It’s rare to talk about things I don’t think I would do again on my blog as this blog seems to prove nicely that I have my vacation ‘type’ well practiced! But we learn a lot by doing things that didn’t necessarily work well for us or we do things where once is enough. Every day is a learning day and time is never wasted by learning, seeing and doing! This month the travel link-up with Emma, Rebecca and Kelly is all about the travel experiences that we won’t be looking to repeat… I always say I won’t enjoy the fizz as much on my next flight but the new A380 and B787 planes have such good air conditioning that the jet lag and dehydration is lessened markedly!
Drive through Kingston in the dark
Worth driving through Kingston to arrive at Strawberry Hill
Kingston in
Jamaica doesn’t have the best safety record, let’s be honest! We didn’t really think about this when we booked a hire car at the start of our visit for a plane that arrived at 4pm, not long before dusk! Powered navigationally by much less than 3G, a road atlas of the whole country and some google earth screen grabs we needed to find our way out of Kingston town and up into the mountains… Not the easiest – at one point we considered taking the hire car back to the airport and getting a taxi! Plough on we did – finding some helpful lecturer types near the university to correct our directions – and the stress was well worth it! We rolled into
Strawberry Hill slightly worse for wear from winding roads in the pitch black and were greeted with open arms and rum punch! Mr P the driver on this occasion definitely deserved his punch!
All inclusive
Glad we left the all-inc behind after a few days and went and found the real island
What’s not to like with an all inclusive holiday? Everything is included so it must be good? Kind of, kind of not. I hate being tied to a resort and also restricted to a certain menu or set of drinks. We travelled all the way to
Barbados and because we were on an all inclusive deal found ourselves planning our days around food and drink and resort arranged day trips – this meant missing out on seeing the local side of the island. After a few days of the all inclusive charade we did head out to the wilder east coast – to get away from the other guests and to get away from a menu that could be served in any part of the world. All inclusive I believe for its quality isn’t actually great value for money and none of your money finds its way to the local businesses. I am sure there are nice places to be found – probably in smaller hotels which are privately owned – but we love getting outside the hotel grounds and seeing somewhere for real.
Wilderness safari
I am way more dubious about remote thatched cottage locations now…
So I hate snakes, I mean I am absolutely terrified of the horrid things – can’t even look at them in a book or on TV… We met one on honeymoon in
KwaZulu Natal, hanging out (literally hanging from the lightshade) on our thatch cottage porch. I had loved our little cottage up until that point after which I felt incredibly exposed, even though he was outside (hissing through the glass). Thankfully we were leaving the reserve that morning (and had an incredible stay) but it has made me think twice about where I would choose to stay in future – as beautiful as those posh tents look for safari, I just don’t think I would be able to relax or sleep! Solid buildings for me please, with A/C and well-sealing windows and doors!
Climbing
I’m more of a walker than a climber!
I like a nice walk in the hills, even up to the top of some of the UK’s biggest peaks, but I don’t like to leave my comfort zone and find myself climbing when I expected to be walking… In our family we fondly call this the ‘
girlfriend test‘ which is of course now the ‘wife test’. Mr P has led me along Striding Edge on Helvellyn in thick fog, up a raging waterfall to the top of Scafell (and down via a fast-moving scree) and half way up Tryfan by the rock-climbers route which required rope and harness to get me off a ledge… Clearly I am tougher for these challenges – Ben Nevis remains on my bucket list as the final of the UK three highest peaks that I am yet to summit. But I think we can do better on weather and routing before starting that walk (climb)!
The Fastnet Race
Offshore sailing and sea survival training (photos credit to www.JonFurley.co.uk)
I have come 10th in the Fastnet race before of which I am very proud – an offshore sailing race from Cowes, out to the Fastnet Rock off Ireland and back to Plymouth which took us about 4 days. There is no reason to do this race again having achieved it once and done so well in amenable sailing conditions. But for some reason I find myself writing this today wondering whether I should perhaps do it again this year… I am lucky to sail on a beautiful 65 foot Swan sailing yacht (3 toilets, 3 showers, sit down breakfast, lunch and dinner, likelihood of a glass of champagne as the rock is rounded) and the Fastnet is a perfect race for her and as with last time makes for a very comfortable and enjoyable way of taking part… But last time I finished it I said I would never do it again… and now here I am wondering whether perhaps I should actually go again!..
