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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that staying in the UK is NOT a holiday

319 replies

BurntToastSmell · 06/07/2012 20:42

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.

OP posts:
futureunknown · 07/07/2012 04:30

A caravan is not much fun. You are still doing the washing up but in a cramped corner. At least you'll be dry at night though.

I would rather stay at home than camp or stay in a caravan. I could enjoy my home comforts and would go out for meals with the money I've saved on transport and accommodation.

Going away is hard work with small children, just have a few days out and you get all the enjoyment and can go home and recover. That was what we did for ten years.

OP YANBU - it might have been bearable if the weather was good but now you just have to grit your teeth and get on with it.

CheshireDing · 07/07/2012 04:58

YANBU a caravan and PPW sound awful (sorry I am not helping the situation).

DD is 9 months and there is no way we will ever be holidaying at theme park type places - EuroDisney etc, sod that. A work colleague told me he spen £3,000 on 1 week there! I would rather boil my own head.

We have holidayed in the UK and abroad and both have their good and bad points. I do think you have to be careful though in the UK as you can easily end up spending the same as having gone abroad anyway.

I haven't Googled the area you are going to but there must be other (better) stuff to do, forest walks, a water park, aquarium, museum, donkey sanctuary etc. Yes you will have to take waterproofs but presumably you can dry off and take a warm shower in the caravan? Grin

theodorakis · 07/07/2012 06:40

There are some lovely places to stay in the UK if you are very rich, there are some pretty foul places as well but then I have had some fairly shitty holidays in Greece and Spain. I just think it is sad that nobody can afford to go to Cornwall and other popular places, I don't live in the UK and I can't afford to spend the Summer in England either. We can spend 8 weeks in Goa for the cost of an English week.

theodorakis · 07/07/2012 06:41

Peppa pig thing sounds absolutely revolting though

exoticfruits · 07/07/2012 07:00

Although I think that DCs are much better off holidaying in UK - I would have to amend that - to not this year! I feel sorry for those who are in a tent in Cornwall today - I have friends who are coming home early today.

mummytime · 07/07/2012 07:16

It really depends on what you want from a holiday. I have had great holidays where it has been cold and wet, and I've even been overseas at the time. I'd quite like to go to Iceland.

myBOYSareBONKERS · 07/07/2012 07:40

We went to Haven (devon cliffs) this year and stayed in a caravan and had a fantastic time. We choose there as they have all the entertainment inside so it doesnt matter about the weather.

kickingKcurlyC · 07/07/2012 08:32

We went to PPW when DD was two and she loved it. In the rain. And because she loved it, I had a fun day too.

We made it into a long weekend, because it was a long way away.
So then we went for a rainy walk in the New Forest, looking at all the horses. That was great. We even managed a showery day on the beach, running between the car and the sea when it rained and when it stopped.

It was a really nice holiday!

And I think PPW is fantastic for small children. It isn't meant to appeal to you lot!

pumpkinsweetie · 07/07/2012 08:38

Yaba Me & family went on a uk holiday this year, our 1st ever holiday and i really enjoyed it, as did kids & dh.
The weather is lovely here at the moment, hot, humid but maybe odd chance of rain but hay, it is Britain something you should be used to Grin
I would like to go abroad next year, but it is me that will make it happen-You abu to moan about something that if you really wanted you could make happen iyswim

ceeveebee · 07/07/2012 08:52

Well in that case I never had a holiday until I was 18 and could afford to go to Ibiza!

We were a family of 6, parents both worked very hard but in low income jobs. We used to go camping caravanning, youth hostelling, b&b's, butlins etc. I never stayed in a hotel until I was about 21. But we had a great time. You need to take some indoor activities with you, games, toys etc as it will piss it down all week.

We are off to Devon today for our first holiday with DCs, 8 month old twins. We anticipate a lot of time inside, thankfully there is an indoor pool where we are going. I have also packed lots of nice food and lots of Wine.

