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?!

I've got a passport and been abroad multiple times but not in several years now and I never plan to again really. I went to lots of places people consider amazing but honestly I wasn't fussed. I don't like travelling. I like staying at home. I know lots of people consider that boring but it makes me happy. Travel is not worth the anxiety for me.

DS is 4 and I do feel bad though as I think he will want to go abroad at some point. OTOH we went abroad as children and my favourite holidays were camping, in the pissing rain, in the UK with all my cousins. So there you go.

I'm not sure that it's 'better' to go abroad but you certainly experience new things. For example

Anonymous beach resort in Spain:
Language, culture (siesta and staying up late!), pervasive religion, food, flamenco, local zoo(different standards!)
Hotel in Tunisia: Language, culture, religion, food, Souks, camels, street hawkers, poverty

These are things that I hadn't experienced in the UK and that gave me greater insight into how other people live. I've also seen much of the UK, but I believe I've learned infinitely more from travelling overseas. It will sound horribly patronising (and I don't mean to) but it's very difficult to describe the benefits of an experience to other people who have not had, and who possibly have no interest in, that experience.

I'm not saying that enjoying the UK is not beneficial - I love exploring it! But it's definitely not the same thing.

Corrag
I do pity people like you. You asked!

It’s definitely unusual but if you’re happy with it then I wouldn’t care.
I’m mid-30s and my mum couldn’t afford holidays abroad when I was a young child. My father moved abroad and I visited him 3 times in my teens and my mum and I had one holiday to Spain when I was about 15.
I had school trip to Paris too.
Became a parent at 20 and couldn’t afford holidays. Then my ex disappeared and a solicitor told me I couldn’t legally take my children abroad without his permission so therefore I haven’t. And neither have they

I have never wanted to go on holiday in this country as you get the same old pubs, supermarkets, language, customs, etc. I always want to see different places

I am more incredulous that anyone could seriously think like this ^^

Far worse IMO to be so ignorant of your own country, than never to have traveled abroad.

I am rapidly approaching 40 and I don't have a passport. Not been abroad in nearly 20 years.

My reasons surround finances and health issues. However, travelling abroad isn't something to be particularly proud of considering the environmental impact.

My in laws never travel anywhere. DH had never been abroad before we met. I’m lucky he has accepted my need to
Travel and we’ve gone to some fab places together and I’ve gone with a few family members without him. However we also alternate with UK holidays(generally Scotland). The person who says all uk holidays are the same has clearly never experienced any of the Scottish islands. The fairy pals on Skye, distillery trail on Islay, historic Scotland sites such as Edinburgh castle, fort Augustus. This year we’re embarking on a tour of the outer Hebrides and I couldn’t be more excited.

I’d never criticise people who chose not to travel. At the end of the day it takes all sorts to make the world go round and what makes me happy won’t make others happy and vice versa. Do what you enjoy

And if you can have your kids stay at home with you to save up to travel, then technically you are helping to fund their holiday! That is also being in a position to be well-off. Not many people I know had parents who were in a position to either have them back home, or they could, but you had to pay your keep.

Both of my older two kids moved home after uni and did call centre jobs bringing home about £1250 a month. They lived in their old bedrooms and paid us £200 a month keep and saved the rest like mad. Got £400 flights to Thailand and went round Asia on £20 a day.

Both now back and moved out and cracking on with their careers but planning a big trip between jobs before they are 30.

DD has also worked at America for 3 years while at uni and been all round the Eastern USA, Canada and Mexico off the back of that.

*fairy pools not pals 🤦🏻‍♀️ Though I’d like to make pals with them

I do pity people like you. You asked!

People like me? You don't know anything about me.

Camp America

Most people I know travel abroad regularly but not all. Travelling is my favourite thing in life (after my kids and dog). Book a trip. You won’t regret it

Corrag
Enough to see that you are nit-picking and going through a thread with a fine comb to make a list of all the words I might have used and you don't like... sad indeed

• @Veterinari you've been engaging with me as much as I have been engaging with you.* You tagged me in a post accusing me of being unkind and since then I've tried to explain my question and defend myself.

I don't claim to know your intentions and I never have -
You 'presumed' my question was an unkind attack on the OP

I have responded purely to what you have said,
Except for the part where you tagged me in a post telling me my question was unkind despite the fact I did not direct my post to you and had not asked the question of you. You then decided to persist in telling me what my own intentions were.

and frankly I find your insistence that I am attacking you personally quite frustrating as your posts to me have been more accusatory than any of mine to you.
I think it's because you've repeatedly called my straightforward question unkind, based only on your assumption of my intent.

I'm not going to just disappear, I will continue to explain my posts which you seem to be willfully misunderstanding, and defend myself against your assertions.
Crack on!

If you're done with this conversation, that's fine,
Gee, thanks

*but you don't get to accuse me of making personal comments and expect me not to respond. You don't control the internet, I'm entitled to my opinion, and I'm entitled to express that.
You're certainly entitled.

You 'win' @DiseasesOfTheSheep I'm pretty sure all the other posters are as sick if this as I am. So I'm off. I'll leave you to enjoy this thread all warm and cosy in the knowledge that your determined misinterpretation of an innocent question has chased me away. Enjoy.

I went abroad in my mid twenties to my mid thirties. A total of 12 flights in my life, short haul (only twice long haul - US). Never to Asia/Aus or further than 7 hours from UK.

I won't ever fly again (for environmental reasons) and I'm 50.

Frankly I think flying is a terrible thing to do now. It's not like we don't know that now.

