Best holiday you've ever had? | Page 2 | Vital Football

Best holiday you've ever had?

German Imp said:
La Palma - Fantastic Christmas holiday, hotel the whole package. However........getting there was something else. We flew from Düsseldorf and wasn’t sure we would take off with all the snow. Managed to drive through the snow to get to the airport and check in, snow still falling with the plane going through the de-icer. The relief when we took off and wheels up ! Happy Holidays but that was just the start......

Everything going well seat belt signs on for final approach into La Palma. Then it all kicked off with turbulence with the plane shaking more or less out the sky ! Done a bit of flying in my time with work but this was something else. Full throttle and we were out of there for another go around. Same thing happened again only this time we didn’t get as far as the first time and diverted to Tenerife.

Put up in a very good hotel with the instruction to meet 0800Hrs next morning for buses to the Airport. Boarded the plane and taxi to the runway threshold waiting for full take off power, waited a bit more only to be told we are going back to the aircraft stand due to weather in La Palma and no electric island wide.

Waited in the departure lounge, lent this little old German lady my mobile phone so she could call her son and let him know she was ok and what was happening. The children were happy as she then came back with chocolate from the shop for them. Then it was back on the busses.

Back to the same hotel but different room, this time no slippers or bath robes ! We found out the plane had then departed back to Düsseldorf. Another night in the hotel and busses the next day to the docks !

Tickets provided and in my hands for the Fred Olsen catamaran calling at all islands to La Palma. Didn’t even think we would get on the thing with the amount of people dockside reminiscent of the evacuations during the war. Not a great crossing either as my daughter was a little worse for wear with sea sickness.

Arrived on the docks and would you believe it a taxi waiting for us to take us to the hotel. Power restored, although landslides everywhere, not great when you have to go down a winding mountain side road to the hotel.

Got there at check-in midnight Christmas Eve. The holiday was fantastic, everything picked up as though nothing had happened. So grateful we went with a German tour operator, they just know how do do things properly and not just holidays either. Apparently worst storms in La Palma ever, but a cracking relaxing holiday all the same.
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We had a similar experience - though not as bad as yours

Coming home from a holiday in Sardinia, arrived at Alghero airport in time for a 12.30pm flight. They started loading the passengers and a lady in a wheel chair could be seen being taken up in a lift. Than it stopped. Then she came down again. Then nothing. Eventually told there was a problem with a door, and an engineer would have to be flown out from England - he subsequently arrived on a flight diverted from somewhere else. Fortunately it was a smallairport, and we were allowed outside the terminal building, so sat around on the grass in the sun/shade for several hours

Around 9pm we boarded the plane and it began to taxi up the runway, and I think had started its take-off run when it was pulled. A warning light had appeared in the cockpit and the pilot could not continue. We were at a critical time, because planes were not allowed to take off after a certain time, so the engineer (who was going back to England) and pilot tried to sort out the problem, while we sat in stifling heat in the aircraft. Eventually we passed the critical time and were taken back to the terminal

Eventually buses took us to a hotel in Alghero - a really nice hotel, but is was around midnight so we couldn't really enjoy the benefits. However, we did go out and had a couple of beers and chips and a wander - we had stayed in Alghero for a week as part of a previous holiday, and the atmosphere late evening is as nice as anywhere we've been, so it was a pity we were so late. We wouldn't find out until morning what our pick up time would be so we were up for when breakfast started, only to find out it would be late morning before we were collected. However, that gave us chance to wander round the old town for a couple of hours

Everyone was delighted to find out we would be going back on the same plane that had had two faults, and not a replacement.......!!! Eventually we got back about 24 hours later than scheduled

I some ways it was bonus to have those few hours in Alghero - just a pity we couldn't have been there a few hours earlier
 
Had several lovely holidays in Canada with my partners sister and family. They have a "cottage" on a secluded lake with no internet or mobile signal, it's a beautiful spot in the middle of nowhere ideal for just lazing around.
 
