Holiday horrors!

[merryone]

Went on holiday to Turkey last Saturday for a five night break. I'm not a huge fan of flying to say the least so I find it quite hard to build up any excitement in the weeks leading up to the holiday, but it's always ended up being worth it. Just over a week before we were due to go I got a cold, it wasn't that bad, but I made the utmost effort not to pass it on to OH - Fail! Of course he caught it even closer to the departure date and got it a lot worse than I did, and to make matters worse his arthritic joints were having a mighty flare up. I actually suggested that we cancel (sod the money) but he said no it'll be ok once we get there, relax by the pool etc etc. Went to a self catering apartment within a complex that had a bar/restuarant and entertainment. We were due to arrive mid evening on Saturday, but due to delays and the transfer taking 2 hours instead of the 1 hour advertised ( coach with no air con) we got there after midnight. We were offered a welcome drink on arrival, I just had an orange juice. Got up to the apartment which was nice enough but cooking arrangements consisted of a kettle and a 2 ring plug in stove. Pretty much everything else you needed had to be hired from reception - Air con/television/microwave/toaster etc. Went down for breakfast the next day and was offered an upgrade to half board which gave you breakfast/evening meal, which we took up. Took a walk up to the nearest shops, thankfully a flat but long walk and got a few basics for the room. This exhausted oh that he literally spent most of the day asleep, then day 2 he got a bit of a dicky stomach and whilst we were walking through a largely residential area he decided that a visit to the toilet was urgent! Thank god we turned the corner to find a coffee shop with facilities. I spent the entire holiday stressed up to the eyeballs, could hardly eat or relax, he spent most of the holiday asleep and I was tearing my hair out with stress/boredom. Journey home was an absolute nightmare as our flight was delayed, and when we got to other end we found out that someone had taken oh's suitcase by mistake...at 4 am there was nobody on duty to help, but a cleaner suggested that we go round to departures and find a Tui rep who said this happens all the time best to put a ribbon on the handle of your case!!!! Thankfully we have managed to find out that our case has been returned and it will be sent to our home via courier free of charge tomorrow. Blinking nightmare...I'm seriously considering cancelling next years holiday to Morocco that we've already booked as I literally cannot face another holiday like this! I mean next years is all inclusive and there seems a lot more to do on the complex but I don't have to pay the balance until the end of Jan next year and you can cancel up to 28 days before. Back to work Weds and I feel I've not actually had a holiday. Next holiday is July and I've got no plans!!!
Oh and returned to find that a seagull had divebombed the outside of the bathroom window and an ants nest in the front room which I cant seem to locate they seem to be crawling out of skirting board, sprayed round and improved slightly might have to get the pro's in! Couldn't even make it up could you?!

 

[merryone]

Lovely weather here today, and back to work tomorrow - Got a friend coming down to stay for a few days on Saturday, so since I've been back from "that holiday" I've been doing some proper spring cleaning, and do you know what? I've enjoyed doing that more than anything I experienced last week. Suitcase is due to be returned to us at 4.30 this afternoon, so I need to make sure the washing machine's empty and ready for the load.
I tell you what, though if I do book another holiday abroad I'm gonna make sure that the flights aren't at silly o' clock, the Morocco one does have a late night/early hours flight home so that's another good reason to cancel, or possibly try and transfer to a simple holiday in Spain - but at the moment foreign travel is not appealing in the least!

 

[maymorganlondon]

Nightmare! Sounds like you need to try a cruise starting and finishing in the UK. No flying to worry about in that case!

 

[merryone]

Nightmare! Sounds like you need to try a cruise starting and finishing in the UK. No flying to worry about in that case!

I'm terrified of boats lol!!!! I can do boat trips when I'm on holiday but a cruise liner .....aaggggh! This stemmed back from when I went to belgium for a short break with my boyfriend, Townsend Thoressen- sister ship to the Herarld of Free enterprise. I remember saying to him when we got to Dover to pick up the ferry " I don't fancy the look of that rust bucket"...he laughed and said don't be silly. Of course it was fine but a week later the zeebrugge disaster unfolded, and I've been wary ever since despite knowing they're a lot safer these days! I love Eurostar though!

