Has Anyone Booked a Holiday Yet?

[Soup]

4 hours ago, Costock_Fox said:

I’d like to say the main reason for me wanting to go back isn’t to sit on a beach with penguins about a metre away from me but it’s pretty much the main reason I want to go back.

 

If you go in May I think you will have a decent chance to see Whales. 
 

Some people are put off by the crime rate but if you do your investigation the majority of crime is committed inside the townships outside the city bowl. Ubers are excellent over there so if you go out at night it’s fine as well.

 

You really won’t regret it if you go, I’m tempted to go back in January.

Thanks for the advice. 

 

The more I look the more I fancy it. Just about got the missus on board so hopefully will get it booked up soon. 

[Costock_Fox]

27 minutes ago, Soup said:

Thanks for the advice. 

 

The more I look the more I fancy it. Just about got the missus on board so hopefully will get it booked up soon. 

If you book give me a shout for restaurant tips as I went to a few really good ones.

[Soup]

Flights for Cape Town booked. Really looking forward to this trip. 

 

Looking at accommodation now and edging towards the V&A waterfront area. 

[Steve_Walsh5]

8 minutes ago, Soup said:

Flights for Cape Town booked. Really looking forward to this trip. 

 

Looking at accommodation now and edging towards the V&A waterfront area. 

That’s where I stayed and it was the perfect location. Lovely big apartments, secure underground parking, nice private pool areas and only a couple of minutes walk to restaurants & bars.

[Soup]

16 minutes ago, Steve_Walsh5 said:

That’s where I stayed and it was the perfect location. Lovely big apartments, secure underground parking, nice private pool areas and only a couple of minutes walk to restaurants & bars.

Good to know thanks. The value for money around there looks great. 

[Costock_Fox]

1 hour ago, Soup said:

Flights for Cape Town booked. Really looking forward to this trip. 

 

Looking at accommodation now and edging towards the V&A waterfront area. 

Nice one, if we go back it will either be there or Camps Bay which is about 15 mins outside of the centre. That said, I’ll probably stay a night in Simons Town (Boulders Beach) and Stellenbosh as well I recon.
 

We had a really nice AirBnB right at the bottom of Signal Hill which was fine but yeah V and A/ Green Point are probably nicer.

 

You will want to get restaurants booked pretty soon as the good ones book up. The one I still day dream about now is Pot Luck Club

Edited 12 November 2019 by Costock_Fox

[Soup]

8 hours ago, Costock_Fox said:

Nice one, if we go back it will either be there or Camps Bay which is about 15 mins outside of the centre. That said, I’ll probably stay a night in Simons Town (Boulders Beach) and Stellenbosh as well I recon.
 

We had a really nice AirBnB right at the bottom of Signal Hill which was fine but yeah V and A/ Green Point are probably nicer.

 

You will want to get restaurants booked pretty soon as the good ones book up. The one I still day dream about now is Pot Luck Club

Simon's town does look nice, we could split the accommodation. We will be spending time there so might make sense to do that.

 

Will pass the restaurant recommendation on to the missus as she's already looking at where to eat and drink. Cheers.

[Unabomber]

On 16/10/2019 at 17:07, when_you're_smiling said:

This was really good value last year given you’re yards from Broadway and Times Square. Smallish rooms, but you ain’t going to be in it much anyway.

 

https://ameritanianyc.com/

 

 

 

Looking to finally sort my hotel out and this place looks good value. Is it near decent bars/restaurants? Also would you stay there again? 

[when_you're_smiling]

1 hour ago, Unabomber said:

Looking to finally sort my hotel out and this place looks good value. Is it near decent bars/restaurants? Also would you stay there again? 

Yeah. Was a bit shocked about how close it was to everything give. the price. You’re virtually on Broadway and about 5 mins walk from Times Square (if that). There’s a really nice bar next door to the hotel (The Three Monkeys) and there’s also shed loads of bars within a couple of blocks west in the Hell’s Kitchen area and around 8th and 9th Ave which were a bit cheaper than those around Times Square.
 

There’s a subway station a block down on Broadway too so it’s pretty easy to get around - not that anywhere seemed too far to walk.

 

The room we had was not really much bigger than the bed, but there’s so much to do you’re never really going to be in there anyway and it was comfy, clean and reasonably quiet for the location. 

