Am I that unusual?

[Greysparkles]

To have never had a passport and never travelled to another country?

Was talking about holidays with friends recently, and got talking about airports etc and i mentioned I'd no idea what they were on about as I've never flown.
Well the looks I got! Like I'd grown an extra head!
Is it that unusual?! Am I the only one?!

the sad thing is, it's now cheaper to go on a package holiday in a cheap foreign resorts than it is to holiday in the UK.

So the lack of funds is not even a valid reason.

OP doesn't need a "valid reason" to not go overseas. Travelling is not mandatory.

It's very unusual in my experience. I don't think I know anyone who's never been abroad. I suppose curiosity gets the better of most people and they go and have a look at how people are living elsewhere, or they have friends and family to visit in another country.

Not at all op. Just saying that’s why I think it’s unusual. I love holidaying in the uk.

because I have different interests and aspirations

it's does feel weird to me not to have the curiosity and will to expand your horizon a bit. How do you even know you really love where you live if you haven't experienced anything else?

I would feel I am in the Truman Show if I was stuck in a country without a passport.

Yes I do think it's unusual. But I've been brought away every year as a child. My parents brought us to so many different countries.

In my teens and 20s I traveled to lots of countries with friends.

I had kids, did the package holidays every year to a different country. They got older and were getting bored with package holidays and that's when we discovered Orlando, for 8years we've been going. I swore I'd never go to the same holiday a second time but this was on another level. Something for everyone and just lots of fun and in 8 years we still haven't done everything yet. I thought, sure we did the package holidays, they seen lots of countries, we'll continue doing Orlando for as long as I remain well. They can visit other countries if they wish when they reach their 20s. They're late teens now and still want to come with us, so that's great.

Not everyone loves holidays, I do, so it's important for us to get away. It's cheaper for us to do Orlando than an AI in Spain.

My dh never went abroad when he met me. He told me he hated planes, hated all the fuss, hated everything associated with holidays abroad. We nearly split as I couldn't imagine no holidays. We went away in our 2nd year together and OMG he loved it, he was so excited and every doubt he had vanished. He had all these ideas a holiday was like but even he admitted It was much easier and lots of fun.

It's a great experience for kids, they learn so much. Mine now older teens, can travel on planes with friends no problem as they know how to do it. They're confident in other countries as they've been abroad enough times. There's so much to see out there, it's fun if you do your research and find places that suit your needs.

I have never been on holiday in my adult life, full stop, not abroad, not in the UK. I was taken to a few UK destinations as a child, didn't really care for it.

It just doesn't appeal to me. I am me anywhere I am so don't see the point. I am also a tight fisted bugger and regard travel a waste of money. I could have swung it financially if I had wanted to but would rather spend my cash on other things, things that can be enjoyed for longer than two weeks.

I accept that I am weird but that's my prerogative and I could not give a toss what anybody else thinks about it.

I did have a passport for ID purposes but that has lapsed now.

I am, despite what others might think after reading this, actually rather interested in other places/cultures in the world and watch documentaries and read about them. I just don't feel the need to go to a place to show an interest in it.

Some people obviously think themselves better because they travel. They are not. They just have their own priorities. That makes them different to me, not better than me. I don't regard them as weird just because they don't think like me.

I am nealry 29 and never been abroad, family couldn’t afford it when I was a child so we went on uk holidays which were always amazing, I hen had my first child at 18 and haven’t had the opportunity since due to money etc.

It’s quite unusual nowadays, but I wouldn’t look twice if you told me that, OP. A good friend of mine, also early thirties, has never been abroad.

I’d say in most of my circle (again, early to mid thirties), we’ve all had several trips or holidays abroad, but none of us could afford to go every single year or anything. DH and I were last abroad in 2013, and my passport is invalid now. Besides, we’re in a climate crisis now, so more people should be cutting down travel where they can. Yes, it was lovely to be able to see the world easily by plane, but that’s really only existed for the last 90 years or so. Unfortunately, given the way we’ve damaged the earth in such a short space of time, worldwide travel will likely become a thing of the past once more.

At the other end of the spectrum, none of my circle have ever been on a full-on “gap year” doing lengthy travelling, etc. None of us would ever have been able to afford it. I tend to think that’s something that belongs to the very well-off. On a year-long holiday on Mummy and Daddy’s money, I reckon, because how else could you afford to not work, or give up your rental and store all your for an entire year?!

OP doesn't need a "valid reason" to not go overseas. Travelling is not mandatory.

my point was that you can't blame finance on not going abroad. No need to say you "can't" when the truth is you don't "want" to. Even if it's weird, and a bit sad really.

Exactly @corrag

There are some seriously breathtaking views in the UK that it seems jet-setters are missing out on. I wouldn't call them narrow minded for not having experienced them though. There are multiple way to "expand the mind" other than getting on a plane (and thus protecting the environment). Perhaps it's a good thing - a disregard of this country's scenery will help preserve it for those who treasure it!

