Why is there so much pressure to go on expensive holidays?

fairylights_2

HEY HEY! :mad:

If any classicist is taking DFWs on tours of Italy or Greece, that's ME! Don't you nick my spot! :rotfl:

bunnybaby_2

wots a holiday??? rofl

margaretclare

ms_london wrote:

You are totally right Margaret. However if someone has no debt & wants to go on holiday to these far flung places, once or twice a year - surely that's up to them? If holidays are a luxury to someone then I would rather save money to do something I enjoy than to waste it on bits & bobs throughout the year.

Yes, I wasn't saying it's NOT up to them. If people aren't in debt that's absolutely fine. I question the wisdom, however, of putting a holiday on to the plastic 'just because that's what everyone around me is doing and I'd feel left out if I didn't'.

My daughter has been to Cyprus twice now, stayed at Paphos, hired a car and drove along to Limassol. The first time they went, they visited the church where she was baptised on Limassol sea-front. The second time, they managed to find the house we lived in when she was a baby (we left there when she was just 13 months old) and the same people still own it - the daughter and her husband, they welcomed her with open arms: 'Oh, I knew who you were, you're just like your Mum!'

Northern Cyprus is lovely - my late husband and I went there when I was pregnant, and we stayed in the Dome Hotel, Kyrenia (is it still there?)

About holidays - the first 4 years my DH and I got together, I had more holidays than I'd had in the previous 40. But we were both still working then, the holidays weren't all abroad, although we had a week's winter sun in the Algarve, we've been to France several times, we've had 2 trips to North America. One of them was just after 9/11 and everyone gave us dire warnings, thought we were insane, but the worst thing that happened was that some of our luggage got left behind on the station platform at Chicago when the train pulled out headed for Seattle (a 3-night trip, you don't realise the distances when you fly everywhere).

After we came back from that we decided to get married, so following a simple wedding at our local Methodist church in January, we could only afford a 3-night break in the Cotswolds. We only had a honeymoon at all because neither of us had ever had one before!

We've booked a 5-day trip up the Rhine over Christmas and put a deposit on using DH's credit card. I'm never again going to be put in the position of inviting someone for Christmas meal and then her not wanting to go home 'because she didn't like going back to an empty house'. I thought she was going to end up staying the night because she doesn't like driving in the dark - she has a son lives in Kent but doesn't go there because of driving in the dark. Daughter doesn't invite her, I wonder why????

We tend to like short breaks, and we've seen some lovely places together. We usually get a good deal - 3 nights for the price of 2, that sort of thing. Maybe next year we'll drive up the west coast of Scotland, we've talked about that a lot.

Margaret Clare

Bargain_Rzl

Climbgirl, you'll be ever so jealous - this is what we did in Rome:
Tuesday (Ides of March 2005 ) arrived, went to Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and ended up in an Irish pub before dinner in a cheap restaurant
Wednesday: various churches and the Holy Steps, walked down the Via Appia Antica, Catacombs, back via Colosseum, fabulous meal in a fairly posh restaurant in the student district
Thursday (this must be a record): Forum again, then walked to the Castel Sant'Angelo via the Palazzo Farnese and the basilica of Sant'Andrea della Valle (the three locations used in Tosca ) then onto St Peter's, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel, cheap dinner, and then back to the Irish Pub cos it was St Patrick's Day
Friday: National Museum of Musical Instruments, Ponte Milvio, Etruscan Museum (which was closed for no reason :rolleyes: ), Borghese Gardens, and onto the Opera for a performance.
Saturday: home (phew! - feet ached for weeks)

P.S. we got a fab hotel deal through Octupus Travel - a twin room in a quiet hotel near the railway station with a lovely bathroom, worked out about £20 each a night for B&B and we booked the flights separately through BA. During the day we tended to snack on bread etc. and go out to eat in the evenings. I think each of us spent about £350 all inclusive

climbgirl

Bargain_Rzl wrote:

Climbgirl, you'll be ever so jealous

I am, that sounds fabulous! My kind of travelling, I clock up the miles when I'm on my own too, haha

I've not been to Rome yet, it's on my list for this year. Was thinking about the May banks, but I've left it too late for cheap flights so I'll sort another weekend.

In the process of planning a couple of weeks in Turkey for later this year. The planning part is half the fun, I think!

