# Coach Trip



## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Ok the program is rubbish but liking all sorts of travel program regardless of the format I watch it when I can. Now the other night Big M popped up from behind her book and said she wouldn't mind going on one 

So I've been looking at coach/train European tours, maybe Capital Cities sort of thing. Anybody done anything like this, any recommendation on operators. If I did go for it I wouldn't mind taking in Switzerland/Austria as well as a few other places on the way there and back as it's a couple of places I haven't been to.

I sort of like the idea of an organised trip rather than just taking off on our own as I would just get to the first decent bar off the ferry and stay there for a week or two 

Good Idea or Bad ????


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## martinzx (Aug 29, 2010)

How About a Nice trip to Margate!


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

martinzx said:


> How About a Nice trip to Margate!


I was thinking about something a bit further afield

:lol: :lol:


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2011)

I think it sounds like a cracking idea, I want to do a few trips like that when the kids have left home...I think I may have a long wait though!


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Plans, knowing where you are going, worse, knowing where your going AND when you are going, surrounded by pensioners probably, the worst idea you've ever come up with. This is the sort of thing you do when you are nearly dead. My nightmare idea of a holiday.

Drive yourself, or better still, get Big M to drive.


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## kevkojak (May 14, 2009)

Booking a coach trip around Europe:

Shat idea, sorry Bond - see MarkF's reply!*

Applying to be on the show Coach Trip however, letting someone else pay for your Smirnoff (not sure just how deep their pockets are though  ), getting your mug on TV and having a good old row with some muppets you'll never see again yet develop an undying hatred for:

Proper idea!! :thumbsup:

Get on the channel 4 web page and sign your ass up, it'll be a nice surprise for Big M!

*I must say though, I've seen a few good mini-cruise packages that do half a dozen stops for city-tours or whatever.

Those cruise ships have casino's in which to sip your Vodka/Red-Bull (shaken, not stirred)!


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

MarkF said:


> Plans, knowing where you are going, worse, knowing where your going AND when you are going, surrounded by pensioners probably, the worst idea you've ever come up with. This is the sort of thing you do when you are nearly dead. My nightmare idea of a holiday.
> 
> Drive yourself, or better still, get Big M to drive.


Couldn't agree more Mark. A coach trip would be my idea of hell, a mobile prison cell. I think the only redeeming feature would be the ability to see more on the drive because you're not driving, but then that's why women are allowed to drive - just not in the cities as they're hopeless.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

I sort of though those would be the comments :lol: :lol:

My problem is I'm aimless, I can just see it, the first bar and that would be it 



> Applying to be on the show Coach Trip however, letting someone else pay for your Smirnoff (not sure just how deep their pockets are though ), getting your mug on TV and having a good old row with some muppets you'll never see again yet develop an undying hatred for:
> 
> Proper idea!!


We wouldn't last five minutes, Big M never shuts up and I'd be ga-ga most of the time









BTW Big M isn't safe on her own two feet and I wouldn't get in a car with her driving if you paid me. She had more driving instructors than you can shake a stick at and at lest two of them have never been the same again !!!!


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

BondandBigM said:


> My problem is I'm aimless, I can just see it, the first bar and that would be it


It's good being aimless, go when you want, where you want, stop when you want, I love it, anyway, I can't even plan my breakfast.

I am aiming on this Rhine route 2012 or 2013, why not get convertible and do it? Buy a little MX5, be a nice trip, maybe lose nothing or Â£100-200 on it, take up insurance the day you leave, cancel it 14 days later. I've done that trick with motorbike tours :thumbsup:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

MarkF said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> > My problem is I'm aimless, I can just see it, the first bar and that would be it
> ...


Been there, sort of done it, not in an MX5 but a Trans Am with T-Tops and got lost in KÃ¶ln :lol: :lol:

I worked near Rotterdam for a while a few years ago and on a weekend I used to just take off without a map, one man, his motor and the occasional Dutch hooker now and then  My best road trips were with this guy who I met in a bar, short one with the flowery shirt, turned out he was a bit of a Rock Star so I ended up going all over with him and his band, now they knew how to drink Vodka







He also owned a bar which I spent many a happy night in with all sorts of characters.........Happy Days !!


