"Staycations" are the new vacations - so who's up
03 Jul 2009 11:09
I was watching the news this morning, and they say (Who are "they" - always wondered that) that the new in thing, is the "staycation". This awful new buzzword, means that instead of going on holiday abroad, you stay at home, or at the most, go somewhere in the UK.
To emphasise the point, they had a reporter "Live from Whitby" (With traditional Whitby/Scarborough leaden skies which the reporter pretended she thought was unusual
).
Then they interviewed a guy who had bought a caravan, and was sat outside on it's bit of grass saying how he could holiday anywhere in the world, but bought here instead.
So - is this something we should all adopt?
What do you think guys, after all
Who needs to be sat outside Majestics with an ice cold Efes, when we could be sat in Elsie's tea room, Morecambe, with a steaming "nice big mug of tea", drawing patterns on the condensation on the window, and listening to the musical pitter patter of the rain outside.
Who needs to be ordering in the Chef restaurant, when you could be ordering the special bacon egg and chips with ketchup at Maggies greasy spoon in Great Yarmouth.
Who wants to be seeing guys dancing on the bar, when you can pop into a pub in Blackpool, and lean on the bar, feeling that traditional wet soaking feeling as flat spilt bitter soaks into your shirt.
Who wants to be sat by the pool outside your apartment, when you could go to the council bleach smelling pool and sit by that
And on top of that, who wants a 4 hour flight, when you can sit for a nice few hours relaxing, stuck behind a caravan on the M4, admiring the contraflow, listening to Terry Wogan.
So faced with this choice, is it "Meh" to Marmaris, "In your dreams" to Icmeler and "Tararrr" to Turunc, and hello to Scarborough
*At this point, I'll just hide behind the sofa
To emphasise the point, they had a reporter "Live from Whitby" (With traditional Whitby/Scarborough leaden skies which the reporter pretended she thought was unusual
).
Then they interviewed a guy who had bought a caravan, and was sat outside on it's bit of grass saying how he could holiday anywhere in the world, but bought here instead.
So - is this something we should all adopt?
What do you think guys, after all
Who needs to be sat outside Majestics with an ice cold Efes, when we could be sat in Elsie's tea room, Morecambe, with a steaming "nice big mug of tea", drawing patterns on the condensation on the window, and listening to the musical pitter patter of the rain outside.
Who needs to be ordering in the Chef restaurant, when you could be ordering the special bacon egg and chips with ketchup at Maggies greasy spoon in Great Yarmouth.
Who wants to be seeing guys dancing on the bar, when you can pop into a pub in Blackpool, and lean on the bar, feeling that traditional wet soaking feeling as flat spilt bitter soaks into your shirt.
Who wants to be sat by the pool outside your apartment, when you could go to the council bleach smelling pool and sit by that
And on top of that, who wants a 4 hour flight, when you can sit for a nice few hours relaxing, stuck behind a caravan on the M4, admiring the contraflow, listening to Terry Wogan.
So faced with this choice, is it "Meh" to Marmaris, "In your dreams" to Icmeler and "Tararrr" to Turunc, and hello to Scarborough
*At this point, I'll just hide behind the sofa
03 Jul 2009 11:39
Bonjour to Bognor i reckon
A friend of ours spent 10 days at a Centreparks resort...it cost nearly 150 pounds MORE than 14 days in icmeler.
Mountain bikes were £76 EACH per week to hire!
A friend of ours spent 10 days at a Centreparks resort...it cost nearly 150 pounds MORE than 14 days in icmeler.
Mountain bikes were £76 EACH per week to hire!
03 Jul 2009 13:36
eh not for me thanks 
I'll stick to hols in paradise 
I'll stick to hols in paradise
03 Jul 2009 13:46
for me there is no comparison
i would never wanna stay in the UK compared to going to the lovely icmeler
there is no just no choice
icmeler wins hands down every time
xxxx
i would never wanna stay in the UK compared to going to the lovely icmeler
there is no just no choice
icmeler wins hands down every time
xxxx
03 Jul 2009 14:08
If we could guarantee the weather here in the UK, there are some really fantastic places to visit. However, if, as it inevitably does, it ends up pouring down, then you spend even more money visiting all these tourist attractions in a bid to keep the kids entertained!
Much as I love part of the UK - and being patriotic, Scotland in particular - give me my wee slice of Turkish delight any day!
Much as I love part of the UK - and being patriotic, Scotland in particular - give me my wee slice of Turkish delight any day!
03 Jul 2009 14:17
This year we had 7 month old daughter to think about, so decided to have a year in the UK, as didn't want to subject her to the Turkish heat etc.
Went to Cornwall for a week, which for a start cost us £700 for a villa. Then £100 fuel (which equalled a 15 hour round trip there and back), spends on food about £400 (£15 for two fish and chips and 4 quid for a pasty). Then there was other incidntals like entry to Eden project etc. Probably spent nigh on £1500 for three of us.
The weather was rubbish, it was the most boring place on earth unless you like boats, hedges, cornish pasties or country roads.
A fortnight in Icmeler would have cost us about £800 HB and another £800 for food and other spends.
Guess where we are going on holiday next year?
Bloomin "they"..... "they" can go take a running jump
Went to Cornwall for a week, which for a start cost us £700 for a villa. Then £100 fuel (which equalled a 15 hour round trip there and back), spends on food about £400 (£15 for two fish and chips and 4 quid for a pasty). Then there was other incidntals like entry to Eden project etc. Probably spent nigh on £1500 for three of us.
