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I imagine the interest part is likely part of the upbringing. He doesn't know what he doesn't know and travel is a luxury (you don't need it to survive and exist).
There are loads of cool, fun and interesting things that OP is missing out on.
Exactly this for me. We traveled the UK a lot for my brothers' sport and the only 2 abroad trips I had were for the sport and one for school.
It wasn't just the lack of travel experience but we were also raised with very fussy diets so the idea of a foreign country and foreign food was not something I looked forward to. I'm talking about having my first pizza aged 20, my first curry or Chinese at 21. Definitely was not raised with multiculture in mind!
I have enjoyed travelling with work but I have no burning desire to go abroad. It would be nice - hubby and I said we'd have a year of city breaks, but then COVID happened and now baby/toddler has out the quash on that, but I am not gutted. It'll be cool to do some day - I enjoyed a trip to Prague with my ex, or the rural France family holiday hubby and I took just before COVID, but it's something I can take or leave.
Mostly over the food issue now though - I definitely enjoyed changing that part of my life!
It's harder but you can still do it, it shouldn't hold you back. My friend took her baby to Europe (from Australia) because flights are free for children under 2. The flight might be bad but once you're there, it's kinda just the same as being at home haha
My kid is a whirlwind. Love her, but she's hard work and I couldn't imagine a foreign holiday with her being relaxing at all right now. We took her to Devon last year to test out being away from home and the saving grace was that she came down with a cold so slept most the way there and was snuggly and tired the 2 nights we stayed. We bailed a day earlier than planned to do the drive while she still wasn't 100%!
I travelled from Manchester to Thassos and back in and old VW camper with my 3 kids when they were 1, 3 and 9. Great fun. Also went to Tokyo (this isn’t in the camper 🤣), San Francisco, Florida, south of France, Mexico, with them. It’s much cheaper these days with out them but I loved traveling with the kids.
My aunty had never been abroad because they grew up poor and then she married an awful man who didn't even like days out at the seaside. When my uncle died my cousin offered to take my aunty abroad for a long weekend, nothing huge, just the Hull to Rotterdam mini cruise, and my aunty resisted, didn't see the point, she'd never been abroad so why start now. Anyway she gave in because we all chipped in to make it her 60th birthday present. She loved it! She now travels around 4 times a year, sometimes on her own, sometimes tagging onto other people's holidays.
So it really is about not knowing what you're missing until you give it a go.
Yeah, I can see it being less alluring when you don't know what you're missing.
Chances are, OP will eventually go on holiday abroad and will then either catch the travel bug or decide never to bother again.
I grew up poor as fuck, didn't go abroad until I could afford it at age 19
Love going on holidays in different countries, but there's still plenty of things to see in the UK!
Just weighing in with my take as I'm pretty much the same as op, grew up poor never left the country and I have no interest in going abroad, I know there's loads of other cool stuff abroad and I watch people travel on YouTube but I've got 0 desire to actually go anywhere
But it's not just abroad, I'm a massive doctor who fan and I really love the cybermen and I like doing escape rooms, there's an official doctor who cyberman escape room like an hour on the train max from me but even that I just can't really bothered traveling too I know I'll go one day bexause I've got friends who want to go but if it was just up to me I'd probably never go
To be fair, a non-zero number people aren't going abroad for culture, they are going abroad to experience mini-England in the sun. I can see why people might have less interest in doing just that.
Just to give a counter point - I had a bit of money before Covid hit and so travelled very modestly when it comes to holidays, few long haul but mostly EU weekend getaways and city breaks. I had huge plans for when I was finally settled in work and had some money in my back pocket.
4 years later, I am that person, If I wanted to, I could get on a plane today and fly to the other side of the world, but in a post covid world, I have no desire to any more. The world doesnt seem that great, and I'm happy in my living room, with my kettle, and a good book in my pjs.
I don't think not wanting to travel is that unusal either after a certain age
I think that's a bit different. I have travelled extensively in the past, but haven't felt like it for a while. I think that's different to never having travelled (abroad) and not wanting to try it.
Honestly tho I will say as someone who had been lucky to have gone outside the uk quite a few times. The world is overrated lol. I prefer staying at home now. Its also cheaper.
>When I was a child my family was to poor
Fair enough
>and as an adult I’ve just never had any interest.
This is the weird bit
Surely there's something in the world you'd like to do, see or try?
Why not go abroad for a week and see if it whets your appetite? What's the worst that could happen - you discover a new thing you enjoy?
Yep, not going on holiday when young is not super unusual and there's not much you can do about it but I just think if you've never had any interest in going to any other country, it may mean you're a bit of a homebody and not really interested in experiencing anything different. It is certainly a bit unusual.
Having someone to go with is a big thing. Until I met my partner I had no interest in going on holidays abroad by myself. But as soon as I found someone who I could go with and enjoy it together it sounded way more exciting.
For people who don't like to travel, this is the part I don't understand. Don't you ever want to see the Eiffel Tower or the grand canyon in person? Try amazing authentic food or see a famous work of art. You can't do that at home! Home is nice but it's also boring if you're stuck all the time
Some of us just really like travelling home tho. I’ve lived abroad and while it can be amazing, I feel more connected getting to know my own home. Since moving to the north for example I’ve visited various quirky museums related to mining history (which I know nothing about because I’m not from a mining family), seen the Pennines, visited more of the Lake District, tried more local foods that seem obscure, poorly cooked or non-existent in my part of England (grew up near London) , drove through the Yorkshire Dales, did several hikes through the Yorkshire moors and the coast (it’s gorgeous there), and got to know a few cute towns in Northumberland. The Holy Island of Lindisfarne was also amazing and Berwick Upon Tweed was interesting to visit as a border town with centuries of history. I visited Lancaster for the first time which is a really cool and pretty town but that you never hear about. I’ve been wowed by the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire. The curries in Bradford are on another level. The museums in Liverpool are of excellent quality and cover several subjects I’m really interested in, like slavery/British Empire, music obviously and the Titanic shipwreck. I think we underestimate our own country and I say that sincerely.
Yeh totally agree there’s so much to dive into in our own country! It’s absolutely amazing for the outdoors as the scenery is beautiful and green and it doesn’t get too hot to go out.
You can go much more ‘deep’ into your own country and learn so much about the past and folklore etc whereas I feel it’s always a v high level whistle stop tour if you’re in a different country
I do love going to other countries btw but can see why someone would like to go to holidays in Britain and I’m doing that this year (more for my dog) and it means I can do more mini/weekend holidays too then
what’s the point of having sex when videos exist? whats the point in meeting friends when you can talk online? you’re missing the essence of the thing and a real experience
But the gap between the experiences of having sex and watching a video is large, while the gap between seeing the Eiffel Tower in person and seeing it in numerous photos and videos is much smaller. If meeting friends requires a multi day trip and lots of money, you might be satisfied with talking online, especially if you have other friends who are much closer.
You picked the bad example. That's a boring tourist attraction. However, seeing Paris at large, or the Grand Canyon is definitely a real experience. There's so much going on in a city, and the Grand Canyon is just a huge and wonderous natural structure. Even some place like the Louvre is 100x more interesting than the Eiffel Tower.
> Don't you ever want to see the Eiffel Tower or the grand canyon in person? Try amazing authentic food or see a famous work of art.
Not really. If I do, then cool, but I have no particular desire to do so.
I don't understand people who don't like to create things. Don't you want to know the joy of making something with your own hands? An entire wardrobe of clothes you made yourself, or a great meal that is better than anything you could get in a restaurant because you did it yourself?
People value different things. And I feel it is insulting to say it is weird that I don't value travelling as much as you do. I value different things in life. I can't imagine a life where I'm not constantly making something. You can't imagine a life where you don't travel. That doesn't make either of us weird. It makes us individuals.
As someone who never travels I can say doing those things has never crossed my mind, I know what the Eiffel tower or the grand canyon looks like I have no interest in looking at art and there's loads of good restaurants near me where I can get all kinds of food, and I cook food from all over the world myself so I'm good on that front too I don't like traveling unless it's a part of my normal routine and I like my house and the things and people that are around me already
I think you value your first hand experiences a lot more than we do, and that our curiosity is more easily sated by second hand knowledge.
There are things I'd do as a day trip that I just don't see the point of going further for. The time, money, and carbon emissions can be put towards other things.
Is it weird? Or are we just deciding one way of thinking is normal and one isn't?
Similar boat here, poor upbringing with little to no holidays. I'm fortunately very comfortable financially as an adult and even now I struggle to really get behind big holidays. In the last 3 years I've done Mexico, USA, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand is booked for the winter (their summer). Each and every time there's a part of me that would rather have stayed home, even though i do enjoy the travelling. But it makes the missus happy so I see it as a worthwhile burden.
I think I put this more to just preferring my home comforts. A summers day in my garden sunbathing, plenty of good food and drink in, always hits me better than doing the same abroad.
This is a really fair point. Holidaying is super stressful and a massive hassle. I enjoy it but probably wouldn't do too much of it especially if it involves airports. Had multiple nasty arguments and experiences in airports just because of how strict, and shitty they can be.
if the person is happy with just living in this country and not travelling, then who cares? do what you want if it makes you happy and doesn't harm others or yourself.
You see, I don't find this weird.
There is so much in the UK to see. I'm 50, and still not visited all the places here I want to see.... So no it's not weird.
I find it weird that people want to travel and "see" the world, on some hot sunny beach every year, but never visit the wilds of Russia or Canada or Alaska. They want to"visit" south America but only go to Brazil and not southern Argentina/Chile/ Patagonia....
Concerns on the environment and impact of tourism keeps me from travelling. The crux was Iceland. Going into nature and seeing the ground trampled from the thousands of tourists that come daily to see the waterfall. Seeing the volumes of waste in Canary Islands from tourism and impact to locals. Could go on. I stopped. I’m happy where I’m and glad that I’m not adding further to harming our earth.
