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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Holiday abroad

55 replies

Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 18:25

Sitting in the rain on uk holiday and just a little fed up. . Dd 14 has never been abroad. I do not fly. Where can we go next year? We normally go to the English or welsh seaside.

I do have a fear of flying but also a fear of being trapped. Help!

OP posts:
Funf · 10/08/2023 18:50

Cruise

TropicalTrama · 10/08/2023 18:53

Drive to France? Good weather is pretty much guaranteed in the south!

cestlavielife · 10/08/2023 18:54

Train

Original poster
Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 18:55

France is good..but not driving. Maybe train but I had a panic attack on a very short train ride yesterday....also where in France.. I have never been

OP posts:
hopeishere · 10/08/2023 18:55

Euro tunnel to Paris. Then train anywhere else. Or a short flight to somewhere? Amsterdam? Or ferry.

hopeishere · 10/08/2023 18:57

What sort of thing do you like doing? Sightseeing or lying by the pool?

AnguaResurgam · 10/08/2023 18:58

Get the Eurostar across to Europe

What do you think you might like to do? A different beach holiday? Something different - city, countryside, active?

Radiatorvalves · 10/08/2023 19:01

My son is about to go to the southern alps on holiday. Usually very sunny snd warm in July/Aug. Go to Paris on train and then get train to Gap/Briancon. In my opinion it’s stunning and it’s a lot cheaper than the Med coast.

Original poster
Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 19:01

We like getting out and about but also love being by and in the sea. We have been quite lucky last few years as uk holidays we got great weather..this week not so much! Also dd is getting older so has a desire to see new countries!

OP posts:
Radiatorvalves · 10/08/2023 19:07

Just re-read and you like the coast/seaside. Don’t discount the big alpine lakes. Stunning and so much to do…. Paddle boarding, kite surfing, sailing, swimming etc.

Holiday abroad
Holiday abroad
ladybirdsanchez · 10/08/2023 19:12

Have you ever been on a plane OP? Is you fear of flying based on experience, or the lack of it? Could you afford to do a 'fear of flying' course? Many people find them helpful. Why did you have a panic attack on the train?

Original poster
Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 19:12

That looks lovely!

OP posts:
Original poster
Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 19:15

ladybirdsanchez · 10/08/2023 19:12

Have you ever been on a plane OP? Is you fear of flying based on experience, or the lack of it? Could you afford to do a 'fear of flying' course? Many people find them helpful. Why did you have a panic attack on the train?

I could probably cope with flying if I didn't have a fear of being trapped. I panicked yesterday because I was trapped on the train. I felt trapped it was only travelling between stations

OP posts:
caringcarer · 10/08/2023 19:16

Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 19:01

We like getting out and about but also love being by and in the sea. We have been quite lucky last few years as uk holidays we got great weather..this week not so much! Also dd is getting older so has a desire to see new countries!

Go to France. Brittany has a stunning coast. Lots of gites you can rent.

Original poster
Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 19:16

I have flown but not for over 20 years

OP posts:
Original poster
Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 19:17

Radiatorvalves · 10/08/2023 19:07

Just re-read and you like the coast/seaside. Don’t discount the big alpine lakes. Stunning and so much to do…. Paddle boarding, kite surfing, sailing, swimming etc.

Where is this please

OP posts:
ElleEmmDee · 10/08/2023 19:18

Eurostar to Paris, TGV to south of France. You can stopover in Nice and then from there it’s easy to go to Italy - Genoa, Florence, Venice, Rome etc. Italian trains can be very quick! If you prefer beaches then stopover in Nimes after Paris and then on to Girona (and bus to Costa Brava), or continue to Barcelona, Tarragona etc. Another route is Paris to Bordeaux for a night, then onto San Sebastián-Donastia (train Bordeaux to Hendaye and then little train or bus to San Sebastián). You need to allow about 1-1.5 days travel each way if you want to get to sunnier climes without flying.

ElleEmmDee · 10/08/2023 19:20

I’m also claustrophobic and don’t enjoy flying or the channel tunnel - however the latter is only an 18minute journey and also more environmentally friendly and interesting.

ElleEmmDee · 10/08/2023 19:20

If you’re struggling to be on trains as well then it may make more sense to fly as the train journeys I’ve suggested are very long in comparison

ladybirdsanchez · 10/08/2023 19:21

Okay, so it sounds like you suffer from claustrophobia. Have you ever sought treatment for it? You don't have to fly or drive. You could get a train to the ferry, ferry across to Europe, then train the other end. Or you could go by coach - so coach-ferry-coach or train-ferry-train.

Paddleboarder · 10/08/2023 19:26

Italy is great, you can see a lot of really interesting things as well as enjoy the coast and it's easy to travel around by train.

gogomoto · 10/08/2023 19:32

Budget? How about a Northern European cruise, you could start with a taster trip - it's not sealed like a train, think large hotel that floats. You can pick up shorter notice n Europe trips cheaply through a cruise agent. If you enjoy it then you could look at the med or canaries by sea (14 days)

LegendsBeyond · 10/08/2023 19:33

If you don’t like feeling trapped, be careful with the Eurostar. It stopped in the tunnel for quite a long time when we went once. Driving would be best.

Original poster
Helpmefly · 10/08/2023 19:34

Thank you for your replies. I am thinking southern France.. where would be best for say a 10 day break. Near beach?

OP posts:
CeeceeBloomingdale · 10/08/2023 19:35

Given your updates I'd look at a cruise. Whilst the cabin is small you can leave it at any time so that might be easier for you. You can cruise from the UK so don't need to fly at all and there are 1 night taster cruises if you needed to test it out before booking something bigger.