Has Anyone Booked a Holiday Yet?

[DerbyshireFox]

8 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Loved Tirana (Albania) and Lake Orhid (Macedonia) when we went last year, presuming City would get to the conference final which they obvs never did. It's a much cheaper and MUCH better Italy. Baffles me why anyone would pay their own money to go to Italy anymore.

Good to know. Bosnia looks stunning in places as well. Looked at a few Balkan tours, just getting the time off to go

[FoyleFox]

14 hours ago, Tommy G said:

Japan is on the list just don't think its suitable for kids. Pricing it up too is a four figure job.

 

Looks an amazing place to go.  

Japan looks amazing. I had a trip booked to include China and Japan in February 2020, which obviously didn't happen. Still gutted and looking at rearranging another. I've found a Japan to Australia cruise which looks great but vying with a USA & Haiwai to New Zealand itinerary. 

[rachhere]

3 hours ago, FoyleFox said:

Japan looks amazing. I had a trip booked to include China and Japan in February 2020, which obviously didn't happen. Still gutted and looking at rearranging another. I've found a Japan to Australia cruise which looks great but vying with a USA & Haiwai to New Zealand itinerary. 

I went to China for two weeks in 2016 and traveled round the country a fair bit. I really enjoyed it, but definitely the most challenging place I have been to from a backpacking perspective!

[Tommy G]

5 hours ago, FoyleFox said:

Japan looks amazing. I had a trip booked to include China and Japan in February 2020, which obviously didn't happen. Still gutted and looking at rearranging another. I've found a Japan to Australia cruise which looks great but vying with a USA & Haiwai to New Zealand itinerary. 

I'd skip the China bit out, I've been to the same place twice but IMO it's a bit of a dump. 

[CosbehFox]

Rotterdam incredibly under-rated for a weekend away. Architecturally outstanding and historically rich. Pretty good bars and foodie places - largely helped by a huge international university there. 
 

Found it hilarious when a waitress picked up we were East Midlanders. Mentioned she was originally from Stourbridge - rather hilariously thought we were Brits living in the Netherlands originally. 
 

Also Eurostar is an utter pleasure and a complete departure from the hell that can be flying - didn’t have a single delay, well organised and even East Mids Railway played ball. Provided you can get a decent train price from Leics to London - it works out better value on Eurostar and time wise is probably the same 

[CosbehFox]

17 hours ago, Dr Marco said:

Loved Lisbon, loved Porto even more

Preferred Porto here. Find Portugal very relaxed on the whole but Lisbon is at the tipping edge of tourism in an Amsterdam fashion 

[ajthefox]

7 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

I'd skip the China bit out, I've been to the same place twice but IMO it's a bit of a dump. 

The whole of China is a dump..?

[grobyfox1990]

24 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

Rotterdam incredibly under-rated for a weekend away. Architecturally outstanding and historically rich. Pretty good bars and foodie places - largely helped by a huge international university there. 
 

Found it hilarious when a waitress picked up we were East Midlanders. Mentioned she was originally from Stourbridge - rather hilariously thought we were Brits living in the Netherlands originally. 
 

Also Eurostar is an utter pleasure and a complete departure from the hell that can be flying - didn’t have a single delay, well organised and even East Mids Railway played ball. Provided you can get a decent train price from Leics to London - it works out better value on Eurostar and time wise is probably the same 

Agreed, Eurostar is a pleasure. They often have a sale. Europeans have it so good with affordable, reliable long distance rail and bus travel 

[Tommy G]

44 minutes ago, ajthefox said:

The whole of China is a dump..?

No, just the place I’ve been which I said in the post.

[fuchsntf]

3 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

No, just the place I’ve been which I said in the post.

When traveling, I don't box countries, or even think, what's a dump or not.. 

Surely one doesn't, backpack or profess to be a wiley traveler, if " being a dump" is your main concerns. It's finding out the diverse.. Natural or human stories behind the dump, decent, terrible fassades.. I mean UK is more dump, than decent... 

[fuchsntf]

On 11/11/2023 at 23:16, jgtuk said:

I’m not really into “holidays” as such. I’ve done plenty over the years while the children were growing up but always had time away to walk or climb. My Wife used to come with me but she’d rather relax by a pool or beach, as did the children, even when they were older. I would love to walk a desert, trek across Mongolia or China but time is a limiting factor nowadays. That and my health. Personally, a cruise would be a nightmare holiday, so glad my wife isn’t interested either. 
Places I would revisit -

Canada. Been once, Vancouver Island which is a beautiful place. Walked the West Coast Trail and climbed Mount Washington. 
Brazil. Spent a few months there in the 90’s, The Pantanal is one of the most amazing places on earth.

Borneo. Wife left me in charge of honeymoon so I booked 2 weeks in Kota Kinabalu, left her at the hotel for two and a half days while I climbed Mount Kinabalu. 

I need the outdoors - birds, wildlife, Diving or Snorkelling etc for a successful holiday. 
The Earth is too vast to pick one dream holiday destination. 

 

Luckily, I had a wife who also wanted to go into the areas of the unknown, & pure nature & fauna the journey and destination.. If adventure-travel, create one's own path, so others follow that was our motto.. A cruise, Rollo-hotels god forbid, but if it means or helps others to travel, that's their freedom.. 

The Earth is too vast...

I 'LL undersign that..

