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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To feel down about UK holiday?

173 replies

WoahThereNelly · 20/07/2021 08:09

Of course I already realise I am BU when some people don't get holidays at all, have been horribly impacted by covid etc.

Just using this to vent and get some perspective.

Feeling so gutted that we can't go to France to see family we haven't seen in over a year. It looked like we could go, then at the very last minute the rules have changed again and now we can't. We do have a 1 week UK holiday booked but it won't be as lovely, or seeing family, or getting out of this country!

Feels like we've worked all year, through all this rubbish...for nothing...and now it'll be another year again before there's another chance (we only ever get a few days in the other holidays, with longer ones at summer).

Ok, tell me I'm being ridiculous and hopefully I'll feel better about it. Just feeling v sad and flat at the moment.

OP posts:

TreaslakeandBack · 21/07/2021 16:02

I was dreading a UK holiday again and really wanted to go abroad. It’s been nice to be pleasantly surprised by hot and sunny weather. We have a boot full of waterproofs and walking boots but had to buy more sun cream!
Hoping we get abroad next year- we can’t be this lucky twice!

user1471554720 · 21/07/2021 16:03

You get the feeling of being away when in a different country. Also the weather here is very hit and miss. Eating out here is prohibitively expensive. In France, Spain, Italy, you feel safe going for a stroll in the evenings.

I fully understand the OP. I am saying this as someone who goes abroad every 2 or 3 years. DH and I both work fulltime and have dcs. We prefer to save for a few years and have a good holiday wirh sun and eating out. When we looked into staying local, the self catering was thousands. Pre covid we go abroad every 2 years. We alternate it with daytrips and a weekend in a hotel. This is cheaper than self catering and feels more like a holiday.

Blackdog19 · 21/07/2021 16:08

YANBU. We’re due for a UK holiday this year, assuming we get to go and so much Covid and weather forecast looks abysmal.

pleasedonttextmyman · 21/07/2021 16:10

But why book a holiday knowing you’re going to hate it?

that I agree with, I wouldn't waste my entire time moaning or spoiling other people's holiday.

Budget wise, it's usually a lot cheaper for people to go abroad on cheap holidays than staying in the UK.

You don't get much for your money in the UK at the best of time, this year is even worst - and if it's to end up with the same kind of restaurants, same supermarkets, same people.. it's disappointing.

NakedAttraction · 21/07/2021 16:14

@Neondisco . From the person who said are you ok hun, not aggressive or embarrassing at all

Original poster

WoahThereNelly · 21/07/2021 16:30

Oh wow, didn't mean to start a hun war :( Thank you all...to those who have told me to be grateful, and to those who have been so understanding. We are having a last min look to see if could go anywhere abroad but don't think we can with all the restrictions (and a 12 year old who seems to fall right at the cut off for most of the rules!). But like lots have said, it was never really so much about the holiday anyway as going to our own place with own family...even if we did get to go abroad, it wouldn't be the same.

OP posts:

namesnamesnamesnames · 21/07/2021 16:32

We have only holidayed in the UK for many many years now. It's a lovely place to explore but I do understand your sadness. You weren't just going on holiday, you planned to visit family. Understandable that would make you sad.

TreaslakeandBack · 21/07/2021 16:48

Why book it? DH needs a break away after full on WFH for 12 months. DS deserves some fun.
In the end it was amazing but even if it had rained we had an indoor swimming pool on site, we have NT membership and would have done lots of those and a few theme parks etc. I pre booked loads of restaurants etc ages ago and we’ve had some lovely meals.
It was expensive but not so bad, it’s been £3k for 14 nights in lovely accommodation- a 2 bed thatched cottage and then a five star hotel.

MaxNormal · 21/07/2021 16:52

OP I totally understand your disappointment.
I'm totally in love with France, Italy and Spain. I love the mountains, the coast lines, the little villages, the food, the weather.

It's great that some people love the UK and find it beautiful, but not everyone has the same tastes plus part of the joy of a holiday for many is that everything feels fresh and different. Not just the same high street shops in a different location.

