To want to do something other on holiday than lie on a sunlounger?

[Chocolatelover223]

The people I'm on holiday with just want to lie on the sun loungers by the pool all day every day. Is this common?

Sometimes I love a day lying in the warmth, swimming, drinking lemon fanta (it always tastes better by a pool in Corfu) and reading etc. But, DH hates it so we compromise, day at the pool, day out exploring. Some people say that if you’re going to do nothing other than lie and read you may as well stay in the UK. It’s grey and 14 degrees here in Kent and I’m on annual leave. What I wouldn’t give to have just had a slap up hotel buffet breakfast and be heading to the pool for the day.

I normally hate it, but after a hectic few years all I want to do is lie on a sun lounger (in the shade), take a dip in the pool, read lots and drink cocktails. I make no apology; I have a crazy day to day life.

Give them a few days to relax then ask them to join you on a day out. You are choosing not to sight see by yourself though, so you can't put all the blame on them.

Yanbu to want to explore but yabu to expect everyone to like the same things.
My mum is a pool and book person, we had a big family holiday recently and each of us siblings were there with our own families, during the day we all went out and about and did our own thing (invited each other to join us, sometimes we all went together but sometimes we went separate ways) - mum and stepdad came for lunch with us all a few times but generally were happy to just chill out by the pool.
All fine, we are all adults and are capable of pleasing ourselves!

We are off to Crete soon and we have no plans at all. A bit of lounging a bit of sightseeing and I expect I'll be doing the latter on my own - if I can be bothered. We have had a truly hard hard few months and I have no expectations of what we do. Whatever we feel like at any given point in the day I think.

I personally can’t think of anything worse: I hate the thought of being idle and I would find it excruciating being in a new place without exploring it. For me it seems insane to pay hundreds or thousands of pounds to fly to a different country to do nothing.

But you must know loads of people enjoy this and each to their own.

Agree with a pp about the two different kinds of holidays. Over the years I/we have done so many different kinds of holiday. Next year, we want to learn to ski (can board but getting old!). However, nothing beats a week, or even two, lounging by a pool, occasionally going to the beach with a walk around town on an evening. We are shattered. It is nice to switch off and recharge. New books, earbuds in, dipping in the pool when it gets too hot. Heaven.
If I were you though I would venture out alone. Or see if you can encourage them to join in with any activities or day trips.

I had this with a friend years ago. We were in Thailand and she just wanted to lie by a pool.

So I went to the hotel reception and booked a couple of minibus trips on my own. Would have been better with someone to talk to about it but at least I saw things.

I don’t like lying on a sunlounger anymore. I want to see some of the country I’ve gone to visit

That's a really good way to put it about how to recharge your personal batteries. My husband has a very physical job (farmer) I have a very sedate job (accountant, and even more so because I WFH) on holidays he wants to chill, unwind and do as little as possible. I want to see and do EVERYTHING. But we compromise and I think we both enjoy both aspects. Now we have a toddler and will soon add a baby to the mix I'm sure it'll change again.

I do keep saying I will do short city breaks alone and he says off I go if I want but I haven't yet. Maybe in a few years I will

You pay money for that?

and what is the problem with that ? Its their money they can do what they like with it ?

They can do that at home at a swimming pool here when it's good weather for a few days.

dont be ridiculous.

the only swimming pools where you can get close to the holiday experience of lounger, drinks and snacks are at hotels that tend to cost significantly more than a good hotel overseas.

and as for the weather….

And they can do it on their holidays if the bloody want to too - its their life they can do what they want. Plus haven't seen any good weather so far here

Agree - i live in Ireland i what is known as the sunny south east by the beach - we have had one good weather day thats all so far. It was 20 degree - yesterday was 15 degrees here and windy. Kids are on school holidays now and you are not seeing much of them on the beach as its too bloody cold. Two colleagues of mine have just booked last minute holidays for next week as they are fed up pf the cold and no sign of it coming here

I absolutely need ten days of doing nothing.

I have a busy FT “big” job; a demanding trustee role; 4 DC the eldest of whom are just finding their feet in the adult world and need endless advice on everything; a busy social life; a desire to at least attempt to keep up with hobbies etc etc.

there is nothing more I like that packing a pile of bikinis and books and lying down (for me in the shade) for days on end, having to do nothing more strenuous than wander to the beach for a seafood lunch or order another glass of something cold. Perfect

We rarely left the beach when dds were children/young teens, but there wasn’t too much lying on sun loungers. Plenty of swimming, snorkelling, water skiing, etc., though - making the most of warm Vitamin Sea.

I usually come back from a holiday more tired than I went, but having seen and done plenty, at the moment I would love to go and lie in the sun/shade with books for a week and the occasional swim, I'm exhausted (recent diagnosis of b12, iron deficiency and borderline underactive thyroid) so I can see for various reasons why people might want to switch off for a week.
Having said that I looked at holidays to do just that this summer and keep getting distracted by really active ones!

I wasn't going to say it but it's what I was thinking and I suspect a lot of others too.

It's fine to want to go off and do stuff (so do it, you're adventurous! You're not in some dangerous place and you have your phone. Write down your hotel address and get a taxi back if you get really stuck or look for a guided group day trip somewhere). But something about the wide eyed, fake "goodness, do people actually do this?" to try to hide your snobbery as confusion is really, really grating. You know full well lots of people like it and they are doing what they want on holiday, not wasting it pretending that you are some strange phenomenon that they're too thick to understand.

This is such a good post ... we're off to Italy next week and while we will absolutely do a day out or two, potter around the local town a few times, we've had a tough year and no time off yet as a family.

This means I will treasure the chance to lounge by the pool, read, doze and generally enjoy connecting with my family with no cooking or chores to do.

Anyone who wants to judge me for going abroad to do that can stuff off

The Italians certainly value the slow and leisurely life, so culturally you'll fit right in!

I actually get a bit frustrated in Mediterranean countries sometimes when I just want to grab a quick sandwich and get on exploring.

I once heard of someone who had gone to Egypt, a lovely hotel overlooking the Nile and she demanded that the hotel cut back the foliage on and near her balcony as when she was on her sun bed she couldn't see the river!

This is what a holiday’s about, surely? Not being tied to a schedule and constantly running to keep still. Apart from one spa morning - when the kids and DH can take care of themselves - I never plan anything before I go. It’s so liberating to wake and and wonder ‘what will I/we do today?’ Even if the answer is Sweet FA!!

well yes of course thats possible - different people like different things...crack on and do something else if its not for you surely?