Vacations, never. Has anyone else here never been "on Holiday" as an (Autistic) Adult?

Has anyone else here NEVER been "on Holiday" as an (Autistic) Adult? Either within the British Isles or, especially, leaving the Country.
When at school, I was allowed - with the School - to visit The Isle Of Wight, and France, and then Belgium...
But now that I am an adult (since leaving school)... London is as if imposed as a Prison, which financial constraints prevent me from ever escaping. And so I am curious as to whether anyone else has 'Never Really Been Allowed To Have A Vacation', just like myself...

  • Hi. I've travelled extensively. Most European countries. Large parts of Asia. South America. Australia, New Zealand, various islands in the South Pacific. North Africa, the Middle East. Too many counties to list. It' can be a lot cheaper than people realise. For what people pay for two weeks in Spain on a standard package deal. I can spend up to 3 months in Asia.  

  • It just seems mutually beneficial to both sides, having the house secure and cared for whilst away and “free” accommodation in an area you want to visit. Yes I noticed it was international too. There would still be travel, food and home expenses but worth considering. There is also wwoofing https://www.wwoof.org.uk/how_it_works

    another way to have a working break. I’m not quite up to either alternative at the moment but options for future thought. 

  • I've done it, but I knew the people. I did it twice. I looked after their home, car and two dogs. It was ok. I've considered doing it for a friend, she has a business setting people up with houses/pets to sit for and I have a couple of friends in America who do it more or less full time and stay in Buddhist type places in between. Oh, I did it in Australia as well for 3 weeks. That was a very nice house. I'm not planning on doing anymore just now but I'm still going to check the link out because maybe I will. I could do with a bit of a break away at some point. 

  • Perhaps this might be out of our comfort zone but one way to have a break from home is to housesit for someone else .... 

    https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/gb/

    I haven’t done this but think it sounds worth looking into. 

  • Greetings to all. I should only need to say once (per Thread) that... I apologise for my Posting anything which may offend or be misunderstood!

    MattBucks said - "I'm not sure that money is never mentioned, I regularly talk about money with family although not quite as often with friends. Why would that journey cost "more than Ten Pounds", surely that's just a single journey paid on contactless which would be £2.80?"

    Funding is indeed a private issue. Most adverts, concerning anywhere, discussing anything, in any place... do not mention it. Just like Religion, or having to wash, or having to use the toilet...
    ...but to change the subject (!). This is a good point, and so I became uncertain and I retreated... until I found a Weapon: This Weapon is bright, around 21cm long, and cutting if mishandled...

    ... and is entitled:
    "Transport for London. Paying for your travel. Fares freeze." (Dated December 2016.)

    ...! My apology is for not being specific... this is perhaps a new sub-Thread, to do with London/Money/Transport, perhaps? To keep this Reply short-ish... the thing is, the price you quote is correct, yet it increases. I did not state that in order to get to a place, of course I must then go back. And I said that it costs more than £10 because I have to use the Bus, to gain a Tube, to gain a Train Station... and then all of that backwards again.
    My "Weapon" confirms that this costs (in 2016): "Capping - Daily anytime - £12." I suppose that that is what I meant, because that is what happens to me.
    ...and if a Train/Tube is delayed, or a Tram/Bus is malfunctioning... then there is the dreaded: "PENALTY FARE - INCOMPLETE JOURNEY - <>£4".
    I apologise again for saying this last if you were not sitting down at the time. Have a nice day.
    (Also, I might start a New Thread related to this. Watch out for that if it happens... wait... it just did!)

  • Money is mad. Money is a matter not mentioned in mass conversation. That Money is never mentioned is one of the greatest frustrations presented by society. Even travelling from South London to North London now costs more than Ten Pounds, and newspapers and the Internet should inform anyone of how these costs simply increase. 

    I'm not sure that money is never mentioned, I regularly talk about money with family although not quite as often with friends. Why would that journey cost "more than Ten Pounds", surely that's just a single journey paid on contactless which would be £2.80?

    When it comes to newspapers they are nothing but commercial organisations with agendas to push, they aren't there to inform, just to run at a profit. The internet is another thing, virtually all information is available online but people have to want to read it, but it's almost always available.

    I agree that money can be an issue, especially for people living in London which is the UK's most expensive place to live and is one of the world's most expensive places to live. It's why some of my wider family have moved out of the UK and to the Home Counties. The difference is huge, I bought for just under £600k in South Bucks, just west of London. Here that got me a four bed decent sized house, drive, garage, garden. In Central London depending on the area that would have got me a 1-2 bedroom flat at best, but in many areas I wouldn't be able to afford anything. If I moved up to Manchester I'd be able to have bought a similar house with my deposit with no need for a mortgage.

    I know money is a big worry for many people, I didn't ever want it to be for me so I've worked hard to create two businesses to insulate myself from that, even so the impact of Brexit on the economy is a huge worry for me.

  • I’ve done a fair bit of travelling these last 12 years and I love it. Maybe you could search for opportunities that may be available to finance a holiday for you. Nobody should be prevented from seeing the ocean or the horizon, or the forests and countryside. I often stay in youth hostels. I’ve stayed in one of the youth hostels in london as well. They often do good deals but I know that sometimes we just can’t even get that together. That’s why I’m sure there must be something out there, to help you get a holiday. Start a go fund me page. I’ll contribute. 

