Tell me your holiday plans for 2017. I might get some ideas!

Cina

Doing this:

https://www.contiki.com/eu/en/destinations/asia/tours/asian-adventure-from-april2017-3416

Decided to take the plunge and go to Asia alone as my friends can't afford it and I'd already booked flights to go with my now ex-girlfriend.

I've heard it's good craic, but I guess it'll depend on the group.

leahyl

Not sure I'll end up going anywhere Haven't been away on a long holiday for nearly 3 years - been on weekend city breaks alright. Myself and my friends have different ideas on where to go I think....to be honest would just love a week in the sun but don't think I can get anyone to go with me.

Tokyo

FTA69 wrote: »

I did that in reverse a few years ago. Bangladesh only gets 4000 tourists a year in a country of 160m people so white people are a curiosity to say the least. I was having a cup of tea there once and had around 80 people standing around in a circle staring at me. It can get a bit unnerving at times. How long are you there for?

Have done both before too - it's not far away for me. Remote parts of Bangladesh can be a bit daunting alright, in terms of the attention you get. Few weeks in Nepal I reckon, Jiri - EBC - Gokyo, and after that I'll see.

HeidiHeidi

FTA69 wrote: »

That's gas, my missus was in Ethiopia and totally and utterly hated it. She's been to around 18 countries in Africa and loved most of them but actually gets in a bad mood when you bring up Ethiopia she hated it that much. It's funny, other people I know went there and said the same. They said there was fierce insincerity there and you're constantly getting blackguarded and hassled for money and constantly fending off rip-offs. I don't know what to make of it.

It was a major idea for me once and I've heard so much from people I trust that said it wasn't worth it. I'd be very interested to hear your position on it though.

Delayed reply to this, apologies.

Have to disagree with most of that. When we were in Addis we were with a big group who were all there on the charity thing to do the run, so I wouldn't exactly call that an "authentic experience". But a few of them are very familiar with the city so we went to a few out of the way bars and cafes and they were fantastic (we also did one touristy night, in the Addis equivalent of Johnny Foxes and it was very meh). There was a huge buzz about the place, not sure how much that was to do with the GER, though - it's practically a national holiday over there.

Trekking up north, there was huge poverty, but we never, ever felt hassled or harrassed by the people. Yes, kids came up to you, and we had sweets/pens/knicknacks to give them (sparingly) but we were never hounded, at all, by adults or kids. They were all so polite and lovely. Biggest thrill was getting their photos taken on our phones and having a look at it. Our guides were all locals and were excellent, and the food and accomodation in the community lodges were very basic but excellent (if that's not a contradiction in terms) I think about 65% of the money we'd paid for the trip goes straight to the village where we stayed, and only after that does the company get paid - basically the company takes enough to sustain itself and market the concept, but it's all about locals earning money for themselves to diversify from farming which is so weather/drought dependent.

We also did one or two local tours in museums/churches/villages and again the guides were fantastic and lovely.

Cannot understand your OH's reported experience - I've only been there once, but my experience couldn't have been more different!

storker

Italy in late June/early July. Two nights in Rome followed by seven nights in Tuscany at the same place we honeymooned in 14 years ago, only this time we've got two kids with us. Should be fun.

IamMetaldave

Bologna, Florence and Venice/Milan over 2 weeks in July.

Witchie

Travelling through Asia until December. Started on the 12th of January and have done Sri Lanka and part of India. Life is one big holiday...with a few hours work every few days thrown in to keep the money coming in!

Deise Vu

Did the halting site thing in France last year. It was only OK but I thought the price was shocking. We were there with one of my sisters who's kids are a similar age to my own and two other families. I did the mental arithmetic and suggested that if we pooled our money we could rent something really high-end where you didn't have to do a dump in the living room nor follow a load of Gallic rules. (We had to count in and count out all the cutlery!!!):eek::eek::eek:

Result: A fortnight in a villa in the Pyrenees with our own pool, all en-suite accommodation, cinema room and Gym for about 80% of the cost of the halting site. I extended the invite out to more of my family and some of us are going for two week and others the first or second week. It is near Perpignon, Argeles Sur Mer and Coullierre plus, of course, it is in the mountains. Can't wait!

(And, no I won't be using the Gym).:cool:

JohnCleary

Lisbon in April for a weekend

Taking the extended family for a holiday to Spain (cheap n cheerful) in August

Winter will consist of our usual SE Asia trail (Thailand / Vietnam / Cambodia / Laos) but this time i'm hoping to also add India and Burma to the equation.

There'll be a few random eastern European breaks that will be booked after the pub on a Thursday night and fly out Friday morning.