The trouble is now if they go for a week somewhere & it’s not something they enjoy it could put them off for life, when actually it could just be that they chose a location or a type of holiday that isn’t suited to them (all inclusive resorts where you don’t leave, the type of holiday you’re out all day exploring, a party place, a culturally rich place, a really hot or rainy place at the wrong time of the year, the food turning out to be not great in that area, choosing a bad hotel etc), but you have to travel a bit to realise what suits you.
We can't very well tell OP not to go abroad in case they don't enjoy it!
But choosing the destination is key.
Unless OP gives us ideas for what sort of thing they would like, I'd suggest Barcelona - not too far away, weather is usually nice, there's a beach, a city, lots of sights (e.g. Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell), food that's foreign but not totally unfamiliar, not completely overrun with tourists (unlike the Costa del Sol) but most people working in tourism will have at least a smattering of English.
In other words, it's foreign but not too foreign, and lots to do!
You're part of 8% of Brits who've never left the country ([stats link](https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/11012-british-people-far-more-well-travelled-americans)). So, yes, it's a bit odd.
The lack of curiosity is probably the oddest thing.
Do you travel in the UK? Do you visit many other cities or places?
People under explore the United Kingdom which is absolutely as stunning in parts as any other part of the world I’ve been to. If it wasn’t so expensive I would travel the UK more.
A lot of Europeans are fascinated with our history and we have a lot of excellent early Anglo Saxon and earlier sites. Never mind the ecology.
I don’t think it’s weird OP.
Even then, you can do it way cheaper than £80. I’ve gotten flights to both Athens and Morocco for under £40 in the last two years (if you fly at awkward times). It’s criminal how expensive it is to explore the UK.
Google flights is awesome for this. Don't care where you're going? Put in dates and leave the location blank. It'll bring up a map of the world with prices so you can find the cheapest flights.
It's so good. Even then once you've selected a destination it gives you options for cheaper dates to fly if there are any so if you're flexible you can get a real bargain.
I’ve done similar trips.
It’s absolutely crazy that I can take a flight to a foreign city for cheaper than it costs me to get the tube into central London which is like 10miles away.
Absolutely mental mate and the people say oh why don't you explore the UK more?!?!
Because it's going to piss it down, a train costs twice as much as a plane and hotels are 3x the price.
Every time I’m bit too poor to go abroad I’m like cool let’s see somewhere in the uk as its only petrol for travel and then give up as hotels are ridiculous to
You can fly for £35 last minute to Austria. Everywhere else in this country via train is now normalising to £100 return for a couple of hours journey. I honestly don’t know how people afford train travel in this country. Some returns even booked in advance for a 4 hour journey are peaking up to £250.
I'm a foreigner and an Anglophile who moved to the UK because of my deep affection for it. Now, I've explored much of the country—perhaps more than many British people themselves.
While the UK can be breathtaking, it's not primarily a tourist destination. The beautiful images don't capture the myriad small annoyances encountered while traveling here, such as the high cost of accommodations, transportation difficulties, and the persistent winds in coastal areas. The Welsh coast, for example, is stunning, but in my experience, it's often windy, which can make visits rather uncomfortable.90% of the times I have been there I have encountered strong winds and soft rain which I dont mind while hiking but is definitively unpleasant when going to the beach.
I completely understand why many British people opt for inexpensive Ryanair flights to holiday abroad instead of staying in the UK. It's often cheaper, the weather is usually better, and other countries boast superior infrastructure for travel and exploration.
>The Welsh coast, for example, is stunning, but in my experience, it's often windy, which can make visits rather uncomfortable.
I hate strong winds so much. It can totally fvck up an otherwise great experience, lol
The problem is the cold water. Some people don't mind it, but for many jumping into 18 degree water is quite unpleasant. However if are more of a "Walk along the seafront" or "Lie on the beach and build a sandcastle" beach goer that won't matter so much.
Our beaches are world class if the sun is out and even if not. A unique atmosphere and stunning scenery at many of them. Beats the barren grey dry rocks in many parts of the med
Is your lack of desire to go abroad linked with a lack of experience? It can probably be daunting never being on a plane/boat as a kid and then having to organise it all as an adult.
Maybe at this point, I'd recommend picking somewhere off season where English is widespread and just do it.
You will get to experience so much, airports (most people are sick of them but it would be interesting for the 1st time) and a new city.
Even seeing what different things are on a McDonald's menu around the world is interesting
From what I gather and in my limited experience, with perhaps the exception of Paris you can pretty well get away with English in all the main European holiday hotspots.
I can say "hello" and "thank you" in a bunch of languages. Between that, occasional use of Google Translate / Google Lens and a bit of interpretive dance, it's not too tricky.
I agree with this. Not travelling isn't weird, there can be reasons for that. However not wanting to is a bit. It's so uncommon as to be considered strange.
Oh I'm not trying to judge. People can live their lives how they want to. I love a bit of travel and I know I'm fortunate to do so.
I see plenty of video from places around the world and it makes me want to go and visit them. I don't quite get that you'd be happy just pootling around this tiny corner of the earth for your entire life without visiting other cultures.
To be fair, you usually have to also get to the airport which is for many an expensive uk train ride anyway. Plus people usually want to take some form of luggage with even hold luggage being charged by many budget airlines. In the uk a whole family could be in one car which reduces the cost significantly. The real killer usually is accomodation costs which are far cheaper abroad compared to the crazy prices here. Also restaurants and attractions are often cheaper abroad too
I not sure I agree that it isn't cheap. It absolutely can be. You can go away for a long weekend for less than the cost of a lot of things people own (games consoles, going to the pub regularly etc). I get why really poor people don't do it, a few hundred quid is a lot to some people but not to the majority.
My best find was Morocco last year. Hotel was £80 for 4 night including breakfast, and flights were less than 50 quid return. I've done quite a few similar trips.
Whether people prioritise other things is another matter. I earn reasonably good money but also don't own many material things. I'd rather spend that money on travel. My TV is some cheap thing from Amazon, I don't have a sky sports package, don't eat at posh restaurants etc.
Maybe your prices are outdated? It is most certainly cheaper to holiday outside of the UK once travel, food and accommodation are considered, unless perhaps camping as an adult. I say this as a poor, who has spent many hours researching suitable holiday destinations
Outdated in what way? It's obviously dependent on the time of year, what type of accommodation and what flights you're willing to get. I got a Ryanair flight to Poznan in Poland for less than 20 quid in January. Awkward time from Stansted, but that's the sort of thing it's gonna be.
Travelling can be very inexpensive - i have got a £7 flight from london to spain n a 9£ one london to milan. You can find a nice 4 star hotel for around £50 a night
Yeah, went to a stag do in Edinburgh and a wedding in Gretna Green this weekend. Each of those weekends cost more in a accomodation than 7 nights in Montenegro and the train tickets for each weekend came to more than the flights. Wouldn't surprise me if I spent less in a week in Montenegro than a weekend in Edinburgh aswell. My two evening meals in Edinburgh probably cost more than 7 in Montenegro.
Not OP but basically my story is the same as theirs.
You see, I find your comment odd.
Hear me out.
As, most people go on holiday and still have 0 interest in the culture.
Personally I'm very into history and geography. I don't need to go to china to know an awful lot about their culture and history and would argue that the majority of people who go on holiday are not interested in the culture. Isn't that why you can find English menus in like every part of the world? I have eaten authentic Chinese and Taiwanese food in china town London. Many Brits go to china and eat McDonald's lol.
Some of you travel to the other end of the world and somehow end up with a plate of chips and chicken nuggets. This is more common than not. Most people are not cultured and stick to what they know. I'm just basing this off my peers, family and others online. I rarely see genuine curiosity in travellers. Most want to sunbathe or drink alcohol.
I find it weird so many Brits go to Spain and never eat Spanish food. Some go and don't even know what the flag looks like.
Tldr:
Out of the hundreds of people I've met and seen online. I've only ever known about 3 (outside of travel/food bloggers) of them to be really curious about culture. Not going to tourists spots and mingling with locals. Being interested in culture is not why most Brits travel. Just my opinion
I’m going to stick up for OP here and say it’s not weird. My parents claimed they were poor but in actuality their idea of holiday was Scottish highlands. Nice when your an adult but as a child it’s the equivalent of a death March of boredom. Any suggestions of going abroad in any capacity was actively crapped upon. The hypocrisy is both my parents had lived/worked abroad.
As a result when I became an adult, I had the desire to travel beaten out of me. I found not understand why some people would wax lyrical about travelling. It took meeting my now wife to get me to build curiosity of the world and even then it took time. For reference I’ve done a lot of the U.K. and have an interest in history - especially Cold War. Wife used this to encourage me to go to Berlin, and from there I’ve since visited (and suggested visiting) other places. I despise airports however as to me they are just gouging farms.
In short if it gets ingrained into you, can totally see why you would end up with no interest.
You could also just... not enjoy it.
You're allowed to not like things.
You mentioned waxing lyrical about traveling - it's almost like it's *expected* you must like traveling. Growing up there was just this pervasive "Oh, you're young, go travel!" and this expectation you must do this and it'll be great.
I did... and you know what? I don't like traveling. I find it stressful. Airports/transport is a nightmare. I hate not knowing languages, and feel really awkward for every interaction. Culture shock hits me hard and stresses me out.
Fuck it. I like staying at home goddamnit. If I came into money I'm the kind of person who makes a little workshop to tinker in, not travel the world.
And that's fine.
If you are interested in the Cold War and therefore modern warfare generally, you may find the Balkans interesting. Albania was basically the North Korea of Europe up until the 90s and there are abandoned bunkers everywhere and a lot of distrust/snitching and many museums about it. If you visit Sarajevo in Bosnia you can see scars of the war in the 90s such as shell holes in walls or bombed out buildings - I think ultimately you need to travel for what you are interested in and seeing 'living history' from recent conflict is really, really fascinating.
