to get annoyed with people who judge beach holidays?

[3DStanley]

I get really annoyed with the type of people who say 'Oh I could never lie on the beach for two weeks, you must be so bored!' and act like the only valid use of my precious two weeks off a year is trekking barefoot through the Andes teaching orphans English.

I get especially annoyed because 95% of them seem to earn lots of money for jobs with very little stress.

AIBU?

@maisypops

It's only if you have a massive chip on your shoulder if you think people are being judgy and snarky about your holiday.

Are you saying that everyone on this thread who is pissed off with people commenting and judging, and making negative remarks about their life choices, has a chip on their shoulder?

What a load of bollocks.

I am starting to suspect that you are one of these people who does this to people, and the comments on here are hitting a raw nerve. That's why you're getting defensive and accusing people of 'having a chip on their shoulder.' I certainly don't have one; I just hate arrogant narcissistic wankers who are so full of themselves that they think I need their cunty opinions on my life choices.

I agree with you OP. It's like saying ''im a bit more cerebral than you are'' or something. ARgh

IABU because I always think that people who say "Ooh, I could never lie on a beach for two weeks, I'd get soooo bored" must have really empty heads.... I love having a bit of time to let my brain decompress.

I have a very full head actually, which is precisely why I can't sit and do nothing for two weeks (no judgement against people who love that - as I've said before, most of my family do!). Unless you've felt like you never stop thinking (nighttimes are the worst - I don't sleep well because my thoughts have thoughts), the idea of sitting for two weeks and listening to them probably doesn't sound as bad as it would feel!

I honestly don't understand what you would do on a lounger for two weeks.

It's not about being more cerebral, for me it's about having a short attention span.

I'm taking some crochet and a cross stitch this year in the hope I chill for a day or two.

Rock I think that's it two weeks of listening to my head!

I read and do crossword puzzles. I take weeks choosing my books!

Ah that could amuse me for a bit!

I try sun lounging i sort of sit/lie read for 5 minutes try and nap sigh A LOT then get up

Then your lounger neighbour wants to be pals and chat after its a lovely day you enjoying your holiday i am lost

I have been an expatriate for most of my life. Many people just assume you spend all your time on the beach having fun. You don't though. I have been to many places for work, but I don't consider them as a holiday because of the amount of stress Involved. When I was in Uganda, we had a conference at a hotel on the edge of Lake Victoria. I never went swimming although I was in Uganda for a month. After the conference, I switched to a local guesthouse and often had no electricity for 13 hours a day. I also ended up in hospital. Not really a holiday.

YADNBU OP. And, yes, this thread definitely proves your point.

OP hasn't derided anyone else's choice of holiday. She's fed up of people who prefer active holidays scoffing at hers!

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all! 'Lovely! Have a great time', should cover it.

I like all kinds of holidays and I'm happy and enthusiastic for my friends' holidays. Why on earth would it occur to anyone to say anything negative at all?!

I know someone who has a senior banking job with the endless hours and stress that entails. All her holidays are taken up competing in ultra marathons in inhospitable places. All her free time is taken up training for them. Even typing that makes me exhausted. But I think she's bloody amazing!

We recently went on a hiking/climbing holiday after a seriously stressful period at work. Busy all day every day, no other people and very odd-looking tans thanks to hiking socks- came back relaxed as anything!

I'm a bit like that- I cant relax by relaxing- I find it more relaxing to have something to focus on, but nothing too taxing. My most relaxing holiday ever was doing the Marathon de Sables- loads of sleep, no alcohol, light food, loads of fresh air. No-one believes me but I swear it's true. I came back really rebooted.

That said, with kids I do like a villa holiday for 5 days or so - avoids issue of "hell is other people" as you can choose your cell mates, it gives us a chance to catch up with friends we dont see much, and the kids entertain one another. I also like skiingas good balance between time as a family and time doing own thing while kids are off with their instructor.

Admit not a massive fan of city breaks- I like museums/ galleries, just not 3 a day for 2 weeks with a 6&4 year old in tow.

However, I agree with the OP that people feel they can be rude/sneery about beach holidays and they can be seen as a bit inferior to "worthier" trips, but those people are welcome to try to drag my DC round the Vatican or up to Annapurna and see how much fun they have.

I know someone who has a senior banking job with the endless hours and stress that entails. All her holidays are taken up competing in ultra marathons in inhospitable places. All her free time is taken up training for them. Even typing that makes me exhausted. But I think she's bloody amazing!

