Author Topic: Holidays  (Read 4886 times)

Hugh

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Holidays
« on: Dec 16, 2010, 06:37:57 PM »
Whats your Holiday plans for 2011
We are going to South Africa for 3 Weeks in May its off peak season there so accommodation quite cheap. Our first week inland from Durban in winterton on the edge of Drakensberg world heritage site. We are then going to Shelly beach for two weeks so I can do some scuba diving on protea banks. Afternoons are always free for site seeing with Yvonne.

Chrisjay

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #1 on: Dec 17, 2010, 09:35:22 AM »
I am planning to go to Hong Kong in February for Chinese New Year with my friends there and possibly later in the year back to friends in Arizona where I learned to fly in their plane.  But with the economy the way it is I shall have to see if I can afford two trips this next year - if not my American friends will probably visit me which would be nice.
 

caminito

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #2 on: Dec 17, 2010, 10:29:28 AM »
Probably only pop over to Spain next year.
I have got four villas I can borrow  so only the flight costs to pay !
We were planning a trip in February to Argentina to see friends but have had to cancel
as my wife has been unwell recently and a twelve hour flight is to much for her at the moment .
I have a long standing trip to California to arrange sometime . My mate 
( we were at school and Uni together ) has lived there for 35 years
and is always prodding me to come over again .I was his best man at his wedding !
 

Papaumau

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #3 on: Dec 17, 2010, 12:36:45 PM »
My my, aren't we lucky old pensioners !

One is off to South Africa, one is off to Hong Kong and one is off to sunny Spain.

I hope all you rich folk are thinking about the British pensioners that cannot even afford to heat their homes.

Maybe I am just jealous of course !  :-\
Regards....

Papaumau.



caminito

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #4 on: Dec 17, 2010, 01:56:53 PM »
Yep ....
In my case I have friends all over the world , so my accommodation is always FREE.  8)
I do the same for them when they come over to the UK !
Only Airfares to pay and normal weekly living ! ( + a few exra bits)
I can fly to Spain with Ryanair for about £100 return ( two people ).

It certainly pays to have made friends in ones liftime and not adveraries   ;)



Hugh

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #5 on: Dec 17, 2010, 03:00:50 PM »
And just why can't they heat their homes Papa, do they smoke and have a drink down the pub? I don't smoke and I have a drink on holidays and at home at Christmas. After leaving the forces I was on a very low hourly rate of £2.50 working 60 to 70 hours a week. I have every right to enjoy my retirement and not feel guilty towards others. They have had the same chance as me, I saved for my retirement others haven't bothered. I never had an holiday abroad before retirement so I have been making up for lost time.

Chrisjay

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #6 on: Dec 17, 2010, 04:02:12 PM »
Like Caminito I stay with friends for free and they stay with me when they are over here. 

The air fare is under £400 which equates to saving £5 per week and as I do not smoke and drink only very occasionally I think I deserve like Hugh to enjoy my retirement.

I don't think Hugh posted this topic so we could all be made to feel guilty at taking a holiday but to cheer us up looking forward to having one.

Maybe that is the spirit the topic should be replied to after all I am sure you will be spoiling your beautiful grand daughter this Christmas will you feel guilty when you read about a pensioner dying this winter?  Enjoy the spirit of the season and the topic in the spirit it was posted PLEASE

 

Hugh

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #7 on: Dec 17, 2010, 04:27:35 PM »
Thankyou Chris, I was as you say trying to get a way from the doom and gloom of this forum. In 2012 I am planning on staying in England for my May holiday. The lake district an area I have never been if any one's been there any info would be most welcome. Been to Devon several time a wonderful part of the country. I have had two holidays in the high lands of Scotland north of Fort Agusta (may have spelt that wrong) very enjoyable memories. For a very relaxing holiday a boat on the Norfolk broads takes some beating.

Chrisjay

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #8 on: Dec 17, 2010, 04:58:48 PM »
I have been to the Lake District several times and it is really very nice apart from all the people it gets very crowded but May might be better.

If you want to walk and stay out of the tourist area's you will have a great time if the weather is good which in the past couple of years May and June have been better than July and August so hopefully you will be lucky.
 

