Benidorm or bust.

[alcam]

Motorhoming for me is only "hell" if you end up staying somewhere bloody awful. As long as I have somewhere half decent to park up for a while, preferably somewhere fantastic I'm happy. If the place itself is not up to much or I'm not enjoying it then I'll go somewhere else. A prime example this year was mid summer around Briancon area in the southern French Alps. Two of the Aires we found were grim. I hated them. Campsites were crap and crammed as well. I would have stayed longer at both had we found somewhere decent to stay. In the end about 40 miles south we did and had a cracking time. There must be somewhere half decent to stay in Benidorm and I am pretty sure John said elsewhere he's booked onto a site. That said I have seen photos of motorhomes crammed onto wasteland in Spain. That wouldn't appeal to me but I could handle a few weeks there on a site. How bad could it be? I'm guessing they will all be adults so not many feral kids running about.

It was the feral adults that put me off

 

[barryd]

It was the feral adults that put me off

Ah well yes. They can be a problem I might be one of those feral adults of course!

 

[Pauljenny]

You've forgotten the bike.

And the piano?

 

[Wooie1958]

It was the feral adults that put me off

Ah well yes. They can be a problem I might be one of those feral adults of course!

We had them barstewards turn up at Bray Dunes CCP last time we was there

3 hired motorhomes ( Just Go ) came in together, 6 adults, 5 kids, 3 dogs running fukcing riot in there.

Adults sat in a group pissed out of their minds, kids bouncing footballs off the other motorhomes and the dogs shyting everywhere.

Makes you proud to be British ....................................................... NOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[alcam]

Ah well yes. They can be a problem I might be one of those feral adults of course!

The feralest!

 

[barryd]

We had them barstewards turn up at Bray Dunes CCP last time we was there

3 hired motorhomes ( Just Go ) came in together, 6 adults, 5 kids, 3 dogs running fukcing riot in there.

Adults sat in a group pissed out of their minds, kids bouncing footballs off the other motorhomes and the dogs shyting everywhere.

Makes you proud to be British ....................................................... NOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing worse is there? Not had too many annoyances this year. Some very chatty youngsters from Spain I think in the French Alps which I wasn't bothered about apart from them being young so they stayed up late. The Brits that disgrace themselves busting out of the CCP Aire at Serre Poncon lake by holding the barrier up so the three vans in their group could escape without paying. I suspect I dodged a bullet there as they were leaving when we arrived. The most annoying one though was in October on Easewell farm which is a nice site above Woolacombe. Some twat playing music from 11pm to sometimes 1am or 2am in the morning. For four or five days I tried to work out where it was coming from. Tracked it down to a bloke in a massive caravan on his own. Obviously coming back from the pub pissed and turning it up to number 11. Security sorted him out.

I find I have less and less tolerance these days for stuff like this.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I don't really care for other people really. Liz isn't keen either. Hence we are still since 2006 only 'Wild Camping' or free aires.

I keep them at arm's length usually. Very few get beyond my fence; they have to be very special indeed. A few have charmed their way in, but once you cut through the BS, they are escorted out.

Forums suit me fine, but it's long reach, and I'm okay with that. I keep the tossers out of the way, and the few that actually don't like me, usually have me in stitches with their antics. I know at least three of them have me on ignore. Well, whatever, tiny minds, Bovvered, er Nah.

Too many really good people on here to be concerned with also rans, they know who they are I hope.

Hmm, maybe a bit of a rant there, I had doings with a tosser today so, the froth has overflowed. Sorry.

 

[Jo001]

We went to Benidorm like somebody else upthread, because we were passing; and thought it had to be worth seeing to find out if it really was as tacky as we expected.

It sort of is, and isn't. Yes, there are the stag and hen parties with drunken louts and scary women, but it's really not hard to avoid them. We aren't into clubbing and all nighters anyway so for us it was easy enough. Stay away from the red flag areas and it's fine. Some of the slogans on the t-shirts on sale are a bit shocking and that's hard to avoid, but apart from that, Benidorm definitely has its good points.

We reckoned that with the huge number of visitors, restaurants had to compete with each other quite aggressively, and their strategy was to compete on either price or quality. If you are a restaurant trying to attract people who only want to line their stomachs with heavy food before heavy drinking, you compete on price and go cheap. If that isn't your target market (maybe you are trying to attract a more mature clientele, people more like us) you compete on quality and provide really nice food. So as a customer, I could be fairly confident that if I avoided the 'all you can eat, rock bottom, cheaper than next door' places, I'd likely get a decent meal. And one that is still great value.

Near various Spanish campsites in winter, a lot of people will spend several weeks or months, so we also found that businesses had an interest in attracting repeat custom. And that's not always so very common in touristy areas, where they don't care because they will never see you again. Long term stayers also means you can build friendships with other people on site if you want to.

So with a bit of planning, it's fine, and we had such a good time that we have been back a couple of times, and wouldn't hesitate to go again.

 

[Nabsim]

You old people sheesh! Good job you weren't at the summer solstice with me 3 years back at Avebury. Completely boxed in to the 'lovely isolated spot when we arrived' unable to move. Raves set up on all sides of us going 24 hours a day for 3 or 4 days. That's the one where I actually jumped out the van on day brandishing and axe and threatening to total a van that was gonna try and skid past mine in the mud fest.

Needless to say that was my last summer solstice

 

[barryd]

You old people sheesh! Good job you weren't at the summer solstice with me 3 years back at Avebury. Completely boxed in to the 'lovely isolated spot when we arrived' unable to move. Raves set up on all sides of us going 24 hours a day for 3 or 4 days. That's the one where I actually jumped out the van on day brandishing and axe and threatening to total a van that was gonna try and skid past mine in the mud fest.