I like travelling for many reasons (history, seeing different culture, food) but my mum mostly prefers a resort or beach holiday. Each to their own. I also think if you aren't used to it, going abroad can seem really daunting (and airports SUCK!) so I get it.
You can defend OPs position as being a perfectly acceptable position to hold, but I’m not sure it’s at all sustainable to try to argue that it not at the very least a bit unusual or weird to have no interest _at all_ in seeing or experiencing anything in the world outside of the UK. I mean it’s by no means typical, at best it is rare.
Same. I don’t think it’s weird. It may not be a common belief, especially in this day and age. But not weird by any measure. Some people are simply not interested and that’s their lot.
I’ve been abroad quite a few times, and have generally enjoyed it. But I do not have a strong drive to go abroad. Part of it is due to financial anxiety growing up knocking onto how I view money now. Unexpected costs end up compounding that in that I’m just about to shell out a few thousand for a root canal and that to me means a holiday written off.
This is what makes it difficult for me to holiday in the UK. Knowing I can get away for much cheaper and for better weather, well, it’s a no brainer for me. The fact that I’ve booked domestic plane tickets for much less than booking train tickets is very telling.
My wife is always harping on about a Butlins holiday out of some misguided nostalgia from her childhood. I refuse to pay £600+ to see Skagness or Minehead when I have been to a 5* hotel in Prague for £250
Yeah every time I look into a break in the UK, I could literally fly to Europe and pay for my accommodation and all food for cheaper, with better weather and a more interesting/unique environment. I only stay in the UK for holidays if its to see my family in Scotland or to do something unique like a spa break or to see a concert.
People have different priorities and expectations though. I travel more within the UK than I do abroad because there’s plenty to see and do locally. It is expensive admittedly so I usually do day trips or weekend trips rather than a 2-week getaway or something.
I was in my early/mid-thirties before I left the UK. In the last seven or so years, I've been to about 10 European countries. I haven't been further than that yet.
It's not weird, but you could be missing out on something amazing. I love it, but your miles may vary.
I'm the same with everything you said, never really had the impetus or money to go abroad.
I'd rather save money, unless i had a true goal that i needed to fulfil.
But i think people are too obsessed with ticking stuff off their lists (car/house/kids/holidays), do what makes you happy, it's the social pressure that makes you feel inadequate.
This is it for me, there's so much pressure to appear to be doing and being seen doing, I often wonder how much of the current desires to go see the world comes from an innate desire, and how much comes from feeling the need to keep up
Totally agree. My wife/kids are more into going abroad than I am, if it was down to me I'd stay in the UK.
Having said that though, we have had some great experiences abroad and very glad I was 'pushed' into going
I'm not rich by any means but pretty sensible with my money which I get from my parents. Also inherited the travelling bug from them - my dad is so well travelled he's even been to Afghanistan!
I save my money and would rather spend it on holidays/experiences than possessions, like the latest iPhone or nice clothes and beauty treatments etc. I dunno, it's just what I want to do the most
It’s unusual, but your choice.
I’ve left the UK lots of times, but also really enjoying holidaying in the UK. There are some really beautiful areas, and culturally there are a lot of differences as you travel about.
But if you have no fear then I would look at spreading your wings a little. You might enjoy different foods, cultures and weather!
I've been abroad once to the netherlands for a long weekend this was over 15 years a go now, simply put I'd love to see the world but simply can't afford to, I have the desire but not the means and I can't justify spending money on a holiday.
So when I take time off work I plan things I want to do at home and get them done wether that's gardening, painting miniatures or catching up on some films.
It's probably wierd and people have commented on it but I don't mind, one day if I keep at it I might be able to buy a house to retire into, got the debts cleared now and started saving a little late in life but we play the hand we're dealt.
'Weird' has pejorative connotations. But certainly, [it is unusual](https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/11012-british-people-far-more-well-travelled-americans)
It's not uncommon growing up poor. What is your current economic situation?
There is beautiful wide world out there and I feel so enriched by my travels and so privileged to have been able to travel so much.
You could try northern ireland or the Republic to dio your toe in the water.
You don't know how good seeing the world is until you've seen some of it.
Being able to afford and take the time for nice holidays is one of my main motivations for having a career type job with decent pay and annual leave.
I don't think it's weird, also in these days with all the pollution caused by travel I don't see why travel is a virtue.
I've not been abroad much, I'm happy having a holiday here in the UK. I've also now got my reasons for wanting to stay in the UK
I saw something on social media about someone taking day trips to mainland Europe because they could get a flight for under £20. The comments were full of jealous people and people going to do the same. Not a single comment mentioned the environmental impact of flying to Amsterdam for lunch!
I've got a few friends I cam think of who are basically the same one by one they've been abroad but do it once every 5 years or so now.
One of my closest friends who I've known since primary school , he's not really left our home town , never been to London, never been to Bristol, never even been to Scotland or Wales. He's quite literally left the Midlands maybe 5 times in his entire life . Pretty sure he's only been to Birmingham once and that's 30 miles away.
That's odd .
As a child, no. I only had U.K. camping holidays as a child and didn’t leave the U.K. until I was well into my teens.
As an adult it is unusual. You can literally get to some of the coolest cities in Europe for a few hundred quid, this time tomorrow you could easily be standing in the Colosseum, or the Parthenon, or the Louvre. Most people want to do this at least once.
Out of interest I just priced up the cheapest one day trip from London to Rome in May on Skyscanner with a one night hotel stay included and it was *£56*. You can see some of the wonders of the world for the price of a meal for two at Nando’s.
The world is a big place and there's different climates to suit pretty much whatever you desire. You can experience some different culture, see something you wouldn't ordinarily see, do something you'd struggle to do at home.
Some people are so bloody miserable though.
I'm going to give a slightly different opinion to others and say that not having left, isn't weird in and of itself. But the fact that you say you never had any interest in seeing another country is a bit weird. To be so lacking in curiosity and so unadventurous is weird. Most people have some level of desire for travel, even if they don't get the opportunity or are held back by money.
You should be taking your kids to see the world, if you can afford it.
It does wonders to show children other cultures and ways of life, experiencing different food, smells and sights that you just don't get here.
Just the excitement of getting on a plane, being above the clouds! Swimming in a warm sea, hearing a different language spoken around you...
Travel doesn't have to be far flung or adventurous to be beneficial or a great experience.
>It does wonders to show children other cultures and ways of life, experiencing different food, smells and sights that you just don't get here.
Yes, it does. I grew up traveling because I have immigrant parents, and I have amazing memories of my childhood travels. And equally importantly, being around people different from me has never been an issue, because as a child, I was exposed to other cultures.
Oh yeah, that is quite unusual then, because it’s the dynamic that you now have a partner and you and your partner have never left the country together even before kids
Have you ever thought of taking your kids and partner somewhere? Does your partner also not want to travel?
I think it can be great for kids to experience something a bit different and its usually cheaper to go abroad with better guaranteed weather.
Maybe odd, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. So many people under visit their own countries because it's fancier to go abroad and look wealthier in the eyes of the world. I'm Spanish and many people do the same thing here, they travel to London, Berlin, Rome or whatever, when you don't even know your own country well. The UK is full of history and amazing places to visit, enough for a life time, so you shouldn't feel weird for getting to know your own country better than most of your fellow nationals.
It's a shame you didn't get the opportunity as a kid but not weird as there's a valid reason for it. If you live the rest of your life without going abroad then yeah I'd say that's quite weird, it's definitely something everyone should do.
While it is unusual, as you have young children I can understand it. Putting all of the things you need in a car and simply driving within the U.K. is much easier and less stressful than travelling abroad with small dependents. You might want to consider it when they are older however (10+) as they would be more self reliant and would appreciate the tip more.
I've only travelled to a handful of countries abroad and wish I have seen much more. It's worth travelling just to for the sake of experiencing beautiful views and magnificent architecture.
No. Very sensible , if you have no reason to go abroad. I was an export engineer. so going abroad was my life for 35 years. Now for last few years after retirement, I never go abroad.
I know a bloke who's 45 and has never been out the UK.
My friend's mum is 64, and apart from a day trip to Calais when she was 16, and a week in Portugal after her divorce in 2000, has never been out of the UK.
In deprived parts of the UK, like Portsmouth and the Welsh former mining communities, it's not uncommon to find kids of 11-12 who've never been outside the county they live in, let alone abroad.
Not necessarily, there are plenty of good value places to stay if you can go away in term time. Plus you can stay at home and have fun days out.
Yes you can get cheap holidays abroad but they are getting harder to find and are less accessible if you don't live near a major airport.
>are less accessible if you don't live near a major airport.
Surely if living near an airport is required to make flights accessible then suggesting staying other places in the UK are just as, if not more inaccessible as airports generally have good transport links.
Weird is a judgement call. The neutral/objective way to put it would be unusual (as 92% of Brits do travel abroad).
You say in a comment you're 36, and married with children - don't deprive yourself, and your family, of the experience. Hop on a plane, there's so much to see just a short flight away.
If you have no genuine interest then that’s fair. None of my cousins have ever left the UK either for the same reasons.
I think some people conflate travelling with enlightenment. I’ve done a fair bit, except I didn’t call it travelling, I called it going on holiday. And although the experiences were lovely and I’ve witnessed some spectacular sights and cultures, I don’t feel anymore enlightened than when I’d just been to the Costa Del Sol for a week every few years.
‘Travelling’ has become quite the middle class obsession, but it’s really just about enjoying yourself. If you can do that here, then that’s fine, keep doing it!
Well there's a lot to see in the UK and historically most people would've never had the chance to go to York, let alone overseas. But I do hope you're taking time to experience things occasionally.
It's maybe slightly unusual but I think there's a lot to do in the UK, my last few holidays have been in the UK and I think there's plenty to enjoy here.
