Summer Holidays

[bobo the clown]

Bllx .... the direct route is called for.


... or tell them YOUR parents have already made a similar suggestion and it's going to be difficult.

... or accept the inevitable & just hunker down.

[Bijou Bob]

Can we just ignore the fact that Magalluf exists for 2 weeks or so please?? My 17 year old son is off there next week - first lad's holiday with his mates. Frankly, I'm terrified.

Join the club BB, my 18yo is off to Zante in two weeks too for his first lads' holiday. Has it crossed your mind to get the next flight out there to keep an eye on him? I know I have

Not really but I know where you're coming from. He has to learn for himself and he'd never trust me again. What worries me most is that it's his birthday while he is away and I'm shite scared his mates will get him a top shelf cocktail. His birthday presents include a large box of condoms and a typed piece of paper warning him not to get a 'Lads on tour 2013' tattoo!

Interestingly, up until 15 minutes ago, his passport had disappeared en route back from the Embassy of Belarus and it looked like he wasn't going to be able to go (Did you know you can't get an immediate replacement for a lost passport - you now have to wait a week?). It's just landed at home.

[General Mannerheim]

Just back from the most sensational few days mountain biking around the Portes Du Soleil in the French and Swiss Alps. Easily the best and most fun I've ever had. Absolutely stunning.

Tomorrow it's to Tenerife!

[William the White]

Just booked for a week in Valencia in September. Flights reserved, apartment rented...

Not been there for 30 years, and wife and daughter never, but it's clearly reinvented itself from the dull provincial city with a great bull ring I remember... Major architecture, art, music and science museums, ceramics gallery, tarted up old city... And two clean beaches...

We'll find a way of enjoying...

[thebish]

off to cornwall for some surf static caravan at Perranporth... waheyyy!

[bobo the clown]

Just booked for a week in Valencia in September. Flights reserved, apartment rented...

Not been there for 30 years, and wife and daughter never, but it's clearly reinvented itself from the dull provincial city with a great bull ring I remember... Major architecture, art, music and science museums, ceramics gallery, tarted up old city... And two clean beaches...

We'll find a way of enjoying...

Absolutely superb city.

A magnificent example of what can be done with other people's money and a recklessly ambitious city council. You can even forget what a complete economic fck-up they made of it. You'll enjoy the week.

[bobo the clown]

... and now the Big Top is arranged to be moved for a week in Calvi, Corsica in August.

I went there 30 years ago, and again 24 years ago. It may have changed a little, but I love it.

[Athers]

So apparently I'm going to Columbia in late November.

I'll only be trying the coffee, thanks. Will also look to avoid being kidnapped.

[William the White]

off to cornwall for some surf static caravan at Perranporth... waheyyy!

I love Cornwall - we did a fortnight there every year when the youngest was small. Portscatho - 2 shops, one restaurant, one pub, one miniature art gallery, great beach...

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

So apparently I'm going to Columbia in late November.

I'll only be trying the coffee, thanks. Will also look to avoid being kidnapped.

Didn't think kidnapping was such a big issue in South Carolina

[Montreal Wanderer]

So apparently I'm going to Columbia in late November.

I'll only be trying the coffee, thanks. Will also look to avoid being kidnapped.

Didn't think kidnapping was such a big issue in South Carolina

I think it is those NYC universities you have to watch out for kidnappers at.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

So apparently I'm going to Columbia in late November.

I'll only be trying the coffee, thanks. Will also look to avoid being kidnapped.

Didn't think kidnapping was such a big issue in South Carolina

I think it is those NYC universities you have to watch out for kidnappers at.

[Lord Kangana]

So apparently I'm going to Columbia in late November.

I'll only be trying the coffee, thanks. Will also look to avoid being kidnapped.

My mate in London was Columbian, and because his dad had been a government minister he (my mate) could no longer live there because of the permanent threat of kidnap. His dad lived in the library of his safe house (it was, I gather, rather a large house) with 24/7 body guards.

But good luck with the trip and all that.

[bobo the clown]

So apparently I'm going to Columbia in late November.

I'll only be trying the coffee, thanks. Will also look to avoid being kidnapped.

My son went for a month 3 years ago ... I just had to concentrate on the positives. He loved it. Though a couple of hoped for trips were cancelled "due to activity in the area".

He'd also hoped to go into Venezuela but the two borders open & close like automatic doors and the two countries weren't speaking at that time.

Cheap once there too, btw.

[Worthy4England]

Dump 'em with the kids every night and head out on the lash. That'll cure it soon enough.

[bobo the clown]

Dump 'em with the kids every night and head out on the lash. That'll cure it soon enough.

Timing is everything Worthy. Bravo !

