General Chat

Went with o.h. and booked the holiday today. Was an extra £64 on top of yesterday's prices but for £868 we get a two bedroomed apartment, inflight meals, transfers and full luggage allowance of 20 kgs each
Considering we would have probably had to pay at least £600 for an apartment in Kent or whereever we chose plus petrol and the hassle of driving and putting up with probably miserable weather, I think it's a bargain, and I can't wait to be in sunshine and eat lovely grub!
We picked the Blue Gardens apartments as there are only 11 and it's family run, has brilliant reviews, only downside is we need to take bathtowels as well as beach towels but that's not a problem with the full luggage allowance. We can walk to Acharavi if we want so choice of both resorts and hope it will be a lovely holiday.
Last time I went abroad was Malta in 12007 with my son, and it rained heavily most of the time, before that o.h. and I went to Kefalonia in 2001 and 2003 and before that Fuerterventura which was his first package holiday abroad.

This time we are flying from our local airport so ten minutes in a taxi and we are there, day time flights and all fits nicely in time schedules.
Have to sort out insurance and health thingy now so better get those organised and then can relax till I sort out the packing later this month.

Phew!!! Never thought I would get him abroad again!
If he gets a taste for it, maybe we will go more often!

Thanks for all your help folks

Lizxx

So pleased for you,Liz I am sure you wiil enjoy it, dont forget the sun lotion...


Enjoy.... love Jean x

Thanks Jean love,

Just going to go to local Lloyds, see what they have, if nothing suitable and good price, will order off my Avon lady as it's on sale this time round and should arrive the weekend before we go.

Lizx

Liz google this company for insurance:

ehicplus.com .

Just sorted cover for FIL who is 85 for a week in France (with us) and declaring angina and high choloestrol only £16 :45 for 8 days.

We've paid £70 2 years ago so really good Value for money.

You must have a valid EHIC card but you can get online if you don't already have one.

Enjoy your break

Linda :o)

hi me hubby stayed at blue gardens they are a wonderful couple who run it the place was lovley have a great time just wish it was me tina

Thanks Tina, I have been reading the reviews and it's what everyone says, how lovely the people are there and there is a 4 yr old girl who is a delight I read, so I am sure o.h. and I will spoil her lol

I got the Ehic card in Sept 2007 so not sure if it is still valid, will check later.

Thanks for the info re insurance, o.h. says I am not to say anything but I feel we should mention that he had a bleed on the brain nearly two years ago, all fine now and nothing more than soluble aspirin to take every day but he is also on blood pressure and cholesterol medication as well. I told him if something happens and they find out he didn't declare it, he won't be covered but pig headed him thinks otherwise, so might let him sort his own insurance out.

I will look at ehicplus, my son thinks he got his when he went abroad with me, from Swinton, think I went directline, but can't remember now.
As long as we stay ok for the next couple of days till we get it sorted out we will be ok lol
O.h. has been talking about making a will for ages, now decides perhaps he should do it, does he think I will push him over a cliff?!

I did mine before my son and I went away so it's up to date.

Lizx

hi yes they had a daughter she must be about five now but when we were there it was lovley to see her father holding her and he sang to her every day we have not been back as the year after we went hubby had triple by pass and then he got made redunded but things have just started tolook up for us both as he started a new job last week after being out of work for a year so fingers crossed maybe we can make it next year even if its just a week shall keep watch out for thread when you are back so you can tell me if they hve any more family her hubby is a great cook and every thing was fresh veg ect they even left water in room so when we arrived we could have a cup a tea think it was about two euros and we just went and paid them the next day but i thought it was a lovley touch as it was a late flight when we arrived tina

Hi Tina, it's so good to talk to someone who has been there, we have a two bed apt so should be lots of room, and I think the kitchens sound well equipped, I have before now had to make toast in a dry frying pan lol and boil water for tea in a pan, but this one has kettles and toasters etc I think. Is it right about the bath towels not being supplied?

You can learn a bit about the family including I think a picture of two of the men folk or might have been on another site, but if you google the name you can find all sorts of sites where there are reviews and you can read about them on there if you find some up to date reviews.

I have asked for a quiet apartment as o.h. hates being near the pool altho I have said there won't be many children shrieking and such as they will be back at school.

Some reviews said it was a bit British and not much Greek food available in Roda but I am sure it isn't that bad, and we can always go to Acharavi as I understand that is just a walk along the seafront? Is it far?

x

hi cant rememer how far it was but i know we did walk there and back but we did have many pit stops on the way keeping up with our fluid intake we had some lovley greek food i love stiffardo ,but its been a while since we went and some things change but i hope not as i love to try the greek food we took our own towels but i do that any way being rather large i like me towel to rap round me tina

Liz, God forbid that anything should happen but if you don't declare everything, including all medication, and something happens to either of you the insurance will be invalid and you could face huge bills. And if in the extreme case one of you should pass on ---- I sincerely hope not of course - you or your OH would have huge problems. It really is not worth it.

