Having a lovely time. Wish you were here.
Jul. 11th, 2012 11:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
melodysparksI love to travel I only wish I could afford to travel much more. Here is a little challenge set me by my buddy Purdy. I do hope you enjoy reading it.
(1) HAVE YOU BOOKED A HOLIDAY FOR 2012?
I wish I was booking a flight to Toronto for the weekend but unfortunately finances and holiday availability at work won’t allow me to visit this year as much as I love Canada. NO this year I am exploring the UK again in particular my usual haunts in Derbyshire although I have an option to visit Windsor in September which I might take up and also a must visit to the Beyond Limits exhibition at Chatsworth House. I visit it every year to enjoy the contemporary exhibition of statues. There have been some fabulous works of art displayed there one of my favourites is Damien Hurst particularly his Myth and Legend statues.
(2) HOW DO YOU BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY?
Depending on where I am going then I usually book by visiting the travel agents and browsing the brochures. When I flew to Canada last time I looked up on the internet the Airline and ran a quote, printed it off and popped to the local agent and asked “Can you book this for me please?” I let them do all the work and just popped in at the end of each month to make my payments.
(3) ANY TOP TIP WEB SITES RELATED TO TRAVEL?
Well I would have to say the first one is www.ciao.co.uk or any consumer review sites. www.trainline.com for all you need for travelling by train. You can book seats and check the timetables and routes in an easy to navigate site. www.thomascook.com this I found to be an excellent site for searching for flights because it give you plenty of options for different airline not favouring one single airline. The local bus/coach company for offers and trips out. You will be surprised how far you can tracel with an all day unlimited ticket for a fiver.
(4) ARE YOU A TRAVEL SNOB OR CHEAP AND EASY FLYER?
Cheap and easy, as long as it gets me there in reasonable comfort and for a good price I do not mind
Greenland from a plane
Newfoundland Coast from a plane
(5) TELL US ABOUT THE MOST LUXURIOUS/BEST HOLIDAY YOU HAVE HAD?
My most luxurious I would say was part of my trip to Canada in 2003. I stayed with two good friends who live and work in the fabulous city of Toronto with its striking skyline of gleaming high-rise skyscrapers the CN Tower, the SkyDome and the beautiful harbour islands.
We also paid a visit the Niagara region with what I believed to be one of the top 7 wonders of the natural world: the magnificent Niagara Falls. The hotel I stayed in was the most luxurious I had ever been in. My friends and I booked a double room suite for the three of us it was massive. big screen TV, Satellite, mini bar, spa bath, Jacuzzi, luxurious furniture, fabulous restaurant, indoor swimming pool, the works and virtually overlooking the falls. WOW. That holiday was truly amazing that I remember so much detail even after nine years.
My best holiday is any visit I make to Canada. My friends are there, they are extended family and mean a lot to me. I have never relaxed or had such a good time as I do when I go there unless Tricia comes over to visit me, then we go crazy. Two nuts together... but the best thing about it is I will be going back again and again. I wonder if I can emegrate there... mmm.
(6) AND NOW THE WORST?
When I was 16 I stayed at Skeggy with my family, (Skegness for those not local to me) I ate some bad shellfish and was ill for days afterwards. My grandmother (bless her) thought a dose of Andrews liver salts would help settle my bad stomach but unfortunately it made me throw up.
The next was the CSE and O Level French Class shopping trip to France during my penultimate year at school. There were a handful of seats left and were offered to any parent who wanted to come. I took Mum with me. When we arrived most of the teachers disappeared into the nearest bar and we did not see them until it was time to board the ferry home. That left around 30 pupils to be supervised by my Mum and one teacher.
I was so proud when my classmates came up to my mum asking questions. “Mrs B_________ can we do this…” Many of them had been through the whole school life with me and knew my mum well. But the bit that made it a bad holiday/trip was the dreadful turn in the weather. A big storm had blown into the channel we were held up in France for a couple of hours hoping it would turn and when we finally did set sail it grew worse. Everyone was crowded inside the lounge area with no one allowed on any open deck in the rough weather and nearly everyone got sick especially the inebriated teachers and most of the kids. I slept through some of it but Mum was a real trooper and the only one from the school party who had her wits about her and was not affected by the weather.
