Its been an unbelievable 4 years since I have been on holiday... (actually I dont find that unbelievable but if I mention it to anyone they look at me like I have two heads or something)
Am I a freak? Do you holiday on a regular basis?
Also...whats the best holiday you've ever been on?
Would you recommend any destinations to someone like myself who can count their holidays abroad on 1 hand? Have you had any unusual holidays you could tell Team-o about?
C'mon lets bring some summer sun to the forum...
*apologies for this thread but I am bored and seeking inspiration...
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
I haven't had one for about 3 years I think. I haven't even had any time off work this year, unless you count unemployment. Anyway, best holiday.. Probably going to Eurocamp in France when I was childe. Playing Outrun and Operation Wolf in the cafe on the campsite, and then spraining my wrist by rolling off a bunk bed and having all the women coo over me.
Any holidays since then have always been tainted with a low level sense of dread and hatred.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
obvioulsy i've been away a lot. but i think my best holiday was the first one i took as an adult. it was a month in israel and egypt back in the summer of 1997. i was young and dumb and had an awesome time. it was a great learning experience too and prolly affected me more than i realise.
off to berlin next weekend to visit a dear friend, plus see the holocaust museum and check out cool shit. in january i think, it's venice (£27 retuirn on ryanair including taxes). and i'm planning on a week or so in jerusalem for easter, mostly cuz i wanna take photos of jesus.
[ 08.11.2005, 10:14: Message edited by: vikram ]
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
All of the kind suggestions from the board for my holiday in November have been put on hold, due to the emptiness of my "holiday" bank account. The "holiday" ££££s were spent on 6 weeks rent for deposit, plus 1 months rent in advance (ie well over a grand) and next year's OU fees.
I will instead spend two weeks doing cultural things in London, and staying in bed reading a lot. I might go to Canada in January. It will be proper cold.
I watched chick-flick bonding movie The Descent last night, and it made me realise I've never been on holiday with a bunch of girls. I reckon I'd find it pretty annoying after a day or so.
My best holiday was probably the year my parents became Middle Class and we went to Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest: horse riding, cycling, roller skating, amazing swimming adventures, squirrels.
Posted by Kira (Member # 826) on :
I actually really like the sound of that centre parks holiday VP. especially the horse riding...
Something tells me I should be doing something exotic though but as I have been abroad only a few times (america, amsterdam and france) I'm just spoilt for choice.
I have always fancied Thailand and Mexico though.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
quote:Originally posted by Vogon Poetess: I've never been on holiday with a bunch of girls. I reckon I'd find it pretty annoying after a day or so.
Been away with a friend or some girl a few times, but I've never been on a group hol. I think it could be fun, but needs to be to the right place. Skiing obviously, Ibiza, Prague, that kind of thing.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
I wouldn't bother with Mexico.
Posted by Kira (Member # 826) on :
But why Benway?
You cant say that and then not tell me why?
Thats just lazy posting that is...
Posted by squeegy (Member # 136) on :
quote:Originally posted by vikram: Skiing obviously, Ibiza, Prague, that kind of thing.
You'd be hard pressed to go skiing in Ibiza or Prague surely?
[ 08.11.2005, 10:34: Message edited by: squeegy ]
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kira: I have always fancied Thailand and Mexico though.
If you've never been to Asia before, Thailand is a good start. It's hot and sweaty, but there's Tescos and Boots and 7-eleven and Starbucks too. Bangkok is an ace city and the beaches are lovely of course.
Never been to Mexico. Or anywhere Latin American. Have lost the travelbug, but would love one day to visit: Reykjavik, Moscow, Beirut, Seoul, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, that bit of SE Brazil Giselle is from, Havana, and travel overland from Gibraltar to Cape Town via Ethiopia.
Stupid world Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kira: But why Benway?
You cant say that and then not tell me why?
Thats just lazy posting that is...
*shrugs* It's pretty much like you'd expect it to be. Hot weather, fairly bland tasting food. Poverty. Backpacking ****s who want to talk just because you're British. More poverty. Police. Cheap fags though. And Aztec ruins, if that kind of thing floats your boat.
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
quote:Originally posted by vikram: ....a group hol. I think it could be fun, but needs to be to the right place. Skiing obviously, Ibiza, Prague, that kind of thing.
That all sounds like my idea of hell.
Oh, of course I went on a group holiday to a Cotswolds cottage over last New Year, and that was ace. Some of us procured leaflets of "local walks" from the Tourist Info, and went "walking", whilst others slumped in front of the log fire troughing leftover chocolates and playing board games. Everyone was happy.
