Chris Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Now that Christmas is over and everyone's back to work it's probably time to start planning sun drenched trips away.Anyone got any good ideas?Was looking for something slightly different (did the Algarve last year), for example I fancy a cycling holiday in France or the Azores but they're coming out quite pricey. Croatia seems a likely candidate, I've heard good things and it seems pretty cheap. Maybe even closer to home, always fancied going to Ireland, but I think my girlfriend will be hoping for sunnier destinations...So anyone got anything book already? Know of any good deals on the go for the credit crunch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Jo-D Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Spent more time out of abdn it feels like last year, which altho is nice, think took on too much (is that possible). So this year going to try and keep it realSo far have booked my apartment for Sonar in June & possibly 2 weeks in my folks apartment in Mojacar in August. Again no doubt will try n fit in a wee ADE trip to the Dam in Oct (went to all of these last year too)Defo cutting out TITP this year **Edit** Would like to do Croatia too, heard all good things about it ....but it might have to wait - there's just not enough holidays in the year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossP Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I've got 2 weeks in Japan booked from the end of July, taking in the Fuji Rock festival whilst i'm there. Upon return we fly out to Oslo for the Norway v. Scotland game. Totally skint as a result.There are some awesome places on the West Coast of Scotland that a group of us try to annually visit: Ullapool, Lochinver, Fort William... and the like.Fantastic scenery, chance to go on some great walks, ace pubs and cheaper than booking flights anywhere. Perhaps try the West Highland Way walks? Cheap flights i've been on in the past few years that have turned into great long weekends include Riga, Berlin and Hamburg. All fantastic cities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanette Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I doubt I'll get away this year. Just about to move flats to live on my own which means it'll be costing me more with the rent and the rest... and I'm going to try and save lots and lots so I can get a deposit on the go.However, since I didn't have a holiday last year (2008 - I almost said this year and then I remembered we were in 2009) I'm going to have to go somewhere. Might see what wonderful city breaks I can come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Jazz Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Guess the exchange rate with the Euro especially is going to make cheap holidays on the continent harder to come by. I'm thinking about a biking holiday in the Slovenian alps in July.....went there 4 years ago. Spectacular scenery, cheap, good food, nice people. Can't go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Jo-D Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 There are some awesome places on the West Coast of Scotland that a group of us try to annually visit: Ullapool, Lochinver, Fort William... and the like.Fantastic scenery, chance to go on some great walks, ace pubs and cheaper than booking flights anywhere. Perhaps try the West Highland Way walks? .Second that with Ullapool (family from there), really nice places up north from there too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Deathnail Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Planning a two week US road trip starting in California (San Francisco) and heading South East through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and finishing in Louisiana. It should be pretty sweet. I'm buying cowboy boots for sure (None for Dave though). That'll be the biggy for this year. Apart from that, I'll be off to see some family in Ireland and then hit London.I'm feeling the tightness of the purse strings but you gotta make it work somehow.If you can get to Croatia, I highly recommend it. Great people, great vibe, amazing cities. I loved Zagreb. Old, Art Nouveau style architecture and a relaxed atmosphere. I stayed in an ace little hostel where they welcomed you with a shot of the local home brew "slivovice" (plum brandy). But the real treasures are down on the coast. Split and Dubrovnik are both wonders. If you like fresh sea food, you can have some awesome meals in both cities. I didn't get a chance to go to any of the islands but am told nothing but great things about them too. Getting about was pretty easy. They don't have an extensive train system but they have buses going everywhere, regularly, and of comfortable quality. Everything is really reasonably priced. Hostels were dirt cheap and really sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Deathnail Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I'm thinking about a biking holiday in the Slovenian alps in July.....went there 4 years ago. Spectacular scenery, cheap, good food, nice people. Can't go wrong.I second this Chris. I did a backpacking trip in Slovenia and Croatia a couple of years back. I only managed to take in Ljubljana and Bled in Slovenia but Bled in particular was one of the most picturesque places I've ever been too. I wouldn't bother staying there overnight as there is not a lot to do but my god, it's lush. For those of you who like to take in the holiday homes of Dictators, Tito had a residence built in Bled for himself. It is now a hotel but it still has huge communist murals in one of the conference rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Jazz Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Second that with Ullapool (family from there), really nice places up north from there too I did the WHW last year and it was fantastic. We got really lucky with the weather though.....did it in May in what was probably the best week of the year. While Rannoch moor was stunning in the sunshine, I can imagine that in the pissing rain/wind, it would be the bleakest, most god-awful place on earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted January 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 If you can get to Croatia, I highly recommend it. Great people, great vibe, amazing cities. I loved Zagreb. Old, Art Nouveau style architecture and a relaxed atmosphere. I stayed in an ace little hostel where they welcomed you with a shot of the local home brew "slivovice" (plum brandy). But the real treasures are down on the coast. Split and Dubrovnik are both wonders. If you like fresh sea food, you can have some awesome meals in both cities. I didn't get a chance to go to any of the islands but am told nothing but great things about them too. Any language issues?Dubrovnik or some of the islands were appealing to me.Though I just spotted a pretty sweet deal on a week in Sicily. The Godfather theme is running through my head now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stichman Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 What about Hungary? It's dirty rotten cheap and has all the sun your heart could desire. Sun, sea and sand at Lake Balaton, or city living in Budapest. It's my favourite country in Europe. I think I should be an ambassador. