Are you someone that needs regular foreign travel, and maybe would class yourself as a travel addict?

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Ill_Raccoon6185@reddit

I use to be, it was my job or over 20 years and spare time was spent travelling on shorter destinations, but that stopped a bit over a year ago, when I had a lower leg amputation & for now I am confined to a wheel chair. I have done some local travel (in Philippines where I now live, but it usually when a nephew IL picks me up and takes me & wheelchair. I still plan to do more travel and as I type, a cousin IL's boyfriend is converting my Honda Civic to auto from manual, so I can possibly drive again. Before I do though, I need cataracts removed and IOL's inserted as at 78, I am very poor sighted at present.

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HeathieHeatherson@reddit

No I'm not a big traveller, I think I'm missing the part of my brain that gets dopamine from specifically going abroad? Like I love food and museums and all that good stuff but I enjoy food and museums in the UK just as much as anywhere else, so the extra travel stress isn't worth it. Having said that I have some friends who get antsy if they haven't been abroad in 6 months, so I definitely know some people who absolutely love travelling. Horses for courses and all that.

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FarthestCough@reddit

Same. Went abroad once, that'll do me. I feel a little bad when people are having conversations about their travels & all the experience they get from it etc, but I just don't have the urge.

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ShameMeIfIComment@reddit

Found Karl Pilkington!

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FarthestCough@reddit

Yeah and when I did go abroad no Monster Munch in the shops. What's that about?

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eionmac@reddit

Never willingly travel outside UK. I did travel weekly abroad for many years for work, saw much poverty and violence in third world countries, and much corruption in some 'wealthy developed countries'. Found only a few where I felt 'at home'. Now just stay in UK, and rarely travel even in UK.

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ShameMeIfIComment@reddit

>and much corruption in some 'wealthy developed countries'. That must have been when you got off the plane home, yeah?

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Lenniel@reddit

This sounds awful but yes I need it. My dad worked abroad all my life so I spent years travelling to see him. My parents also had an apartment in Spain so every May half term and Summer holidays (all 6 weeks) we were there. I don't feel "right" unless I've had a dose of baking myself in the sun somewhere. It sounds really spoilt, he bought the apartment when he was working in Spain, and we kept it, it's how I grew up so not going abroad is not my "norm". I also travelled during the pandemic (once we were allowed) I do realise that I am in a very privileged position to be able to do so.

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ShameMeIfIComment@reddit

Not spoiled but definitely privileged but that's not a bad thing and you clearly recognise it as such!

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TarcFalastur@reddit

I like to travel and see new places. I've done several UK holidays and they were nice but it felt like reliving experiences I'd had before. My problem is I don't have anyone to travel with and tend to retreat into my shell a bit when I feel isolated. That means when I do take holidays they tend to be short ones and come back feeling like I didn't really make as much of them as I wanted. So I guess the answer is "sort of"? I know I want to be a travel addict, but I'm just not very good at doing it solo.

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destria@reddit

It's something I enjoy immensely and plan my life around (in terms of making time and saving money). I tend to go abroad at least a couple of times a year, maybe a couple of shorter holidays in Europe and a longer one further afield. I was going to say I'm not an addict because I haven't been abroad this year since I'm pregnant, but actually I went to Hong Kong back in January lol (though that one was piggybacking on my husband's work trip so at least I didn't pay for the hotel).

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Jabby_RazzMaTazz@reddit

Just a once a year guy for myself. Couldn't cope with more than 2 journeys a year with 4 kids. Sit down, buckle up and pray to God one of them doesn't start acting up, or daddys gonna be whupping ass at 30,000ft. But in seriousness its absolute carnage logistically. Used to love it when I was younger and was lucky enough to work all over the world. These days I'd rather spend free time taking the missus and kids away doing stuff.

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Nature2Love@reddit (OP)

Nice. Where was your favourite places abroad to work and visit?

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Jabby_RazzMaTazz@reddit

Has to be Cyprus mate. I'd move there tomorrow if it wouldn't be hard for the kids learning a new language and culture etc. Although I did make some amazing friends in Florence, and city is stunning. Ireland was good fun, just like living up north. Although I was a lot younger and stupid then. Was one of my first close protection roles. Got off the ferry and onto the M3 to Navan, and was amazed the motorway was staggered, from 80,to 100, to 120. So anyway I get to the Security firms office, and they're like jaysus you got here quick...yeah I never knew you had 120mph speed limits...its kph you fucking eejit 🤣 oops.

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mythical_tiramisu@reddit

My brother is currently posted to Cyprus the jammy sod. There until 2027 as well as he got an extension.