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
quote:Originally posted by vikram: If you've never been to Asia before, Thailand is a good start. It's hot and sweaty, but there's Tescos and Boots and 7-eleven and Starbucks too.
LOL! Posted by Waynster (Member # 56) on :
I've never done the big travel, though I am trying to save the money for a long distance trip to Australia and China to see friends, include Japan which is the one place on earth I really want to go more than anywhere and maybe a chill out in Goa on the way home.
I also want to go to Rekjavik and Iceland.
I am going to Riga next year mind which is supposed to be very nice.
As for Holidays taken, I did have my first proper holiday in 9 years this year when a group of us went to Turkey which was nice. I also managed a weekend in Copenhagen which is beautiful as well.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
you forgot the cheap cocaine, benway.
and i like the poverty man. nothing like sitting on the balcony of some restaurant eyeing the streetkids as you feast on their pain.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
quote:Originally posted by Thorn Davis:
quote:Originally posted by vikram: If you've never been to Asia before, Thailand is a good start. It's hot and sweaty, but there's Tescos and Boots and 7-eleven and Starbucks too.
LOL!
I know, but actually it's really nice. i guess i like thailand because it is so convenient. been there quite a few times now and am not after the 'exotic'. bangkok is a modern world city - why shouldn't it have all the global brands?
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
I didn't score any cocaine in Mexico. I had some kind of trippy shamanic drink, but it was a bit of a let down. I also ate Veal. And a man pointed a shotgun at my head. Honestly, Kira, you're best avoiding the fucking place.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
and anybody who goes to Thailand comes back acting like a silly **** for about six months.
Posted by dang65 (Member # 102) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kira: Something tells me I should be doing something exotic
I'm not really sure that such a thing exists now does it? I used to think that something like cycling across Africa, or driving a camper van to China, would be fabulously exotic and filled with thrills and adventure, but any dull-witted flick through the freeview channels on a dull Sunday afternoon throws up hour after hour of people doing that sort of thing and it just appears so bland and commonplace now. I mean, it probably isn't, but it does seem like that.
My wife's cousin is touring the Far East and Australia with her husband and kids at the moment and they keep sending newsletters back and they might as well be telling us about their adventures in Birmingham and Slough, it's that uninteresting.
A few years ago I did a website for Peter Duncan out of Blue Peter when he took his family round the world and filmed it all (you may have seen the resulting programme on a freeview channel on a dull Sunday afternoon). He used to send back updates and pictures as they went around the world and nothing happened. I think there was a scare when his lad got suspected hypothermia at one point in the Himalayas, but a cup of tea and a hot water bottle sorted him out.
I'm sure it's breathtaking to actually be there in these majestic places, but the thought of meeting loads of other Berghaus-attired, GPS carrying people there is terribly off-putting. The ironic result of all this is that the erstwhile exotic places are now commonplace and you have to go to somewhere like Scotland or the Isle of Man or Germany if you want to avoid English speaking people. Actually, they speak quite good English in Germany.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
quote:Originally posted by Vogon Poetess: That all sounds like my idea of hell
Me too. Though a friend's cousin has a house in Reykjavik which we are trying to borrow. Maybe next summer I'll go on a lads holiday. Woohoo. Heheh, it'll be funny, everyone so fey and gey.
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr. Benway: and anybody who goes to Thailand comes back acting like a silly **** for about six months.
Don't slag off Thailand - it may be a sweaty armpit of a place, but at least it's got the same shops as Bracknell high street.
[ 08.11.2005, 10:52: Message edited by: Thorn Davis ]
Posted by Abby (Member # 582) on :
quote: I am going to Riga next year mind which is supposed to be very nice.
My mum has been to Riga, and also reckons it is very nice. Apparently when people want to cross the road they just wave at the cars and they stop. And the locals carry bunches of flowers around on sunny days because they are happy.
Or my mum was on drugs.
I’m puzzled by VP's anti-skiing stance. It is outside fun in amazing scenery, going fast down hills, bracing fresh air, followed by booze and log fires. The hoards of cnuts can be easily avoided by not going into any bars described as 'lively après-ski destinations'.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr. Benway: and anybody who goes to Thailand comes back acting like a silly **** for about six months.
I was just there, over the summer. You so can not live with me, Benway!
Posted by jonesy999 (Member # 5) on :
Vikram, genuine question: how do you fund your travelling?
