Holiday Thread

[Belleandpickle]

LOL, I just called a B&B and he asked me whether he could ring me back as he was just bringing his chickens to bed. Hadn't quite appreciated how rural it is!

Bringing them to bed? I wouldn't want to eat any food from that farm

[Beate]

The Isle of Wight is absolutely wonderful. We set over on Easter Monday from Portsmouth, and here is the first tip: get your B&B or hotel to book the ferry for you, most offer that service, you get a nice discount as they have a trade account, and you don't have to do it yourself. We stayed in Newchurch for the first 3 nights in a small, rural B&B close to the Pointer Inn which has been voted best pub of the island, and is really very very good. Sadly they will be relocating to Godshill in June! The place was very nice, they had a huge garden and two dogs, horses, chickens... The rooms were nice but a bit bland and the walls quite thin (you could hear the next room's TV quite well). The last 3 nights we stayed in the Havelock Hotel in Shanklin, and all my reservations about Shanklin are gone - it's beautiful there, it's quiet, the big room had a balcony and seaviews, you couldn't hear the other rooms, the breakfast was marvellous, and you had the Old Village 3 minutes walk away as well as the beach and the Shanklin Chine on your doorstep. I can absolutely recommend it, although I can see the limited parking being a problem in high season!

There is so much to do and see on the island, it's unbelievable. We aren't into hiking, cycling or surfing, but the island has plenty of castles, manor houses and animal parks to keep you happy. And the coastline! We went all around the island as it's not too big and you can get everywhere in about half an hour by car. We did Osbourne House, Carisbrooke Castle, Yarmouth Castle, Mottistone Manor, Appuldurcombe House, Newport Roman Villa, Amazon World, Butterfly World, the Zoo, the Flamingo Park, the Donkey Sanctuary, the Owl & Falconry Centre, Robin Hill Park, Ventnor Botanic Gardens, Shanklin Chine and the Needles Park. We didn't manage the Steam Railway, Brading Roman Villa and the Bembridge Windmill, and I wouldn't mind going to some of the attractions again. The Flamingo Park is hands on, you can feed penguins, stroke wallabies, see meerkats being fed etc. etc., and it's on a beautiful location, with loads of birds around lakes.

The Zoo is brilliant too, with lions and tigers as well as plenty of lemurs. We adopted a White Lion called Casper for a year, where a fiver buys you a certificate - brilliant value! I absolutely loved him, he was lying on top of a high rock for about two hours and managed to look both majestic and cuddly at the same time. Here he is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46403279@N ... 709368441/
Isn't he absolutely lovely? Doesnt' he look just like Aslan from Narnia?

Robin Hill Park is a strange mixture of amusement rides for the kids and lovely woodland walks for the adults. They do falconry as well, and I finally saw the famous red squirrels there - it's apparently the best spot on the island! Shanklin Chine is a beautiful, peaceful gorge with a waterfall, right next to the beach, and the Needles Park at the far end of the island offers a chairlift down to the beach plus a boat trip round the Needles Rocks. The coastline covered in sands of 21 colours is spectacular.

We had such brilliant weather, everyone said the weather had turned on Easter Monday, just in time for us! The only problem is that the Isle of Wight can sometimes feel too rural - an internet cafe is rumoured to be in the capital Newport but we aren't sure. Cash machines can only be found in bigger towns like Shanklin or Newport, and as for the petrol, there were only two big and cheap stations, one was Morrisons in Lake and the other at a big Tesco in Ryde. The others are Texaco and usually 5 pence dearer. Also, the signposting is somewhat erratic (you had to use your psychic powers to find a place as the signs usually only appeared about 100 yards away), and the bumpy pot-holed road made our car bumper come halfway off as well as disconnect most rearlights. We got stopped by the police for it!

Sadly the OH got a cold midway through and gave it to me so now I am starting my new job feeling totally wiped out, but it was worth it and we want to go back - preferably when there isn't one of the gazillions of festivals on the island. We need to visit Casper!!

[prettyxcool]

No wonder you want to go back! Sounds wonderful, I want to go there too now. Lovely photos of Casper. Thanks for sharing your trip and photos.

[milkchocmonkey]

wow sounds like a fab trip and Casper looks beautiful! nice one!

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Wow, talk about the Lion King, so majestic - and yeah, looks like Aslan. This is the king of all animals and humans. What a fantastic set of pics, you caught him in every mood and of course he has to be on the highest rock. He's like chilling out, whilst looking badass, highly arrogant and superior. There's one pic where he looks like he might be saying "you dare disturb my slumber, m..f...?" (sorry I just watched Pulp Fiction again yesterday, and its affecting my speech). Any of those pics would make a great avatar.

"Strike the pose, I'm the true King"

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

The rooms were nice but a bit bland and the walls quite thin (you could hear the next room's TV quite well).

I think some couples would be worried more about other things being heard than the TV...

[Beate]

Wow, talk about the Lion King, so majestic - and yeah, looks like Aslan. This is the king of all animals and humans. What a fantastic set of pics, you caught him in every mood and of course he has to be on the highest rock. He's like chilling out, whilst looking badass, highly arrogant and superior. There's one pic where he looks like he might be saying "you dare disturb my slumber, m..f...?" (sorry I just watched Pulp Fiction again yesterday, and its affecting my speech). Any of those pics would make a great avatar.

"Strike the pose, I'm the true King"

The only pose I didn't get (I was too slow and standing somewhere else at that moment) was a hearty yawn just before the last pic where he put his head down to sleep. LOL.

[prettyxcool]

That would be a great one! I am always too slow... and miss the best pics!

[Diane65]

Has anyone been to Vienna? Would love to go for 3 days in July, would love ideas of where to go, where to stay etc. I visited Brussels, Bruges and Bremen last year and loved them all (this is just so you know what type of places I like), I love visiting castles, churches, palaces, galleries, walking in parks, shopping of any description and eating out enjoying the local culture. I'm going with a friend so need to be somewhere safe to get back to in the evening. We've both got loads of stamina and speak a little German so are happy to explore.
Thanks to anyone for info.

[moondance]

I am going to Lisbon in June for 5 days - anyone got any recommendations for a good hotel - not nec a big one but good value, clean etc. I have been told about Dom Carlos Liberty & Dom Carlos Park & that probably the Liberty is better between the 2 as it is nearer the centre. Someone else told me about York House (which has a garden) but was there in 2005 & seems more expensive now also Trip Advisor reviews not that good.... Anyone know these hotels?

Have never been to Lisbon so any help/tips greatly appreciated - Its for my birthday so don't mind splashing a little more cash if another hotel is worth it..... also any recommendation for a hotel outside Lisbon for a couple of days as we might rent a car and split the stay