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Holidays 2019

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A girl I know has a house (her parents) near Lake Kournas in Crete. She said I could have it if it was not being used, it turns out they are having a family thing there that ends the day AFTER we would get there. We are welcome to stay apparently but could be a bid odd
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Big Fat Sam said:
Not holiday as such, but will be working in Singapore for 6 months from June. Anybody been? What can you tell me that's good/bad about the place? I've done a lot of SE Asia before, but not Singapore. Really looking forward to it! There will of course be many weekend trips to places like Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, Philippines, etc, over the course of the six months!

As I understand, alcohol is crazy expensive and the best way of getting hold of it as a reasonable price is via duty free in the airport. Food can be had cheaply in the street markets and in the Chinese/Indian quarter of the city, etc, and it's a beautifully clean place to live.
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Sri Lanka mud crabs are yummy.

I like the city. And it must be one of the safest city in the world.
 
Tipp blue said:
Vancouver for 10 days in August.
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Top place. Take a rental bike and go around Stanley Park. Make a day out of it and take a picnic, volleyball, beach towels and some suncream. Loads to do inside and outside of the city, you'll easily fill your 10 days.
 
Big Fat Sam said:
Top place. Take a rental bike and go around Stanley Park. Make a day out of it and take a picnic, volleyball, beach towels and some suncream. Loads to do inside and outside of the city, you'll easily fill your 10 days.
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My brother lives there so we are staying in his place, haven't seen him for 3 years since he moved to canada, he's due a baby in June so we are going over for the christening. I might just get the bike rental I like a good day out like that. I also want to visit some of the x-files filming locations my favorite series ever.
 

4737carlin said:
Haven't had a holiday since 98, but i try and get away hiking at least once a week in Snowdonia. This year I think im doing to do more of the Lakes since ive only done 2 or 3 routes/peaks up that way, and have ticked off all the best peaks and routes in North Wales. That will be my holiday as such for 2019.
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Try Skye mate. The Cuillen ridge route will take you about 3 days. Jaw dropping scenery, amazing mountains...like something out of LOTR.
 
evertony said:
Will do
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The whole trip was outstanding. Couldn’t pick a hole in anything to be fair other than possibly the food at the game reserve, but in fairness we went there to see animals not eat them. Cape Town was great and 4 days was about right there...did all the Cape Penninsula...did a hike at Cape Point and the scenery was incredible. Biggest mistake was not smuggling home a penguin. Then 4 days in Stellenbosch and Franschoek visiting a good selection of vineyards and staying in an old colonial gust house which was so relaxing. The Blue Train was a neat experience....especially enjoyed the Gentleman’s Carriage drinking Gin ( not a whiskey man unfortunately) and smoking Cohiba’s on the house. Finished off at a game reserve in Limpopo which was great. The biggest plus for me was that the Mrs fell in love with the place having initially been a bit nervous about going. Took her to a township near Houts Bay which was quite sobering but equally uplifting when you see people who literally have nothing but have huge smiles and real hope for the future despite the government reneging on promises of homes from as long ago as 1991. She’s come home and is busy buying stuff to send out there to go in the nursery and school they’d set up but which lacked equipment. I’d done Soweto before when working in J’Burg but that didn’t have the same feel about it as this one....maybe because Soweto is virtually a tourist attraction and this wasn’t.

If you have SA on your list but are unsure....go for it, you really won’t regret it.
 

chrismpw said:
Or.... It's warm, just find a quiet spot under the stars and sleep under the stars.
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Venomous Spiders on Crete​

Black widows in Crete exist in arachnid and human form on Crete. Despite this, I’ve never heard of a bite from one in all my years here.

Jumping spiders are another matter; some years ago on the south coast of Crete some people were bitten by them. The first few days after the bite it is not especially painful. However, the small wound has a tendency to get infected. These people had to get treatment from a doctor, and one girl even went to hospital; it took weeks for her big, painful wound to heal. The doctors confirmed that the bite was that of a jumping spider, and that the reaction was typical of someone with an allergy to the venom. That same summer (2003), there were some other bites in Plakias. Having said that, I have not heard of a case of jumping spider bites since. All victims were bitten at night time whilst in bed. Jumping spiders are small (1cm big) and can jump about half a metre.

There are some rumours about the existence of tarantulas on Crete, though not everyone believes them. I can’t confirm these rumours, but they shouldn’t be completed discarded.

There are some other venomous spiders on Crete, such as the Araneus, a spider found across Europe. I’ve also read on some internet forums that the poisonous brown recluse spider lives in Crete; I’ve never heard this anywhere else, though.



