Anyone else come home and think what a waste of money

[diegothedaigo]

Just did a 10 day trip to a group of islands that I’ve always dreamt about going to. Over 10 hours flying.

Had a nice time, and nothing majorly wrong with it, but just sort of think, hmm? I kinda wished I’d saved the money. I’ve come home feeling knackered despite spending at least 5 days laying on a tropical beach. Is this a normal feeling?

Yes! But still then crave the next trip.

This sums up my feelings perfectly.

I've never regretted a holiday but I do a lot of research and planning beforehand to make things easier while we are there, particularly for long haul holidays where I want to make the most of every minute.

We stayed in a crappy Airbnb with my family a couple of years ago which wasn't great but I'll never regret spending time with my family. We've also done a few AI Holiday Village holidays with young DC which I enjoyed at the time as they were right for our family stage. I don't regret them but I'm glad we are past that now!

I could do that for a day then get really bored - we need to be active - climbing, mountain biking, canoeing etc.

We hate hot weather. Off to Norway snowbaording over xmas - can't wait! I'll be sat outside on the decking BBQ'ing xmas dinner!

I have every intention of cooking Christmas dinner in a bikini after the traditional Christmas morning dip.

There is a chap on Instagram who rather cynically visits popular clichéd 'perfect holiday' destinations and takes photos from the exact spot where the online brochure photos were taken and then compares the two. That deserted sun-kissed white sands beach with overhanging palms in the Seychelles is suddenly now covered in seaweed and overrun with tourists. That beautiful spot on the Almafi coast with stunning views and lemon groves....full of touts, bus loads of tourists and overpriced restaurants.

Not on holidays, no. But then, I've never gone on the kind of holiday where there's nothing to do but lay on a beach. Sounds grim. Our holidays are always planned around "doing things", which the occasional half day lying on a beach or by a pool. Some holidays it would be skiing, others touring California and visiting the Grand Canyon, Alcatraz, San Diego, Tijuana and Las Vegas. Or golfing in the Med. Or a cruise down the nile followed by a visit to the Pyramids. Or a short stay in Rome with tours booked for the Vatican and Colliseum, or a cruise round the Baltic with stop offs for days in Estonia, St Petersburgh, Helsinki, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. Even on Med holidays when our son was small, we'd chose resorts close to places like zoos, water parks, etc.

Just bumming around in a resort, sunny ourselves and then just eating/drinking is my idea of hell - you'd have to pay me to do it. It always looks idylic in the brochures and on the internet, like the maldives where it's all lovely sand and crystal clear water, but then you think, "what exactly is there to actually do?".

@JennyBeanR I can't say we are mega active but we do go to Stockholm for new year most years- more likely to get snow than rain, cosy cafes, lovely lights, beautifully lit hotel bars and the pound is good against kr at moment, so I would say London prices rather than mega expensive

@DeliMARL I asked my grandparents who lived in Spain post 62 and retired- 'do you ever get fed up of blue skys and sun' nope- they didn't and they did get odd spells of rain and cloud too

I don't see the point in flying 10 hours in the European summer and lying on the beach when you get there. A beach is a beach. You could get most of the same experience for a lot less money and CO2 in Spain or Greece.

(In winter, or if the place that's 10 hours away also has lots of great culture, then sure, why not.)

We just spent a lot of money (for us) on a long haul holiday for 2 weeks, last month. It was very expensive when we were there too, partly because it's an expensive country anyway but also because we fitted a lot in - it was a road trip holiday so we hired a car and saw/did so much. It was exhausting but it was also super memorable especially for our 3 kids. Totally worth it. Maybe you're doing the wrong kind of holidays.

I get terrible jet lag these days so travelling 10 hours east or West and spending for first 3 days in a fog of tiredness is not ideal for me. Tend to keep destinations a few hours each side of GMT.

To each their own. I go on holidays to relax. My life is busy, stressful, and I'm always cold. I have never been to a hot beach destination I've regretted. I'm counting down currently to Tenerife in October and Lanzarote in January.

I find it incredibly weird. I literally live for holidays, count the days until they start and feel sad when they're over! But I only book holidays I I know I will really, REALLY enjoy. They help me recharge and give me strength to deal with everyday drudge.

If you dont like holidays and think you can be happier spending money elsewhere, dont go! We are all different, there is no hard right or wrong here.

Sometimes I wish I could go for a holiday away from planet earth.

It feels like the same shit everywhere here