People who can’t do simple holidays

[smerina]

How would you describe someone who only really seems to go on hard to organise holidays? Like we like going to Dubai or Mallorca, nice and easy, one flight and done. Or if we go further afield then we do a package with Tui to Cancun or Dominican, usually AI.

But I have colleagues who seem to go on really whacky or trips that sound like a pain. They’d go to Greece and then get a ferry to some place no one has ever heard of. Or if they went to the Caribbean then they’d pick somewhere that needs two flights and a ferry to get to. Never do AI or something easy and relaxing but self cater and drive around.

Oh that's a good one. Snobbery 10/10

Oh good - snobbery on both sides - thank you for that

At least I’m a tourist who takes an interest in the local culture, supporting ordinary small businesses instead of huge corporations. You probably boast that you visit Dubai etc when in effect you’ve been to a holiday resort in these countries, not really visited them.

I've never been to Dubai and I don't do package holidays.... the difference is I'm under no illusion that I'm somehow better than those that do, unlike so many arseholes on here.

You're not superior. You're not a better person. You're not more interesting and you're not more cultured and you're not a traveller. You're just another twatty tourist, booking your own flights and patronising the locals doesn't change anything.

I find package deal and resort holidays incredibly boring so I don't do them. Our holidays tend to be quite complex but one of the fun things is planning and arranging them.

Interesting
I'd describe them as interesting

Well well well, it says everything about you that you have to resort to bad language!

Strange post! What do you have against people who are more adventurous and interesting than you when it comes to holidays?

It says absolutely fuck all.about me, and I don't resort to swearing, I do it all the fucking time. 🤷‍♀️

Swearing doesn’t say anything about anyone, it’s just words.

I agree with some others, adventurous, open to explore and be spontaneous rather than totally scheduled.

My Dad in his 70s still did this, flight, friends and family to stay with but wen off and dis his own thing. This is what I used to do as well, before marriage and kids, just go somewhere, interrailing in my day. Xx

An AI holiday is my idea of absolute hell! I love to go somewhere off the beaten track and have adventures.

Would be boring if we all liked the same thing!

A package/AI isn’t my thing anymore, and never really was, to me they are boring, last time I did it was about 7 years ago as it was easier with my then primary school son, and could keep him a bit more entertained, now he’s in 6th form, we literally just find whatever cheap flights ( at the moment I’m focused on Asia) and go. Over Christmas we did London-Rome-kuala lumpur-Bangkok-Milan ( but we didn’t leave the airport so doesn’t count, lol) -London. No real plans as such, just winged it for the 17 nights,

Indonesia is December 2025, just going to book a flight for me
and sons to Jakarta, and make my way to down Bali at some point and hope for the best, lol. I love all the researching and organising and seeing it all coming together, stressful but it’s a nice stress😁

I live in Dubai. I have no idea why anyone comes here on an AI package! So much to see and do outside of the tourist trap areas! Literally get yourself out of the hotels and find the culture to see why it’s a great place!
Unless you read the daily fail and believe everything you read… then stay at home. We don’t want you.

For me, AI holidays are the absolute worst. Personally, I love going to a different local restaurant each day and sniffing out a hidden gem.

So, each to their own, OP

We don't want to go, thanks. Find the culture to see why its a great place? It's a polluted nightmare of a bland new desert city, with no history, little culture, built and run on actual slave labour, with oppressive laws, rampant abuse of human rights, a monument to blind consumerism.

And no, none of that comes from the daily fail. Just you know, facts.

Another pointless post.

Your colleagues holidays sound great to me. Get off the beaten track and explore the world!!

Like what? I lived there too, though some time ago, and I can assure you I was attempting to ‘seek out culture’ the entire time and not finding anything. There was the beginnings of a spoken word poetry scene in Al Barsha when I lived there , but everyone was being careful about what they said. Or do you mean touristic nonsense like the ‘cultural breakfasts’ the Sheikh Mo Centre for Cultural Understanding, if those are still going, or handicrafts exhibitions in a couple of content-light, carefully curated museums in reconstructed windtowers?

@Hanto can't say I noticed any culture much when we went either- but it depends I guess on your definition of culture. It seemed to me a place that revolved around very expensive AI Friday brunches, shopping malls and hanging round blingy hotels, with Arabic guys sat outside coffee bars. The old bit was nothing to write home about souk wise ( Istanbul was way way nicer) and beach wasn't good -The only thing I did enjoy was the dune bashing with buggies - that was fun

Love how the op never returned so it was probably just a goady click bait made up post in the first place 😂

Come back for what though? Would you come back if you’d been slated like I was!!

Can you see why you were slated?

Probably. People are allowed to have different opinions and I don't get offended at people having total opposite views to my own. There were posts agreeing with you too anyway.Maybe lighten up a little?

Single centre or multi-centre (in travel trade terms)

If it's a single centre with nothing more than a flight and hotel and possibly transfers. As a general rule going to an AI hotel/resort means no interest in the country or the culture, just the sun/poo/beach. Of course these can be anything from cheap & cheerful to 5* luxury.

For trips with more than one place, is generally termed tailor made. Obviously not everyone books through an agent, but happy to plan themselves or wing it and explore beyond the normal. I love to experience public transport in a foreign country, mainly to challenge myself and see if I can work it out.