Childhood Holidays

[insaintee]

First time I was on a plane, flew from Renfrew Airport to Edinburgh, that damn travel sickness, yes, even although we were hardly in the air before we were down again, I was severly sick, an ambulance was called to meet the plane, spent 45 minutes being treated before we made it to Edinburgh zoo, got the bus home, couldn't risk that again.

Next plane experience to follow....................

Blimey Smokier boy. That was MY first experience on a plane. So you were the Cnut that threw up down the back of ma shirt.

[saintnextlifetime]

My faither had a job at Abbotsinch , which meant , I went abroad on my holidays from an early age just prior , to primary school. The first trip was to Malta which was great as there were loads of other Scots kids and everything was dirt cheap. .

You quite quickly learn that in these places , even in the shade , you can still get sunburnt. It aint much fun getting sunburnt on yer hol's but as a kid you soon move on to the next adventure and forget about the discomfort and anyway , it was always a laugh comparing sunburn with the other kids.

Over the years l got to visit some exotic places and see some great sites and some not so great, like the abject poverty in places like Portugal and the Carribean. 1974 was a bit of a bummer as well as we got caught up in a Coup d'etat in Cyprus, which meant, l was never as glad to get home from overseas and could see some very real advantages to holidaying in Britain. The night after we left , the Turkish army invaded the island and some friends we had made lost everything. .

As for airsick. l was told you only got it once, and certainly , l got it on my first trip as we made our way to Heathrow from Abbotsinch.However, several years later on a flight to Sidney , somewhere over the sea , we experienced massive air turbulence that had most of the occupants of a half empty 747 grabbing for the sick bags. lt was the kind of thing you wouldn't even wish on the worst kind of OF fan (well maybe some of them). The poor old cabin crew were rushing around trying to provide new bags, take away filled ones , and at the same time try and console the very distraught. .

It was great to see the world at someone elses expense but to be honest , if you could guarantee the weather , you would probably never leave these shores as there are some fantastic places to see here and you don't have to hang around in a busy cramped airport until the French air-traffic people decide to call off their dispute. .

[faraway saint]

School trip to Holland...................now, that was a trip.

[Seaside Nipper]

Whats a doppleganger?

Hmm, I could tell you , but I reckon on your current form with this thread it would make u puke

[RickMcD]

Whats a doppleganger?

It does sound a bit like a sweary word or maybe something disgusting that dangles but I can't think of anything.

[shull]

It does sound a bit like a sweary word or maybe something disgusting that dangles but I can't think of anything.

i remember about half the Buddies, on the Junior Supporters Bus in the 70's, going into the Chippy in Auchterarder and requesting a Dangleberry Supper.

Wee rascals !!

[Seaside Nipper]

Whats a doppleganger?

oooohooo ahm no tellin

oooohooo ahm no tellin

[Happy Buddie]

First one I remember was a wee flat in Montrose, I would have been 5 then. My granny bought a caraven at Elliot Junction, Arbroath the following year so I spent every holiday there until I started going with the BB camping aged 12. Went to Girvan (ya beauty), where we went fishing twice and caught enough fish, mackerel and cod, to feed India, then Whitley Bay (where I had my first holiday romance with an Essex girl I met at Spanish City, Scarborough (so miserable all the shoe shops sold out of wellies, the ground turned to soup and the tents fell down, Oban (inside in the Church Hall, thanks to the Scarborough experience)

[Howard Hughes in BlueSuedeShoes]

Used to go to Kintyre to see the relatives. Usually stayed at my gran's house in Campbeltown then visited my Auntie Isobel in Carradale, my Uncle John over in Gigha & my Auntie Jean in Southend (hence the reason I got to know Farmer John).

Loads of my pals from school went abroad and I was so bloody jealous of them as I wanted to as well but as an adult I'm now so very happy that we did what we did. I love the place now & it's very dear to my heart.

First foreign holiday I had was to Italy with the school then a couple of months later it was to Campbeltown again. This time stayed with my cousin's who were about the same age & it was an absolute scream. Cousins can be much more fun than siblings.

[faraway saint]

First school trip was to Holland. God knows how my parent manged to pay for it bit atthat age, 12, money was just stuff that magically appeared, bless my parents.

First major hurdle was the damn plane thing, I was sick before we left the runway, it was a long flight, well for the poor stewerdesses who had a hard job keeping me supplied with sick bags.

Don't remember much about the first day, was bedded and quite ill.

Then the trips started, great fun. Various buildings that were seemingly interesting but the best memories were the day at the go-carts and a great playpark that had a zipwire, something none of us had experienced.

