Holidays

[DirtySanchez]

13 minutes ago, MickyD said:

Definitely a must-see place but anything more than 3 or 4 days and you're really pushing the wallet. Avoid whale watching tours; we got out of the harbour when they announced that whale season was around May and we were unlikely to see anything more than a dolphin or porpoise (We didn't see either)

 

Mrs D and I have just had 5 days in NYC. It cost about the same as Iceland but a shitload more things to see. If you're going, make sure you buy a New York Pass before you go. It'll cost around $200 for a three-day pass for most of the major attractions' Statue of Liberty, 9/11 museum, Empire State Building, Rockerfeller Centre, etc. Well worth the money.

Reykjavik is a great place though probably best for two or three nights then you've seen everywhere. Also stayed at a hotel in the middle of nowhere which was supposedly good for seeing the northern lights. But it was at the end of the season and was raining 

I didn't think it was all that expensive. To work out how expensive a place is going to be I use the internationally recognised barometer of the price of a pint. Paid just over a fiver in a bar in the centre of Reykjavik. I've paid eight quid in London 

[Youri McAnespie]

I hope you smashed up the toilets before you left (in the £8 a pint place in that London)...

[gonzo]

Just got back from Disneyland Paris. 

What a place. Well impressed with the whole operation. 

Need a proper holiday now

[jimmyjoojar]

Just booked Canada for July-August 2019.

Flying into Vancouver, picking up a car and working our way through the Rockies onto Calgary, then a few days with some family.

Anyone done a similar route?

[leigh white]

Booked 4 days in Toulouse over the late May Bank Hols for the rugby when they play Leigh. Flying from E Mids, it must be better than Manc nightmare Airport.

[Salford Trotter]

6 hours ago, DirtySanchez said:

Reykjavik is a great place though probably best for two or three nights then you've seen everywhere. Also stayed at a hotel in the middle of nowhere which was supposedly good for seeing the northern lights. But it was at the end of the season and was raining 

I didn't think it was all that expensive. To work out how expensive a place is going to be I use the internationally recognised barometer of the price of a pint. Paid just over a fiver in a bar in the centre of Reykjavik. I've paid eight quid in London 

Just paid £10 for beer in Reykjavik only to find out the bar two doors down had a happy hour at £7.50 a pint. 

[gonzo]

9 minutes ago, Salford Trotter said:

Just paid £10 for beer in Reykjavik only to find out the bar two doors down had a happy hour at £7.50 a pint. 

I had to question my sanity when I spent 30 odd quid for 3 pints of ale in the hotel the other night  

[DirtySanchez]

13 minutes ago, Salford Trotter said:

Just paid £10 for beer in Reykjavik only to find out the bar two doors down had a happy hour at £7.50 a pint. 

Looks like it's gone up since I was there!

You won't find any alcohol in supermarkets either for some reason 

[Salford Trotter]

Just now, DirtySanchez said:

Looks like it's gone up since I was there!

You won't find any alcohol in supermarkets either for some reason 

We bought some wine at the duty free shop at Keflavik airport which worked out at £8 a bottle which wasnt too bad

[birch-chorley]

38 minutes ago, gonzo said:

I had to question my sanity when I spent 30 odd quid for 3 pints of ale in the hotel the other night  

Hope it wasn’t Fosters 

[MickyD]

8 hours ago, DirtySanchez said:

Reykjavik is a great place though probably best for two or three nights then you've seen everywhere. Also stayed at a hotel in the middle of nowhere which was supposedly good for seeing the northern lights. But it was at the end of the season and was raining 

I didn't think it was all that expensive. To work out how expensive a place is going to be I use the internationally recognised barometer of the price of a pint. Paid just over a fiver in a bar in the centre of Reykjavik. I've paid eight quid in London 

I guess either you got lucky or I got unlucky. First night there we had a pizza between us and a pint each... ch-ching! £27

We went knowing it was going to be expensive. We took £1000 for 5 days; £500 in IKr and £500 in Stirling (For emergencies). (It saves all the bollocks with changing back at a shit rate after the holiday.

Well, the emergency came on day 3 when we were down to about £100 for the last 2.5 days.

Our problem came because we hadn't booked any trips prior to our arrival. We later found out it would have been about half price if we'd pre-booked.

[DirtySanchez]

I can't remember especially how much meals were as it was a few years ago. I do remember expecting steak to be expensive as they'll have to import it but it wasn't. 

