No desire to go to Dubai, shopping & lounging not my thing or mrs skell for that matter, we go away for christmas on riding holidays each year... Whilst i understand it may not be your other halve's choice to go on a cycling holiday there are places where you can kill 2 birds as they say and maybe get a cheeky ride or 2 in...
Tenerife sun, sea, sand & Lavatrax
Capetown as above, plus great seafood, steak and iride africa
Costa rica, fantastic place lots to do, very eco aware, any country whose motto is pura vida must be worth a visit
That said do you think all the nice hotels in the UK all pay minimum wage and treat their staff fairly and don’t rely on and exploit cheap foreign labour?
it goes a little deeper than this. for example, the leader has imprisoned his own daughter
it goes a little deeper than this. for example, the leader has imprisoned his own daughter
Has the UN asked for proof of life for all of Boris's offspring?
I holiday according to my moral compass and it causes no issues whatsoever.
what if your moral compass directs you away from not burning a load of aviation fuel so that you can visit a far away place?
Dubai, lol.
Go Goa?
Has the UN asked for proof of life for all of Boris’s offspring?
All if his children?
As mentioned above I was going to suggest Cape Town. Really liked it when we were there last, there’s some decent cycling guides based down there as well.
Cape Verde?
Long story short; if your personal morals would let you willing visit Dubai or UAE then the world would be a better place without you. HTH
Awesome stw post.
Go Goa?
Shush! We're going (?) next Xmas for 3 weeks, was supposed to be Xmas just gone which we booked in Dec 2019. Don't want to be bumping into any of you lot! 😉
Yes wev'e been before.
Yes we know we really shouldv'e gone in the 90's before It was ruined by tourists.
Cuba is fantastic. Couple of cans of bucanero and Cristal and you are sorted. Food is crap and it's almost comical, but my god it's a beautiful country. Also super safe. The people are lovely. Go to Havana for some culture then Cayo Coco for the beach.
I was 'lucky' enough to be work overseas so got to see places on someone else's expense account. I was on my own and usually bored so always ended up exploring or taken out by the clients.
Oman was great - less developed and some great scenery, souks and cheap but good local restaurant. Dubai had better hotels but as mentioned above like the States you can't walk anywhere, and there isn't much to walk around apart from malls. The old town gold market and harbour area was okay but that was it.
I wouldn't go there on my own money.
We've had some great holidays in Ibiza villas in the north of the island. I'm into electronica music so appreciate the history the islands position within that but we don't go for the club's (too old now!)
1. Ethically I couldn’t do it
2. As a holiday experience it appears to be a bland culture free flop ‘n drop.I guess if your stomach is strong enough to handle the former your palette might be banal enough to withstand the latter.
Brutal character assisination of the typical Dubai holiday maker. Love it. Classic STW
Has anybody mentioned that there is a chance you may bump in to an influencer or ninety percent of the cast of a god awful reality show? That’s reason enough not to go
How about Belize? Fantastic diving, warm sunny beaches, proper jungle ruins and mucho macho Indiana Jonesery, with Afternoon Tea on the Verandha!
And everyone talks like pirates...
I worked with a young lad who came from Belize. He use to say "Beautiful country but ****ing dangerous if you don't know where you're going" when people asked him what it was like.
Some of the pictures he showed us of where he grew up did look nice to visit.
I have been to Dubai a few times with work , and a couple of times on vacation ( I have friends based in Oman).
I hate the place - but it doesn't mean that you will. It is a very superficial place (But I know you are just going on holiday). Whilst it appears like a hedonistic destination to the footballers wives category, remember it is not a free and easy place. Topless sunbathing is a no-no, public drunkenness as big no-no and getting into a traffic accident could be a major drama.
My issue is as a holiday destination is that there is really not a lot to do/ see other than desert and beaches. But the may be your thing. It is like going to Las Vegas - but with all the fun taken out, the booze limited and none of the showgirls.
If I wanted winter sun, I would be off to the Cape Town area, despite it's reputation. Love the place ... but it is an 11 hour flight.
Amazingly cheap when you get there !