On another note, I wouldn't want my kid to have never been anywhere and imagine traveling "abroad" as a huge and scary adventure.

yes, they can go on an adventure
but they can also be offered a job abroad
be invited to their best mate wedding abroad - or their funeral sadly
have to go abroad for medical treatment

I would have failed as a parent if they refused to do anything because it's too much of a big deal and they haven't been prepared for it.

That and the fact that a lifetime wouldn't be enough to explore the world, so not even having a glimpse now and then is just terribly sad.

You sound content where you are.

From my earliest thoughts that I remember I wanted to GET AWAY! Explore!

Alas the purse hasn't allowed for much exploring. I'm saving up for dd to travel.

I grew up holidaying in the UK. Parents didnt go abroad together until after I had left home. I dont think they ever flew anywhere. Holidays in Britain really put me off the whole experience. What I remember is the rain & dull boating holidays - imagine a caravan holiday where you have to stay in the caravan most of the time.

Yes - unusual - you are in the c.8% of Brits who have never been abroad

“In the survey of 2,000 Britons by Kayak, a travel search website, eight per cent of respondents said they have never travelled abroad“

www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/a-quarter-of-britons-have-never-been-on-a-plane-visited-a-beach-or-european-capital/

Personally I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been abroad

I have no children. I have air miles instead😂

@Veterinari

Firstly, I didn't tag you. I quoted you. Then you tagged me, and I responded subsequently. Don't like being tagged? Don't tag other people in the first instance.

Secondly, I didn't accuse you of "attacking" the OP. I think your question was worded so as not to be at all "straightforward", but as I say, that's my opinion.

You have repeatedly accused me of attacking you, of presuming your intentions, of saying you're attacking the OP and all sorts of stuff I haven't done, including "chasing" you off this thread. I disagreed with you on the internet - that's all. You seem to be taking this very personally, which isn't helpful for discussion.

I think it is extremely unusual these days and I feel so very sorry for you with the experiences you’ve missed out on. Both DH and I travel extensively for work (senior City roles) but we also ensure the DC get to broaden their horizons with plenty of holidays. We take several holidays a year, from five star luxury to a simple Center Parks weekend. While not everyone is as fortunate, I encourage you to apply for your passport and investigate what this wonderful world has to offer.

I recently bought a passport for ID. I might go abroad in the next couple of years but only because a relative is living abroad.

I don't particularly want to go abroad because - I am naturally lazy and crap at languages, but not arrogant enough to assume everyone can speak English or wants to do so. With small children I don't like the idea of them needing medical help abroad and me not knowing what is going on. (English speaking countries are out of our budget!)

I'd rather have a comfortable house and UK holidays than foreign holidays - and for budget reasons its on or the other. I'm also vegetarian and some countries still don't get it, and only eating pizza and McDonalds for an entire trip is fine when you are young but I would really want something better now.

I have been to France, Belgium, Italy, Slovenia, Malta, Channel Islands, US, Egypt. So I would say I'm well travelled for someone that naturally hates travelling, and I'm fine with that.

It’s a bit unusual OP, but certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Many people I know are actually reluctant to admit travelling by plane due to environmental concerns. We’ve only ever had family holidays in the UK because we try and keep our carbon footprint to a minimum, but my kids are unusual in that regard as all their peers seem travel abroad at least once/twice a year, which IMO is completely excessive given the climate issues we face.

We were poor growing up - my granny never really wanted to leave her home town but my grandad had serious wanderlust after he was in the royal marines in WW2. He ended up working in Africa for a while and would have loved to stay. Also my parents backpacked first around Europe and then India and the far East when they were late teens/early twenties - my mum was a trained nurse so she worked wherever she could to earn money for their travels - six months in Beirut (my dad's art degree was less useful!). I was left at home with the grandparents. I first went abroad aged 11 on a day trip to France and then aged 12 to Spain: we had very little money and my parents and I were stuck together in a tiny tent. Some days they went without food until dinner... Which sounds mad but they loved traveling.

Their love of travel rubbed off - now I'm obsessed, we even lived abroad for two years. I would have continued living in different countries but my husband found it too stressful. My kids loved it too - interestingly both want to live abroad when older.

I value holidays so highly that I'm happy to give up all sorts just to make sure we go somewhere different every year. I can't wait until I'm retired and can spend months travelling Europe in a campervan. i have lists of countries I want to visit and worry that I'll never get to them all. One of the best things about working in the Middle East was the sheer diversity of the people I worked with: Lebanese, Eqyptian, Iranian, Iraqi, Armenian, Emirati, South African, Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, French, Tunisian, Moroccan, Algerian, Palestinian, Jordanian, Serbian, Russian... I couldn't get enough of their lives, their cultures, customs and FOOD. Someone would get a new car and bring in food to celebrate, or it could be a birthday or a special day and there'd be food. Oh man! My kids' school held an international day with stalls of food, clothes and culture from all the countries where their pupils came from and there were 47 different countries represented (with the Indian one the best as they played music and had dancing. However Finland was moomin themed though so...).

I honestly don't know anyone who hasn't been abroad - I completely understand if money is an issue. But travel doesn't have to be stressful airports and packed resorts. You can get across to France so cheaply and in 7 hours drive be at some of the best beaches on the planet. There's a whole amazing world out there. And it's better in real life than in pictures.

Sorry for the long post but I just wanted you to have a taste of why going abroad is so magical for some people. It's what keeps me sane working in a very stressful job with a hideous commute (the job thankfully also means some travel). It is the highlight of my year. I wish I could travel all year round.