2025 Holidays

[Not in Crawley]

1 hour ago, wakey said:

only stopped for a night on the way back once.

Pretty place, and like most places in France, has a nice chilled out vibe.

Ended up having a few drinks and a meal with a couple of owd blokes who were Chelsea fans ... I overheard them talking about Chelsea in the 1970s and 80s, so I gatecrashed. Turned out to be brothers and a cracking pair of blokes. 

And to be fair, they tilted things in our lass's favour by saying we had to see the lights.

Stopped over at Rouen last week- thats a nice city for a weekend city break. Well, if you like Joan of Arc 😁

Although Richard the Lionheart's heart is buried there as he loved Normady and fucking hated England.

[wakey]

10 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Stopped over at Rouen last week- thats a nice city for a weekend city break. Well, if you like Joan of Arc 😁

Although Richard the Lionheart's heart is buried there as he loved Normady and fucking hated England.

We've some French friends from Rouen. We met them in Honfleur (where they now live), but first time we came over to visit them was for a long weekend in Rouen.

I've absolutely no idea what it's like ... we spent pretty much all of it inside bars.

Was blown away that the Palais de Justice is still full of bullet holes from the war though.

(so at least I remembered some of it)

[Not in Crawley]

12 minutes ago, wakey said:

We've some French friends from Rouen. We met them in Honfleur (where they now live), but first time we came over to visit them was for a long weekend in Rouen.

I've absolutely no idea what it's like ... we spent pretty much all of it inside bars.

Was blown away that the Palais de Justice is still full of bullet holes from the war though.

(so at least I remembered some of it)

Ah Honfleur - once more unto the breech dear friends. Rouen is certainly a drinking city though, well was very boozy last Friday with the students about.

[freds dad]

Just coming to the end of 5 fantastic days in Florence.

The history and architecture is fantastic and lots of bars and places to eat at less than UK prices. We must have walked what seems like a million miles but well worth it. Around every corner is an historical building of some description.

We are off to Kos at the end of September but already talking about 3 weeks touring Italy next year from top to bottom.

[Traf]

The problem with Florence is that it's full of bloody tourists.

That was the feedback I got from a client this summer.

[Leyther_Matt]

Well, I can thoroughly recommend Warsaw. Decent priced food and drink, really friendly locals and plenty of nice architecture and interesting museums. Transport system is incredible, too. 

[Dr Faustus]

10 hours ago, C86 said:

Malaga is a great city, been at Easter when they do the parades, I'm not religious but some of the shrines they carry are unbelievable. I've watched Malaga CF a few times with the Guiri Army, went last Dec and going this Dec. There's a bar in Benel that does coach and a ticket for 35/40e, tickets on there own are that, they have loads of ST's. They also do 10e and drink as much Victoria beer has you want before and after the match in Bar Madrid. Mon who runs it was the bass player in Chumbawamba.

I'm back in Valencia in couple of weeks, love the place and I have friends there who show me around, I've done a Valencia match and was at the back the steep stand. The Valencia Fallas festival in March is a good time to visit.
 

I know the lead singers brother (massive Burnley fan), so that could be interesting

[Dr Faustus]

4 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Well, I can thoroughly recommend Warsaw. Decent priced food and drink, really friendly locals and plenty of nice architecture and interesting museums. Transport system is incredible, too. 

Yeah, I had a cracking time when we played them in the cup last season. So different to Wolverhampton

[freds dad]

5 hours ago, Traf said:

The problem with Florence is that it's full of bloody tourists.

That was the feedback I got from a client this summer.

It’s worse than that as they’re American tourists.

We were in the Uffizi and one of them described Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus as “pretty”

[MancWanderer]

Off on a Traf cruise end of Sep. Virgin boat from New York to Quebec with extra days in Montreal added. Virgin emailed a few times with a chance to enter a “lottery” to upgrade to what she described as a “rock star” cabin. Woo hoo she “won” by submitting a minimum bid. We’ve paid just under the price to basically upgrade and release a cheaper room for Virgin to sell. She’s ecstatic and we’ve got a balcony now so I’m not bursting her bubble 

[wakey]

On 29/08/2025 at 18:31, Not in Crawley said:

Ah Honfleur - once more unto the breech dear friends. Rouen is certainly a drinking city though, well was very boozy last Friday with the students about.

We'll be driving past Rouen early hours of Monday morning. I'll give it a wave. Or more likely just a Gallic shrug.

[wanderer1984]

Anyone been to Cancun Mexico? Looking at a 10 day stay next Easter.

Fantastic weather, beautiful beaches, all inclusive and surprisingly pretty cheap.

It's just fucking ages away

[MancWanderer]

48 minutes ago, wanderer1984 said:

Anyone been to Cancun Mexico? Looking at a 10 day stay next Easter.

Fantastic weather, beautiful beaches, all inclusive and surprisingly pretty cheap.

It's just fucking ages away

Been three times. Was a while ago. Over 10 years ago so may have changed a bit

Weather is good. Beaches are superb. All-inclusive food is some of the best I’ve ever had. Prices are good. Agree with all your above. Add in stuff like snorkelling and boat trips that are superb

Caution though. You have to go “high end” imo. First time we went wasn’t. By 5pm the pool was full of Muricans. Stood in the pool. Plastic plates floating with food, ashtrays, and booze. Fucking rank

It’s (or at least was) a very “USA, USA” place. Muricans pissed up and noisy early and vanished by tea time

Cancun itself is tiny and is/was a shithole

It’s a resort place or at least was. Happy to stay on one with the odd excursion then probably worth it. @Traf is your man for the best advice on which one

I Igot asked for my autograph one night by a Brit who thought I was a retired Prem footballer. I showed the Mrs who he I thought I was. She tried to chase him smash his face in. He thought I was Ian Dowie 

[wanderer1984]

3 times! Must be decent to be going back.