JohnCleary

Cina wrote: »

Doing this:

https://www.contiki.com/eu/en/destinations/asia/tours/asian-adventure-from-april2017-3416

Decided to take the plunge and go to Asia alone as my friends can't afford it and I'd already booked flights to go with my now ex-girlfriend.

I've heard it's good craic, but I guess it'll depend on the group.

That's pretty much the exact trip we did back in 2010, except we also included South Thailand in our trip... but we had 3 months to do it!

You'll have a blast. I'm guessing everything is done for you? Personally, i'd find that a negative as everything is so easy to plan in those countries. But maybe it's a good choice since you'll be going solo... you'll already be in a group. Only thing is that you're stuck with that group!

To anyone reading... never fear travelling alone in SE Asia.... it's almost impossible to be alone for more than a day or two, there's just so many backpackers on the same buzz as yourself.

Pitty you're not going to see the crazy side of Vang Vieng... when the tubing used to take place there the place was nuts :cool:

-Edit- Just to add, one thing that'll p1ss you off about that trip is that the majority of it seems to be spent on travelling. You need at least 3-4 days in each of those destinations IMHO. (Some people stay weeks!)

BUBBLES1978

This friday = Madrid
end of June = barcelona
middle july = connemara
august = Lanzarote or road trip around ireland
september = cong mayo
October = Amsterdam

little trips to keep the head in check for this year :D:D:D:D

Jimmy Two Times

RobertKK wrote: »

Then the USA in August - see the solar eclipse, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Montana, Utah and still planning...always wanted to see a solar eclipse and Yellowstone, so this all going well will be the year.

Did this last year,Jasper and Banff in Canada instead of Utah. You won't be disappointed. The drive down through Montana is spectacular.

Make sure you stay in Jackson Hole and do the short spin over the mountain pass into Idaho and back.

This year, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

JohnCleary

BUBBLES1978 wrote: »

september = cong mayo

Splash out on at least one night in Ashford.

We spent a night in a suite in January and mother of christ... divine :cool: 1 Night in the castle will do, spend the rest of the time somewhere cheaper to make the most out of the wonderful village that is Cong

BUBBLES1978

JohnCleary wrote: »

Splash out on at least one night in Ashford.

We spent a night in a suite in January and mother of christ... divine :cool: 1 Night in the castle will do, spend the rest of the time somewhere cheaper to make the most out of the wonderful village that is Cong

we are actually up there for a family wedding for 4 nights an irish / american wedding so staying in the lodge beside the castle for one night...cheap and cheerful the other nights..no man to swing around a four poster bed in the castle :D:D:D

JohnCleary

BUBBLES1978 wrote: »

we are actually up there for a family wedding for 4 nights an irish / american wedding so staying in the lodge beside the castle for one night...cheap and cheerful the other nights..no man to swing around a four poster bed in the castle :D:D:D

The Lodge is lovely, I eat / stay there regularly.

Blag your way into the castle for a look either way. The grounds are amazing but once you enter the castle... oh wow.

lisasimpson

O this thread has really got me thinking about more travelling. Wish id done more in my 20s

second74

Hi,

What is bulgaria like for a holiday for a couple, has anyone been recently

Winterlong

second74 wrote: »

Hi,

What is bulgaria like for a holiday for a couple, has anyone been recently

Depends what part you want to go to!
Sofia is a good city but you would not get more than a few days there to be honest.
If you hire a car (cheap) and hit the road then there are lots of interesting things to see and do but road safety is well down their list of priorities. So that may not be ideal.
And then there are the resorts on the black sea. I will be going to my first one in 2 weeks but from what friends have told me they are quiet, quaint and nice. The 'star' rating in bulgaria is exaggerated by western standards and many staff do not speak english. Food can be unvaried.
Do your research first!

mark_jmc

A week in Maine followed by a week in the white mountains in New Hampshire - going in July, can't wait

Dr Crayfish

I really hate these threads but isn't it a charmed life we all lead jetting off to so many places I've never heard of a few times a year? We really are lucky to be alive at this time.

tomwaterford

Going to Dublin the first weekend of September to see waterford win the all ireland

Lollipops23

I'm off to the Algarve in 2 weeks' time for 5 nights with Him Indoors. Cheap and cheerful, as we've just bought an apartment and are envisaging never having money ever again.

osarusan

Wife and kids flying to Japan for 2 months, the first of which will be spent in a Japanese equivalent of primary school.

I'm staying here. My 'holiday' plans will be day trips to places like Ballybofey, Turner's Cross, Drogheda, and Dundalk.