The weather was rubbish, it was the most boring place on earth unless you like boats, hedges, cornish pasties or country roads.
A fortnight in Icmeler would have cost us about £800 HB and another £800 for food and other spends.
Guess where we are going on holiday next year?
Bloomin "they"..... "they" can go take a running jump
03 Jul 2009 15:18
I agree with Sirkyboy on this one this year. For the past 7 years we have taken the children camping to St Ives and we have had fantastic times. However over the past 2 years it has rained for the whole week and we had gale force winds and nearly lost the tent So we priced up Spain for a week and with how much petrol costs now and yes we have a good 9 hour trip there and then same back, expensive food, expensive days out so we probably spent the same if not less to go to Spain for the week and the weather was fantastic. It was my redundancy treat But Icmeler any day for me, I will stick to Scarborough for my day trips or weekend camping trips thank
So we priced up Spain for a week and with how much petrol costs now and yes we have a good 9 hour trip there and then same back, expensive food, expensive days out so we probably spent the same if not less to go to Spain for the week and the weather was fantastic. It was my redundancy treat But Icmeler any day for me, I will stick to Scarborough for my day trips or weekend camping trips thank
03 Jul 2009 15:36
Phill only has 4 weeks holiday a year, I dont think I will be giving up my 2 x 2 weeks guaranteed sunshine holidays just yet!
No staycation for us - Vacation all the way!
No staycation for us - Vacation all the way!
03 Jul 2009 16:06
juejue wrote:I will stick to Scarborough for my day trips or weekend camping trips thank
I wish that is what I had done now, just done days at Scarborough, Filey etc all within an hours drive of home, and normal (ish) prices.
03 Jul 2009 18:18
My post was - as I'm sure you all guessed - very tongue in cheek. I think the whole idea of that news story, was that with the "credit crunch", more people are planning on taking vacations nearer to home - as it's percieved to be cheaper.
Of course, it IS cheaper if you are careful and do it "right", but on the other hand (This is purely my personal opinion), if you want to go to accomodation half as nice as the type you can get abroad, in nice complexes away from rowdies (So not Haven etc), then you will often spend a lot more than the cliched fortnight on the costas or wherever.
Go to a UK caravan site, and you run the risk (If this bothers you) of staying next to rowdies. I know a lot of people with stories about certain places, being threatened etc.
Yes, you can't guarantee the weather, but book a cottage say, and you can have a right relaxing time.
Funny camping being mentioned, it's one of the most fun things, perhaps not a "holiday" as such, but for weekends away, do some exploring, mountain biking - just can't be beaten for an experience.
Tongue in cheek as it was though, I'll stick by part of my comments - bars and restaurants in the UK I think have a LONG long way to go to beat anything like you can find abroad - for atmosphere, quality and for welcoming children.
I know I'm preaching very much to the converted in this last bit - but I can honestly say some restaurants in Icmeler have been some of the best I've been to......ever.
Of course, it IS cheaper if you are careful and do it "right", but on the other hand (This is purely my personal opinion), if you want to go to accomodation half as nice as the type you can get abroad, in nice complexes away from rowdies (So not Haven etc), then you will often spend a lot more than the cliched fortnight on the costas or wherever.
Go to a UK caravan site, and you run the risk (If this bothers you) of staying next to rowdies. I know a lot of people with stories about certain places, being threatened etc.
Yes, you can't guarantee the weather, but book a cottage say, and you can have a right relaxing time.
Funny camping being mentioned, it's one of the most fun things, perhaps not a "holiday" as such, but for weekends away, do some exploring, mountain biking - just can't be beaten for an experience.
Tongue in cheek as it was though, I'll stick by part of my comments - bars and restaurants in the UK I think have a LONG long way to go to beat anything like you can find abroad - for atmosphere, quality and for welcoming children.
I know I'm preaching very much to the converted in this last bit - but I can honestly say some restaurants in Icmeler have been some of the best I've been to......ever.
03 Jul 2009 22:27
I went to Dublin with my daughter for a few days in may, and it certainly wasn't a cheap break! The (pretty average) hotel cost £170, room only, for 4 nights. Our spacious apartment in Icmeler cost £60 for 2 of us for 17 days. What I spent on just food, drink, and visiting a handful of tourist attractions would have paid for a week in Icmeler, including flights and accommodation. And friendly as the irish people are, there's no comparison with the turks. My next holiday will definitely be to Icmeler. I booked it last week. Roll on september!
"Staycations" are the new vacations - so who's up
03 Jul 2009 23:07
No comparison, for me it's Icmeler every time
Although we had a caravan for a few years when the kids were young, and thoroughly enjoyed our holidays in the UK. Unfortunately the weather has to play a big part, and I can remember a particular weeks holiday when we sat in the caravan watching it pish down with rain for days, with no let up.
Off to Icmeler in 7 weeks and 6 days wooooohoooooo
Although we had a caravan for a few years when the kids were young, and thoroughly enjoyed our holidays in the UK. Unfortunately the weather has to play a big part, and I can remember a particular weeks holiday when we sat in the caravan watching it pish down with rain for days, with no let up.
Off to Icmeler in 7 weeks and 6 days wooooohoooooo
04 Jul 2009 09:06
sticking with Icmeler!!!!
04 Jul 2009 10:46
Have just survived a British heatwave 1 day without RAIN, will be heading back to Icmeler as soon as possible