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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Such a Miserable Time

10 replies

Alleycat321 · 10/08/2025 21:15

When I was a child my parents took my brother and I away in a 12’ touring caravan and I hated it. We always stayed in the UK (as my mother did not like ‘foreigners’). It was long before electric hook ups and running water, let alone a toilet or shower inside the caravan.

My father always insisted on a fully cooked English breakfast, despite not having this at home. My mother had only two small rings and a small grill in the kitchen area (powered by Calor gas) and no fridge. After cooking breakfast she had to heat a pan of boiling water to wash up but by the end the washing up bowl was disgusting. Then she made coffee for herself and my father before making sandwiches (no ready made sandwiches available to buy in the 1960s). It was almost midday before we got to the beach where we sat behind a windbreak (it was usually cold) for the rest of the day.

In the evening my mother cooked dinner, usually boil-in-a-bag meal with potatoes. There was nothing to do in the evenings except to read (which I didn’t mind). My brother had a fear of Daddy Longlegs and my mother had to ‘inspect’ the toilets on the caravan before he would venture in. My mother always developed severe constipation during the holiday.

My parents both snored loudly and I struggled to get to sleep.

I am convinced that my experience has put me off going on holiday for life. Not that keen on holidays now.

OP posts:
EvenMoreCrisps · 11/08/2025 02:07

Did you want suggestions or anything? Best just forget stuff from 60yrs ago.

PeonyBulb · 11/08/2025 10:06

You need to book yourself a lovely holiday where you can lie around a pool, go exploring, have your room cleaned daily and all your meals cooked.

I’d start of with Majorca.

Summatoruvva · 11/08/2025 10:20

I had many no frills budget camping holidays with my mum and step dad. We had a great time full of dark humour and fun in spite of the crap weather and cheap food. Any trip can be happy and full of life long memories if everybody is positive and chilled. A trip to the Maldives would be ruined by a Victorian father and enabling wife!

Andbegin · 11/08/2025 16:11

I think in those situations it's who you are with that counts. I've had holidays that on paper, should be dire - terrible hotels, no amenities for miles etc but have been great fun. I've also been to stunning locations where I've fallen out with DH and had a shit time.

Sorry your parents were a bit dull. Are they still around? Could you treat them to a nicer holiday ?

CoolShoeshine · 11/08/2025 18:46

I never went abroad as a child because my disabled sibling wouldn't have been able to travel. Looking back it was a bit miserable at times, especially the weather and the close confines, but I didn't know any different. Did it put me off holidays? Absolutely not, but I'll never go back to a small static caravan with brown and orange soft furnishings in Clacton.

BitOutOfPractice · 11/08/2025 18:49

We always had cheap uk holidays as a child. In a tent, a caravan or a basic b&b. Often in north wales. Some of the happiest memories of my very happy childhood.

Fishfungus · 11/08/2025 18:52

BitOutOfPractice · 11/08/2025 18:49

We always had cheap uk holidays as a child. In a tent, a caravan or a basic b&b. Often in north wales. Some of the happiest memories of my very happy childhood.

Same here! We often went to Yorkshire and absolutely loved it as a kid.

LlynTegid · 11/08/2025 18:58

I'm saddened to read that you still feel bad about holidays so many years later. All the places you could have visited and have missed out on.

Imogene · 12/08/2025 23:04

I never went on holiday in the UK or abroad as a child due to lack of money although we had some nice day trips and luckily lived fairly close to the beach & countryside.
My first holiday was when I was 23 & spent a few days partying over NYE with friends in a farmhouse in Bude. Then in June of that year my Dad drove me to Wales to spend a few days there at my cousin’s wedding.

My first trip abroad & first time flying was a girls’ holiday to Mallorca at age 24 - we had so much fun as we were all single.

Since then I’ve holidayed lots but only in Europe (Spain & Balearics / Canary Islands; various Greek islands, Amsterdam, Poland, Portugal) so I have a lot of travelling still to do! I’ve enjoyed every trip.

My mum & her mother never ever left the country in their lives and it’s a real shame.

PermanentTemporary · 12/08/2025 23:11

Holidays are very stressful as a child imo. My main memories are of my dad making us do awful things that we hated, and someone always getting ill - ear infections, stomach upsets, measles, flu, broken bones etc etc. An awful lot of visits to relatives which were supposed to be holidays as well, with a kind of constant stress made up of getting their household rules wrong.

If I think hard enough I can remember some really enjoyable bits here and there. But I have taken great pleasure in having holidays that suit me as an adult. I can’t help noticing that ds isn’t that keen on holidays either.

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