P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Presto2]

12 minutes ago, pete14 said:

Presto - just to let you know that after all this time, I saw Harry yesterday! 🙂🤨

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! 

😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱

[wowzz]

So, off to Weymouth today, as part of our Spanish holiday. Lots of ships in the bay.

Being a bit of a bore, I told Lady W that the ships in the bay were two from Tui (obviously of no interest to posh people like us,  staying in an expensive caravan with a colour television ! ), two Queens (drinks too expensive and a bit snobby), Britannia (full of council house chavs), and Arcadia,  our favourite!

 I was, however, perturbed to see a dinghy full of buckets setting out of Weymouth harbour.  I shouted  and asked  the chap at the tiller where he was going - seems that the leakage situation on Arcadia is worse than ever!

[Eglesbrech]

Woke up to thick fog this morning. Hopefully the “sun” will burn it off before too long. It looks very autumnal.

 

I need to find something to do today. I have finished making preserves, there is enough soup and baking to last the week, dinners are planned and the garden is tidy. All this free time as no shopping, no visitors, no meals out and no holidays.

 

I used to spend time planning holidays, where to eat, things to see while abroad etc but that feels a bit pointless at the moment.

 

Has anyone found any fascinating new hobbies during this period of forced nothingness?

 

 

[P&O SUE]

I know what you mean Eglesbrech about planning for holidays, it takes up a lot of (enjoyable) time! I’m off to a cottage in Devon at the weekend so have been doing a bit of planning but the weather is not looking great. My friend said she’d rather be in Devon in the rain than here and I agree but it should have been our cruise round sunny Spain so it’s a bit sad!

I haven’t found anything new to do I’m afraid, although I’m working five hours a day so that’s my excuse!

[Eddie99]

We enrolled to Babel within a few days of lockdown, intending to learn Spanish.  We did one lesson, then the realisation hit that it would be a long time, if ever, that we would have the opportunity to use any new language skill.  So, six months of that subscription has passed.  I don’t think we will pick it up but who knows how desperate we might become for something to fill dark, wet winter days?

 

On a brighter note, my new hobby (!) will be 12 weeks old tomorrow and has an appointment for her second vaccination.  I’ll await vet advice but I hope it won’t be long before we can go “Walkies!”

 

We are still investigating the purchase of a (semi) coastal static caravan.  There’s a lot to think about.  I have the thought that it would be good to be ‘early adopters’ here - feel that many retirees, who normally spend a good deal of time holidaying abroad, might take to the idea of their own private bolt-hole in UK

[mrsgoggins]

Absolutely agree that planning for holidays used to take up quite a bit of my time - and oh how I miss it!  After breakfast, the first hour of so of most days would be spent at my desktop researching flights, hotels, cruises etc.  How lucky was I to have all those holidays; so very different from my own parents' lives.  I don't think they went further than the Isle of Man until, in my twenties I took my mother on a Clarksons short holiday to Holland, followed by Germany the next year and then later after I married, I was determined she should see Switzerland and so off we went again, just the two of us.  My dad was the very definition of 'miserable' and so wasn't invited but would not have come in any case!

 

We own a rarely-used touring caravan which DH has always enjoyed more than I.  This is think could be down to spending much of his later working life in European hotels.  Anyway, I am now planning - but without the same enthusiasm - a short break to Broadway in the Cotswolds followed by, maybe, a trip to Scotland.  On a glorious morning like today, it sounds wonderful, but once the weather changes again ...... I start to think that the view from my living room window is good (it is!) and so do I really need to be in a caravan.

 

Anyway, today is Christmas cake making after we have been out to enjoy the glorious morning.  I don't have any trouble frittering away time though, despite missing the holiday planning 😉

 

 

[kalos]

54 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Has anyone found any fascinating new hobbies during this period of forced nothingness?

 

I think reading about things that have happened or your photos on here have become a bit of 

a pastime on here .Watching the way even cruise critics have adapted to this "No cruising "

world.

I have taken the odd trip out to local country parks to watch the world go by and even sought out

a few walks where not many people go.

As winter edges towards us I have to look at other things to do as my past activities become less.

Two things I have started doing that have caught my imagination . The first one is a local guy to us

and he recently started posting his work on Youtube which is filming coastal towns and countryside

tourist attractions such as Emmerdale & Heartbeat locations. His style of filming gets me thinking 

"I want to go there when all this is over" I will put a link if anyone would like to see it.

