiday. We have done a lot of travelling over the years and there are places that I would still like to visit but I really don't care if we don't get there. Sad really

We are in our 60s too and feel exactly the same way. We used to holiday with the children abroad each year both long and short haul and when they became adults we did a lot of European city breaks. Since COVID we have been to France twice by ferry and do not want to
do that again. I would not do a UK holiday as I would prefer to be at home.

it’s not just holidays that I’m tired of it’s being bothered to go anywhere in general.

This has come upon me in the last 5-6 years. I used to be keen to go anywhere, but now the thought of airports/planes/crowds/excess heat - and especially with long haul jet lag - fills me with - not exactly dread, but ‘No thanks!’ V likely it’s at least partly an age thing - I am fairly ancient.

In the past year or so I’ve declined two holidays with family - one was long haul, the other was going to be very hot and crowded - but had no objection to dh going - he’s always had itchy feet. And at least my not going on the long haul one meant that he could use my air miles towards business class!

I will still fly short haul now and then, in fact will be doing so shortly, but it’s to a friend’s place, familiar, and at least most of the summer hordes will be gone.

As always now, though, I will be pleased to be home again.

I think that’s the trick if you don’t like crowds and hassle you need to chuck money at it,

so book highest end lounge you can at airport, for example we are booked in the club rooms at Gatwick, which are quiet with à la carte service, fast track through security and avoid the queues, the flight class you find comfortable, we are ba premium economy which is good enough for us, a bit more leg room, two seats at the side, quieter cabin, and then good transportation on landing and getting to the airport in the first place , a small boutique but high end hotel, avoid the tourist places in peak seasons, ensure you can have great food etc, know what you wish to do when there and how you will do it, in a way you like.

the ops current holiday of a lodge in rainy England doesn’t appeal to me, unless I had a purpose to be there. It would be just doing rhe same thing as you do at home, but in a different place, without your stuff round you.

Pls tell us more about the Vietnam trip! It sounds fabulous 👌

I have a family member in her mid-70s whose husband died a few years ago. Since then she’s travelled far and wide, India, Brazil, Australia, Canada. She’s had an incredible time.

I think if you scratched the itch to travel when you were younger, maybe you are just happy at home!

I’ve never been a fan of holidays, I have been to many countries. My husband enjoys it but I really don’t enjoy the queuing and waiting. Then the piles of washing when I return. I don’t have the comforts of my home when away, it’s make do. My children are similar to me as they miss all of their stuff. I totally understand where you’re both coming from.

Yes OP I have and I am about 15 years younger. It started about 3-5 years ago for me. Noticed everywhere I went there was increasingly less original/traditional things to eat and do. Everything has become globalised and samey. Having to pay through the nose to get the "authentic" version and feeling like you've just been ripped off as a tourist. The crowds got worse, they seem to have got louder and ruder (I am pleased everyone can go abroad but dont understand why some do when they shout loudly in public about how "it's not as good as home"!). There isn't time to stop and chat as everyone rushes, locals move out for tourist seasons...We have seen enough now and I will be putting my money towards the house next year.

I like to think I'll feel differently when I retire, but at the moment (late 50s) I have a full on full time job, and just cba with all the planning, travelling, cost and general running about just to spend 12 days somewhere else. I'm just so bloody tired!

I feel you, though for different reasons.

I'm in my 40s, mum of 2 primary age kids. Holidays are hassle - the prep, the packing, the unpacking, the laundry. I'm just not feeling the value for money at the moment! But I think it's the drudgery.

I'm mostly done with trying to holiday on a budget. I've managed some amazing breaks for our family, done on a shoestring. Small accommodation, self-catering, driving across Europe, all to keep the cost down for five people. We've ended up in some wonderful destinations and spent our time on hikes and sightseeing in beautiful landscapes. But the cost to me is huge. Checking for what we can and can't afford, and where our money will work for us, sorting all the separate elements into a whole holiday. We like to be active and hate crowds, so it has worked well. But I just don't have the enthusisam any more for being a travel agent, taking all the responsibility and keeping an eye on every penny. And if it's not a good holiday after all that effort (heatwave this year, for example, really stopped us doing much), then it's like the final straw.

This is me too! I would probably leave the UK if I couldn’t regularly escape to warmer/snowier/more exciting places. The UK is a nice place to live and work on the whole but I find it very boring compared to the rest of the world when it comes to holidays/leisure time, partly due to the grey weather and partly because it lacks the spectacular mountains, beaches, forests, wildlife, cuisine etc found elsewhere. I found the Covid years really difficult even though we did travel abroad every time there was a break in restrictions.

I love holidays in the Uk. But then I like history, art and beautiful things. I love going to NT homes and learning about the families who have lived there and how they lived fheir lives. I enjoy the novelty of new towns to explore and different countryside. I’ve met interesting people who I’ve learnt a lot from.

I occasionally like going abroad because it’s a wonderful break from the everyday and a chance to eat fantastic food and see stunning coastline or architecture. I’m also happy pottering around locally though as there are always new places to explore. But I do get the hassle of it all. I always feel like that the week before I go away after looking forward to it for months because I can’t be bothered with the packing and upheaval - and then I have the best time!

I think it depends on a few things, your stage in life, your health, and your budget!

For those working and raising kids, looking forward to a holiday wherever it may be is one thing to look forward to in the humdrum of daily life.

On the other hand, we all read about financially comfortable retirees jetting off here there and everywhere whenever and for however long they want to!

I am a retiree of over ten years. The first few years I went everywhere I could, I was lucky to be able to. I figured while I was fit and well to pack it in. I am glad I did as I got quite ill a few years ago and now more or less can't be bothered with the hassle of travelling.

But I still do it, at a more sedate pace though. Twice a year max and no amount of persuasion will work with me to do more than that. I am lucky I can even do that so I don't take it for granted either.

I make it as easy as possible and am prepared to pay for the privilege. I get assistance at airports, and private transfers to and from destination, together with hotels that are right bang in the centre of things with easy public transport around the place, and NO HILLS lol 😊

You've picked an unusual time of year to holiday in the UK if you didn't want rain? It was never going to be beach weather in almost-October.

It sounds like you've travelled a lot, for which you're very fortunate.