Hugh

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #9 on: Dec 17, 2010, 05:28:55 PM »
We always avoid school holidays Chris, at home or abroad. If you go to google maps and loggrd in LA6 1JZ will pin point where we hope to stay. It as a nice bar, indoor swimming pool and gym and I will use points I have with diamond.

cheddar-caveman

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #10 on: Dec 17, 2010, 08:39:27 PM »
Like some of you guys, I (we) have friends/family around the world so in April we hope to go to Bali (our eldest son is a pilot with Susi Air and gets huge reductions on accommodation) and meet up with him and our youngest son who is an engineer in Australia. Two weeks there then return via Thailand where our oldest friend live so free accommodation! :D The only downside is all the HORIBLE flying! - hate it :-[
After leaving the RN I have worked in the Middle East most of my life (on a contract so no unions to say I can't work!) working six days a week and on average 12 hours a day. I have never not worked and never taken time off thereby being able to SAVE! Now at 72 I can enjoy the fruits of my labours ;D
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Hugh

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #11 on: Dec 17, 2010, 10:06:56 PM »
Marvelous holiday CC between us we are certainly covering some ground but we have all worked hard to enjoy our retirement. I'm going to Tenerife on the 7th January for two weeks to get some warm winter sun shine and to enjoy some scuba diving.

Papaumau

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #12 on: Dec 18, 2010, 12:04:59 PM »
Did I prick a few consciences there ?

I am sure that most of you would be very glad of the freebies that you are able to get in your dotage, but a very large number of pensioners that live and suffer in Britain do not have those serendipitous situations in their lives.

Hugh.....

It is a fact that many thousands of pensioners ARE living in poverty in Britain and bringing out the old cliche of....."Will they be enjoying their fags and booze and gambling....yadda, yadda, yadda....only serves to show how misinformed you really are and how much you listen to and repeat right-wing rhetoric.

I might suggest that this website is not here to boast about how well off we are, but it is here to commiserate with the ones that are NOT as lucky as we are.
Regards....

Papaumau.



Chrisjay

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #13 on: Dec 18, 2010, 01:03:58 PM »
"I might suggest that this website is not here to boast about how well off we are, but it is here to commiserate with the ones that are NOT as lucky as we are".

Have I missed something here - this forum is only here to commiserate with people according to you - I don't think so !!!!! You may have been on this forum a lot longer than me Papa but since when did YOU decide what the rest of us could chat about???

Please observe the title "General discussion & Chat" As I said before Hugh posted this topic in the CHAT to cheer us up from the bad weather by letting us look forward to our holidays next year.

I for one find your use of 'dotage' offensive as I do not consider myself in my 'dotage' yet.  Again since when did you decide that this forum is only about the down side of pensioners lives even if they live in poverty this site does little to address that short of being preached to by you, insulted and have Margaret Thatcher shoved down out throats by Ivanhoe.

When I want to converse with people steeped in gloom and doom I will go onto your website so I can be lectured to until then I will enjoy the freedom of speech this site affords me with some people who I have come to think of as friends and for your information there is probably more conversations privately now than public because of the attitude of you and Ivanhoe.

Papa control your own site limiting the freedom to discuss what people want there, but don't try to censor this site and turn everything people say innocently to your own advantage and try to make them feel guilty that they have friends around the world that they can share holidays with making them affordable to them.

You did not prick anyone's conscience just like yours would not be pricked if we reminded you of your love for Scotch whiskey and indulging your grand daughter - are you going to forsake those pleasures and give to a needy pensioner in your area this winter?

Please do not try to earn the nickname Ebeneezer Scrooge by trying to put a damper on the season of joy to the world.

 

caminito

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Re: Holidays
« Reply #14 on: Dec 18, 2010, 01:13:26 PM »
Quote...
I might suggest that this website is not here to boast about how well off we are, but it is here to commiserate with the ones that are NOT as lucky as we are.

Papa
For a start , nobody was boasting !!
I am not jealous of any pensioner who has made a good life for his/her self.
Must we hide any good news and only concentrate on bad news . I don't think that that is what this forum is about .
It is a general pensioner forum and should include every aspect of being an OAP.
More to the point .What can we do personally , to ensure that at least "one " Pensioner in poverty has a good christmas.
We can all talk about commiserating , sometimes we have to do something practical !
My family have for years taken the opportunity to support one "OAP couple in need " with a christmas hamper and make sure that they are warm and settled during this holiday period.
On numerous occasions we have invited them to our homes to share dinner with us !It depends what arrangements we have made with in-laws ?
My sons have taken over from me now , after 20 years , to keep this support going.
It all started with a charming lady in her eighties who lost her husband two months before christmas 1987. We could not see her alone,
sad and without company . She was disabled and her son lived abroad.