Holiday hell

m0ds · Sun 18/01/2004 20:25:49

Okay, so like ironing, booking a holiday is something I've never done before. But lets face it, we all need some time to ourselves once in a while.

Everyday on my break at work a holiday tv show is on, and now I'm getting annoyed by it because I've never been to somewhere with pretty ocean and white sand etc.

So, I intend to book and go on a holiday at some point. The thing is, I've done some searching through catalogues and had a look at some websites but still haven't had much luck.

I'm trying to find somewhere nice. Beachy, as I described earlier. Kinda paradisey. I don't care if when I get there its NOT, but y'know. Jamaica was of course my first choice, but that's way too expensive, like, 600 pounds too expensive. So I was thinking of somewhere European.

I know on the travel show that a lady visited Thera, one of the Greek Islands (and actually is the place I most want to go in my entire life ever) and managed to do it for under 200 pounds or something, yet I haven't managed to find the same deal she used.

Has anyone ever booked a personal holiday before? Know of any websites that will get me out of the UK and into somewhere nice at budget prices. I'm also looking for accomodation, I really don't care what kind. Okay, not camping, but a cheap hotel is fine. I don't ask for much - just fucking nice sand and blue ocean!

Help of any kind would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking at a 2 adult excursion. I looked at some 7 night packages with flights included, they seemed okay, but I still wasn't really sure on the price.

If you know something I don't then teh tell me! I tried teletext holidays, they seemed quite cheap. But still. I'm confused.

m0ds

Archangel (aka SoupDragon) · Sun 18/01/2004 20:45:48

imo the best holidays are those where you rent a villa - you have to buy and cook your own food, but it's worth it for being able to lounge around and do your own thing. You should try booking one out of season - I'm not sure how much that will cost you tho.

LGM · Sun 18/01/2004 20:51:04

I could help if you lived in America.. Fun Jet packages are fairly cheap. But then again, I think they only fly in America.

Find some traveling agency near you at the mall or town square or village or whatever you have over there. They can usually get you a nice deal. Usually if you go off-season they're loads cheaper.. So going to Jamaca during the winter isn't the prime choice.. Now if it were summer, that'd be different.

Try to go to Spain or something.. Lots of beaches and sun and ladies. And you could drive there if you wanted.. lol

Nacho · Sun 18/01/2004 20:55:54

http://www.benidorm.org/portal/default2.asp

One word... Benidorm...

Darth Mandarb · Sun 18/01/2004 20:57:46

I've been on lots of holidays (pronounced 'Vacations' to us Yanks).

And I've got to say, the best I've ever taken was a Carnival Cruise.

I don't know about cruise lines in your corner of the globe but it was the best vacation ever! They take care of EVERYthing for you. All you have to do is relax and enjoy.

Just something you might look into

Enjoy your holiday!

])]V[

Archangel (aka SoupDragon) · Sun 18/01/2004 21:44:16

Yes, but cruises are horribly expensive.

Barcik · Sun 18/01/2004 21:55:03

Here are some links to good travel portals you can use.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com
http://www.virtualtourist.com/vt/
http://www.travelocity.com/
http://uk.travel.com/index.html

Minimi · Sun 18/01/2004 21:58:20

You could take the underground train, or the ferry to The Netherlands, and from there take thev bus to south-france. Search for a camping on the atlantic ocean, and you've done some cheap business. I've been there... and it was fantastic, but make sure, you take some friends with you, cause no vacation is fun alone!

Darth Mandarb · Mon 19/01/2004 00:33:27

Quote from: Archangel (aka SoupDragon) on Sun 18/01/2004 21:44:16
Yes, but cruises are horribly expensive.

I guess it depends on where you leave from.

I flew from Detroit to Miami to go on my last cruise.

round-trip ticket was $128.00
5-day-5-night Cruise was $280.00

So for just over 400 bux I got all that ... I don't think that's too bad??

Now let me tell you about my bar bill on the boat ....

Domino · Mon 19/01/2004 00:36:40

2 words, Disney Land.

