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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think going to Spain for 1 week isn't worth the hassle?

76 replies

LikeIcan · 21/08/2015 18:16

Arrived on Saturday, didn't feel relaxed until Tuesday, had to start packing again on Friday.
Never again.
10 days minimum or I'm staying at home.

OP posts:
CalmYourselfTubbs · 21/08/2015 18:18

YANBU.

TheTroubleWithAngels · 21/08/2015 18:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mrssmith79 · 21/08/2015 18:20

YABU. It's a 2.5h plane journey - what we're you doing between Saturday and Tuesday to mean you couldn't relax??

SquinkiesRule · 21/08/2015 18:22

No way. An hour or so to pack, enjoy whole week. Half hour to cram it all back in bags and make sure the room is empty before checking out. Relax as soon as you get there by the pool, or on the beach. Dd was in the water before the bags had been fully emptied.

manicinsomniac · 21/08/2015 18:22

Depends.

I don't go on trips where I have to take a plane unless they are at least 2 weeks because I am terrified of flying so I do start worrying quite a while before I leave to come home.

If that's not the case, I don't understand why it took you so long to relax.

I'd definitely take a week in Spain. I just wouldn't fly there.

TitsOnAFish · 21/08/2015 18:23

YABU.

When we've had an early flight to Spain and been by the pool by lunchtime I've felt relaxed that day. Packing to come home takes an hour the night before.

Original poster
LikeIcan · 21/08/2015 18:24

It always takes me a few days to 'climatise' - I just didn't feel like I'd had a holiday really.

OP posts:
blibblobblub · 21/08/2015 18:28

YABU. I went to Ibiza for four days and it was fine! Be grateful you had a holiday Smile

MorrisZapp · 21/08/2015 18:31

We go to Majorca for five nights. We can't cope with any more.

M00nUnit · 21/08/2015 18:32

We've just come back from a lovely week in Spain - we got a taxi to Gatwick (we live in South East London) which only took 45 mins, flight was 2.5 hours and we were at the pool by about 11am. Journey home was very quick and easy too. My DH did the packing and unpacking for him and my DSCs (his two sons) and it didn't take long at all. So it was definitely worth going, even though it was only for a week. Not really sure why you need time to "climatise" to somewhere such a short distance away?

londonrach · 21/08/2015 18:34

Yabu. I had a 4 day holiday in maderia and one of the most relaxing holidays ever.. Sun, good food, lovely views, loght walking, swimming pool....what more do you need to relax?

mrschatty · 21/08/2015 18:35

Yabu! I'm off to south Africa for 5 days! That's a 10hr flight and ill be 23 weeks pregnant...bring it on!

DinosaursRoar · 21/08/2015 18:36

I guess the 'point' of your holidays was that it took you a couple of days to relax, which suggests you are rather stressed and generally not a relaxed person, so while you were only relaxed from Tuesday to Saturday (or was it Friday, do you find packing to come home stressful?), that's better than having been in work for a week and still stressed.

You really need to speed up your packing/unpacking - could your DH/P do yours for you if you find it so hard? It's usually a lot quicker on the way home, it's not like you're having to make decisions about what to put in the bag, or clean clothes or go buy stuff, it's just put the stuff you've brought with you back in the bag it came out of, surely no more than an hour... Mind you, my MIL did somehting similar on holiday with us this year, she packed up on Friday lunchtime when we weren't leaving until Saturday evening, it still only took her an hour, but I think she finds it stressful to leave things until they need to be done, are you the same? (Next year, tell yourself the day before you leave "it'll take 30minutes to pack my bag, I need to check out at 11am, if I start at 9am that's lots of time, I don't need to think about it now.")

Takver · 21/08/2015 18:38

Well evidently YANBU for you, but I wouldn't agree for me. I went to Spain with 8 days total holiday (Weds - Thurs) for a friend's wedding, travelling by train because I don't fly. Even so I thought it was absolutely worth it in terms of the break (of course it was worth it regardless to go to the wedding).

Maybe you should consider travelling by train - the travel itself is an adventure and I always feel thoroughly on holiday by the time I get to Paris! It is expensive though so sadly special occasions only round here!

Original poster
LikeIcan · 21/08/2015 18:40

Yes, I am a fairly stressed out person so I do find relaxing quite difficult. But I accept I am being unreasonable & should be grateful we had a lovely week abroad.

OP posts:
UrethraFranklin1 · 21/08/2015 18:41

Yabu. Oh dear, my foreign holiday didn't feel long enough..also my diamond shoes are too tight and my wallet is too small to hold all my fifties. Hmm

Artandco · 21/08/2015 18:43

You take way to long to pack and unpack and settle in. For us we take morning flight, at destination by lunchtime with a bottle of wine. Relaxed. Only take hand luggage so unpacked in 5 mins

AuntyMag10 · 21/08/2015 18:43

Yabu. It's a shame though you couldn't enjoy the holiday for silly reasons. it's a short flight, max an hour to pack and no need to climatise that much.

SouthWestmom · 21/08/2015 18:44

Dh would agree with you tbh, not enough time to both see all the attractions and relax by the pool. I otoh was ready to come home on day five. We have compromised on ten days.

RaskolnikovsGarret · 21/08/2015 18:45

Really? Going to spain is like visiting another UK city really. I've never thought twice. Got back from LA this week after an 8 day holiday and thought a couple of more days would have been more relaxing, but that's with an 11.5 hour flight and 8 hour time difference. I think a week is fine for Spain, or at least it has been for us.

Palomb · 21/08/2015 18:45

I quite often go away for a couple of days, this year alone there have been 4 days in Ibiza, 4 days in cornwall, 7 days in the Vendee (and I drove there too which is a 16hr journey ). Just because you don't think it's worth it for you doesn't mean it's not worth if for everyone!

I'm off to Ibiza again in a couple of weeks.. Land Thursday night at 10pm, I'll be pissed by 2am! Home on Tuesday. Awesome.

knittingwithnettles · 21/08/2015 18:46

I feel just like you, YANBU..We never go on foreign holidays because I found them too stressful.

However, last year just to defeat the demons I booked a TWO week holiday self catered. Not a success..we felt really overwhelmed and actually a bit bored by the end, not to speak of the money for snacks and treats and meals out running out.

I think the answer is, make the airport bit as easy as possible (in future I'm never going from Gatwick/stansted on an early flight again as it is impossible to get from west London on public transport) cut down to less luggage, stay in hotel or serviced apartment so no worries about cleaning up (which is my real phobia..trying to leave place as I found it etc in self catering cottage)

Travelling with children is very stressful for some of us, (esp as Ds2 has ASD) and it is quite difficult to find a solution. Yes we want to go on holiday (and so does ds2) but getting the balance and transition etc is tricky.

StressheadMcGee · 21/08/2015 18:47

My parents have spent the whole day today in a hot Spanish airport after their flight was cancelled, so I definitely agree! (not that it would make the delay any easier if they'd been there longer, but the weather is lovely today and they spent the first half of the week in raincoats....)

KenDoddsDadsDog · 21/08/2015 18:49

I just came back from a week in Nerja . Loved it but have done with another three days. Felt relaxed from when I got on the plane , was desperate for a break.

knittingwithnettles · 21/08/2015 18:49

I'm amazed actually how many people find going on holiday with multiple children doable. Just thinking about all those extra possessions needs does my head in, let alone my own possessions needs. No wonder it is difficult to relax [sad smile]

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