Things that are supposed to be enjoyable but aren't in reality

[Tooconfused12]

Here's my list:

Holidays with the family (kids under the age of 6.) Too expensive, the kids are always tired/vomiting/over-stimulated. Travelling is a fucking nightmare. There's at least two arguments with your partner. And you (being the woman) end up doing all the prep for about three weeks beforehand. When you come back it takes at least a week for you to get through all the washing. And you're exhausted.

Being on the beach. It's actually a bit shit all round. Sand everywhere. People get too hot and uncomfortable. Sand in the food. Warm drinks that have been left out in the sun. The kids end up with sand in their eyes and so do you. It's always really windy and the sea is miles out which means you have to walk for ages to get there. Someone gets bitten/cut by a rock/sunburnt/swallows loads of sea water and you give up and leave after about 2 hours of drama.

Eating out. Too expensive, better quality of cooking at home with fresh ingredients.

Paris. Dirty, smelly, you're followed everywhere by sleazy men trying to sell you stuff or pickpocket you. Everyone's really fucking rude as well

Having sex. It's a bit touch and go, most of the time it's slightly boring, the bloke normally orgasms before you and the people you really fancy - when you end up shagging it turns out to be rubbish after all that build up. Or they ooze sex appeal and charisma but they do something to give you the serious ick and your vagina slams shut.

Hen do's - end of.

Weddings - expensive to attend/ gifts and all the faff now of themes, kid free. Sat at a table for hours listening to people drone on with speeches.

Cruises - tried it once. Couldn't even get a spot to sit out of the blazing sun because people bags them at 5am, fighting for seats at shows, dinner, being constantly marketed at. Plus arriving at at destination with the mass tourist crowd. Nowhere is uncrowded.

Travel with children. Even though mine are a bit older now, they still struggle with long days and whinge about anything I want to see. I tell them tough, but it still ruins it. Plus having to visit kid oriented places instead of the awesome ones I want to visit.

No, no. Single kids are probably ok. If I take one kid out for the day it is BLISS.
2 = HELL.
I actively noticed on our last holiday that the parents who had all girls or one girl were having a far easier time than the folks with more than 1 kid especially if they were boys

I’ve noticed this as well in my friendship group - I can’t have any more DC (cancer) and sometimes I think to myself that, actually, having that decision taken out of my hands has some upsides because I do not think I would cope with two. The older DD gets the more I enjoy parenting and I’m sure a lot of that is because 1) I only have one and 2) by some fluke as it certainly isn’t our guesswork parenting she’s quite a quiet agreeable child that loves looking at bees and doing stickers. If I had a second I just know it would be launching itself into traffic

Cruises - tried it once. Couldn't even get a spot to sit out of the blazing sun because people bags them at 5am, fighting for seats at shows, dinner, being constantly marketed at. Plus arriving at at destination with the mass tourist crowd. Nowhere is uncrowded.

You were on the wrong cruise. The ones I’ve been on, the loungers weren’t even out at 5am.

Marriage- overrated and you lose your self/ your identity

Going on holiday as a family- even if kids are older- it’s the same shit different location. You can never enjoy

Beaches and family holidays - yes! I’m going to sound ungrateful here but most of my family holidays consisted of 2 weeks sat on a sandy beach abroad for hours on end. I absolutely hated it and especially the way I felt after a day at the beach! Grimy, dirty, sand stuck to skin thanks to suncream.
Common conversations between Mum and I once I was about 10/11 and onwards - No, Mum, I don’t want a sandy sandwich or a can of warm pop.
Can’t I just stay under this umbrella and listen to my music/read a book in peace? I don’t really want to go in the sea again and have to come back out. getting sand all over me and having to put suncream on AGAIN 45 minutes after I’ve just done that.

I always seemed to be a magnet for sand flies too, especially in this country. Don’t get me started on beach toilets either, if they even have them!

I can just about tolerate 1 or 2 beach days like that now but that’s my lot. Give me a shale beach any day of the week. I really enjoy a walk on the beach though when it’s quieter.

Beaches are a mixed bag. I love a long walk on a near deserted beach in this country even in bad weather, ideally not long after the tide has gone out so the sand is still wet and compacted. But I hate hot, busy beaches and I don't like swimming in the sea either as I always come out in a rash afterwards.
But I have a particular hatred of fine, dry sand that gets everywhere. Having a hockey mad DC I have had more than enough of sand all over my car, sand trodden into the hall carpet and sand blocking the filter in the washing machine to last me a lifetime and I don't want sand from beaches adding to it!