[ 08.11.2005, 10:58: Message edited by: jonesy999 ]
Posted by Boy Racer (Member # 498) on :
I hadn't been on a foreign holiday for a long time when I went to Mexico a couple of years back. I had a great two weeks there, in Oaxaca state, in land for a week in Oaxaca City and a week on the west coast, and I'd go back like a shot to see more of the country. It were lovely. Although you may want to consider hurricanes.
I want to explore more of Central and South America, and I'm just about over my late-teenage/early-twenties distaste for people who'd been to India/Thailand travelling (no you were holiday) sufficently to get curious about them, although I'd way prefer to go to Japan first.
Posted by Thorn Davis (Member # 65) on :
quote:Originally posted by Abby: [QUOTE] I’m puzzled by VP's anti-skiing stance. It is outside fun in amazing scenery, going fast down hills, bracing fresh air, followed by booze and log fires. The hoards of cnuts can be easily avoided by not going into any bars described as 'lively après-ski destinations'.
Yeah - i had a fantastic time ski-ing in Finland - one of the best weeks of my life. And there were hardly any people there at all, let alone hoards of cnuts. Finland's totally my kind of place in the winter. Bitterly cold, dark most of the time and with the world's highest percentage of alcoholics and depressives. I'd like to go there on a lad's holiday with Benway somtime.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
quote:Originally posted by Thorn Davis: Don't slag off Thailand - it me be a sweaty armpit of a place, but at least it's got the same shops as Bracknell high street.
You are, of course, a wanker so I shan't bother with this further.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
I reckon I would like that. A bit of peace and quiet.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
face it Kira, the UK is the best place on Earth. This is as good as it gets.
Posted by New Way Of Decay (Member # 106) on :
I went to visit my mum in the states one year and she had to work two weeks of the time we were there. I think she was dreaming if she didn't think that we could get up to mischief. All we had for entertainment was a video player and a dozen poorly pirated films that mostly starred Stallone. After wrestling each other on the porch to the theme tune of Tango and Cash, we tried to go out to entertain ourselves but we were on a dirt road in Kansas, so I passed out from heat stroke in before we could reach civilisation. If prepared (water bottle, sun cap, motorised fan with batteries) we could make it to the gayass stayshun where they had video games.
My brother finally cracked and raided the guy-who-lives-upstairs kids piggy bank. Then he bought my silence by pumping credit after credit into WWF's Wrestlefest. Finally when he caned off the rest of the quarters, he bought my silence by pumping his fists near my face. It was too late for his threats of a good whupping though. Two days before the end of the holidays, he was rumbled and for once in his frickin life, he took all the blame.
I've actually started to enjoy my memories of my childhood on reflection, especially the parts where my brother seems to always end with a hiding, like Dennis the Menace or something
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
quote:Originally posted by vikram:
quote:Originally posted by Thorn Davis: Don't slag off Thailand - it me be a sweaty armpit of a place, but at least it's got the same shops as Bracknell high street.
You are, of course, a wanker so I shan't bother with this further.
As I'm sure you're aware, vikram, Thailand has been one of the more famous victims of 'hot money' or whatever it's called, that comes as a result of economic globalisation. A fairly robust economy was ruined as a result of American protectionist global economic policy. It 'helped' Thailand by forcing it to open its currency and investment markets to foreign money, so that when there was a downturn on the other side of the world to Thailand, everybody withdrew the money that they'd invested, and the place collapsed - Thanks America! So, surely it's just really sad and anger-inducing that there's a starbucks, rather than a welcome convenience?
[ 08.11.2005, 11:10: Message edited by: Dr. Benway ]
Posted by Vogon Poetess (Member # 164) on :
quote:Originally posted by dang65: [He used to send back updates and pictures as they went around the world and nothing happened.
I think the point here is that other people's holidays are always pretty dull, unless something genuinely out of the ordinary happens, like they're mistaken for the president of Cambodia or they get caught up in a fight between a shark and a crocodile or something. I got back from my two years in Forren (working) before one of my closest friends did, and she kept telling me to go round her mum's and look at the photos she'd sent back. It got a bit awkward, because I couldn't think of a way of saying that I really wasn't interested.
I also agree that there's shitloads of interesting things to see in our own country. In my forthcoming holiday I shall make an effort to see the Crystal Palace dinosaurs, Darwin's house in Kent, and maybe some beaches on the East coast. None of these are exotic or have Lonely Planet guides, and consequently I will probably have them all to myself.
Re skiing. Perhaps my hatred of something I've never done is irrational, but I just know I'd hate it. I know I'd suck at it, for a start. I hate the clothes you have to wear. I'd hate the "Beginners Slope" and the horrible chair lift thing. I hate the way people talk about it; I know it's not the exclusive reserve of toffs anymore, but still, something really grates on me when people discuss skiing holidays.