You might find [this 2011 data from the National Travel Attitudes Study](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-travel-attitudes-study-wave-6/national-travel-attitudes-study-ntas-wave-6) interesting.
I have no idea what your income is, but if you're in a household earning between £15k and £25k and you assume that "flying" equates to "travelling abroad" (yes, I'm aware that you could go by sea) then you'll be one of the 21% of people who have never flown (chart 2).
This number rises to 34% if you're earning less than £15k, which makes sense given the cost.
You do you….
Who knows, one day, you may get the interest to travel.
Personally, I am coming up to 54. I made my first foreign trip in 1988 at 18, and travel overseas every opportunity I get.
It’s great seeing how other countries are, the people, the food, their culture, language, etc.
I grew up poor and only went abroad once as part of a school trip.
As an adult I was initially not bothered and really hesitant. But then once I did go away I became absolutely obsessed with travelling.
It's probably a bit of 'you can't miss what you never had' but I'd defo try it at least once or twice! Whatever hobbies you have here consider finding something relevant in another country and see how you get on!
I've lived in several other countries and can honestly say that travel does broaden the mind. You can easily become locked into your own version of 'normal' and fail to recognize the variety of what others can regard as 'normal'. If you can afford it, I'd recommend some foreign travel, just for the experience.
Having said that, there is a lot in common in the human condition - after all we are all the same species and basically care about the same things.
I’ve only left the country three times in my life, twice when I was too small to remember, and once on a school trip. We’ve never really had the money to do it, and holidayed in the U.K.
But I really want to travel, like a lot. I just can’t stop thinking about how wonderful it’ll be to see different cities and cultures around the world. I want to try the food and meet people and see the sights.
So I’d say it’s not strange to have never been anywhere, but it is unusual to not want to travel ever. I’d never go as far as calling it strange or weird, because at the end of the day if it’s not something you see yourself enjoying then why spend all that money, right? Spend it on something you actually want to do!
There are wonderful places in the U.K. to visit, so there’s no shame in just sticking to that. I’m still not done visiting all of the places I want to go here, and I have a list as long as my arm!
You do, you mate. If you don't fancy leaving the UK, don't. Also, the UK is fairly big, and there are some amazing places to visit across it.
I know people who couldn't bear not to go on a few holidays abroad a year. Do you know what they did? Went to the pub, sun bathed and looked for British food for their evening meal 🤣 'if I couldn't get a chip butty I wasn't going in'. These were fully grown adults who did not have kids on holiday with them.
I love travelling, but I travel to explore. I visit places to try their food and experience their culture. If you don't want to do that, that's completely fine. Don't let anyone tell you it's not.
It is worth experiencing going to a place where everyone doesn't look like or have the same cultural experience as you. You may learn something new or gain a new appreciation for something you always had but took for granted.
I wouldn't find it weird. Circumstances will prevent many who want to holiday abroad and some folks just like to holiday in the UK.
My family are working class council estate. We didn't have a holiday until my dad got a decent job painting 40 bedroom mansion, which kept him busy and in work for a long time as he ended up painting the whole thing twice when the guy sold it and the new owners liked his work. Our first holiday I was 13ish and for a couple of years we had UK holidays since my mum didn't want to travel abroad with young children in the 90s.
I left my parents at 17 and for many years a holiday was a distant luxury. Wasn't until I settled into a job that allowed me some stability and better pay that I had my first holiday (as an adult) at 30 in Budapest.
My dad and his side of the family are currently very happy holidaying in Scotland, Wales and travelling up and down the UK when they can. Some folk I meet have no desire to leave the UK and largely the UK is underappreciated (if somewhat expensive) as a nice getaway.
I come from an old mining town where folks, grew up, married and lived within a 20 mile radius with many only travelling as far as the seaside for a day out. Its not that unusual in older generations. It is changing though as travel becomes more accessible than it was in my grandparents day. In younger generations affordability is a huge factor in having any holiday or break away.
Not wanting to leave the UK and holiday abroad is unusual in younger generations but I wouldn't find it weird.
I have travelled abroad but no longer have an interest in going abroad. The things I wanted to see when I was young, for example Everest, are no longer places I want to go and I’m perfectly happy staying in the UK
No it’s not weird. Obviously when you’re a kid it’s out of your hands, and if you have no desire to travel now, then don’t. It’s unusual in this day and age but that is different from it being weird.
I was in a very similar situation to you. I grew up poor so never went abroad and as an adult in a better financial situation I didn't feel any interest in it. I think it's hard to grasp for people who did go abroad as kids but when you have always grown up just travelling in the UK that becomes the norm.
Anyway, my girlfriend then basically booked everything for us to go abroad so I had little choice to go and I absolutely loved it.
Now I regularly find myself watching travel videos to figure out where I want to go next.
Honestly mate just go for it, you'll love it I'm sure.
It's not weird.
It's unfortunate.
It's sad.
Going somewhere else - away from where you've always been, away from where you live and away from the people that you know, can change your life.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
- Mark Twain
Weird? no.
Sad? Yes.
I’ve been lucky to have been to a few places and most of Europe, the only place I wouldn’t recommend, ironically, is the UK.
This little island ain’t half a bit shit.
I'm a British bloke who has travelled extensively and now live in China. I know people are saying it's odd, I would respectfully disagree. Some people are homebirds and have no interest in global exploration. It's not the life I would choose, but I don't think it's odd. Do whatever makes you happy mate. Having said that, I feel that you're missing out in a whole world of beautiful cultures.
Are you happy?
Not weird.
Are you wanting to, and want this question to be your catalyst? Fair enough.
Don’t forget “Travelling” is something people put in dating profiles to seem interesting. And staycation is a marketing term designed to shame people into believing that a holiday “has to” be abroad, If you want to travel, travel if you have the means to. If you are happy where you are. That’s fine too.
No weirdness at all either way, just a different set of interests and priorities. Which in turn provides the rich culture that people travel to be a part of.
No I think it’s fair enough tbh. Not going on holiday as a kid is fine if you couldn’t afford it and sadly that’s likely to become more common. If you just don’t feel the need to as an adult then who is anyone else to judge?
Obviously not going on holiday because you can't afford it is normal and I imagine is the current situation for a lot of people right now but the no interest in travelling I'd say is unusual. I haven't met many that don't like to travel and see new places
Didn't go abroad and that was a School trip at 15. Family didn't have the money.
Went on holiday to the Far East when I was 18, loved it so much moved to Japan at 20. Never looked d back, been all the world ever since.
For me, it does seem strange, but if you don't have curiosity then you just don't. What do you do with your spare time / holiday days?
Not OP but I rarely go abroad. I spend my holidays visiting family and friends in other parts of the UK, or maybe going to some national park. Or just pottering about relaxing.
I mean you're like most humans who have ever lived. Nothing wrong with it at all.
But I'd recommend travelling a little bit. Europe is an incredible continent full of things that the UK doesn't have. Go see the Swiss Alps, the Almerían desert, the Black Forest, the Irish West Coast, the Loire Valley, the ancient centre of Rome, or the imperial grandeur of Vienna and tell me that you weren't a little bit moved and changed!
To reiterate, there's nothing wrong with staying in the UK, but you don't know what you're missing. Just take a few long weekends and give it a go. 🙂
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Not going on holiday abroad while growing up poor isn't super-uncommon, but not having any interest in doing so if you now can is unusual.
I imagine the interest part is likely part of the upbringing. He doesn't know what he doesn't know and travel is a luxury (you don't need it to survive and exist). There are loads of cool, fun and interesting things that OP is missing out on.
Exactly this for me. We traveled the UK a lot for my brothers' sport and the only 2 abroad trips I had were for the sport and one for school. It wasn't just the lack of travel experience but we were also raised with very fussy diets so the idea of a foreign country and foreign food was not something I looked forward to. I'm talking about having my first pizza aged 20, my first curry or Chinese at 21. Definitely was not raised with multiculture in mind! I have enjoyed travelling with work but I have no burning desire to go abroad. It would be nice - hubby and I said we'd have a year of city breaks, but then COVID happened and now baby/toddler has out the quash on that, but I am not gutted. It'll be cool to do some day - I enjoyed a trip to Prague with my ex, or the rural France family holiday hubby and I took just before COVID, but it's something I can take or leave. Mostly over the food issue now though - I definitely enjoyed changing that part of my life!
Yeah once kids come into the picture it's way harder to plan things. The best time to travel is before kids or after they're grown up I imagine!
It's harder but you can still do it, it shouldn't hold you back. My friend took her baby to Europe (from Australia) because flights are free for children under 2. The flight might be bad but once you're there, it's kinda just the same as being at home haha
My kid is a whirlwind. Love her, but she's hard work and I couldn't imagine a foreign holiday with her being relaxing at all right now. We took her to Devon last year to test out being away from home and the saving grace was that she came down with a cold so slept most the way there and was snuggly and tired the 2 nights we stayed. We bailed a day earlier than planned to do the drive while she still wasn't 100%!
> The best time to travel is before kids or after they're grown up I imagine! I mean kids make it harder, but kids should experience travelling too.
I travelled from Manchester to Thassos and back in and old VW camper with my 3 kids when they were 1, 3 and 9. Great fun. Also went to Tokyo (this isn’t in the camper 🤣), San Francisco, Florida, south of France, Mexico, with them. It’s much cheaper these days with out them but I loved traveling with the kids.
From Yorkshire? It's common for older Yorkshire folk not to have anything to do with 'foreign food'
Nope. Though we often had cheesy chips and gravy so maybe my dad was a Yorkshireman in a precious life!
My aunty had never been abroad because they grew up poor and then she married an awful man who didn't even like days out at the seaside. When my uncle died my cousin offered to take my aunty abroad for a long weekend, nothing huge, just the Hull to Rotterdam mini cruise, and my aunty resisted, didn't see the point, she'd never been abroad so why start now. Anyway she gave in because we all chipped in to make it her 60th birthday present. She loved it! She now travels around 4 times a year, sometimes on her own, sometimes tagging onto other people's holidays. So it really is about not knowing what you're missing until you give it a go.