We didn't book any tours but instead hired a car and did our sightseeing that way. The hotel in the middle of nowhere was a bit pricy as they had a captive market. Think it was a place called Hella or summat 

Edited November 26, 2018 by DirtySanchez

[Leyther_Matt]

Considering going back to Toronto to watch Leigh RL again in September with a few days in NYC tagged on, but it would have to be at the expense of a ‘proper’ summer holiday. Not sure our maud (or me, in fact) would be able to wait that long before going away). Must admit I’ve very much taken to the idea of a Mediterranean cruise, though £1,300 for a week on the boat and 3 days in a hotel in Majorca (with Tui) is a fair bit pricier than just having 10 days in Spain/Greece etc. 

[Salford Trotter]

18 minutes ago, DirtySanchez said:

I can't remember especially how much meals were as it was a few years ago. I do remember expecting steak to be expensive as they'll have to import it but it wasn't. 

We didn't book any tours but instead hired a car and did our sightseeing that way. The hotel in the middle of nowhere was a bit pricy as they had a captive market. Think it was a place called Hella or summat 

A three course meal in a mid range restaurant including a bottle of wine came to £100 which is not far off Manchester prices to be fair

[Biggish Dave]

Back to the old routine for us so far this year - a week in Lanzarote in Feb and a week in Vegas in June booked so far, will take the dog away for a few days at some stage too

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Winchester White said:

NYC is fucking brilliant, love the place.

We go every 2 years

 

I’m jealous of myself 

[Winchester White]

23 minutes ago, boltondiver said:

We go every 2 years

 

I’m jealous of myself 

The missus is at the airport hotel as I write this ready to go in the morning the lucky sod. Her mum has always wanted to go and is taking her 3 daughters as a treat after coming into a small windfall. Lucky, lucky sod.

[Smiley]

Did Malta the other week, same hotel Athy White stayed. Was good quality. AI. Did the trick. Up in Mellieha Bay.

Thinking Fuerteventura early next year. Only ever been once before 20 years ago. Jandia seems to have some well priced hotels. But transfer time looks a killer. Caleta de Fusta ok? Only 5-10 mins transfer. Any recommendations?

[Smiley]

PS. Whale watching in Reykjavik! Don't get me started on that!! We did see dolphins. Big deal! And lack of Northern Lights was well noted for our stay - ie. non-existent!

[athywhite1958]

8 days in Portugal in June [thanks England] and then a week away with the missus in September, we usually do Lanzarote but not sure where to go next year

[frank_spencer]

I loved my trip out whale watching. We went with Elding and the crew was superb knew exactly where to go (as indicated by the cheapo company following the boat which apparently is the extent of their knowledge) faxafloi Bay way perfectly still and the view was spectacular even without seeing the dolphins, porpoise and minke we saw the trip would have been worth it. 

I'd go back in an instant

[Salford Trotter]

2 hours ago, Smiley said:

PS. Whale watching in Reykjavik! Don't get me started on that!! We did see dolphins. Big deal! And lack of Northern Lights was well noted for our stay - ie. non-existent!

We managed to see the Nothern Lights albeit they were not the best example and nothing like the images you see on the net. What we did notice though that the people who were really into this had good cameras that could make the most of what was there

[MickyD]

31 minutes ago, Salford Trotter said:

We managed to see the Northern Lights albeit they were not the best example and nothing like the images you see on the net. What we did notice though that the people who were really into this had good cameras that could make the most of what was there

When we were there we saw the Northern Lights on our first night. We'd been advised to go out first night because no sightings mean out for free until you do) As it happens, the rest of our trip was a white-out which added to the week.

Anyway, those who used a phone to take photos had downloaded an app which slowed down the shutter for night photography. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/night-camera-low-light-photos/id843439749

[marple whites]

Florida for me - just love it over there.

[Smiley]

1 hour ago, frank_spencer said:

I loved my trip out whale watching. We went with Elding and the crew was superb knew exactly where to go (as indicated by the cheapo company following the boat which apparently is the extent of their knowledge) faxafloi Bay way perfectly still and the view was spectacular even without seeing the dolphins, porpoise and minke we saw the trip would have been worth it. 

I'd go back in an instant

We went with Elding. Shit happens sometimes. I do know one of the smaller more private companies drove to another bay and saw 80+ orca on the same day. Its a case of being flexible. My guess is that Elding knew that, but their boats and schedules didn't allow for them to sail there. Shame but still a decent trip. Would go back to Iceland and explore more if I got the chance again.