Holidays

I think in any case the current situation won't last for a further three months, hopeful a ceasefire will be reached this week let alone by August! But even if not, you can actually fly in during this type of conflict - I've once been in a plane that had to circle for three hours until rocket fire ended to land.

 

Well as I said I hope all will be OK!

As it would be a real shame if you cannot go after all the travel restrictions we have had because of Covid, but from what you say you aint going to let a little armed conflict stop you anyway

 

Some parts of Cornwall are great. Padstow is hideous.

 

How so?

EDIT: I should perhaps declare that I come from Cornwall...

 

I'm judging it from one visit, and others I know that visit frequently love it. I thought it was incredibly pretentious and not particularly friendly as a place. It seemed riddled with Range Rovers and fake tanned women wondering around with dogs in handbags. Each to their own but it wasn't for me.

 

I'd say that was more true of Rock, across the bay.

TBF, I don't know Padstow well either: have only visited twice. Once about 25 years ago for a 60th birthday meal for my Dad in Rick Stein's original Seafood Restaurant (which was great), and then again last year, when we were on holiday just down the road. We didn't enjoy it much but I wouldn't say that the crowds of tourists were at all posh: quite the contrary, actually. A much more 'London-on-Sea' place was Constantine Bay, where we were staying - huge houses and a posh corner shop where the cheapest bottle of wine was £25!! Great beach and fantastic walks on the SW Coast Path, though...

That's really not typical of Cornwall, though. There are some places like that - perhaps more than used to be the case when I was growing up there - but far more which are perfectly normal, even a bit rough round the edges (not to mention some really deprived former industrial towns inland).

 

Vicarage Road for the opening game of the season?

 

Agreed. Depends where you go and when you go. Many great holidays at Coverack on the Lizard, and Mazarion. In fact I've a week booked in Marazion from next Friday.... However the main resorts in summer holidays can be horrible though not as busy as the main resorts in Devon.

 

The smaller places are certainly more pleasant in the summer. It's an age since I have been to Coverack, it's lovely. I should take Mrs Keighley there.

Tremenheere Sculpture Garden near Marazion is great, if you haven't been.

 

Yes we went over to Rock and that was equally as bad. Maybe it was just us but I wasn't a fan of Padstow.

I do enjoy Cornwall and I love South Devon. Our daughter is at school now so we can't avoid the school holidays like we used to which always made our Devon trips a bit more enjoyable. We always make a trip to Hope Cove every year which is a very special place for us. I visited loads as a kid, it was the place I chose to propose to my wife six years ago and a couple of years ago when my dad died his ashes were scattered on Hope Cove beach. It is a special place and the pub there is superb as well which helps...

 

Problem is Cornwall takes so long to get to, as Scott found out when Amundsen beat him to it last century.

As a result I prefer Dorset, and Wiltshire around Salisbury Plain is lovely.

 

I’m probably an uncouth lout when it comes to Cornwall, but I like Fowey, and also the watering hole on Peranporth beach is a great bar.

 

Nowhere near as long as it took in the 1970s, me 'ansom. I remember it taking us 7-8 hours to drive to Portsmouth, where my father was doing some work.

 

Fowey is lovely. Posh, but not ridiculously so.

 

Drove to Marazion Cornwall today. 6.5 hrs in rain and gales. Glad to still be alive. 10 degrees. Hat, gloves, coat and waterproof jacket.

 

I have fabulous memories of family holidays staying in a farm at Camworthy Water near Launceston. We had great times at Talland Bay. In the 1970s my dad once took us on the Motorail fromKensington Olympia to Totnes then drove the rest.

 

We are off to Filey for bank holiday week. Looking forward to a dog walk on the beach, a few pints and above all else a change of scenery.

 

Just back from Polperro last week , yes it's a trek, I suggest staying over somewhere the day before to break the journey up .
Scarborough this B/H weekend then Burnham-on-sea early June .

Who needs the Balearic Islands ?
I 'effin do !!!