Praio do Patacho in Brazil, great beaches and my brother runs a couple of cottages there 😉
Cape Town is a long flight but it’s usually an overnighted and no jet lag. I always thought I’d hate RSA, probably due to all the saffers in sw London 🙂 , but it’s a great place. Stayed in Constantia in Cape Town and then up to Boschendal and Franschhoek a few times.
Oman? Just a bit further and miles nicer. Better scenery, not so much of the overt slavery.
Cape Town is awesome. Fantastic food scene there. You couldn't pay me to go to Dubai - it's like all of the worst things in the world concentrated together.
Ahhhhhh Belize
Some of the best travelling I've ever done there. An excellent little place. I would love to go back, especially as a 25 year old backpacker again 🙂
what about the carribean, i' ve been a few times over winter December/January,
Antigua or Barbados are cracking weather beutiful beaches and activities to do.
morning flights out of UK take 7 hours land early evening, and evening flight home to get back to rainy britain 730am next day..
think i'll be going december , winter suns makes me happy
less than that and you have to drop miles away in the dessert.
that's not to be trifled with!
Canaries aren't blistering hot at that time, but okay for shorts/t-shirts and beach, especially on S coasts where the resorts generally are (which I avoid, obv). Loads to do depending on island, including nowt and old school SFA. Close and cheap, relatively speaking. I've been in December a couple of times and you do get a dose of sun. Just checked: sea temp is 20°C (cossies okay, shortie for surfing), air temps a bit over 20. Bugger it - tempted to book something now...
I have friends that have been arrested for being on the wrong side of an argument with a local and also know a guy through work who lived there and was told he had to leave the country in 24 hours and never come back as someone had reported him for saying something against the Sheikh and his family. It's definitely not as tolerant as a lot of tourists think it is. The first time I took the family to Dubai was on boxing day and my youngest was about 3. We were standing in the passport queue and she looks over and starts saying very loudly - Daddy, why are they dressed as shepherds? We wondered what she was talking about then saw the border control guys all in traditional gear and being close to Christmas she'd been in her nursery nativity play. She kept going on about it all holiday. We'd be walking down the street and she'd be going 1, 2, 3, 4 I'm counting shepherds. Luckily I don't think anyone noticed or we'd probably still be there in prison.
I know a couple of people who've done time in Dubai. One was in about 2007, had some porn on his laptop. Was sentenced to many years but let out after 3 months. The other got into a Kafkaesque hell accused of stuff that simply wasn't possible (unpaid school fees from before he was ever married or had kids). Spent a while in prison, and is still in Dubai now because the authorities won't return his passport. A rum old place IMO.
My brother in law once did a runner from a hotel as he couldn't pay the drinks bill. Thankfully he didn't get caught as I suspect he'd still be locked up now.
Living in the ME, I can see why you'd want to go to Dubai for Christmas. On paper you'd get winter sun, a slap up Xmas all you can booze brunch, and fancy hotels. It's ok, but expensive and soulless. It's shopping malls and trout pouts on the beach.
It's a nice part of the world to live in during "winter" but that's because living means going to the park, your beach, camping in the desert, or just with a paddling pool in the garden. You're also certainly not guaranteed the best weather. It rained today and is going to again tomorrow am. Check the weather forecast for Doha. We actually look forward to the rain.
However....
Most expats living in Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Doha /Kuwait, etc travel elsewhere at Xmas. Put it simply, they get away.
Spend a bit longer on a plane and go to the southern hemisphere. Sri Lanka or Kerala would be my choice normally but with COVID I'd look at Vietnam. Also look at Zanzibar, South Africa, Bali and Palawan as a rogue option. Far, far nicer parts of the world to holiday in and you'd save a packet on hotels, although flights are more.
go goa
No, if you're thinking of Goa then go to Kerela or Sri Lanka unless you're on a gap year.
(actually, go to Nepal but not at Xmas)
((I've been to, and enjoyed, them all, not idle speculation))
I absolutely love Cape Town, and wider bits of Southern Africa I have been lucky enough to visit. But I wouldn't necessarily advise it as a place to go if the OP's wife wants to literally sit by a pool or beach all day and laze. The sea is cold all the way along that coast, but particularly around Cape Town. There are a handful of 'resort' type hotels like American brands with golf courses and there are many really good small guest houses / boutique hotels that will have a pool but, for Christmas week, they aren't cheap and neither will flights be. I do agree it is nice doing overnight flights and having no jet lag. But I don't think I would be able to settle by the pool with so much other stuff (activities, outdoors mountains and wildlife, and good food and wine in different places).