 

 

[Unabomber]

1 hour ago, when_you're_smiling said:

Yeah. Was a bit shocked about how close it was to everything give. the price. You’re virtually on Broadway and about 5 mins walk from Times Square (if that). There’s a really nice bar next door to the hotel (The Three Monkeys) and there’s also shed loads of bars within a couple of blocks west in the Hell’s Kitchen area and around 8th and 9th Ave which were a bit cheaper than those around Times Square.
 

There’s a subway station a block down on Broadway too so it’s pretty easy to get around - not that anywhere seemed too far to walk.

 

The room we had was not really much bigger than the bed, but there’s so much to do you’re never really going to be in there anyway and it was comfy, clean and reasonably quiet for the location. 

 

 

Thanks booking.com offered me 10% off so I just booked it 

[isaidno]

I've just booked to go New York in February.  Wish I'd read this thread before booking hotel. We're staying in a holiday inn on 25th street.

Edited 14 November 2019 by isaidno

[when_you're_smiling]

1 hour ago, Unabomber said:

Thanks booking.com offered me 10% off so I just booked it 

Nice one. You’ll have a great time! I’m desperate to go back soon.

[Unabomber]

8 minutes ago, when_you're_smiling said:

Nice one. You’ll have a great time! I’m desperate to go back soon.

Cheers also that three monkeys place looks right up my street.

 

Now can anyone recommend things to do in NYC that aren’t the usual touristy things?

[Ric Flair]

On ‎10‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 20:51, Costock_Fox said:

Yes, what a city. I’m not sure if May is the best time for weather but I can’t recommend the place enough. World class food and drink for next to nothing, stunning scenery and penguins on beaches.

 

I need to go back.

I did 2 weeks out there 5 years ago, plus another week in the Kruger and a week at Sun City and a few very odd places that my Afrikaans mate took me to which won't feature in many guidebooks. What a country. In 4 weeks I spent about £600-700 and lived like a king. In fact all in the holiday was less than £2000 for flights, accommodation (I did spend some of the time at my mates friends and family for free but even so) and spends. So many highlights, but the wine tram tour in Franscheok around all the vineyards was breath taking. Cost the equivalent of about £10 to go around 6 vineyards and at each one you got 3 glasses of exceptional wine, hahahahahahahaa. The biltong there as well was beyond words, like fillet steak.

 

I never felt in danger, but I had my mate who knew what we should or shouldn't do. They was one eye opening encounter though as we got the train from Cape Town to Stellenbosch, the trains can be notoriously unsafe and the sound and sight of 10-20 natives being tasered as they were handcuffed to some railings at a train station out near the town ships got the adrenalin pumping. No idea what they'd done!!!

 

The garden route is phenomenal too, did a few days out towards Hermanus and great white diving in Gansbaai.

 

Man, this has made me want to go back so bad. I went around this time of the year mid November to mid December and it was perfect.

[Costock_Fox]

6 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

I did 2 weeks out there 5 years ago, plus another week in the Kruger and a week at Sun City and a few very odd places that my Afrikaans mate took me to which won't feature in many guidebooks. What a country. In 4 weeks I spent about £600-700 and lived like a king. In fact all in the holiday was less than £2000 for flights, accommodation (I did spend some of the time at my mates friends and family for free but even so) and spends. So many highlights, but the wine tram tour in Franscheok around all the vineyards was breath taking. Cost the equivalent of about £10 to go around 6 vineyards and at each one you got 3 glasses of exceptional wine, hahahahahahahaa. The biltong there as well was beyond words, like fillet steak.

 

I never felt in danger, but I had my mate who knew what we should or shouldn't do. They was one eye opening encounter though as we got the train from Cape Town to Stellenbosch, the trains can be notoriously unsafe and the sound and sight of 10-20 natives being tasered as they were handcuffed to some railings at a train station out near the town ships got the adrenalin pumping. No idea what they'd done!!!

 

The garden route is phenomenal too, did a few days out towards Hermanus and great white diving in Gansbaai.

 

Man, this has made me want to go back so bad. I went around this time of the year mid November to mid December and it was perfect.

That’s it, live like a king for nothing with amazing scenery so I’m not sure why more don’t do it.

