Has Anyone Booked a Holiday Yet?

[isaidno]

On 16/02/2024 at 19:59, ry.cunningham.5 said:

Tips for New York?

Been twice. Once in winter and once in summer. Few tips. 

Walk the Brooklyn bridge.

Hire bikes and cycle round Central Park.

Baseball / basketball ice hockey match

Rockefeller is a lot better than the empire state.

For drinks go to Monarch rooftop bar. 

[Ian Nacho]

Thinking of going travelling in Africa at some point. Don't know why but it just appeals to me. 

 

I don't want to do any of the cliche Safari or pyramids type thing. Just curious as to what's about. 

 

Anyone had any experience?

[NJFox]

On 16/02/2024 at 14:59, ry.cunningham.5 said:

Tips for New York?

Lot of good suggestions here already…what time of year, and for how long will you be visiting?

[ry.cunningham.5]

46 minutes ago, NJFox said:

Lot of good suggestions here already…what time of year, and for how long will you be visiting?

4 nights in January next year,still ages away but always been somewhere I’ve fancied ticking off 

[NJFox]

2 hours ago, ry.cunningham.5 said:

4 nights in January next year,still ages away but always been somewhere I’ve fancied ticking off 

Nice time of year, cold, and the holiday crowds quiet down. Would suggest a Rangers or Knicks game at Madison Square Garden. Not a cheap ticket, but an amazing venue. Bryant Park Winter Village is nice, and a theater show is always a good option. +1 for the Intrepid suggestions, and Ellis Island is a great bit of history, too.

Too many great restaurants and breweries to count. Also, the main rail hub (NY Penn Station) is right beneath/across from Madison Square Garden. An hour to Philadelphia, plus numerous local trains around the area (Princeton is one of our favorite small towns with rail access).

 

Also, for airports, you have 2 options- Newark (EWR) or JFK. Heathrow serves both, JFK has service to Manchester and Gatwick, Newark also flies to Edinburgh. Newark is considered easier for access to NYC, but in the event of snow, JFK is the safer bet.

 

Edited 20 February by NJFox

[grobyfox1990]

7 hours ago, Ian Nacho said:

Thinking of going travelling in Africa at some point. Don't know why but it just appeals to me. 

 

I don't want to do any of the cliche Safari or pyramids type thing. Just curious as to what's about. 

 

Anyone had any experience?

Lol as to what’s about, that did make me laugh. Yeh done the arab world at the top and all the southern countries at the bottom with a bit of gorilla spotting in the middle. Best continent by a million miles with amazing weather and pure people. I guess the cliche you refer to is the garden route which is cool but a bit ‘santorini’ with all the hordes of European tourists and phones 

[bmt]

9 hours ago, Ian Nacho said:

Thinking of going travelling in Africa at some point. Don't know why but it just appeals to me. 

 

I don't want to do any of the cliche Safari or pyramids type thing. Just curious as to what's about. 

 

Anyone had any experience?

I've spent a decent amount of time volunteering in Kenya and spent some time in rural Uganda. I think you're missing a trick by not doing a Safari, unless you just mean a more mainstream safari. Africa has amazing wildlife so definitely go and see it!

[Voll Blau]

On 06/02/2024 at 10:50, Greg2607 said:

We are doing Barcelona at the end of March, so any recommendations gratefully received. 

Cool little music pub called Sincopa in the Barri Gotic. That area's also worth a walking tour.

 

 

17 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

After last weekend's jaunt to Bologna and Emilia-Romagna, I have already been swatting up on the next Italy trip. Either Puglia, Palermo or Trieste/Udine. 

 

Any recommendations for Valencia (stag in May) & Amsterdam (August - any hidden gems) would be much appreciated 

Decent locals brown pubs I found in Amsterdam:

 

In t'Apjen (red light district)

Cafe van Beeren (right off the main drag heading out of Centraal)

Cafe Mulder and Le Patron (near the Heineken brewery)

 

Apjen the busiest, the others great for people watching with friendly staff.

 

[STEVIE B]

19 hours ago, Ian Nacho said:

Thinking of going travelling in Africa at some point. Don't know why but it just appeals to me. 

 

I don't want to do any of the cliche Safari or pyramids type thing. Just curious as to what's about. 

 

Anyone had any experience?

Have mainly been to Southern Africa,

Cape Town & Port Elizabeth watching England play cricket. 

Obviously CT is as good as often reported. Amazing beaches, Table Mountain, vineyards, food & nightlife.

 

Zimbabwe, when Mugabe was still in power. Was there for 3 weeks.

Watched England in Harare. Went to Bulawayo, a lovely looking old colonial city. Went onto Victoria Falls & watched people bungee jump off the famous bridge. 

We walked over the Falls Bridge into Zambia.

 

Recently went back to South Africa (Pretoria), to watch more cricket, not the nicest city tbh, but still had a great time. Managed to go on Safari (Pilanesberg)....... being chased by an Elephant was the highlight ! 

I love Africa on the whole. So much to do & take in, some lovely people too. 

Edited 20 February by STEVIE B

[VLC86]

14 hours ago, Ian Nacho said:

Thinking of going travelling in Africa at some point. Don't know why but it just appeals to me. 