Been looking at the usual Greece & Canary Islands for that time of year but fancy something different and not much more in price given the destination. 10 days all in £1,150pp seems pretty good?

Agree with the food. One of my favourites ... Authentic Mexican cuisine sounds like the dream.

Fuck sake ... Ian fucking Dowie ... nothing worse than that 🙃

[BobyBrno]

7 hours ago, wanderer1984 said:

3 times! Must be decent to be going back.

Been looking at the usual Greece & Canary Islands for that time of year but fancy something different and not much more in price given the destination. 10 days all in £1,150pp seems pretty good?

Agree with the food. One of my favourites ... Authentic Mexican cuisine sounds like the dream.

Fuck sake ... Ian fucking Dowie ... nothing worse than that 🙃

😅 

We were sat on an outside table next to him and his wife yesterday at Rivington Brewery Farm Trip. I think he lives locally. 

[Not in Crawley]

11 hours ago, wakey said:

We'll be driving past Rouen early hours of Monday morning. I'll give it a wave. Or more likely just a Gallic shrug.

Outskirts are grim, Id go with more of a shrug 😊

[boogs]

When I was a little kid we were having a family meal at a restaurant the other side of Abbey village, Tim Flowers and Ian Dowie were sat at a table. With Flowers being the England keeper at the time I went and asked for his autograph. My memory of it isn't the greatest but I'm told Flowers then said to me "do you want Ians aswell?", to which I took a long stare at him, shook my head and ran away. I never know whether to be proud or embarrassed at that 😁

[Zico]

2 hours ago, BobyBrno said:

😅

We were sat on an outside table next to him and his wife yesterday at Rivington Brewery Farm Trip. I think he lives locally. 

Think he lived on/off CNR at one point, seen him out and about in Horwich 

Which seems odd when you look at who he's played for and managed 

All down South bar one season at Oldham 

He has a heart attack at a gym in Chorley too

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ng8v0w7edo

[boltonboris]

Was at Center Parcs at Whinfell Forest, Brougham last week. Loved it. Did loads of activities and we splurged a bit and got a place with a hottub and wet room (sauna, steam room and some fancy shower thingy that has water jets from head to do coming in sideways for some reason)

We decided before we went that we’d have no meals out. All food consumed in the gaff and spend on doing activities instead. That went out the window a bit on the second day when the kids wanted to go to some chicken diner place. Fark me. £11 for chips!! 
 

As enjoyable as it was, it just gets dearer and dearer with very little investment. They also increase the numbers on people doing some of the group activities at any one time. Archery used to be a max of 6 people using 4 targets now there are 12, so you get half the amount of arrows for now almost double the price of 2 years ago. 
 

Cheaper to go abroad for a week on an all inclusive but some fun was had nonetheless

[Traf]

23 hours ago, MancWanderer said:

Off on a Traf cruise end of Sep. Virgin boat from New York to Quebec with extra days in Montreal added. Virgin emailed a few times with a chance to enter a “lottery” to upgrade to what she described as a “rock star” cabin. Woo hoo she “won” by submitting a minimum bid. We’ve paid just under the price to basically upgrade and release a cheaper room for Virgin to sell. She’s ecstatic and we’ve got a balcony now so I’m not bursting her bubble 

RS Cabins are decent. She'll love it.

18 hours ago, wanderer1984 said:

 

Been looking at the usual Greece & Canary Islands for that time of year but fancy something different and not much more in price given the destination. 10 days all in £1,150pp seems pretty good?

 

Happy to quote you, if you like?

[MancWanderer]

19 minutes ago, Traf said:

RS Cabins are decent. She'll love it.

Happy to quote you, if you like?

Aye. She’s buzzing. Stocking up on pineapples already 
 

@wanderer1984 Traf has beaten every quote we’ve ever had particularly long haul

[miamiwhite]

9 hours ago, Zico said:

Think he lived on/off CNR at one point, seen him out and about in Horwich 

Which seems odd when you look at who he's played for and managed 

All down South bar one season at Oldham 

He has a heart attack at a gym in Chorley too

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ng8v0w7edo

Lived in the new builds at the time near Overdale, my brother did an emergency call out when a tree when through his roof in a storm.

[wanderer1984]

1 hour ago, Traf said:

RS Cabins are decent. She'll love it.

Happy to quote you, if you like?

Cheers mate but I've literally just booked It like 15 mins ago. Soz 

Deffo keep you in mind for the next one 👍🏻

[miamiwhite]

On 29/08/2025 at 18:03, Not in Crawley said:

Stopped over at Rouen last week- thats a nice city for a weekend city break. Well, if you like Joan of Arc 😁

Although Richard the Lionheart's heart is buried there as he loved Normady and fucking hated England.

Lovely place, reminiscent of Riquewihr though on a larger scale

[little whitt]

Where can a get a Good BWFC 

Beach Towel 

only got one in Club Shop £16