Amusing myself with online holiday sites
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
February 12, 2016 11:20am CST
My recent holiday to Turkey is over now, so I am interested in finding another one as soon as possible. Unfortunately this is not practical at the moment because I have no idea when I shall be free to travel.
I have a hospital appointment next Friday to have my cataract operation checked, which will eventually lead to a repeat operation on the other eye. Of course until I attend the check up I will not know when to expect my next appointment to be, so I may be free directly afterwards or it could be weeks later.
Meanwhile I have been satisfying my desire by searching the holiday sites and making possible plans, which may have to be aborted or could reach fruition. It has also proved quite interesting researching visa requirements, which can be quite awkward if I wish to travel somewhere soon.
16 people like this
17 responses
@celticeagle (166976)
• Boise, Idaho
12 Feb 16
Where do you come up with all this money to travel? Hope you find the time for another one soon.
3 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
12 Feb 16
I do not spend a vast amount on holidays, although it does amount to quite a bit more than my pension supplies me. Over the years I did manage to accrue a reasonable amount of savings prior to retiring, so I may as well enjoy my time now while I am still able to.
5 people like this
@celticeagle (166976)
• Boise, Idaho
13 Feb 16
@Asylum ...That's great! I always had to use whatever I was able to save on escaping or living.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
12 Feb 16
For some countries the visa application is a nightmare not to mention exorbitant!
3 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
12 Feb 16
That is the worst problem Gary.
When I looked at Cuba they require a visa, which is only available from the Cuban Embassy. Since I live in Manchester I could apply by post, but I would need to send my passport, travel tickets and other documentation. Another concern is having no idea how long the process would take.
Apparently I may be qualified to visit the USA without a visa.
4 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
12 Feb 16
@garymarsh6 That could be a real problem because I only speak English and would have trouble understanding what the Americans were saying. I wonder if they provide translators?
4 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
12 Feb 16
@Asylum I wasn't aware you needed a visa for Cuba my sister goes there every year for two weeks. You need to complete an Esta to enter the USA for a fee of course but it is valid for a couple of years I think. You also have to provide your passport details to the airline. Despite all of this they still grill you at the point of Entry in the USA. Queues can be very long and very slow.
3 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
12 Feb 16
I love holiday sites. I can't afford to travel at the moment, but I always dream about the places I want to visit in the future 
You can't make make exact make plans before your appointment, but it is still interesting to read about possible destinations. Good luck with your operation.
You can't make make exact make plans before your appointment, but it is still interesting to read about possible destinations. Good luck with your operation.3 people like this
@marguicha (223010)
• Chile
13 Feb 16
There are many countries where you don´t need a visa. BTW, cataracts surgery is what I would call a minor procedure. Your problem seems to lie in the time of the appointments.
3 people like this
@allknowing (136430)
• India
13 Feb 16
I know exactly what that means Just searching and having a look at rates, itineraries, looking at images of places of interest have been my pass time too before deciding where to go and when.
Tentatively where do you plan to go next?
3 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Feb 16
@allknowing Alaska would be an interesting place to see, but only suitable for a short trip.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (136430)
• India
13 Feb 16
@Asylum I had this accident 10 years ago and the last trip I undertook was New Zealand and Australia in 2005. I so much wanted to go to Alaska but now I am not sure if I can withstand the rough rides of travel.
You have lots of time to plan your trip so that you do not miss out on anything.
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
13 Feb 16
Well I hope your appointment leads to the opportunity to get your next holiday set to go.
3 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Feb 16
@BelleStarr I would be more likely to be thinking of one in between.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
13 Feb 16
@Asylum I am already thinking ahead to my summer vacation plans myself.
2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16763)
• China
13 Feb 16
I lived out of a suitcase before retirement ,but haven't gone abroad so far.It seems that you go abroad as easily as we go to another city .
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
14 Feb 16
@changjiangzhibin89 There are a fair number of Chinese who live in the same city as I do, p0lus many other countries around the world.
2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16763)
• China
14 Feb 16
@Asylum That is just the point! But then ,Now there are more and more Chinese people who travel around Europe .
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Feb 16
@LadyDuck Florida would probably be a likely destination because it also about the closest part to me. I have been looking at the Visa Waiver Program myself, which seems very convenient.
I wonder if the issue of European Passports to all those refugees will have any future effect on this system.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Feb 16
I may consider a short visit to the USA now that I realise that a visa is not required.
This actually deterred me when I looked at Cuba, because a visa must be acquired from the Cuban Embassy and accompanied by flight tickets. I do not like the idea of purchasing tickets prior to applying for a visa.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471506)
• Switzerland
13 Feb 16
@Asylum I agree, this is something I would never do. Are you planning a visit to Florida? It's a warm state. I know that a visa is no more needed under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Both my husband and I have a VISA that has no expiration day.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
13 Feb 16
All winter I work on plans for summer vacations. I live on VRBO.com (Vacation Rentals by Owner) and other such sites...dreaming, thinking of salt water and fresh shrimp.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Feb 16
It is probably a little less complicated for many Americans due to the country being so large and domestic holidays being so practical. For me there is the issue of visas etcetera to enter other countries, which always needs to be investigated before considering somewhere.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Feb 16
The school holiday system in England is outrageous. The children may get plenty of time off, but it is rigid and non negotiable, which is unfair to parents.
As soon as the school holidays begin, the cost of flights and accommodation rises steeply. The education board is very strict about attendance and parents will get fined if they take their child out of school a few days early.
This whole situation makes is seriously expensive for parents to take their children on holidays.
2 people like this
@Fleura (30392)
• United Kingdom
13 Feb 16
@Asylum I know all that but for many years, before having school-age children, I took advantage of the super-cheap holidays outside term-time and I didn't complain that prices outside school holidays were so low. So now I have to face the other side of the coin!
1 person likes this
@biikiki (197)
• Nyeri, Kenya
13 Feb 16
@Asylum Kenya is a big country and some of those terrorism alerts are usually exagerrated we have had visitors like us president and pope francis just late last year if it was unsafe as they say would they have visited our counry be your own judge but hey its up to you
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
13 Feb 16
We are on our winter vacation and are already talking about what and where we want to go next winter. We will start the search as soon as we get home
2 people like this