(7) WHAT ARE YOU CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF HOLIDAYS?
That is an easy one to answer. My parents would take us to the East coast for holidays by the sea staying in a caravan in Ingoldmels, Skegness, Chapel St Leonards or Mablethorpe. I loved it. I remember one year at Mablethorpe we went to a little animal reserve with birds and little monkeys whom we fed with nuts and seeds and on the way back to the caravan site we saw over to the East a storm far out at sea with feint flashes of lightening. There were day trips too, the trip to Cleethorpes by train or Rhyl where I I remember I rode on the swing chairs twice and became so dizzy I felt sick. There were also the drives through the Peak District in my Grandads car discovering places like Eyam, Bakewell, Chrich and Matlock. We would all pile into his car and he would just drive we had no idea where we were going but we had fun doing it. Our own Magical Mystery Tour. That is one of the reasons behind my love of Derbyshire and the midlands region. Maybe I am trying to capture the threads of my childhood memories and improving them with an adults perception and my camera lens.
(8) SINCE 911 – HAS IT EFECTED THE WAY YOU TRAVEL?
No, not really I am just more aware of my surroundings and the people around me. If I see a suspect package I will report it if someone starts acting peculiar I will move away quickly but it does not stop me travelling why should it. Its so saddening and very unfortunate that so many people lost their lives in such an evil act but I wont let it make me want to bury my head in the sand and be afraid to step out of my door. Live life, enjoy it.
(9) HOW DO YOU HOLIDAY – CULTURE VULTURE OR BEACH BABE?
Both. I love the beach and sea because of the restfulness and the changing colours, the relaxation lying on a beach and hearing the surf booming but I also love culture and history and I am fascinated with museums and places of interest as well as beautiful scenery so what would that make me?
(10) YOUR FAVOURITE CITY IN THE WORLD – WHY
Toronto. I love it, a vast, bright and busy city spread out for miles, I remember Visiting the CN Tower and gazing out over the shining metropolis, beautiful and incredibly restful. I felt I could gaze out over the city hours and not become bored at the sights. The Sky Dome and my first ever Baseball game where the Toronto Blue Jays played against the New York Yankees. Toronto soundly thrashed the Yankees 8-0. I loved taking a ferry over to the harbour islands and touring the wonderful gardens and the amusement park. The people were so friendly easy going and so relaxed. It is also the stepping stone to other areas of Canada which is such a beautiful country and not to forget to mention my best friend Tricia and her family, although most of them are now in southern Ontario, Faye and her family are in Timmings but they all hailed from Rouyn Noranda a lovely little town in Quebec. Toronto is very much a North American country but with a little European flavour to it.
(11) YOUR FAVOURITE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD – WHY
That is a tough choice I have been to Greece, Italy France Spain Scotland Wales and Canada but I think I would have to reserve my favourite to be the UK and the simple reason why is that its HOME.
(12) IF YOU HAD AN AIRLINE OF CHOICE WHO WOULD IT BE?
I have never flown with the same airline more than once (return trip) but my experience flying with British Airways was superb however, they are a little expensive so maybe if money were no object I would take British Airways.
(13) HOW DO YOU PACK – ANY TOP TIPS?
Check suitcase weight as Hold baggage allowance includes the weight of case. Being overweight at the airport means having to pay excess baggage fee. The heavier the case the less weight left for clothes. (And less chocolate to take to Tricia and the family)
Do not pack six towels when one is needed; most hotels supply you with two towels per person so you only need one for the beach. If you are staying with friends then you don't need them.
Do not pack coat hangers there will be plenty in the hotel room if not use a drawer.
