To think there is nothing wrong with not traveling outside London/SE for 11 years.

[INeedAnEspresso]

Basically I told my friend I've not gone outside South East England for 11 years and she was shocked. Aibu to think that this isn't unusual. I just don't like the UK much prefer rest of Europe.

Can I just start with God's Own County, Yorkshire? We drove through it recently and I still haven't recovered from returning to dingy London.

Wales? The Lake District? Cornwall? Blenheim Palace? Bath? Windsor Castle? Box Hill? Edinburgh? Winkworth Arboretum? Dover Castle?

You live in the most beautiful country on the planet, get out a bit!

Basically I told my friend I've not gone outside South East England for 11 years and she was shocked.

Only five more years until you're legally old enough to go on holiday without your mum and dad, pet.

Hang on in there.

Up to you and your choice but you're missing out majorly
Once upon a time I used o "only" go abroad. But since them I've discovered
The south west
Pembrokeshire coast
Northumberland
Yorkshire
Lake District
Peak District
Scottish highlands and Isle of Skye
All of these places are absolutely stunning.
Also other British cities outside London are fascinating, vibrant places to spend a weekend with vast choices of shops, hotels and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets.
Yeah the south easy and london are good places to live, but ywbvvu to write off the rest of the uk if you've never actually been

If you dont like to travel in the UK then you dont. It is not for everyone so YANBU to not like it. However I think it is very U from others to judge the OP! People have different pereferences.

I prefer to go abroad for my holidays as staying in the UK just doesn't feel like a holiday to me. However, I do like to visit new towns/places for a weekend in the UK.

As much as I don't like the OP's attitude and sentiment I've had to really think about how long it's been since I left SE England (not including on a plane) and it's been a while.

No real reason limited annual leave, budget and a love of hot weather and no hatred or disrespect to anywhere beyond SE England.

The problem is not other places it's the weather! From London I can be on a beach in hot weather in 3 hours. In the same amount of time I could just about get to a lovely beach in Wales for example, but a lovely beach isn't much good if it rains!

I lived in London for a bit and had a friend tell me they'd only ever been to London/abroad and what was it like where I came from.... I was amazed to be honest!

OP, you are quite right. The rest of the country is shit, definitely don't visit, Watford is as good as it gets, no point going further.

Yeah the UK is a shit hole. I mean think of the heap that is Edinburgh...awful. the Northumberland coast...dreadful. Yorkshire...even worse. As for York itself, how does it even get any visitors? Bath...minging. Whitby...awful. As for the Highlands...just overcrowded. Nothing to do in Lincoln and that Cathedral is dreadful.

Errrrrr yabu op. I love travelling abroad but the UK is amazing. However do what you want as it means my little haven isn't spoilt by too many people.

Anyone else getting frustrated by the number of threads where OP's only post the opening post and then don't engage any further in the thread?

The Lake District is positively shite; best avoided!

I do agree actually that it's not unusual to only visit your immediate region and go abroad for holidays. If you have family and friends nearby and don't travel for work then it's quite understandable that you may not venture far in the UK. I don't think this is unique to people living in the south east. It is a shame though, as there are some amazing places to visit in this country.

And this is where I live. Honestly the awful scenery is so depressing

You have a small point OP.
When I go on holiday I like to sunbathe and eat.
The British countryside is amazing but the food isn't. I'm lucky enough to visit Northumberland Devon and the Lake District regularly and love the walking, but gourmet it ain't. It's not easy to eat well out in the Siuth East and Lindon either.
I'll have to namechange won't I?

Meh.

Unless you travelled The length and breadth of the UK before you stopped going anywhere 11 years ago, your opinion on what it's like doesn't really count.

As for not going anywhere other than the SE, to be fair, I stick to the NW /Yorkshire/ Wales /Midlands/London (or abroad) because it's easy.

Can't be bothered driving to Cornwall, SE or Scotland.

As with you OP, my loss.

It's not that uncommon in people I know to not leave your region and go abroad for holidays, but I'm from Yorkshire, went to uni in Durham and now live a few miles from Bath. All beautiful green places near to great coastal areas with beautiful architecture, great pubs, places of interest. If you live on the Pennines like I did then you are in a place very similar to, say, the Lakes so wouldn't necessarily holiday there.
Most people I know in London will at least try and get over to Somerset, Devon or Cornwall for a bit of calm.

Apocalypse

Can't comment on other countries

But we go to France every year because DH's parents live there

The quality of food has deteriorated baby in the years (about 20) that we've been going there. Better food in England, in general, comparing with similar rural areas
And not easy to eat well in London? What have you been doing?

badly, not "baby"

"The British countryside is amazing but the food isn't. I'm lucky enough to visit Northumberland Devon and the Lake District regularly and love the walking, but gourmet it ain't. It's not easy to eat well out in the Siuth East and Lindon either. "

Jay Rayner, is that you?

Your comments about British food are ridiculous. You are either extremely picky difficult to please or have been extremely unlucky in your choice of restaurants. We have had some fabulous meals in the UK as well as abroad.

We are very fortunate that some of the local pubs do exceptional food using local produce.

I'll jump in here with the Durham Dales. Absolutely beautiful. Area of outstanding natural beauty. Great pubs too!

The British countryside is amazing but the food isn't. I'm lucky enough to visit Northumberland Devon and the Lake District regularly and love the walking, but gourmet it ain't. It's not easy to eat well out in the Siuth East and Lindon either. "

The food in London is possibly the best in the world. What are you talking about?

Love holidaying in UK. But maybe the m1/m6 puts the OP off anywhere north...

I don't get the whole "oh isn't Britain beautiful" no it's not. The weather is crap, no where is family friendly really and it's expensive here. Much rather go abroad!

TBH I am pretty ambivalent about London and the SE and avoid going there really (though annoyingly we now have family the far side of London whom we do need to visit occasionally and the Channel Tunnel is another draw on occasion as Europe is not bad at all IME) mostly because of people like OP (why are so many people who live in/near the capital apparently just soooo smug and pretentious?!) and the sodding traffic... I couldn't bear to live near London, the quality of life is appalling on my own personal scale. Give me the glorious British countryside and northern towns any day (for northern read anywhere north of Watford and west of Slough... The West Country is ace... 😜😎). So OP you are BU but that's fine we don't want your type with your snotty attitude visiting anyway - go and annoy the French instead!😈

Apple you can eat incredibly in London- yes, my best ever meals have been in Michelin starred London restaurants. But you can't honestly say for day to day eating out or shopping for home cooking its good.
I'm comparing Tesco Metro to Italian markets or French supermarkets New York delis or street food anywhere or local restaurants practically anywhere else in the world. It's all available here, sure, but ££££ and often baaaaad.