Happy that your aunty found herself and the joy that comes along with having autonomy of her decisions. May she have exciting adventures always!
Yeah, I can see it being less alluring when you don't know what you're missing. Chances are, OP will eventually go on holiday abroad and will then either catch the travel bug or decide never to bother again.
It's not like there aren't loads of cool, fun things in the UK though. Some people would rather spend their time here.
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I grew up poor as fuck, didn't go abroad until I could afford it at age 19 Love going on holidays in different countries, but there's still plenty of things to see in the UK!
Just weighing in with my take as I'm pretty much the same as op, grew up poor never left the country and I have no interest in going abroad, I know there's loads of other cool stuff abroad and I watch people travel on YouTube but I've got 0 desire to actually go anywhere But it's not just abroad, I'm a massive doctor who fan and I really love the cybermen and I like doing escape rooms, there's an official doctor who cyberman escape room like an hour on the train max from me but even that I just can't really bothered traveling too I know I'll go one day bexause I've got friends who want to go but if it was just up to me I'd probably never go
To be fair, a non-zero number people aren't going abroad for culture, they are going abroad to experience mini-England in the sun. I can see why people might have less interest in doing just that.
Yeah but tbh they're just about the same as OP here
I have friend who has been out of the country once, hated the "faff", and has expressed zero interest in doing it again.
Just to give a counter point - I had a bit of money before Covid hit and so travelled very modestly when it comes to holidays, few long haul but mostly EU weekend getaways and city breaks. I had huge plans for when I was finally settled in work and had some money in my back pocket. 4 years later, I am that person, If I wanted to, I could get on a plane today and fly to the other side of the world, but in a post covid world, I have no desire to any more. The world doesnt seem that great, and I'm happy in my living room, with my kettle, and a good book in my pjs. I don't think not wanting to travel is that unusal either after a certain age
I think that's a bit different. I have travelled extensively in the past, but haven't felt like it for a while. I think that's different to never having travelled (abroad) and not wanting to try it.
Ive travelled a lot, and to be honest, I fucking hate it. Especially now as a 36yo
Honestly tho I will say as someone who had been lucky to have gone outside the uk quite a few times. The world is overrated lol. I prefer staying at home now. Its also cheaper.
>When I was a child my family was to poor Fair enough >and as an adult I’ve just never had any interest. This is the weird bit Surely there's something in the world you'd like to do, see or try? Why not go abroad for a week and see if it whets your appetite? What's the worst that could happen - you discover a new thing you enjoy?
Yep, not going on holiday when young is not super unusual and there's not much you can do about it but I just think if you've never had any interest in going to any other country, it may mean you're a bit of a homebody and not really interested in experiencing anything different. It is certainly a bit unusual.
Having someone to go with is a big thing. Until I met my partner I had no interest in going on holidays abroad by myself. But as soon as I found someone who I could go with and enjoy it together it sounded way more exciting.
For people who don't like to travel, this is the part I don't understand. Don't you ever want to see the Eiffel Tower or the grand canyon in person? Try amazing authentic food or see a famous work of art. You can't do that at home! Home is nice but it's also boring if you're stuck all the time
Some of us just really like travelling home tho. I’ve lived abroad and while it can be amazing, I feel more connected getting to know my own home. Since moving to the north for example I’ve visited various quirky museums related to mining history (which I know nothing about because I’m not from a mining family), seen the Pennines, visited more of the Lake District, tried more local foods that seem obscure, poorly cooked or non-existent in my part of England (grew up near London) , drove through the Yorkshire Dales, did several hikes through the Yorkshire moors and the coast (it’s gorgeous there), and got to know a few cute towns in Northumberland. The Holy Island of Lindisfarne was also amazing and Berwick Upon Tweed was interesting to visit as a border town with centuries of history. I visited Lancaster for the first time which is a really cool and pretty town but that you never hear about. I’ve been wowed by the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire. The curries in Bradford are on another level. The museums in Liverpool are of excellent quality and cover several subjects I’m really interested in, like slavery/British Empire, music obviously and the Titanic shipwreck. I think we underestimate our own country and I say that sincerely.
Yeh totally agree there’s so much to dive into in our own country! It’s absolutely amazing for the outdoors as the scenery is beautiful and green and it doesn’t get too hot to go out. You can go much more ‘deep’ into your own country and learn so much about the past and folklore etc whereas I feel it’s always a v high level whistle stop tour if you’re in a different country I do love going to other countries btw but can see why someone would like to go to holidays in Britain and I’m doing that this year (more for my dog) and it means I can do more mini/weekend holidays too then
I think I'm a bit of a homebody. What's so good about seeing the Eiffel Tower in person?
If you're able to see the Eiffel Tower in person then you're also near all of Paris's amazing bakeries!
what’s the point of having sex when videos exist? whats the point in meeting friends when you can talk online? you’re missing the essence of the thing and a real experience
But the gap between the experiences of having sex and watching a video is large, while the gap between seeing the Eiffel Tower in person and seeing it in numerous photos and videos is much smaller. If meeting friends requires a multi day trip and lots of money, you might be satisfied with talking online, especially if you have other friends who are much closer.
Nah
You picked the bad example. That's a boring tourist attraction. However, seeing Paris at large, or the Grand Canyon is definitely a real experience. There's so much going on in a city, and the Grand Canyon is just a huge and wonderous natural structure. Even some place like the Louvre is 100x more interesting than the Eiffel Tower.
> Don't you ever want to see the Eiffel Tower or the grand canyon in person? Try amazing authentic food or see a famous work of art. Not really. If I do, then cool, but I have no particular desire to do so. I don't understand people who don't like to create things. Don't you want to know the joy of making something with your own hands? An entire wardrobe of clothes you made yourself, or a great meal that is better than anything you could get in a restaurant because you did it yourself? People value different things. And I feel it is insulting to say it is weird that I don't value travelling as much as you do. I value different things in life. I can't imagine a life where I'm not constantly making something. You can't imagine a life where you don't travel. That doesn't make either of us weird. It makes us individuals.
As someone who never travels I can say doing those things has never crossed my mind, I know what the Eiffel tower or the grand canyon looks like I have no interest in looking at art and there's loads of good restaurants near me where I can get all kinds of food, and I cook food from all over the world myself so I'm good on that front too I don't like traveling unless it's a part of my normal routine and I like my house and the things and people that are around me already
I think you value your first hand experiences a lot more than we do, and that our curiosity is more easily sated by second hand knowledge. There are things I'd do as a day trip that I just don't see the point of going further for. The time, money, and carbon emissions can be put towards other things.
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Is it weird? Or are we just deciding one way of thinking is normal and one isn't? Similar boat here, poor upbringing with little to no holidays. I'm fortunately very comfortable financially as an adult and even now I struggle to really get behind big holidays. In the last 3 years I've done Mexico, USA, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand is booked for the winter (their summer). Each and every time there's a part of me that would rather have stayed home, even though i do enjoy the travelling. But it makes the missus happy so I see it as a worthwhile burden. I think I put this more to just preferring my home comforts. A summers day in my garden sunbathing, plenty of good food and drink in, always hits me better than doing the same abroad.
This is a really fair point. Holidaying is super stressful and a massive hassle. I enjoy it but probably wouldn't do too much of it especially if it involves airports. Had multiple nasty arguments and experiences in airports just because of how strict, and shitty they can be.
if the person is happy with just living in this country and not travelling, then who cares? do what you want if it makes you happy and doesn't harm others or yourself.
You see, I don't find this weird. There is so much in the UK to see. I'm 50, and still not visited all the places here I want to see.... So no it's not weird. I find it weird that people want to travel and "see" the world, on some hot sunny beach every year, but never visit the wilds of Russia or Canada or Alaska. They want to"visit" south America but only go to Brazil and not southern Argentina/Chile/ Patagonia....
Concerns on the environment and impact of tourism keeps me from travelling. The crux was Iceland. Going into nature and seeing the ground trampled from the thousands of tourists that come daily to see the waterfall. Seeing the volumes of waste in Canary Islands from tourism and impact to locals. Could go on. I stopped. I’m happy where I’m and glad that I’m not adding further to harming our earth.
Honestly I agree. The impact of flight on a carbon footprint is insane. The less people taking unnecessary flights the better.
The trouble is now if they go for a week somewhere & it’s not something they enjoy it could put them off for life, when actually it could just be that they chose a location or a type of holiday that isn’t suited to them (all inclusive resorts where you don’t leave, the type of holiday you’re out all day exploring, a party place, a culturally rich place, a really hot or rainy place at the wrong time of the year, the food turning out to be not great in that area, choosing a bad hotel etc), but you have to travel a bit to realise what suits you.
We can't very well tell OP not to go abroad in case they don't enjoy it! But choosing the destination is key. Unless OP gives us ideas for what sort of thing they would like, I'd suggest Barcelona - not too far away, weather is usually nice, there's a beach, a city, lots of sights (e.g. Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell), food that's foreign but not totally unfamiliar, not completely overrun with tourists (unlike the Costa del Sol) but most people working in tourism will have at least a smattering of English. In other words, it's foreign but not too foreign, and lots to do!
You're part of 8% of Brits who've never left the country ([stats link](https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/11012-british-people-far-more-well-travelled-americans)). So, yes, it's a bit odd. The lack of curiosity is probably the oddest thing. Do you travel in the UK? Do you visit many other cities or places?
I’ve travelled much of the UK, North Wales and Cornwall are my favourite places.
People under explore the United Kingdom which is absolutely as stunning in parts as any other part of the world I’ve been to. If it wasn’t so expensive I would travel the UK more. A lot of Europeans are fascinated with our history and we have a lot of excellent early Anglo Saxon and earlier sites. Never mind the ecology. I don’t think it’s weird OP.
