That's it! Footy over, holiday time...where

[arnapie]

Is every one heading for this summer?

Me, 1st week in June, Santa Ponsa, Majorca.

1st week in Oct, Porta del Carmen, Lanzarote.

Will be wearing either Notts shirt or shorts ( NOT both ) on most / every day time outings.

[LaughingMagpie]

3 and a half weeks driving down to Spain in the summer and Petra in Jordan in October

[i961pie]

3 and a half weeks driving down to Spain in the summer and Petra in Jordan in October

We are doing the same LM, driving through France and stopping off in various places and then going on to visit friends near Barcelona.
Unfortunately it is the 1st September for 4 weeks so will miss a few games.

[Elite_Pie]

Just booked for Mexico. That goat herder on here has rattled my cage once too often, so the time has come to sort him out once and for all. My advice to you tarquin is that you had better start pumping some serious iron as a matter of urgency. When I hit Playa del Carmen next Thursday I'll be looking for you, and I don't stop at a broken jaw. In addition I plan to rupture your spleen, puncture your lung, crack a few ribs, perforate your eardrum and break a fingernail.

ps Before I do all that, any advice you can give me on the area mate?

[Trickytreesreds]

Just booked for Mexico. That goat herder on here has rattled my cage once too often, so the time has come to sort him out once and for all. My advice to you tarquin is that you had better start pumping some serious iron as a matter of urgency. When I hit Playa del Carmen next Thursday I'll be looking for you, and I don't stop at a broken jaw. In addition I plan to rupture your spleen, puncture your lung, crack a few ribs, perforate your eardrum and break a fingernail.

ps Before I do all that, any advice you can give me on the area mate?

I'll help you EP.
Look for these Thomson reps and don't forget to tell them your family loaded.



Also your bowel is the size of a small suitcase.

Have a good en.

[Elite_Pie]

Look for these Thomson reps and don't forget to tell them your family loaded.

Tell them my family loaded what? We never go above the designated luggage allowance.

[tarquinbeech]

Just booked for Mexico.

ps Before I do all that, any advice you can give me on the area mate?

Huge tourist spot, fastest growing city apparently in Latin America.....relatively unknown until the 90s.....5th Avenue is wall-to-wall bars, restaurants, shopping malls, giant stores and nightclubs.....the night-life and the "youngsters" using drugs have caused the cartels to move in and there is sporadic violence but very rarely against tourists....massive armed police presence, so you are unlikely to see any trouble......stick to the main areas and side-streets.....use ADO buses wherever possible to visit Tulum Mayan ruins or any of the cenotes (underground water-filled sink-holes)...ADO bus direct from airport to Playa every 20 minutes about 200 pesos......try to avoid taxis as they are pricey.....negotiate wherever possible, threaten to walk away normally gets you 30% discount.....if they say 150 pesos back to your hotel, offer them 100, it normally works....you like arguing anyway!!

High prices on pretty much everything around the beaches and 5th Avenue (a beer in the Oxxo stores which are everywhere there, are 15 to 20 pesos but 45 to 50 pesos in the bars, 87 in the airport!!....plus they will expect a 10% tip).....some restaurants are "sneaky" and add on the 10% as a service charge, I tell them to remove it, then offer them a tip.......change money in the UK at a money-exchange outlet, banks will rob you here and atms are even worse with their service charge on top...26.72 pesos to the £1 today, 26.50 using the internet for me but banks will probably try to shave another peso off that plus a bank service charge...ouch

Check your change after every transaction before moving away, the girl in the ADO bus station, there are 2 in Playa, has twice given me the wrong change, normally 100 pesos light......that is no coincidence!!....the same at gas stations if you have a rental car....they do not reset the pump and often say you gave them the wrong note ie you gave them a 50 instead of 500....point out that it is 500.

Lastly, try to get out and about, the Mexican mom-n-pop places are superb value if they look busy with Mexican families and the odd tourist.....half the price, great service, good food....always carry water (and beer in a cooler bag if you have one), it is HOT and it takes a while to get used to it....take a hat.....watch out the free chilli salsas that are offered with every meal, they say they are "mild" but one dollop and you think you are having a heart attack.

