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ElectricDreams

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We had a cruise booked to Jamaica for my 40th in February but its been cancelled. So we're off to Norway to hopefully see the Northern Lights instead. First proper holiday for 2 years, we just had a few short caravan holidays where we could in 2020/21.
 
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Tinkerbell cat

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would you mind sharing whereabouts you went and is there anywhere in particular you would recommend?
Ooh I love Thailand. The test requirements make me nervous to go back atm. Whereabouts did you stay?


I am not the OP but my personal favourite part of Thailand was Krabi. We only stayed 4 nights in Ao Nang but it was amazing, the cliffs and beaches are just gorgeous. We visited Railay one day which is beautiful and went out on a boat one evening and got to do sea swimming, kayaking, scuba to look at the coral. Also absolutely adored Chiang Mai too, not to be missed in my opinion.
tell us more, let us live through you 😋😄
We usually go every January for 2.5 weeks, and spend 4 days in the north of Thailand, in Chang rai in a small village visiting my partners grandad and his family, we then travel south, about an hour north of Phuket to a place called Khao Lak where we have some friends and we spend 2 weeks there. We obviously haven’t been able to since pre covid so it’s been 2 years. We didn’t visit my partners grandad this time though as it’s too risky with the testing requirements needed. We did however do the 2 weeks in khao lak.

we had been saving since 2020 and it was a once in a lifetime trip as we flew business class and then first class on Qatar which was absolutely out of this world. We managed to get it much cheaper than it normally would be obviously due to people not really travelling. We flew from Heathrow to Doha and then on to Phuket. We were part of the sandbox testing which meant we only had to test when we go there and then again on day5. For the first 7 days we had to stay in a hotel and after that we were able to move to a villa we rent every year to join the rest of the family who had flown out also but on the test and go scheme to Bangkok so their rules were different. The test on day 1 was the worst, we had to stay in the hotel room until we got the results. We did the test around 1pm at the airport and for the results back about 9pm. The hotel room was gorgeous though, we had lots of beers in the fridge courtesy of the hotel, room service, a private pool, a sea view so we saw the sunset, massive bath tub, tv etc so we were able to put the day in tightly but we were starting to get a bit bored and nervous as it grew closer to the time we should have expected our results. If it had been positive we would have had to spend 7days in that room. Thankfully all tests were fine and we were able to go an enjoy our holiday.

we did a sunset cruise, visited an elephant sanctuary (one of the good ones - not one where They get on the elephants), the markets, temples, waterfall, and went out for some food and drinks each night. After 7 days we moved to a villa by the beach and it had a little beach bar/restaurant beside it which we went to everyday for afternoon beers. It was a fantastic trip and very emotional as it was 2 years to get back there and see our friends.

main khao lak is awful right now, so many empty places and the footpaths overgrown. Businesses there are clinging on by a string. But the bang niang area was quite busy and lots open. It was good to go and give some money back to them.

the sunsets in Thailand are just amazing and the skies!Unreal
Thailand really is the most wonderful place on earth. Xx
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Thetruth123

VIP Member
Okay call me naive !!! But I enquired about staying at Chewton Glen for next Christmas in the treehouse suite me hubby and 3 children ….honestly I expected it to be expensive say £3/4000 ish …… from 23-27th dec 23 ….

£12, 525 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

and they said 2023 Xmas would see a price increase !!!! Wow wow wow that’s a 2 weeker in the Maldives!!!!!!!!

seriously England needs to get over itself… even center parcs wanted £4500 for a 5 night break over Xmas!!!!!!
And a “luxury lodge” in Hemsby for 7 nights was £3500 over Xmas 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

literally would rather spend on going abroad now ! Sadly I would love to keep my money in the UK but we are just fucking ourselves over big time !!!!
 

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Moanyoldwoman

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Haven’t been away with my kids for 3 years as I lost job when covid started and my car engine failed so that had to go. Previously been many UK breaks like Isle of Wight which I really want to return to.

I’ve just got a new job finally last month so I hope to buy a car and take them away although the prices have increased since going abroad is a palaver so I don’t know but I hope to find something cheap and cheerful.

I really would like to go Cornwall or Wales as looks so beautiful and I have never been. Devon is lovely but it’s a 6 hour drive for me so I would need a longer break just to take into account the travelling.
 