Toiletries. Buy them when you get there. Only pack a small toiletries bag with small travel or sample sizes toiletries. I have a little bag which contains a travel sized tooth brush and paste, a couple of Olay facial wash cloths impregnated with cleanser, a small hairbrush and a travel sized bottle of shampoo more than enough that will do if you have to make a stop over or are delayed and keep them in your hand luggage. After the secutity alert a few years back I think there are still limits what sized bottles and tubes are allowed through security.
Do not take a pair of shoes for every day, 3 pairs are enough, Sneakers/runners/trainers/walking shoes, beach shoes and a pair for night out.
Do not take 3 weeks of underwear and sock for a two-week vacation besides small items like those are easy to wash out and be left to dry overnight.
Lay out all the clothes you want to take and then decide what is essential and what is not. If necessary, you can always buy a couple of cheap t-shirts when you get there (once the gifts and chocolate are out of my case I usually have room to buy clothes and bring them back)
Pack one change of shirt and underwear in your hand luggage, should you be delayed or stop over at least you can feel refreshed and comfortable in clean clothes.
(14) WHAT ESSENTIAL ITEM(S) DO YOU BRING TO RELIEVE TRAVELLING BOREDOM
A couple of books and a magazine/newspaper will do. Something to read on the flight but I would make sure it is a book I had already started and was engrossed in. Nothing is worse than starting a book and not liking it to a point where you are bored and having nothing else to read. I made that mistake once, never again.
Most of the time I would be looking out of the window or watching one of the in-flight movies if I am flying. When travelling by train I always take a book with me. A big must is an ipod or MP3 player I can get lost in music on a flight and just staring out the window.
(15) FINALLY, YOU HAVE JUST WON THE LOTTERY – THE WORLD IS LITTERALLY YOUR OYSTER – WHERE WOULD YOU GO AND WHY?
Well if it was enough I would travel the world and hope to visit every country, to experience and see the different cultures and the scenery, meet the different people taste the different foods. If the world were literally my oyster then I would want to see it all. First, I have to buy the lottery ticket with six winning numbers on it.
Well there it is, not that enlightening but thats me. Thank you for your time
Chris. :-)
(1) HAVE YOU BOOKED A HOLIDAY FOR 2012?
I wish I was booking a flight to Toronto for the weekend but unfortunately finances and holiday availability at work won’t allow me to visit this year as much as I love Canada. NO this year I am exploring the UK again in particular my usual haunts in Derbyshire although I have an option to visit Windsor in September which I might take up and also a must visit to the Beyond Limits exhibition at Chatsworth House. I visit it every year to enjoy the contemporary exhibition of statues. There have been some fabulous works of art displayed there one of my favourites is Damien Hurst particularly his Myth and Legend statues.
(2) HOW DO YOU BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY?
Depending on where I am going then I usually book by visiting the travel agents and browsing the brochures. When I flew to Canada last time I looked up on the internet the Airline and ran a quote, printed it off and popped to the local agent and asked “Can you book this for me please?” I let them do all the work and just popped in at the end of each month to make my payments.
(3) ANY TOP TIP WEB SITES RELATED TO TRAVEL?
Well I would have to say the first one is www.ciao.co.uk or any consumer review sites. www.trainline.com for all you need for travelling by train. You can book seats and check the timetables and routes in an easy to navigate site. www.thomascook.com this I found to be an excellent site for searching for flights because it give you plenty of options for different airline not favouring one single airline. The local bus/coach company for offers and trips out. You will be surprised how far you can tracel with an all day unlimited ticket for a fiver.
(4) ARE YOU A TRAVEL SNOB OR CHEAP AND EASY FLYER?
Cheap and easy, as long as it gets me there in reasonable comfort and for a good price I do not mind
Greenland from a plane
Newfoundland Coast from a plane
(5) TELL US ABOUT THE MOST LUXURIOUS/BEST HOLIDAY YOU HAVE HAD?
My most luxurious I would say was part of my trip to Canada in 2003. I stayed with two good friends who live and work in the fabulous city of Toronto with its striking skyline of gleaming high-rise skyscrapers the CN Tower, the SkyDome and the beautiful harbour islands.