Posted by Good Fairy (Member # 479) on :
I did a two week trip to USA last month. Spent a week of it in Provincetown, Mass. It was a real unwind of a holiday. Cars are not encouraged, due to narrow roads, so most ride bikes, really cool Schwinn Cruiser7's. It was not like America at all. A heavy Portugese influence on the food from the fishing community. also VERY gay. Think Brighton, but gay, gay GAY!!!! Drag queens zooming up and down the street on motorised scooters, feaky laydee in velour jump suit "hola-hooping for jesus" according to her board. lots of same sex hand holding.... Lovely sandy beaches, kyaking, whale watching just.....sitting on the beach watching the sun go down, and cheering if it is a good sun set, and you are drunk enough. I liked it.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
sounds gay.
Posted by Good Fairy (Member # 479) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr. Benway: sounds gay.
Shhhh! Don't tell everyone.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
yes yes Benway. But - well, I simply stopped caring a while ago. Not true, but I don't have the energy right now. And my fave places in Bangkok were not in keeping with the responsible sustainable tourism ethos.
Anyway, everyone knows Hastings is where it's at.
Posted by rooster (Member # 738) on :
Yes PTown is very gay, but close to us, so you could have at least given some kind of holler.
My favorite holidays were those spent visiting family in New Zealand - we'd go for months at a time and mostly just hang out. I liked experiencing the day to day in another country (it probably helped that we did a bit of touristy island-hopping on the way there - I loved Fiji).
Froopy and I took a cruise that I think has been my best holiday in the recent past. We had bought passage on one cruise and they called us up two nights before and said they had overbooked so offered us better cruise, half our money back and a couple hundred onboard credit. This worked out well because it meant we could afford the pay excursions. We went to the ruins in Tulum, Mexico and cave tubing in Belize. We bummed around snorkeling in Grand Cayman and in Honduras.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
I think that we should hold a kangaroo court and charge/convict vikram with something.
[ 08.11.2005, 11:36: Message edited by: Dr. Benway ]
Posted by jonesy999 (Member # 5) on :
I think Vikram should answer my genuine question.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
I asked him your question years ago and he said he was doing it all by plastic. If this is the case, then surely he must be in some serious trouble now.
[ 08.11.2005, 11:41: Message edited by: Dr. Benway ]
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kira: Am I a freak?
I think if you look deep inside, you'll see the answer is a resounding yes.
quote:Originally posted by Kira: Do you holiday on a regular basis?
God no. It's been almost seven years since my last proper holiday.
quote:Originally posted by Kira: Also...whats the best holiday you've ever been on?
Ten days hiking in the beautiful mountains of Utah. Breathtakingly beautiful.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
is that the Appelation trail? That sounds pretty hardcore.
Posted by Roy (Member # 705) on :
I went to Vietnam a couple of years ago and I got to crawl through tunnels and shoot AK-47s and I got to think 'Saigon, shit. I'm still only in Saigon...'
ETA: '47' not '57'
[ 08.11.2005, 11:53: Message edited by: Roy ]
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr. Benway: is that the Appelation trail? That sounds pretty hardcore.
No, although I have been on that a few times. The Appelation trail is on the east coast; Utah is in the midwest.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
thanks.
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr. Benway: thanks.
That didn't sound sincere.
Loving your signature by the way. Posted by Physic (Member # 195) on :
Last holiday I went on was mountain climbing in Snowdonia, which kicked ass, best holiday I've ever been on probably has to be Ibiza about 4 or 5 years ago, cheap booze, lovely food, including the best calamari I've ever had, dancing to a great set by Paul Van Dyk at the Cream closing party, going on a chillout cruise to Fermentura, a little island off the south coast, and paddling in the sea with thousands of tiny little fish bombing around your legs, and above all having much fun with some good friends. Great place.
I'm currently considering doing one of these, a friend just did one and really enjoyed it, as well as getting that feeling of doing something worthwhile, and part of me would really like to do something that actually matters for once, if only to assuage my guilt at living a comfortable existence while others wonder where their next meal will come from.
I'd also like to do the Inca Trail and visit Mt Fuji and countless other things though so we shall see, got a URL somewhere of a company who specialise in adventure type holidays but I can't find it, I'll post it later if I dig it up.
