Summer Holidays

[thebish]

It's about 30 years since I was last in Cornwall, but we did consider St Ives and Bude for our October break this year. Instead though, we are having a few days in Seahouses, Northumberland.

presumably you'll be toddling across to the Farne islands?

[clapton is god]

Yep, got Billy Shiels boat trips already marked together with a large scale map on which I have noted likely photo opportunities

[Montreal Wanderer]

Yep, got Billy Shiels boat trips already marked together with a large scale map on which I have noted likely photo opportunities

Not too many swimming opportunities though! Take some woolies! We'll await the results in the photo thread.

[Bijou Bob]

Japan for 2016. Booked it, packed it......

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Japan for 2016. Booked it, packed it......

Whereabouts? (an old stomping ground of mine is Nihon). (If you aren't spending at least two days in Kyoto it'll be a criminal waste). ((and visit Nara, the Daibutsuden is A-fxckin-mazing).

[Bijou Bob]

We're doing a big circle taking in Tokyo, Kyoto, the mountain region, Hiroshima etc.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

We're doing a big circle taking in Tokyo, Kyoto, the mountain region, Hiroshima etc.

Excellento. I hope some of it will be by Shinkansen... Despite being over fifty years old there is no transport system quite like it. I also hope that around Hiroshima ( I lived in Kure-shi, Hiroshima-ken) that not only do you do the Peace Park and the A-dome, but squeeze in Itsukushima (Miyajima) it's fxcking amazing. And if you've got time down there the bridge at Iwakuni is worth a side trip. (Avoid Hiro, it stinks).
As for Kyoto, I can post you an itinerary that Japanese friends of ours gave us when we first went and had only two days... it has all the classics but includes stuff the locals find sublime too..

[Bijou Bob]

We're doing a big circle taking in Tokyo, Kyoto, the mountain region, Hiroshima etc.

Excellento. I hope some of it will be by Shinkansen... Despite being over fifty years old there is no transport system quite like it. I also hope that around Hiroshima ( I lived in Kure-shi, Hiroshima-ken) that not only do you do the Peace Park and the A-dome, but squeeze in Itsukushima (Miyajima) it's fxcking amazing. And if you've got time down there the bridge at Iwakuni is worth a side trip. (Avoid Hiro, it stinks).
As for Kyoto, I can post you an itinerary that Japanese friends of ours gave us when we first went and had only two days... it has all the classics but includes stuff the locals find sublime too..

We're doing a big circle taking in Tokyo, Kyoto, the mountain region, Hiroshima etc.

Excellento. I hope some of it will be by Shinkansen... Despite being over fifty years old there is no transport system quite like it. I also hope that around Hiroshima ( I lived in Kure-shi, Hiroshima-ken) that not only do you do the Peace Park and the A-dome, but squeeze in Itsukushima (Miyajima) it's fxcking amazing. And if you've got time down there the bridge at Iwakuni is worth a side trip. (Avoid Hiro, it stinks).
As for Kyoto, I can post you an itinerary that Japanese friends of ours gave us when we first went and had only two days... it has all the classics but includes stuff the locals find sublime too..

Cheers, that'd be v much appreciated!

[Prufrock]

Got back on Sunday from a week in Tenerife. Fecking boiling. Hard to judge as a holiday as got some sad news from home while out there, but the food was lovely. Somewhat let down by the first thing we heard as we got off the bus being a shrill "Oi, geddere now you" from some orrible Scouser to her little sh*t. Place was full of scousers, too. Loads of english kids too, despite it being term-time. I thought you got fined for that now?

[LeverEnd]

Got back on Sunday from a week in Tenerife. Fecking boiling. Hard to judge as a holiday as got some sad news from home while out there, but the food was lovely. Somewhat let down by the first thing we heard as we got off the bus being a shrill "Oi, geddere now you" from some orrible Scouser to her little sh*t. Place was full of scousers, too. Loads of english kids too, despite it being term-time. I thought you got fined for that now?

The fine is a pittance compared to the potential savings.

[Prufrock]

Ah yes, that rings a bell. How much is the fine? The same holiday as we got a couple of weeks later in half-term was few hundred quid more expensive.

We thought we were being clever and there'd be no kids. Alas not. Was bedlam, but for 30 euros a day (we got it down to 20 after we'd been once) you could book these balinese beds. No kids, and a bottle of cava and some fruit at 12 and 3. Was bliss (though the cava was disgustingly sweet. I still got it down though, like a hero).

[LeverEnd]

Ah yes, that rings a bell. How much is the fine? The same holiday as we got a couple of weeks later in half-term was few hundred quid more expensive.

We thought we were being clever and there'd be no kids. Alas not. Was bedlam, but for 30 euros a day (we got it down to 20 after we'd been once) you could book these balinese beds. No kids, and a bottle of cava and some fruit at 12 and 3. Was bliss (though the cava was disgustingly sweet. I still got it down though, like a hero).

Held your nose did you? (For cava not the scouse kids)
£60 I think, for a full family holiday there can be a far bigger saving than £200.
You need to go more upmarket next year. Magaluff or Benidorm perhaps?

