The shine has come off going abroad for me, has it for you?

[cornplant]

I've read a few posts on here and I've been feeling the same way, that going abroad really isn't all that enjoyable.

People complain of being too hot, mosquito bites, spots from sun cream, fizzy hair etc.

Since I've had my son I've been abroad twice and have mostly hated it.

Maybe I should just go to Cornwall every year instead!

[CSharpLemon]

I’d never really heard the term ‘abroad’ used until I moved to the UK. In other countries where I’ve lived people tended to name locations by name.
To be honest I’ve even heard English people call NI ‘abroad’ when we’re all part of the same country.

[SleepingStandingUp]

Let's face it, unless there's extensive use of th children's eclntertainment, few holidays with a small child are actually holiday like!!

DS is 4, isn't allowed to fly and just wants a beach and sea. DH hates flying. DS thinks the planes in the sky all go to Wales. But my gosh I'd love a week in Italy or a cruise around the Med or a long haul to Canada or a fortnight of sun and sangria!!

[Skyejuly]

I love UK breaks for with the kids.

[BarbariansMum]

Nope love it. Would take it over the UK any day, nice though many parts of the UK are.

[TheNoodlesIncident]

@ErrolTheDragon
Agonising pain? unless you've got some sort of rheumatic/arthritis condition exacerbated by damp, that sounds a tad hyperbolic.

She does. She said so in her initial post. I'm on my way with the same issues plus Reynaud's Syndrome, so I can heartily concur with what @Oliversmumsarmy says. It's 22 degrees where I am now, so I'm not in pain yet, when it drops a degree or so I will be. So I look forward to my summer holiday abroad where, just for a while, I can enjoy being nice and hot with no pain. It's bliss!

[ErrolTheDragon]

Apologies, I'd missed that.

[BuildBuildings]

I'm not keen on hot weather. We had a beautiful holiday in Dorset this summer just before school hols (me and partner we don't have kids) I was actually quite surprised at how much not having to faff with a flight took the pressure off. We piled everything into the car and off we went. I'd like more uk holidays in future.

[madcatladyforever]

Whats all this "abroad" nonsense trying to make us feel like rabid UKipers.

Definition: "foreign countries considered collectively.
in different directions; over a wide area"

Defined as countries other than this one or off somewhere over a wide area as in the meaning of the book by Pratchett: witches abroad which means witches going on a journey somewhere not necessarily to a different country.

What are we supposed to say so that nobody will think we are massive rascists?

[Ronsters]

No, it hasn't. I usually go to Greece, I love Greece. It's not especially the weather, it's the history, scenery, etc I like.
I didn't go this year and stayed in the UK. The weather was awful and I found it very expensive. On the plus side, I didn't have to faff with the flight and I really liked where I went (Northumberland and Borders/Berwick area, went on 2 hols). I liked it so much I'm going again next year.
I will go on holiday abroad again but it has been nice to explore a new area of Britain. Will definitely also do more UK holidays in future.

[bluebeck]

No bloody way would I give up my travelling

It would be the absolute last sacrifice I would make. I love it - everything about it. New cultures, different food, museums, galleries, castles, palaces, it's just so much fun.

I love the heat so that doesn't bother me at all up to about 40 degrees, and if it is getting a bit much I just take to the shade with a good book and a cocktail.

[ArcheryAnnie]

No. We have family and friends who live in Canada, Malaysia, China and HK. DH works internationally so is often travelling and the kids have friends who live in Europe, Asia and Russia. So our travelling will continue through necessity.

teta this isn't necessity, it's choice, sorry. I'm an immigrant, and have family and friends I adore and miss abroad. But I'm more interested in their longer-term survival than spending an occasional week with them, so mostly we make do with skype and whatsapp and all the rest of it.

Mass cheap air travel is a very recent thing. People survived, and relationships survived, before. We will have to learn to survive without mass cheap air travel again.

[Gone2far]

as for the 'learning about different cultures' thing, I personally don't think that I really learn much about different cultures. We have travelled independently so come in to contact with lots of people. But not to the extent of learning anything significant. Our 3 weeks travelling round Japan was amazing, but I challenge anyone to come back from a similar holiday actually having learnt something about how a society works. We all just come back with a tick list of stuff that's different, that's all.
Perhaps some people have a better grasp of languages than me.
What I learnt from Romania was that they all drive like maniacs and I'm never going back, so I perhaps I learnt something there.

