Vocal Voices

As you probably remember we always tend to go to the same places for our holibobs. God we're boring.

We are off to St Agnes (Cornwall) again in August, staying in the same cottage.

We are off to Norfolk in March with my parents, sister and her other half - somewhere new for us.

We were having debates about our October holiday. I fancied somewhere different but it ended up with me being outvoted and the other three want to go back to Gosforth in Cumbria. I have just gone on Cottages4you to book it and, sharp intake of breathe here - our cottage is not available. We have been there 4 years running now.

So I have had to look for somewhere else and think I have found one in Seascale. Seascale is the next village down from Gosforth. It isn't a pretty village - particularly taking into account that if you walk along the beach the next place you come to is Sellafield. But it has a nice beach (if you can avoid the three headed fish and talking crabs - all affected by Sellafield no doubt), a couple of pub/hotels (not been in them but Tripadvisor reviews seem good), a shop, a butchers,a Chinese takeaway and, the girls will be happy, an ice cream parlour.

The house looks okay - 3 bedrooms (one double, one twin, one single), kitchen, dining room, lounge, conservatory, garden, parking and it overlooks the beach and sea (in fact if there were a storm it would probably wash away it is so close). It is also slightly cheaper than our usual cottage. I haven't booked it yet as a) I want the others to see it so that if it turns out to be rubbish they can't blame me and b) Mick is paying for this holiday so I need his card.

I will post a link later if I get it booked. It will be very odd to be staying so close to "our house" but not actually in it.

Our stalkers (remember the ones who went to Cornwall at the same time as us last year) told me the other day when I saw them that they had booked to go to "our house" in Gosforth for part of the Easter holidays. In fact, thinking about it, I think I might check that it isn't them staying there in the October half term, before I go booking a cottage for us!

Aaaargh! I'm having a dilemma too!
I reserved 'our' cottage last Summer (you can put a reservation on and then pay the deposit when the brochures are published the following January) but it's all a bit up in the air about whether we'll go or not. Anyway, I've received the brochure this morning, plus the form to pay the deposit, so I've just spoken to John (who doesn't know that I put a reservation on the place) and he's not bothered about going, and suggested trying somewhere different. Neither of us have ever been bothered about going to any other UK resorts, none ever seem as nice as North Cornwall. How about camping in Scotland he said? No. I don't mind spending a night up the Chase as I can get home to MY shower the next morning and am in easy reach of all home comforts but there's no way on this earth I'd want to spend any length of time in a tent. Then he suggested asking his friend M how much it'd be to go to his house in France. Bear in mind that his friend rents it out at £1500+ per week (it's all very Grand Designs), even with mates rates it'd be expensive as M is all about making money. Then you've got to factor in a ferry crossing, Tom would no doubt want to come if we went abroad so he'd need a new passport and then there'd be a pet passport and all that involves for Billy, and also a long, long journey - plus I've been to France several times and have no desire to go back again.

I'm just thinking "Sod it!" It's me who has all of the hassle of packing and unpacking and getting everything organised anyway, it's not worth the stress!

Why is it always us women who seem to be responsible for the organising of holidays. I think one of the reasons that we always go to the same places is that Mick can't be bothered to look at other cottages and I feel that as I am responsible for everything else then I don't want to take full responsibility for where we stay as I know if it turns out to be awful it will be all my fault!!

I am hoping to book this place tonight when Mick has looked at it - I know he will say yes as a) it has a pub nearby and b) if he says no then we will have the job of looking for somewhere else. I have sent a text to Mrs Stalker so hopefully will hear back from her later today, before I book it. If it is them that has booked "our" cottage I think we might look at Northumberland - on the coast somewhere. That was where I fancied going this year anyway.

I don't mind the odd night camping Jo but couldn't do it for my main holiday. I don't ever feel properly clean when I camp and I detest using the showers. I also don't fancy having nowhere to sit but inside a tent on the nights that it is chucking it down with rain.

I did go camping for 4 nights in 2012 - just me and the girls in our tent and my sister and her partner in their tent. It was okay. The showers were clean, it was right on the beach (Norfolk) and the weather was okay. We sat and played cards in their tent every night and listened to the radio. The girls and I enjoyed it but I know it isn't Micks thing and he would have wanted us all to trapse off to the pub every night - not my idea of fun (not every night anyway) and certainly not the girls. And because there was no Mick or Millie the tent stayed tidy, we were happy to live on pasta (so no complicated cooking on a camping stove) and I was happy to read my book all day whilst the girls played on the beach or the park.

See, I spent one night in the tent and it was fun and I enjoyed it but once it was dark - before 9pm - I was bored and ready to go to bed! None of them will play cards or games, we couldn't get a decent signal for the radio and all that was left to do was sit there stuffing my face with toast John knows I won't spend more than a night, locally, so no idea why he suggested camping as a holiday. Anyway he sent me a link to a cottage (which doesn't allow dogs), it's in the Cairngorms and Northern Highlands National Park and guess what's nearby????? Wolftrax, the Laggan Mountain Bike Centre, is just 3 miles away and makes a great day out.
He'd have plenty to do and I'd be left sitting there looking at a flippin' mountain!

This is the reply he got:
No. Not going to Scotland. Too cold for a start and too remote, it's okay for a city break for a night or two but not the middle of nowhere for a week.

JoM wrote: Wolftrax, the Laggan Mountain Bike Centre, is just 3 miles away and makes a great day out.

What a coincidence!! LOL. Do you think he thought you wouldn't notice!

That was a polite response Jo!

Both of you have your work cut out then

Debih have you thought of asking Misty/Louise on fb for any recommendations?

Blimey Jo, you were polite!!! That house in France sounds expensive to me too by the time you factor in all the other expenses.......you could have a sipping-a-cocktail-somewhere-luxurious-doing-bugger-all type holiday for that

I would also rather trust the weather in Cornwall than in Scotland

Debih I wonder if THEY have YOUR cottage

debih wrote:Why is it always us women who seem to be responsible for the organising of holidays.

You might ask Mick.

Never in all the years we were married did Bill ever book a holiday
I just asked what his holiday dates were
I booked it paid for it
Arranged trains buses and taxi
And even decided we're to go
But when we got there Bill paid foe everything