I desperately felt I needed a holiday so off to the travel agent I had used last year, and explained all I wanted was a simple holiday for a week anywhere on a half board basis under £300, which I felt was reasonable, because with all the problems of the world surely holidays would not be expensive out of season in particular when the same travel agent had found me a nice hotel on the beach in Alanya last year for much less without to much effort.
We spent a good 2 hours trying top find a similar holiday but then I finally realised that supplements of up to £100 pound for me as a single were being added to the cost, which does not make sense when there appears to be lots of cheap packages that nobody else is taking up & that most countries other than Britain charge by the room rather than the number in it.
In the end I gave up and went searching on the internet, great there were loads of holidays with all the places I could want to go until I entered the fact I was single, then up the price went again.
Next I thought that I would try the singles holidays sites because surely they would have holidays at reasonable costs for the likes of me.
Sadly yet again the holidays were way out of my reach although some seemed to have interesting sections so you could get over the difficulties of being on your own & arrange to communicate with other like minded people before the holiday commenced so you would not feel so lonely.
In desperation because its only another week before my holidays commence,although could it be that the fact it is friday 13th have anything to do with my dilemma, off to the travel agent again. Amanda who had been very helpful previously now told me that she was busy, so I was dealt with by her college who frantically tried to find me this elusive holiday, sadly with no succes unless I could up the limit to £350 plus for a 3 star hotel in a back street. I therefore gave up the chase & sadly left the shop.
But down the precinct I suddenly thought I would try another travel agent & went in to speak to Dawn who had always been pleasant & obliging, so I explained my dilemma to her and she was great and also instructed her college who was yet another Amanda to help out, because fortunately there were no other people waiting to be served.
Dawn quickly found the only holiday I had been offerred previously which I explained did not really suit my needs, then fantastic, Amanda found 2 others that seemed to fit the bill. Unfortunatley the first could not be found either on the Gazetter or anywhere on the internet so I declined, then she found another all inclusive in a 5 star hotel in Alanya, well done Amanda. We checked it out and there were reasonable reports on Tripadvisor and the price was a very reasonable £350 but the tour company was one I had never heard of called Goldtrail so I said I would have a think and get back to them.
Having thought I have decided first thing today I will go in and book because otherwise I will end up as I did earlier this year at somewhere in England where it will be cold & damp as in my picture of Scarborough in August this year shows.
Well if anyone out there is reading this and can suggest a better idea for my holiday problems for the remaining week I have before the end of the year please let me know, or if there is someone who will start a pressure group for us hard done to singles please let me know.
If you continue to follow this post I promise to tell whether I managed to book & whether it is a bargain or a total disaster
Wednesday evening, sad news I rang to book the holiday and its gone spoke to Dawn & we will try again at weekend
6 Oct 2006
Well done Dawn and Amanda today I went looking for another holiday, thinking there would be no more success, surprise surprise, Dawn and Amanda managed to find me an inexpensive holiday in the resort of Sidari Corfu, I realise that it is only self-catering but at a price of £170 for a week in a nice quiet complex I don't think I could have done any better. Now all I have to do is sort out my clothes and get some money.
I will provide an update on my holiday when I return.