[bananacakerox]

@Ginandtonic31
Hell no. I live for my holidays abroad! Just going to the airport gets me all excited!


Just packing for all eventualities in going abroad, then travelling to the airport, security, baggage checks, and everything else stresses me out! I'm also a nervous flyer.

I like being in different countries abroad but hate the getting there bit such that I'm as happy to holiday in the UK with a straightforward journey these days. I travelled a fair bit in my 20s.

We've had a few holidays abroad (Europe and SE Asia) but if you offer any combination of a city/beach/hotel trip abroad, they would rather go away in the UK. I also don't go self catering abroad as I'm not up for doing any cooking abroad.

So I'm happy to explore the UK these days, keep it simple as do the rest of the family.

[Mordred]

We usually drive when going abroad, it's all part of the adventure. This year we drove to Puglia south of Italy at Easter, via Switzerland, then to Poland in August. We like to take breaks in the UK too, though, and love the scenery and the historical places of this archipelago.

DS is an extremely good traveller - we've been going backwards and forwards to Poland to visit DW's family at least once a year since he was a baby, mainly by car, so he's used to it. He's 12 now and simply takes a load of books, music to listen to and a couple of gaming devices to keep him occupied.

[berlinbabylon]

I’d never really heard the term ‘abroad’ used until I moved to the UK. In other countries where I’ve lived people tended to name locations by name

Not sure what this is supposed to say about British people and not sure where you are from originally, but the Germans used "Ausland" and use it frequently. For example, Auslandsemester for a semester spent overseas/abroad when at university. Not Englandsemester or Frankreichsemester or Italiensemester.

It is perfectly normal to refer to holidaying "abroad" especially when you haven't planned where you are going yet or are talking in general terms. Once you know, you'll say "we're off to Spain" or wherever.

[lazylinguist]

Let's face it, unless there's extensive use of th children's entertainment, few holidays with a small child are actually holiday like!!

I have never in my life been on a holiday that provided 'children's entertainment', either as a child or with my own dc (who are now 11 and 14). I've enjoyed every single holiday, and yes, they do feel like holidays!

[wichitalinemanswoman]

I'm with you OP

[Elphame]

Airbnb charges 2% I think (plus Airbnb fees are paid by the guest, not the property owner)

On top of the fee from the owner, AirBnB charges the guest between 5% and 15%. With a "cheap" room it's closer to the 15% end of the scale. It's the same with all the other big listing sites - you the guest pay big booking fees on HomeAway and TripAdvisor etc

The exception to this is booking.com where all the fees are paid by the owner.

[managedmis]

Totally agree.

The flights.
The heat.
Hotels in general, sharing a room with the kids etc.
The bug bites.
The worry the kids will get sick and have no access to healthcare easily, or crap healthcare.

Don't see the point.

[Mordred]

The heat? Give Norway a try instead :-)

[motheroftwoboys]

Going on holiday and exploring the world is our absolute favourite thing in life. I spend loads of time researching holidays and need to know we have one booked. I enjoy going on city breaks in the UK. It is a beautiful place but holidays in the sun and experiencing other cultures is just the best! The world is a big place and we only have one life to see it.

[flirtygirl]

I find it far cheaper to go abroad. And like someone said up thread, less packing as not doing self catering or having to pack multiple outfits for changeable weather.

I've travelled since I was quite young and my kids since a few weeks old. Babies are very portable and even toddlers travel well, if you have snacks and a toy for them.

Yes mosquitos are a pain but I get bitten in the UK anyway. Sunscreen is needed in the UK in summer also, so I can't see why some people fuss about it being harder to go abroad.

Though everyone is different. Id hate camping to be my holiday for instance. And I'd never pay center parcs prices.

[MsTSwift]

This mass air travel thing can’t go on though can it? I speak as someone that loves to travel for all the reasons listed. But knowing how damaging it is leaves a very sour taste. I can’t rationalise it to myself anymore.

[BarbariansMum]

No, I agree that the mass, cheap growth in air travel cant go on but that's not the same as saying no more foreign travel, ever.

[Meadowland]

We've had 2 brilliant summers in the UK now. Had a fabulous holiday in Dorset.
Friends went to Spain, plane was delayed, couldn't do anything as it was too hot, got sunburnt, and bitten to death by mosquitos.
They wish they'd come with us...


Glad