The second one which I've only just started is the Open University courses that are free to join.

There is a mountain of courses you can look through and choose to read and should keep me going 

for a while . The one I am reading at the moment is in the nature section called Surviving  Winter.

Tried looking up Living without cruise ships but could not find that one 

[wowzz]

36 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

We are still investigating the purchase of a (semi) coastal static caravan.

We have toyed with same idea. However, we have been put off by the heavy depreciation, especially if the caravan is sited on a park where caravans of a certain age have to be removed  - makes them virtually worthless  in the last 5 years of their life. Plus, the site fees can be eye watering expensive. I reckon the depreciation and site fees can 3asiky amount to £12k pa. So, with that sort of out going,  we are now considering a long term rental on a 1 or 2 bedroom cottage or flat,  which will cost considerably less, say £9k pa.

[Eglesbrech]

Sounds like we are all finding ways to use up all the extra tine.

 

I haven’t started my Christmas cake as yet so that is maybe something for after the next click and collect.

 

I have been trying to brush up languages too but it all seems a bit pointless as travel is so unlikely for quite some time. I haven’t tried Babel, been using a combination of ear worms and Duolingo.
 

I will have a look at the OU Kalos as it’s going to be a long winter stuck indoors. 
 

Great to be able to get ideas and inspiration from others.

[wowzz]

If you can track down a Michel Thomas course on CD, they are quite useful in giving a basic grounding.

[Eddie99]

14 minutes ago, wowzz said:

We have toyed with same idea. However, we have been put off by the heavy depreciation, especially if the caravan is sited on a park where caravans of a certain age have to be removed  - makes them virtually worthless  in the last 5 years of their life. Plus, the site fees can be eye watering expensive. I reckon the depreciation and site fees can 3asiky amount to £12k pa. So, with that sort of out going,  we are now considering a long term rental on a 1 or 2 bedroom cottage or flat,  which will cost considerably less, say £9k pa.

We’ve been over and over this - exactly the arguments you put forward

Then we balance that against the possibility/probability of nothing verging on the normality we knew for at least 5 years.  Add in that we are ageing by a year every 12 months.  
The site we have identified is really quiet, so no clubhouse, pool, bar etc but the fees are quite light at £3k+.  The village (shop, po, 2 pubs) is 2 fields walk away (footpath).  The beach a further 10.
We value it being our own place, available the whole long season.

Kids’ inheritance will just have to reduce - as if that really matters; they are both very comfortably off

[terrierjohn]

22 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

I think reading about things that have happened or your photos on here have become a bit of 

a pastime on here .Watching the way even cruise critics have adapted to this "No cruising "

world.

I have taken the odd trip out to local country parks to watch the world go by and even sought out

a few walks where not many people go.

As winter edges towards us I have to look at other things to do as my past activities become less.

Two things I have started doing that have caught my imagination . The first one is a local guy to us

and he recently started posting his work on Youtube which is filming coastal towns and countryside

tourist attractions such as Emmerdale & Heartbeat locations. His style of filming gets me thinking 

"I want to go there when all this is over" I will put a link if anyone would like to see it.

The second one which I've only just started is the Open University courses that are free to join.

There is a mountain of courses you can look through and choose to read and should keep me going 

for a while . The one I am reading at the moment is in the nature section called Surviving  Winter.

Tried looking up Living without cruise ships but could not find that one 

You can get Ben and Gerrys Missing Cruising ice cream though!

[Eglesbrech]

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

If you can track down a Michel Thomas course on CD, they are quite useful in giving a basic grounding.

I have his CDs and I actually did not like them. The fact that his students get things wrong made it difficult for me as I ended up remembering the errors. I know he always gives the right answer as the last thing you hear but I found the mash of voices difficult. I did however like his list of friends and false friends for words, that was very helpful.
 

We all learn differently and I like the Earworms because they are set to music and I find it easy to remember song lyrics so have learned phrases by rote in the same way (takes me back to learning the times tables , 2x2 is 4 2x3 is6 etc)

[wowzz]

9 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

We’ve been over and over this - exactly the arguments you put forward

Then we balance that against the possibility/probability of nothing verging on the normality we knew for at least 5 years.  Add in that we are ageing by a year every 12 months.  
The site we have identified is really quiet, so no clubhouse, pool, bar etc but the fees are quite light at £3k+.  The village (shop, po, 2 pubs) is 2 fields walk away (footpath).  The beach a further 10.
We value it being our own place, available the whole long season.

