cheeto

I have a place in Mexico and go every year for 3-4 months as I am retired. There has always been drinking while there but just wondering how many people have gone on vacation after getting sober and could handle all the drinking around them? I don't go for another 4 1/2 months and plan to have my cravings curbed by then as I know it is different for many but by 4 months I should be good. AA does not work for me so I just come here and I also bring my laptop to Mexico to check in daily. Just wanting to know how others faired when they figured they were good to get out and go travel.

Stoogy

Hey Cheeto, great point, for me I was dreading my first vacation without drinking but I must say is so much more value for money when you can remember what you did while on vacation.

Pondlady

I was worried the first time I vacationed after quitting. I made sure I got plenty of rest and alone time.

SoberHoopsFan

The way I look at it is alcohol has ruined every vacation I've ever been on going back to when I started drinking. It has turned them into blurry messes, where I might have believed I was having fun at the time, but all the fun was taken back from lack of memory and feeling sick from imbibing so much booze. Not to mention the several times I almost found myself in legal trouble because of things I did while drinking on vacation.

Quite frankly, I'm looking forward to my first sober vacation, it will be my best vacation in 16 years. I am not letting alcohol rob me of another vacation. I think taking that attitude would be a good mindset to have.

Flying4Life

I was very nervous about my first sober vacation, especially because it was at an all-inclusive resort on a tropical island. But it was wonderful, except I did get food poisoning for a couple of days. Otherwise, I drank lots of non-alcoholic tropical fruit drinks, gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted, spent time reading and relaxing on the beach, lying by the pool, touring different locales, taking pictures, and enjoying spectacular entertainment. The best part is knowing that I will never forget my experiences there and the wonderful time that I shared with a loved one. Vacation memories are priceless. I hope alcohol never robs me of them again.

PurpleKnight

Like anything we need to change up our plan and lifestyle when on vacation, I needed to really think about my airport routine, what to do in the evenings at hotels, what activities to occupy myself with when away from home, everything used to involve drinking and so an overhaul of things was required to protect my Sobriety!!

It can be done though, but have it planned out beforehand!!

Sasha4

I've done lots of holidays sober.

3 were all inclusive so booze was free and available all day, every day in massive amounts!

I took it day by day.
Didn't tell myself I couldn't drink all holiday, just did my normal of waking up in the morning and saying to myself 'just for today I won't drink'.

I used every holiday as a way to relax and re-charge.
I took lots of photo's too, so thatI could share them with others when I got home.

I also watched the usual heavy drinkers you get on holiday. A bit like drunken people watching and I found it reinforced the reasons I did not want to drink anymore.

There were people who were loud and staggering from too much to drink.
Some vacationers looked hungover and shaky at breakfast - what a hideous way to start your day in the sun.

I took my ipad and came here everyday.
I also watched films on my ipad and took lots of books to read.
Some days it was just nice laying in the sun thinking about how far I had come since I stopped drinking.

Don't keep mulling over and worrying how you are going to be on holiday.
I found that if anyone asked me about my intentions regarding drinking alcohol on holiday, I simply diverted the pressure away from myself and said 'I will see how I feel once I am there'.
It was no lie and it stopped me wondering and others questioning.

I also think that because drinking on holiday is such a given for many people, you often get strange looks if you have your diet coke or your coffee.

This just makes me smile now and I either think to myself or say out loud 'everyone, calm down. I'm not doing something outrageous. I'm not threatening world peace. I'm not smuggling rare breeds of animals. I'm not attempting to other throw the monarchy - I'm just preferring to have a diet coke. Really its okay. The world is not about to end!'.

Happy holidays for when they arrive!

MIRecovery

For me Vacations are no different than anywhere else. I hang out with non or light drinkers, I stay away from drinking situations, I fill my days with fun sober activities. The vast majority of people do not have vacations that revolve around alcohol and I am one of those people

Mountainmanbob

seems not to be a problem if we were Spiritually fit

and understand that

the one in the mirror is the one who deceived us the most

let us keep a close eye on that guy

Mountainman

jason2

I don't mind all the drinking around me. I can still moderate with all the heavy drinking around me.

MelindaFlowers

I just had my first vacation sober. For me it was not any more difficult then staying sober at home. It sure was nice to be able to enjoy the vacation and not wake up every day with a hangover and withdrawal.

soberjuly

I've been on 2 vacations since going sober 5.5 weeks ago.

First, 4 days at Disneyland staying at the Disneyland Hotel. The park was not an issue but at the hotel all I saw were parents walking around with booze. It was hard. I was one week sober and miserable. I had one Diet Coke, one bottle of water and a Mickey Mouse ice cream sandwich - every time I got cravings. And I grinded my teeth.

Second, 8 days in Cancun. I was a little over a month sober. That was MUCH better even though the booze was free and all around me. I just signed up for tennis lessons early on and made sure there was no booze in the room.

The people drinking didn't bother me, to be honest, the drinkers looked really unhealthy and that put me off.

The buff and fit people did not appear to be drinking booze. I want to be a buff and fit person. It will take a few months but I really want to get fit.

MIRecovery

Moderate?

cheeto

Thanks Stoogy, Pondlady, SoberHoopsFan, Flying4Life, Purpleknight, Sasha4, MIRecovery, Mountainmanbob, jason2, MelindaFlowers & soberjuly. I agree totally with all you guys about wasting a vacation forgetting the night before or being too hung over and sick the next day to do anything other than drink again to try and feel better, oh yea that really worked!
I would check my camera in the morning to remind me of what I did, where I was and who I was with if I had bothered to take pictures the night before, pretty pitiful huh!
During the day it is not hard for me not to drink as I usually take a big bottle of water to the beach with my lunch and it's not until about sunset that the drinks may flow.I do read a lot and have satellite TV at home for the evenings and in a pinch watch Netflix on my computer. Sasha4 I like that to not stress and just take each day at a time. Soberjuly I want to be a fit and healthy person too and hope I can take a few pounds off with all the empty calories alcohol adds. Jason2 moderating is not in the cards for me, tried and failed badly for years and years. It is much harder for me to moderate than to abstain completely.
Like they say my worst day sober is 1000 times better than my best hangover!

IOAA2

Hi. I chuckled when I read that. IF that’s a new solution for an alcoholic, fortunes could be made, sort of like selling snake oil!
UNTIL IT HITS THE MARKET I’LL HAVE TO STAND BY NOT DRINKING ONE DAY AT A TIME.

BE WELL

Hobbers

I just won a 'President's Trip' for outstanding performance at work. I am terrified to go on a vacation (any, really, but especially) with unlimited booze.

and frankly, I think I'll feel 'cheated' on not getting the same value for my reward without the $100's in booze I usually drink. sounds funny, but I am actually kinda serious.

Jupiters

good post! I have a trip coming up end of November to Cuba - it will be my first ever vacay to an all-inclusive resort with no drinking.
I'm just over 3 mths now (day 102! oh ya) ...so by then it'll be around the 6 mth mark. I gave it much thought before making the decision and decided...screw it. Like a few others posted, I am SO excited to be able to enjoy this trip sober and alert and NOT drunk/hungover and remember it all. I have gone on numerous trips since my early 20's
(37 now) and all of them were booze riddled.
I think this is going to be an excellent vacation. One day at a time. Same as here. Just with better weather