That me and the DCs will probably NEVER have a nice sunny holiday abroad becuase my DH refuses to do the 'Brits Abroad' thing

[PollyPentapeptide]

So we instead we have to have endless holidays traipsing around the Lake District or sitting on wet and windy welsh beaches

Not that the Lake District/Wales/Cornwall aren't very lovely (because they are!) but because that is all we do!

All of DC's friends will go back to school in September with tales of trips to Spain or France or Florida but our DC's won't (and probably never will)

[PollyPentapeptide]

Actually, perhaps I should start ordering brochures for a cruise. That would really freak him out

[Cammelia]

Brittany is exactly like the Lake District, Wales and Cornwall all rolled into one but with much better food and wine.

Book the car ferry ppp and tell him to get in !!

[Janos]

Loire valley in France is v nice too. lots of culcha (that's culture for chavs)

[PollyPentapeptide]

Mutt, the several thousand £ comment was him overreacting and yes he is the only earner at the moment but I promise it isn't as yu describe . But don't want to get into that now, I want to book a holiday. Out of respect though, I wouldn't go ahead and book without everyone agreeing because for us it is such a lot of money. I just need to work on him and get him to come round.

Hullaby, your holiday sounds wonderful

[Marina]

Polly, if he is fearful of mass tourism then book him into a gite somewhere on the west coast of France.
Quite frankly it can be cheaper than holidaying in the UK at the same time, especially if we are talking Pembrokeshire etc in the school hols
We have a completely self-organised fortnight in Western Normandy coming up for about the price of a week in Devon
It is REALLY easy to avoid mass tourism destinations in France, Spain, Italy...

[PollyPentapeptide]

I think I might just be able to sell it on the wine then Cammelia

[Marina]

Title says "Brits Abroad"
I took that to mean the herds of roaming Bodenistas in places like Mark Warner tbh
Some "desirable" sunshine destinations much touted on here sound absolutely hideous to others...

[PollyPentapeptide]

Thats a great idea Marina and actually the funny thing is, the Lake District is heaving when we go. But it is full of nobby smug looking couples with designer children in designer prams and designer dogs (they never sodding go near a mountain I swear, just hang around outside hiking shops braying)so I am surprised he is so keen because he is a keen walker/hiker and will think nothing of dragging all 6 of us up Striding Edge with just a packet of kendel mint cake between us!

Bloody men!!!

[WilfSell]

Polly: I have a brilliant idea to totally outfox him.

Lanzarote. Yes. REALLY.

I am a total and utter holiday snob.

The way to do it is get a cheap flight (loads, obv.) and then choose either cheapo accommodation; or luxury and remote.

And then (and here comes the genius bit) DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR ANY OF THE RESORTS.

Hire a car. Go EVERYWHERE Cesar Manrique had a hand in (artist/architect who redesigned many of the island's 'tourist' spots) - the volcanic caves (stay and have beer and hot chocolate), the cactus garden, the Mirador, his house/gallery, his contemporary art museum (another fabulous restaurant there). Go to the volcanos - there will be the odd coach trip and corned beef tan there but it will be worth it.

If you must do more touristy things go to the little posh port place (name escapes me) and go on a boat trip.

Drive to the North of the island (ideally stay here as more beautiful and less touristy).

Go to El Golfo and watch crashing waves and 'seatubes'.

EAt seafood at tiny little restaurants.

Take a drive through centre of island to taste wine at volcanic vineyards (stunning)

If you must go to the beach, find a tiny local northern one: I repeat - stay AWAY from all beach resorts.

And best to go at Easter. But it's a fab combination of cheap and cultural and warm.

[midnightexpress]

Hmmm. Well I never went on any foreign holidays when I were a nipper and I don't feel like I missed out at all. They have their whole lives to travel abroad and see the world. If you want to go abroad on holiday that's a different matter.

I'm with the suggestion of leaving him to traipse around alone and going with another family if you are set on the idea.

[pointydog]

cringe @ we are poor people and wealthy chav comments.

[PollyPentapeptide]

Don't you think the bodenistas would be just as bad though? There was a great thread on that once ......

[noonki]

How about doing a house exchange (loads of websites) free accommodation then, especially if france etc can drive...

[Marina]

Well I'll quite happily agree with him that British mass tourism abroad is not enjoyable whatever £££ we are talking about
We have friends who are never going back to Southwold because they say it has got completely farcical there
If he loves to walk on pointy bits of rock and you want to lap up some rays, the logical places to head for IMHO are the Cevennes/Gorges du Tarn, or Corsica
Send him off to do the GR across the island while you lot chug up and down the coast on the Tramway de la Balagne
With any luck he will get drenched by the storms often enough to fondly imagine himself back on Swirral Edge

[PollyPentapeptide]

Thanks wilfsell, I like the sound of that!

pointydog - dont get the cringe bit?

midnight - I want to go on holiday abroad, I really do. It isn't about anyone else other then me and the kids (and DH if he will come). I don't give a rats arse whether other people go on luxury holidays or whether they are so piss poor they have to stay at home, it really cannot be an issue that I allow to effect the decision with regrads to my own family. I am 37 and have hardly ever been abroad so would love the experience and more importantly, I think the children will too. Yes, we will have to rough it proably but I don't care. I think they would get so much from it and look forward to it. So can we stop all this 'you should count your blessing nonsence'

Count your own!

[pointydog]

Corsica was vert expensive last time I looked it up

[expatinscotland]

I agree, Wilf!

My folks have done what you suggest. In Mallorca.

They speak Spanish and couldn't believe the place is a huge British resort destination come summer.

[expatinscotland]

Would it help to show your DH this thread, Polly?

Maybe help change his mind?

[PollyPentapeptide]

Marina, if I could show him pictures of mountains (preferably with the top part covered by cloud and someone posing in a bobble hat and a back pack)he might just go for it

[PollyPentapeptide]

expat, I am so tempted! I just need to wrap up DD' b day pressies for tommorow and then I might sit him down with a glass of wine.

He knows he's a nob at times so that bit won't bother him in the least

[Marina]

Corsica is the absolute ne plus ultra for serious high level walkers.

show him this and tell him Moses' Trod is for big girls' blouses.

Pointy, I know it's not cheap, but you get so many bangs for your buck on this fabulous island and Polly did mention that it was possible that £££ might be spent on the holiday if her dh could be persuaded

You could camp Polly

[midnightexpress]

I didn't mean that you should count your blessings PP, just that if you can't go for whatever reason I don't think the kids will really miss out on much that they can't catch up on later in life, that's all. If you can do it cheaply enough and everyone is happy then good for you .

[Marina]

We did a day of the GR20 on our honeymoon (Monte Incudine if your dh is interested) and it blew the Lake District out of the water because

1. the views were stupendous
   
2. there were wild pigs everywhere - way more interesting than dimwitted Swaledales
   
3. we were able to lunch at a little mountainside cafe serving proper delicious French good, not corned beef sandwiches and Ribena

[PollyPentapeptide]

sorry midnight

I know we could find somewhere. On the upside, if DH doesn't want to come then that will be one less person to pay for!