Travel/holiday thread

[Pross]

I've got two pairs of friends who are serial cruisers... one couple I do understand, to an extent, as they are addicted to ballroom dancing, and their cruises are specifically for that, with the bonus of interesting places to visit in the day. The other couple just do cruise after cruise, just for the general cruising experience: they obviously are addicted to it, but I can think of few worse holiday experiences (other than Weston-super-Mare beach for a week).

I was always in the 'never catch me dead on a cruise' camp but then did my first one two years ago and really enjoyed it. I think the choice of cruise line and the trip helped as it wasn't full of people determined to make the most of the extortionate extra drinks package they'd selected. My sister has done loads of cruises to various destinations with a multitude of companies and has had some where the crew have had to imprison people due to fights and other drunken behaviour until they get to a port and kick them off. Being trapped with that sort of thing would ruin your holiday, at least in Benidorm you can get away from them more easily. We'll definitely do others, what I enjoy most is that your travel is your accommodation whilst you tour around, you can do the relaxing beach holiday bit as you travel and then explore new places when you arrive. I also loved the ease of it all (hand your bag over to a staff member when you arrive at the terminal, some takes your car to the car park and the next time you see your luggage is when you arrive in your cabin). It's obviously not cheap on board but no worse than a decent hotel, in our case we got the soft drinks package and bought a few alcoholic drinks onboard having worked out how much we'd have to drink each day to make a package worthwhile and deciding we'd never get close.

 

[briantrumpet]

Not banter, but just mulling over my next French getaway, hopefully replumbed by then...

Having found Valence - Lille - London - Topsham by train much less stressful than doing the middle bit CDG-BRS by plane, I'm looking at options & prices... I reckon if I got to St P in the evening, stayed in the cheap-but-OK hotel right near the station, caught the early (7.04am) Eurostar to Lille, then the mid-morning TGV to Valence from there, I can do it for £45 + £55 + £50, plus the hotel for about £50. I'd leave Topsham lunchtime, and arrive at my place early evening after the local train (£10) and a walk. Those prices are based on looking at a random mid-week date in March. Timings are actually similar to flight option (longer on the move, but less time needed for safety margin), and prices not wildly different.

Very tempting.

You are treating it like a commute where you aim to minimise time and cost. Why not enjoy yourself along the way e.g. there must be something in London you'd actually like to do.

That is actually partly behind my thinking about arriving in London at some point during the day, and leaving early the next morning. Even if I don't really like cities, London is a whole lot more interesting than Bristol airport, and even just walking between Paddington and St P could be a pleasant diversion.

 

[First Aspect]

That is actually partly behind my thinking about arriving in London at some point during the day, and leaving early the next morning. Even if I don't really like cities, London is a whole lot more interesting than Bristol airport, and even just walking between Paddington and St P could be a pleasant diversion.

I've just been to Bristol airport and the most interesting thing was someone* played a YouTube video of fart sounds on one of the phones for sale in the electronics shop. Other than that, not interesting at all.



*I happen to be married to the person who did it. I fear she is only going to get worse as she gets older.

 

[briantrumpet]

I've just been to Bristol airport and the most interesting thing was someone* played a YouTube video of fart sounds on one of the phones for sale in the electronics shop. Other than that, not interesting at all.



*I happen to be married to the person who did it. I fear she is only going to get worse as she gets older.

To be fair to Bristol airport, it's as BAF, just like most airports, and stuck far enough away from anywhere interesting that there's nowhere else to go. I suppose the only plus side is that one could go for a walk in the surrounding countryside without having to go too far, unlike CDG, where you couldn't even escape *anywhere* by foot, and the distant & inaccessible 'countryside' is also BAF.

 

[PurplePenguin]

That is actually partly behind my thinking about arriving in London at some point during the day, and leaving early the next morning. Even if I don't really like cities, London is a whole lot more interesting than Bristol airport, and even just walking between Paddington and St P could be a pleasant diversion.

Just don't walk along Marylebone Road to get from Paddington to St Pancreas. Even those who like cities would find that a bit much.

 

[briantrumpet]

Just don't walk along Marylebone Road to get from Paddington to St Pancreas. Even those who like cities would find that a bit much.

Guessed that from the map, thanks. Might tap you for an idea or two of diversions if/when, though I do enjoy just slightly rambling in the general direction. Might even take a compass with me so I don't head off towards Heathrow by mistake. Regents Park must be a good bet, and I'd better go to the Ethiopian restaurant (Kebena Green) near St P I was too late for last Monday.

