Being latched onto abroad! NOW

[Poisongirl81]

Help! We don't want to appear rude but we are in Spain with my toddler and another couple have latched onto us for a week now...they have 3 dc and are different ages to ours 🙂 today we got up early to put towels down but they spotted us and so sad next to us...again! We can't move our towels now as it would be rude. We just want to chill and read but they talk all day mainly at us!

[NataliaOsipova]

....huge bold fail there,sorry!

[Nikephorus]

They live a long way from you, you'll never see them again (unless they've already decided to relocate!) so be forceful or even rude. It won't matter. They'll go off in a huff, you'll laugh between yourselves and heave a big sigh of relief. Job done.

[msrisotto]

Just tell them tha you don't feel like talking and just want to chill in peace.

[GinSwigmore]

you're not there to co-parent their children
^this

They do not care about your feelings or needs.
They are oblivious to them.
Thick-skinned or intentionally using you, it really does not matter.
Imposing is rude. They are being rude.
Day SIX. You have 48 hours left to salvage.

[IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday]

Tell them you've got the shits. That should keep them away.

[Nancy91]

Flirt with the husband until he isn't allowed around you any more? Pray they aren't like that swinging couple on Benidorm.

[PlayingSardines]

Concocting elaborate stories about marital difficulties or heavy hint dropping isn't going to work. Far too subtle for a situation which has been going on for SIX DAYS without any hints being taken and without the OP or her partner who appears to have lost his voice in all this finding their assertive gene

Yes! OP, I can't believe you've let this go on for six whole days, and let it wreck a hard-earned holiday! Don't you see now that your long-sufferingness/fear of giving offence/weird British politeness (assuming you are British - although if you are, presumably so are they, and they certainly don't suffer from over-politeness?) has put you in a far worse position than if you'd originally held them at a distance on the first day, and made it plain you weren't interested in talking?

I'm kind of fascinated by the psychology of this. Why is it you have preferred, for six whole days during which they have continually been interrupting you and getting in your space and following you about, to deal with your own annoyance rather than make them annoyed? Why is your holiday less important than their desire to make friends?

(Not being hostile here, just trying to figure out what has made you feel unable to tell them to leave you alone.)

[RandomMess]

"why do you think we said no to the trip today? It's because we want to be left alone"

[Thekissbyklimt13]

WhatchaMcCallit has summed it up well. You need to nip it in the bud early otherwise you will resent them more and it'll ruin your holiday. We had something similar last year on holiday except it was a cruise and we are assigned to a table in the dining room with the family from hell. We didn't do anything and I ended up dreading mealtimes and sneaking off to the crappy buffet instead. I'm still annoyed about it now, and also with myself for not doing anything about it st the time!

[MacarenaFerreiro]

You need to nip it in the bud early

That ship sailed about 5 days ago. OP is on day 7 of an 8 day holiday and has been tolerating this couple for 6 days already.

[Poisongirl81]

Ok so I have moved the sunbed over a bit and have my head in my phone....its the husband that's worse. Last night the wife went up early and so did he. We thought great..10 mins later he came down alone and sat with us 2!

[TheOtherOnes]

"Hi, don't think we'll manage to see you for the rest of our holiday as DH and I need a bit of quality family time for the last day. It's been lovely spending time with you all and we have your contact details for back in the UK. Enjoy the rest of your trip!"

[IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday]

. Can't believe he did that!

Have you got a phrase ready for when they begin to annoy you? Start practising now and so when you need to use it, it will come naturally

[chickenowner]

I agree, you are going to have to be a bit rude and say that you want some peace and quiet to read.

I do sympathise, what a nightmare!

[cjt110]

Chuck their towels in the pool

[Anatidae]

Ask them if they'd like to let Jesus/Xenu into their lives?

But seriously, I know it's hard but you need to tell them to back off. It is indeed a life skill.

[Alittlepotofrosie]

You're going to have to be rude enough that they leave you the hell alone. You're never going to see them again.

[morningtoncrescent62]

They live a long way from you, you'll never see them again (unless they've already decided to relocate!) so be forceful or even rude. It won't matter. They'll go off in a huff, you'll laugh between yourselves and heave a big sigh of relief. Job done.

This. They sound (at kindest interpretation) as if they're supremely unaware of other people's feelings and needs and unable to read subtle signals. It's quite possible they've read your politeness as genuine enjoyment of their company. The only way to deal with people like that is to be up-front and honest. I wouldn't concoct complicated stories about why you need family time - you don't need to. This is your precious, worked-for holiday, and it's for you to say how you want to spend it. Just say something along the lines of, 'I don't mean to be rude, but we're looking forward to a quiet, peaceful day, and we'd rather spend it on our own'. Don't worry about hurting/offending them - if they're decent people then they'll appreciate you being upfront with them. At worst they'll misunderstand and might huff and puff about you being rude and stuck-up, but that's not your problem.

[ThumbWitchesAbroad]

Maybe try the headtilt approach - "I'm sorry, is there a problem in your family that you aren't able to spend time with each other without involving third parties?"

Maybe they ARE swingers! Or just burrs.

Just be rude. Tell them you want to be alone.

[PetalsOnPearls]

Now is a really good time to "think you have a stomach bug".

[DudeHatesHisCarryOut]

Can you not say you're going somewhere far away and will see them there, and then just don't go? When they return tell them you had the runs or something.

Or walk away every time they come near.

Or just tell them to fuck off.

[Teacupinastorm]

Oh god I feel for you OP. This happened to us on our last holiday. One day it rained all day so everyone gathered in the bar, we got talking to a few people but only because we were all stuck in the same place IYSWIM. This one couple then latched on to us and wouldn't leave us alone. Even kept calling our room phone to see where we were, when we were going for dinner etc. They were perfectly nice people but then the DH kept insulting the way we were spending our holiday (reading, sunbathing, generally lying by the pool) he was one of those who constantly gets involved with games, is loud, has a proper party holiday. I put up with it until he called me boring and from then on they were greeted with a slight nod, phone calls were ignored and if they asked us if they could join us for dinner we said no as we were enjoying a nice meal just the two of us. It felt rude but this was a two week holiday we had saved hard for and I wasn't being followed around the whole time by people I don't like and who actually insulted me

[Branleuse]

You needed to have nipped this in the bud a lot earlier. Youre either going to have to be rude now, or just suck it up and be out all day