Who needs to go abroad when you've got Cornwall?

[Easy 10]

I think I had the same mentality bred into me from when I was a kid. Every year family holidays were the 'traditional' 2 weeks short-haul sun trip - Malta, Greek Islands, North Africa and the Canaries. We had a great time, undoubtedly, but on reflection it was all a bit samey. Early morning ride to Gatwick with my Dad's cabbie mate, Dad doing the "tickets, passports, money" checklist about 589 times, duty free where my folks picked up cheap ciggies and some new smellies, 3-4 hour flight on a 737, that 'hot air curtain' effect as you disembark the plane, and then 2 weeks of hot weather, sun cream, swimming, calamari and cabaret entertainment.

And, at the same time, I saw precious little of this country. In fact I only really started seeing bits of it when I began following the Albion away every other week. I have the surname 'McKay' but I didn't make my first trip to Scotland until my late 20s when I had a daytrip for work to an office in Edinburgh.

It's only as I've entered my 30s that my appreciation for the UK has grown.

I guess I'm similar then and you're right, the routine can be quite samey insofar as we head for a villa or hotel near the coast, sunbathe by the pool and/or beach, mooch around the resort, have a boat trip, and have the occasional excursion to a local-ish 'point of interest' or whatever. But I still cuffing LOVE it, and wouldn't swap a week abroad for a week somewhere in England, no sir.

Mind you, I find the whole airport thing INTENSELY aggravating, faffing about with endless queues, hanging around to check in, arsing about at the other end getting your cases, traipsing through passport control, then repeating the whole sorry process, and just hoping you're not delayed for hours. Its almost enough to put me off these days. I absolutely DESPISE airports.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

But of course Malta, the Canaries, and Greece are going to be the same. You could go to any of them and not be able to distinguish it from the others.

Thats not true at all though! Whilst they all have some samey resorts, there is so much historically and culturally that each offer you if you make the effort.

 

[Bozza]

But of course Malta, the Canaries, and Greece are going to be the same. You could go to any of them and not be able to distinguish it from the others. That's not to say holidaying in the UK is good though. It's just saying that going to hot places to lie around like a slob for two weeks is very boring after a while.

What a ridiculous statement. There's plenty to differentiate Malta, the massive diversity within Greece and it's numerous islands and North Africa, not least of all vast amounts of history of course.

(There probably is within the Canaries too - I just can't recall)

 

[Easy 10]

It IS possible to do both when you're visiting these places...

 

[Easy 10]

It is, but I think people only do the "history" bit to avoid the guilt of lying next to the pool, only moving to get more drink in, for 14 days in a row. Let's face it, the historical sights and experiences in somewhere like a Greek island are hardly the Coloseum, Berlin Wall and Eiffel Tower are they?!

No, but then you wouldn't want to spend 2 weeks, or even a week, in Berlin or Rome would you. A friend of mine went to Venice for a week and was bored out of his skull after 3 days.

Its horses for courses. I go on holiday for a couple of weeks to relax. I could think of nothing worse than spending that two weeks trailing round Europe on a train or a coach to get some snaps of the sights. For me, the best holidays are the ones where its MOSTLY beaches and pools, but with some trips here and there as well. But if you don't mind loads of long journies to famous sights, where you spend more time travelling than relaxing, then there's nothing wrong with that.

Just wouldn't be my bag.

 

[skipper734]

I've been everywhere. But now I'm 63 I drag Jnr. (12) back to the same old Devon and Cornwall places my Dad and Mum took me at that age.
Same fecking weather as 50 years ago, whatever happened to global warming.
Thing is his mum's dragging him off to Los Angeles and then Hawaii next week (poor kid). But when I ask him where he wants to go for summer hols he always asks for camping in Salcombe. Hope Cove is the dogs thingys.

 

[Bozza]

I've been everywhere. But now I'm 63 I drag Jnr. (12) back to the same old Devon and Cornwall places my Dad and Mum took me at that age.
Same fecking weather as 50 years ago, whatever happened to global warming.
Thing is his mum's dragging him off to Los Angeles and then Hawaii next week (poor kid). But when I ask him where he wants to go for summer hols he always asks for camping in Salcombe. Hope Cove is the dogs thingys.

I made a similar comment comparing a holiday this year with one last year...

One of last year's holidays was Orlando, staying in decent on-site hotels at both Disney and Universal. I didn't add it up, but I reckon we spent £5000 in a little under 2 weeks.

One of this year's holidays was spent just outside Cromer in Norfolk and cost less than 10% of that.

And, if I asked my daughter which one she'd want to do again next, I'm not convinced I know which one she'd answer.

 

[Giraffe]

One of this year's holidays was spent just outside Cromer in Norfolk and cost less than 10% of that.

And, if I asked my daughter which one she'd want to do again next, I'm not convinced I know which one she'd answer.

Nail on the head, from a family perspective. We did the Disney thing last year, and it was great, a brilliant holiday. This year we spent a week in Wales followed by a week in Centreparcs Longleat. The kids were bored with some things in Wales, but overalll I suspect, partly because of the lack of flight and airport they would edge towards doing the last holiday again rather than Disney. Certainly they loved Centre Parcs.

Personally I would go back to Florida next year but when you look at the cost you do start to wonder.

I think the ideal for us would be a good trip abroad in the first half of the year then a nice British holiday in the summer.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Surely the point of having a holiday is to be as far away from England as possible for as long as possible

 

[Lord Bracknell]

As someone who HATES lying around on beaches, ESPECIALLY on scorching hot days, can I vote for Cornwall? At least you can keep your clothes on.

 

[Stat Brother]

Who needs to go to CORNWALL when you have DORSET.

Similar beaches, the jurrassic(sp) coast, Lyme Regis, fossiling, dramatic cliffs, great beer.

And last wednesday we 'popped' down for the day (leaving at stoopid o'clock) but still got to Bridport in 2 hours. 3hrs coming home.

 

[JBizzleBeard]

IF you get decent weather then Devon/Cornwall is beautiful, I was there last weekend and had decent weather. On the other hand, if you get shite weather in Devon/Cornwall its pretty miserable.

 

[ali jenkins]

In the next 2 months Im going on a cannal boat for 5 days and Rhodes for 7 nights so I will compare and report for NSC!

 

[skipper734]

In the next 2 months Im going on a cannal boat for 5 days and Rhodes for 7 nights so I will compare and report for NSC!

Which canal will that be on then?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

As someone who HATES lying around on beaches, ESPECIALLY on scorching hot days, can I vote for Cornwall? At least you can keep your clothes on.

I am with you on that one. I am always bemused as to why people grade a place on the quality of a beach. The previous three summers, I have gone away with a group of 6 friends to various Spanish areas and I get a look of disdain when I tell them I don't want to spend all day on the beach and disappear off to explore. Why travel all that way to lie on a bit of sand for five hours, crammed in and surrounded by alien people?

 

[SICKASAGULL]

The time wasted at airports due to security and/or delayed flights makes a UK holiday worth considering however the weather soon drives you back to going abroad.
High parking charges in the west country can be cancelled out by not having to pay the massive flight charges, I found it more of a turn off because car parks were full by mid-morning and you were waved on to the next town and often suffered the same situation again and again,who wants to get up early on holiday to ensure you can find a parking spot?

 

[Cpt. Spavil]

ive been there a few years back, it was great there but you deffo need a car when you are there and to get there of course, but we stayed in st ives and there was a resturant on the beacch and the views as the sun set was just fantastic i hope i can go back soon