sooks and sangria april

[jenny wren]

Hi there Cappers....we did a trip in Tangiers (the only trip we did) called the Tangier city tour it was much more than that though....we went out of town to the Atlantic coast to Hercules caves and then to the Cap Spartel lighthouse at the entrance to the Med, then to the Kasbah and Medina. It was really good value for money about £30 each for a good half day.

 

We didn't go to Motril so cant help there and it looks like you've got that sussed.

Don't know your exact ports but Gib you can get a taxi at the port entrance and they will do a tour for you if you want or you can just wander into town about 20 minute walk ....follow everyone else! Quite a long Main street with M & S , Next, BHS etc. nice bar called Jurys at the far end where we usually go for a drink/eats and free wifi...Trafalgar Cemetery is a lovely little place with nice flowers and trees ....shady if its very hot...there is also an interesting museum down a side streeton the right as you walk up....cable car goes up the Rock if you can stand the height!!

 

Malaga is a nice place to wander....should be a shuttle here to the city centre....there is a beach close to where the ship berths on the right as you face the land....also if you go to the right from where the shuttle drops you crossing the dual carriageway/main road there is a castle with some Roman ruins/buildings and a botanical garden which is a nice place to go with good photo opportunities. It costs a few euros to get in.

 

Cartagena is another nice place to wander...if you want to go to the castle on the top of the hill overlooking where the ship berths then just walk off the ship and up the steps in front of you at the end of the pier turn right and follow the road round and you will see a lift which takes you up or do as we did and walk up the windy path...lovely views from the top and if you leave on the other side of the hill and walk down you will see the Roman amphitheatre and carry on down to the town centre.....on the quayside to the right of the end of the pier is a Marine archaeological museum which we went to this New Year (if was free for oldies) and found it very interesting.

 

Valencia ...there will be a shuttle here then if you head for the Cathedral area there is a market there and the tourist buses go from the square by the Cathedral....we got a tourist bus which went to the Albufera Nature Reserve out of town which was quite good..it included a boat ride on a big lake so we did a spot of birdwatching. There is also a big Arts and Science museum and Aquarium ...very modern looking buildings but I think you would need a taxi to get there.

 

That's just a taster of what we've done in those places....let me know if there's anywhere I haven't mentioned and I'll see if I can help further!!!

 

Its a lovely itinerary and reception do have good maps if you need them!

:)

[Cappers]

Thank you Jenny:D That's very helpful stuff!

[Stevio]

I wish to second the thanks to Jenny for the Gibraltar & Tangiers info... In fact I found it so helpful I have booked the Souks & Sangrias cruise for June. :D

[jenny wren]

You won't be disappointed Stevio!:)

 

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[Stevio]

Ok I know the best advice on here is not to look after you have booked…. But I looked… & blow me down my June cruise has actually gone up by £128 for the same type cabins since I booked it six days ago …. Not only that but the Premier Inn for the night before the flight went down from £72 to £45 so we booked that as well.

I know it won’t last & they will be giving the cruise away before I sail but for the moment am well pleased to have booked when I did :D…. I don’t have Alistair Sim as Scrooge for my avatar for nothing.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Stevio

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Hi Stevio, I want to book Premier Inn when we go away in May, but when I looked it was £72 :eek: Once I got it for £29 :) So is the best thing just to keep checking?

[Stevio]

Hi Stevio, I want to book Premier Inn when we go away in May, but when I looked it was £72 :eek: Once I got it for £29 :) So is the best thing just to keep checking?

 

I consider myself something of an expert on Premier Inn price tracking, but this year I cannot fathom any pattern to their prices…. It used to be fairly simple, room prices were expensive to book months in advance and fell slowly up to a couple of weeks notice when they went up to the highest price ever to catch the late bookers, excepting bank holidays which were always more costly & I have a theory that they know when the cruises are as the day before a Tue Thomson or a Thurs NCL always seems to be more than the other days. That just left you to look out for a £29 sale to come along & hope to get lucky… Which we have done a few times.

Their big fanfare £29 sale starting last month was to end in May which was no good for my June sailing which persisted stubbornly at £72 for the 2nd June for Gatwick North … The day before 1st June was showing £29 even though it was outside their sale date just to taunt me.