 

[Grizelda]

Went on holiday to Turkey last Saturday for a five night break. I'm not a huge fan of flying to say the least so I find it quite hard to build up any excitement in the weeks leading up to the holiday, but it's always ended up being worth it. Just over a week before we were due to go I got a cold, it wasn't that bad, but I made the utmost effort not to pass it on to OH - Fail! Of course he caught it even closer to the departure date and got it a lot worse than I did, and to make matters worse his arthritic joints were having a mighty flare up. I actually suggested that we cancel (sod the money) but he said no it'll be ok once we get there, relax by the pool etc etc. Went to a self catering apartment within a complex that had a bar/restuarant and entertainment. We were due to arrive mid evening on Saturday, but due to delays and the transfer taking 2 hours instead of the 1 hour advertised ( coach with no air con) we got there after midnight. We were offered a welcome drink on arrival, I just had an orange juice. Got up to the apartment which was nice enough but cooking arrangements consisted of a kettle and a 2 ring plug in stove. Pretty much everything else you needed had to be hired from reception - Air con/television/microwave/toaster etc. Went down for breakfast the next day and was offered an upgrade to half board which gave you breakfast/evening meal, which we took up. Took a walk up to the nearest shops, thankfully a flat but long walk and got a few basics for the room. This exhausted oh that he literally spent most of the day asleep, then day 2 he got a bit of a dicky stomach and whilst we were walking through a largely residential area he decided that a visit to the toilet was urgent! Thank god we turned the corner to find a coffee shop with facilities. I spent the entire holiday stressed up to the eyeballs, could hardly eat or relax, he spent most of the holiday asleep and I was tearing my hair out with stress/boredom. Journey home was an absolute nightmare as our flight was delayed, and when we got to other end we found out that someone had taken oh's suitcase by mistake...at 4 am there was nobody on duty to help, but a cleaner suggested that we go round to departures and find a Tui rep who said this happens all the time best to put a ribbon on the handle of your case!!!! Thankfully we have managed to find out that our case has been returned and it will be sent to our home via courier free of charge tomorrow. Blinking nightmare...I'm seriously considering cancelling next years holiday to Morocco that we've already booked as I literally cannot face another holiday like this! I mean next years is all inclusive and there seems a lot more to do on the complex but I don't have to pay the balance until the end of Jan next year and you can cancel up to 28 days before. Back to work Weds and I feel I've not actually had a holiday. Next holiday is July and I've got no plans!!!
Oh and returned to find that a seagull had divebombed the outside of the bathroom window and an ants nest in the front room which I cant seem to locate they seem to be crawling out of skirting board, sprayed round and improved slightly might have to get the pro's in! Couldn't even make it up could you?!

That was no holiday, Merry. I hope Morocco will be a dream come true.

 

[merryone]

That was no holiday, Merry. I hope Morocco will be a dream come true.

Thank you - Suitcase has just been dropped off, so that's a relief, it has got to be the worst holiday yet, but you're right, it was no holiday! To be honest I know people have literally had holidays from hell. We got back in one piece and apart from a couple of days of absolute exhaustion no harm done. Wish I'd got a few more days off work, but hey as they say it is what it is!

 

[mediastar]

I can truthfully say I can't remember ever having had a bad holiday, admittedly I haven't been abroad since 1974, I am quite a homebody so don't much mind even staying home watching trash telly I am just as happy doing that. When I was with the chap I moved up here to live with, we used to camp at folk festivals, he was a musician for a morris side, you will never get me back in a tent!!!! Last ex and I used to select funky hotels and historic places in the UK, although our first ever break together was a B&B in Weymouth and our second was a Haven Holiday camp in Cornwall, very off season! We went on the Orient Express for lunch and stayed overnight the night before and after in London. We stayed in the hotel where they filmed "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (and several Hammer films). Now that the cat who owns me is soon to be 17, I kind of prefer not to stay away for more than 24 hours at a time, the little chap has supported me through break ups, lockdowns and covid as an indoor cat so I feel I owe it to him not to abandon him for too long at a time.

Aw, Merryone, I am sorry it wasn't much fun. I have realised I would never get to the airport on time (oh the fun of lousy time management that goes along with Dyspraxia), so, i've kind of given up on air travel, full stop. Grizelda you are absolutely right, that was no holiday at all. I hope if you decide to go to Morocco, you will enjoy it much more!