 

I got an Uber back from Stellenbosch to Cape Town and we ended up stuck in the biggest township in the country for an hour and although I was petrified we didn’t die.

 

I went to Gansbaai but we didn’t see any great whites as the orcas are eating them all. Saw a bronzer shark but only briefly.

 

The only dodgy encounter I had was in Bo Kap (definitely spelt wrong) where a local walked out of his shack at the bottom of Signal Hill and looked like he definitely wanted to kill me so we turned around and walked up the next street instead with no issues.

Edited 15 November 2019 by Costock_Fox

[Stadt]

It's not fun at the time but its exhilarating when you end up somewhere sketchy as **** 

[Ric Flair]

6 minutes ago, Stadt said:

It's not fun at the time but its exhilarating when you end up somewhere sketchy as **** 

Ended up in the horriblest club in the suburbs of Bangkok that was basically a brothel/drug den ran by the thai mafia. I didn't get much pleasure in there, couple of warm Changs and had to leg it.

[Costock_Fox]

2 hours ago, Stadt said:

It's not fun at the time but its exhilarating when you end up somewhere sketchy as **** 

I wish I had dared to get my phone out to take a few pictures but I was absolutely sloshed after drinking god knows how much wine and convinced I was going to die. Was actually a cool place with tiny shack shops but people will just have to take my word for it.
 

You can go on tours of the townships which would be pretty cool but I’m not sure I’d be up for it.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Just on my way to Stansted for the night before going to Vienna tomorrow, if anybody has any suggestions I'm all ears, we've got a checklist but always good to ask the room 

[RonnieTodger]

On 29/10/2019 at 08:36, Unabomber said:

Booked my flights for New York, going at the end of March. Anyone ever been around that time? Also still looking for best hotel as there are so many options!

Haha I'm also going for 5 nights around the end of March. I've never been before, I think all we've booked is a NY Rangers game at MSG.

[fuchsntf]

2 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Just on my way to Stansted for the night before going to Vienna tomorrow, if anybody has any suggestions I'm all ears, we've got a checklist but always good to ask the room 

Stephansdom catacombe tour....

Use the hop on,hop off tours...

If its your first time,Enjoy the Classic sites.....bars,restaurants. Use your feet,or City bikes....Ask The reception..!!   The Time of year and Weather is Not the best.

Missing /inbetween the colourfull-warmish Autumn, and most likely the christmasmarkets....no sorry Christkindlmarkt begins Middle of November,so sou should get to enjoy the Atmosphere..if its Quiet Enjoy the Romance with your beloved....

Edited 19 November 2019 by fuchsntf

[walkerleeds]

Anyone been to Riga? Decent bars to checkout? 

[Costock_Fox]

Anyone ever done Machu Pichu? I spend a fair amount of my time at home watching YouTube videos of hikes/climbs and I quite fancy doing this.

[grobyfox1990]

10 hours ago, Costock_Fox said:

Anyone ever done Machu Pichu? I spend a fair amount of my time at home watching YouTube videos of hikes/climbs and I quite fancy doing this.

Yes. Needless to say it was brilliant. The climb up nearby Huayna pcihu was probably my favourite bit. That, or the llamas that a beer company put up there for an advert, then just left to roam around. Peru was a good trip, two weeks out there, we did Lima - Huacachina (desert, sand dunes etc) - Arequipa (colca canyon trek) - lake paracas (poor mans galpagos) - Cusco (macchu pichu) - Lima. Cheap and very touristy country, so easy to organise and get around.

[Costock_Fox]

1 hour ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Yes. Needless to say it was brilliant. The climb up nearby Huayna pcihu was probably my favourite bit. That, or the llamas that a beer company put up there for an advert, then just left to roam around. Peru was a good trip, two weeks out there, we did Lima - Huacachina (desert, sand dunes etc) - Arequipa (colca canyon trek) - lake paracas (poor mans galpagos) - Cusco (macchu pichu) - Lima. Cheap and very touristy country, so easy to organise and get around.

Nice one. I was looking at doing a different route to the Inca Trail, Salkanay I think it was called as you get to see more wild life and it’s not as busy apparently.

 

Id go to Cusco and stay in Lima for a bit as well I recon. Looks great. What time of year did you go?