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Jabby_RazzMaTazz@reddit

That's awesome mate! Had drinks a few times with the boys out there. Was years ago I lived/work there. 2014. Being the only other white English guy with a short back and sides and fresh face in Larnaca they assumed I was fresh to the battalion. Like nah I'm a civvy these days 🤣

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FulaniLovinCriminal@reddit

I used to have a job that required me to travel to 50 places a year (IT security auditing), so that's 100 flights, give or take. All abroad. Got made redundant from that job, and got a new one where I flew once in a year, and my boss kept asking me if that was OK. Since then, it's one foreign holiday per year, and one in the UK (usually just a long weekend). Travel does broaden the mind, and I like the kids being exposed to something that's not Britain as well.

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imminentmailing463@reddit

I wouldn't say it's an addiction, because I don't *need* to travel. But I do love it. In particular, a long weekend bopping about a European city just wandering around and eating and drinking is one of my favourite things to do.

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Nature2Love@reddit (OP)

Yeah I agree that Europe's ease of access is nice. I want to visit Rome and Istanbul. I know Istanbul is a little longer of a journey, but it's a city I've wanted to visit for a while. Rome too, especially for the history and to say I've been there. Probably need a little longer than a couple days though.

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imminentmailing463@reddit

Yeah Rome does need longer. It's a great city and you want to time to actually take it in beyond the touristy stuff. As a tip, don't go in summer though, it gets unpleasantly hot.

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Nature2Love@reddit (OP)

Would you say a long weekend trip twice a year to Rome would be a good way to do it? I was thinking of visiting Rome for the early may bank holiday, then returning again later in the month for the late bank holiday weekend too. All in all that gives me about 4/5 days there depending.

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mythical_tiramisu@reddit

I went years ago in July, I recall that because it was a Wimbledon final weekend, and it was hot. It was ok, but imagine say May or October would be a bit more pleasant.

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AloysiusRevisited@reddit

I've been twice, perhaps two weeks in total. That wasn't enough. It's a rich and deep city, especially if you want to sit in a square with a cup of coffee and just enjoy being there

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imminentmailing463@reddit

Yeah I guess so, if you spread the touristy stuff out across the both. There is *a lot* of touristy stuff to do.

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xjess_cx@reddit

Same. My husband and I have a foreign break once or twice a year because we enjoy it. But we also do British cities as well. Just wish the weather was nice and it was more affordable!

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imminentmailing463@reddit

I don't mind the weather but yeah the expense of holidaying here does make it unappealing. I always like the idea of a city break here and then work out the costs and realise we could go somewhere in Europe for the same price.

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World_wanderer12@reddit

Addicted would be a strong way of putting it as I well aware of the privilege I have being able to go on multiple holidays a year. Having said that travel is what I prioritise my spend on, I am frugal in other areas of life. For me I find I am unable to disconnect in the UK, to get a break mentally I find I need to be removed from the cultural trappings of the UK, not be able to gain easy access to the new, I tend to turn my roaming off too so I get a proper social media break. I find If I don't get a break away I start to feel really bogged down with general life, the negative news, the personal responsibilities that can be quite draining, work begins to feel like a hamster wheel. A short or longer break in a different culture I find really refreshes my attitude to life in general. Makes me more positive.

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CommissionSevere9000@reddit

Yes. The UK is depressing, I need sun. Getting out every year is what makes living here bearable.

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timeforanoldaccount@reddit

Realistically, yes on both fronts. The UK is just so shit and depressing. I like to get away as often as I can to places with better weather, better food and that are just all-round nicer - or at least more interesting. Therefore I tend to go somewhere in Europe every other weekend, sometimes it's a few weekends in a row depending on how things work out. I also do 3 or 4 long haul trips a year.

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Romfordian@reddit

Within a calendar year, I would have visited.. North America French Polynesia New Zealand Australia Caribbean Norwegian Fjords I guess I'm addicted

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continentaldreams@reddit

I go out of the country around 5 times a year. I'd be miserable if I didn't.

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Temporary-Zebra97@reddit

Love overseas travel and have a long list of places am yet to visit. I have tried holidaying in this country, particularly when I was doing a lot of overseas work travel , that became tedious very quickly, flying to Australia for a 3 hour meeting was a particular low point, but holidays here aren't for me.

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mdmnl@reddit

>Are you someone that needs regular foreign travel, and maybe would class yourself as a travel addict? No. I'm fortunate enough to have travelled a fair bit with work and for leisure when I was younger. I've barely seen the smallest fraction of the world (never even been south of the equator) but between the stress and risk of flying, the cost (fiscal and environmental) I could probably live without doing it again. However I don't want to deny my kids the chance to see more of the world.

