The Holiday Thread

[Stan]

1 hour ago, carefreeluke said:

That's about average there. It gets quite cold in the north of Spain mate which people don't always expect, would definitely take a jacket. I'm acclimatised to the weather here in the south so it would seem colder to me anyway. I went to Barcelona in Feb last year, I went up in a big coat whilst my mates (all coming from London) took nothing warm at all but some of them ended up buying jumpers and that. It will be warm during the day (t-shirt weather for us back home in the UK whilst the Spaniards will be in big coats and scarves) but as soon as that sun goes in, it will be cold even for us Brits. I'm actually heading up north (near Madrid) next weekend, I'll let you know. 

Are you going to Madrid then?

Yes mate. Well, couple weeks. 1 year anniversary with the missus. 

[Toinho]

9 hours ago, Stan said:

Yes mate. Well, couple weeks. 1 year anniversary with the missus. 

When are you proposing? 

[Stan]

18 minutes ago, Toinho said:

When are you proposing? 

For me to know and you to find out... 

[Toinho]

3 minutes ago, Stan said:

For me to know and you to find out... 

Hurry up because I will say yes. 

[Stan]

Just now, Toinho said:

Hurry up because I will say yes. 

How are we celebrating? 

[Mpache]

Saving up til October/November to do a continental tour, but not sure where to go.

Africa or Asia my options.

Of interest

Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Gabon, Nambia, Botswana, Zambia, South Africa and Lesotho

Asia: Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Pakistan, India, Turkmenistan, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Papua New Guinea (well aware this isn't in Asia but I would consider it in the tour)

[Cicero]

10 year anniversary with the missus in December. Punta Cana for a week. 

Stoked. 

[Eco]

Just now, Cicero said:

10 year anniversary with the missus in December. Punta Cana for a week. 

Stoked. 

Wedding? 

I'm heading to North Carolina with the family in 2 weeks for a ski trip. 

Also going to the beach during the summer to visit a friend. 

Wanting to head to Belgium later on this year as well. 

[Eco]

On 31/01/2020 at 10:06, Lucas said:

Looking for a bit of inspiration. 

Got a weekend free in March for a long weekend somewhere in Europe.

Between the both of us we've been to Barcelona, Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Budapest, Lisbon and Sofia.

Drawing a bit of a blank so far but would like to go somewhere different.

I've been looking at Tallinn, Lake Bled in Slovenia and possibly Austria, like Vienna or Salzburg but I'm not sure. Maybe even Bruges?

Bruges is fantastic, as is Copenhagen. Krakow is also a city that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

[Cicero]

4 minutes ago, Eco said:

Wedding? 

I'm heading to North Carolina with the family in 2 weeks for a ski trip. 

Also going to the beach during the summer to visit a friend. 

Wanting to head to Belgium later on this year as well. 

Nah since we’ve been together. Wedding will hit 3 years come October 

[Eco]

Just now, Cicero said:

Nah since we’ve been together. Wedding will hit 3 years come October 

Oh nice. 

Dating we just hit 8 years. Marriage will hit 6 in May. 

[Cicero]

59 minutes ago, Eco said:

Oh nice. 

Dating we just hit 8 years. Marriage will hit 6 in May. 

Think next year we’re going to visit family in Genoa I haven’t seen since 2009. Then do a tour of Germany and France. 

Edited February 7, 2020 by Cicero

[Eco]

Just now, Cicero said:

Think next year we’re going to visit family in Genoa I haven’t seen since 2009. Then do a tour of Germany and France. 

Lovely area Genoa is. 

Ultimately, I'd love to move over there, just not sure where I'd make home over in Western Europe. 

[Stan]

Off to Madrid today. 

Surprising the missus for the weekend. Surprised myself keeping it a secret since October

 

[Bluewolf]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

Off to Madrid today. 

Surprising the missus for the weekend. Surprised myself keeping it a secret since October

 

Cool... how long do you think it will take before she realises you are gone you reckon??? 

[Mel81x+]

On 07/02/2020 at 09:45, Inti Brian said:

Saving up til October/November to do a continental tour, but not sure where to go.

Africa or Asia my options.

Of interest

Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Gabon, Nambia, Botswana, Zambia, South Africa and Lesotho

Asia: Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Pakistan, India, Turkmenistan, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Papua New Guinea (well aware this isn't in Asia but I would consider it in the tour)

If you're down in this part of the world give me a shout would love to say hi and if you want a beach place you can always do Goa or Pondicherry (French colony mixed with Tamil Nadu). If you want a serene experience however, hit the Andamans. Its gorgeous and I go there once every two years.

[Stan]

31 minutes ago, Bluewolf said:

Cool... how long do you think it will take before she realises you are gone you reckon??? 

Not until I come back mate. 

Fancy joining me? 

[Lucas]

2 hours ago, Mel81x said:

If you're down in this part of the world give me a shout would love to say hi and if you want a beach place you can always do Goa or Pondicherry (French colony mixed with Tamil Nadu). If you want a serene experience however, hit the Andamans. Its gorgeous and I go there once every two years.

Looks amazing and yet, I have to be honest, I'd never have thought that was right by India.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Lucas

[Mel81x+]

57 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Looks amazing and yet, I have to be honest, I'd never have thought that was right by India.

Its actually a really good dive spot if you're into diving. They have a place called Jackson's Reef and its gorgeous in the early summer (about a month from now). Also, they have a strict policy about how they go about treating trash and other waste so its stayed rather nice. Havlock is a bit messy just because its touristy but I go there often enough to know that I am not interested in the tourist spots.

That's a pic of the reef and its really pretty. The other place I recommend is the Maldives as well and its also not touched by too much touristy influence.

I stayed on a house that sits on the reef and its really quite something else. 