Posted by doc d (Member # 781) on :
quote:Originally posted by ralph: No, although I have been on that a few times. The Appelation trail is on the east coast; Utah is in the midwest. [/QB]
appalachian, surely? and it goes from the top of the north east all the way to georgia. but runs through tennessee too.
christ.
er. holidays. i haven't had a proper holiday for years, the last two years have been backwards and forwards over the atlantic or short city breaks. its so hard being white and middle class.
i wish i was vikram, running up debt, spending his inheritance on drugs, girls, child prostitutes and shooting ak-47s in vietnam.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
I don't know, sometimes I do wish I was vikram, but other times there's a chilling coldness in his words that pierces my heart like an icicle through a baby.
Posted by ralph (Member # 773) on :
quote:Originally posted by doc d: appalachian, surely? and it goes from the top of the north east all the way to georgia. but runs through tennessee too.
I couldn't be bothered to look up the proper spelling. excuse me. Also, my knowledge of the middle states of the US begins and ends with Ohio.
ETA
[ 08.11.2005, 12:54: Message edited by: ralph ]
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr. Benway: I don't know, sometimes I do wish I was vikram, but other times there's a chilling coldness in his words that pierces my heart like an icicle through a baby.
lol.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
right now i am sitting at the dining table getting annoyed that i can't find teh cork screw. face/off plays on the tv. i'm not paying attention. am annoyed at this dining table, although it is nice enough in a young professional way. so wanted the graff tube door instead.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
alison walks in and I've got my back to her. I can hear from the whisper of fresh silk that she is wearing my new Calvin Klein shirt, even after I asked her not to. I tense my body and consider pretending to be asleep. A sharp fingernail touches the back of my neck; it feels like somebody just walked over my grave. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to sound natural and normal. "I've got some more pictures of nepal developed...if you're interested".
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
what does that mean, "it feels like somebody walked over my grave"?
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
she answers me with disinterested silence, and sweeps the floor under my chair with her bare foot. She knows that I can't stand that noise, but I'm too wasted to argue with her tonight. I can feel her eyes falling upon my possesions one by one. Each one rated and discarded for the next fix. Nothing is ever good enough. Eventually I clear my throat. "I...I wanted a different table...".
[ 08.11.2005, 13:36: Message edited by: Dr. Benway ]
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
a phone might be ringing. A dull light transforms a graff of the Turin Shroud into Krusty the Clown.
[ 08.11.2005, 13:34: Message edited by: Dr. Benway ]
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
tho this table is semi-opaque grey glass. i'm thinking if i put a couple of coloured spot lights underneath, facing up, maybe in a cold blue and a very light pink, together with a horizontal chandalier, it could look quite cool tho a bit too contrived.
we're gonna have two A0 portraits on either side anyway - one of patty and the other of... i don't know. any suggestions? i'm thinking one of my travel pics, maybe this or this.
[ 08.11.2005, 13:36: Message edited by: vikram ]
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
in other news - I just downloaded something and it went 4 times as fast as usual - my broadband has been upgraded to 2 meg while I've been at work!
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
siobhan donaghy is playing. she really was badly marketed. a great pity. i am waiting for a girl with the same first name as a popular retro kids toy to come over. we shall order-in food from the oriental gourmet and she can tell me all about how shit her privileged life is.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
in other news - i wish i'd got that 24 meg service Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
hey, vikram, let's play something. go to isketch, log on, and find a room called benway3000
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
why? are you like andre 3000?
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
no. That's not important though.
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
that was lmao! seriously guys, isketch rocks. IF anybody is around tonight, I'm up for a game.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
i cant draw for shit though.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
and that chick, i so wanted top ask her if her first name was legsa...
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
I left after you did
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
the chick with the retro toy name is washing up my dishes. huh?
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
we so need to live together. It'd be like Kingpin.
Posted by vikram (Member # 98) on :
i have views of the gherkin and natwest tower. i wish swiss re weren't eco nice. that building should be lit up.
the chick has gone to the bathroom, muttering something about painkillers. you know her name - do you know her?
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
No, but she sounds like my kind of girl. I'd like her to come and live with me for a week.
Posted by doc d (Member # 781) on :
i'd play isketch. but you know. it won't be good. i'm all american now. imagine a child with a crayon. in fact, where is ralph?
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
ten minutes
Posted by Dr. Benway (Member # 20) on :
server full. Maybe another day.
[ 08.11.2005, 15:28: Message edited by: Dr. Benway ]
Posted by Kira (Member # 826) on :
[pretend shock horror] my thread descended into chate [/pretend shock horror]
damn you Benway and Vikram...
Whats I-Sketch and can I play?
Posted by H1ppychick (Member # 529) on :
I got dead excited at the thought of full on porno pictionary action, unfortunately I ended up playing by myself (again).
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