NPR

Thor Sedan wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:16 am
I will never do a cruise - unless it is a river cruise. I get horrific sea sickness - so no way I am paying hundreds of pounds just to feel like warmed up death. Plus cruise people seem like people I don't really want to hang out with.

Gumboot wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:26 am Fear of flying is worthy of its own thread, I reckon. Just on the evidence of this thread, there are people who love to travel but would much rather stay earth-bound doing it.

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:46 am

Gumboot wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:26 am Fear of flying is worthy of its own thread, I reckon. Just on the evidence of this thread, there are people who love to travel but would much rather stay earth-bound doing it.

Flying is great, it’s the crashing I’m not keen on. Had a very heavy landing once at Luton with whizz air, broke something on the plane in the galley and pilot stood on the brakes so hard the fucking plane slid over something it wasn’t supposed to and took an hour to reach the gate whilst checks were done and we got towed I think - I let out some bum gas then I can tell you. Plenty of shrieks and sobbing on the plane, not all of them from me.

Jock42 wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:30 am

Thor Sedan wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:16 am
I will never do a cruise - unless it is a river cruise. I get horrific sea sickness - so no way I am paying hundreds of pounds just to feel like warmed up death. Plus cruise people seem like people I don't really want to hang out with.

I like the idea of a cruise but given how little time you get in each city I've always been put off. River cruises seem to offer more time in each city. That said I'm still not old enough to book.

Slick wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:53 am
I know so many people who have not fancied cruising but having been on one are totally hooked. I also wouldn't mind a river cruise I think, but a few years until I would look at it seriously.

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:49 am

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:46 amFlying is great, it’s the crashing I’m not keen on. Had a very heavy landing once at Luton with whizz air, broke something on the plane in the galley and pilot stood on the brakes so hard the fucking plane slid over something it wasn’t supposed to and took an hour to reach the gate whilst checks were done and we got towed I think - I let out some bum gas then I can tell you. Plenty of shrieks and sobbing on the plane, not all of them from me.

Flying is fine. Probably even the crashing is ok . It's going through the airport with all the other wankers that puts many people off.

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:46 am

Gumboot wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:26 am Fear of flying is worthy of its own thread, I reckon. Just on the evidence of this thread, there are people who love to travel but would much rather stay earth-bound doing it.

Flying is great, it’s the crashing I’m not keen on. Had a very heavy landing once at Luton with whizz air, broke something on the plane in the galley and pilot stood on the brakes so hard the fucking plane slid over something it wasn’t supposed to and took an hour to reach the gate whilst checks were done and we got towed I think - I let out some bum gas then I can tell you. Plenty of shrieks and sobbing on the plane, not all of them from me.

Biffer wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 7:35 am My regular yearly holiday is to stay at home and go to the Edinburgh festival. Pack a pile of shows in, take the money I would have spent on a flight and hotel and spend it on tickets. I'm off from tomorrow until the end of next week - already spent about £350 on tickets, will likely double that but it's less than ten days in a hotel

Slick wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:40 am

Biffer wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 7:35 am My regular yearly holiday is to stay at home and go to the Edinburgh festival. Pack a pile of shows in, take the money I would have spent on a flight and hotel and spend it on tickets. I'm off from tomorrow until the end of next week - already spent about £350 on tickets, will likely double that but it's less than ten days in a hotel

Love the festival. But ticket prices are getting a wee bit high, pretty much doubled in the 5 years I've been going - not to mention the £3.50 booking fee on every ticket, which is taking the piss. I've booked a few things but not nearly as many as other years.

Biffer wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:43 am

Slick wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:40 am

Biffer wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 7:35 am My regular yearly holiday is to stay at home and go to the Edinburgh festival. Pack a pile of shows in, take the money I would have spent on a flight and hotel and spend it on tickets. I'm off from tomorrow until the end of next week - already spent about £350 on tickets, will likely double that but it's less than ten days in a hotel

Love the festival. But ticket prices are getting a wee bit high, pretty much doubled in the 5 years I've been going - not to mention the £3.50 booking fee on every ticket, which is taking the piss. I've booked a few things but not nearly as many as other years.

It's not £3.50 a ticket. £1.25 I think, which is still a bit rich.

Slick wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:47 am

Biffer wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:43 am

Slick wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:40 am

Love the festival. But ticket prices are getting a wee bit high, pretty much doubled in the 5 years I've been going - not to mention the £3.50 booking fee on every ticket, which is taking the piss. I've booked a few things but not nearly as many as other years.

