Dealing with weather disappointment

[TootyPahooty]

First holiday in 4 years, we've come to Rhodes in October as all my research suggested this was our best bet for weather. Thunderstorms all week. I'm gutted.

Trying to make the most of it and we are lucky to have our own villa with pool so the kids were able to swim late last night when it stopped raining. It just means one of us has to stand by the pool supervising as the furniture is all soaking wet.

Also irritatingly we booked an indoor cinema experience today thinking it would be a good rainy activity but we were turned away as their show wasnt operating as normal 'because of the rain'. Ended up in Starbucks instead...

Pleeeeease tell me all the reasons why it's still a great week.

Why can't they swim in the pool in the rain? Where we lived in Germany there were indoor and outdoor pools connected through huge rubber 'doors' or flaps in the wall, if it started to rain everyone made for the outside, it was wonderful!

@TootyPahooty oh that’s desperately disappointing for you all. Could you just buy some cheap wellies and rain macs and venture out sightseeing anyway?

I went to thialand a few years back, weather said hot hot hot, spent a whole week in down pour and i mean down pour, tbh i liked it but it was so bloody muggy.
Still had fun and been back many times.
No matter the weather op you can still have fun.

Yes i have to agree swimming in the rain is lovely, it hits you in a odd way not the rain the feeling.
Done it many times even in the sea.

This is our seventh trip to Rhodes during October half term. It’s definitely cooler than usual, this is the first time we have had to put blankets on our bed at night, and this is the first trip where the weather has impacted our last couple of days here. Weather is always a gamble for any break - we have had U.K. breaks cancelled due to weather. Hopefully it will still have a bit of sunshine this week. We had a few glorious days after the storm last week.

Rhodes is not geared up for indoor fun. We were in Old Town yesterday and got absolutely drenched!

Aww Rhodes has loads to do, hire a car and go and explore make the most of it!

You are allowed to be a bit gutted. I don’t mind a rainy holiday in the UK as we are geared up for it

brave face, have a laugh, put it down so Sod’s Law

I feel for you OP. I’m in the Maldives and we’ve had a lot of rain too.

We're in Rhodes and it's definitely cooler and wetter than last year, but it's still much better than the UK! It's warm and I don't think the rain will be constant for the rest of the week.

Hire a car and go exploring. We went into the hills yesterday and it was very atmospheric because of the weather.

Or, as others have suggested, visit the old town in Rhodes or Lindos.

You've been very unlucky OP. We've been to Rhodes the last 3 October half terms and had lovely weather. Last year wasn't as warm though. This year we're in Cyprus as the long range forecast was better. We really leave it to the last minute to book though which isnt great for everyone and means we can't always get the accomodation we would have chosen. I dont think you have misjudged though, Rhodes is south med and normally nice weather in October, though obviously the season ends at the end of October so its always a gamble.

Im trying to think of the best things to do in the rain. I think if it was us we'd hire a car and drive around and see if the weather was better at other spots on the island? Car hire is reasonably cheap. Failing that id head into Rhodes Town and visit the indoor museums, or find a nice cafe to sit in.

@TootyPahooty

Ahhh I feel for you.

I used to go to Rhodes twice a year, lovely island but imo its not somewhere to go at the start or end of the season, I include any Greek island in that.

I went once at the beginning of May and absolutely froze, the locals were wearing puffa jackets and woolly hats!

There isn't a lot of indoor stuff to do especially in October when everything is closing for the winter.

When it rains it really rains and after a long dry summer the roads can turn into rivers, the stone or tiled floors once wet are treacherous.

Not sure how you can make the best of it but you have my sympathy

I feel you. We were in Crete last week (first holiday in 2 years). It was cold/ rainy the first 2 days and then my dc got the sickness bug that was going round the hotel. There wasn’t a non cold/ non puking day in the entire holiday. If you can, watch tv, enjoy the food, retrieve your bag…

I dont think it would be an honest reply to not point out that it is the last week of the season so a big gamble. OP did say she had done her research and its not her fault, but if she’s been told by travel websites etc that its a safe bet for sun, that information is incorrect for anywhere in the Med in nearly November.

I wouldn’t risk anywhere above the Canaries in October half term. Weather has been awful in Spain and Turkey in the last few weeks aswell so she is certainly not alone in having a rainy holiday.

There are great suggestions on here for things to do and Rhodes is a beautiful island so you have no choice but to make the best of it.

I would be upset if my sun holiday ended up with rainy weather. Not sure I’d tempt Greece at this time of year. Canaries is the safer shirt-haul option.

We're in Cyprus at the moment and its been hot and sunny for the past 2 weeks so it is possible to get good weather in the med October half term. I think you have to wait until the long range forecasts come out the month before to increase your odds.

Unfortunately the Canaries was much more expensive.

Ah op! We were in Crete a month ago and it was a shocker. Am just about over it now but you have my sympathy. Just bloody unlucky to have chosen that week. It was literally 15 degrees and chucking it down!!!

Because OP has claimed that she did her research and that October was the best month for weather! I’m not sure where she did her research, but it’s clearly incorrect. Most people know that October is a cheap month for a reason. You can be lucky, but it’s Russian roulette, and you should book knowing that you are taking that risk, and have a back up plan for bad weather (including jumpers and raincoats!).

There are several of these threads running at the moment, where people have booked a holiday in late October and are shocked that the weather is bad!

It's not exactly bad weather right now! Even on days when it's predicted to rain this is often what you get.

We had a couple hours of warm sun this morning - now raining again !
no kids so just going to laze on bed and read - sigh !!

The OP didn't say that her research said October was the best time wetwhr wise to visit Rhodes, nobody thinks that. She said that she thought it would be a reasonable choice. Which on the last 3 October half terms, it was. I was there. This time, people lucked out.

OP, have you seen that the forecast on Thursday is better?

Yes! Holding out for the sunshine on Thursday and Friday. Just need to get through tomorrow first. I appreciate everyone's advice to get out and see the island, but it's a red weather warning all day tomorrow so we're not going anywhere.

We did have a couple of hours of sun this morning which was nice.

I also appreciate all the advice that it would have been better to go to the Canaries, or go in the summer etc etc. As I have already said though, October was what we could afford and Rhodes was (seemingly) the best bet. After four years of saving up and a monumentally shit year, I just wanted a holiday.

And we have had a holiday. It's been ok, just not quite what I had in mind.

Our travel agent suggested Fuerteventura as the best bet, and they were spot on! We enjoyed lovely, warm and dry weather whilst the storms raged in the UK. Doesn't help your situation, I know, but worth considering for a future autumn break. Hard to return to our much cooler climate though....

Op, just for the future, if you can take kids out of school, we’ve never had bad weather in Greece any time in June. Big savings if you book far in advance. We saved several thousands on the school holiday price and the kids missed an extremely hot week back in the UK (where I doubt their friends did much work). If you’re a teacher, ignore that ofcourse.

Hope you get some sunshine and you do enjoy your holiday. If it makes it any better, there have been two storms in the UK this half term 🥴

Cyprus is usually better. Last year lots of friends had shocking weather turkey & canaries. Seasons seem to be changing.
im sad for you its so disappointing

I live in Cyprus. Rain for the next week. Coming from Greece!