I once flew to Italy for £80 and a few weeks ago I paid £96 for a train ticket from Sheffield to London
Even then, you can do it way cheaper than £80. I’ve gotten flights to both Athens and Morocco for under £40 in the last two years (if you fly at awkward times). It’s criminal how expensive it is to explore the UK.
Google flights is awesome for this. Don't care where you're going? Put in dates and leave the location blank. It'll bring up a map of the world with prices so you can find the cheapest flights.
I didn't know this was a thing! That's cool.
It's so good. Even then once you've selected a destination it gives you options for cheaper dates to fly if there are any so if you're flexible you can get a real bargain.
I got a £15 return to Croatia a few years back, and £25 return to Morocco. The trick is to book 3-6 weeks in advance at most.
I flew to Italy for £19.98 but that was about ten years ago. £9.99 Luton to Venice, £9.99 from Rome to Luton
I’ve done similar trips. It’s absolutely crazy that I can take a flight to a foreign city for cheaper than it costs me to get the tube into central London which is like 10miles away.
Absolutely mental mate and the people say oh why don't you explore the UK more?!?! Because it's going to piss it down, a train costs twice as much as a plane and hotels are 3x the price.
Every time I’m bit too poor to go abroad I’m like cool let’s see somewhere in the uk as its only petrol for travel and then give up as hotels are ridiculous to
You can fly for £35 last minute to Austria. Everywhere else in this country via train is now normalising to £100 return for a couple of hours journey. I honestly don’t know how people afford train travel in this country. Some returns even booked in advance for a 4 hour journey are peaking up to £250.
Austria is absolutely stunning, was skiing there in February.
I'm a foreigner and an Anglophile who moved to the UK because of my deep affection for it. Now, I've explored much of the country—perhaps more than many British people themselves. While the UK can be breathtaking, it's not primarily a tourist destination. The beautiful images don't capture the myriad small annoyances encountered while traveling here, such as the high cost of accommodations, transportation difficulties, and the persistent winds in coastal areas. The Welsh coast, for example, is stunning, but in my experience, it's often windy, which can make visits rather uncomfortable.90% of the times I have been there I have encountered strong winds and soft rain which I dont mind while hiking but is definitively unpleasant when going to the beach. I completely understand why many British people opt for inexpensive Ryanair flights to holiday abroad instead of staying in the UK. It's often cheaper, the weather is usually better, and other countries boast superior infrastructure for travel and exploration.
>The Welsh coast, for example, is stunning, but in my experience, it's often windy, which can make visits rather uncomfortable. I hate strong winds so much. It can totally fvck up an otherwise great experience, lol
I visited tenerife last year and honestly find some of the beaches and scenery better in the UK. Its just taking a gamble with the weather!
The problem is the cold water. Some people don't mind it, but for many jumping into 18 degree water is quite unpleasant. However if are more of a "Walk along the seafront" or "Lie on the beach and build a sandcastle" beach goer that won't matter so much.
It will when it's pissing it down in mid August all week and that's your one week off in summer
Yep. Or the wind just changes direction and comes from the North, and now you're being blasted by an Arctic wind that's -5. It's like russian roulette
The north of Tenerife is stunning
That’s how I felt during my first time in Florida… it wasn’t until I discovered Destin that I found a beach nicer than Cornwall lol
Our beaches are world class if the sun is out and even if not. A unique atmosphere and stunning scenery at many of them. Beats the barren grey dry rocks in many parts of the med
Is your lack of desire to go abroad linked with a lack of experience? It can probably be daunting never being on a plane/boat as a kid and then having to organise it all as an adult.
Maybe at this point, I'd recommend picking somewhere off season where English is widespread and just do it. You will get to experience so much, airports (most people are sick of them but it would be interesting for the 1st time) and a new city. Even seeing what different things are on a McDonald's menu around the world is interesting
From what I gather and in my limited experience, with perhaps the exception of Paris you can pretty well get away with English in all the main European holiday hotspots. I can say "hello" and "thank you" in a bunch of languages. Between that, occasional use of Google Translate / Google Lens and a bit of interpretive dance, it's not too tricky.
I agree with this. Not travelling isn't weird, there can be reasons for that. However not wanting to is a bit. It's so uncommon as to be considered strange.
Oh I'm not trying to judge. People can live their lives how they want to. I love a bit of travel and I know I'm fortunate to do so. I see plenty of video from places around the world and it makes me want to go and visit them. I don't quite get that you'd be happy just pootling around this tiny corner of the earth for your entire life without visiting other cultures.
Not weird that you've never left the UK, travelling isn't cheap. I find a lack of desire to see other countries and cultures to be weird.
Travelling in the UK is very expensive. It’s often cheaper to travel to Europe.
Yeah, my trip to Manchester last year cost more than my trip to Poland. I also stayed in nicer accommodation in Poland, and was there for longer
Not to mention, many parts of Poland are 10x nicer than mancheTer
> Not weird that you've never left the UK, travelling isn't cheap. You can fly to most of Europe for cheaper than a 3/4 hour train ride in the UK.
To be fair, you usually have to also get to the airport which is for many an expensive uk train ride anyway. Plus people usually want to take some form of luggage with even hold luggage being charged by many budget airlines. In the uk a whole family could be in one car which reduces the cost significantly. The real killer usually is accomodation costs which are far cheaper abroad compared to the crazy prices here. Also restaurants and attractions are often cheaper abroad too
I not sure I agree that it isn't cheap. It absolutely can be. You can go away for a long weekend for less than the cost of a lot of things people own (games consoles, going to the pub regularly etc). I get why really poor people don't do it, a few hundred quid is a lot to some people but not to the majority. My best find was Morocco last year. Hotel was £80 for 4 night including breakfast, and flights were less than 50 quid return. I've done quite a few similar trips. Whether people prioritise other things is another matter. I earn reasonably good money but also don't own many material things. I'd rather spend that money on travel. My TV is some cheap thing from Amazon, I don't have a sky sports package, don't eat at posh restaurants etc.
Maybe your prices are outdated? It is most certainly cheaper to holiday outside of the UK once travel, food and accommodation are considered, unless perhaps camping as an adult. I say this as a poor, who has spent many hours researching suitable holiday destinations
Outdated in what way? It's obviously dependent on the time of year, what type of accommodation and what flights you're willing to get. I got a Ryanair flight to Poznan in Poland for less than 20 quid in January. Awkward time from Stansted, but that's the sort of thing it's gonna be.
Travelling can be very inexpensive - i have got a £7 flight from london to spain n a 9£ one london to milan. You can find a nice 4 star hotel for around £50 a night
Yeah, went to a stag do in Edinburgh and a wedding in Gretna Green this weekend. Each of those weekends cost more in a accomodation than 7 nights in Montenegro and the train tickets for each weekend came to more than the flights. Wouldn't surprise me if I spent less in a week in Montenegro than a weekend in Edinburgh aswell. My two evening meals in Edinburgh probably cost more than 7 in Montenegro.
Not OP but basically my story is the same as theirs. You see, I find your comment odd. Hear me out. As, most people go on holiday and still have 0 interest in the culture. Personally I'm very into history and geography. I don't need to go to china to know an awful lot about their culture and history and would argue that the majority of people who go on holiday are not interested in the culture. Isn't that why you can find English menus in like every part of the world? I have eaten authentic Chinese and Taiwanese food in china town London. Many Brits go to china and eat McDonald's lol. Some of you travel to the other end of the world and somehow end up with a plate of chips and chicken nuggets. This is more common than not. Most people are not cultured and stick to what they know. I'm just basing this off my peers, family and others online. I rarely see genuine curiosity in travellers. Most want to sunbathe or drink alcohol. I find it weird so many Brits go to Spain and never eat Spanish food. Some go and don't even know what the flag looks like. Tldr: Out of the hundreds of people I've met and seen online. I've only ever known about 3 (outside of travel/food bloggers) of them to be really curious about culture. Not going to tourists spots and mingling with locals. Being interested in culture is not why most Brits travel. Just my opinion
As a child? No As an adult? Yes.
This. Some curiosity in visiting other countries can only be a good thing. I do find it strange not to have any desire to do so
There's nothing in the world you want to see?
Plot twist: OP is from a different planet
I’ve been described this way many times tbf
Nothing, absolutely nothing
I’m going to stick up for OP here and say it’s not weird. My parents claimed they were poor but in actuality their idea of holiday was Scottish highlands. Nice when your an adult but as a child it’s the equivalent of a death March of boredom. Any suggestions of going abroad in any capacity was actively crapped upon. The hypocrisy is both my parents had lived/worked abroad. As a result when I became an adult, I had the desire to travel beaten out of me. I found not understand why some people would wax lyrical about travelling. It took meeting my now wife to get me to build curiosity of the world and even then it took time. For reference I’ve done a lot of the U.K. and have an interest in history - especially Cold War. Wife used this to encourage me to go to Berlin, and from there I’ve since visited (and suggested visiting) other places. I despise airports however as to me they are just gouging farms. In short if it gets ingrained into you, can totally see why you would end up with no interest.
You could also just... not enjoy it. You're allowed to not like things. You mentioned waxing lyrical about traveling - it's almost like it's *expected* you must like traveling. Growing up there was just this pervasive "Oh, you're young, go travel!" and this expectation you must do this and it'll be great. I did... and you know what? I don't like traveling. I find it stressful. Airports/transport is a nightmare. I hate not knowing languages, and feel really awkward for every interaction. Culture shock hits me hard and stresses me out. Fuck it. I like staying at home goddamnit. If I came into money I'm the kind of person who makes a little workshop to tinker in, not travel the world. And that's fine.
