NPR

Sandstorm wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2023 10:50 am

Sards wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2023 10:49 am

Sandstorm wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2023 10:12 am

When is your birthday? Swimming in the Breeriver in winter isn't for sissies.

Mid October.
It's 25km from the river mouth. Doubt the Tiger Sharks will be that high up. Up till 28km there is fishing. So just before that point. It's " the Spanish house". Located on a bend in the river, so a sandbank has built up just before the shore which shelters swimmers from the deep river. It will be nice and warm then and the kob season will just be under way

The largest bull shark known to science was caught in a river in South Africa. The shark, measuring over 3.5 meters long and weighing between 550 and 600 kilograms, was caught in the Breede River by a team of scientists

Sards wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2023 10:54 am Sounds amazing...will look into it. Fishing

Yr Alban wrote: Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:17 pm Just got back from a fantastic trip to the US. Three days in NYC, then flew to Seattle and drove down to San Fran, visiting four national parks along the way.

The only issue is that Aer Lingus have lost one of our suitcases in Dublin. Fortunately it mostly has dirty laundry in it, but they haven’t located it as yet and it’s bloody annoying.

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Aug 13, 2023 2:33 pm

Yr Alban wrote: Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:17 pm Just got back from a fantastic trip to the US. Three days in NYC, then flew to Seattle and drove down to San Fran, visiting four national parks along the way.

The only issue is that Aer Lingus have lost one of our suitcases in Dublin. Fortunately it mostly has dirty laundry in it, but they haven’t located it as yet and it’s bloody annoying.

How long did the Seattle to San Francisco / 4 parks part take? I’ve got my eye on the same route.

Yr Alban wrote: Sun Aug 13, 2023 5:41 pm

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Aug 13, 2023 2:33 pm

Yr Alban wrote: Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:17 pm Just got back from a fantastic trip to the US. Three days in NYC, then flew to Seattle and drove down to San Fran, visiting four national parks along the way.

The only issue is that Aer Lingus have lost one of our suitcases in Dublin. Fortunately it mostly has dirty laundry in it, but they haven’t located it as yet and it’s bloody annoying.

How long did the Seattle to San Francisco / 4 parks part take? I’ve got my eye on the same route.

We did this:
Drove to Packwood, WA (about 1 hr from Mt Rainier) - about 2-3 hours. Stayed 2 nights, 1 day in NP
Drove to Chiloquin, OR (45 min from Crater Lake) - about 7 hours. Stayed 2 nights, 1 day in NP
Drove to Crescent City, CA - about 4 hours. Afternoon trip into Redwood NP, stayed overnight
Drove to Stockton, CA - about 7-8 hours. Visited a bit more of Redwood on the way (you drive through it). Stayed overnight
Drove to Yosemite - about 2-3 hours. Spent afternoon in northern part of NP. Drove out to Mariposa, CA (about an hour from the park entrance). Stayed overnight. Next day visited Yosemite Valley and the southern bit of the park and stayed a second night
Drove to SFO airport and dropped off the car.

So 8 nights total, and about 25 hours of driving, though only 2 days we spent mostly in the car. You could spend a lot longer in the NPs, and do some hiking or whatever, but the visits we did were enough to get a flavour of the places.

It is a lot of travelling, and our kids are older teenagers so deal with it fine. We spent 3 nights in NYC and 2 in SF to bookend the trip.

Sards wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:28 am My birthday weekend is turning into a bit of a nightmare....we just received the terms and conditions.
Absolutely no loud music.....wtaf..........
Place thorns in a container before entering the house......word....the luscious lawns we saw are littered with thorns......wtf must the kids do now.
There is more but those 2 are basically game breakers

Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 10:31 am

Sards wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:28 am My birthday weekend is turning into a bit of a nightmare....we just received the terms and conditions.
Absolutely no loud music.....wtaf..........
Place thorns in a container before entering the house......word....the luscious lawns we saw are littered with thorns......wtf must the kids do now.
There is more but those 2 are basically game breakers

Some owners of rental properties don't really like the idea of other people actually staying in them.

I was in a B&B in Italy 4 years ago. It was immaculately clean but the owners were picky to the point of winding everybody up. Don't lean your bike against the wall, don't use the coffee machine - ask us for a coffee. Don't help yourself to bread/butter/jam at breakfast. Take your shoes off before entering your room etc. etc.