We also paid a visit the Niagara region with what I believed to be one of the top 7 wonders of the natural world: the magnificent Niagara Falls. The hotel I stayed in was the most luxurious I had ever been in. My friends and I booked a double room suite for the three of us it was massive. big screen TV, Satellite, mini bar, spa bath, Jacuzzi, luxurious furniture, fabulous restaurant, indoor swimming pool, the works and virtually overlooking the falls. WOW. That holiday was truly amazing that I remember so much detail even after nine years.
My best holiday is any visit I make to Canada. My friends are there, they are extended family and mean a lot to me. I have never relaxed or had such a good time as I do when I go there unless Tricia comes over to visit me, then we go crazy. Two nuts together... but the best thing about it is I will be going back again and again. I wonder if I can emegrate there... mmm.
(6) AND NOW THE WORST?
When I was 16 I stayed at Skeggy with my family, (Skegness for those not local to me) I ate some bad shellfish and was ill for days afterwards. My grandmother (bless her) thought a dose of Andrews liver salts would help settle my bad stomach but unfortunately it made me throw up.
The next was the CSE and O Level French Class shopping trip to France during my penultimate year at school. There were a handful of seats left and were offered to any parent who wanted to come. I took Mum with me. When we arrived most of the teachers disappeared into the nearest bar and we did not see them until it was time to board the ferry home. That left around 30 pupils to be supervised by my Mum and one teacher.
I was so proud when my classmates came up to my mum asking questions. “Mrs B_________ can we do this…” Many of them had been through the whole school life with me and knew my mum well. But the bit that made it a bad holiday/trip was the dreadful turn in the weather. A big storm had blown into the channel we were held up in France for a couple of hours hoping it would turn and when we finally did set sail it grew worse. Everyone was crowded inside the lounge area with no one allowed on any open deck in the rough weather and nearly everyone got sick especially the inebriated teachers and most of the kids. I slept through some of it but Mum was a real trooper and the only one from the school party who had her wits about her and was not affected by the weather.
(7) WHAT ARE YOU CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF HOLIDAYS?
That is an easy one to answer. My parents would take us to the East coast for holidays by the sea staying in a caravan in Ingoldmels, Skegness, Chapel St Leonards or Mablethorpe. I loved it. I remember one year at Mablethorpe we went to a little animal reserve with birds and little monkeys whom we fed with nuts and seeds and on the way back to the caravan site we saw over to the East a storm far out at sea with feint flashes of lightening. There were day trips too, the trip to Cleethorpes by train or Rhyl where I I remember I rode on the swing chairs twice and became so dizzy I felt sick. There were also the drives through the Peak District in my Grandads car discovering places like Eyam, Bakewell, Chrich and Matlock. We would all pile into his car and he would just drive we had no idea where we were going but we had fun doing it. Our own Magical Mystery Tour. That is one of the reasons behind my love of Derbyshire and the midlands region. Maybe I am trying to capture the threads of my childhood memories and improving them with an adults perception and my camera lens.
(8) SINCE 911 – HAS IT EFECTED THE WAY YOU TRAVEL?
No, not really I am just more aware of my surroundings and the people around me. If I see a suspect package I will report it if someone starts acting peculiar I will move away quickly but it does not stop me travelling why should it. Its so saddening and very unfortunate that so many people lost their lives in such an evil act but I wont let it make me want to bury my head in the sand and be afraid to step out of my door. Live life, enjoy it.
(9) HOW DO YOU HOLIDAY – CULTURE VULTURE OR BEACH BABE?
Both. I love the beach and sea because of the restfulness and the changing colours, the relaxation lying on a beach and hearing the surf booming but I also love culture and history and I am fascinated with museums and places of interest as well as beautiful scenery so what would that make me?