Oh no we have just booked centre parks! Why so bad?

Oh I need to add babies.
They're so unreasonable 😆

I agree with beaches for family in the summer holiday.
But they are lovely for a walk alone the rest of the year
I quite like sex tbh.. I mean ive had some awful sex dont get me wrong but even the worst consensual sex ive had was still vaguely fun for me coz I just like it.
Going on holiday with kids can be fun but you have to keep it really really simple in my experience. Self catering holiday cottage with secure gated garden you can just chuck em in to get some peace on an eve.
I love going out to eat! Mostly coz i hate cooking i suppose.
I think Hen Dos are all different. I've been to some really fun ones and some awful ones.

Things I have found to not live up to the hype.. clothes shopping with friends! Why do they always make that look like some type of fun activity in the media. Its annoying going shopping with anyone. Best on your own.
Cycling. I hate it.
Cooking.. its not fun or relaxing its shit. Its not a hobby its a chore.
Markets.
Farm shops.

Oh yes I agree with cruises and marriage too!!

Oh God i just read the post about receiving oral sex and I agree with that too!
Its not a nice sensation.
I do genuinely like giving oral sex though.

But generally I do think its all presented as this great thing everyone loves when in my experience its about 50/50 whether people are keen on it or not.
That includes men too! Giving and receiving!

Sitting and talking with friends. I’d far rather play cards or scrabble.

Pubs, noisy and loud.

Coffee shops. Over priced coffee. I make better coffee at home.

Watching soaps. Boring.

Swimming. All the hassle before and especially after, puts me off.

Shopping. I love Ocado these days. I just wish it was easier to buy clothes online.

Agree with every single thing on your list, also agree with baths @leonardandpenny18, I love the idea, get everything ready with candles etc and then last 10 mins tops.

Can I add prosecco brunches. Feels like a great idea at the time, £50 later, you are totally rat arsed at 1pm on a Saturday so either have to keep going or stop and feel rough. Either way Sunday is a total right off and the weekend has gone.

Hot tubs also

Tell him to press harder!

I love going out to a club.

I also am not a beach person though and much prefer a pool.

We went to DH's Cousin's wedding and it was BEYOND boring and I really didn't enjoy having to make conversation with elderly relatives I'd never met and will never meet again.

Not a fan of a spa.

Sex is amazing though.

Well going over what they didn't like for beaches, you are saying beach where you are don't have sand, sun, warmth, any rocks in the water or general area, or drinks . . . . ?

Summer
New Year’s Eve
Garden Centres
Going to a Gym

Every time someone posts that they hated cruising someone else comes on to tell them they were just on the wrong cruise.

Why can’t cruise lovers accept that the experience is not for everyone. I hated it and I’ve done 2. One big, busy one that was frankly floating hell and one quieter, more exclusive one that was less hellish but still unenjoyable. I just hate cruising - food , entertainment and facilities that , on land, you would think was pretty mediocre if not basic

I found the recipe for enjoying family holidays - lean in to what they want. We usually do 2 weeks , sometimes in 2 different places and when the kids were small we did French campsites and now they are teens we do villas or nice hotels. We always do maybe 1 , 2 nights in a place of interest to us - Carcassone, Seville, Athens but in these cities we do sephora, football stadiums etc as well as Acropolis etc so it’s not a chore. The holiday is in the main geared towards them

We always have lovely holidays and I just tell myself that these few years are all about them and in a few years it will be all about me again.

Wow!
Everything on the Op list is my favourite things to do
I went on holiday with my fam and loved it and becuase its expenisve its extra better eating, shopping and being in a new city.
Perhaps some see no light or need some appreciation
Or hrt

overnight sleeper trains: I thought this would be romantic and I ‘d be gently rocked to sleep and arrive at my destination refreshed. In reality the motion was unpredictable and not soothing at all and I did not sleep a wink and arrived very tired

flotation: I thought this would be deeply relaxing, like floating in space or something. In fact it was like being in a tepid bath, it wasn’t terribly comfortable and the extremely salty water got in my eyes and stung them. I got out early.

Just not my idea of fun, it’s feel like the fake outdoors for people who don’t really do the outdoors.

This is so true! I get mine done about once a year if I have a special event and my nails are fucked afterwards. I need to just get a regular manicure next time…

Massages - I find them the opposite of relaxing.