 

I don't want to do any of the cliche Safari or pyramids type thing. Just curious as to what's about. 

 

Anyone had any experience?

Been to South Africa twice now and absolutely love it.

 

Cape Town is a must do, still a bit wild so you have to have your wits about you.

 

Stellenbosch is great.

 

I did see some wild stuff though (dead bodies, people getting tasered) and it does have other issues (scheduled power outages) but it’s great and I’d still go back.

 

As others have said, missing a trick if you didn’t do a safari, I’d love to go to one of the other countries and do a longer one.

[foxfanazer]

Anybody been to Montenegro and can recommend where's best? Looking at Budva currently

 

Went to Croatia last year and absolutely loved it and it looks a similar vibe

[CosbehFox]

3 hours ago, foxfanazer said:

Anybody been to Montenegro and can recommend where's best? Looking at Budva currently

 

Went to Croatia last year and absolutely loved it and it looks a similar vibe

Budva is a bit in your face, parts of Europe have it as their party city. However on the whole it’s excellent. Kotor, Herceg Novi up towards the North are the prettiest coastal resorts. 

[foxfanazer]

7 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

Budva is a bit in your face, parts of Europe have it as their party city. However on the whole it’s excellent. Kotor, Herceg Novi up towards the North are the prettiest coastal resorts. 

Just been looking at Kotor. Looks incredible.

 

Thanks for your reply 

[Glenny24]

4 weeks to go before we fly to Japan for our Cherry Blossom retirement cruise.

Apparently Japan is seeing temperatures of 25 degrees so by the time we go the best of the bloom will be over.

Dissapointing 😩

 

[Filbert_Ross]

Looking for go Scotland for a mini tour in July. Want to do about 4/5 nights on Skye. 
Will have two young kids with us so would rather stay in a caravan or something over a b&b etc. 

airbnb accommodation seems very pricy.

any tips/advice ?  

[kenny]

3 hours ago, Filbert_Ross said:

Looking for go Scotland for a mini tour in July. Want to do about 4/5 nights on Skye. 
Will have two young kids with us so would rather stay in a caravan or something over a b&b etc. 

airbnb accommodation seems very pricy.

any tips/advice ?  

Accomodation in Scotland is difficult everywhere hence the number of b&b's. Is campervan hire reasonable?

[VLC86]

6 hours ago, Filbert_Ross said:

Looking for go Scotland for a mini tour in July. Want to do about 4/5 nights on Skye. 
Will have two young kids with us so would rather stay in a caravan or something over a b&b etc. 

airbnb accommodation seems very pricy.

any tips/advice ?  

Skye is great. Fairy pools, Neast Point, the Quarang, Old man of storr etc are a must.

 

if you are into wildlife sign up for Facebook groups tracking orcas and dolphins.

 

Would cost a bit more and be further to travel but the Isle of Harris is incredible.

Edited 25 February by Costock_Fox

[bovril]

Went to Worcester at the weekend. Bit of a dull town but people were very friendly, and the cathedral was fantastic. Really exceeded my expectations. The journey from London seemed really nice too and I need to spend more time in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Would love to go to the Welsh Marches too. 

[VLC86]

Probably heading to Sicily for 3 nights in early May. Flights are into Palermo, is it worth staying there for a night? Was considering going to a beach area for 2 nights and then doing that.

[Langley]

On 25/02/2024 at 13:09, Filbert_Ross said:

Looking for go Scotland for a mini tour in July. Want to do about 4/5 nights on Skye. 
Will have two young kids with us so would rather stay in a caravan or something over a b&b etc. 

airbnb accommodation seems very pricy.

any tips/advice ?  

in 2020 when we went it was £1000 for 3 nights on skye in a hotel/airbnb.

 

or £10 each a night to camp.

 

camping won. dunvegan is where we stayed.

[Langley]

On 25/02/2024 at 11:00, foxfanazer said:

Just been looking at Kotor. Looks incredible.

 

Thanks for your reply 

Kotor is alright when it's not raining.

 

We went out of season and Kotor and Budva made Braunstone look like Venice.

[Stadt]

On 25/02/2024 at 11:00, foxfanazer said:

Just been looking at Kotor. Looks incredible.

 

Thanks for your reply 

I'm going to Kotor in May, having a day in nearby Tivat 

[foxfanazer]

8 minutes ago, Langley said:

Kotor is alright when it's not raining.

 

We went out of season and Kotor and Budva made Braunstone look like Venice.

Hmmm that's not great

 

Looking at end of August/early September. Any recommendations of somewhere better in that part of the world? 

 

We really liked Cavtat last year but didn't want to be boring and go the same place back to back

[foxfanazer]

10 minutes ago, Stadt said:

I'm going to Kotor in May, having a day in nearby Tivat 

You'll have to let me know what you think 

[Langley]

`

5 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Hmmm that's not great

 

Looking at end of August/early September. Any recommendations of somewhere better in that part of the world? 

 

We really liked Cavtat last year but didn't want to be boring and go the same place back to back

 

Go to Jelsa on Hvar. if you don't have a car you can get a taxi - we stayed at the Adriatiq Resort Fontana Deluxe - Nothing deluxe about it but for Jelsa it's great.