This was the first time I came across "nudey" pens and flick knives. Had both in my case on the way home which were taken straight off me when I got home.

A great experience and I was only sick for half the journey home, the first sign of improvement in my battle with air-sickness.

[Eddy]

I've only been travel sick once in my life - on a school trip to Normandy.

The ferry company, rather unwisely, decided that it would be ok for us to return home during stormy weather on a ferry that was usually used on the fiords as the regular ferry had engine trouble or something.

The problem with this is that ferries for the fiords generally have u-shaped bottoms, where as channel crossing ferries are v-shaped.

16 bloody hours it took (I might be wrong but I think Div was on the same trip).

I swear the damn boat was nearly on its side a few times, there were tables and chairs falling all over the place, and folk were being sick everywhere. Think I might have puked before we even left the harbour.

I think we got a refund of 14 quid for the trouble.

[faraway saint]

I've only been travel sick once in my life - on a school trip to Normandy.

The ferry company, rather unwisely, decided that it would be ok for us to return home during stormy weather on a ferry that was usually used on the fiords as the regular ferry had engine trouble or something.

The problem with this is that ferries for the fiords generally have u-shaped bottoms, where as channel crossing ferries are v-shaped.

16 bloody hours it took (I might be wrong but I think Div was on the same trip).

I swear the damn boat was nearly on its side a few times, there were tables and chairs falling all over the place, and folk were being sick everywhere. Think I might have puked before we even left the harbour.

I think we got a refund of 14 quid for the trouble.

Wimp.

[thomsons dropped it]

Family holidays were doon the watter to Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Troon, the good old West Coast. We kids also got to go doon tae South Beach with the Glenburn Tenants Association, complete with oor piece box with cakes, sarnies and juice. Train from Gilmour Street absolutely bursting with kids excited as hell.

I can still remember the feeling when the Train went roon the bend and you caught sight of the Sea and then the smell of the salt water filled your nostrils.

Absolute Magic.

I've pretty much made my living from the Sea and my house overlooks the Moray Firth, I can't imagine getting up in the morning and not being able to look out and not see the blue stuff.

[insaintee]

Most of my holidays I went to "rome"

[RickMcD]

Family holidays were doon the watter to Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Troon, the good old West Coast. We kids also got to go doon tae South Beach with the Glenburn Tenants Association, complete with oor piece box with cakes, sarnies and juice. Train from Gilmour Street absolutely bursting with kids excited as hell.

I can still remember the feeling when the Train went roon the bend and you caught sight of the Sea and then the smell of the salt water filled your nostrils.

Absolute Magic.

I've pretty much made my living from the Sea and my house overlooks the Moray Firth, I can't imagine getting up in the morning and not being able to look out and not see the blue stuff.

I was on those trips too stacks of times and we all loved it. I remember at first we were told it was to South Beach and I thought it was a wee town of that name. It was years before we realised it was Ardrossan. Or was it really Saltcoats? Anyway, it was great fun. I envy you having a sea view. I'm about six hundred yards from the sea but unfotunately no view. Still hoping one day.

[Stevo]

What a lovely Thread................

Millport for me from the age of 5 till about 14..

Great beaches, swimming in the Sea and in the Harbour, playing football nearly all the time and lots of sunshine.

Ritz Cafe was wonderful as was The Nixe.

Had a few Knickerbocker Glories, but a Cheeseburger and an Irn Bru Ice drink was tops.

Millport was our place too. I still make sure I get back there at least once a year all these years later. Always thought the Nixe was much better than the Ritz, despite their best ice cream in Scotland claim.

Ended up with a summer job in the caravan site as a teenager. Still my favourite place in the whole world

[saintnextlifetime]

I was on those trips too stacks of times and we all loved it. I remember at first we were told it was to South Beach and I thought it was a wee town of that name. It was years before we realised it was Ardrossan. Or was it really Saltcoats? Anyway, it was great fun. I envy you having a sea view. I'm about six hundred yards from the sea but unfotunately no view. Still hoping one day.

Aye , South Beach is Ardrossan. the place is a bit of a dump now and South Beach is likely to put you aff than if they said the actual name. .

Had a seaview years ago when I lived in Ayr and at night with the windae open I could hear the surf coming , top notch. Now l have a view o' the hills but not as good as the sea. .

[Happy Buddie]

I've only been travel sick once in my life - on a school trip to Normandy.

The ferry company, rather unwisely, decided that it would be ok for us to return home during stormy weather on a ferry that was usually used on the fiords as the regular ferry had engine trouble or something.

The problem with this is that ferries for the fiords generally have u-shaped bottoms, where as channel crossing ferries are v-shaped.

