[Archived] Holidays

[Paul]

  On 28/04/2015 at 19:17, den said:

Corsica is possibly my favourite place Paul. I think it's a stunning Island. Propranolol and Ajaccio are beautiful. Where are you staying?

Plan is to fly to Nice, spend a few days with friends and then get the ferry to Corsica. We haven't decided on where to stay yet but probably will be looking for a small hotel outside one of the main towns. Only been once, 27 years ago, when we stayed near Calvi. You're right Corsica is stunning and I'm really looking forward to returning.

  On 28/04/2015 at 18:46, only2garners said:

Cuba is a wonderful experience Paul and I doubt much will have changed by November. Just make sure that you don't spend all your time in an all-inclusive resort and get out into the country. Havana is a wonderful place although Trinidad was my favourite.

At the same time I'll be in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

The small amount of research to date has ruled out the resort holidays and much of what is offered by the main holiday companies. The plan is to spend time in Havana, some touring and some beach time. We will be looking at small, local hotels. A travel agent is looking at it for us and Kuoni seem to have good ideas.

[den]

  On 28/04/2015 at 22:11, ultrablue said:

I hope you have a prescription for both of those!

Ha!

It should have read Propriano as well. Bloomin spell checker.

[only2garners]

  On 29/04/2015 at 03:13, Paul said:

The small amount of research to date has ruled out the resort holidays and much of what is offered by the main holiday companies. The plan is to spend time in Havana, some touring and some beach time. We will be looking at small, local hotels. A travel agent is looking at it for us and Kuoni seem to have good ideas.

I'd suggest you have a look at Journey Latin America as well.

[Mike Graham]

Corsica is stunning and has great mountain walking. We stopped in Bocognarco (2 star hotel with great local food) in the centre of the island and used the fantastic local train service to travel to different areas to walk.

Try the travel firm Exodus.

  On 28/04/2015 at 17:38, Paul said:

Heading off to Corsica and Nice in the summer, followed by a probable cycle tour in the Jura and two weeks in Cuba come November. We've never been to the Caribean and have wanted to go for years. Decided we must go now since Mr Obama has declared they are good guys and the place will change very rapidly

This years main jollies are: Chicago and New York; Maderia; and Palma.

I strongly recommend Cuba but don't go near the mass tourist hotels; they tend to have a lot of drunk Canadians.

[only2garners]

PB - let me know if you need any tips on Palma. I go to a place nearby every year.

[Mike Graham]

  On 30/04/2015 at 09:25, only2garners said:

PB - let me know if you need any tips on Palma. I go to a place nearby every year.

Thanks, last time we stopped at the Grand Melia opposite the Yatch Club. Smashing hotel for the Town and even champagne on tap for breakfast!!

We have been looking at apartments (small!!) for an investment purchase. A place suitable to rent out for long weekends or the week for couples going to Palma for the shops, bars, restaurants and tapas....as well as for me and the missus to use of course.

[Tris]

  On 28/04/2015 at 08:34, only2garners said:

How was the transit through Miami Tris? We have that joy coming in November when we're off to Central America.

To be honest, it could have been better. I managed to get BA at Manchester to tag my bag right through (although to do this required the intervention of a supervisor). They told me then that despite being tagged through, I would still have to collect my bag on the carousel in Miami and carry it through to a bag-drop point for my connecting flight.

This was repeated ad nauseam by automatic announcements in Miami airport whilst going through immigration, and in the baggage hall. I therefore spent an hour waiting for a bag which never appeared. Resigned to missing the connection, I found the supervisor in the baggage hall prepared for form filling and a hotel for the night.

However, he just said your bag will have gone straight through automatically. When I pointed out that the looped announcement was still telling me different, he just shrugged and said "the announcement's wrong"!!

It did show up in Grenada, so I'm not sure why the information was wrong, perhaps they assume that most connections won't be the same alliance (in this case BA-AA so One World) so the default position is collect your bag. Either way, I think in future I'd only tag it to Miami and take away the uncertainty.

The other thing which went wrong was the weather, but I guess that could happen anywhere. We taxied but then spent 2 hours on the tarmac waiting for storms to pass before we could take off, and then it was a further 1 1/2 hours until we were clear of the resultant turbulence and they could serve any food or drinks. I passed back through Miami on Tues/Wed this week prior to taking the Amtrak up to New York, and it never stopped raining again.

[Gav]

That'll teach you for not inviting me to the cricket!

[ABBEY]

Howzat work ?

[only2garners]

  On 02/05/2015 at 04:52, Tris said:

To be honest, it could have been better. I managed to get BA at Manchester to tag my bag right through (although to do this required the intervention of a supervisor). They told me then that despite being tagged through, I would still have to collect my bag on the carousel in Miami and carry it through to a bag-drop point for my connecting flight.