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Planning a two week US road trip starting in California (San Francisco) and heading South East through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and finishing in Louisiana. It should be pretty sweet. I'm buying cowboy boots for sure (None for Dave though). That'll be the biggy for this year. Apart from that, I'll be off to see some family in Ireland and then hit London.I'm feeling the tightness of the purse strings but you gotta make it work somehow.Doing a similar thing for my honeymoon in July - only more East coast, and heading up to Canada to take in Niagara Falls. We've not booked yet, and haven't came up with a definitive route - but it will be campervan-tastic It's not a credit crunch buster though unfortunately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Exposure @ Lemon Tree Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 On the much cheapness front, I've heard that Riga's amazing and cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Mac Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I'm going to Australia in March.Emirates have some good deals on just now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Deathnail Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Chris - No language problems at all. I tried my hand at a bit of Croatian, and the odd word always comes in handy/polite but English is spoken widely throughout and everyone was really helpful and chatty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Didz Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Berlin in a week or so then New York in Feb. Planning Vegas for a week in July then got a stagger in Tallinn September.Its a great time to pick up a deal, Berlin flights cost me 50pp and got the Hilton right in the centre for 78 a night. 128pp for two nights in a 5 star hotel & flights ain't bad!Got a good deal for NYC as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I'm going to Ireland in March, but that is for a wedding. I really should have some sort of proper holiday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanette Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Its a great time to pick up a deal, Berlin flights cost me 50pp...I might have to investigate. Had a week in Berlin 2 years ago and it just wasn't enough!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Didz Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hit me with recommendations.....we're staying in the Mitte area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanette Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hit me with recommendations.....we're staying in the Mitte area?Well, we wandered about lost for hours. Haha. We did all the usual tourist attractions which really brought to live everything we already knew about Berlin and particularly Nazi Germany. We did a walking tour which was free (SANDEMANs NEW Berlin Tours - Home of the Famous Free Tour! - Home). We also did the Red Berlin tour which was fantastic. A week wasn't long enough for us, that's why I think, although investigating yourself is more fun, at least by doing the tours you don't miss something you really want to see. Enjoy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Any language issues?Dubrovnik or some of the islands were appealing to me.Though I just spotted a pretty sweet deal on a week in Sicily. The Godfather theme is running through my head now.I can second Dubrovnik (check my Flickr site if you want to see photos) and if you make it there then definitely try and pop over to see some of the islands (Mljet is amazing).I don't remember there being any real language issues. Most of the younger folks speak reasonably good English and German is also understood a fair bit as well (Dubrovnik seems to be popular with the Germans). I tried to learn a bit of Croatian before I went but like the other Slavic languages I quickly gave up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Anderson Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 think ours will be a west of scotland jaunt. log cabin somewhere most probably. did the same in aviemore last year and had a great time - quite expensive but really nice scenery and very relaxing. kids loved the wildlife too. never really done the west coast before so think it's time.got to save for florida next year! woo hoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 I'm really pulling in the reigns on my holidays this year. So far it's just a week in Paris with my boyfriend at the start of September - it's doubling as a "yay, you've finished your PhD!" celebration. So far we've booked and paid for the flights, but nothing else.If you're looking for something to do outwith the usual tourist stuff in Parisit is worth checking to see if there is a decent gig at this place that coincides with your stay.... [Le Cabaret Sauvage met en avant :One of the best venues I've been to. It's like a big circus tent. Has a unique atmosphere and does good food. In the summer they have a bbq out the back too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsinatra Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 I'll be setting off in a week to the Philippines for a few weeks. We plan on backpacking our way North and spending a few nights on the surrounding small Islands. I'm hoping to stumble upon a secluded beach with an already existing community of people whereby I will fall in love with a French Girl but then slowly lose my mind accompanied by my dead friend Daffy, largely due to the consumption of narcotics, resulting in the eventual demise of the community. Oh wait no that's Thailand.Maybe I'll just go Scuba Diving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherry Bloop Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 I'll be heading off to Paris in 5 weeks, should be rather good except being massively disappointed I won't be heading to Moulin Rouge due to the crappy euro exchange rates.Hopefully have a little trip later on the year aswell somewhere sunny, that's if my money situation improves =[ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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