Eat steak tartare
Picture the scene – we are in a fancy restaurant in Vienna and the amuse bouche appears for Mr P and our two friends… Full of dairy – the waiter says my dairy free option will be along in just a moment… And it turns out that steak tartare is my treat! I have never had this before – all I know of this delicacy is the Mr Bean sketch where he hates it so much he hides it anywhere he can find (click on the link to enjoy)… When the little dish arrived Mr P and his best buddy erupted into hysterics because only the night before I had seen steak tartare on the menu and turned my nose up at the thought of ever eating such a delicacy… It wasn’t actually that bad, but I prefer my meat cooked! I won’t be picking it from a menu – thankfully the boys dived straight in and cleared my plate after I had taken my taster…
Try any food once they say…
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Eeeeeek, I hear you about the snake. I don’t think I would have been able to sleep at all in a place like that.
Author
Not sure I would have slept had we been staying that evening… Shudder at the thought!
I think that’s the important thing about travel isn’t it? We learn these lessons and what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger 😉
Lots of love,
Angie
Author
Totally – “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” – Confucius
I do and I understand why I don’t need to do it again….
Haha, the Mr Bean sketch with the steak tartare is hilarious! Completely agree about all inclusive resorts – I don’t see why people want to stick to the same hotel and same food options night after night. All inclusive is for the unadventurous in my opinion!
Polly xx
Follow Your Sunshine
Author
We can be happy luxury travel adventurers together 😉 love seeing the local side of any country (just not their steak tartare!)
Ride on a snowmobile after almost crashing it!!
Author
Oh gosh – that is like getting on a horse after falling off, only this time it is only in your hands to do it right! I once burnt my leg on a quad bike in the desert, so I won’t be doing that again either come to think of it!
You’re much, much more outdoorsy than I think I’ll *ever* be – what fabulous adventures (bar the steak tartare, I hear ya!)
Author
Ourdoorsy in balance – more amenable to it if I get to stay somewhere nice too! Although my preferred method of offshore yacht racing is far more salubrious than many!!
Oooooh I hear you on all inclusive resorts – when I travel I want to see the place, and not just the resort I’m staying in! Also, snakes, no thanks!
Lauren xx | The Lifestyle Diaries
Author
In Jamaica we found ourselves avoiding the wristbands at tourist sites by getting up early – worth it to see somewhere quiet!
OMG! The snake! The snake! Did you have to walk past it on your way out? Did you cry? I would have cried. I’m not a steak tartare fan either and nor is my husband. Think we’d end up resorting to some Mr Bean type tomfoolery 😉
Author
I didn’t cry and I didn’t walk…. I ran! At the point I left the snake was actually stuck half way through the thatched roof which is where it went when it got angry…
I love steak tartare but I know it’s definitely not for everyone!
Author
I have always thought that beef smells better raw, but I think once was enough of a try for me!!
I must admit that I did do the all inclusive thing for the first time on years last year in Cuba but it was only for 4 days after a manic few days in Havana so I actually rather enjoyed it but I agree the quality of food and drink can be quite mixed! And as for the steak tartare, I don’t even eat beef so the tartare version sounds highly unappealing!! I don’t think I’d ever be able to bring myself to eat it.
Author
Try anything once….!! Give it a go – but as an amuse bouche is good, then you don’t have to eat too much!
I’m not sure what I would do if the steak tartare was presented to me as a gluten free option; I am tempted to give it a try once! You are so right about the all inclusive holidays, there is nothing worse than being stuck to a hotel – I’m with you on getting out to see what is outside the hotel and if you spend all your money inside a resort the local community never sees any of it! xx
Author
Oh that made me laugh… don’t worry Madam, we have gluten free sorted for you – just eat this uncooked steak!
I’m with you on the steak tartare! I accidentally ordered something similar once (I blame the language barrier!) and was slightly horrified when raw meat came out
Author
I wonder whether the waiters watch us from the kitchen door when they see the look of horror in a customer when they serve something up!