This was repeated ad nauseam by automatic announcements in Miami airport whilst going through immigration, and in the baggage hall. I therefore spent an hour waiting for a bag which never appeared. Resigned to missing the connection, I found the supervisor in the baggage hall prepared for form filling and a hotel for the night.

However, he just said your bag will have gone straight through automatically. When I pointed out that the looped announcement was still telling me different, he just shrugged and said "the announcement's wrong"!!

It did show up in Grenada, so I'm not sure why the information was wrong, perhaps they assume that most connections won't be the same alliance (in this case BA-AA so One World) so the default position is collect your bag. Either way, I think in future I'd only tag it to Miami and take away the uncertainty.

The other thing which went wrong was the weather, but I guess that could happen anywhere. We taxied but then spent 2 hours on the tarmac waiting for storms to pass before we could take off, and then it was a further 1 1/2 hours until we were clear of the resultant turbulence and they could serve any food or drinks. I passed back through Miami on Tues/Wed this week prior to taking the Amtrak up to New York, and it never stopped raining again.

I haven't done a transit through a US hub for a few years now, but it always used to be the case that you had to pick up your bags on leaving immigration and then hand them straight on for the next flight. That sounds like what they were telling you would happen but it didn't. In fairness I think I've nearly always been going to another US city so maybe that's what they do when they know the bags are coming into the US and don't bother if you aren't?

Anyway when we go in November we are staying the night in Miami and travelling on to Managua the day after. We have a tour starting and to do the whole journey in one day would have exposed us to missing the connection and therefore the start of the tour.

Hope you enjoyed the Amtrak trip. We did Vancouver to Seattle and Portland to Chicago two years ago and it was a great way to travel.

[chaddyrovers]

Has anyone been to Portugal or the Algrave? Would you recommend it?

[Gav]

  On 04/05/2015 at 16:02, chaddyrovers said:

Has anyone been to Portugal or the Algrave? Would you recommend it?

Never been, always fancied it, not heard a bad word said about the place.

[ABBEY]

  On 04/05/2015 at 16:02, chaddyrovers said:

Has anyone been to Portugal or the Algrave? Would you recommend it?

knew you was shebby.

[chaddyrovers]

  On 04/05/2015 at 16:37, GAV said:

Never been, always fancied it, not heard a bad word said about the place.

me neither heard anything bad said about the place

  On 04/05/2015 at 16:45, ABBEY said:

knew you was shebby.

haha

[Tom]

Dads just back from Lagos, he travels a lot and loved it said its a brilliant place.

28 days till 11 nights in Kos and DisneyWorld is on the cards again for next year although being stuck to school holidays from next year is brutal cost wise

[Tris]

  On 04/05/2015 at 18:53, Tom M said:

Dads just back from Lagos, he travels a lot and loved it said its a brilliant place.

I'm assuming that's not Lagos in Nigeria ... I went there with work about 10 years ago and was driven around in a car with solid tyres preceded and followed by 4x4s with armed guards I only went to talk about an Excel spreadsheet ...

On a more serious note, long time (now sadly missed) poster on here Rovergroo who runs the Northern Ireland Supporters Branch got married in Albufeira last summer, and from what I saw of the Algarve on that occasion it would be difficult to have a bad holiday there.

[only2garners]

  On 04/05/2015 at 16:02, chaddyrovers said:

Has anyone been to Portugal or the Algrave? Would you recommend it?

I've only been to the Algarve once and it was a long time ago but my recollection was that it was a fine place for a simple bech holiday but nothing outstanding. On the other hand I've been to Lisbon a couple of times over the last few years and it's one of my favourite cities.

[ABBEY]

My brother spent a few years in Lagos he loved it.

[thenodrog]

I go to Portugal (algarve) quite a lot but almost always out of the summer season. Short hop flights and good weather. Best advice id offer if you are self catering or hotel b&b hire a car and find local portugese restaurants a few miles inland rather than eat in tourist areas.

[only2garners]

I think that's sensible advice for anywhere around the Mediterranean.

[Salgado Is Still A Hero]

  On 04/05/2015 at 16:02, chaddyrovers said:

Has anyone been to Portugal or the Algrave? Would you recommend it?

Going there with 11 mates this summer. Have never been but have heard really good things also.

[chaddyrovers]

Thanks for advice guys.

Really pleased for your help

[ABBEY]

thinking of going to st austell for a few days mid august..whats it like?

[Gav]

It's a long way pal and will be busy in August, but it's a wonderful part of the country.

Last time we drove down from Bburn it was 8hrs with the traffic!

15 miles from Padstow, book into Rick Steins and treat the Mrs or just nip up for the day and have fish n chips.

[K-Hod]

Going to Brussels for a break in late August/early September, anyone been? Anything to recommend whilst I'm there?