The woman was left baffled when she realised her holiday mistake (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
While heading off on holiday can put a serious dent in your wallet, particularly for larger families, one way to dodge those sky-high prices is to travel during quieter periods throughout the year. This typically means travelling during the spring or autumn months, well clear of school holidays and bank holidays.
However, opting for off-peak travel can bring its own set of unexpected headaches, as one woman found out to her cost. Millie Overton, from Blidworth in Nottinghamshire, decided to whisk her family away on an all-inclusive break to Turkey at the beginning of April this year — but things didn’t exactly go to plan.
Rather than lounging on a sunbed and basking in glorious sunshine by the hotel pool, Millie took to TikTok to lay bare the harsh ‘reality’ of her getaway, admitting she’d made a costly error when selecting her holiday dates.
“Book Turkey in April… says no one ever!!!” Millie wrote in the overlay text on the video.
She filmed herself stretched out on a sunbed, sunglasses on, but bundled up in a blanket in a bid to keep warm.
Millie then panned the camera to reveal the hotel pool — but the sky overhead was anything but the glorious blue she’d been banking on. Instead, it appeared grey and overcast, bearing an uncanny resemblance to a typical dull day back home in Britain.
She added in the caption of the post: “Think it’s warmer at home! It’s [a] break though isn’t it?”
Although Millie didn’t reveal exactly where in Turkey she was based, the country typically enjoys mild and pleasant spring conditions in April, with average temperatures ranging between 10°C and 20°C. While this makes it ideal for sightseeing, it’s perhaps less suited to those dreaming of an all-inclusive beach or pool holiday.
Back home, the UK enjoyed an unusually warm April this year, with dry, sunny, and warm conditions across much of the country, particularly in the South, following a remarkably wet winter. Several regions even recorded exceptional temperatures, with the mercury climbing to around 26°C in some parts.
It appears Millie was far from alone in choosing Turkey for an April getaway, as a number of other holidaymakers flocked to the comments section to share their own experiences.
“I’m coming in 7 days pretty scared,” one person wrote. Another one also shared: ” We arrive on Thursday and it looks like a week of rain, taking my waterproof jacket and warmer clothing.”
Someone else suggested: “Why are you forcing yourself to sit outside if you’re cold? Go indoors. It’s not a mandatory activity to sit by a pool on holiday.”
However, someone else also shared: “went in the end of March and had good weather.”
The takeaway is clear; if you’re looking to book a trip abroad, it’s well worth researching the typical temperatures for your chosen destination during the month you plan to travel, to avoid any unwelcome weather-related disappointments.