I think I know who you're talking about- ha ha

I think it's great that lots of people love going on beach or resort-based all-inclusive type holidays, because it means that the sort of places where I like to go will be less crowded!

I couldn't do a beach holiday, I couldn't sit still long enough. But if that's what you want to spend money on it's your choice

You dont just lie on the beach though. I was looking at a beach based holiday. It would involve swimming, snorkelling, boat trips (Id choose somewhere you could do this) maybe some kayaking and a dive. Walks along the beach and trips inland to see the local towns.

I dont ever get to see a tropical sandy beach at home but I can go to world class galleries in my own home city.

I would do cultural breaks as short weekenders and longer holidays for beaches.

One of my colleagues however did go on holiday to Spain and said she did nothing but sit by the hotel pool and read. I did think what a waste of money but it's hers to waste.

I don't think that beach holiday means anything.
There's beach holidays and there's beach holidays!
Beach holidays can be very active/interesting/varied
Or the can be literally laying in the same spot frying all week and eating the same food in the same place (within 5 mins radius of hotel) and THAT is pure hell I don't understand it (been on one of those with a friend's family as a teen, was pure hell! tried to take myself off for walks etc but that kept freaking the mum out who wanted to "relax" knowing we were all VERY nearby!)

I expect people couldn't really give a rat's arse and are just making conversation?

I might say this OP but I wouldn't be being snotty, it's just the first thing I would think of as a comment in response to someone telling me about their beach holiday.

Not sure who all these people are who make loads of money in low stress jobs either, but I'd like to know which low stress jobs pay very well!

Its the sort of thing I would say, because its true! Its not condescending though, its just that I have a very low boredom threshold. I would love nothing more than to be able to veg out in the sun, but after and hour or so I get twitchy and have to go off and do something. I envy people who can just lie relaxing all day, even on my honeymoon I couldnt do it!

I agree that its probably just making conversation.

This thread is hillarious.

Im certainly not looking down on you for spending two weeks in a New Look bikini reading Danielle Steele on a white plastic sun lounger if that's what feeds your soul OP. I simply prefer to integrate myself with an undiscovered tribe near Papua New Guinea and immerse myself in their culture, culminating in a hot-steamed tattooing ceremony where I am accepted as one of their own, having become fluent in the language and taught the children how to build self powering fridges. And then I pop into several museums and listen to some really difficult German opera on my way home. It's not that I think one is superior to the other at all. Horses for courses. I'm definitely not looking down on anyone for spending two weeks literally in one place by a pool while I subsume my soul in the very essence of what it is to be human.

I honestly don't understand what you would do on a lounger for two weeks

People who do this often report reading 10+ books and they probably just enjoy relaxing and taking it easy for a while, not having to think, plan, follow a timetable etc.

I also don't know why people assume that all holidays are two weeks long. We usually go for a week, and would probably never go for two, probably 8/9 nights at most. With budget airlines and flexible, booking it all yourself on the internet etc, even for traditional 'package holiday' destinations, you are free to go for 4, 8, 12, 26 nights, exactly as few or as many as you like.

You dont just lie on the beach though. I was looking at a beach based holiday. It would involve swimming, snorkelling, boat trips (Id choose somewhere you could do this) maybe some kayaking and a dive. Walks along the beach and trips inland to see the local towns

Exactly. Most of our holidays are to Spain (including Canaries and Balerics) or Malta. As well as scuba diving for 4/5 days (which takes around a couple of hours, twice a day), we will spend quite a lot of time reading and chilling out and probably a day just snorkelling from a beach in a different place, plus reading and having a nice relaxed lunch and chatting in a nice beach bar.

Also we might have a couple of days visiting interesting places like Valetta, caves on Lanzarote, travel to the top of Mount Teide on Tenerife or the Alhambra at Granada.

Just because there is a beach and a pool doesn't mean that's the only thing people do while they are there.

I am bored after ten mins on a beach. I also loathe city breaks and hate slogging round galleries and museums. My ideal holiday is a trip to mountains or countryside. But that's not to say I look down on others who enjoy those things. Actually I am really bad at relaxing and being calm and still so maybe I'm a bit envious of those that can do it!

salad :D

Last holiday I went on I didn't leave the hotel for a week. I had SPD and it was bliss to warm my aching, pregnant body in the sun and not have to do anything. Lovely.

I;m with you OP.

Lying in the sun doing nothing is the perfect antidote for a busy life.
And has to be all inclusive.