Out of interest in Kerala and Sri Lanka where are the best beaches to avoid crowds? I guess in December you need to look at west/south Sri Lanka. I always fancied getting to Yala National Park.
Most expats living in Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Doha /Kuwait, etc travel elsewhere at Xmas. Put it simply, they get away.
Whenever I've thought about looking for work in Gulf states I've asked ex-pats what they like about it, and they say they like the easy access to other places - India, Nepal, and further afield. When I ask what they actually did last weekend they all say "went to the mall" 🙂
Whenever I’ve thought about looking for work in Gulf states I’ve asked ex-pats what they like about it, and they say they like the easy access to other places – India, Nepal, and further afield. When I ask what they actually did last weekend they all say “went to the mall”
As a (ex-)European I like being two hours away from about 15 other countries, but all I did was went to the tip, then Meadowhall 😉
As a (ex-)European I like being two hours away from about 15 other countries, but all I did was went to the tip, then Meadowhall 😉
Ain't that the truth 🙁 If only someone had warned us 🙁
I thihk flying a long disatnce anywhere for a holiday is of doubtful morarity given the C02 produced by a significant flight.
I think the western world needs a reset on its atitude to flying.
I guess in December you need to look at west/south Sri Lanka. I always fancied getting to Yala National Park.
Yep, down Bentota way around to Galle. It's quite fun to book a hire car with a local company, you'll get an old Toyota with a few dents, they'll deliver to the airport and then there is the new Chinese made highway down the coast. We don't really like having a driver and are used to dodgy driving although this was off the scale. A few 5 star places, the Riu is good, to have some posh days. and then a few quality home stay.
Kerala is massive. It's best to pick one of two bits and do it well. The backwaters are epic on a private rice barge with a chef, etc, for maybe 3 days. Also, we liked the Varkala end near Trivandrum and also trekking through the tea plantations around Munnar. Green Frog look amazing for bike tours in that part of the world.
When I ask what they actually did last weekend they all say “went to the mall”
Travelling to Asia from the Middle East is fantastic but it's not a weekend thing. I've just got back from a trip to a farm and going to the beach tomorrow as the start to my weekend with a bike ride Saturday, I think. Family pootling rather than holiday stuff.
Not sunbathing weather, it rained today, but 22 degC all day so still shorts and t shirts. Set fine for this week 24ish and sunny. Winter is fantastic outside weather but I wouldn't fly 7 hours and be happy it's "holiday" weather. You want April or October for that.
It's very easy to slip into mall life for many!
The sea is cold all the way along that coast, but particularly around Cape Town
Paddling at Cape Point, my feet reminded me that the next piece of land to the south was Antarctica. It was cold! And it was SA mid-summer.
When I ask what they actually did last weekend they all say “went to the mall” 🙂
To be fair though, so can go skiing in some of their malls!
Whenever I’ve thought about looking for work in Gulf states I’ve asked ex-pats what they like about it
TBH I always thought it was the moolah 🙂
Southern Spain, usually sunny, Christmas before last I had Xmas in Cadiz, was about 20C. One of my best Christmas destinations thopugh was Granada. Beautiful place, blue sky, dry - Cold in the shade.
If you want a holiday in the Gulf try Oman, a lot more hotels than when I lived there in the 80s but it's still supposed to be pretty beautiful. Amazing snorkeling and diving. Still has human rights issues but definitely less so than neighboring states.
Southern Spain, usually sunny, Christmas before last I had Xmas in Cadiz, was about 20C. One of my best Christmas destinations thopugh was Granada. Beautiful place, blue sky, dry – Cold in the shade.
Looks out window .... not today 🙂
TBH from what I’ve heard it’s been the coldest weather last year, last week had some stunning sunny days thou.
I do like a bit of Spain it’s both familiar and strange 🙂