Las Naranjas · Mon 19/01/2004 00:59:10

Now you've awaken travel lust when I consider that I've hardly been in a place without pretty beaches and white sand.

shbaz · Mon 19/01/2004 01:20:05

When I went on a vacation I found websites that had flight fares at 1/3 the normal cost, same with hotels. Book way ahead, that's key. After that you've just got to be recourseful, drive when you can. I'm going to California in the summer with friends and I found that if I drive 6 hours north to Kansas, I can fly from there for $180 when normal flight fares from here are $450. Places like expedia.com book hotel rooms for much less than usual, but you'll find if you just call the hotel ahead of time and ask if they can give you a deal they'll give you the same price.

I guess since you're in England it's not the case.. but a good cheap tropical vacation here is to go to Mexico. Everything costs 1/3 what it does here and you can drive.

remixor · Mon 19/01/2004 02:21:53

Quote from: Las Naranjas on Mon 19/01/2004 00:59:10
Now you've awaken travel lust when I consider that I've hardly been in a place without pretty beaches and white sand.

Likewise...

shbaz · Mon 19/01/2004 04:20:49

Quote from: remixor on Mon 19/01/2004 02:21:53
Quote from: Las Naranjas on Mon 19/01/2004 00:59:10
Now you've awaken travel lust when I consider that I've hardly been in a place without pretty beaches and white sand.

Likewise...

Yeah, and YOU TWO are jackasses. I'll see you in hell.

Actually we have the same here, but the water is muddy and the beaches are on lakes, so it's not the same.

Meowster · Mon 19/01/2004 21:44:33

Okay this is just an off-hand suggestion because you never know, but I'm going to France, Disney Land, Austria and Germany (Note: Disney Land is not actually a country!!!) on the 1st of April. Go to France on the 1st of April! We can do disney land together!

But, realistically, you always knew that I was going to suggest San Francisco.

I'm not sure what you fellows call it over there, but over in the Land of Insane Liars, we call them J1 Visas. Anyway, by getting a J1 visa you're allowed live and work in the US for three months. So most people would go over the summer and do work experience over there or whatever.

My cousin went to San Francisco on a J1 Visa for the summer. He had the best fun he's ever had in his life, and he actually MADE money, because the Americans are so insanely in love with the Irish so he got a lot of tips working in the bar over there.

And the best part is, you could get work experience in a Game Developer while you're over there. Work weekends to pay for your student digs and then spend your week days in a Developer. Who knows, you might end up spending a summer working in Double Fine or LucasArts or That Other Place.

You should always try, because you never know.

You need $700 to get over there as emergency money, and then probably about that again to get you on your feet with a job and apartment. You'd make it all back in no time. And you'd have the best time of your life.

And San Francisco and Paradise? Totally!

foz · Mon 19/01/2004 22:30:12

If you first choice was jamaica..............try the domician republic its got the sun ,blue sea and white sand beach.....at a fraction of the cost...........the only downer is they speak french/spainsh or something like that............still a pucker holiday though..

Or you could try the isle of wight..

Teletext hols are shite.............i`ve been there done that ........the hotel room looked like we`d wrecked when we first arrived and we had`nt had a drink yet...
Also our room was above a club that stayed open till 7 in the morning so you had no choice but to stay up and get pissed...(Not sure if that was a bad point though).

foz

ps its barbados/antigua for me when i can afford it.........its worth missing a couple of holidays to save the money for one.....beleive me.

La Lore · Tue 20/01/2004 16:29:22

Quote from: Farlander on Sun 18/01/2004 20:55:54
One word... Benidorm...

Two more words : Lorena and Nacho 8)

Captain Mostly · Tue 20/01/2004 17:15:04

Poland! IT'S COOL!

m0ds · Tue 20/01/2004 20:08:14

Yuf, I don't want to go to San Fran! I don't like cities.

Thanks for all teh advice, however!

SSH · Tue 20/01/2004 20:28:51

lastminute.com should be able to give a good deal if you don't care where you go.

We always go for "adventure/history/interesting city" holidays, so we tend to book flights with Easyjet or Ryanair and then find a hotel on the web. We did the whole interrail thing like that: Amsterdam, Berlin, Warsaw, Torun, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Schwangau, Zurich, Geneva...

Even without all that hectic travel, we went to Venice with Ryanair and found a book "Cheap hotels in Venice and the Veneto" and had a nice cheap place on Burano.

In Paris, we found on the web recommended a nice hotel called Hotel du Lys (Rue Serpente): its only 2 minutes walk from Notre Dame and I would reccomend it.

Much more fun to organise these things yourself!