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On holiday - bliss

Ariadne

19:23 / 13.09.02

It's just starting to sink in that I'm really on holiday. I have two weeks off work. Yippee!

This Sunday I'm flying out to France but I'm only going for a few days. After that it's back to London to just relax and do what I want.

Any suggestions of stuff to do around London now that I have time? Or indeed, stuff to do generally - doesn't have to be London specific.

Shortfatdyke

20:46 / 13.09.02

My favourite thing of all is doing early morning walks around town (usually on a Saturday). See the city, or the Tower of London, walk across the Millennium Bridge to St Paul's or check out the Heritage Trail in Clerkenwell, and be home in time for a late-ish breakfast.

Afternoon cinema has a lovely atmosphere, and it's cheaper, too. Or go see the new bits of the British Museum and be awestruck that we can do some things right over here.

Have a good one, and a lovely few days in France.

Cavatina

23:39 / 13.09.02

Ah (closes eyes). Bliss indeed, Ariadne. Enjoy every breath of it.

I'm very much looking forward to June-July of next year when, all being well, I'll be on leave, staying with my cousin in a small village near Stafford, and also planning what to see in my old homeland.

Tryphena Absent

23:50 / 13.09.02

Everything SFD said. The Millennium footbridge wows me, both views are spectacular, as I realised the other day. Maybe take a look at some of the Christopher Wren churches (with such a weird story behind them) and go shopping in a supermarket in Chinatown... when I'm bored in London it's my favourite game.

Have a good holiday.

The Return Of Rothkoid

09:07 / 14.09.02

Go to The Soane Museum. Near Holborn. It rocks with fists of genteel steel. You won't regret it, honest.

The Strobe

09:20 / 14.09.02

Rothkoid's right; the Soane museum is wonderful, and neatly hidden away. I loved what I saw, having gone there only for the Hogarth exhibition, and finding the rest of the house at least as interesting. Must make another visit.

Ariadne

13:31 / 14.09.02

Ah yes, I've heard you talk about the Soane museum before - okay, will do. And I like all these suggestions, except that early mornings and holidays don't tend to go together in my book.

Cool. An early morning stroll and lots of museum visiting. Sounds magic.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

14:17 / 16.09.02

I've been deliberately avoiding posting to this thread until today. As of today, I'm off work for THREE FUCKING WEEKS! Which, ahem, rocks.

Do yourself a favour. Get really, really stoned, and hang out in the Assyrian bit of the British Museum. (I spent most of last summer thus.) It's great. It's like ancient stone comic strips. With a weird flying saucer thing. It's just SO cool.

invisible_al

14:26 / 16.09.02

Go for a walk in Greenwich park, always chills me out, if you're feeling nautical you can try the museums.
Oh yeah once again with the British Museum, huge stone winged animals with the heads of men (with really long beards) are just cool you know. The V&A also has much to recommend in the world of eye candy, the Indian and Chinese Galleries are some of my favourite places.
Have fun

that

14:48 / 16.09.02

Hope you enjoy your time off, Ariadne and Stoatie. I've gotta agree - the Soane Museum is v. cool... also, I cannot recommend Kew Gardens highly enough, and it's not like if you've just been the once you've seen it all, it's always changing. Look out for orchids in the Princess Diana House. Gorgeous.

Rollo Kim, on location

15:28 / 16.09.02

Just don't get smug. I just got smug about this time yesterday, cause I had two weeks off as well. Accept now I don't have a job and my stomache hurts and I don't even have enough money for a pint of weak squash and 10 Woodbines. Cripes. But don't let me put you off mate!

Persephone

16:54 / 16.09.02

Wow. Is it common to have two or three weeks off in a row in the U.K.? When I want more than a long weekend, I tend to just quit --well, the one time I went and got married, got two weeks then.

Or maybe it's common to take two weeks' vacation in the U.S. too? Maybe it's just me?

grant

20:16 / 16.09.02

They live right in England, they do.

I work for English people, so they're much cooler with long vacations than some previous bosses, but even so - you get a lot more vacation over there. Over there.

Oh, and just to stay on topic, I really liked Greenwich Common, but maybe that's just me. More sentimental I guess, but still, nice and green.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

09:25 / 17.09.02

I work alternating 7-night shifts, so I get seven nights on, seven nights off. I've booked a week's holiday next week, so I'm off for three weeks in total!

If you like walking, Alexandra Palace is nice. (And there's a pub at the top too, because you WILL need a drink).

Kit-Cat Club

11:23 / 17.09.02

EU citizens should get at least 20 days' holiday per year - often it's 25 - so it is quite common to take a couple of weeks off (though one week is more common I'd say) - but often people find themselves with piles of untaken holiday at the end of the year and have to take most of December off to use it up...

Mind you, in truly civilised countries such as France, I understand that major cities basically close for the entire month of August and everyone buggers off to the Mediterranean.

I haven't had a holiday holiday since last year though - only the odd day here and there, and a month of unemployment (not *quite* the same thing).

The Return Of Rothkoid

11:48 / 17.09.02

I believe my job has 30 days holiday a year. Although there is a mandatory shut-down period (5 days?) that must be taken out of holiday over the xmas/new year period...

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