Off Topic Holidays

[Star of David Bardsley]

Heading there in September. I’ve stayed in Chania before, which is a short bus ride away and went into Rethymno a couple of times. I found the old town OK and had a couple of decent meals in fish restaurants around the harbour.

Popped out for a bit of breakfast to the nearest place which looked the sort you’d only get a mediocre bacon and eggs aimed at the hordes of English scum but it was different class.

Flight over was proper Brits abroad, clapping the landing, couples in matching tracksuits. Ideal for a few days.

 

[brb]

I was in Crete a couple of years ago, it is beautiful. Don't really know Rethymno, but if you're into your hiking, there are some stunning gorges to hike. The one I did was called Samaria Gorge, it was brutally hot, but you start at the top hike to the bottom and then you can catch a boat to the next town and a bus home or back to your car.

Also if you can, get up into the mountains and check out the local Tavernas. They are loads cheaper than the tourist places and it's all top quality home cooked traditional greek fodder. There's also tons of beaches to check out, and you can usually find some pretty secluded coves so no need to sit in amongst fat lobster coloured Germans wearing speedos two sizes too small for them.

Car hire is pretty cheap, and the bus network is also cheap and brilliant.

Hiking in Crete in July, must be mad.


Didn't a couple Brits die last year in separate incidents, one being that TV doctor, went for a walk, got lost and didn't have enough water.

Although you wouldn't be able to carry the amount of water you need in that heat.

I think the better option would be to drink plenty of beer, then get lost and die happy.

 

[Star of David Bardsley]

Hiking in Crete in July, must be mad.


Didn't a couple Brits die last year in separate incidents, one being that TV doctor, went for a walk, got lost and didn't have enough water.

Although you wouldn't be able to carry the amount of water you need in that heat.

I think the better option would be to drink plenty of beer, then get lost and die happy.

A few laps of the pool and an hour in the gym which last got new equipment in about 1988 will do. I’d be up for a sunrise hike if I was here on my own. That doctor just plodded about with half a litre of water, no phone and casual shoes. Asking for it.

 

[FosseFilberto]

Heading there in September. I’ve stayed in Chania before, which is a short bus ride away and went into Rethymno a couple of times. I found the old town OK and had a couple of decent meals in fish restaurants around the harbour.

Only done Agios Nikolaos (back in the late 80s (beach resort) and one day in Heraklion ... AN was fun ... but overall not one of my favourite Greek Islands ... too many Brits in AN, even back then...

 

[PINKIE]

Hiking in Crete in July, must be mad.


Didn't a couple Brits die last year in separate incidents, one being that TV doctor, went for a walk, got lost and didn't have enough water.

Although you wouldn't be able to carry the amount of water you need in that heat.

I think the better option would be to drink plenty of beer, then get lost and die happy.

Yeah wasn’t he found just a few hundred metres from where he was supposed to be heading too ?

people massively underestimate how much water they will need, especially in that kind of heat.

A few years ago bought myself a sawyer mini. It’s a water filter that they put in things like shelter box and aid deliveries to disaster zones. It filters out 99.9999999% of bacteria etc, so basically you can filter a filthy puddle or patch of water if you get really desperate.

I use it when I’m up on Dartmoor to filter water from the streams so that I don’t have to pack litres of it on my bike. But I always stick it in my backpack if I go off hiking. It’s literally the size of a tube of smarties and just always there if I need it.

 

[pieguts]

Popped out for a bit of breakfast to the nearest place which looked the sort you’d only get a mediocre bacon and eggs aimed at the hordes of English scum but it was different class.

Flight over was proper Brits abroad, clapping the landing, couples in matching tracksuits. Ideal for a few days.

I think Rethymno is a lively resort as it has a decent beach, so I’m guessing a good choice for the Brit bucket and spade brigade.

 

[brb]

Yeah wasn’t he found just a few hundred metres from where he was supposed to be heading too ?

people massively underestimate how much water they will need, especially in that kind of heat.

A few years ago bought myself a sawyer mini. It’s a water filter that they put in things like shelter box and aid deliveries to disaster zones. It filters out 99.9999999% of bacteria etc, so basically you can filter a filthy puddle or patch of water if you get really desperate.

I use it when I’m up on Dartmoor to filter water from the streams so that I don’t have to pack litres of it on my bike. But I always stick it in my backpack if I go off hiking. It’s literally the size of a tube of smarties and just always there if I need it.

didn't know what one was, so just had a brief google, not too bad a price considering what they do and are a life saver device as such.

 

[Gessa]

didn't know what one was, so just had a brief google, not too bad a price considering what they do and are a life saver device as such.