Peppa Pig sounds like hell. I think until DCs are about 3 then I would just do want you want to on holiday and they can just tag along - you can take them to places like that when they are old enough to know what is going on.

Ephiny · 07/07/2012 08:56

Peppa Pig World sounds dreadful. But we've had lots of nice holidays in the UK (including one in the New Forest actually!).

It sounds like maybe you should have planned something more to your liking (especially if it's for your birthday) rather than going along with a plan you hate and them moaning about it.

Bunbaker · 07/07/2012 09:00

I think one of the reasons we always enjoy UK holidays is that we tend to book decent self catering accommodation. I want to be as comfortable as I am in my own home, so we always get a cottage or apartment with two bedrooms. We avoid holiday parks, caravans and camping. So when the weather is inclement we can be warm and comfortable. We also tend to book holidays in areas where there is plenty of things to do when it rains.

SquidgyBiscuits · 07/07/2012 09:02

I think it all boils down to attitude. If you're full of negativity, you're going to have a shit time regardless of where you go.

And if it rains when you go to a themepark then you either get wet or grab a poncho and deal with it. It pissed it down when we were at a theme park in florida, and we just got wet. We still have fun, probably more so because we laughed so much at the situation. We then went and played crazy golf in the rain, in the middle of a tropical storm.

SquidgyBiscuits · 07/07/2012 09:04

Sorry just read some more replies - OP water up to your knees in seconds? Get a grip!

CamperFan · 07/07/2012 09:15

There is no point taking a 2 year old to the motor museum. Seriously, you'd be better off (literally) going to a car park. But Beaulieu is lovely (on a sunny day). And the New Forest is beautiful, but you don't really sound the outdoorsy type, op, regardless of the weather!

didldidi · 07/07/2012 09:17

Unfortunately I think there is more to it than the holiday - OP has a 6 month old baby as well as a two year old with a hubby with differing opinions and has PMS and is still shook up over a freak rain storm...

NightLark · 07/07/2012 09:19

You need to work on your attitude. Or you could sit and sulk. Up to you really.

WhyTheBigPaws · 07/07/2012 09:20

I can't believe the snobbery of those whose idea of hell is staying in a caravan or having to self cater. That's a holiday to look forward to for us and a positive luxury after camping for a few years!

To me a holiday is a break from routine - a chance to get away from cleaning (OK you do have to clean a caravan but it takes 30 seconds), cooking (we eat out or if we cook it'll be something quick or a BBQ) and from the post, the phone and email (I work from home so am in work mode pretty much all of the time when we're here).

I do take the point about the weather - we had a very rainy week in Cornwall when DD was 2 so I speak from bitter experience - but it's not guaranteed to be nice abroad either and after all the travelling you'd really want it to be!

I think it comes down to realising that holidays with kids will never be the same as before you had them. We used to go to the Greek Islands every year, spend all day on the beach/by the pool/on trips and all night in the bar. We couldn't have that kind of holiday with DD, it wouldn't be fair to any of us. So we have more 'family' holidays now, trying to do things for everyone (so that does include the odd theme park even though they are my idea of hell) and accept that we can do grown up holidays abroad again when DD is older.

I agree there's no substitute for a bit of sun - the continual bad weather here at the moment is so depressing - but you do have to make the best of what your circumstances permit and there are far worse places to be than the New Forest which is one of my favourite areas in the UK.

doggiemumma · 07/07/2012 09:21

Having only read the OP: How selfish do you sound????