It's not £3.50 a ticket. £1.25 I think, which is still a bit rich.

I thought it was a bit more than that, but I've maybe read it wrong.

I was looking at the book festival yesterday as I used to just pop along when I had a spare afternoon and tickets were usually £5-£7 but everything now £15.50 plus booking which takes that option away for me at the moment.

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 12:04 pm Jocks discussing £1.25 booking fees

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 12:04 pm Jocks discussing £1.25 booking fees

Gumboot wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:26 am Fear of flying is worthy of its own thread, I reckon. Just on the evidence of this thread, there are people who love to travel but would much rather stay earth-bound doing it.

Thor Sedan wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:08 am

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:46 am

Gumboot wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:26 am Fear of flying is worthy of its own thread, I reckon. Just on the evidence of this thread, there are people who love to travel but would much rather stay earth-bound doing it.

Flying is great, it’s the crashing I’m not keen on. Had a very heavy landing once at Luton with whizz air, broke something on the plane in the galley and pilot stood on the brakes so hard the fucking plane slid over something it wasn’t supposed to and took an hour to reach the gate whilst checks were done and we got towed I think - I let out some bum gas then I can tell you. Plenty of shrieks and sobbing on the plane, not all of them from me.

I think everyone has a flying story.

Mine was landing in Sydney during the bushfires of 2001. It was super gusty and it was the first time I heard a Captain come on the tannoy and tell everyone that it was going to be a very rough landing - but he would try and get us down as quickly as possible. We were in a 747 and were being tossed around like I have never experienced before or since. Folk were screaming and puking - even the steward sitting in front of us was green and gripping on. To be fair - the Captain put it down first try - but I thought my time was up. A couple of folk had to be stretchered off due to panic attacks or something. One lad sitting in the bulkhead in the middle had a couple of sick bags sitting at his feet with a steward sitting next to him reassuring him. It was feckin' chaotic.

I had taken my camera out of my overhead luggage as we were coming in via the harbour direction so would have got some good shots of the city - but I was so frazzled and ill I put the camera in the seatback pocket and walked off without it - of course the cleaning crew didn't find anything.....a ton of photos from Africa lost.

I still can't believe how much that massive plane moved around. Terrifying.

Thor Sedan wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:16 am
I will never do a cruise - unless it is a river cruise. I get horrific sea sickness - so no way I am paying hundreds of pounds just to feel like warmed up death. Plus cruise people seem like people I don't really want to hang out with.

assfly wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 5:43 am Anything in nature, as far away from civilisation as possible. It's the only way I can switch off.

I've seen enough cities in my life, they all start to look the same. But I've never gone to a new game reserve or forest that hasn't filled me with a sense of awe.

Calculon wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 4:23 am I’m starting to feel more and more like this. Possibly related to living in a city with 26 million people. Some of the best holidays I’ve had were canoe safaris along the Zambesi River. Pack everything you need in the canoes: tents, food, rifle, beers, water, shovel, toilet paper etc, and camp every night on one of the islands in the river. One of the best ways to see the wildlife since they seem less afraid of canoes.

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 12:04 pm Jocks discussing £1.25 booking fees

Blackmac wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 7:26 am

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 12:04 pm Jocks discussing £1.25 booking fees

It adds up when people often take in 4 or 5 shows a day. As Slick said the economic impact is just making that very, very expensive, especially when you are taking a leap of faith with some of the shows which can be absolute rubbish.

Thor Sedan wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:08 am

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:46 am

Gumboot wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:26 am Fear of flying is worthy of its own thread, I reckon. Just on the evidence of this thread, there are people who love to travel but would much rather stay earth-bound doing it.

Flying is great, it’s the crashing I’m not keen on. Had a very heavy landing once at Luton with whizz air, broke something on the plane in the galley and pilot stood on the brakes so hard the fucking plane slid over something it wasn’t supposed to and took an hour to reach the gate whilst checks were done and we got towed I think - I let out some bum gas then I can tell you. Plenty of shrieks and sobbing on the plane, not all of them from me.

I think everyone has a flying story.

Mine was landing in Sydney during the bushfires of 2001. It was super gusty and it was the first time I heard a Captain come on the tannoy and tell everyone that it was going to be a very rough landing - but he would try and get us down as quickly as possible. We were in a 747 and were being tossed around like I have never experienced before or since. Folk were screaming and puking - even the steward sitting in front of us was green and gripping on. To be fair - the Captain put it down first try - but I thought my time was up. A couple of folk had to be stretchered off due to panic attacks or something. One lad sitting in the bulkhead in the middle had a couple of sick bags sitting at his feet with a steward sitting next to him reassuring him. It was feckin' chaotic.