Of course the main thing is you missing out on seeing family and that's gutting.

drpet49 · 21/07/2021 16:56

* I don't get why people think other countries are better than the UK.*

Er because other countries are better. UK holidays- overpriced, poor service, poor accomodation quality for what you have to pay, temperamental weather. I could go on

Pumpkinstace · 21/07/2021 16:59

I'm currently on holiday in the UK.

We holiday in a UK holiday park every year so this isn't something new for us.

The weather is insane and it does make it feel that much more enjoyable... however, the UK parks aren't geared up for this type of weather.

The outdoor pool, in fact all pools full stop are way too small. Not enough shade over outdoor seating etc.

Auntienumber8 · 21/07/2021 17:31

A few people seem to have missed that you were seeing family. My brothers live in America and many other relatives live in Hong Kong, whilst DH sister lives in Spain. I last saw my American relatives in August 2019. One brother was due over to us in May 2020. I have no idea when we will see them again.

pleasedonttextmyman · 21/07/2021 17:33

I don't get why people think other countries are better than the UK

I could vaguely understand if someone from the States was saying this, as their country is so big it covers pretty much everything you might want (not all, but from Hawaii to Alaska via Minnesota you get A LOT), but the UK?

It's SMALL. It's the UK, not that much in there. It's crowded, and it has a very small mentality.

Going away is a breath of fresh air. It's a big world out there, it's not good to be stuck in such a small part of the world.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/07/2021 17:38

It's the heat. This is a second hun fight 😁

sadperson16 · 21/07/2021 21:19

5k? Ish?

MrsSkylerWhite · 21/07/2021 21:22

So sorry you won’t be seeing your family, empathise with that.

YABU though to decide before you’ve even gone that it won’t be as lovely. widely travelled worldwide, we’ve had some of the best holidays of our lives (fair weather permitting!) in the UK.
You need to change your mindset or it probably will be miserable.

rantymcrantface66 · 21/07/2021 22:01

not really. When you go away for the weekend (in Cornwall, Devon, Scotland or wherever you want) you don't say you've on holiday do you?

Well no I don't but if I went to Amsterdam, Venice or Prague for the weekend I'd not say I'd been on holiday either. If I went for a week I would even if it was 15 miles down the road

goose1964 · 21/07/2021 22:15

We usually holiday abroad, when we can afford it. This year we went to Devon with children and grandchildren, had a great time. We were planning to go next year but the boys start school in September so we won't get a cheap out of school holiday .

Meadowland · 21/07/2021 22:20

We used to holiday abroad a lot.
Now really enjoying exploring the UK - must less hassle, and I'm finding Southern Europe is becoming too hot to enjoy in the summer ( climate change I guess) Don't like frying my skin !

Dentistlakes · 21/07/2021 22:25

It’s all relative. For us there’s not a huge difference as we don’t have relatives we would normally visit abroad and we are having our usual UK holiday (hopefully!). This year and last have been spectacularly shit for most people, some more than others, but I can quite understand that their whole situation has been a lot harder on other people.

I wouldn’t waste your time on feeling guilty for how you feel op, but try not to wallow in the misery. Look for the positives, they are there I promise. Onwards and upwards!

Nsky · 21/07/2021 22:34

I have family abroad too, often the weather here is crap too, awaiting on new regarding Spain mid September

FrownedUpon · 21/07/2021 23:51

I agree that holidays in the UK just aren’t the same. I can’t get excited about them in the way I do when going abroad. They always seem a bit dull.

We’re planning some lovely trips abroad for the next few years though, which gives us something to look forward to.

alsonotmyname · 29/07/2021 10:54

I'm on mine - it's a bit crap we've done a couple of museums, the beach and a meal out and lots of soggy parks, endless games and rock painting, colouring, all things we could have done at home without the extra stress of tiny busy roads, packing the car every day for every eventuality and a smaller house than we own. The dc are over excited so I feel like I'm telling them to stop running/ shouting constantly, I'll be happy to get home and have decided to leave tomorrow afternoon rather than go through the stress of packing up and being out before 9 am on Saturday so that I at least have a clear weekend to relax before Monday comes around.
I think I'll stick to weekends away next year rather than a whole week.

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