  1. We just had a lovely holiday on the isle of wight, our last few holidays were in devon - all three on what you would probably describe as a ghastly caravan park, the only change of culture for us would be that there was no starbucks!!
The UK has much to offer in terms of holiday, and whilst id rather stick a fork in my eye than go to pepper pig world, that is because my DD is 6 and would be as bored as me, if she were two i would imagine it would be lovely - don't you enjoy family time??
  1. Aren't you just being a tad entitled? The reason we don't go on "proper holiday" is that we can't afford it! We only got to go on the last holiday (which was the first in three years) becuase of club card vouchers. So when i read posts like yours my initial thoughts are - what a twat!
Ephiny · 07/07/2012 09:24

Actually taking a 6 month old and a 2 year old on holiday sounds hard work (and agree there's probably not much point taking kids that age around museums), certainly wouldn't be my idea of a 30th birthday treat!

Though travelling abroad would surely not be any easier, assuming you'd have to take the kids?

doggiemumma · 07/07/2012 09:26

MyBoysareBonkers Devon cliffs is great, we stayed there on a sun holiday once and then went back as proper paying customers the next year - it was excellent. We didn't really get into the park entertainment as you WILL get fleeced at every opportunity, so not so much "budget" as you may expect. It does have a lovely beach of its it "own" and exmouth is a great town. We had a rainy week and just wore raincoats and anoracs, we were fortunate enough to get a couple of days on the beach though. Am Envy

catsmother · 07/07/2012 09:26

Okay .... different strokes for different folks and all that. We're all entitled to have different opinions about what constitutes a decent holiday or not. Some people might be delighted to go train spotting for a week - that's up to them, so you can't say that's not a holiday per se. Similarly you can't make a sweeping statement about staying in the UK NOT being a holiday. For you, personally, maybe .... and I do actually agree with you that foul British weather can really spoil things. I've always felt really cheated when it's peed down on a UK break as you're often effectively forced into going to expensive indoor "attractions" you wouldn't normally touch with a bargepole just to keep dry - meaning you're doing something for the sake of it, and out of pocket too. Then again, other people don't mind rain - fair enough.

However ...... please spare a thought for all of us who can't afford a break of any description, for any length of time - even a couple of days - this year. I've not had a holiday for 5 years and have no idea when I'll next be able to. The way things are it'd take a miracle. As I'm self employed - on a low income - I can't even really afford to take odd days off just to sit at home and watch TV or read a good book or whatever in an attempt to recharge my batteries. It's utter crap and that relentless drudge with no respite is soul destroying. As it is for 1000s.

As things stand I'd love a break in Hampshire - even to PP World (which admittedly isn't my idea of fun either) simply because it'd mean I wasn't working and could turn my brain off. Even if it rained - and I hate rain with the best of them. I really do hope the weather stays reasonable for you ... I completely understand how anyone with an impending UK break must be worried right now about that .... but I have to admit I don't quite understand how you're complaining about what you've got planned when presumably you didn't HAVE to book those things. Guess like many parents you grit your teeth and sometimes choose stuff that the kids will enjoy but even though you're bored senseless your pleasure comes from knowing you've given your kids a great day out. However ..... at the end of the day, it wasn't compulsory to arrange PP World and motor museum etc. It was up to you. I guess the lesson learned is next time you go away don't book stuff you think you'll hate .... or alternatively, forego a UK break one or two years and wait for a trip abroad instead by saving what you'd have spent in the UK.

HecateHarshPants · 07/07/2012 09:30

Of course being in the uk is being on holiday.

If you are staying in accommodation and are off work and are doing different stuff - sightseeing, theme park, beach, whatever - you are on holiday.

I have been on holiday to Wales, Scotland and several places in England. This year we are going on holiday to Ireland. We rent somewhere to stay. Travel there. Are not working. See different places. Have fun with the kids.

How is that in any way not a holiday?

Freddiebump · 07/07/2012 09:31

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

Definition from the Oxford dictionary.

YABU

LadyBeagleEyes · 07/07/2012 09:35

I'm lucky enough to be going abroad this year, but have spent many holidays in the UK, particularly as a child.
I have the happiest memories of caravan holidays as a child ,the weather really didn't matter at that age.
I even have happy memories of being all cosy in the caravan with the sound of the rain pelting on the roof.
Holidays are what you make them.

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