timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

Hi All

wife & i are expecting our 1st child at the end of october & i would like to have just a week to ten days in a villa somewhere with some sun towards april/may OR back end like sept/october time next year.

Would like to go in a villa type place so we can cook ect anytime & obviously not annoying a hotel of guests with a (possibly) screaming baby.

Not after anything fancy just the basics, dont mind hiring a car when im there etc & do not want a bustling town/city area we want a bit of quiet time for just the three of us - but still need amenities in the area for the little one & shopping .

Just cheap & cheerfull with some sun & baby in mind & a pool if poss.
Wheres good value & a cheap area to get filghts to?
Spain, portugal?
any info greatly appreciated.
sorry if i sound a tight git but moneys tight obviously at the moment & we have not been away sine october 09 which was only for a week, we just work too much & think its time we just put our feet up for a while

Thanks

bigsinky

just back from 10 days in pizarra. spanish village 40 mins north of malaga. proper spanish house. quiet and out of the way.

http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p419207

ANDY597

Try holidaylettings.com

but do your homework on a potential rental first by finding out how long they have advertised and whether they have had any complaints etc

also, try to get one that takes paypal or credit card for your safety

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

cheers guys will have a look

Nimbus

I've used ownersdirect a few times and managed to find some nice places.

LEO-RS

Bugger taking a 6mth old baby away, get a babysitter otherwise that nice peaceful break away is likely to turn into a nightmare.

The luggage you have to take is phenomenal. Buggy, steriliser, cot, baby food/milk, lots of clothes, medicines, nappies, wipes, toys, teddy bears, and then they dont like the heat and are narky. There's all your luggage to consider too and what about a car seat when you hire a car? You will upset their sleep patterns, water is poor quality unless bottled and you'll be bedded by 7pm every evening when all the baby wants to do is go to bed. (That restricts you going out for meals, and then many restaurants dont have baby chairs so again that is a nightmare)

Recipe for a disaster and lots and lots of arguments Leave the baby at home with the grandparents and go away yourself. ''Holiday'' + baby/toddler = nightmare.

In my opinion anyway, never again will I go anywhere with an under 2 and no babysitter to help, much rather just stay at home and put my feet up on the couch.

You'll see what I mean when you get back

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

thanks for the input Leo-RS i understand what you are saying, when i say peace i mean just the three of us, we expect our little one to be hard work & understand the logistics. We just want to get away from being mithered as both our jobs revolve around being mithered day in day out and just want some family time!

We are looking for baby friendly villa's & there are actually a few to choose from who have cots & related equipment to help you out.
As for the temperature, thats we fancy april/may before it gets too hot & we are looking for an aircon place. As for being bedded by 7 - no probs by us, we are walking zombies now, let alone when our lad arrives, meals out wont really be required as its self catering to suit our needs. Car hire - as well, dont really want it as you say theres the car seat, but if needed & they can provide i would hire. But we are not going on days out etc, just a nice little place by local amentities etc will do us fine.

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

I'm with Leo, i'd re-think big style.

Babys burn very easily and you know what it can be like sleeping in hot temperatures, your wee one will not enjoy the sun, will be very uncomfortable and not have a good time, I know what you are saying about aircon but you would need to stay inside all the time. Besides, they won't even remember it and you'll need to take the baby seat with you if you need to get a cab to/from the airport.

Much better to look at a self catering cottage in the lakes or something, take all you need, climate that is ok, food that is fine (sister recently took their wee one to france/spain in their camper van, had a nightmare getting the right formula, they don't sell the same stuff as they do here so good chance of 'dehli belly' for the baby unless your mrs is still breast feeding at that stage). You'll also have all the safety kit and not be trying to move everything and a small person through an airport lounge.

I understand you want some sun but it isn't the best option with baby at all (IMHO as a parent of a 2.5 year old)

5t.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Another vote for a re-think!

Plus, I think it really unfair taking a baby on a plane for both the baby and the other passengers.
Wife and I have an 8 week old little boy and wouldn't consider taking abroad until he is out of nappies. We're having a break in september and have booked a nice cottage in Norfolk.
That way, we can borrow my mums huge volvo estate to pack all Charlie's bit and pieces in.



