Summer Holidays

[clapton is god]

package holidays suck. Avoid 'em in future I say...

It's not a package, AT. It started out that way but because our girl has to come home after just one week we had to piece bits together and it actually cost us more for less, if you see what I mean.

It'll be reet, as we say in Bolton.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

package holidays suck. Avoid 'em in future I say...

It's not a package, AT. It started out that way but because our girl has to come home after just one week we had to piece bits together and it actually cost us more for less, if you see what I mean.

It'll be reet, as we say in Bolton.

I assumed it was a package as it was Cosmos. Still, I prefer to book each component myself so I can avoid the whole being switched on to unheard of airlines and so on. That said, I use a great specialist travel agent for the Maldives, though only for the accommodation. Flights and so on I do direct with the airline.

Anyway, hope it all works out as you want

[General Mannerheim]

Package holidays dont suck. they lack that je ne sais quoi granted, like i despise being funneled onto waiting buses at the other end like school kids on a trip but ultimately, when you work 45hrs a week all year, you just wanna crash out on a sun lounger for two weeks and you have young kids to think about - package holidays take away all the stress.

i always say id like to start taking more interesting cultural holidays, but when it comes round to it i cba! im knackered and quite happy to go laze by a pool somewhere.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

With the Internet it's quick n a piece of piss to book something, even if you just want to lie on a sun lounger by a pool (nowt wrong with that BTW). I'm as lazy as they come and I just get the hotel to arrange a car or summat at the other end. Means you're met, luggage taken care of and I don't have to deal with other people and coaches. Costs a bit more, but often not that much more.

[General Mannerheim]

but that would mean no 6am airport beers!!

nah i know what your saying, ive done both ways. just saying packages dont suck.

[Montreal Wanderer]

but that would mean no 6am airport beers!!

nah i know what your saying, ive done both ways. just saying packages dont suck.

All inclusive Caribbean resorts (with air travel and coach of course) are great for a mid-winter break. Terrific value too.

[Worthy4England]

but that would mean no 6am airport beers!!

nah i know what your saying, ive done both ways. just saying packages dont suck.

All inclusive Caribbean resorts (with air travel and coach of course) are great for a mid-winter break. Terrific value too.

They're pretty good for "in a couple of weeks time" too!

I think you might overstate the "value" based on UK prices.

[bobo the clown]

but that would mean no 6am airport beers!!

nah i know what your saying, ive done both ways. just saying packages dont suck.

All inclusive Caribbean resorts (with air travel and coach of course) are great for a mid-winter break. Terrific value too.

You normally can't take your kids to those, can you ?

Not really going to work for a family man like the General I guess.

[Worthy4England]

but that would mean no 6am airport beers!!

nah i know what your saying, ive done both ways. just saying packages dont suck.

All inclusive Caribbean resorts (with air travel and coach of course) are great for a mid-winter break. Terrific value too.

You normally can't take your kids to those, can you ?

Not really going to work for a family man like the General I guess.

Sure you can - it's hardly Hedonism II

[Montreal Wanderer]

but that would mean no 6am airport beers!!

nah i know what your saying, ive done both ways. just saying packages dont suck.

All inclusive Caribbean resorts (with air travel and coach of course) are great for a mid-winter break. Terrific value too.

They're pretty good for "in a couple of weeks time" too!

I think you might overstate the "value" based on UK prices.

Perhaps - I don't know the UK prices. They cost me about $1000 per person per week - so in the range of 500 UK pounds, including travel and all you can eat and drink. Mexico a bit more expensive than Costa Rica, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. I gather former UK islands are even more expensive, but I've not been to all-inclusives in those. Everything much cheaper if you book at the last minute or out of season.

[Worthy4England]

but that would mean no 6am airport beers!!

nah i know what your saying, ive done both ways. just saying packages dont suck.

All inclusive Caribbean resorts (with air travel and coach of course) are great for a mid-winter break. Terrific value too.

They're pretty good for "in a couple of weeks time" too!

I think you might overstate the "value" based on UK prices.

Perhaps - I don't know the UK prices. They cost me about $1000 per person per week - so in the range of 500 UK pounds, including travel and all you can eat and drink. Mexico a bit more expensive than Costa Rica, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. I gather former UK islands are even more expensive, but I've not been to all-inclusives in those. Everything much cheaper if you book at the last minute or out of season.

Less than half the price, then, for Mexico

[clapton is god]

Away to Skiathos on Friday morning but it has the feeling of impending doom about it all, and I don't mean the whole Greek situation.

Cosmos are just not looking after us at all. This is a villa holiday for the three of us and has cost a bomb lot, but just last month Cosmos changed our carrier from Small Planet to Enter Air, a Polish outfit with no UK bases and as far as I can ascertain they don't even go to Skiathos! And further, in an idle moment yesterday I wondered if there were any on-line reviews on them.... Worst thing I ever did! The reviews are shockingly bad. Frequent breakdowns needing long runway hours to fix bits, no English speaking aircrew, no food on board, no alcohol on board, they let you have a coffee but you have to make it yourself etc etc, but no crashes....yet.

Cosmos told us they would write again 14-21 days pre holiday to inform how to gain access to the villa but here we are with just two days to go and still nothing. Their help line is 13ppm and my email bounced back with a faq sheet informing that 'in most cases' the airport rep will have the key. In most cases? What the hell does that mean?

Stress free this is not!

Good luck, Clappers! I'm sure it will all work out right in the end and give you a great store of anecdotes.

Well, we're here. The aircraft and crew were almost as bad as reported but were on time and got us here in one piece. That was the hardest landing I have ever experienced. It was as though the altimeter was 20' out and the aircraft wanted to keep going down!

And the Cosmos rep looked at me blankly when I told him I hadn't got a key but a phone call sorted it.

Fantastic villa in a great location! Two weeks R&R to come.

A word re Manc airport, because based on last years horrendous experience I was worried. We left our abode at 8.15 and we had checked in, done security and we're having coffee by 8.45!

[thebish]

nowt quite as exotic as you bunch of moneybags globetrotters!

am off to New Quay in Cardiganshire (west wales) for a holiday in a static caravan next week!

never been there - anyone suggest any must-see/must-do things in the area?

[bobo the clown]

^^^ the "Welcome to England" sign on the way back sounds favourite! !

[thebish]

^^^ the "Welcome to England" sign on the way back sounds favourite! !

I have some footage somewhere of me crossing back over ye border from wales-shire to england on my recent round-britain tour!

[Montreal Wanderer]

^^^ the "Welcome to England" sign on the way back sounds favourite! !

As Dr. Johnson said of his favourite Celtic fringe - "The most noble prospect in Scotland is the high road to England."

[thebish]

Am in wales-shire... It's raining!

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

A month today I'll mostly be doing nothing here...

[thebish]

Up in the sky?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Nope. In one of them villas in the bottom 3rd of the photo