Mexico is a great place, but too many people are happy to spend 2 weeks on an all inclusive resort and not see the real Mexico. I will go to see the real Mexico and not spend it stuck on a beach drinking and eating.

Get a wetsuit on and swim with Baskers, the waters off west Scotland in autumn are lovely at that time.

Spend two days & nights in Juarez, now that was an experience I'll never forget.

About ten years after that we went on an all-inclusive to Cancun and after about four days I ws bored [is[/ihitless. Chatting to a few other couples in the bar one night four (couples) of us decided we wanted to break out so we got the hotel to book a couple of cabs to take us to the local village (this was over 20 years ago, they still had them then).

When we got to the second bodega I knew we'd made a mistake, it was like walking into the Mexican equivalent of The Slaughtered Lamb. I went to the bar and ordered drinks for us all and tried to order two taxis. Unfortunately there was only one cab driver in the village, so I ordered him and when he arrived we put the women in the cab and asked him to return for us.

I went back to the bar and ordered drinks for the four of us, the other three guys were too crapped-out to move. As I sat back down I heard "hey gringo" - yes really, just like a Sergio Leone movie. I looked over to a table in the corner to see the head honcho holding up his glass in a salute. I held mine up to him and we both necked 'em. He beckoned me over and as I sat down he said: "you are not American?" when I told him I was English he said, "I thought so, you made sure the ladies got home safe".

Upshot was, by the time the cab came back, my companions had joined us and we were all on our way to becoming totally ratted. The cab driver was dismissed while we all finished the job, he ended up pouring us out of his cab about three hours after he'd dropped the women off.

As an ex-matelot, you'll be OK going native in Mexico. People who have previously supped in various bagshanties around the world invariably have a nose for trouble and an equally good aptitude for avoiding it or getting out of it.

Sounds like a lovely port called Tampico I once visited in the navy, rough wasn't a near enough description. A bunch of us got ratd and decided to have a bowl of local chilli (well thats what it was advertised as !!). My ar$e was red for days (no comments required

). When we slipped the jetty a body floated up from under the hull and when it was fished out it was noticed it had an ear to ear smile, around three inches below its chin. Fortunately it wasn't one of ours.

Never fancied Cancun, we are going back to Riviera Maya which is around 90 mins south of the main hot spots.

Mediterranean cruise in May, then Vancouver and Alaska at the end of August.

I really enjoyed the water fountain display at the Burj Khalifa, and going up the Khalifa (although admittedly I am a massive skyscraper geek). The water park at Burj al-Arab also comes highly recommended.

I have a weekend in Amsterdam lined up in a few weeks but other than that I'm keeping it low profile pending more than likely going RTW later this year or in 2014, depending on work.

Looking to go aboard in August with the family for the first time this year (2 girls age 6 & 4). Any serious recommendations, we have been looking at the Algarve and Majorca but haven’t decided on anything yet.

We took our two girls to Menorca at about the same age as yours and went there every year for several years, particularly to Son Bou, large safe beach and a couple of family friendly hotels right on the beach (one of them Flinstone themed

) although we rented one of the villas in the hills above the resort which are also nice but a bit of a walk (about 1 to 2 km) for the beach and the resort - its a small one-street resort with several family friendly restaurants and one club that stays open late, very laid back and great for young kids.

I visited The Algarve last year and will be going there again in June on a "business" trip (lol) but haven't really been to any of the family resorts, it is a very family oriented area though and I'd imagine should also be ideal, the beaches are gorgeous.

Finally, after procrastination brought on by complex work commitments and downright panic, I have booked my first solo trip out of the UK.

Be gentle to me – I'm 50: of course it's going to be nerve-wracking.

In less than a month, I catch the Eurostar to Paris, change and get the sleeper to Hamburg, and then take another train (just 40-odd minutes) to Lübeck, the Queen of the Hansa. I'll have three nights there – to explore all the medieval city, do the literary pilgrimage and sample the food (and beer). Then back to Hamburg and a flight to Amsterdam (saves doing five changes by train) where I'll meet T'Other Half and we'll have four days.