Sincilbanks said:
Had several lovely holidays in Canada with my partners sister and family. They have a "cottage" on a secluded lake with no internet or mobile signal, it's a beautiful spot in the middle of nowhere ideal for just lazing around.
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I like the sound of lazing around. When does it start? :lol:
 
I find this question really difficult to answer, because I’m not sure I can give a single answer. For a start, everything is relative, and best for what reason? Camping holidays in the UK and France when we first got married are among the best in terms of pushing our limits at the time. Similarly, holidays in our touring caravan with our lads as they were growing up in Woolacombe (the lads’ favourite) or St Ives, playing games on the beach, rock pooling etc; and then gite holidays in France, were just as enjoyable as my wife and I subsequently visiting places like Monaco or the opera in Verona. And was it a better holiday when my wife and I went fully inclusive on a TUI holiday to Zante last year, or a family holiday to the Basque region of France where we drove down, had to organise our own trip, and we were the only English speakers in the village? Parts of the world that were not even aspirational when we got married, are now normal travel for people of our sons’ and grandchildrens’ generations.

Bloody hell, I’m sounding like the old man I am!

I’m not even sure I would class these as holidays, but if going furthest and to the limits is what makes it best, then my two treks in Nepal would be the answer, first to Everest Base Camp, and 5 years later to a remote area of the Annapurna region. Memorable, challenging, important to me in many ways, and in terms of emotional output, then yes, they have to be up there, out on their own. But I went on my own, so they were not family holidays.

Obviously some holidays are better than others, but I think we can take bits from all of them and say that those bits were the best for a particular reason and some of those will be UK centric. Maybe the journey of all our holidays is better than any destination. I wouldn’t change my experiences in Nepal. But neither would I change the caravan/beach holidays in Devon, or the early camping and now later holidays around Europe with my wife – each has had something uniquely special
 
Agreed, really tough to call. When I was younger, a week helping crew a Brixham Trawler (2-masted sailing ship) around the Scottish Islands was a lot of fun. Steering - and tacking - the ship down the Sound of Mull for an afternoon was quite cool (under direction, of course!).

More recently, a week in Rome with Mrs Notty for our tenth wedding anniversary was great fun. A capital city I would go back to and there aren't too many of those these days (Paris, I'm looking at you!).
 
NottyImp said:
Mrs Notty wans to do that.
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It's worth it if you do get to see them - worth keeping your evenings free for a day or two after your booking in case you aren't lucky first time (a lot of the tours give you another try for free).

Also I would recommend the bus tour, not boat! Regardless of potential seasickness, when we did the boat trip (unsuccessfully) it just went in a loop not far from the Reykjavik harbour and so still lots of lights from the city around. And of course Yoko Ono's stupid bloody tower and light didn't help either. Coach trips go out away from the city/light pollution.
 
NottyImp said:
Agreed, really tough to call. When I was younger, a week helping crew a Brixham Trawler (2-masted sailing ship) around the Scottish Islands was a lot of fun. Steering - and tacking - the ship down the Sound of Mull for an afternoon was quite cool (under direction, of course!).

More recently, a week in Rome with Mrs Notty for our tenth wedding anniversary was great fun. A capital city I would go back to and there aren't too many of those these days (Paris, I'm looking at you!).
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I really want to do Rome. One day!
 
stokeimp said:
We stopped off at a service area in Switzerland - bought cheese and ham sandwiches - and sat inside looking at the rain hammering down outside!! We were on our way to Garda, and that day travelled from Strasbourg. It was one of the worst days travelling we've done - raining, and long queues through all the tolls and the Swiss customs. Actually turned out to be a great holiday.