I had taken my camera out of my overhead luggage as we were coming in via the harbour direction so would have got some good shots of the city - but I was so frazzled and ill I put the camera in the seatback pocket and walked off without it - of course the cleaning crew didn't find anything.....a ton of photos from Africa lost.

I still can't believe how much that massive plane moved around. Terrifying.

Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 8:08 am

Blackmac wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 7:26 am

Yeeb wrote: Tue Aug 08, 2023 12:04 pm Jocks discussing £1.25 booking fees

It adds up when people often take in 4 or 5 shows a day. As Slick said the economic impact is just making that very, very expensive, especially when you are taking a leap of faith with some of the shows which can be absolute rubbish.

I think I've mentioned this before but when I first went to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1990 ish, a cheap show was less than 3 quid. That's about £7 today. If you saw somehing crap you didn't mind too much and I saw many more student productions that were pretty decent than the opposite.

These days most shows are approaching £15 which makes seeing something shite really annoying. The Free Fringe is a reaction against this and the last time I went I saw plenty of decent, unusual stuff for nothing but whatever donation I wished to give at the end.

Blackmac wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 12:49 pm

Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 8:08 am

Blackmac wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 7:26 am

It adds up when people often take in 4 or 5 shows a day. As Slick said the economic impact is just making that very, very expensive, especially when you are taking a leap of faith with some of the shows which can be absolute rubbish.

I think I've mentioned this before but when I first went to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1990 ish, a cheap show was less than 3 quid. That's about £7 today. If you saw somehing crap you didn't mind too much and I saw many more student productions that were pretty decent than the opposite.

These days most shows are approaching £15 which makes seeing something shite really annoying. The Free Fringe is a reaction against this and the last time I went I saw plenty of decent, unusual stuff for nothing but whatever donation I wished to give at the end.

Yep, exactly, you could just spend the day spending a couple of pounds a time wandering into shows. If they were rubbish, nothing really lost. To be fair to the performers the price rises are clearly driven by the extortionate costs associated with Edinburgh these days which appears to be overtaking London with its ability to rip of tourists and anyone looking to socialise in the city.

robmatic wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2023 8:16 am

Blackmac wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 12:49 pm

Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 8:08 am
I think I've mentioned this before but when I first went to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1990 ish, a cheap show was less than 3 quid. That's about £7 today. If you saw somehing crap you didn't mind too much and I saw many more student productions that were pretty decent than the opposite.

These days most shows are approaching £15 which makes seeing something shite really annoying. The Free Fringe is a reaction against this and the last time I went I saw plenty of decent, unusual stuff for nothing but whatever donation I wished to give at the end.

Yep, exactly, you could just spend the day spending a couple of pounds a time wandering into shows. If they were rubbish, nothing really lost. To be fair to the performers the price rises are clearly driven by the extortionate costs associated with Edinburgh these days which appears to be overtaking London with its ability to rip of tourists and anyone looking to socialise in the city.

I think not much of the ticket price actually ends up with the performers, who are paying through the nose for accommodation and venue hire. It'll be the Edinburgh landlords and promoters who are coining it.

robmatic wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2023 8:16 am

Blackmac wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 12:49 pm

Dinsdale Piranha wrote: Wed Aug 09, 2023 8:08 am
I think I've mentioned this before but when I first went to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1990 ish, a cheap show was less than 3 quid. That's about £7 today. If you saw somehing crap you didn't mind too much and I saw many more student productions that were pretty decent than the opposite.

These days most shows are approaching £15 which makes seeing something shite really annoying. The Free Fringe is a reaction against this and the last time I went I saw plenty of decent, unusual stuff for nothing but whatever donation I wished to give at the end.

Yep, exactly, you could just spend the day spending a couple of pounds a time wandering into shows. If they were rubbish, nothing really lost. To be fair to the performers the price rises are clearly driven by the extortionate costs associated with Edinburgh these days which appears to be overtaking London with its ability to rip of tourists and anyone looking to socialise in the city.

I think not much of the ticket price actually ends up with the performers, who are paying through the nose for accommodation and venue hire. It'll be the Edinburgh landlords and promoters who are coining it.