This is the Waldorf opened last year

[Mpache]

4 hours ago, Mel81x said:

If you're down in this part of the world give me a shout would love to say hi and if you want a beach place you can always do Goa or Pondicherry (French colony mixed with Tamil Nadu). If you want a serene experience however, hit the Andamans. Its gorgeous and I go there once every two years.

I once saw a comment saying "you can live 100 years in India and still not see everything they have to offer".

If I go to India it'd probably be a seperate trip to Asia unless I have some more money to spare. Although yeah I'd be keen on some of the places you've mentioned. What can you tell me about the Himalayas region though? That's the one I'm most interested in  

[Bluewolf]

5 hours ago, Mel81x said:

If you're down in this part of the world give me a shout would love to say hi and if you want a beach place you can always do Goa or Pondicherry (French colony mixed with Tamil Nadu). If you want a serene experience however, hit the Andamans. Its gorgeous and I go there once every two years.

 

On 22/01/2020 at 23:56, Toinho said:

Cocos Islands. Remote. Scarcely touched by humanity (in comparison) and utterly beautiful. One of the best places I’ve ever been. I’m also a snorkel convert. Snorkelling with reef sharks? Tick. 

 

Well, this is going to make my normal trudge to work in the morning just that little bit more depressing now isn't it...  I have often thought that if I had no responsibilities that I could just mooch off somewhere isolated and mostly untouched and live a life less money orientated... be a simple fisherman or a hut builder maybe... 

[Lucas]

1 hour ago, Mel81x said:

Its actually a really good dive spot if you're into diving. They have a place called Jackson's Reef and its gorgeous in the early summer (about a month from now). Also, they have a strict policy about how they go about treating trash and other waste so its stayed rather nice. Havlock is a bit messy just because its touristy but I go there often enough to know that I am not interested in the tourist spots.

That's a pic of the reef and its really pretty. The other place I recommend is the Maldives as well and its also not touched by too much touristy influence.

I stayed on a house that sits on the reef and its really quite something else. 

This is the Waldorf opened last year

@Mel81x, are you minted?

Looks like I'm gonna have to do some overtime 

 

Edited February 14, 2020 by Lucas

[Azeem]

3 minutes ago, Bluewolf said:

 

Well, this is going to make my normal trudge to work in the morning just that little bit more depressing now isn't it...  I have often thought that if I had no responsibilities that I could just mooch off somewhere isolated and mostly untouched and live a life less money orientated... be a simple fisherman or a hut builder maybe... 

Didn't you used to do that prior to the industrial revolution ? 

[Mel81x+]

35 minutes ago, Inti Brian said:

I once saw a comment saying "you can live 100 years in India and still not see everything they have to offer".

If I go to India it'd probably be a seperate trip to Asia unless I have some more money to spare. Although yeah I'd be keen on some of the places you've mentioned. What can you tell me about the Himalayas region though? That's the one I'm most interested in  

So, theres two sides to that particular question one is based in India the other is based in Nepal and both are equally pretty.

India

• Hit up Markha Valley it is gorgeous in the late summer time when the fields are green. 
• Do the glacier trek near the Gangotri and I'd say before this do about two days of field trekking because its a bit nuts in terms of a trek and will require a bit of stamina. However, the guides will ensure that you get time to rest. It's a seasonal thing though and right around October all the way to Jan they shut it down
• Himachal Pradesh Treks
  • If you want to see the Himalayan range but not really do much of a trek in that are you can head down to Places like the following
    • Mcloedganj - Medium to High Diff
    • Tosh Valley - Medium Diff
    • Dharamshala - This is superb for group trekking and has a river camp too
    • Spiti Valley - The view, the water and the air oh my god the air. It makes you wish that you didn't have to go home. This is one of my favorite places in Himachal and the road there is also very pretty
• Kanatal - Good for light trekking and they have a nice view of the valley in the night and during the day. The trek goes up to a temple where you can look all around and you get a nice view. Early morning treks only before winter as there are problems with the winds which face the Himalayan side. You can also see the big mountains on a clear day and if you're very lucky you'll start to see what they call snow shine down in the forests that surround the area. If you meet the locals and they challenge you to cricket play them and then laugh when you beat them, of course buy them some tea and biscuits post it. Good folks.
• Mussoorie - Tram rides up in the little city, nice views of the valley and its on the way to Kanatal.

Nepal

• Everest Base Camp - Might as well go trekking in a trash dump when you start because its filthy. But, once you get past the regular stuff it gets really pretty and is a big strain so I'd train before I go there.
• Mustang - Pretty nice and takes a toll on your body but its well worth the view. I lost my camera on this trek because someone thought it was a good idea to take selfies and forgot it somewhere. Never again.

Whatever you decide to do plan about a day ahead because you're going to have to deal with travel time, stopping at places, etc. The roads are a bit windy and if anyone offers you to sit in an older jeep up the road say no if you get car sick easy. IMO both sides of the Himalayas are pretty it all depends on what you want to see. If you want to see gorgeous hill-side houses with mountains and drink some very nice and strong beer along with enjoying some good local hospitality theres also Tibet which can be reached from India via a place called Sikkim and that ride across the border is also a super journey.

[Mel81x+]

5 minutes ago, Lucas said:

@Mel81x, are you minted?

Not really haha, we plan these things for a year and then hit them up. I did all my dive certs when I was very young so now I just pay a nominal fee to go dive. Plus, its actually not as expensive as it seems and we spend so much time out of the places we're at that sometimes we'll stay closer to the beaches and save money that way. Do about two big trips in a year as theres just so much to see and its good to have friends who either live in these places or you get invited to go there because someone wants to fill a band for some local house event so they pay for accommodation and you just show up and have a lot of free time on your hands.