Scorpions​

Like all scorpions, Cretan scorpions are venomous, but their venom is not normally life-threatening. There are at least three species of scorpions in Crete. All three have several subspecies. There are quite a lot of scorpions; in the last five years I have seen around twenty scorpions, which is far more often than I have seen snakes. Stings are rare, but have been known to happen. Scorpion stings hurt a lot. To be on the safe side you should see a doctor or a pharmacist, particularly if you suffer from a rare allergy against this poison – in this case, being stung is dangerous.






European Cat Snake (Telescopus Fallax) – Venomous, but not too dangerous for humans​

Cat snakes on Crete usually have a grey back with a red-yellow belly. As with most Cretan snakes, they grow to 1m long. Despite these snakes being venomous, you do not need to feel too much fear of them, for several reasons:
• It is a rear-fanged snake. This means the poisonous teeth are so far back in the mouth that the poison only affects small animals (e.g. rats or mice). Humans are unlikely to get poisoned in 90% of attacks.
• Cat snakes are very shy.
• The venom is quite weak for humans. Even children will almost always survive. Most people will not feel anything except for pain in the area of the bite
• These snakes are rare on Crete – I’ve never heard of anyone who has seen one. They are far more prevalent on some of the other Greek islands.
• Even if there is no antidote, doctors and hospitals will help you
Never try to stop the blood circulating in your arm or leg if you are bitten by a snake – this is far more dangerous to your health than the actual bite itself!
 
bol-uk said:
Venomous Spiders on Crete​

Black widows in Crete exist in arachnid and human form on Crete. Despite this, I’ve never heard of a bite from one in all my years here.

Jumping spiders are another matter; some years ago on the south coast of Crete some people were bitten by them. The first few days after the bite it is not especially painful. However, the small wound has a tendency to get infected. These people had to get treatment from a doctor, and one girl even went to hospital; it took weeks for her big, painful wound to heal. The doctors confirmed that the bite was that of a jumping spider, and that the reaction was typical of someone with an allergy to the venom. That same summer (2003), there were some other bites in Plakias. Having said that, I have not heard of a case of jumping spider bites since. All victims were bitten at night time whilst in bed. Jumping spiders are small (1cm big) and can jump about half a metre.

There are some rumours about the existence of tarantulas on Crete, though not everyone believes them. I can’t confirm these rumours, but they shouldn’t be completed discarded.

There are some other venomous spiders on Crete, such as the Araneus, a spider found across Europe. I’ve also read on some internet forums that the poisonous brown recluse spider lives in Crete; I’ve never heard this anywhere else, though.



Scorpions​

Like all scorpions, Cretan scorpions are venomous, but their venom is not normally life-threatening. There are at least three species of scorpions in Crete. All three have several subspecies. There are quite a lot of scorpions; in the last five years I have seen around twenty scorpions, which is far more often than I have seen snakes. Stings are rare, but have been known to happen. Scorpion stings hurt a lot. To be on the safe side you should see a doctor or a pharmacist, particularly if you suffer from a rare allergy against this poison – in this case, being stung is dangerous.






European Cat Snake (Telescopus Fallax) – Venomous, but not too dangerous for humans​

Cat snakes on Crete usually have a grey back with a red-yellow belly. As with most Cretan snakes, they grow to 1m long. Despite these snakes being venomous, you do not need to feel too much fear of them, for several reasons:
• It is a rear-fanged snake. This means the poisonous teeth are so far back in the mouth that the poison only affects small animals (e.g. rats or mice). Humans are unlikely to get poisoned in 90% of attacks.
• Cat snakes are very shy.
• The venom is quite weak for humans. Even children will almost always survive. Most people will not feel anything except for pain in the area of the bite
• These snakes are rare on Crete – I’ve never heard of anyone who has seen one. They are far more prevalent on some of the other Greek islands.
• Even if there is no antidote, doctors and hospitals will help you
Never try to stop the blood circulating in your arm or leg if you are bitten by a snake – this is far more dangerous to your health than the actual bite itself!
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Yeah but

You'll probably be ok. Probably.
 
Tipp blue said:
My brother lives there so we are staying in his place, haven't seen him for 3 years since he moved to canada, he's due a baby in June so we are going over for the christening. I might just get the bike rental I like a good day out like that. I also want to visit some of the x-files filming locations my favorite series ever.
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Superb mate, hope you have a great time! Food and drink is fantastic over there n'all. ;)
 
Big Fat Sam said:
Superb mate, hope you have a great time! Food and drink is fantastic over there n'all. ;)
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Can't wait, heading over to England to relations near Birmingham over Easter, I love that area they live, about 30 miles from the City close to Stratford on Avon, I'm just thankful Miss May has pushed for a brexit extension, I really wasn't looking forward to the whole Brexit non GB citizen in the airport.
 

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