Needless to say that was my last summer solstice

Reminds me of my last ever festival about 20 years ago at the Wicker man in Dumfries and Galloway. I think the Saturday night I finally tried to get some sleep in my tent around 3am and of course the raves, drugs and drink were going on all around me with one particular bunch quite close (Glaswegians it turned out). After about an hour I burst out of my tent full of hell shouting the odds, kicked over their table (accidently it turned out as I stumbled in my fury but it must of looked well ard ) and went into a right rant. They just paused and fell about laughing and threw a tin of Tennent's tramp lager at me. Nobody can resist the Purple tinny at 3am so that was that. I just got stuck in.

 

[Jo001]

Wicker man in Dumfries and Galloway

My friend's dad was a police sergeant in Dumfries and Galloway in the early 60s. He had some incredible stories. But Edward Woodward wore his uniform in the film.

 

[Sydwal]

The main thing is to have fun in the sun, and I'm sure you will! You may find fun in the UK this time of year but not much sun. Safe travels!

 

[Pauljenny]

You old people sheesh! Good job you weren't at the summer solstice with me 3 years back at Avebury. Completely boxed in to the 'lovely isolated spot when we arrived' unable to move. Raves set up on all sides of us going 24 hours a day for 3 or 4 days. That's the one where I actually jumped out the van on day brandishing and axe and threatening to total a van that was gonna try and skid past mine in the mud fest.

Needless to say that was my last summer solstice

Hope it's not your last, Neil.
Just celebrate it in some quiet Poi.
Perhaps with some of our less noisy members.

PM. Me for the names that you should certainly avoid.

 

[korky]

Reminds me of my last ever festival about 20 years ago at the Wicker man in Dumfries and Galloway. I think the Saturday night I finally tried to get some sleep in my tent around 3am and of course the raves, drugs and drink were going on all around me with one particular bunch quite close (Glaswegians it turned out). After about an hour I burst out of my tent full of hell shouting the odds, kicked over their table (accidently it turned out as I stumbled in my fury but it must of looked well ard ) and went into a right rant. They just paused and fell about laughing and threw a tin of Tennent's tramp lager at me. Nobody can resist the Purple tinny at 3am so that was that. I just got stuck in.

That was a great festival. I went to a couple, it was very Glaswegian.I noticed the police were all walking round in threes.The first one I went to, the first night, I have never heard such a racket at any festival I've been to. It went on all night with the roaring and shouting. Trying to get my head down around 6 a.m. it was still going on. The funny thing was they drank themselves to a standstill that first night and after that it was much quieter late on.
Having the God of Hellfire, Arthur Brown light the Wickerman after his set was a highlight for me. Shame it's not on anymore, a beautiful location.

 

[alcam]

We went to Benidorm like somebody else upthread, because we were passing; and thought it had to be worth seeing to find out if it really was as tacky as we expected.

It sort of is, and isn't. Yes, there are the stag and hen parties with drunken louts and scary women, but it's really not hard to avoid them. We aren't into clubbing and all nighters anyway so for us it was easy enough. Stay away from the red flag areas and it's fine. Some of the slogans on the t-shirts on sale are a bit shocking and that's hard to avoid, but apart from that, Benidorm definitely has its good points.

We reckoned that with the huge number of visitors, restaurants had to compete with each other quite aggressively, and their strategy was to compete on either price or quality. If you are a restaurant trying to attract people who only want to line their stomachs with heavy food before heavy drinking, you compete on price and go cheap. If that isn't your target market (maybe you are trying to attract a more mature clientele, people more like us) you compete on quality and provide really nice food. So as a customer, I could be fairly confident that if I avoided the 'all you can eat, rock bottom, cheaper than next door' places, I'd likely get a decent meal. And one that is still great value.

Near various Spanish campsites in winter, a lot of people will spend several weeks or months, so we also found that businesses had an interest in attracting repeat custom. And that's not always so very common in touristy areas, where they don't care because they will never see you again. Long term stayers also means you can build friendships with other people on site if you want to.

So with a bit of planning, it's fine, and we had such a good time that we have been back a couple of times, and wouldn't hesitate to go again.

Good , logical , post Jo almost had me converted . Then you go and spoil it by talking about 'building friendships' .
Include me out

 

[Pudsey Bear]

What he said.

 

[Jo001]

It's an option, not a requirement!

Antisocial bunch of grinches ...

 

[barryd]

That was a great festival. I went to a couple, it was very Glaswegian.I noticed the police were all walking round in threes.The first one I went to, the first night, I have never heard such a racket at any festival I've been to. It went on all night with the roaring and shouting. Trying to get my head down around 6 a.m. it was still going on. The funny thing was they drank themselves to a standstill that first night and after that it was much quieter late on.
Having the God of Hellfire, Arthur Brown light the Wickerman after his set was a highlight for me. Shame it's not on anymore, a beautiful location.

LOL! It was mental. I hadn't realised it had stopped though. The last festival I ever went to. I suspect they are all a bit "tamer" these days. It was certainly a wild weekend.

 

[Pauljenny]

Hope it's not your last, Neil.
Just celebrate it in some quiet Poi.
Perhaps with some of our less noisy members.

PM. Me for the names that you should certainly avoid.

Is it a coincidence that there's some familiar names amongst those who kindly reacted to the above post.?

 

[Moonraker 2]

All the talk of load music late into the night and other terrible goings on had me shuddering. I am a traditional acoustic folky and do not like noise.
Now if you want quiet, no one trying to make friends and generally leave you alone try a CC certain club. In my 10 years membership I have only once had a friendly, uninvited approach. Otherwise it's as quiet as any of you could ever want.