to think that staying in the UK is NOT a holiday

[BurntToastSmell]

I'm sick of people patronising me. Next week I'm going to Peppa Pig World (and a car museum and assorted rubbishy British crappy places) for my daughters 2nd birthday and my 30th. Friends who have returned from hot countries have said things like, "Oh you must be really looking forward to it" and "Your jollies are soon!" (jollies = holidays).

FFS! Peppa Pig World is NOT a holiday!! What's worse is that my husband really believes that this is a fucking holiday. My idea of a holiday is:

Different culture.
Different country.
Nice weather is a bonus.

Whereas we'll be pushing a pram around in the rain for a week. I see it more as a 'trip' and no it's not semantics. And yes I'm PMSing.

BurntToast sane, rational people do virtually anything except go to Peppa Pig world

I like stately homes but I know it's not to everyone's taste.

My kids are desperate to stay in a caravan especially after our disastrous camping holiday

But next year it's Majorca. Swimming pool. Pile of books. ( although will spend most of time stopping girls drowning each other are burning to a crisp)

BurntToast - just how exciting do you find rivets?

I'm afraid that all car and aeroplane museums attract the same types - people who like rivets. You can spot them quite easily, they travel in pairs, normally a Grandfather/Grandson combination excitedly pointing out how the mark 1 has a different rivet formation from the mark 2.

You have my sympathy, put a bottle of gin in the pram and discretely sip from it. You will spot other mothers doing the same!

YABU
I only holiday in the UK, we have a static caravan in the new forest. I have been all over the world as my parents have the same opinion as you, I have not enjoyed a single holiday abroad. I love my holidays and shush but I also enjoyed Peppa pig world.

OP, YANBU at all
We decided to be 'sensible' and holiday in the uk this year. It was, in a word, shit. And not even that cheap - so actually, in terms of value for money, it was worse than going abroad would have been! Came home early, did not get any real r & r, so felt like I wasted precious time off work

Won't be making that mistake again

YABtotallyU and quite spoilt. The UK is great.

Lots of my best holidays ever have been UK ones. Relax and for fuck's sake try to look like you're enjoying it go with it.

YANBU

Abroad is a holiday.

Mm. Kind of. Peppa Pig World would have me opening the gin at 9am, and the weather is certainly against you this year. And the fact that this is your 30th obviously rankles.

However, assuming you dont already speak a few other languages, there are major linguistic advantages to staycations:

You pretty much won't get burnt and probably won't get food poisoning.

If you do get sunburned or runny, you will be able to purchase aftersun and Immodium without having to resort to elaborate mime.
You will be able to read all the signposts and you will know the all the driving stuff, so won't be getting pulled over by a scary policeman with an actual real gun for breaching some weird traffic by-law you didn't even now you were breaking.

You can indulge in great regional food and understand the menu, so no danger of eating offal.

You can bitch about how crap Peppa Pig World is to other pissed-off mums and dads and bond over it.

You will be able to enjoy other people doing Loud Parenting in English, rather than wistfully guessing at what they are saying.

If it keeps raining you can take the DCs to see Ice Age 4.
You might even find a shopping list in a supermarket trolley.

And finally, if you hate it, you can go home and be back in time for .

Good luck.

It's holidays planned for the kids that aren't really holidays for us parents

^^ this

but i am determined ours will be a great holiday for dc even if me and dh have a shit time and dont even get to have a shag

OddBoots - what if pisses down at all those theme parks? Standing in extremely long Qs in the pouring rain with kids = pure misery.

Greythorne has said it all.

GwendolineMaryLacey - weather really makes or breaks a themepark visit.

Poppy, where did you stay in the New Forest? That's where we're staying. Is there anything else to do there? And is Beaulieu boring as sin?

Ample - ta very much.

I think people abu who consider only travel overseas as a 'holiday'. This country is diverse and rich in culture and history, there are loads of places to go and plenty to enjoy.

Time off work, going away, staying somewhere other than home = holiday.