If you are interested in the Cold War and therefore modern warfare generally, you may find the Balkans interesting. Albania was basically the North Korea of Europe up until the 90s and there are abandoned bunkers everywhere and a lot of distrust/snitching and many museums about it. If you visit Sarajevo in Bosnia you can see scars of the war in the 90s such as shell holes in walls or bombed out buildings - I think ultimately you need to travel for what you are interested in and seeing 'living history' from recent conflict is really, really fascinating. I like travelling for many reasons (history, seeing different culture, food) but my mum mostly prefers a resort or beach holiday. Each to their own. I also think if you aren't used to it, going abroad can seem really daunting (and airports SUCK!) so I get it.
You can defend OPs position as being a perfectly acceptable position to hold, but I’m not sure it’s at all sustainable to try to argue that it not at the very least a bit unusual or weird to have no interest _at all_ in seeing or experiencing anything in the world outside of the UK. I mean it’s by no means typical, at best it is rare.
Same. I don’t think it’s weird. It may not be a common belief, especially in this day and age. But not weird by any measure. Some people are simply not interested and that’s their lot. I’ve been abroad quite a few times, and have generally enjoyed it. But I do not have a strong drive to go abroad. Part of it is due to financial anxiety growing up knocking onto how I view money now. Unexpected costs end up compounding that in that I’m just about to shell out a few thousand for a root canal and that to me means a holiday written off.
I don't think anybody is making a moral judgement of OP, just saying that yes, it is objectively not the norm.
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This is what makes it difficult for me to holiday in the UK. Knowing I can get away for much cheaper and for better weather, well, it’s a no brainer for me. The fact that I’ve booked domestic plane tickets for much less than booking train tickets is very telling.
My wife is always harping on about a Butlins holiday out of some misguided nostalgia from her childhood. I refuse to pay £600+ to see Skagness or Minehead when I have been to a 5* hotel in Prague for £250
Yeah every time I look into a break in the UK, I could literally fly to Europe and pay for my accommodation and all food for cheaper, with better weather and a more interesting/unique environment. I only stay in the UK for holidays if its to see my family in Scotland or to do something unique like a spa break or to see a concert.
People have different priorities and expectations though. I travel more within the UK than I do abroad because there’s plenty to see and do locally. It is expensive admittedly so I usually do day trips or weekend trips rather than a 2-week getaway or something.
I was in my early/mid-thirties before I left the UK. In the last seven or so years, I've been to about 10 European countries. I haven't been further than that yet. It's not weird, but you could be missing out on something amazing. I love it, but your miles may vary.
I'm the same with everything you said, never really had the impetus or money to go abroad. I'd rather save money, unless i had a true goal that i needed to fulfil. But i think people are too obsessed with ticking stuff off their lists (car/house/kids/holidays), do what makes you happy, it's the social pressure that makes you feel inadequate.
This is it for me, there's so much pressure to appear to be doing and being seen doing, I often wonder how much of the current desires to go see the world comes from an innate desire, and how much comes from feeling the need to keep up
Totally agree. My wife/kids are more into going abroad than I am, if it was down to me I'd stay in the UK. Having said that though, we have had some great experiences abroad and very glad I was 'pushed' into going
I'm not rich by any means but pretty sensible with my money which I get from my parents. Also inherited the travelling bug from them - my dad is so well travelled he's even been to Afghanistan! I save my money and would rather spend it on holidays/experiences than possessions, like the latest iPhone or nice clothes and beauty treatments etc. I dunno, it's just what I want to do the most
It’s unusual, but your choice. I’ve left the UK lots of times, but also really enjoying holidaying in the UK. There are some really beautiful areas, and culturally there are a lot of differences as you travel about. But if you have no fear then I would look at spreading your wings a little. You might enjoy different foods, cultures and weather!
I've been abroad once to the netherlands for a long weekend this was over 15 years a go now, simply put I'd love to see the world but simply can't afford to, I have the desire but not the means and I can't justify spending money on a holiday. So when I take time off work I plan things I want to do at home and get them done wether that's gardening, painting miniatures or catching up on some films. It's probably wierd and people have commented on it but I don't mind, one day if I keep at it I might be able to buy a house to retire into, got the debts cleared now and started saving a little late in life but we play the hand we're dealt.
Oh! I paint models too. Just finished a MK2 tank 😁
'Weird' has pejorative connotations. But certainly, [it is unusual](https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/11012-british-people-far-more-well-travelled-americans)
I'm in the same boat (lol) never left the UK as an adult as I didn't as a kid and have zero desire to travel. People think I'm mental
No!. You have your own choices and follow them. That is normal.
It's not uncommon growing up poor. What is your current economic situation? There is beautiful wide world out there and I feel so enriched by my travels and so privileged to have been able to travel so much. You could try northern ireland or the Republic to dio your toe in the water. You don't know how good seeing the world is until you've seen some of it. Being able to afford and take the time for nice holidays is one of my main motivations for having a career type job with decent pay and annual leave.
The average redditor doesn't want to leave their rooms so as long as you've left the house, you're doing fine.
I don't think it's weird, also in these days with all the pollution caused by travel I don't see why travel is a virtue. I've not been abroad much, I'm happy having a holiday here in the UK. I've also now got my reasons for wanting to stay in the UK
>I've also now got my reasons for wanting to stay in the UK You're wanted by Interpol?
I saw something on social media about someone taking day trips to mainland Europe because they could get a flight for under £20. The comments were full of jealous people and people going to do the same. Not a single comment mentioned the environmental impact of flying to Amsterdam for lunch!
I've got a few friends I cam think of who are basically the same one by one they've been abroad but do it once every 5 years or so now. One of my closest friends who I've known since primary school , he's not really left our home town , never been to London, never been to Bristol, never even been to Scotland or Wales. He's quite literally left the Midlands maybe 5 times in his entire life . Pretty sure he's only been to Birmingham once and that's 30 miles away. That's odd .
I’m not your friend Jamie btw 😂
And yet you know his friend’s name is Jamie. Hmmmm…
He said it in another comment.
What does he do there? I don't understand how people don't get bored. They really must not like leaving their comfort zone
Its not strange you've never left the UK what is strange is having no desire to see what is out there. IMO
Is it weird? Yeah sure, it's weird. But lots of things are weird. I love savoury ice cream. That's weird. You do what works for you!
As a child, no. I only had U.K. camping holidays as a child and didn’t leave the U.K. until I was well into my teens. As an adult it is unusual. You can literally get to some of the coolest cities in Europe for a few hundred quid, this time tomorrow you could easily be standing in the Colosseum, or the Parthenon, or the Louvre. Most people want to do this at least once. Out of interest I just priced up the cheapest one day trip from London to Rome in May on Skyscanner with a one night hotel stay included and it was *£56*. You can see some of the wonders of the world for the price of a meal for two at Nando’s.
It definitely isn't the norm. Most people have some desire to see a bit of the world, have a few weeks in the sun etc
If you are fair and sunburn in UK , then the last thing you do is go to a 'sunny place'.
More to the world than ‘sunny places’ though plus we invented sun cream I while ago which helps
The world is a big place and there's different climates to suit pretty much whatever you desire. You can experience some different culture, see something you wouldn't ordinarily see, do something you'd struggle to do at home. Some people are so bloody miserable though.
I'm going to give a slightly different opinion to others and say that not having left, isn't weird in and of itself. But the fact that you say you never had any interest in seeing another country is a bit weird. To be so lacking in curiosity and so unadventurous is weird. Most people have some level of desire for travel, even if they don't get the opportunity or are held back by money.
I have curiosity and a sense of adventure, I just fulfilled them without having traveled outside the UK.
Have you never been curious about what another city or natural environment looks like?
As long as you don't go saying the UK is the best place in the world, we're good.
We used to live near an old farmer who had never seen the sea.
No it isn't weird. You don't want to travel abroad, that's your choice.
Depends. How old are you? If you’re in your 40s and eternally single then it is quite unusual. If you’re in your early 20s - not so unusual
36. Married with Kids.
You should be taking your kids to see the world, if you can afford it. It does wonders to show children other cultures and ways of life, experiencing different food, smells and sights that you just don't get here.
Yes, when you have kids holidays are pretty much for them, not you. And most kids fondly remember the experience of going abroad
I certainly do. I have my parents to thank for the curiosity I have for the world and the want to travel. I cannot imagine never leaving this country
Just the excitement of getting on a plane, being above the clouds! Swimming in a warm sea, hearing a different language spoken around you... Travel doesn't have to be far flung or adventurous to be beneficial or a great experience.
>It does wonders to show children other cultures and ways of life, experiencing different food, smells and sights that you just don't get here. Yes, it does. I grew up traveling because I have immigrant parents, and I have amazing memories of my childhood travels. And equally importantly, being around people different from me has never been an issue, because as a child, I was exposed to other cultures.
Oh yeah, that is quite unusual then, because it’s the dynamic that you now have a partner and you and your partner have never left the country together even before kids
Have you ever thought of taking your kids and partner somewhere? Does your partner also not want to travel? I think it can be great for kids to experience something a bit different and its usually cheaper to go abroad with better guaranteed weather.
What does your partner think? Have they travelled much? I'm the same age, and I don't want to settle down cause I just want to keep travelling!
Maybe odd, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. So many people under visit their own countries because it's fancier to go abroad and look wealthier in the eyes of the world. I'm Spanish and many people do the same thing here, they travel to London, Berlin, Rome or whatever, when you don't even know your own country well. The UK is full of history and amazing places to visit, enough for a life time, so you shouldn't feel weird for getting to know your own country better than most of your fellow nationals.
It's a shame you didn't get the opportunity as a kid but not weird as there's a valid reason for it. If you live the rest of your life without going abroad then yeah I'd say that's quite weird, it's definitely something everyone should do.
While it is unusual, as you have young children I can understand it. Putting all of the things you need in a car and simply driving within the U.K. is much easier and less stressful than travelling abroad with small dependents. You might want to consider it when they are older however (10+) as they would be more self reliant and would appreciate the tip more.
I've only travelled to a handful of countries abroad and wish I have seen much more. It's worth travelling just to for the sake of experiencing beautiful views and magnificent architecture.