My brother in law does a lot of wild camping, essential piece of kit

 

[Chief]

Just walked the dog with Mrs C and we were talking about holiday 2026.

Selling the MH after this summer, and have loads of stuff on next year, so looking at a week away with 2 teenagers.

Quite fancy the idea of Croatia, or Italy, for a week, but Greece is definitely an option, not been for years.

Any recommendations? Have done Santorini, Lesbos and Skiathos years back.

 

[Star of David Bardsley]

Just walked the dog with Mrs C and we were talking about holiday 2026.

Selling the MH after this summer, and have loads of stuff on next year, so looking at a week away with 2 teenagers.

Quite fancy the idea of Croatia, or Italy, for a week, but Greece is definitely an option, not been for years.

Any recommendations? Have done Santorini, Lesbos and Skiathos years back.

Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik were all great when I went a decade or more ago. Cheap back then. Not now.

Some nice beaches in Albania now. Cheap.

Went to Cádiz for a couple of days when I was in Seville and that was great. Very easy. Nice beaches. Not full of English scum.

Porto if you’ve not been was superb. Got a really good apartment with a pool for not a lot and you can Uber everywhere for less than half the price of here rather than **** about with hiring a car or public transport.

 

[Solid Air]

Just walked the dog with Mrs C and we were talking about holiday 2026.

Selling the MH after this summer, and have loads of stuff on next year, so looking at a week away with 2 teenagers.

Quite fancy the idea of Croatia, or Italy, for a week, but Greece is definitely an option, not been for years.

Any recommendations? Have done Santorini, Lesbos and Skiathos years back.

My recommendation would be to leave the teenagers at home

 

[Chief]

My recommendation would be to leave the teenagers at home

Got one more year with them after this!

Although my daughter will probably still come for a few more years.

 

[Chief]

Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik were all great when I went a decade or more ago. Cheap back then. Not now.

Some nice beaches in Albania now. Cheap.

Went to Cádiz for a couple of days when I was in Seville and that was great. Very easy. Nice beaches. Not full of English scum.

Porto if you’ve not been was superb. Got a really good apartment with a pool for not a lot and you can Uber everywhere for less than half the price of here rather than **** about with hiring a car or public transport.

Good call on Porto.

Would consider there or Lisbon/Cascais for a week.

Had heard about Albania too, will look into that.

 

[Solid Air]

Got one more year with them after this!

Although my daughter will probably still come for a few more years.

my last one was when i was about 13 .

 

[Chief]

my last one was when i was about 13 .

My 1st one away with mates was first year at 6th form, so was 17.

Can't really remember if I'd gone with my folks the year before, but probably did.

I'd say that's about bench mark, last one at sixteen. Which my middle son will be next year.

 

[Solid Air]

My 1st one away with mates was first year at 6th form, so was 17.

Can't really remember if I'd gone with my folks the year before, but probably did.

I'd say that's about bench mark, last one at sixteen. Which my middle son will be next year.

tbf mine was due to circumstances which definitely weren't the norm

 

[Gessa]

Airports could learn a lot from these cruise companies, it took 40 minutes from getting out the taxi, dropping off our luggage, through passport control, check in, getting our id cards and we were sat down for lunch. Excellent efficiency and friendliness, everything airports are not.

 

[Gessa]

Just walked the dog with Mrs C and we were talking about holiday 2026.

Selling the MH after this summer, and have loads of stuff on next year, so looking at a week away with 2 teenagers.

Quite fancy the idea of Croatia, or Italy, for a week, but Greece is definitely an option, not been for years.

Any recommendations? Have done Santorini, Lesbos and Skiathos years back.

Thinking of a Greek island for Oct half term, surprisingly the lad wants to come too, be his last he said, as he's planning his first away with the lads May next year

 

[PINKIE]

My brother in law does a lot of wild camping, essential piece of kit

That’s what I use my one for. Saves you carrying loads of water, especially if you’re out for more than a couple of days.

We usually try and pitch up near a water source; stream or lake. That way we can jump in for a swim and filter water to fill up the bottles.

 

[Chief]

Airports could learn a lot from these cruise companies, it took 40 minutes from getting out the taxi, dropping off our luggage, through passport control, check in, getting our id cards and we were sat down for lunch. Excellent efficiency and friendliness, everything airports are not.

Genuinely can't stand airport travel unless it's just me with hand luggage.

Much prefer the boat/car/MH options, with me behind the wheel.

When we flew back from Lisbon last couple of years spent the entire airport time stood in some queue or other.

And Geneva is always ludicrously packed with nowhere to sit.

Airports are too busy with other ****s for me, I try to avoid.