After the panic, now a mad rush of excitement – swotting maps and guides to the extent that I dreamt I was walking certain routes the other night.

Its very liberating to wake up in a strange city with no itinery and only yourself to please all day long

Two weeks in Rhodes this coming August. Nothing better than having the sun beating down on your back after a hard year!

It will be the first time we will have gone away as a family of 4. Just teaching my youngest (3) how to swim in preparation.

I went to Rhodes last July. Hottest place I've ever been, think there must have been a heatwave as even the locals were struggling. The dancefloors in the clubs were empty as everybody was stood next to the air conditioners.

I went to Rhodes in 1979, one of the best holidays I've still ever had, stayed in the "Old Town", in fact the hotel had the ancient city walls as its back garden, cockroaches in every room and every morning you were expected to shake your duvet out of the window and hang it on the balcony rail for airing.

I never found any in mine but as you walked the narrow 12/13th century streets first thing in a morning you'd be crushing dead roaches underfoot that had been wafted out of duvets and every now and again a dead scorpion.

Fantastic authentic holiday although I'll add the caveat that it was before I met the wife and if I took her back there now she'd would literally be on the next plane home, the VERY next one.

We used to take the car and hire a cottage in France.

I used to like going on German and European trains generally. People so polite. If they get food out they always offer you something if you're sat near them.

We just stayed in Faliraki, didn't see two many creepy crawlies. Think the 5ft long snakes outside our hotel must have kept them at bay.

End of June off to Tenerife for a week with the girlfriend, staying in a little place just outside of Los Cristianos and Playa De Las Americas; but in walking distance of both. Never been there before, and its probably 11 or 12 years since I was last in Spain, so looking forward to it. Staying at a lovely looking little apartment complex, not one of these high rise places, looks quite nice and compact. Gets favourable reviews across the web, too.

Intending to book something for a week with two of the lads for the start of August too. Think that will have to be a "book it now and cross the spending money bridge when I get to it" approach; my bank manager will be up in arms come mid-August. Maybe go back to Albufeira, as one of the lads hasn't been there before and fancies it. Sunny Beach (Bulgaria) is also on the radar, as all we're after is a week somewhere not too grotty, with good weather and plenty of nice local beer. Hence the Malia and Magaluf type destinations are off the list, fingers crossed the scallies haven't made it to Sunny Beach. Although Albufeira is probably the safer bet at this moment in time.

Aside from that, got another small project for the end of August; off to a caravan site just outside Blackpool for four nights with the girlfriend, her mum, her mums chap and the collective brood of kids. Should be cheap and cheerful, stock the caravan with meat for a few barbecues (fingers crossed regarding weather) and hit the supermarket for some beers. It is getting extortionate in Blackpool these days, but will probably still venture there a few times.

Cheers for any advice offered but we booked a week in Ibiza, Es Cana last night. It was to good a deal not to.

Not strictly a holiday, but I have just put my name in at work to do two weeks for Habitat for Humanity, I give a weeks leave to go and they match it. Not sure where yet, but they have done it before in India, Romania and Central America. I have suggested we should do something in NSW

so I can get some RL in. Got to raise £2.5k now (if I am selected).

I am SO looking forward to it!

Croatian Dalmatian Coast for me again.
I know it's boring but looking at it puts a smile on my face.


A hand held holdall, a plane, a public transport bus.
BINGO.

Drove from Bosnia to Hungary which took in Croatia, always fancied a holiday there. Heard report the diving is awesome.

Do it.
You won't be disappointed.
The wet stuff is crystal. The bluest of blue.

Don't panic! That will be ace trip to do by yourself!

I flew to Vietnam by myself last year and it was my first venture by myself and the excitement and adrenaline I experianced at doing so was quality!

The journey back on the other hand was spent mostly asleep apart from 2.5 hours in Dubai airport!

Just seen this – and thank you, Lawrie. It was great, if far briefer than I would have hoped – and did include an airport 'event'.

But if anyone's interested, the [url=http://thevoluptuousmanifesto.blogspot.co.ukstory of the trip is now appearing here[/url, and will be doing so for a few days to come.