Really not having a dig at all, just have your eyes open. If you think you are zombie now, wait till you have a child! I love my son to pieces, but they take up A LOT of time and energy and I know we just couldn't hack taking him on a plane and to a different country at the moment.

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

5t, we are not sun worshippers & i am not a sun lover personally & not after a tan, but the wife likes the sun but it would be nice to see it for once! we just really want a change of british scenery, hence again a villa as i know not to leave a child in the sun or in a muggy little room & we have our own space not like a hotel, again earlier in the year or after summer to the back end of the year so its not an annoyingly hot climate, so spain, france anywhere just somewhere different out of the uk.
will look into how to transport from airport to place though thats a fair point.

i understand what your saying & you already have a 2.5 year old, but are you saying no one has ever taken a baby on holiday out of the uk before?!? & if they do you see them as bad parents? i have been on many many flights before settling down & getting married & there was always families with little ones & babies on, so it can not be that hard, just some common sense like dont leeve the child in the sun which i kinda gathered my self. But we are new to all this but also we ain't stupid (not having ago.... we do have common sense & all comments are welcome) & want to do this for ourselves, my wife deserves a trip away especially what shes going through, i usually work 6-7 days & most nights & we have only had the odd weekend away so just want to get out of the country!

I have been through all the iffs & buts & travelling & issues etc but we are willing to give it ago as long as we can find a suitable place that is not to far to travel & not red hot weather etc etc....
so please folks, advice on villas & flights & nice areas as requested would be great

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like you aren't really asking for advice dude, you want to do it so do it. Gear Head makes some more good points and I personally plus it seems lots of others wouldn't at all.

Still, looks like you are set, in that case good luck.

As I said in my first post, my sister just took their 6 month old to Spain but they went in a camper van. Note, that was loaded with tons of kit and they found it a real battle, especially feeding. I'm not saying you would leave a baby outside either, what I am saying is you'll see very little because it'll be too hot to travel anywhere or be outside. there is a reason the Spanish go out very late and have a siesta in the middle of the day. If it is too hot for the locals....

Same as you though, not having a go, just giving you the benefit of a bit of experience. I know others do it, personally I wouldn't. Do you want to be THAT parent with the screaming child? Hour to airport, two hours sat about, two/three hours flight, trying to collect your mass of luggage off the conveyor, not to mention EasyJet having your trousers down for trying to take a buggy on board.

Just not worth it. Get the mrs some tanning sessions if she is that desperate

5t.

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

was not asking for advice on the 'issues' or what people think, I was asking for advice on where to go out of the UK ...

plus i would not personally hire a camper van with a child to have a holiday in, i would like a home from home so we get the space required. As mentioned the only issue for us is the traveling to & from the destination.

again, that is why we are looking for 'out of season' & not just spain for the 'sun' people are looking into the post too much, we just want out of the UK, france is fine etc, we just want out of this country for a little family trip that will be a home from home. Also it would only be a short flight to france or spain. Plus i dont think its fair that you assume that i would be 'THAT' parent on a plane annoying everyone else, we are very responsible people & do care what people think & would do our upmost for it to be a good (short) flight. Also 20 mins to airport, 2 bags one for baby one for us (washing machine in villa) so its just a case of booking in & waiting for the flight/the flight itself, sort 2 bags out whilst wife does baby duties & then trip to villa, which i am looking for one close to the arrival airport. Hence why am asking for peoples ideas on where to go so i can see if they can point me in the right direction that suits all our needs. If not, then yep we aint goin!

Fat Boy

Ownersdirect.com is good - we've stayed in Lanzarote (canary islands) in OD villas a couple of times with our 2 kids and April/May is pleasant 20-25C type temps.

A few months old baby is fine - they'll either sleep all the way or shout til they're knackered and then fall asleep. if them shouting hacks off a couple of people then tough.

As for doom and gloom merchants above: ignore them - personally I wouldn't want to go on holiday without my kids, especially if it was my first kid, but maybe you just can't live without an all nighter at Manumission or club 18-30....