[bobo the clown]

A marker of a quality holiday base is the level of absence of Scousers. The very sound of a Scouse accent in the departure lounge can set your break on its side from its very outset.

Though you can't be sure until you arrive a few tips are worth considering ...
Firstly ... the Scouse doesn't, generally, travel well. When it does it likes to congregate. They do prefer to travel from Speke Airport ... so avoid places it flies to.

Avoid "family friendly" resorts.
Ditto - "busy" resorts. They do like to have the opportunity to take part in "active" holidays.
Ditto - places with a tendency to "British pubs" & lots of clubs.

Over the years I've found many places where not an "eee", "dees" nor a "go 'ead" has been heard for decades. I have never heard that accent anywhere in Corsica or Sardinia nor the quieter Greek Islands. Not once in Croatia. Rare on the Cote d'Azur.

Tenerife .... methinks you could have predicted some Scouse presence.

[thebish]

am off to madeira for a week in November - based in Funchal...

I'ven not been before..

any recommendations for places to see/things to do/places to eat/worwhile excursions?

[Prufrock]

A marker of a quality holiday base is the level of absence of Scousers. The very sound of a Scouse accent in the departure lounge can set your break on its side from its very outset.

Though you can't be sure until you arrive a few tips are worth considering ...
Firstly ... the Scouse doesn't, generally, travel well. When it does it likes to congregate. They do prefer to travel from Speke Airport ... so avoid places it flies to.

Avoid "family friendly" resorts.
Ditto - "busy" resorts. They do like to have the opportunity to take part in "active" holidays.
Ditto - places with a tendency to "British pubs" & lots of clubs.

Over the years I've found many places where not an "eee", "dees" nor a "go 'ead" has been heard for decades. I have never heard that accent anywhere in Corsica or Sardinia nor the quieter Greek Islands. Not once in Croatia. Rare on the Cote d'Azur.

Tenerife .... methinks you could have predicted some Scouse presence.

That was the error we made I think. It was called a "holiday village" for a start, and had a water slide and a bowling alley. Wild horses wouldn't have got me there in July, but we reckoned we'd get away with it in term-time. We know for next time! Went to Tenerife two years ago too, in June, and it was perfectly fine. Quieter resort and less "family friendly" hotel though. Went back because we couldn't get away till October and the weather is pretty much guarenteed all year round in the canaries.

[bobo the clown]

I should have added "at all costs avoid the 'all inclusive' places".

Sorry. That's just a given.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

We're doing a big circle taking in Tokyo, Kyoto, the mountain region, Hiroshima etc.

Excellento. I hope some of it will be by Shinkansen... Despite being over fifty years old there is no transport system quite like it. I also hope that around Hiroshima ( I lived in Kure-shi, Hiroshima-ken) that not only do you do the Peace Park and the A-dome, but squeeze in Itsukushima (Miyajima) it's fxcking amazing. And if you've got time down there the bridge at Iwakuni is worth a side trip. (Avoid Hiro, it stinks).
As for Kyoto, I can post you an itinerary that Japanese friends of ours gave us when we first went and had only two days... it has all the classics but includes stuff the locals find sublime too..

We're doing a big circle taking in Tokyo, Kyoto, the mountain region, Hiroshima etc.

Excellento. I hope some of it will be by Shinkansen... Despite being over fifty years old there is no transport system quite like it. I also hope that around Hiroshima ( I lived in Kure-shi, Hiroshima-ken) that not only do you do the Peace Park and the A-dome, but squeeze in Itsukushima (Miyajima) it's fxcking amazing. And if you've got time down there the bridge at Iwakuni is worth a side trip. (Avoid Hiro, it stinks).
As for Kyoto, I can post you an itinerary that Japanese friends of ours gave us when we first went and had only two days... it has all the classics but includes stuff the locals find sublime too..

Cheers, that'd be v much appreciated!

I shall pm you. Later in the week, not got anything but mobile connection at the mo...

[TANGODANCER]

I should have added "at all costs avoid the 'all inclusive' places".
Sorry. That's just a given.

^ Times ten, never again. (hey, a rhyme) Got persuaded into one at San Pedro back a ways, by a friend whose only interest was getting back there for the "free" booze and food every evening. Choc a bloc with Brit yob families who all seemed to have the same idea. Horrendous, doesn't come near it.

[Bijou Bob]

See, I don't so much mind the Scousers abroad. What really gets my goat is an impoverished Essex accent, usually emanating from some fat, tattooed, West Ham shirt wearing, foul mouthed, gold dripping holiday maker. And her husband.

A colleague of mine has just added, and I quote "Avoid anywhere that has blokes in football shirts or women wearing catalogue frocks" . Magnificent.

[Worthy4England]

I have to say "all inclusive" probably depends where you pick. I've been on some great ones. There's nowt stopping you going out at night, numerous a la carte restaurants on site and nice people bringing you drinks on padded beach loungers. Can't fault it meself.