Miriam and I will be stopping in Playa in late July, so I will be spending a couple of days getting "fleeced as well" but she loves all the nightlife and razzle-dazzle, shopping etc.....grrrrrrr.....I prefer to move inland and see the Mayan ruins and get into the jungle, off the beaten track.

Enjoy, stay safe.....Mexico is a great country

https://www.bricrental.com/a-look-in...early-days.htm

[Elite_Pie]

Huge tourist spot, fastest growing city apparently in Latin America.....relatively unknown until the 90s.....5th Avenue is wall-to-wall bars, restaurants, shopping malls, giant stores and nightclubs.....the night-life and the "youngsters" using drugs have caused the cartels to move in and there is sporadic violence but very rarely against tourists....massive armed police presence, so you are unlikely to see any trouble......stick to the main areas and side-streets.....use ADO buses wherever possible to visit Tulum Mayan ruins or any of the cenotes (underground water-filled sink-holes)...ADO bus direct from airport to Playa every 20 minutes about 200 pesos......try to avoid taxis as they are pricey.....negotiate wherever possible, threaten to walk away normally gets you 30% discount.....if they say 150 pesos back to your hotel, offer them 100, it normally works....you like arguing anyway!!

High prices on pretty much everything around the beaches and 5th Avenue (a beer in the Oxxo stores which are everywhere there, are 15 to 20 pesos but 45 to 50 pesos in the bars, 87 in the airport!!....plus they will expect a 10% tip).....some restaurants are "sneaky" and add on the 10% as a service charge, I tell them to remove it, then offer them a tip.......change money in the UK at a money-exchange outlet, banks will rob you here and atms are even worse with their service charge on top...26.72 pesos to the £1 today, 26.50 using the internet for me but banks will probably try to shave another peso off that plus a bank service charge...ouch

Check your change after every transaction before moving away, the girl in the ADO bus station, there are 2 in Playa, has twice given me the wrong change, normally 100 pesos light......that is no coincidence!!....the same at gas stations if you have a rental car....they do not reset the pump and often say you gave them the wrong note ie you gave them a 50 instead of 500....point out that it is 500.

Lastly, try to get out and about, the Mexican mom-n-pop places are superb value if they look busy with Mexican families and the odd tourist.....half the price, great service, good food....always carry water (and beer in a cooler bag if you have one), it is HOT and it takes a while to get used to it....take a hat.....watch out the free chilli salsas that are offered with every meal, they say they are "mild" but one dollop and you think you are having a heart attack.

Miriam and I will be stopping in Playa in late July, so I will be spending a couple of days getting "fleeced as well" but she loves all the nightlife and razzle-dazzle, shopping etc.....grrrrrrr.....I prefer to move inland and see the Mayan ruins and get into the jungle, off the beaten track.

Enjoy, stay safe.....Mexico is a great country

https://www.bricrental.com/a-look-in...early-days.htm

Thanks a lot for that tarquin, very helpful and much appreciated. I might let you off with a stern telling-off after all if we return in July when you're there. The hotel we're at runs a courtesy bus to 5th Avenue so I'm sure we'll have a look around there. Really looking forward to going, but I have one slight worry. We are going all inclusive with gin, rum, vodka and tequila optics in the room, and unlimited beer around the complex. My problem is that I'm not allowed beer any more on medical grounds and my salvation here has been cider, but cider doesn't seem easy to find in Mexico, and certainly none in our hotel. We've got a fridge in the room so I don't mind buying it in the shops, but a lot of reports on the travel forums say that what get's called cider is actually non-alcoholic apple juice - not what I had in mind. If I can't get any alcoholic cider it's either vodka and tonic for two weeks or a V sign to medical advice!

[The_Don_ORiordan]

3 and a half weeks driving down to Spain in the summer and Petra in Jordan in October

I went to Petra about 5 years ago.

You should do the Dead Sea whilst you are there (wear goggles it bloody stings your eyes!)

Kerak also worth a visit since you are in the area.

Tips at Petra. Take your own drinks, and do take the camels if you are going to the monastery and not just seeing the treasury.

[80milesSouth]

12 days Hisaronu in Turkey