19/09/2026
So what were holidays like years ago? For some of us it brings back fond memories and for the young ones who can’t remember here are some of the things that made a holiday back in the days truly memorable.
Going on holiday in the 80s
✈️On the flight you got complimentary peanuts with a drink and you always got lemon scented wipes (what's a nut allergy?)
✈️You didn't reserve your airline seats, just sit where you wanted - first come first served and allocated at the desk when you checked in, nothing online
✈️Everyone got a FREE hot airline meal and sometimes you got to choose between 2 options - no veggie options
✈️Duty free was actually cheap
✈️There was a smoking area on the plane - cos obviously the smoke knew not to go in the non smoking area
✈️Local supermarkets sold no British brands, so your mum had to pack Tetley Tea bags, Nescafe, Mcvities Chocolate digestives and Heinz Beans in the case
✈️On package holidays when you got on the coach, there was always a rep on the full journey to your hotel informing you of local interests, offers and advice.
✈️Booking your holiday was only ever done through a high street Travel Agent
and you'd go in there collecting lots of holiday brochures and take them home to choose your next adventure, checking the back pages to see exactly how much it was going to cost
✈️You did get the option of looking at Ceefax for holiday deals (if youre under 30, Google this lol)
✈️ Airlines back then: Dan Air, Orion, Britannia, British Midland, British Caledonian, Monarch...
✈️Suitcases and cabin bags had no wheels! Yep, bad backs all round.
✈️Luggage came in 2 colours - black or brown so it took ages to identify your suitcase on the carousel and usually meant you picking up Joe Bloggs' case only to realise and shove it back on the belt hoping nobody saw you
✈️At arrivals, on your way home, a family member always greeted you because it didn't cost them a weeks wage for petrol and parking to pick you up at the airport
🏨No television in your hotel room
🏨If you wanted to know the news, you had to buy a newspaper and they were always 1 or 2 days behind and cost twice the price
🏨Newspapers and magazines were treasure and after you'd read them, you'd seek out a fellow British person to pass them to
🏨If you wanted to watch television, you had to go in the "TV Room" downstairs in the hotel, but often you couldn't change the channel cos there would be people there already invested in watching a programme
🏨No hot English breakfast, just ham cheese and boiled eggs - croissants if you were lucky
🏨There was no such thing as all inclusive, it was breakfast, half board, full board or self catering
🏨 Everyone would get proper dressed up for their evening meal in the hotel - men in shirts and ties, ladies in pretty dresses
🏨Your evening meal was never buffet style, you got a set menu and waiters would serve you in uniform with bow ties
🏨Sunloungers were very limited so it was sunbed wars at 8am
🏨The food was always "foreign", so kids ate chips all holiday
🏨There was always a "Welcome" meeting on the morning of your first day in the hotel and everyone went, often just for a glass of complimentary cheap ch*****ne and orange juice and lollies for the kids
🏨It was normal for your mum to pack a travel iron and do ironing after you unpacked...wtf
🏨Mum would pack a travel washing line and pegs - those who weren't prepared often lost towels, swimwear and underpants which had blown off the balcony
🏨Trouser presses and bidets were the norm in most accommodations
🏨Bathrooms had no complimentary soap or shower gel
🏨There was no air conditioning in your room! So you slept with the patio doors wide open risking getting robbed and eaten by mosquitos
🏨No fridge, no kettle...And no hair dryers!
🏨 The maid brought fresh laundered towels to your room daily - none of this save the planet stuff
🏝You couldn't walk down a street without being pestered about TIME SHARE (Again. Google it)
🏝Everyone coming home with a big toy donkey or a sombrero
🏝Lots of topless ladies on the beaches and men wearing budgie smugglers
🏝Taking ages writing 6 postcards to family and friends "Wish you were here" and sending them only for you to arrive home long before the postcards did
🏝Holidays abroad were always 2 weeks and during this time you never contacted home - cut off from the outside world
🏝 If you wanted to phone home, you made sure you only did this once and your dad would be shouting hurry up as he pushed endless pesetas (old money) in the coin slot
🏝Having to get Travellers Cheques from Thomas Cook for your holiday dosh, then queuing at a Spanish bank to get your cash by showing your passport
🏝The Club 18-30 holiday (yep, Google it)
🏝Everyone bought a lilo and an inflatable animal to sit on in the pool
🏝 Pushing family members in the deep end of the pool was the norm
🏝Mums would tell you to say NO ICE in your drinks as she knew it would give you the sh*ts and if a waiter put some in your lemonade, she'd fish it out and put it in an ashtray
🏝Excursions in your resort always included a trip to a Vineyard (W**e tasting) and a Flamenco show
🏝You felt so exotic buying souvenirs for family and friends, usually Spanish sweets and a fridge magnet...
What are your holiday memories from years gone by?