 

[PurplePenguin]

Guessed that from the map, thanks. Might tap you for an idea or two of diversions if/when, though I do enjoy just slightly rambling in the general direction. Might even take a compass with me so I don't head off towards Heathrow by mistake. Regents Park must be a good bet, and I'd better go to the Ethiopian restaurant (Kebena Green) near St P I was too late for last Monday.

Ethiopian food is an obvious option for the area - I was going to suggest it as part of my response saying that you should enjoy your journey more. I have not eaten at the one you mention, but have eaten at Addis which is next to Kings Cross and is perfectly acceptable.

In terms of things to do, I think the generic mainstream response would be to direct you towards the Wellcome Collection (en route) or the British Museum. Both are free and well renowned.

Personally, I suspect you'd prefer something more quirky like the Canal Museum in Kings Cross or Fenton House in Hampstead. The latter would require transport though.

Walking through the parks is generally preferable for residents, but somewhat unenlightening if you come from the countryside.

 

[briantrumpet]

Ethiopian food is an obvious option for the area - I was going to suggest it as part of my response saying that you should enjoy your journey more. I have not eaten at the one you mention, but have eaten at Addis which is next to Kings Cross and is perfectly acceptable.

In terms of things to do, I think the generic mainstream response would be to direct you towards the Wellcome Collection (en route) or the British Museum. Both are free and well renowned.

Personally, I suspect you'd prefer something more quirky like the Canal Museum in Kings Cross or Fenton House in Hampstead. The latter would require transport though.

Walking through the parks is generally preferable for residents, but somewhat unenlightening if you come from the countryside.

Thanks. All useful info, PP. I think the Horniman Museum would be good too, given its collection of musical instruments, but obviously quite a (tube) step. Easier stuff first.

I think I've probably lost my academic credentials for having a private escorted visit to the armoury of the Tower of London to see the silver trumpets there. But been there, done that (when I was about 20), so Ethiopian restaurants and the odd museum and gallery might have to do, at least to start with.

But I still like vaguely aimless ambles via not-necessarily-touristy areas, not least as it makes me realise (as I did when I visited Leeds) that the whole of the south west was essentially bypassed by the industrial revolution and the wealth that brought. Exeter still mostly looks like a small town that's just got somewhat bigger since Roman times and, last splurge of wealth being derived from farming in the 15th century. The cathedral's great though.

Hmm, not sure I'll get that job with the Exeter Tourism Board.

 

[Ian H]

Just don't walk along Marylebone Road to get from Paddington to St Pancreas. Even those who like cities would find that a bit much.

I've cycled along it a few times, even through the tunnel.

 

[Pross]

We were discussing our holiday plans and considering the Spanish rail tour friends had done last year. We eventually decided to stay in the UK this year and do a tour of Scotland around a marathon I’m doing up there and save for a big holiday next year. Seeing the news this morning I’m not sure the Spanish trip would have stayed as an option.

 

[briantrumpet]

@PurplePenguin - do you know this one? Maybe rather niche, but sounds intriguing...

 

[PurplePenguin]

@PurplePenguin - do you know this one? Maybe rather niche, but sounds intriguing...

View attachment 12379

Yes, I have been there, but it's not en route for you. It seems popular with many people although I was bit underwhelmed 20 years ago.

 

[AndyRM]

Over the last 18 months I've been introduced to the joys of the trailer park holiday. I particularly like the luck of the draw when it comes to whether or not the caravan you're in feels like a deathtrap or somewhere you could comfortably live.

My favourite so far was in France, which had a strong horror film aesthetic:

Others have all been in the UK: Skegness, Ayr, Clacton and Helmsley.

If you're not fussy about when you want to go (ie unencumbered by dependents), and genuinely appreciate a vaguely scruffy seaside town (although Helmsley doesn't fall into that category, it was fancy) then you'll have nothing to complain about.

 

[briantrumpet]

Yes, I have been there, but it's not en route for you. It seems popular with many people although I was bit underwhelmed 20 years ago.

Thanks. It wouldn't be top of my list even if it were en route, but I was intrigued.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

That is actually partly behind my thinking about arriving in London at some point during the day, and leaving early the next morning. Even if I don't really like cities, London is a whole lot more interesting than Bristol airport, and even just walking between Paddington and St P could be a pleasant diversion.

Somers Town has some interesting projects going on. You can even book a guided walk with local academics/historians.

https://aspaceforus.club/about-us/