All I will say is pack your wellies! If the weather carries on down here like it's been this week you'll be needing them.
On the other hand Peppa Pig is only a small part of Paultons Park, and it's really not that bad. Although PPW gets busy, the rest of the Paultons doesn't really, and if the weather is nice there are loads of places you can sit and have a picnic, animals to see and generally lots of ways to limit your exposure to over excited two year olds .
Beaulieu is ok too. If you aren't that into cars you can always go and look around the house, but there is lots of walking around the grounds. ( can you tell I've been to these places more than once??)
But having said all that I'd rather be sitting on a beach somewhere hot so you ANBU!

Gnome - LOL. But I'm breastfeeding :(

Definition of holiday
noun
1 (often holidays) an extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home or in travelling:

Definition of recreation
noun
[mass noun]
activity done for enjoyment when one is not working

Definition of leisure
noun
[mass noun]
time when one is not working or occupied; free time:
people with too much enforced leisure
use of free time for enjoyment:
increased opportunities for leisure

I conclude Peppa Pig World is not a holiday.

They do say (not sure who they are; probably folk who lived through the 2nd world war) that a change is as good as a rest. I cannot possibly see how this could be applied to Peppa Pig world.

I am not going on holiday this year. I am taking my DC on holiday. There is a difference.

If it rains there'll be fewer people so we will get around the rides we want faster then go to Pizza Hut or the like and have a laugh about it over some dinner.

Brilliant Lynette!

UABU/UANBU,

It is possible to have a holiday in the UK, but it's a huge gamble given our shit weather, awful roads and dodgy attractions.

If you go abroad your far more likely to be sure of a good time. At least it will be warm and different, even if some places still try to rip you off.

YABU,

A holiday is what you make of it. If you spend your time sulking because you aren't abroad then it will indeed be crap.

We go away and have a great time doesn't matter if we are here or elsewhere, the important thing is that we go away as a family and enjoy our time together. The place really isn't that important.

I feel your pain OP. I've done UK caravan holidays for the last four years and they are, at best, tolerable. They're not too bad if you get good weather but how often does that happen in the UK? I love foreign holidays and I'm not ashamed to admit it, as we all have our preferences. I'm a bit skint at the moment but it doesn't stop me browsing holiday websites hoping I'll see a bargain for the August school holidays .

YANBU OP at all. I'm with you 100%.

We spend fuck all during the year so we can have holiday in the sun every summer. We're not getting away this summer for various reasons and I feel depressed at thought of weeks of shitty weather (living in Ireland the shitty weather is a given, I need sunshine for at least a week to stop bits of me getting mouldy and rotting off :o)

And agree with others who say that UK holidays are often a complete bloody rip off unless you are self-catering. I am amazed at the number of people who tell me they can't afford to go abroad but then say they are having a couple of two / three night trips to UK hotels which add up to same as a cheap package somewhere hot and sunny . Why? Just... why?

YANBU. If it doesn't involve time spent at a port of some kind (as in air port or sea port), then it's not a holiday. It's just a few nights away.

I envy those of you that can feel like you are really properly going on holiday after bing stuck in a car or a train for hours only to get to your destination and find out the road signs all look the same as they do where you came from. I really do.

peppa pig world sounds pretty crap but your DD will love it. But if you add in a few long pub lunches, some nice dinners out, and a whole week with your family and no work and i'd call that a holiday

i LOVE holidays, in the uk or abroad, it doesn't matter. i don't shop, cook or clean, i eat out or picnic or get takeaway all the time, i have beer at 4pm and i chill out... ahhhhh bliss.....

OP, the only thing that could have made my "holiday" any worse would have been staying in a caravan. Or camping

Sorry

BurntToastSmell Hope you have a lovely holiday and a great 30th! Hampshire is a very nice county and the New Forest is great.

I know Beaulieu motor museum and it's good if you like looking at old cars! There's a monorail too and a vintage bus. You can also go into the "house" where there are pictures of Lord Montague and his family. The gardens are lovely too.

I grew up in that area and parents are still there so really have done the motor museum so many times!

YABU...We go abroad...take 48 hrs to get our bearings and never fully relax...Go to our static van in St John's Cumbria...instant relaxation...