Jaymz

I was the same dinkylou, I didn't know whether to go somewhere on my own so just went fot it! I booked a 5 day trip to Switzerland, had never been on a plane before so it was a huge experience! I couldn't speak the language or anything but ended up having a great time as I met a new friend there and we ended up travelling around for a couple of days.

I would say if you are interested in going on holiday by yourself, do it! There are loads of people in the same boat and you end up making new friends, see new things and will have awesome time

calleyw

In my circle there is not. My father never wants to go on holiday. Only went on holiday last year because we paid for it (meaning my husband and I)and my mother has not had a holiday away for the last 23 years.

None of my family/friends do fancy holidays. I mean I think I shocked them all two years ago when when my husband and I booked to go to Australia for 3 weeks. And I had never been out of the country, let alone on a plane before.

My dad laughed when I said I was not keen on the flight. And this is from a man who has never been out of the country.

It does not worry me I have always gone on off peak holidays because of the cost. So going to Australia was rather an expensive holiday. But we had not had what you would call a really nice holiday. We never had an expensive wedding or a honeymoon. So I believe we deserved it and we had the money. So no lingering debt.

I prefer short breaks away rather then weeks away. Unless you are covering a large area like Australia. Where you need months not weeks.

I think it has already been said. Holidays are now becoming the next big thing for keeping up with the jones. If you are happy with pottering off to Torquay for a week then don't worry about it.

I don't really care what people think. You could always tell a white lie if you feel you must and say you want to somewhere you did not. For me it is easy as I don't do sun. So I came back from Australia just as white as I left. As I was using factor 50 sun cream and covered up with hats and long sleeves :rotfl:

Don't feel bad just enjoy your holiday where ever you go.


Yours


Calley

summerday

Hi Dinkylou, if you'd like a travelling companion maybe try:
http://www.single-living.com/travelcompanions/index.cfm
I've not used it myself but these websites must exist so that people can find like-minded people to travel with. I may well give it a go if I was single. I have travelled on my own before and think it is great for self development and confidence building plus you can make all your own choices, but sometimes it's nice to have a companion to chat to.

Personally, I love travelling, not necessarily somewhere exotic (I've only barely got out of Europe!) but I just love planning trips and getting good deals. My debt situation isn't bad though (my only debt is a student loan and mortgage). When we were saving up for a house deposit and slashing all costs I was prepared to go without almost everything and took on second jobs to be able to have a few trips. We went to Amsterdam by getting the train then ferry then train again at the other end and it was so nice, I just love the change of scene and loved seeing Holland from the train. Then we stayed in a campsite in a basic little hut with bunk beds (!) it was a bit outside the city but so pretty. We spent hardly anything the few days we were there, bought a card that gave us unlimited entry to loads of museums etc and we got our moneys worth! Sometimes it can be lots of fun putting your own package together and doing lots of research for good deals and things to do when you get there(but then OH always says I should have been a travel agent!).

I don't really feel that inclined to go to exotic places really, the thought of being on a long haul flight kind of scares me and would drive me a bit potty, and I really think there is so much rich culture in Europe that I probably won't see all of in my whole lifetime. I love to be around people speaking a different language, doing things in a different way, seeing how others live... I'd rather go without new clothes and luxury food etc to be able to do it sometimes. I'd never take out debt to pay for a holiday though, if I was desperate I'd just get a couple of evening shifts in McDonalds and save up for it

It's all about choices and priorities I guess
Sarahx

[Deleted User]

I've not read all this thread but I assume you are doing battle with some debt as you posted here.

I think you need to look at things a different way when someone says they're off to wherever it is for their holiday. Ask yourself if THEY are putting it on the plastic and adding to their own debts? Perhaps they haven't yet woken up to the fact that at some point it all needs paying for.

Holiday opportunities will come round again for you - when you've cleared your debts. Stay focused. Sort your debts first - then treat yourself to that holiday.

dottyanne

Deleted_User - that is a really good point. I could kick myself in the past for going abroad when i really shud have been putting that money towards getting myself straight and paying off my debts instead of adding to them!!

This year im determined to get my finances in order and whilst i dont envisage being debt free this year - i have now worked out my budget and will only book a holiday in the future when i can afford to do so with the money saved from my monthly budget.

Makes me cringe as before my lightbulb moment i didnt give it a second thought and a good point u made is that how many people who brag about going here and there actually PAY for it upfront or just pay later?????????