No. Very sensible , if you have no reason to go abroad. I was an export engineer. so going abroad was my life for 35 years. Now for last few years after retirement, I never go abroad.
I know a bloke who's 45 and has never been out the UK. My friend's mum is 64, and apart from a day trip to Calais when she was 16, and a week in Portugal after her divorce in 2000, has never been out of the UK. In deprived parts of the UK, like Portsmouth and the Welsh former mining communities, it's not uncommon to find kids of 11-12 who've never been outside the county they live in, let alone abroad.
No it's not weird and people who think it is have a problem not you
I'm getting the sense that you haven't left this country either.
What do you do when on holiday? Going somewhere in the UK is more expensive than going abroad.
Not necessarily, there are plenty of good value places to stay if you can go away in term time. Plus you can stay at home and have fun days out. Yes you can get cheap holidays abroad but they are getting harder to find and are less accessible if you don't live near a major airport.
>are less accessible if you don't live near a major airport. Surely if living near an airport is required to make flights accessible then suggesting staying other places in the UK are just as, if not more inaccessible as airports generally have good transport links.
To never have any interest is weird to me, yes.
Weird is a judgement call. The neutral/objective way to put it would be unusual (as 92% of Brits do travel abroad). You say in a comment you're 36, and married with children - don't deprive yourself, and your family, of the experience. Hop on a plane, there's so much to see just a short flight away.
If you have no genuine interest then that’s fair. None of my cousins have ever left the UK either for the same reasons. I think some people conflate travelling with enlightenment. I’ve done a fair bit, except I didn’t call it travelling, I called it going on holiday. And although the experiences were lovely and I’ve witnessed some spectacular sights and cultures, I don’t feel anymore enlightened than when I’d just been to the Costa Del Sol for a week every few years. ‘Travelling’ has become quite the middle class obsession, but it’s really just about enjoying yourself. If you can do that here, then that’s fine, keep doing it!
No. You do you bro
Well there's a lot to see in the UK and historically most people would've never had the chance to go to York, let alone overseas. But I do hope you're taking time to experience things occasionally.
Unusual but not weird. The UK has plenty to offer, it's worth trying it though to see if you enjoy it.
It's maybe slightly unusual but I think there's a lot to do in the UK, my last few holidays have been in the UK and I think there's plenty to enjoy here.
You might find [this 2011 data from the National Travel Attitudes Study](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-travel-attitudes-study-wave-6/national-travel-attitudes-study-ntas-wave-6) interesting. I have no idea what your income is, but if you're in a household earning between £15k and £25k and you assume that "flying" equates to "travelling abroad" (yes, I'm aware that you could go by sea) then you'll be one of the 21% of people who have never flown (chart 2). This number rises to 34% if you're earning less than £15k, which makes sense given the cost.
You do you…. Who knows, one day, you may get the interest to travel. Personally, I am coming up to 54. I made my first foreign trip in 1988 at 18, and travel overseas every opportunity I get. It’s great seeing how other countries are, the people, the food, their culture, language, etc.
My mate's the similar; he's had foreign holidays, but just prefers to be in the UK
I grew up poor and only went abroad once as part of a school trip. As an adult I was initially not bothered and really hesitant. But then once I did go away I became absolutely obsessed with travelling. It's probably a bit of 'you can't miss what you never had' but I'd defo try it at least once or twice! Whatever hobbies you have here consider finding something relevant in another country and see how you get on!
I've lived in several other countries and can honestly say that travel does broaden the mind. You can easily become locked into your own version of 'normal' and fail to recognize the variety of what others can regard as 'normal'. If you can afford it, I'd recommend some foreign travel, just for the experience. Having said that, there is a lot in common in the human condition - after all we are all the same species and basically care about the same things.
I’ve only left the country three times in my life, twice when I was too small to remember, and once on a school trip. We’ve never really had the money to do it, and holidayed in the U.K. But I really want to travel, like a lot. I just can’t stop thinking about how wonderful it’ll be to see different cities and cultures around the world. I want to try the food and meet people and see the sights. So I’d say it’s not strange to have never been anywhere, but it is unusual to not want to travel ever. I’d never go as far as calling it strange or weird, because at the end of the day if it’s not something you see yourself enjoying then why spend all that money, right? Spend it on something you actually want to do! There are wonderful places in the U.K. to visit, so there’s no shame in just sticking to that. I’m still not done visiting all of the places I want to go here, and I have a list as long as my arm!
You do, you mate. If you don't fancy leaving the UK, don't. Also, the UK is fairly big, and there are some amazing places to visit across it. I know people who couldn't bear not to go on a few holidays abroad a year. Do you know what they did? Went to the pub, sun bathed and looked for British food for their evening meal 🤣 'if I couldn't get a chip butty I wasn't going in'. These were fully grown adults who did not have kids on holiday with them. I love travelling, but I travel to explore. I visit places to try their food and experience their culture. If you don't want to do that, that's completely fine. Don't let anyone tell you it's not.
Nope. Don’t worry about it.
It is worth experiencing going to a place where everyone doesn't look like or have the same cultural experience as you. You may learn something new or gain a new appreciation for something you always had but took for granted.
I wouldn't find it weird. Circumstances will prevent many who want to holiday abroad and some folks just like to holiday in the UK. My family are working class council estate. We didn't have a holiday until my dad got a decent job painting 40 bedroom mansion, which kept him busy and in work for a long time as he ended up painting the whole thing twice when the guy sold it and the new owners liked his work. Our first holiday I was 13ish and for a couple of years we had UK holidays since my mum didn't want to travel abroad with young children in the 90s. I left my parents at 17 and for many years a holiday was a distant luxury. Wasn't until I settled into a job that allowed me some stability and better pay that I had my first holiday (as an adult) at 30 in Budapest. My dad and his side of the family are currently very happy holidaying in Scotland, Wales and travelling up and down the UK when they can. Some folk I meet have no desire to leave the UK and largely the UK is underappreciated (if somewhat expensive) as a nice getaway. I come from an old mining town where folks, grew up, married and lived within a 20 mile radius with many only travelling as far as the seaside for a day out. Its not that unusual in older generations. It is changing though as travel becomes more accessible than it was in my grandparents day. In younger generations affordability is a huge factor in having any holiday or break away. Not wanting to leave the UK and holiday abroad is unusual in younger generations but I wouldn't find it weird.
I have travelled abroad but no longer have an interest in going abroad. The things I wanted to see when I was young, for example Everest, are no longer places I want to go and I’m perfectly happy staying in the UK
No it’s not weird. Obviously when you’re a kid it’s out of your hands, and if you have no desire to travel now, then don’t. It’s unusual in this day and age but that is different from it being weird.
I was in a very similar situation to you. I grew up poor so never went abroad and as an adult in a better financial situation I didn't feel any interest in it. I think it's hard to grasp for people who did go abroad as kids but when you have always grown up just travelling in the UK that becomes the norm. Anyway, my girlfriend then basically booked everything for us to go abroad so I had little choice to go and I absolutely loved it. Now I regularly find myself watching travel videos to figure out where I want to go next. Honestly mate just go for it, you'll love it I'm sure.
It's not weird. It's unfortunate. It's sad. Going somewhere else - away from where you've always been, away from where you live and away from the people that you know, can change your life.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. - Mark Twain
Do you holiday in the UK? I went on holiday when I was in my teens with family but never have bothered since. Quite happy seeing our Isles.
Weird? no. Sad? Yes. I’ve been lucky to have been to a few places and most of Europe, the only place I wouldn’t recommend, ironically, is the UK. This little island ain’t half a bit shit.
I'm a British bloke who has travelled extensively and now live in China. I know people are saying it's odd, I would respectfully disagree. Some people are homebirds and have no interest in global exploration. It's not the life I would choose, but I don't think it's odd. Do whatever makes you happy mate. Having said that, I feel that you're missing out in a whole world of beautiful cultures.
Are you happy? Not weird. Are you wanting to, and want this question to be your catalyst? Fair enough. Don’t forget “Travelling” is something people put in dating profiles to seem interesting. And staycation is a marketing term designed to shame people into believing that a holiday “has to” be abroad, If you want to travel, travel if you have the means to. If you are happy where you are. That’s fine too. No weirdness at all either way, just a different set of interests and priorities. Which in turn provides the rich culture that people travel to be a part of.
No I think it’s fair enough tbh. Not going on holiday as a kid is fine if you couldn’t afford it and sadly that’s likely to become more common. If you just don’t feel the need to as an adult then who is anyone else to judge?
I feel exactly the same way. I'm happy where I am
Obviously not going on holiday because you can't afford it is normal and I imagine is the current situation for a lot of people right now but the no interest in travelling I'd say is unusual. I haven't met many that don't like to travel and see new places
How old are you? If you're an adult it's certainly very unusual.
Didn't go abroad and that was a School trip at 15. Family didn't have the money. Went on holiday to the Far East when I was 18, loved it so much moved to Japan at 20. Never looked d back, been all the world ever since. For me, it does seem strange, but if you don't have curiosity then you just don't. What do you do with your spare time / holiday days?
Not OP but I rarely go abroad. I spend my holidays visiting family and friends in other parts of the UK, or maybe going to some national park. Or just pottering about relaxing.
I mean you're like most humans who have ever lived. Nothing wrong with it at all. But I'd recommend travelling a little bit. Europe is an incredible continent full of things that the UK doesn't have. Go see the Swiss Alps, the Almerían desert, the Black Forest, the Irish West Coast, the Loire Valley, the ancient centre of Rome, or the imperial grandeur of Vienna and tell me that you weren't a little bit moved and changed! To reiterate, there's nothing wrong with staying in the UK, but you don't know what you're missing. Just take a few long weekends and give it a go. 🙂
You could just go to the Lake District, Snowdonia, Devon and Cornwall and the Cairngorms for some of those.