[CosbehFox]

1 hour ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Agreed, Eurostar is a pleasure. They often have a sale. Europeans have it so good with affordable, reliable long distance rail and bus travel 

The forementioned woman from Stourbridge mentioned it takes her the same time to get from Rotterdam to London via rail as London to Stourbridge 

[Scanchez]

We always go away in February half term for a bit of warmer weather.

My wife hates the winter here so it gives her something to look forward to.

We've (me, the wife and 7 year old lad)  just booked a flight to Fuerteventura. Not been before but starting to worry that it'll either be really chavvy or boring depending on where abouts we go!

Has anyone been before and got any tips?  

[bovril]

22 hours ago, DerbyshireFox said:

Good to know. Bosnia looks stunning in places as well. Looked at a few Balkan tours, just getting the time off to go

Bosnia is beautiful. People very friendly too and great food. Feels like the least developed country in the Balkans, which I suppose could be a good or bad thing.

[Górnik Leicester]

23 hours ago, Lionator said:

Any experiences of Krakow for a couples holiday for a couple of nights? 

Been a number of times, but mostly on my own. Last went with my wife about 13 years ago.

 

Beautiful city, but I recommend going in the warmer months (June was ideal, but still can be on the hot side). Auschwitz and Wieliczka are both worth visiting. You've also Schindler's factory, which is now a museum. Kazimierz, the Jewish quarter, is lovely to walk around.

 

There are places where you do have to be careful in regards to nightlife, but plenty of bars and restaurants. Prices in Poland have definitely gone up over the last few years, but still cheaper than here. 

Edited 14 November 2023 by Górnik Leicester

[rachhere]

10 hours ago, Tommy G said:

I'd skip the China bit out, I've been to the same place twice but IMO it's a bit of a dump. 

Not quite our experience… 

[Paninistickers]

4 hours ago, Scanchez said:

We always go away in February half term for a bit of warmer weather.

My wife hates the winter here so it gives her something to look forward to.

We've (me, the wife and 7 year old lad)  just booked a flight to Fuerteventura. Not been before but starting to worry that it'll either be really chavvy or boring depending on where abouts we go!

Has anyone been before and got any tips?  

Can't assist with fuerteventura but I usually end up at a supposed 'chavvy' resort at least once a year. 

 

I find the chav places are a) usually located around the best beaches and scenery b) there are ALWAYS diamonds in the rough. 

 

Basically, go to the places the riff raff don't and you'll find a gem. Plus, you know, it's holiday. I'm no way too snobbish for an occasional English breakfast or late night Pina colada  in karaoke bar compered by a foul.mouthed northern drag queen

 

 

[Scanchez]

13 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

Can't assist with fuerteventura but I usually end up at a supposed 'chavvy' resort at least once a year. 

 

I find the chav places are a) usually located around the best beaches and scenery b) there are ALWAYS diamonds in the rough. 

 

Basically, go to the places the riff raff don't and you'll find a gem. Plus, you know, it's holiday. I'm no way too snobbish for an occasional English breakfast or late night Pina colada  in karaoke bar compered by a foul.mouthed northern drag queen

 

 

Yeah, I totally agree. Just didn't want to end up somewhere where all there was were fry-ups and Carling.

There's more likely to be fun stuff for kids in the "chavvy" bits too, I guess.

I think we will probably go more that way as the quieter bits look a bit like we get bored after a while.

[walkerleeds]

18 hours ago, bovril said:

Bosnia is beautiful. People very friendly too and great food. Feels like the least developed country in the Balkans, which I suppose could be a good or bad thing.

 

Where abouts did you go? I'm going next year just need to figure out where. 

[bovril]

3 minutes ago, walkerleeds said:

 

Where abouts did you go? I'm going next year just need to figure out where. 

Only Sarajevo and Mostar. But I remember the taking the train between them and thinking how much I wanted to explore the lesser known parts of the country. Lived in Bulgaria for five years and went to most parts of the Balkans and my one regret is that I didn't travel round Bosnia more, find little places like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.0082345,17.878751,3a,75y,52.15h,94.44t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipO_AqO7lNvlLoh5xqJPHXosuKoqm2w7F5bwxA7E!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO_AqO7lNvlLoh5xqJPHXosuKoqm2w7F5bwxA7E%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-20-ya302-ro0-fo100!7i7680!8i3840?entry=ttu

 

Those two cities are both great though. Sarajevo is incredible. The whole of ex-Yugo is brilliant.

[jgtuk]

2 hours ago, bovril said:

Those two cities are both great though. Sarajevo is incredible. The whole of ex-Yugo is brilliant.

Was fortunate enough to visit when still Yugoslavia. Amazing people and one of the most beautiful countries I’ve seen. I also remember police checkpoints, actually very friendly but not averse to a little baksheesh, either a small amount of cash or something you might be carrying. Not been post war but definitely somewhere I would visit. 

[FoxesDeb]

Lanzarote is looking like a short ish flight for us and cheap enough next September, which resort should we choose and which should we avoid? 

[Stadt]

Off to Prague next week with my girlfriend, any recommendations?

 

Off to Sedlec Ossuary at some stage and maybe heading to Ceske Budovice or Plzen for a brewery tour. 

[Daggers]

On 14/11/2023 at 20:12, rachhere said:

Not quite our experience… 

Pfft, what a dump. Makes you wonder why they stay there and don’t move to Kirby Muxloe.

[Tommy G]

13 hours ago, Stadt said:

Off to Prague next week with my girlfriend, any recommendations?

 

Off to Sedlec Ossuary at some stage and maybe heading to Ceske Budovice or Plzen for a brewery tour. 

The Christmas markets will look after you.