None of us would ever have been able to afford it. I tend to think that’s something that belongs to the very well-off. On a year-long holiday on Mummy and Daddy’s money, I reckon, because how else could you afford to not work, or give up your rental and store all your for an entire year?!

how patronising

How can you afford it? You work. You earn money. you need to earn money if you live here anyway, unless you stay with your mum and dad here, don't you?

Give up your rental? Well.. that's exactly HOW you save for a start, and the whole point of rental is to be flexible. It's easier to leave when you are not attached to anything, you just find a rental when you come back.

Storage? Store what? not all of us had the luxury to have plenty of "stuff". Some people sell their things, others store what little they have at parents, family and friends.

It's 2020. You can't seriously believe everyone who had a gap year of sort is from a wealthy family splashing around their trust fund

my point was that you can't blame finance on not going abroad. No need to say you "can't" when the truth is you don't "want" to. Even if it's weird, and a bit sad really.

I don't think it's sad. Unusual yes, but not sad. OP hasn't indicated that she's unhappy with the situation so why is it sad? Just because you'd be sad in that situation? People can lead perfectly fulfilled lives without travelling overseas.

Pps who never been on holidays abroad or UK. Can I ask what do you do during your time off from work?

There are some seriously breathtaking views in the UK that it seems jet-setters are missing out on.

why do you think people who like to travel don't spend any holidays or long weekends in the uk? Since when is it not possible to do both?

I had a passport as a child (from age 11 to 21) and have been abroad twice, both times were school trips. Never ‘travelled’ or had holidays abroad. I’m in my late 20s now with two kids and have no intention of going anywhere abroad any time soon

Its incredible how many replies on here say go and explore the world, expand your horizons, its an amazing place when so many people in our little group of Islands have never visited the other 3 countries that make up the U.K. I have meet so many people in the S.E of England who are in their 30s/40s who will admit they have been to far flung counties but never Scotland, Wales N.Ireland and even worse people who couldn't name any of the islands off our coast but can tell you where L.A is.
I have been lucky to live in 3 out of 4 of the U.K countries and other countries i the world but the U.K is the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world.
O.P enjoy your caravaning, at least you know your country

Posters are saying it's just as cheap to go abroad as to holiday in the UK, well yeah if a package holiday to Spain is your thing which let's face it, isn't exactly "seeing the world" is it?

I'd rather keep my money for days out and multiple holidays seeing different parts of the UK every year than spend it to sit beside a pool in Tenerife. Package holidays just don't appeal to us.

If you want to actually see and experience other cultures then those types of holiday are a lot more expensive!!

To assume that people don't go abroad because they're "not curious" is quite frankly a bit insulting really - there are lots of places I'm curious about but most of them would need cutting back and saving for a couple of years to be able to afford them.

Yep its unusual. I speak as someone who has let their passport expire and hasn't been abroad for 10 years which means primary age children haven't ever been abroad. Nothing to do with cost just more to do with we have enjoyed holidays here where we can explore and have great days out. I'm not a great flyer and hot climates aren't really enjoyable for me.
I'm definitely the odd one out in my group of friends who all regularly go abroad.

There are multiple way to "expand the mind" other than getting on a plane

Exactly. Travelling is what keeps me sane and engaged in life, and yes, I love experiencing other cultures. But outside travel I don't have many other interests or hobbies. So those who've learned a lot about other things, or who have skillsand interests that I don't have, could well look at me and think that there's something sad about me missing out on what they're enthusiastic about.

Corrag
what is sad is the lack of curiosity, and more importantly the waste of opportunities. But each to their own.

Ultimately, the least people go on holiday anywhere the more quiet and pleasant mine are, so It would suit me perfectly if most people love to "staycation"

Never went on holiday as a kid anywhere lrt alone abroad. As soon as i was old enough went on my world travels - self funded by working en route

All this business about "curiousity" and "expanding the mind", well I can honestly say that those people who drone on about where they have travelled to are hands down the most boring people ever! So I'm not sure it's making people as interesting as they might like to think.... A good conversation should have a bit of debate and punch, not "me, me, me".

@DiseasesOfTheSheep
I asked a genuine question and other posters have asked similar things, of an OP who started a thread asking for opinions.

You decided all by yourself that my question is an unkind presumption.
You didn't 'disagree with the wording' - you said I was making a presumption (about the OP) and that it was unkind.

Neither of those things are true, but if it makes you feel better you can 'disagree' with me all you like, and then justify it to yourself by saying well it's just AIBU. But to be honest if you're looking for unkindness you might want to start closer to home.

I'm 46 and never been out of the country either, well I went on a school trip to Paris for 2 nights when I was 12.

but the U.K is the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world.
it's nice you think that, but I completely disagree.

It doesn't mean either of us are wrong.