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Well, me'sen and Mrs Mel - we *ARE* those pensioners :lol:

Mostly these things are cheap and cheerful, but a bit "Hi-dee-hi" - what they don't tell you is things like the driver at the overnight stop saying

"We need to be away by 7.15 to miss the rush hours round Frankfurt, so I've booked a 5.45 a.m. call for you all"

and they will almost invariably have comfort/teabreak stops at "Designer Village" type outlets where a coffee and cake will cost you about 10 euros each - whilst the driver sits in the corner with his as a freebie for bringing in a coach :yes:

OTOH, the trips out to interesting bits are usually inclusive and well organised, and even well worth it. The worst thing though, is the dreaded feeder/hub system with the big boys (SHEARING, Wallace Arnold and the likes) where they pick up in six places in Lancashire, and another four places on the way to South Mimms services where twenty Shearings group coaches meet up and cross transfer passengers onto the coaches that are actually going on to the final destinations - like four Lancashire passengers and 16 from Wales, plus twelve from Glasgow get put on the coach with passengers from London that's actually going to Lake Como. Of course, if one coach gets held up, the others all have to wait - and then they do it all in reverse on the return journey. :taz:

So if you do go stir crazy and book one, make sure it's a direct coach from your area, probably a smaller local operator, with NO HUB Changeovers :yes:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

mel said:


> the rush hours round Frankfurt


Been there as well and got lost again :lol: :lol:

Some foreign guy, sounded German, in a petrol station that said in broken English "Turn Left At The Airport" lying fooker !!

Although It was probably the Brit number plate with a Union Jack on them that did it


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

we've done a couple one round the Peloponnese peninsula and one round California/western states.

The above comments by people who haven't actually been on one of these is based on the usual preconception/prejudice but hey-ho.

They aren't without drawbacks, there is a bit of packing/ unpacking to contend with and you may miss out on one or two sights, I for instance missed out on the Hearst mansion but could just have easilty done that by getting lost/ being too late etc.

They aren't populated exclusively by pensioners - usual cross-section applies.

I never have been asked to get up at 6-00 am.

There is plenty of time to do as you please - in San Francisco we booked a Seaplane flight over the city - brilliant.

I hate driving on holiday, you get to see f - all and are constantly knackered.

Only one way to find out if you like it.

"Coach Trip" with it's hand-picked crew of wierdos bars as much resemblence to real life as "Big Brother"


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Rather be run over by one than get on one................


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

MarkF said:


> Rather be run over by one than get on one................


:lol: :lol:

That being said if it were to keep Big M happy that's all that is important B)


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Well, we've done - let me think - at least twenty of them over the years :yes: Italy, Germany, Spain, Holland etc'

We've invariably found smaller companies to be better. We've had early departures (not every day granted) at times from 06.45 onwards on around a third of those tours - so it does happen! Also, I have to say, the guy was right, the following year we were on a tour that went roughly the saame route, and our driver departed from outside Frankfurt at 08.45 so we sat in traffic for over an hour and a half, grinding slowly forward a bit at a time. The early departure guy sailed round Frankfurt, same route, and we got into that night's stop two hours early, plenty of time to have a pleasant walk around.

If you go Hull/Rotterdam or similar, from Newcastle for example, you often automatically have an early start off the overnight ferry as well, the other thing we noticed was that overnight hotels at the weekend were often better (4*) probably 'cos they want bums on beds at weekends AND DO DEALS FOR COACH TOURS TO GET THAT.

As said, you need to try one to find out - we use David Urqhart Travel, and a specialist Dance hols one - Kingshill Holidays - both excellent organisers. (You don't have to dance to go with Kingshill and they have some non-dance tours as well)


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

BondandBigM said:


> That being said if it were to keep Big M happy that's all that is important B)


That's nice, you must really love her. :inlove: Make sure we have pics.

Each to their own, my mum likes them, cruises too, but then again, it's her time, many years ago she peddled across Europe (must be genetic) and now she can't. Met some cyclists in near Barcelona and we got chatting, they were on a guided tour of Catalonia, I mean, WTF! It's not like crossing the Darien Gap or pedalling through Borneo, you don't *need *help to do it.

Somewhere, but definitely not lost, in Catalonia.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

MarkF said:


> Make sure we have pics.


:lol: :lol:










The way I see it I've been lucky in my life, I have travelled all over the world pretty much at the expense of the company I worked for so if it's what she fancies hey ho it surely can't be that bad for a week or two or can it ?????


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

mel said:


> Well, we've done - let me think - at least twenty of them over the years :yes: Italy, Germany, Spain, Holland etc'
> 
> We've invariably found smaller companies to be better. We've had early departures (not every day granted) at times from 06.45 onwards on around a third of those tours - so it does happen! Also, I have to say, the guy was right, the following year we were on a tour that went roughly the saame route, and our driver departed from outside Frankfurt at 08.45 so we sat in traffic for over an hour and a half, grinding slowly forward a bit at a time. The early departure guy sailed round Frankfurt, same route, and we got into that night's stop two hours early, plenty of time to have a pleasant walk around.
> 
> ...


I just think of that Dodgy daytime Tv Program ... I just couldnt


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

BondandBigM said:


> MarkF said:
> 
> 
> > Make sure we have pics.
> ...


A good life is that, company expenses were the only thing I liked about "real" work. Enjoy the trip.  Never seen this "Coach trip" show?


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

MarkF said:


> Somewhere, but definitely not lost, in Catalonia.


Looks like Besalu, Mark, has a mediaeval bridge into old part, or Banyoles (with the Lake), or near Pals and Calella de Palafrugells.


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