 

The current weather is not helping in dissuading people from travelling abroad.

 

So as I mentioned before, I can recommend Iceland as being a great place to visit this summer.
Or there's always ..... Iceland.

 

Friend who works in the travel industry told me they are busy, busy, busy selling Mediterranean summer holidays. Not to UK customers, but the Dutch, German and Scandinavian sides of the business are booming.

 

Anyone been on a Covid holiday? Is it worth the faff?

Thinking of trying to go away somewhere in October for a few days, maybe to Spain, but not sure it's worth all the hassle for a few days?

 

Went to Northern Ireland last week for a break (not a holiday), really enjoyed Belfast which was a really friendly party town, as well as it being extremely interesting to see the (still deep) divisions there. Also went to Derry, which was OK, but I wouldn't rush back.

Whilst there, we though "f*ck it" and booked a week in Greece - fly to Thessaloniki for a couple of days, then drive to Nea Ikralitsa on the coast. Went to Thessaloniki last year too and it's a great city. Forking out for tests, but I had an unexpected and backdated pay rise, so it's covered. Also got insurance (£40 for a week) which covers any covid eventualities. Run the risk of not going or quarantine out there, but sod it. I'll take the work laptop in case.

 

Yeah, they're infectious once you really get into them.

 

Depends on where you're planning to go / do.
We got back on Sunday from 10 days driving round Iceland (https://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/wildlife-gardens.55767/page-27#post-3033629) and had a great time which justified the extra cost, stress and hassle to go through 3 covid tests each (one pre leaving, one pre returning and then a 2 days test) , plus longer check-in queues, facemasks on flights and hotels/shops/restaurants etc. Personally I wouldn't bother for a "week in the sun" but I appreciate we all have different interests and family considerations.

We are now considering orange list countries for Sept/Oct.

 

Currently sat in the cafe at Aris Thessaloniki's ground having a beer in the 34° heat. Met a bloke in the club shop who sometimes watches Watford and went to the cup final.

 

Glory hunter.

 

Went on a long weekend break to Kent coast. Did a track day at Lydden Hill including an insane few laps in an Atom driven by a professional and then spent a few nights at Hythe, Deal and Broadstairs. The latter was fantastic. Margate and Ramsgate which we stopped by weren't

Problem with a UK holiday is not just the weather but the cost of some decent hotels are insane.

 

Lydden Hill! Great memories of several visits there in my youth and a couple more recently, including one to see a neighbour of ours racing his Caterham. Lovely little circuit and great viewing because you can see the whole track.

Never been to Margate but I thought it was becoming gentrified now after years of decline.

 

Anyone been to hawaii? Looking to go but unsure on the island(s) the visit. Looking like Oahu and big island atm, but not 100%

will also likely fly to either Vancouver or Seattle first, if anyone could give me reasons to visit each?

 

Margate's an incredible place to eat as it has loads of small pop-up restaurants.

 

Yep been there done that, but it was in 2005 so I'm a little out of date. Having said that we went to Oahu and stayed in the Hilton Hawaiian Village which was in Honolulu right on Waikiki Beach and we had a fantastic time.

We were there for a week and got around the island quite a bit. Of course it has probably changed since we were were there, but hopefully that will be for the better, however we would definitely recommend it if it is anything like it was when we were there.

Never been to Vancouver or Seattle so can't offer any input on those places.

Hope you have as good a time as we did.

 

Can’t help with Hawaii, but we spent a few days in Vancouver. Very nice feel, as Canadian cities tend to, similar in character to Sydney. We didn’t go into Seattle, but we were really taken with Washington state, which is beautiful and very varied in landscape. Big Pacific coastline with sea stacks, sage desert further inland and then Alpine-style mountains, lakes, forests etc.

 

Apologies to all you "helluva guy" types and lasses but a day out in Saarfend and a cheap flight to Alicante is the only help I can offer . Try Leigh on Sea for example .