  • I will agree with you.  Money is the big issue.

    When I had money a few years ago I spent a lot of it on traveling and holidays to make up for the fact that I didn't have holidays when I was younger due to commitments and health problems.

    From about 2009 to 2014 I was very ill, first one problem then another, having several spells in hospitals and a couple of operations.

    When I recovered I started traveling.  First alone by bus and train. Going on day trips.  I was afraid of staying overnight in hotels because I didn't know what to do or how to behave.

    Then I went on package holidays by coach.  Staying in a variety of funny hotels.  Still travelling alone but being part of a group at the same time.

    My recommendation is that if you have the money then spending it on holidays is worthwhile.

  • Lastly... I wanted to add that, that, as a child, I *did* gain a family holiday to America. But I was asking about being an ADULT. As an adult, I twice afforded myself two trips to the coast, in secret, not telling my family. Since then, the prices have become beyond what I can afford.

    I travelled to the coast, for a couple of hours... and simply stood...for hours... looking at... THE OCEAN. It was amazing and unreal for me to actually be able to see... THE HORIZON!!

  • One of your problems might be living in London, if I lived in London I would have had to buy a much smaller house (probably a one or two bed flat) and my living costs would be higher which would probably rule out holidays. 

    Well, Thank You to all who have replied... and this Thread was a short question, and so I expected it to be short... and the "short" answer to my question so far seems to be that I am indeed the only one!

    I quote MattBucks in order to say that he is correct, utterly. Money is mad. Money is a matter not mentioned in mass conversation. That Money is never mentioned is one of the greatest frustrations presented by society. Even travelling from South London to North London now costs more than Ten Pounds, and newspapers and the Internet should inform anyone of how these costs simply increase. 

    In short, what I want or need to do, is not what I am allowed to do (by Money). This Post is long, and so I close it now, or else it may disappear...! 

  • I've done quite a bit, but I'm the generation that has always had low-cost airlines, I've been to virtually every European country on low cost flights, last year I went to Berlin and the flight was £59 (inc. taxes, booking fees). Up until the Brexit vote and currency devaluation it could often be cheaper to go away to Europe than stay in the UK (The trip to Berlin was cheap, four days in Berlin did cost roughly the same as 7 in the UK though. Apart from the Europe I've done the US, Canada, Israel, Egypt, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. I wouldn't ever go at peak times, but not having kids and planning in advance I can often get a good deal.

    I don't like expensive holidays, it's spending money on something intangible, something which I don't really need, especially as my focus for the last few years has been saving the deposit to buy a house, but reasonable holidays haven't cost me that much and now in my own house I don't plan to go abroad next year, but then I'll fully have my own space so I get some of that me time anyway.

    One of your problems might be living in London, if I lived in London I would have had to buy a much smaller house (probably a one or two bed flat) and my living costs would be higher which would probably rule out holidays. 

  • I've done a fair amount of traveling - mainly alone - and I'd like to do some more.  When I have some money, maybe.  I once traveled around the US and Canada on Greyhound buses, and there's a strong part of me that's attracted to that itinerant, no-plans approach.  In more recent years, though, it's always been organised down the the smallest detail to prevent anything from going wrong - and I'm always hyper-anxious until I'm there.  I like France.  I know a few words - enough to get by with basics, but not enough for a conversation.  So it's nice to go there and not feel I have to engage anyone in conversation.  My ex was French, and she was the only one in her family who spoke English.  So when we went to her parents, they would all be talking away to each other (they could have been saying all sorts of bad things about me, to be honest!), whilst I sat at the end of the table and got quietly drunk on my own!  I enjoyed that, in a perverse sort of way.  I was in a social situation - but I couldn't socialise!

  • As an adult I have only been on holiday once and that was in 1989. I was working at the time and managed to afford a week in Königswinter, Germany.

    Since then I have never been on holiday because either I could not afford one or I refused to place my rescue cat(s) in a cattery (they had spent long enough alone in a cat sanctuary before I adopted them).

  • Thank You, Good Sir, for your answer. Living in London, that is a very large amount of money to myself. "Saving" is difficult, hence my reply....

  • Money.  Persevere

    Good reason.

    There are however cheap holidays available.

    In 2015 I travelled a lot on cheap coach package holidays.  Which included cheap hotels with bed, breakfast and evening meals included. As well as sightseeing trips.

    Example, 5 day trip to Scotland for only £154

  • What's stopping you?

    Glad Tidings, and I am glad that it is someone familiar (sort of) with myself upon this Forum that replied first.  !

    To reply to that which I quoted from your good self there. . the short answer would be... MONEY.

    Yet I can perhaps identify - a little bit - with the rest. I live in a family house, and am often asked about where I am going if I leave it. It is both a good and a constraining thing. It is good to know that persons care about me, yet bad that it somewhat imposes upon one's freedom... and so I do not mind it so much. What I do mind is MONEY allowing one to go to anyplace. Which was the main question...? 

  • Not sure what you mean by: 

    'Never Really Been Allowed To Have A Vacation'

    What's stopping you?

    I've already mentioned that my family background is insane.  There was a period of years where my mother tried to prevent me from even leaving the house.  I only went out shopping and even then if I was out for more than an hour there were rows and sulking.  Even signing on was difficult.  I was a virtual prisoner.