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Notorious PIG

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Went to London last week for the first time in two years, as soon as Germany lifted the recent ridiculous 14 day quarantine on return. We literally booked the plane tickets on Sunday and left the next day.

Had a really nice time but it was eerily quiet. It’s the quietest I’ve ever known London (I lived there for 35+
years). We stayed near Tower Bridge and we actually Uber’d instead of getting tube/DLR it was that quiet even on the roads!

Hotels were lowest prices I’ve ever known. Visited Tower of London for the first time and practically had the place to ourselves. Spot of shopping at Old Bond Street and it was so relaxed, no swarms of people. Even Uber’d to Victoria (passport office) and we popped into the station for coffee and the station was absolutely dead.

Felt really free and liberated in England, literally could breathe. It was a really nice time and we really needed it.
 
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soymilk

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First time. Solo traveller and not really done city breaks before (Aside from Dubai). Mainly good food and nice gardens/places to wander round.

Will mainly walk around or maybe the Metro, is it easy to use?
it's a great city to travel solo, first of all if you're flying take the blue bus to the centre from the airport as it's 4€ and easier than the metro (unless you speak Spanish and/or are good at navigating).
The gothic quarter is the most beautiful area to get lost in, you can do a free walking tour as the history is v interesting.
La Barceloneta is the area with the beach - it's not the nicest beach by far but it's still good.
I would def walk around Park Guell as there's nothing else like it.
Restaurants I would go to which are all affordable and mostly traditional are: l'alcoba blava, bodega la palma, bistro sensi.
Bar Oasis for a drink on a nice terrace and my fave hidden place of Barcelona is, placa de sant felip neri - this little square got bombed during the war, has a beautiful fountain and there's a little bar there you can have a drink at! (They use this location for loads of Spanish films).
I think that's enough of my secrets shared haha enjoy!!
 
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Monkeybum

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one thing i would not recommend though is the real mary king's close - i was very disappointed!
How funny, that's the one thing I always recommend, I found it fascinating but didn't really have any expectations as knew nothing beforehand.

All being well I should be flying to San Fransisco in 4 weeks 🤞🤞 Got lucky with a bargain business class upgrade this week
 
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Notorious PIG

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Re-booked flights to Spanish Basque for the second time, so now due to go in September this year.

I already spent hours researching which pintxos (regional tapas) I want and where.

Third time lucky I hope. If this date doesn’t happen then I give up 😆
 
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Rippedjeanmaybe

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Orlando in October for our honeymoon 🤞! Not really planning anywhere else at the moment as we have the wedding and then we are hoping to move house next year.
 
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nbt

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We’re going to Zakynthos in the summer holidays. Changed from a holiday to Cyprus which couldn’t go ahead for a family wedding last year.

Our last family holiday was 2017 so we can’t bloody wait. We’ve booked all inclusive (cocktails are included in this!) and have two swim up rooms next to each other 😍 the AI also allows us to use the water park in the area so the kids will love that.
 
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LouSV

Chatty Member
I absolutely love holidays , so happy that I just discovered this thread
I should be in Rhodes right now , sadly had to cancel due to husband’s health , I also had to cancel New York for next month…gutted
This year I have been to Greece twice, Zante and Kos, love both
As long as husband can fly we will go to Thailand in January, it’s one of my absolute favourite places
 
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SpindleWhorl

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Just got back from my second trip to Northern Ireland - took in all the sights of Belfast and Derry, can't recommend it enough, already looking to go back in September to explore more x
 
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Tinkerbell cat

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thank you so much for sharing, i'm glad everything turned out well with the test and it sounds like you had an amazing time! 💛
do you have any photos of the elephants from the sanctuary, i love elephants 🥺🥺🥺🐘🐘🐘
Thank you ❤ it was amazing and I feel so recharged now! Back to work today. I have lots more of the elephants but too depressed to go through the photos just yet haha I will do so today and post some more. Magical animals, love them! I got to feed this boy some food Xx
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Miss polar

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We go away in September. We always check when the schools go back, and then add on a few days, just to be sure.😀
I bloody love going on holidays when they’re are far fewer kids!
 
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