Sards wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:07 pm

Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 10:31 am

Sards wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:28 am My birthday weekend is turning into a bit of a nightmare....we just received the terms and conditions.
Absolutely no loud music.....wtaf..........
Place thorns in a container before entering the house......word....the luscious lawns we saw are littered with thorns......wtf must the kids do now.
There is more but those 2 are basically game breakers

Some owners of rental properties don't really like the idea of other people actually staying in them.

I was in a B&B in Italy 4 years ago. It was immaculately clean but the owners were picky to the point of winding everybody up. Don't lean your bike against the wall, don't use the coffee machine - ask us for a coffee. Don't help yourself to bread/butter/jam at breakfast. Take your shoes off before entering your room etc. etc.

I am still puzzling the no loud music. At 60 I am not going to be head banging or into doof doof till the early hours....but it's a celebration. And we will be drinking.

mat the expat wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 3:43 am Fly out tomorrow morning, Muchas Excitemente!

handyman wrote: Tue Aug 15, 2023 12:53 pm

Sards wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:07 pm

Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 10:31 am

Some owners of rental properties don't really like the idea of other people actually staying in them.

I was in a B&B in Italy 4 years ago. It was immaculately clean but the owners were picky to the point of winding everybody up. Don't lean your bike against the wall, don't use the coffee machine - ask us for a coffee. Don't help yourself to bread/butter/jam at breakfast. Take your shoes off before entering your room etc. etc.

I am still puzzling the no loud music. At 60 I am not going to be head banging or into doof doof till the early hours....but it's a celebration. And we will be drinking.

Your earlier post said you can make as much noise as you like as it's isolated.

Biffer wrote: Thu Sep 28, 2023 8:57 am I was just in Matera (Southern Italy) for a week - work not holiday unfortunately. If your idea of a holiday is wandering little narrow streets, stopping for coffee or a glass of wine occasionally, and good food from small restaurants, then I'd thoroughly recommend it. It's beautiful.

Sards wrote: Thu Sep 28, 2023 8:40 am Oh Vok.....

Malgas has been isolated because of the flooding of the Breede and we have no idea if the house is ok we booked for 2 weeks time....we will know shortly.

Insane_Homer wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 11:14 am in Bruges for 3 nights in a couple of weeks time. Between the rugby (Sun to Wed)

Cheaper, quicker & easier to fly than catch Eurostar (dropping daughter at Heathrow at same time helps the logistics greatly too)

dpedin wrote: Sat Oct 07, 2023 10:25 am

Insane_Homer wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 11:14 am in Bruges for 3 nights in a couple of weeks time. Between the rugby (Sun to Wed)

Cheaper, quicker & easier to fly than catch Eurostar (dropping daughter at Heathrow at same time helps the logistics greatly too)

Just back from visiting a mate who lives just south of Brussels close to Waterloo. 3 of us go over and play golf there - love it! Been there about half a dozen times and enjoy the country, well mostly the beer, the food, the golf and seeing my mates family. Waterloo battlefield and museum is well worth a visit as well as the brewery/bar located nearby. You can get a sample tray of all their beers to try ... dont take the car. https://fermedemontsaintjean.be/en/bras ... estaurant/

We fly Edinburgh to Charleroi about an hour and 20 mins, easy. However waited almost as long as the flight for Edinburgh airport to get my bags off the plane and into the baggage hall - it really is the most badly managed airport. Charleroi much more efficient.

Blackmac wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 2:48 pm

dpedin wrote: Sat Oct 07, 2023 10:25 am

Insane_Homer wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 11:14 am in Bruges for 3 nights in a couple of weeks time. Between the rugby (Sun to Wed)

Cheaper, quicker & easier to fly than catch Eurostar (dropping daughter at Heathrow at same time helps the logistics greatly too)

Just back from visiting a mate who lives just south of Brussels close to Waterloo. 3 of us go over and play golf there - love it! Been there about half a dozen times and enjoy the country, well mostly the beer, the food, the golf and seeing my mates family. Waterloo battlefield and museum is well worth a visit as well as the brewery/bar located nearby. You can get a sample tray of all their beers to try ... dont take the car. https://fermedemontsaintjean.be/en/bras ... estaurant/

We fly Edinburgh to Charleroi about an hour and 20 mins, easy. However waited almost as long as the flight for Edinburgh airport to get my bags off the plane and into the baggage hall - it really is the most badly managed airport. Charleroi much more efficient.

Flying into Edinburgh is just bloody embarrassing. The passport hall and baggage reclaim have been a disaster since Covid.