 

[merryone]

I'm becoming a proper "homebody" as I get older - The thing is 'cause I'm still working (albeit part time) I still do long shifts, sometimes largely with a 7am start my idea of a holiday is not having to get up early in the morning, not having to put on that horrendous, uncomfortable & unflattering uniform for a week or two, and doing as little or as much as I like, it's a wonderful feeling of freedom. I've had some wonderful holidays abroad don't get me wrong, but I've never enjoyed all the prep like the packing, getting pets catered for etc etc etc. Maybe when I'm retired like my oh then I'll feel the need for a change of scenery, but I've got a few years yet before that can happen. I think had I booked 2 weeks off work to accommodate this holiday it would've been better, instead of having to go pretty much straight back to work with a bang. Most people I know consider 7 nights not long enough, and 5 nights hardly worth it and wouldn't consider booking anything less than 10 nights - I just couldn't! I was itching to come home on day 2 on this one and it was only a five nighter! Morocco is a 7 nighter - mmm still haven't decided whether to cancel but I've got a while yet, at the moment the memories of this holiday would unbalance my decision. I think it deserves some proper time and thought which I've not got the inclination to do right now!
I enjoy searching for holidays, looking for good deals, I get a proper buzz initially but when the time starts creeping up, it becomes less of an excitement and I get to thinking I wish I hadn't. Maybe I should start going down the "last minute" route as in book the time of work as normal and then if we feel we want to get away, see what's on offer.

 

[Grizelda]

The only way I would take a holiday is if I were picked up by a limousine at my door, escorted through the airport to First Class, driven to a 5 star hotel (with my own pillows, sheets, etc. brought from home) and taken everywhere I wanted to go by a chauffeur. This is not going to happen, so I'll happily stay at home.

 

[merryone]

I've spent most of this week either at work (not ideal) or giving the house the spring clean that it desperately needs, ok, if I wasn't expecting a house guest this lunchtime then I possibly wouldn't have bothered, as I mentioned before it's been a real pick me up after that terrible holiday. Everything looks and smells so fresh (Let me tell you at this stage, I wasn't living in squalor but it definitely needed a good going over!) and again I managed to get shot of a lot of unnecessary clutter - where does it all come from? Anyway it's a lovely sunny day, washing's out, the windows are open and some bubbly is chilling nicely in the fridge for his arrival. Off out this evening to see a Jam tribute band, tomorrow a mutual friend has invited us over for a barbecue, Monday a bit of sightseeing for mate and pub quiz in the evening..then Tuesday morning he's off home - who needs a holiday eh?!!!
What's also raised my spirits this week is comparing what I was doing had it been the week before, and realising how much better the prospect of the day ahead was, just knowing that my favourite tv show was on later - Thursday evening we were at a wedding reception, the Thursday before we were sitting in the hotel foyer waiting for a coach to take us on the 2 hour trip to the airport, and that's before we knew about what fun and games that was gonna be - No place like home eh?!

 

[Grizelda]

I've spent most of this week either at work (not ideal) or giving the house the spring clean that it desperately needs, ok, if I wasn't expecting a house guest this lunchtime then I possibly wouldn't have bothered, as I mentioned before it's been a real pick me up after that terrible holiday. Everything looks and smells so fresh (Let me tell you at this stage, I wasn't living in squalor but it definitely needed a good going over!) and again I managed to get shot of a lot of unnecessary clutter - where does it all come from? Anyway it's a lovely sunny day, washing's out, the windows are open and some bubbly is chilling nicely in the fridge for his arrival. Off out this evening to see a Jam tribute band, tomorrow a mutual friend has invited us over for a barbecue, Monday a bit of sightseeing for mate and pub quiz in the evening..then Tuesday morning he's off home - who needs a holiday eh?!!!
What's also raised my spirits this week is comparing what I was doing had it been the week before, and realising how much better the prospect of the day ahead was, just knowing that my favourite tv show was on later - Thursday evening we were at a wedding reception, the Thursday before we were sitting in the hotel foyer waiting for a coach to take us on the 2 hour trip to the airport, and that's before we knew about what fun and games that was gonna be - No place like home eh?!

Be it ever so humble, like mine.

 

[jaisal]

I'm terrified of boats lol!!!! I can do boat trips when I'm on holiday but a cruise liner .....aaggggh! This stemmed back from when I went to belgium for a short break with my boyfriend, Townsend Thoressen- sister ship to the Herarld of Free enterprise. I remember saying to him when we got to Dover to pick up the ferry " I don't fancy the look of that rust bucket"...he laughed and said don't be silly. Of course it was fine but a week later the zeebrugge disaster unfolded, and I've been wary ever since despite knowing they're a lot safer these days! I love Eurostar though!

That sounds like such a nerve wracking experience! It's totally understandable how that lingering fear stuck around. But I love boat riding