Going on vacation doesn't mean doing nothing.
Like you I don't understand how/why people do this.
I think it's about doing something different. Travel, visit, explore, camp, hike, do sport, meet new people, share that with family/friends or not.
For me it is about the approach. I like to plan very little. Plan something, but not very much.
Holiday goals, simply to have somewhere to go. They don't matter if you don't do them.
As you get to that goal, you take time to look around, maybe duck into a place here, do an activity over there. Or maybe not, and simply let life roll on by as you stroll to your destination.
I have gone hot air ballooning, day hiking, snorkelling with turtles. Wander over, have a chat, book it in for the next day or two. It is then the goal for that day and might lead to something else.
For me having a list of "places to be, things to do" means I have to be switched on, getting there and doing that, and if I don't then I have failed.
Holidays is noFail time. Allow serendipity to take charge.
> Like you I don't understand how/why people do this. I think it's about doing something different.
You raised the question and answered it in two sentences. This is exactly why some people are able to take a complete break and "do nothing" - their daily life is already filled to the brim with work, family, kids, etc, that when they get on vacation, what actually feels different is doing "nothing".
Fair point. I believe I manage to save enough time of "doing nothing" in my daily life (although it might feel uncomfortable sometimes as others pointed out in the thread) that I don't need that during vacation. I see it as an opportunity to do things I don't have time/energy to do otherwise.
Fair enough too. In my case I tend to go for 50/50 - I take about half my vacation days to literally "do nothing" (meaning catching up on games I missed since my son was born by lack of time, waking up late(r), watching movies and series, etc) and the other half as a family getaway, bringing my son to new places, trying out new things together.
