No place I'd rather be... is where for you?

[Beaconofpope]

I need something to uplift me.
Mine is
Travelling around the Cornish countryside in our crap car, radio on, kids eating lunchables or Greggs happily after a day being slightly cold on the beach. We're half way through our holiday and have a bit of a suntan. The boot is full of tinned goods and we have made some friends at the campsite.
At my mums, there's an old film on their ancient 24" inch telly which flickers. We have just ate beef stew sprinkled with garlic, rosemary and orange zest and have our crumble in bowls on our laps. We might do a puzzle or play a board game. My phone is out of battery.

I'd be in Porthleven, watching the sunset. Currently at home, Christmas lights and lamps on and watching a Christmas film quirk my DD, which asleep feels pretty idyllic 💖

It's the most dreadful thing about falling in love. The notion, that one day, one of you, will have to be without the other. I have heard many times "better to have and to have lost" but for me it does not resonate
This much be such a difficult time of year for you. Honestly, I think your ideal day, trumps any of ours. I wish I could do something to make that happen for you.
Sending you a lot of love. Merry Christmas xxx

North Norfolk. Just back from three weeks there. It breaks my heart to leave.

@maximist Porth Diana is one of my happy places too. Up the steps at the back of the yacht club to where you can look across the sea. The smell of the dog roses 💗

Isles of Scilly - beachcombing on Town Beach at low tide.

Today, anywhere but home I feel.

But generally, Symi. Floating around the harbour!

Just served the dinner onto the plates, heating cranked up, Netflix series ready to go and about to eat and watch.

Home, l have no need to escape.

Home. When I was a child, Butlins.

Potato head beach club in Bali with my wife, lying on a sun lounger by the pool looking out of the sea, drinking the best pina colada’s we’ve ever had.

In a remote cottage in North Wales, I’m autumn, reading by the fire with a cup of tea after a long forest walk.

Quiet side of Ibiza, looking out over the bay and dozing, finally reading a really long book from my wish list that I'd normally struggle to get into.

Hotel in the Lake District. Sitting by a crackling fire after a long, cold walk and lovely meal, drinking a Bailey's coffee with husband.

Glad to see you poppong up @peachgreen I often think of you and wonder how you are doing.

Oh how lovely of you @bloodywhitecat ! We are doing okay – DD is almost 5 now and thriving at school, and I am content enough with my new life, and some days even happy. I have a new job which has been a wonderful new lease of life as it’s in an industry I love and is a very satisfying, enjoyable role. And I’ve even been dating – nobody has come close to what I felt for DH but it’s been good for me anyway. So we’re doing okay. We miss him immensely and as ever, I’d give anything to have him back. But I feel glad to still be here and two years ago I couldn’t have imagined ever being able to say that.

Sorry for the thread hijack OP!

St Helier in Samares Manor gardens

On the Adriatic coast of Italy, on holiday by the beach. The water is clear and shallow for ages and the beaches are huge.

At my Grandparents on Christmas Eve before they stopped hosting [sgrin] It was my Dads day (divorced parents) and we’d go there. House like a Santa’s grotto. My Great Grandmothers and my Uncle there. Ridiculous amounts of food. Lots of hugs. Adults actually wanting to talk to me. Strong warm, fuzzy, family feeling vibes.

My mother was cold, didn’t decorate, didn’t make Christmas dinner etc.

My GPs retired when I was 20 and now they jet off somewhere every year [sgrin] [ssad] I love seeing their photos and videos, and more recently, having them video call me from wherever they are.

They did host last year due to still being wary of travel, but GGMs died over a decade ago, my Uncle lives the arse end of the country and my Dads current wife (his fifth…) sat there with a face like a smacked arse all day.

Sitting in a cove in Pembrokeshire in late July. It’s late afternoon and I’ve just walked 10 miles. In a minute I’ll go for a swim.

Or in Fiskardo in Kefaloni with DH. We’re drinking champagne on our terrace with a view of Ithaca, before going out for supper.

Home in Cornwall. In September when it's quiet but the days are still warm. We walk to the beach with Sunday papers, dogs, bags of food and drink and set up camp. Friends and family come down too and the kids play, adults chat and doze. Someone get a BBQ going. It's bliss and then we go home, shower the kids and get school ready for the morning.

This is a lovely thread @Beaconofpope - thanks 🙂

for me, although I’ve been lucky enough to travel to some
amazing places, nothing beats home. specifically the beach in our village. It’s a beautiful day. The kids and dog are playing in the sea. We’re surrounded by friends. Everyone is salty, warm and tired from swimming. We’ll play in the sand and have bbq sausage baps for tea, and maybe a few beers. We’ll eventually walk home and talk about how lucky we are to live here. Bliss!

Football with the kids. Watching them enjoy sport is great.

To be greedy, also family holiday to Portugal. Love the place, the people and the food.

Sitting by a huge turf fire in a little thatched cottage in rural donegal listening to a big storm raging outside

I've only been to Seahouses once but I loved it, I love the whole coastline round there, we stopped on our way to Berwick.

I hope you get to move there!

This is the absolute best thread I’ve read for a long time. Your post, OP, captured such a real moment. The reference to the lunchables or Greggs after getting chilly on the beach…. Loved it.

Mine’s also Northumberland. Swimming in the sea at Low Newton with my gorgeous daughters.