Apologies to anyone out there who gives a damn about this site for my lack of posts recently, but to use one of my darling husbands favourite phrases, “I couldn’t be arsed”. Also, what many people fail to realise is that I don’t have a life so I haven’t got much to blog about. However, since some of you (mum/hubby) have pestered me about my recent lack of ramblings, I thought I should make the effort. In addition to this, I also have a couple of things worth a mention.  So lets start with Croatia. 

Some people thought it was a strange choice for a family holiday destination, but hats off once again to my mother-in-law for finding a top class cheap week away!  Just under 2 hours on a plane and we were there - unlike the 6 hour endurance test we had to pass to get to Luxor.  The airport looked like something from James Bond cold war theme backdrop, but our bags arrived at the terminal almost as quickly as we did so we were quickly on our way for the 45 minute drive to Porec.  Well worth the time as the landscape is beautiful and the Thompson rep knew her stuff so the time passed quickly.

We now enter the time warp.  Anyone who had a bad acid trip in the late sixties/early seventies should steer clear of the hotels as when you wake up on your first morning you will think you’re having flashbacks and who knows were that could end up.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not really complaining.  The buses used were always smack bang up to date and better than anything I’ve had to use in the UK.  The hotel was clean and the staff were outstanding.  The dining room was modern and the food was good every night.  However, most of the decor and styling harked back to the seventies both inside and out.  You could see where they had already modernised, but as a result, you could see all too plainly what needed changing.

With regard to the town itself, well you decide.  Lots of romanesque streets full of pavement cafes,  jewellery shops and Itallian style ice cream parlours, and a bustling harbour with boat trips across to Venice.  All of this was a 20 minute walk or 5 minute miniature train ride away.

 
So the flight over was short and the airport processed us quickly, the Thompson rep was enthusiastic and took good care of us, the hotel was clean and comfortable and all of the people we came across where freindly and spoke good English, the town was beautiful, the trips to Venice and Slovenia where once in a lifetime experiences and I even got a slight tan.  So everything was cushty?  Well not quite.  You know I can’t help myself when it comes to grumbling so here goes.  Birmingham airport baggage control is an absolute sack of crap.  Perhaps we were spoilt by the staff in Croatia but from landing to leaving Birmingham airport took us almost 2 hours.  Suitcases that have travelled unscathed to Egypt, Prague and Germany eventually came out on the conveyor belt with locks broken and material damaged.  So thank you Birmingham airport for managing to be the crappy welcome home after a truly wonderful holiday.