On the evening of the 11th March I had phoned home from work to find Mrs Stevio had noticed it had fallen to £45 & had booked it. I did the post above mentioning it the next morning & while clearing her favourites at 11:00 hrs Mrs Stevio noticed it had gone back up to £72…

So in answer to your question … Keep checking …very regularly. As it appears Mrs Stevio managed to book an unpublicised one night only price, which she keeps reminding me about… I call it beginners luck.

Other advice is to check the prices on a full PC where you have the option of ticking the “my dates are flexible button “and compare & scroll through whole weeks at a time.

Just to confuse matters the Thomson site has a “Thomson extras” link that leads you to “Airport Hotels” where all the hotels are normally listed at a higher price than you can book direct as you would expect with Thomsons. Except that is for my booking at North terminal Prem’ Inn that has been showing at £52 throughout & is still currently the cheapest by £20… So may be worth a look for your May trip

Can’t believe I just recommended Thomson’s to save money on an extra :eek:

Edited March 13, 2014 by Stevio

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Thanks Stevio - I think :D:D

[ekco]

We've been lucky enough to get tickets for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow at the end of July. Hotel price hikes are in operation, Travelodge at Glasgow Airport in the near future £32 per night, end of July it's £160 per night. We probably won't bother going, not worth it just for one night unless something cheaper comes up.

 

Jan

[skioncruises]

We've been lucky enough to get tickets for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow at the end of July. Hotel price hikes are in operation, Travelodge at Glasgow Airport in the near future £32 per night, end of July it's £160 per night. We probably won't bother going, not worth it just for one night unless something cheaper comes up. Jan

 

Hi Jan

 

Sorry to hear your predicament about accommodation. That's a complete rip off. We live on the east coast so cannot even recommend anywhere for you as we don't know the area. Perhaps some of our CCers who live on the west coast may be able to give you some idea of where you might get a bed for the night.

 

Jan:)

[ekco]

Thank Jan. We've actually looked at flying up by budget airline but the only problem is that we would have to stop up all night and return at breakfast time. We might have to camp in the Lake District yet, lol. Scratch heads time, we had no trouble going budget to London for the Paralympics and late booking at that, very strange. Sorry, I'm going off thread again. Off to check out the camp sites.:D:D

 

Jan

[tart6000]

Hi there,I live just outside Glasgow and the best advice I can give is try either Motherwell or Bellshill for hotels.Its

only 20 mins to Glasgow but the hotels arent charging silly prices.

[tart6000]

Ooops try Strathclyde Country park for camping 10 mins along the motorway and your in thr heart of Glasgow

[ekco]

Hi there,I live just outside Glasgow and the best advice I can give is try either Motherwell or Bellshill for hotels.Its

only 20 mins to Glasgow but the hotels arent charging silly prices.

 

Sorry for taking so long to get back. I've got the builders in, say no more, lol. Thanks for the advice, I'll have a look. Hopefully they haven't jumped on the bandwagon.:):)

 

Jan

[ekco]

Ooops try Strathclyde Country park for camping 10 mins along the motorway and your in thr heart of Glasgow

 

Midges???:D

 

Jan

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Hi Jan, how's the building going? Have you gone mad yet? :rolleyes::D

[ekco]

Hi Jan, how's the building going? Have you gone mad yet? :rolleyes::D

 

Almost, lol. The bedroom is plastered from top to bottom and looks weird until it dries out. On the plus side, thanks to tart6000, I've booked a room at a hotel outside Glasgow for a very reasonable price. Now to find a couple more stops to make it a holiday after the athletics. Phew!:D:D

 

Jan

[skioncruises]

Hi Jan

 

Wondered where you had disappeared to but it seems you have been plastering about.:D.

 

Told you someone from the west coast would come up with info about accommodation. You will now be able to come North of the Border and hopefully have a great time. Well done tart6000.:D

 

Your question about midges - well it is the west coast but you shouldn't have any problems. It's normally the countryside that gets them bad, especially if it has been raining and then the sun comes out.:eek:

 

Jan:)

[ekco]

Hi Jan

 

Wondered where you had disappeared to but it seems you have been plastering about.:D.

 

Jan:)

 

Oh very droll, :D:D. Now we can relax and look for hotels away from Glasgow and do a little tour while we are in Scotland. Any suggestions?;)

 

Jan