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CasuallyNice132@reddit

I wasnt born in the UK but I live here. If I did not travel at least once every 4-6 months I would probably lose it. And it is not the weather. Everything else is the problem, I remember my first few years in the UK and how great everything was and I wonder how can it go so wrong In 15 years. Travel as much as you can, enjoy other cultures and places. Buy cheap flights to anywhere, you dont have to save for that big 15k holiday; buy a ticket to Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, whatever you find. Even a weekend away can give you á lot of perspective on your life.

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Henno212@reddit

Yeah i can switch off when i’m abroad/ plus its normally nice and sunny

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absiii@reddit

I wouldn’t say addict, but I started making it more of a priority in my life to travel more. We’re lucky that where we’re located geographically there’s such ease of access to so many amazing places. I’ve been away 5x in the last five months (spanning from two days to five days), and have another few in the works. I hadn’t been away since 2019 before I started as well. Skyscanner/Google Flights to “anywhere” is my inspiration, and there’s very few places that I rule out altogether from visiting. Find cheap flights and work backwards from there has been my method, and it’s worked really well!

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Varsouviana@reddit

I think I do, during the pandemic I got a sort of cabin fever being stuck here. There's just so much to see and do and eat out in the world. I love being in a new country and walking around and imagining the lives of the people who live there and comparing them to mine, seeing the landscape and the architecture they walk through every day, catching glimpses of their history and their culture and realising how different other people's lives can be...I just feel like I'll never have time to see all I want to see.

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SamVimesBootTheory@reddit

I can't say as I've never been in a position to actually travel my family never went abroad when i was a kid other than we had a week holiday in France and I've never had the finances to go anywhere

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BreastExtensions@reddit

I’ve been travelling every winter now apart from Covid since 2000. I just book a flight somewhere and see where I end up from there. When I worked I used to save my annual holiday and tack it onto Christmas and take a whole month. Now I’m freelance I go for as long as I can afford. I’m not greatly adventurous though and I like to feel safe going out at night. I stick to places which are cheap and hot generally. I’ve been to Sri Lanka three times, India a few times, Mexico, I’ve been to China six times now and SE Asia more times than I can count.

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royalblue1982@reddit

I just did a reasonable complicated European trip (3 different countries and hotels over 7 days). I have to say that I was more happy to come home than I have been in the past. I just felt a bit stressed for large parts of the trip in terms of getting to places on time and having all the documents I needed and not losing stuff.

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Personal-Listen-4941@reddit

I found during Lockdown restrictions I really missed it and as soon as things opened up I was on Rhodes for 2 weeks. There’s something far more mentally freeing about being abroad for a couple weeks, than being at home off, or even on holiday in the UK. I feel far more relaxed and refreshed.

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Delicious-Cut-7911@reddit

I went twice a year abroad for the last 30 years. Due to pandemic this stopped. Then health issues occured and the last time I was abroad was Jan 2020. I miss the endless sunny days and the palm trees/beach. A grey overcast british summer is not fun

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samiito1997@reddit

It’s not an addiction but I do love it Started solo travelling at the beginning of 2023; been to 7 new countries so far, mostly in Eastern Europe Actually looking at moving away from the UK now to be able to easily travel more

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cant-say-anything@reddit

I need sunshine primarily

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Darkheart001@reddit

I had period of my life where I had to travel for about 3 months of the year all over the world. Doesn’t sound that much but it was quite a lot. Initially it was exciting, first times in Australia, New Zealand, all of Europe, then it got boring, finally it was just annoying and felt like I was wasting a lot of time. Travelling for work is very different than for pleasure particularly if you have to do real work (not just meetings) at locations. Maybe one day I will get to travel not for just luxury but these days I avoid it if I can particularly long haul unless it’s really necessary.

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yorkspirate@reddit

Not so much an addict as I’ve not had the means to travel much untill recently but I was in Rotterdam a few weeks ago and I’m going to Ireland next week so I’ve definitely got the itch to explore further afield

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CliffyGiro@reddit

I was a bit of a travel addict. Would be in a different city almost every month. Physically, after some injuries I can’t do all the flying and walking. Now I try and prioritise quality over quantity. I try to make sure I go on the type of holiday that is regenerative.

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OrdoRidiculous@reddit

Not necessarily a travel addict, I think I'm more in the hedonic refugee category. I found home overseas and didn't bite the bullet and move. That's left a bit of a shadow ever since, so I get on a plane whenever I'm able.

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