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

[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!

[navypie]

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!

Please don't ignore medical advice mate, we need all the fans we can get.

[queenslandpie]

Bali in September, can't bloomin wait!!

Why on earth would you want to go there? The archtypical Australian bogan holiday destination!

[queenslandpie]

With an average winter daytime temperate of around 20 basically no rain and you beaut at night I guess I wont be moving too far from the Sunny Coast this winter. When it gets stupid hot in January I might go back to England and freeze my nads off for a few weeks. The great thing about living where I live is that I am never disappointed or depressed when I return from holiday. I can still remember the sink in my heart touching down at East Midlands after a week in some grotty Spanish Island.

[caj85]

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.

I went to Santa ponsa in April. Very nice holiday.
Make sure you visit the Crown Pub in the music square ran by 2 notts fans.

[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.

[ncfcog]

Been to Torrevieja - beware the rip tides at La Zenia! That's where my wife was pulled from the sea and had a brain hemorrhage last June.

Bloody Hell! Know La Zenia really well, dad lives in Torrevieja. Hope your wife has fully recovered, that sounds terrible. I took a pedalo out with my daughter and her friend a few years ago and must admit we hit a bit of a swell and for a few minutes I feared the worst!

[tarquinbeech]

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!

Strongbow and Libbey's Hard cider are available by the case at Chedraui, Av. 45 Sur S/N, Centro, Playa del Carmen, Mexico......if for any reason they are out of stock, there is also a Soriano and Walmart (Asda) in Playa Del Carmen

https://www.chedraui.com.mx/search/?text=cider

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Peninsula.html

[magpiekev]

Arenal, Menorca in August

[slack_pie]

Moving back to Prague in a month, but coming back for a week in Cornwall with the fam in August - can't beat it.