Arrival Day Blues - anyone?

[SixSix11]

We’ve been longtime lurkers here and my wife has told me to start this thread so she can prove I’m really the only person in the world to get this. She’s probably right, I am an odd duck 😆

So I get arrival day blues! Got them on our 4 trips to Orlando and get them every time we do a European city break. I’m fine when we land at the airport, fine on the way to the hotel and exploring the hotel when we check in but then I just crash and get blue. I get introspective, tired, everything seems a bit gloomy and depressing. My mind will conjure up sad memories of loved one gone before and everything seems grey and pointless. Then I get a good nights sleep and the next morning I’m rearing to go and never look back. But it happens every trip even though I’m the chief planner and holidays are probably my biggest hobby/motivation. I’m always planning a trip or saving for one so it puzzles my wife when I get down and out when we arrive. At this point we plan early evening arrivals so I can get to bed sooner and get the morning to come quicker.

I think it’s tiredness as we live in the sticks and have a long drive or a very early morning getting a connection into London. Maybe a bit of anti climax after all the planning. I don’t know but I was wondering if maybe I’m not the only one? Anyone else get a bit of arrival blues?

[landandword17]

YES! I’ve never been brave enough to admit it though because I thought I was the only one too. I really envy people who are full of energy and pep in their arrival day reports. I get dreadfully depressed and like you upsetting things come into my head that I haven’t thought about in ages.

I’ve been sort of blaming the flight. I tend to be sitting with my thoughts for hours and I think being “up there” and looking down on the world gives me a little existential crises. Day to day life is all go go go and I don’t ever sit in silence for 9 hours with my thoughts at any other time really. Tiredness probably doesn’t help. I get a touch of melancholy on a Euro trip but it’s always worse after long flights. I’m also absolutely fine again after a nights sleep too.

[disney332]

One of the solutions is to take stress out.

I know it costs money, but going up the night b4 and staying at the airport or a shuttle bus away will help. Again, the night b4, you may have to drive i suspect so what about a taxi to a railway station? What about a taxi to the airport? Is there a friend who could take you. Is there a bus to Victoria?

All of these cost money, but if you can think of something and work within a budget it might help.

I feel for you.

Disney332

[borntoshop]

We did when we landed Friday. Not been for 6 years, couldn't decide on the hire car, rush hour traffic, not sure all money went in the trough at a toll, Walmart was crazy, then a beggar came up to the car whilst loading the groceries. Okay now but Friday night we weren't feeling it.

.want to add - had Morrisons shopping on the Thursday delivered then they emailed to say it hadn't been paid for as my card was declined then woke Friday morning 2 30 to email thanking me for changing a password and submitting a claim on my health insurance which I knew nothing about.

[dpmcalister]

I don't get those blues - all my stress and anxiety is in the last few days before the flight (so, right now). However, I can empathise with you. I think it's perfectly natural to think about lost loved ones, especially if you holidayed with them in the past, and then you combine this with the tiredness we all feel after a long flight. I don't think you're an "odd duck" at all.

[PerksP]

I certainly tend to be very cranky on arrival day - I think it is tiredness and wanting everything to be totally perfect. We stopped at Walmart to pick up some food when we arrived a few weeks ago and it drove me crazy - I nearly walked out because it was too busy for my frame of mind!

I know this happens on arrival day for me (on lots of different types of holiday). I always wake up next morning with a very different attitude so know I will get over it.

[Zacknkeirasmum]

I don't get this with regards to holidays but I do on Christmas Day! I think it is because I have put so much into planning the perfect Christmas day, I love the build up and anticipation of it etc, without fail I get up on Christmas morning and just feel miserable. Maybe it's the same sort of thing xx

[danatt]

I get this to some extent. For me it is nerves/adrenaline I think. I'm always so anxious at every part of the journey there (what if we miss check in, the plane, what if the hotel is rubbish) mixed with excitement and tiredness. I also get sad because I know the holiday will be over soon even though its barely started haha.

[gemma-lou]

I would say my husband suffers with this too. He is fine but needs some down time and crash out before starting again. While I'm jumping up and down to get back out there and start exploring lol

[Sandra & co]

I get it, usually tired and grumpy and I hate where we are staying even tho it’s gorgeous, then I love where we are staying and don’t want to come home.