16 bloody hours it took (I might be wrong but I think Div was on the same trip).

I swear the damn boat was nearly on its side a few times, there were tables and chairs falling all over the place, and folk were being sick everywhere. Think I might have puked before we even left the harbour.

I think we got a refund of 14 quid for the trouble.

After my first holiday in France, we came back through Cherbourg, wind was about a Force 8, waves 20ft high, we couldn't believe that they were allowed to sail in stuff like that. The ferry was rearing up on the waves then plunging into and hitting the next one, like hitting a brick wall, stopping dead, then rearing up into the next. There was an Italian fmaily on it, Maw, Paw, a teenage boy, twin boys about 12, and a wee lad of 5-6. Maw got panicked at one point, bawling and greetin, hauled oot the rosary beads and started chantin in Latin. That got the wee boy scared and he started howlin too. Then the twins joined in. At that point the Maw threw up, the wee lad went quiet, then he threw up as well. Then the twins both threw up together. The teenager decided to eff off before anything worse could happen, and Paw seemed to eff off himself, before returning with a bucket to wipe up the mess. At that point we decided ootside was better cos of the smell, only to be hit with about 4 tons of water as the ferry hit the next big wave. Drookit, we eventually reached Poole, got into the minibus, and drove off. Looking back at the boat it had all these stripes of puke, angled at 45 degrees doon the side, where hundreds of folk had been hingin over the side. See France, see sophisticated.

[bluto]

There's probably a thread about Steamers......

Anyway, this one fits the bill.

The Waverley.

It was tied up by the pier at Kyle of Lochalsh on Friday. I was so pleased to see it! Packed wi people.

I diverted my bus for a swatch and reminisce wi Foreigners who feigned interest in the tales of an Auld Git....

Saturday a.m. ...as I waited for the Mull ferry...

In thick mist, it appeared... But it wisnae the Mull ferry it was the Waverley! It's still earning its keep and making people happy.

It was still there when I got back late on Saturday evening.

That is all.

[whydowebother]

There's probably a thread about Steamers......

Anyway, this one fits the bill.

The Waverley.

It was tied up by the pier at Kyle of Lochalsh on Friday. I was so pleased to see it! Packed wi people.

I diverted my bus for a swatch and reminisce wi Foreigners who feigned interest in the tales of an Auld Git....

Saturday a.m. ...as I waited for the Mull ferry...

In thick mist, it appeared... But it wisnae the Mull ferry it was the Waverley! It's still earning its keep and making people happy.

It was still there when I got back late on Saturday evening.

That is all.

That sounds like a good wee excursion

Edited June 1, 2014 by whydowebother

[HSS]

There's probably a thread about Steamers......

Anyway, this one fits the bill.

The Waverley.

It was tied up by the pier at Kyle of Lochalsh on Friday. I was so pleased to see it! Packed wi people.

I diverted my bus for a swatch and reminisce wi Foreigners who feigned interest in the tales of an Auld Git....

Saturday a.m. ...as I waited for the Mull ferry...

In thick mist, it appeared... But it wisnae the Mull ferry it was the Waverley! It's still earning its keep and making people happy.

It was still there when I got back late on Saturday evening.

That is all.

Thank Christ there was something of interest for your punters fo see in K.O.L.It's a dump of a place.

[saintnextlifetime]

Thank Christ there was something of interest for your punters fo see in K.O.L.It's a dump of a place.

[faraway saint]

In a couple of weeks we introduce our 2 youngest granddaughters to the joy of Seaton Sands caravan park and The Tiger Club.

The circle of life.

[bluto]

I was on those trips too stacks of times and we all loved it. I remember at first we were told it was to South Beach and I thought it was a wee town of that name. It was years before we realised it was Ardrossan. Or was it really Saltcoats? Anyway, it was great fun. I envy you having a sea view. I'm about six hundred yards from the sea but unfotunately no view. Still hoping one day.

Sorry for the tardy response, but....

"Still hoping"?

What for? A tsunami?

[bluto]

Thank Christ there was something of interest for your punters fo see in K.O.L.It's a dump of a place.

Mostly right.

The rail terminus, old fish pier, dead ferry slipway, fish processing factory, official sheds/buildings, bus garage, oil storage...

But... At the rail station, the best, freshest sea-food restaurant on earth. Scallops/prawns caught an hour earlier delivered by the catcher to his wife's restaurant and ... Have you ever had a fresh, uncooked scallop? Succulent, tender... And much sweeter than cooked.

It has its shining positives.

Edited June 2, 2014 by bluto