Hiring a car seat is a piece of pi55, you can keep kids in the shade while you swim in the pool, and you can buy disposable nappies etc wherever you go. Take the lightest stroller buggy thing you can and away you go. Boiling water in a saucepan is a fine steriliser.

LEO-RS

At 6mths old, you'll probably still be trying to settle them into a set sleeping routine, up at 11, then 2, then 4, then half 6 and so on and on. It's stressful enough in the home, never mind in a villa in a foreign country when you dont have everything around you.

You'll be doing that day in day out from the day the baby arrives. Your holiday therefore wont feel like a holiday at all as you are not getting a break, what you're doing is making it 10x more difficult and 10x more stressful. It will actually rile you and all you'll want to do is come back and be in your own home.

I done exactly the same as you, although my little 1 was near enough a year old, never ever again.

Kids are also very prone to picking up infections. Okay here in the UK, but what do you do in Spain when the little 1 is breathing too heavy, burning up and coughing like mad, it just makes it so much more difficult.

You could land lucky and have no problems at all, everything runs smoothly and the baby behaves and you both get to relax but honestly, I highly doubt it.

Best advice is to leave the baby with the grandparents and get away for a break. Lots of good tips here already, be prepared for a big check in at the airport. Steriliser, baby milk, nappies and wipes, medicines, creams, shampoos etc takes up a suitcase in its own right. Your suitcases, the buggy, the car seat, how about a cot? Does the villa come with a clean cot? (You have to think about cot death etc, you trust your own mattress but do you really trust the mattress in a foreign villa?)

In any case, you're right, people take kids away all the time, no, it doesn't make them bad parents, but you were after advice.

I argued with my wife for 7 days solid, it was the holiday from hell, she hated it, I hated it, the little 1 hated it.

All the best with it though and good luck

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

cheers fatboy, was beginning to question my future parenting techniques thinking i was off to a poor start & we would be watched very closely & could end up on J.Kyle!

I am looking forward to being a dad & going through all this, i see it as my next stage in life & its just something you get on with & enjoy, not worrying about it. If theres a problem, sort it dont just get annoyed & have a arguement with the mrs, why do that you dont get any where!

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

cheers, again though was after advice on where to go not on the issues - just because i mentioned spain, it does not mean i want to go there specifically! - advice was requested on where to go as in anywhere outside the uk will do us

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

and the advice is... don't

They didn't, they own it and it is of a fair size. However, they'd never consier putting a baby on a plane so each to their own. Point beign i referenced it the first time and you then asked if it meant no-one ever took babies out of the country so I referenced it again.

Ferry to Northern France then? Why the need to fly?

Not just the flight, the getting to the airport, the need to arrive much earlier than the flight, the queue for check in, the luggage, the sitting around in departures with a baby on your knee. The fact that when you fly your ears pop and it will hurt. Of course you can explain that to a 6 month old...

Again, not having a go but it isn't right to assume you won't be that parent. Baby will be very small, how are you goign to explain to them they need to keep quite? If they don't like it they will scream and you will ne able to do sod all about it. You have no idea how they will react so it is 50/50 whether you are THAT parent or not really.

Dude, that's light for a wee one. First, you'll have a bag full of clothes. Bag of toys, buggy, bag of bath/cleaning stuff like top to toe wash, Bag of nappies, bottles, potentially a steriliser since you'll be abroad, powdered milk (as they will no doubt not sell your brand in Spain and that will very likely give baby an upset tummy).

It just isn't "a bag each" we look like we are getting on the ark when we go away!

Just trying to offer the benefit of experience is all.

5t.

EDIT - Leo - spot on. Fat Boy - you are that parent.

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

5t, thanks

few more good points, but yeh good one with the ferry, like that! will look at northern france

i am trying to understand & do unserstand if that makes sense on your points on why not to go, but the wife an i are very laid back & dont argue etc (just jinxed it lol!) & feel more than capeable to travel with all the issues that will arise, so we still fancy going somewhere! now you have mentioned the ferry, thats a great one never thought of that as we have always flown, that means the scoob can go !!!!