(10) YOUR FAVOURITE CITY IN THE WORLD – WHY
Toronto. I love it, a vast, bright and busy city spread out for miles, I remember Visiting the CN Tower and gazing out over the shining metropolis, beautiful and incredibly restful. I felt I could gaze out over the city hours and not become bored at the sights. The Sky Dome and my first ever Baseball game where the Toronto Blue Jays played against the New York Yankees. Toronto soundly thrashed the Yankees 8-0. I loved taking a ferry over to the harbour islands and touring the wonderful gardens and the amusement park. The people were so friendly easy going and so relaxed. It is also the stepping stone to other areas of Canada which is such a beautiful country and not to forget to mention my best friend Tricia and her family, although most of them are now in southern Ontario, Faye and her family are in Timmings but they all hailed from Rouyn Noranda a lovely little town in Quebec. Toronto is very much a North American country but with a little European flavour to it.
(11) YOUR FAVOURITE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD – WHY
That is a tough choice I have been to Greece, Italy France Spain Scotland Wales and Canada but I think I would have to reserve my favourite to be the UK and the simple reason why is that its HOME.
(12) IF YOU HAD AN AIRLINE OF CHOICE WHO WOULD IT BE?
I have never flown with the same airline more than once (return trip) but my experience flying with British Airways was superb however, they are a little expensive so maybe if money were no object I would take British Airways.
(13) HOW DO YOU PACK – ANY TOP TIPS?
Check suitcase weight as Hold baggage allowance includes the weight of case. Being overweight at the airport means having to pay excess baggage fee. The heavier the case the less weight left for clothes. (And less chocolate to take to Tricia and the family)
Do not pack six towels when one is needed; most hotels supply you with two towels per person so you only need one for the beach. If you are staying with friends then you don't need them.
Do not pack coat hangers there will be plenty in the hotel room if not use a drawer.
Toiletries. Buy them when you get there. Only pack a small toiletries bag with small travel or sample sizes toiletries. I have a little bag which contains a travel sized tooth brush and paste, a couple of Olay facial wash cloths impregnated with cleanser, a small hairbrush and a travel sized bottle of shampoo more than enough that will do if you have to make a stop over or are delayed and keep them in your hand luggage. After the secutity alert a few years back I think there are still limits what sized bottles and tubes are allowed through security.
Do not take a pair of shoes for every day, 3 pairs are enough, Sneakers/runners/trainers/walking shoes, beach shoes and a pair for night out.
Do not take 3 weeks of underwear and sock for a two-week vacation besides small items like those are easy to wash out and be left to dry overnight.
Lay out all the clothes you want to take and then decide what is essential and what is not. If necessary, you can always buy a couple of cheap t-shirts when you get there (once the gifts and chocolate are out of my case I usually have room to buy clothes and bring them back)
Pack one change of shirt and underwear in your hand luggage, should you be delayed or stop over at least you can feel refreshed and comfortable in clean clothes.
(14) WHAT ESSENTIAL ITEM(S) DO YOU BRING TO RELIEVE TRAVELLING BOREDOM
A couple of books and a magazine/newspaper will do. Something to read on the flight but I would make sure it is a book I had already started and was engrossed in. Nothing is worse than starting a book and not liking it to a point where you are bored and having nothing else to read. I made that mistake once, never again.
Most of the time I would be looking out of the window or watching one of the in-flight movies if I am flying. When travelling by train I always take a book with me. A big must is an ipod or MP3 player I can get lost in music on a flight and just staring out the window.
(15) FINALLY, YOU HAVE JUST WON THE LOTTERY – THE WORLD IS LITTERALLY YOUR OYSTER – WHERE WOULD YOU GO AND WHY?
Well if it was enough I would travel the world and hope to visit every country, to experience and see the different cultures and the scenery, meet the different people taste the different foods. If the world were literally my oyster then I would want to see it all. First, I have to buy the lottery ticket with six winning numbers on it.
Well there it is, not that enlightening but thats me. Thank you for your time
Chris. :-)
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Date: 2012-07-14 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-14 04:03 pm (UTC)The borders... I loved travelling through there such lovely countryside. I took a holiday in Edinburgh and toured through the borders and the Trossachs and loved every minute of it. It was so much fun during the Festival too. I love Scotland and so want to visit again