Kids’ inheritance will just have to reduce - as if that really matters; they are both very comfortably off

If we did buy, a site like that would be exactly what we want. Care to give a clue as to its location?

[P&O SUE]

I would never have booked off 2 weeks in October if I wasn’t intending to go on a 12 night cruise! We often have a week off in October and just go away for 3 or 4 days. I keep telling poor John off for being born in October!  I am looking forward to getting away next week but anything I can think of to do in rainy weather seems to be closed! Argh!! No way I can afford a caravan and we hate flying so cruises need to get going again!

Edited September 29, 2020 by P&O SUE

[ann141]

2 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Woke up to thick fog this morning. Hopefully the “sun” will burn it off before too long. It looks very autumnal.

 

I need to find something to do today. I have finished making preserves, there is enough soup and baking to last the week, dinners are planned and the garden is tidy. All this free time as no shopping, no visitors, no meals out and no holidays.

 

I used to spend time planning holidays, where to eat, things to see while abroad etc but that feels a bit pointless at the moment.

 

Has anyone found any fascinating new hobbies during this period of forced nothingness?

 

 

I am missing planning cruises but am busy planning places in the UK to visit that I haven't previously visited. I am also making cards using photos of wildlife that my husband has taken whilst cruising!

Edited September 29, 2020 by ann141

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, kalos said:

 

I think reading about things that have happened or your photos on here have become a bit of 

a pastime on here .Watching the way even cruise critics have adapted to this "No cruising "

world.

I have taken the odd trip out to local country parks to watch the world go by and even sought out

a few walks where not many people go.

As winter edges towards us I have to look at other things to do as my past activities become less.

Two things I have started doing that have caught my imagination . The first one is a local guy to us

and he recently started posting his work on Youtube which is filming coastal towns and countryside

tourist attractions such as Emmerdale & Heartbeat locations. His style of filming gets me thinking 

"I want to go there when all this is over" I will put a link if anyone would like to see it.

The second one which I've only just started is the Open University courses that are free to join.

There is a mountain of courses you can look through and choose to read and should keep me going 

for a while . The one I am reading at the moment is in the nature section called Surviving  Winter.

Tried looking up Living without cruise ships but could not find that one 

Been for my flu jab this morning.

Called into my local TA but the 2021 RCL brochure is not in yet but they were taking advance bookings for P&O summer 2022.

There was only staff in and no customer's.

[Eddie99]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

If we did buy, a site like that would be exactly what we want. Care to give a clue as to its location?

Quite near where you were yesterday Wowzz

Nothing like as big a ‘resort’ though

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Been for my flu jab this morning.

Called into my local TA but the 2021 RCL brochure is not in yet but they were taking advance bookings for P&O summer 2022.

There was only staff in and no customer's.

Do you mean "pre-registration" because not just prices but to my knowledge the actual cruises have not been released yet so how can you book.

 

[majortom10]

Double post for some reason.

 

Edited September 29, 2020 by majortom10

[grapau27]

1 minute ago, majortom10 said:

Do you mean "pre-registration" because not just prices but to my knowledge the actual cruises have not been released yet so how can you book.

 

Yes pre-registration.👍

[P&O SUE]

I saw Cunard is doing a 3 night cruise to nowhere next Spring which I would go on but Spring does seem too early. I normally go June, July but because of my new job I booked for September for next year and I’m pleased I did!

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

Quite near where you were yesterday Wowzz

Nothing like as big a ‘resort’ though

Thanks Eddie - probably a bit too far away for us if we ever did buy anything.

[zap99]

9 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

I saw Cunard is doing a 3 night cruise to nowhere next Spring which I would go on but Spring does seem too early. I normally go June, July but because of my new job I booked for September for next year and I’m pleased I did!

I saw that one. Looks tempting.

[Eddie99]

Thought it might be

It’s not very far for us.  Under an hour.  Makes it seem much more accessible and trips/stays simpler to plan or just wake up and go

 

There must be places nearer home for you though, if you decide to give it serious thought sometime in the future