to not understand holidays where you just sit by the pool every single day?

[MeetMeinBaaBar]

Now I get that a holiday is about doing exactly what you want to do and to basically relax.

But I just don't get people who go to a different country and sit by a pool all day every day. My friend just came back from 2 weeks away, I asked her if left the hotel at all and she just looked at me blankly and said no.

I love relaxing by the pool, but I also love going to a different country and actually seeing that country - if I'm by a pool in a hotel I might as well be anywhere.

I guess it's like going to Egypt and only living within the walls of the hotel and never seeing the Pyramids.

She didn't even go to a beach ... meh, I know it's her holiday but yeah I just don't get it.

I think the age of your DC is quite important. Relaxing isn't really an option with some ages.

Perhaps it is because different people like different things.

I think you burn more by been in the water.

I found that out in Portugal by spending most of the holiday in the sea easing a hangover

I have been to Egypt and lazed around the pool and beach for 2 weeks. I have also been to Egypt and seen the Pyramids and done the culture thing. It all depends on what i feel like at the time. Sometimes i just want some sun and peace and quite to read a book for 2 weeks. Other times i fancy a bit of history.

You know what? I would have a great holiday sitting in a room staring at a blank wall at the moment, as long as there were plenty of opportunities to eat and drink. My head is full and a week of doing absolutely nothing might empty it. And I used to hate pool holidays.

I used to think like you.
Now, however, I am tired. The best thing for me to do when I go away is to switch off completely. Not look at my watch, not have to be anywhere at anytime. My foreign holiday (once every 2 years) is the chance to literally just stop. I read, I swim, I sunbathe, I eat stuff that I've not had to cook or shop for. It is heavenly.
I spent years "being busy" on holiday, and it suited me then, and I'm glad I've visited all the places I have, and, when I retire, I quite fancy visiting a whole load of other places, but for now, just sitting / lying in warm sunshine, reading, is what I need from a holiday.
Yes, you do have to go to another country to guarantee the sun.

I've done the backpacking thing when I was younger.
I can't afford anything expensive these days, so basically I pay forthe sunshine.
I love sitting by the pool with my kindle and a cocktail, then wandering out at night to a nice resturant.

I think it depends. We go to the same place every August (DH is a creature of habit and life is compromise). He is exhausted when we arrive (think 60+ hour weeks at 50)and happily spends a week by the pool, on the verandah with a book, good coffee, etc. But he enjoys his wander to the shop for bread in the morning; a mess with the barbecue, a wander to the local town for a gin and cigar and plate of shellfish. It's repetitive but it's bliss - dd and I go shoe shopping rollercoastering, gallerying and venture across the border for a bit of adventure. DS usually has access to a few mates and they party on the beach until the small hours dd might start this soon

But generally pretty pedestrian holidays. DH doesn't like change

After a we

Where did she go? Anywhere interesting or was it a sun and laze by the pool type of resort ?

We did this on our honeymoon except for 2-3 days.

It was awesome. Full board, all inclusive, champagne every day, sunbathe, have a massage every day. Awesome.

Normally we go on hiking holidays etc so was a lovely change.

I can see the OP's point in that sometimes people pay a lot of money to go to countires that others would consider have a lot to offer to then just sit by the pool. If all you need is decent weather and a nice hotel, surely you'd be looking at the cheapest way to achieve that - south of France maybe? Spain?

Who wants to sunbathe and get pissed for two weeks?? Utterly weird YANBU OP! Boring people.

Because you can switch off completely in beautiful surroundings and literally not lift a finger for two weeks. And have happy kids! Seriously, what's not to like?

I knew a couple who always went to exotic places and never left the complex. So they could say "Oh yes...we've been to x and X and x" and really, they could have been in portugal the whole time!

Before you get to the pool though you have the airport/plane flight/delays/luggage carousel/passport control fiasco etc. You need a week asleep to recover from all that.

I don't get it either. My mum does it and always has done, I hated holidays with her as a kid- sooo boring. I don't understand how it's fun at all.

I wistfully imagine a week or two in a swim-up room with a giant pile of books and a free bar. Then I rememberI have a 17mo

We travelled before we had her, and lounging by the pool is not dhs style so I imagine her having flown the nest and me going alone to re-charge and literally not have to think about any thing or anyone.

But don't you get bored?? Not lifting a finger for 2 weeks sounds awful - I would get twitchy and restless and would probably become a bit hysterical

WishIwas I suppose I can't imagine WANTING to switch off for two weeks...or not to lift a finger, it sounds boring.

StealthPB, we are going back to Egypt this year for less than it would have cost us to do the Canaries, Greece or Cyprus (they were our original choices). If we thought DD could have coped with the flights we would have gone to the Dom Rep or Mexico as they were cheaper than Europe too. Quite often the further you go the cheaper it is.

I wouldn't like having to get up at a certain time for breakfast, and having to get dressed. I like to sleep in a bit then slob about in my dressing gown eating breakfast.

I think my problem with the concept is that I can't just switch off when doing nothing. I need something else to occupy my mind to make it turn off from work and other stress.

I am so busy the rest of the year I love to relax and read but I do like to explore the country I am visiting too. On a 2 week holiday I would probably go on 4 or 5 trips. Next year we are going to do a villa holiday instead of all inclusive as we are having to go cheap after an expensive one this year. We are going back to a place we have been before but the thing we didn't enjoy last time was the entertainment so we have opted for a quiet villa holiday. I have said I don't mind preparing a simple breakfast and lunch but we will eat out each night so will probably see more that way. I expect we will do less trips as we have gone there before.

It's the only time I get to read, so I usually have 2 years worth of book recommendations to catch up on - it really isn't boring.

I go to the same place every year. It's nice. It's quiet and not at all touristy. We stay in a residential area.
For 2 weeks we lounge by the pool all day. Then at some point we will get ready and go have something to eat. On the way home, we will pop into the supermarket and buy whatever for the next day. That's it. Sitting in the airport to come home, and the dc's asking when we coming back.

We've seen the area. We've visited the beach, not my idea of fun surrounded by hot, sweaty people, with no room to move and sand in places sand should not be going.

I cannot understand why people pay huge sums, to go on holiday and do stuff every single day. Must be exhausting to watch your clock, because you need to be in such and such a place by whatever time.