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

No need for the rolleyes dude.

Besides, if you do go to France:

1. Tell the mrs you are off to France - Hurrah
2. Stock up on plonk
3. Fail to remind the mrs you can spend the whole week touring Normandy beaches and following the D-Day trail
4. Do number 3, it's brilliant

5t.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

I don't thing 5t is being difficult, he is just offering some very good advice.
What annoys the f&ck out of me is parents that are 'too' laid back and let their child scream for hours on end on a flight or in the airport and don't even bother trying to comfort them. They look at you as if to say, 'what do you want me to do?'

-Try a dummy
-Are they hungry?
-Are they tired?
-Nappy need changing?
-Lost their favourite toy?
-Are their ears popping?

And even if you are the type of parent that tries to cover all the above, there really might be **** all you can do about. How would you feel if ended up sitting next to a newly married couple who are off on their honeymoon and your baby is the one ruining their experience?

Some people might now care, but I would.

Moley

iTrader: (9)

If you decide on Portugal i know a VERY nice Villa for rent there (stayed there in June)

LeeMac

iTrader: (1)

Cheap flights, decent weather, self catering

Spain would be good that time of year, France should be as well in Sept, early Sept my fave time
Carcassonne (south France) for flights and recommend the Minervois region, somewhere near the canal du midi maybe
Nice part of France
either Holiday lettings or join the Angloinfo forum for the Languedoc region, post a thread on there

Failing that I might be able to sort you out with something in Cornwall

Scooby Soon!

What a big bunch of girls you all are, i took my 1 year old down to the south of spain in the back of a scooby (stopped overnight Spanish border) with out a problem she slept nearly all the way. I have also taken her to the far east several times (25+ hours journey) and also taken her recently with her baby brother all without major incident. Tempretures 35 degrees+

The important thing is don't get caught up in taking all the baby crap, u need bottles, there favourite powdered milk, a few nappies and the cheapest smallest folding pram you can find (buy from charity shop for 3 pound then bin it when you get back). As soon as you get east of Europe (dubai/Hong Kong /Indonesia etc people /staff treat kids like royalty (as long as it's not fat and pig ugly). I have been taken to the front of every queue security/check in/getting on the plane and been upgraded to a different airline while all the other people on the plane had to wait 8 hours just because I had a baby with me!

hodgy0_2

agree with above

taken my 5 children all over the world -- from 4 months upwards

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

cheers for the comments guys, see this has opened a big can of worms lol!
we are/will plan to go somewhere, which country & how is to be decided, appreciate all comments thanks folks. At least we have both sides of the 'taking a baby on holiday' debate & i only wanted a few suggestions of where abouts to holiday to!

Fat Boy

I couldn't give a **** if i was sat next to newly weds or whatever- planes are not just for "grown ups". My kids are always well fed, looked after,amused, etc and therefore are generally better behaved/cleaner/ quieter/less obnoxious than the average group of chavs/chavettes on their way to catch some STDs whilst ar5eholed on alcopops.
5T i take that as a compliment. Scoobysoon - man after my own heart.
Some of you should get over yourselves they're only a baby not a carrier of the satan bug/ some form of mediaeval torture.

To the Op -I took my first away at 5 weeks old to Greece (Cephalonia) and she was no bother - they sleep a lot of the time then anyway. At 6 months old you will or should have a routine. If you haven't, it will be your fault, not the kids. Been away many times since - with a 20 month old and a 3 month old once too to Croatia.They're now 6 and 8 yrs old and seasoned travellers.

To the OP - I think you have the same attitude as me - I did all the silly bollox behaviour when i was younger so I was ready for the next phase and if that's lazing around the pool with a cold beer/ few good books and playing with the kids when they're awake then that's just fine by me. The other half got to sleep when she wanted/ swim when she wanted and catch some rays without any hotel timetables or unruly guests to have to work around.

timmyajmy93wrx

iTrader: (27)

thats exactly what we were thinking of doing (but i don't drink a milk or orange will do me )