to feel just a liiiiiiitle bit smug?

[PyongyangKipperbang]

We have holidayed in the UK for ages. Odd one in France but generally North Wales or the South Coast.

Go to the beach today and get sneery looks from certain groups, who were also being similarly sneery to others who were like us. Our crime? We came with a full beach set up. Pop up tent (most important!) picnic, towels, more towels, waterproof jackets and a few blankets. Yes it took some carrying (about the only thing I have found I hate about single parenting is that its all on me to carry it all!) but when the heavens opened, we went into our tent and waited it out, then when the shower had passed, out we came again. Whereas the "One bag with swim suits and a towel" mob were all in a mass panic and trying to find some shelter.

Holidays in the UK require more prep than getting your bikini on and popping to the pool! I rather suspect that there will be a lot more pop up tents on the beach tomorrow than the 4 I saw today!

Oh and yes....the seagulls will take your food out of your hands, thats why there are signs EVERYWHERE saying that its advisable not to each out in the open as the seagulls are aggressive. I saw a father read one sign, say it was probably an exagerration and then have to comfort his terrified child who had his sandwich nicked.

So yes, I do feel a tiny bit smug.

just inwardly exasperated that he didnt heed the warning and his small child ended up frightened

Are you always this preoccupied with how people live their lives,plan their days and decisions they make?

You have a problem with people who might not be aware of useful things for a UK beach? Ah. Of course. Those from tourist spots in the UK absolutely MUST take the piss out of anyone trying something new. It's practically your law. That and being hostile to all tourists. Entitled attitude the land is yours and visitors can fuck off.

As a kid we always had holidays in the UK so I was brought up knowing that for a day on the beach you plan for it. Perhaps if I had only ever holidayed somewhere hot and the weather reliable, I would be a bit "OMG how OTT for a day on the beach" too the first time.

My parents are immigrants & we had hot summer holidays. They still packed a shit load of stuff for the beach.

You seem a little overinvested in what everyone else was doing tbh.

🙄 yes. Feel smug if that makes you happy.

But the fact you are revelling in people who are maybe not used to holidaying in the UK, for not taking a tent and cagoules to the beach, makes you sound more like a bit of a twat, than smug.

I’ve been to the beach in Dorset and Devon a number of times this summer and there’s been no sneering. Maybe you looked ridiculous carrying everything, or was there a seagull on your head and you didn’t notice?
Be impressed by your preparedness but not at the expense of others.

@Notimeforaname

just inwardly exasperated that he didnt heed the warning and his small child ended up frightened

Are you always this preoccupied with how people live their lives,plan their days and decisions they make?

No. But when I am sitting on a beach with naff all to do but people watch, I notice things.

Are you always this preoccupied with trying to appear so laid back as to be horizontal?

For true British beach smugness, you need a beach hut. And wet suits.

People do sneer at the families who pitch a tent and several win breaks in an attempt to 'claim' a quarter of the beach. And I imagine if you were sitting there looking smug at all the poor imbeciles who don't 'know what you know' then you got some funny looks for that too.

Admittedly yes I do look at these people who mark out a kind of section with several windbreakers.

How odd op

Your post that is

I think it's a bit strange you took your DC's to the beach and spent so much time worrying about what everyone else was doing to be fair

For true British beach smugness, you need a beach hut.

True, I would be mrs smuggy smug smug with one of those!

I wouldn't sneer. But I also wouldn't be envious of you dragging shedloads of stuff, even if it did mean we got a bit wet.

Horses for courses, but I honestly couldn't be fagged with all that.

Pointing and laughing because you had a beach tent? Well if that's true they sound very odd and not worth a moments thought.

Seriously, If you are proud of the fact that as a single parent you had a really successful beach day, great, I applaud you for that. However, I promise you, no one else gives a shit what you do or don't take to the beach. Truly. You could be blissfully happy/smug or your kids could have been causing carnage. Most people are just getting on with their own circumstances.

Literally nobody else gives a shit what anyone else takes to the beach, why not just enjoy your day however you want to do it and leave everyone else to it.

I grew up by the sea and "full beach setup" involved a towel, a bottle of watered down squash and some sandwiches. It's obviously got more complicated since then, and not in a good way.

You are indeed wise!
I moved back to the uk last year and had forgotten that a trip to the beach requires sunglasses, coats, umbrella (for rain), suntan cream, wet suit, jumpers etc etc.
You deserve to bask in your smugness!

Are you always this preoccupied with trying to appear so laid back as to be horizontal?

No that's just naturally me, I only feel a liiiiitle bit smug about it

@Pottedpalm

How odd! Who cares what you bring to the beach?

There was a thread the other week started by someone moaning about people who come to the beach with lots of stuff. So it clearly matters to some people, for some reason.

I find tents and windbreaks irritating as fuck. They block the view of everyone behind them. Fair enough if you want to set up at the back but bang in the middle of the beach, obscuring the view making it difficult to see the kids and make sure they are safe just to make sure you are comfortable in a prime spot is pretty selfish tbh.

We take towels, drinks, buckets and spade, boogie boards maybe. Never felt the slightest bit like we are missing out on the perfect instabeachfamily bollocks.

But them again we don't really go for longer than about 4 hours. Lunchtime = pubtime on holiday and prefer my food to be served on a plate without fighting off seagulls. How smug am I sat eating in a pub while you squash in a tent with ya warm egg butties and sandy crisps .

How smug am I sat eating in a pub while you squash in a tent with ya warm egg butties and sandy crisps
😂

anyone got a link to one of the trolley thingummies? That sounds like something I need even though I never go on holiday within the UK apart from the occasional weekend day on the beach. Just bought a dryrobe for that very reason. Now that is what I call a great invention!

@mcnervous

Are you sure it wasn't you giving out sneery looks?

Well done on your beach preparedness? If you ask nicely the scouts may give you a special badge.

You think you've read it all...

Sadly there is no smuggitysmug badge in scouting

I was in the brownies when I was younger and developed an admiration for 'be prepared'.

As a fellow single parent perhaps you could allow yourself to be 'proud' instead of 'smug' which I believe you are allowed to be, doing all that by yourself, eh?

Yes I was wondered what the trolley looked like. Wheels on sand? Let us know how that one works.