Ann xx

Enjoy your holiday in the sun Liz. Not been to Roda but I like Corfu, sounds like you'll have a restful time
Mau xx

Liz, what airline are you flying with. Good to get in flight meals in the price these days.

Tina, someone said on one of the reviews this year you can get a towel in the town for about 6 euros so I will take one bath and one beach towel for o.h. but knowing him he will get them mixed up lol, he's hopeless like that!

If possible I prefer to take a towelling robe, I have a thinnish one which I pop on after bathing or showering so with the full luggage allowance I might have room for that, if not will take one beach and one bath towel for myself and keep them in my room!!!! Love the idea we have seperate rooms, we do when we go away in England so I can read myself off to sleep and spread myself about, so it will be lovely over there too. I am a bit portly so some towels provided don't meet in the middle lol i like stifado but love kleftiko and have made it back here in the UK.

Amanda, I am with the Halifax so could ask about insurance.

Ann, my thoughts entirely, and I did say that to him, that's when he said he thought he should do his will lol I will make sure I disclose everything, it just isn't worth the risk. It would be his son or father who would have to cough up - the other son doesn't have a bean.
The holiday is booked through Thos. Cook but can't see what airline.
We had to pay extra for the meals, most of them ask now if you want to do that, it was £15 each for the two meals, there and back. Another £15 each for the extra luggage allowance,to 20 kgs which used to be the norm.

I just got two x 200 ml Solero moisturising sun lotion factor 30, which he will moan is too high but will be fine for the first few days, for £1 each, reduced from £7.82 each lol (use by date 25.10.09 but it will last longer than that really. Will get an Avon no 10 factor at half price for the rest of the hols. Also got a tube of Savlon bites and stings pain relief gel reduced to £2.50 from £3.99 for the mozzie bites! Proper girl scout aren't I?

Better get off here and do some swearwording lol

Thanks Mau for your good wishes. I 'd take you all with me if I could.

Lizxxx

Airline will most probably be Thomas Cook then. Didn't realise you paid extra for the meals, I thought it was all in, we usually decline that and take something with us to eat, having got a meal at the airport.

It was his choice to pay the extra, Ann, I would have probably taken something with us but we are only up the road from airport so wouldn't eat there. Really by the time you have paid for food to take or eat at airport I don't think £7.50 each meal is too bad, I usually find the food ok and just enough to get me through to the apartment. We don't get in till just before midnight so will pack something I can have before I go to bed and o.h. can go out next morning to get some stuff for breakfast, like milk as I will take a bag of my favourite muesli with me and he will take his choice. I think the woman at the apartments cooks good meals so if I can drag myself out of bed we could go out and get a cooked breakfast perhaps.
The basic price was £404 each then the £30 added for food and luggage. Yesterday I was quoted £340 for the basic fare, but as the seats get fewer the price goes up! We also have to pay £5 each at the airport for their charges, that's gone up from £3 and there has been an outcry but it's supposed to be to help keep the airport going and be improved! Just a con really but what can you do? We have 'saved' nearly £60 by not having to go on a coach to another airport and a taxi won't be much, altho our neighbour will probably offer to take us anyway - he has done in the past, taken us to the bus station.

Lizx

Not me paying Mac lol O.h. was the one handing over his debit card, was going to put it on his credit card to be protected but an extra £28+ so when she said that, he used his debit card instead, as the girl said Thos Cook are covered with all the atols and wotsits lol Well she didn't use those words but I can't remember all the initials now.

Hope you are ok now and have sorted out your visit to Malta, or aren't you going now?

xxx

Well if you don't mind the food Liz, that is the best way to do it. When we go it is usually morning or lunch time-ish and we have to be at the airport 2 hours before, coming from so far away we are usually there earlier so have lots of time to get a meal. and I hate on board food!!!

Never had a problem with it yet Ann, altho when I was younger I never thought you got enough lol, I was always hungry, and it shows now lol.

I can remember one time we were late getting ready and o.h. had decided to go and get fish and chips before we went, he came back with them and I wasn't ready so ate the chips quickly and wrapped the fish in foil, ate it in Heathrow airport lol after we had checked in. Well I wasn't going to waste it was I ? When my son and I went to Malta we had to get a coach to Luton airport at 9am so we didn't have much time for breakfast only a coffee and croissant and I made up loads of rolls and stuff, we ended up having to throw lots away cos we couldn't get it all in our bags, was with Ryanair and only the 15kgs allowance and we had pressies for his Nan and our friends etc so bags were full up.



xx

n

Morning Liz,

Sounds like you have a lovely vacation booked.

Enjoy the preparations for your holidays as that is the beginning of your journey.

Hope you have a wonderful time and the weather is kind to you, we are still in the 30's and it looks like it is going to stay that way all weekend. At least there is a fresh wind blowing. I for one will be glad when the summer is over.

Have a great weekend!

Lindy xx