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I finally finally got to see a bear up close and personal. (A proper bear, Monty, not one of your town dump bears)!
I was way off the main trails out behind the back of Mount Temple south of Lake Louise, and the shouts of wandering Amuricans shouting ‘Yo bear’ and ringing their bloody bells had disappeared hours previously. I was in the woods just below the tree line before the big pines peter out to scrub and as I came around a large boulder I came face to face with an enormous bear. He was coming down the trail walking on all fours and was about twenty feet in front and slightly above me.
We both stopped dead, I don’t know who was the most surprised. I was mostly in shadow in the trees and he was out in the open in full sun – he was magnificent, and more ginger than Megson. He started waving his head about sniffing, and then he stood up on his back legs. (I managed not to shit myself at that point). I had it all planned – I was supposed to start talking in low friendly banter whilst backing away down the trail. But when I opened my mouth to speak I just sort of croaked and I was frozen to the spot. After what felt like endless minutes I finally managed to persuade my legs to move and I eased up off the trail and back around the big rock. He just casually trotted off down the trail, went past me no more than ten feet away and then went crashing down through the woods. That was the most intense experience of my life. I will not attempt to repeat it again; having done it once it gives a very visceral insight into how badly it could have turned out.

[Athers]

So apparently I'm going to Columbia in late November.

I'll only be trying the coffee, thanks. Will also look to avoid being kidnapped.

My son went for a month 3 years ago ... I just had to concentrate on the positives. He loved it. Though a couple of hoped for trips were cancelled "due to activity in the area".

He'd also hoped to go into Venezuela but the two borders open & close like automatic doors and the two countries weren't speaking at that time.

Cheap once there too, btw.

Good stuff, I'm sure it's just a case of being sensible and listening to the locals on where not to go as I can handle Spanish. £600ish flights and as you say, hoping for cheapness when out there.

Because she is self-employed my girlfriend is going for 6-7 weeks and I'm the middle visitor [steady!] of the people in the real world who can only get 2 weeks off together. I'll worry of course when I'm not there..

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

I finally finally got to see a bear up close and personal. (A proper bear, Monty, not one of your town dump bears)!
I was way off the main trails out behind the back of Mount Temple south of Lake Louise, and the shouts of wandering Amuricans shouting ‘Yo bear’ and ringing their bloody bells had disappeared hours previously. I was in the woods just below the tree line before the big pines peter out to scrub and as I came around a large boulder I came face to face with an enormous bear. He was coming down the trail walking on all fours and was about twenty feet in front and slightly above me.
We both stopped dead, I don’t know who was the most surprised. I was mostly in shadow in the trees and he was out in the open in full sun – he was magnificent, and more ginger than Megson. He started waving his head about sniffing, and then he stood up on his back legs. (I managed not to shit myself at that point). I had it all planned – I was supposed to start talking in low friendly banter whilst backing away down the trail. But when I opened my mouth to speak I just sort of croaked and I was frozen to the spot. After what felt like endless minutes I finally managed to persuade my legs to move and I eased up off the trail and back around the big rock. He just casually trotted off down the trail, went past me no more than ten feet away and then went crashing down through the woods. That was the most intense experience of my life. I will not attempt to repeat it again; having done it once it gives a very visceral insight into how badly it could have turned out.

Great little story.

I appreciate this is a bit random, but I've got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about this at the moment - aren't you pleased in some ways that you don't have a photo of this encounter and the memory is intense and personal to you, as described above?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I finally finally got to see a bear up close and personal. (A proper bear, Monty, not one of your town dump bears)!
I was way off the main trails out behind the back of Mount Temple south of Lake Louise, and the shouts of wandering Amuricans shouting ‘Yo bear’ and ringing their bloody bells had disappeared hours previously. I was in the woods just below the tree line before the big pines peter out to scrub and as I came around a large boulder I came face to face with an enormous bear. He was coming down the trail walking on all fours and was about twenty feet in front and slightly above me.
We both stopped dead, I don’t know who was the most surprised. I was mostly in shadow in the trees and he was out in the open in full sun – he was magnificent, and more ginger than Megson. He started waving his head about sniffing, and then he stood up on his back legs. (I managed not to shit myself at that point). I had it all planned – I was supposed to start talking in low friendly banter whilst backing away down the trail. But when I opened my mouth to speak I just sort of croaked and I was frozen to the spot. After what felt like endless minutes I finally managed to persuade my legs to move and I eased up off the trail and back around the big rock. He just casually trotted off down the trail, went past me no more than ten feet away and then went crashing down through the woods. That was the most intense experience of my life. I will not attempt to repeat it again; having done it once it gives a very visceral insight into how badly it could have turned out.

Great little story.

I appreciate this is a bit random, but I've got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about this at the moment - aren't you pleased in some ways that you don't have a photo of this encounter and the memory is intense and personal to you, as described above?

I think I understand where you are coming from, and the answer is I'm not sure, or rather a better answer would be both Yes amd No.
Yes because having a camera in hand or being there with another person having a camera would have inevitably altered the dynamic of the situation and therefore it wouldn't have been the experience that it was.
No insofar as I would love to have captured him on film, you don't get many chances to film a wild bear.

I think the balance of my opinion, overall, lies with a Yes, I'm extremely pleased that I had such an encounter and having a camera in my hand would probably have ruined the moment (or even led to a situation that might have ended with my demise!).

I did have a camera, it was sitting in the top of the daypack I was carrying. I can say without hesitation that usually when I turn a corner and come across scenery worth capturing that my first thoughts are to whip out a camera, but at no point during my confrontation with Mr Bear did it cross my mind to go for the camera. It was only afterwards when he was crashing down through the trees did it occur to me to try and take a photograph, but it was far too late by then.