Simian wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 4:05 pm

Blackmac wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 2:48 pm

dpedin wrote: Sat Oct 07, 2023 10:25 am

Just back from visiting a mate who lives just south of Brussels close to Waterloo. 3 of us go over and play golf there - love it! Been there about half a dozen times and enjoy the country, well mostly the beer, the food, the golf and seeing my mates family. Waterloo battlefield and museum is well worth a visit as well as the brewery/bar located nearby. You can get a sample tray of all their beers to try ... dont take the car. https://fermedemontsaintjean.be/en/bras ... estaurant/

We fly Edinburgh to Charleroi about an hour and 20 mins, easy. However waited almost as long as the flight for Edinburgh airport to get my bags off the plane and into the baggage hall - it really is the most badly managed airport. Charleroi much more efficient.

Flying into Edinburgh is just bloody embarrassing. The passport hall and baggage reclaim have been a disaster since Covid.

Yeah, I fly between Edinburgh Charleroi a few times a month and I’ve never had problems at Charleroi and always have a big wait at Edinburgh coming back. It’s so cheap though. And the bus connections to Brussels and Gent are excellent.

Sandstorm wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 3:26 pm My mate flies everywhere for work and reckons the only major UK airport that makes security and baggage collection work these days is Gatwick.

Shame the quality of passenger pushing & moaning their way through that place means it is just horrible otherwise.

Insane_Homer wrote: Mon Oct 23, 2023 3:51 pm In Bruges, beered up
Waffles, beer, chocolate and awesome brunches.
Great hotel, can't remember the last time I had 12 hours sleep.

Sards wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:50 am My eldest wants to get away for his birthday this year too in mid November. We are looking at an option close to my favorite place in the world. De Mond. There is a cottage available.....just need to canvas the parents of his mates to see if they can go away for a weekend this close to the November exams..........On it.

Cottage sleeps 10 so should be good for a few mates.


.De Mond

Simian wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 4:05 pm

Blackmac wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 2:48 pm

dpedin wrote: Sat Oct 07, 2023 10:25 am

Just back from visiting a mate who lives just south of Brussels close to Waterloo. 3 of us go over and play golf there - love it! Been there about half a dozen times and enjoy the country, well mostly the beer, the food, the golf and seeing my mates family. Waterloo battlefield and museum is well worth a visit as well as the brewery/bar located nearby. You can get a sample tray of all their beers to try ... dont take the car. https://fermedemontsaintjean.be/en/bras ... estaurant/

We fly Edinburgh to Charleroi about an hour and 20 mins, easy. However waited almost as long as the flight for Edinburgh airport to get my bags off the plane and into the baggage hall - it really is the most badly managed airport. Charleroi much more efficient.

Flying into Edinburgh is just bloody embarrassing. The passport hall and baggage reclaim have been a disaster since Covid.

Yeah, I fly between Edinburgh Charleroi a few times a month and I’ve never had problems at Charleroi and always have a big wait at Edinburgh coming back. It’s so cheap though. And the bus connections to Brussels and Gent are excellent.

dpedin wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2023 9:46 am

Insane_Homer wrote: Mon Oct 23, 2023 3:51 pm In Bruges, beered up
Waffles, beer, chocolate and awesome brunches.
Great hotel, can't remember the last time I had 12 hours sleep.

Beautiful town! Belgian beer is just the dogs bollox!

Sards wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2023 10:03 am

Sards wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:50 am My eldest wants to get away for his birthday this year too in mid November. We are looking at an option close to my favorite place in the world. De Mond. There is a cottage available.....just need to canvas the parents of his mates to see if they can go away for a weekend this close to the November exams..........On it.

Cottage sleeps 10 so should be good for a few mates.


.De Mond

booked....we can sort out logistics etc after.....


I love this place......its where my soul goes to recharge
And the fishing is top class

Biffer wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:20 am

Simian wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 4:05 pm

Blackmac wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2023 2:48 pm

Flying into Edinburgh is just bloody embarrassing. The passport hall and baggage reclaim have been a disaster since Covid.

Yeah, I fly between Edinburgh Charleroi a few times a month and I’ve never had problems at Charleroi and always have a big wait at Edinburgh coming back. It’s so cheap though. And the bus connections to Brussels and Gent are excellent.

The baggage wait at Edinburgh has always been weird. Even pre pandemic you never knew if your bags would be five minutes or forty five minutes, there's just no pattern to it. I try to avoid having hold baggage at all times, other than that though I find Edinburgh Airport pretty quick and efficient most of the time. Needs more space in the terminal though.