Did you go through the tunnels? - we came back a different way, just one shorter tunnel and straight into France

Also, what did you make of Florence? - we had a day there as part of another holiday - but going round the cathedral have to say I found myself comparing it with Lincoln Cathedral, and Lincoln won hands down!!
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Yes, went through a shed load of tunnels.
It was about 21 years ago. The Mont Blanc tunnel was closed as it had just had a fire so we used the Grand St Bernard pass. Then in and out of a great deal of them.
We stayed outside of Florence and thought it was a lovely city. We were told "if you're going to Rome and Florence, do Rome first because it's a shithole and you'll be disappointed with it if you see Florence first."
A testament to how beautiful a city it is.
Nothing compares to Lincoln Cathedral, except the Hagia Sophia, but then you'd expect us to be biased.
 
Rob the Imp said:
Holiday highlights are a good topic too. One of mine would have to be seeing the northern lights in Iceland (eventually)!
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Three times failed with these so far even when we did Lapland in December but certainly something we will go back looking for when we are allowed. Do fancy a polar bear trip to Northern Canada so hopefully that could combine the two
 
Two highlights I would recommend if you get the chance

Firstly a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. When we did it the choppers were still allowed to go into the canyon but I think since then they've stopped that following an accident but still a magnificent sight

Secondly a hot air balloon at dawn over the Masai Mara in Kenya was just breathtaking. To follow a pride of lions on a dawn hunt literally from above them just astonishing.

Neither fall into the cheap day out category though!!!!!
 
sedgleyimp said:
Two highlights I would recommend if you get the chance

Firstly a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. When we did it the choppers were still allowed to go into the canyon but I think since then they've stopped that following an accident but still a magnificent sight

Secondly a hot air balloon at dawn over the Masai Mara in Kenya was just breathtaking. To follow a pride of lions on a dawn hunt literally from above them just astonishing.

Neither fall into the cheap day out category though!!!!!
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I can just about afford a 99 come at skeggy!
 
A couple of football related anecdotes

Our first holiday in France with the lads was a gite near Royan on the Gironde estuary. We crossed to Cherbourg and did a stop over in a Campanile (budget hotel chain) in Rennes. It was probably the first time the lads had had a room on their own, and the hotel seemed quite new, with development going on around. After our evening meal the lads and I went out for a stroll/explore, and by accident suddenly came upon the Rennes FC stadium

In 2002 my wife and I drove to the south of France (our last long distance continental drive) and stayed in Menton, between Monte Carlo/Monaco and the Italian boarder. (An aside is that in the James Bond film Never say never again the tunnel in the motor cycle chase is in Menton). Our hotel and the beach straddled the road running round the coast and the old town was up the cliff behind us up some steep steps. France had been knocked out of the World Cup, and (presumably) the following afternoon we had gone for a walk to wander round the old town. Out of nowhere we heard a load of hooters and claxons, and looking over a stone balcony saw a procession of cars and scooters, waving Italian flags, travelling along the coast road from Italy into the lower town of Menton. A little while later we heard the same noise, The same vehicles were travelling back to Italy, with the French police behind them!!
 
sedgleyimp said:
Three times failed with these so far even when we did Lapland in December but certainly something we will go back looking for when we are allowed. Do fancy a polar bear trip to Northern Canada so hopefully that could combine the two
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That is unlucky. We only succeeded on our second trip and second night of trying that time around. Good luck if you do do the polar bear trip.
 
sedgleyimp said:
Two highlights I would recommend if you get the chance

Firstly a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. When we did it the choppers were still allowed to go into the canyon but I think since then they've stopped that following an accident but still a magnificent sight

Secondly a hot air balloon at dawn over the Masai Mara in Kenya was just breathtaking. To follow a pride of lions on a dawn hunt literally from above them just astonishing.

Neither fall into the cheap day out category though!!!!!
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We booked to do the helicopter tour at the grand canyon but unfortunately it was far too windy on the day to go ahead. At five hours each way from our hotel, it wasn't an option to try again the following day! That hot air balloon ride sounds incredible too.
 
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