To always feel like sacking of a holiday just as it's approaching?

[daisysurplus]

Does anyone else ever do this?

Book a holiday, really look forward to it, do sufficient planning to ensure it goes smoothly and then about a week before just think 'I can't be arsed'. It's happened almost every time I go away (and I always end up enjoying myself while still slightly thinking 'I'm not sure if it was worth the money / time / effort')

Not sure if it's a combination of pre annual leave fatigue, mental load / admin before a trip, expectation anxiety....or whether I generally just can't be arsed with the holiday anymore.......

I know I will have a lovely time though!

I do short breaks visiting friends I really want to see.

Always can't be arsed and loathe the packing, then don't want it to be over and have to come back 🤷🏽‍♀️

I’m exactly the same as you OP!

We went away for a week in March, and I did absolutely everything from finding the place and booking it to all the washing, packing and loading the car as well as arranging a food shop.

I told "D"H that the next holiday was his alone to sort out seeing as he enjoys them so much. I'm waiting with baited breath for him to book one..............

I know exactly what you mean. Never quite sure it's worth the effort and expense.

Yeah I rarely think holidays are worth the money

Keep booking them though!

I’m the same which is why I now only do short uk breaks .

YES! Ive just been chatting with a friend about how exhausting I think it's because you realise you're STILL in charge of food shopping/ cooking/ organisation of entertainment/ soothing of bad moods/ passports/ accommodation/ driving directions etc. The pressure is enormous and when one gets it wrong (I managed to book a villa without Aircon in a fucking heatwave) the whingeing and repercussions are massive.
Im over holidays

2 words, All inclusive!
A lot of people look down on it on mumsnet, but it makes for such an easy, relaxed holiday with children of all ages.

I fucking hate holidays. The last one I booked I cancelled a week before we were due to go, forfeit the cost of the (cheap) flights. Nobody minded.

I'm glad it's not just me!

Just realised I've missed an f in off in the title - the horror!

I agree and I think holidays are overrated. We need R and R for sure but do we need to be constantly travelling, visiting new places and having experiences? Not sure.

Yes yes yes. All of this. Especially the “soothing of bad moods”. I just can’t be arsed any more.

We are supposed to go away next week and I still haven’t booked because I don’t want to make work for myself.

Exactly this.

Yes! And never met anyone that feels like I do before! I spend ages researching, booking and even noting things to do there etc.... and when it's about 2 weeks away I basically dread going! It all seems too much effort and faff and going with the kids is never that much fun or relaxing anyway and I end up wondering why I bothered!

I’m the same - until I’m on my way to the airport and then it’s all good. I think it’s the mental and physical load of having to organise everything in the run up.

I remember one year when both DCs decided that they HAD to have a home haircut about an hour before the taxi was due 🙄

Agree with this. Ok once away but it's the extra stuff you have to do before you go. The garden,cleaning the house. Wish I could just pack and go without a further thought!

And I lie in my holiday bed thinking, ‘only x more nights till I can go home’

😂😂

can I join your club? So the roof box has just been installed on the car, kids clothes are packed- we are camping got the list and run out of motivation to actually finish all the packing for Wednesday….. it will end up being a last minute dash about as I start and give up without achieving much, or realising kids need new toothbrushes etc etc infinitum

It's the mental load, innit? It was always a tradition when our DC were little that at some point the week before I'd say I didn't want to go as it wasn't worth the effort. It was made worse by the fact that DH is self employed so would work more the week before to get things at a point he could leave them.

These days I do much less planning and get less stressed. Still feel the weight of expectation though! I enjoy it once I'm on the way though

Holidays were fabulous when it was just me, having fun and pleasing myself at my own pace.
Holidays with a family are just a pain, the packing, unpacking, the whining, the arguments, the expense... I'm only going on UK break too, couldn't face the whole passports and airports faff with kids.

My packing mantra is “passports, tickets, money” because you can get away with that if disaster strikes.

Although if your luggage gets lost in Portugal don’t expect to find decent English size 12/14 knickers - they’re either Norah Batty bloomers or tiny lacy thongs <bitter experience>

I didn't use to be like this but since covid I feel like it before every trip. I feel like maybe its because I am so used to not having to cram a million things in that now we are having to again I find it too stressful. DCs are teens now so can pack themselves now but this time youngest DC injured himself and was basically wheelchair bound so couldn't do anything at all to help which made it harder.

We don’t go abroad any more and it feels as though self catering in England means we’re often going to a place that is less comfortable than home. I mind spending a lot of money on something that’s inferior.

This is literally me 😂😂

Spend thousands of £ to lay there thinking "2 more days and I can start packing to come home" 🙄🙄