What are your best (and worst) holiday experiences

[MontyVeda]

Ibiza, 1985... me (aged 14) and my mum and dad. The 'pool side' hotel room was crap, consisting of two single beds and pull out bed with a tiny en-suite. I've seen bigger caravans towed by a Morris Traveller. It was a cheap all inclusive holiday that you get what you're given, but Dad kicked off and demanded something better, but the hotel was fully booked. They did however own an apartment complex a few hundred yards away which had only just been built, so we ended up with a one bed apartment (I got the sofa) in a flashy complex with private pool, bar and restaurant. could have been one of the worst but ended up one of the best.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Worst: A week in Paignton with my mother and grandmother in a caravan in the pouring rain. farking awful every day and playing referee.

Best: A hard choice. My first proper holiday with my lovely OH , her brother and sister in law. It was Kos. It was hot. The people were wonderful.
I want to go back soon.

 

[dodgy]

Best - 5 nights in NYC, flights were free (as part of a promotion for buying a new TV). We walked for miles and miles, never used a cab or subway. Talked to lots of New Yorkers, had drinks bought for us because "we love the Brits and your accents". Stayed in amazing accomodation by Times Square. Went to see Mamma Mia on Broadway (I was not keen on going), came out and sung Abba songs all the way back to the hotel in the back of a pedal taxi then got showered again and straight out on the lash in a pretty cool bar (more drinks bought for us).

Worst - hmm, this sounds a bit ungrateful, but the Maldives. Spent two weeks there and was bored out of my brain by the 3rd day.

Now we go to the French Alps each year and absolutely love it.

 

[ianrauk]

Best - 5 nights in NYC, flights were free (as part of a promotion for buying a new TV). We walked for miles and miles, never used a cab or subway. Talked to lots of New Yorkers, had drinks bought for us because "we love the Brits and your accents". Stayed in amazing accomodation by Times Square. Went to see Mamma Mia on Broadway (I was not keen on going), came out and sung Abba songs all the way back to the hotel in the back of a pedal taxi then got showered again and straight out on the lash in a pretty cool bar (more drinks bought for us).

Worst - hmm, this sounds a bit ungrateful, but the Maldives. Spent two weeks there and was bored out of my brain by the 3rd day.

Now we go to the French Alps each year and absolutely love it.

Ha.. we are so on the same level here.
As you can see from my posts above I absolutely love NYC.
And as for the Maldives. Spot on. For me it was like a prison. The ex-wife loved it and we went 3 times, but she was the type just to sit on a beach all day reading. OK it was nice and the people was nice. More food and drink you could shake a cocktail stick at, but jeez, 2 weeks of the same sand and sea. boring.

 

[Dave7]

Best - 5 nights in NYC, flights were free (as part of a promotion for buying a new TV). We walked for miles and miles, never used a cab or subway. Talked to lots of New Yorkers, had drinks bought for us because "we love the Brits and your accents". Stayed in amazing accomodation by Times Square. Went to see Mamma Mia on Broadway (I was not keen on going), came out and sung Abba songs all the way back to the hotel in the back of a pedal taxi then got showered again and straight out on the lash in a pretty cool bar (more drinks bought for us).

Worst - hmm, this sounds a bit ungrateful, but the Maldives. Spent two weeks there and was bored out of my brain by the 3rd day.

Now we go to the French Alps each year and absolutely love it.

I assume you are not a scuba diver? I get the impression there is nothing to do there if you are not into diving, eating or sunbathing.

 

[ianrauk]

I assume you are not a scuba diver? I get the impression there is nothing to do there if you are not into diving, eating or sunbathing.

I tell you Dave. The Scuba was great, for the first few times, then you start seeing the same bloody fish
Though to be honest, one of the best experiences of my life was being close to one of the biggest rays you could ever imagine.

 

[dodgy]

Nope, not into scuba, but we did go on a trip to see Manta Rays, that was pretty special. If it wasn't for that I don't know what I'd have done.

 

[Dave7]

I tell you Dave. The Scuba was great, for the first few times, then you start seeing the same bloody fish
Though to be honest, one of the best experiences of my life was being close to one of the biggest rays you could ever imagine.

I had 4 separate diving holidays in Sharm. Nothing to do if you arent into diving/sunbathing etc (i had 2-3 dives per day) but there were lots of bars restaurants for the evenings.
I imagine Maldives would drive you nuts after a few days.

 

[Blue Hills]

Couldn't pick a best holiday, I've had so many good/happy ones.

The worst was in Crete when I was young, I needed transportation urgently (long story) and stole a nun's bicycle, brought up by a strict Catholic father it's played on my mind for decades, even now it pops up in my mind when I am telling my kids always to be honest/straight, and I feel like shoot. I'll take it to the grave.....

You really must tell us more. What was the bike? How did you know it was a nun's - did you throw her off it?

 

[dodgy]

Final point on the Maldives experience. We totally bought into the 'no news no shoes' holiday and convinced ourselves we would benefit from a completely relaxing holiday. We pushed the boat out, so to speak, accommodation quality was exceptional. I think I got to understand me a bit more after that holiday. Others would find it right down to their liking. We're all different.

 

[Dave7]

You really must tell us more. What was the bike? How did you know it was a nun's - did you throw her off it?

Well she was riding down a cobbled stteet and said "ooh I've never ******"

 

[simonali]

I'm on the same page as a few others here. A holiday that only involved a beach, a book and me is my idea of hell. I think I'd spend my waking hours getting shh-faced and the rest of the time sleeping it off.

Despite having been to the States lots of times, I've never been to NYC, but could be breaking my rule at the beginning of November if I can sort out the logistics of a family get together over there. Will have to see what all the fuss is about...

 

[Donger]

Worst (Many years ago)..... A heavy drinking week in a caravan in Weymouth with four other lads, two of whom I'd never met before. One of them kept playing the same Pat Benatar cassette over and over again all week. And the weather forced us to sit in doors listening to it. I hate Pat Benatar.

Best ...... Any of three holidays near Annecy in the French Alps with my wife. Early morning bike rides and fantastic mountain drives every day. Eating out in Annecy old town, and at a great restaurant overlooking the flight path from the paragliding launch site. Swimming in the lake and taking lake cruises.

 

[simonali]

We once went to Crete and the hotel we stayed in had the Simply Red album Stars on rotation for the entire week. Drove me insane and I secretly threw out our copy of it when we got back without telling the missus as my plan was to never hear it again for the rest of my life!

 

[TheDoctor]

Worst holiday - that would probably be skiing in Poiana Brasov, in Romania.
The snow was rubbish, the food was awful, the skilifts were dicey and the red wine was sugary.
OTOH, we got pissed on champagne cocktails for about a fiver.
On about day three, we'd been swimming in an Olympic size pool, lit by about a hundred flourescent strips of which four were working.
Sitting unhappily in the bar afterwards, a familiar bassline started. Dum dum dum dubba dum dum. Dum dum dum dubba dum dum.
Under Pressure, thought I. At least there's still Queen.
Then the vocal started. "Stop - collaborate and listen!"
Vanilla fecking Ice.

Best, now that's a bit tricky. Snorkelling with reef sharks in the Maldives is up there, as is going up Etna when a new vent had just opened up. About a yard away from red hot lava and brand-new rocks. Zip-lining in Rororua was pretty cool, and so was seeing the Taj Mahal.
I'm not even going to mention taking a Brompton round Provence