its getting near
Mar 9th 2008, 11:00 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Malaga
Posts: 136
its getting near
Its fast approaching that season again when family and friends visit us ,saw this on another forum and thought i would like to share it with you all ,any views
Dear all,
Yes, of course, we would love to see you again this year, but there have been a few changes:
1) You will have to hire a car from the airport as we no longer do free airport pickups and deliveries.
2) Day-time flights only; we go to bed at midnight, so no middle of the night flights (however cheap).
3) We no longer compete with the all-inclusive hotel holiday deals. We do not provide free breakfast, lunch and dinner together with all-day snacks and, of course, alcoholic refreshments. We will, of course, tell you where the best Menus del Día can be found.
4) We do not have a live-in maid, so you will be responsible for making your bed, mopping the floor and keeping the bathroom clean.
5) We do not provide a laundry service so please bring your own hand, bath and beach towels.
6) Our daily, free sightseeing trips to local sights of interest have been cancelled because we are sick to death of looking at the same caves and views etc over and over again. We will provide maps and information for you to explore on your own.
7) Our free telephone service to the UK has been suspended; use your own mobiles.
8)You may be on holiday and want to stay out till 3am, but we live here and keep reasonable hours - please be quiet when coming home.
9) Should you wish to spend time lazing round our pool and prefer to stay in we shall expect help with food preparations, shopping etc; we will also operate a joint kitty, from which all food and drink shopping costs, petrol for joint trips etc will be deducted.
10) We are retired and living on our pensions which, due to the awful exchange rate, are decreasing each month - so we were considering coming over to you for two weeks this year!
What dates did you say you were booking?”
Dear all,
Yes, of course, we would love to see you again this year, but there have been a few changes:
1) You will have to hire a car from the airport as we no longer do free airport pickups and deliveries.
2) Day-time flights only; we go to bed at midnight, so no middle of the night flights (however cheap).
3) We no longer compete with the all-inclusive hotel holiday deals. We do not provide free breakfast, lunch and dinner together with all-day snacks and, of course, alcoholic refreshments. We will, of course, tell you where the best Menus del Día can be found.
4) We do not have a live-in maid, so you will be responsible for making your bed, mopping the floor and keeping the bathroom clean.
5) We do not provide a laundry service so please bring your own hand, bath and beach towels.
6) Our daily, free sightseeing trips to local sights of interest have been cancelled because we are sick to death of looking at the same caves and views etc over and over again. We will provide maps and information for you to explore on your own.
7) Our free telephone service to the UK has been suspended; use your own mobiles.
8)You may be on holiday and want to stay out till 3am, but we live here and keep reasonable hours - please be quiet when coming home.
9) Should you wish to spend time lazing round our pool and prefer to stay in we shall expect help with food preparations, shopping etc; we will also operate a joint kitty, from which all food and drink shopping costs, petrol for joint trips etc will be deducted.
10) We are retired and living on our pensions which, due to the awful exchange rate, are decreasing each month - so we were considering coming over to you for two weeks this year!
What dates did you say you were booking?”
Mar 9th 2008, 1:30 pm
#2
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,795
Re: its getting near
Excellent. We are not used in this way at all but know people who are.
Rosemary
Rosemary
Mar 9th 2008, 5:27 pm
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Benalmadena Pueblo Spain
Posts: 991
Re: its getting near
Brilliant, item 6 is a definite 
Mar 10th 2008, 2:44 pm
#4
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,281
Re: its getting near
That post rings soooooooo true, but never the less we love having em
Mar 10th 2008, 9:03 pm
#5
Concierge
Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,203
Re: its getting near
Fully agree with all the points in the post, we have downsized from a three bed house to a two bed apartment, we only had three bedrooms because we could have the family to stay, but..... thinking that offering 30€ for a weeks stay, full board is a reasonable recompense for the joy of them coming over is normal in their eyes, but at least we do have one family that do pay thir way, and go out on their own, not expecting us to ferry them everywhere, and they always take us out for at least one meal, but they do not make up for the ones who expect everything.
Mar 11th 2008, 8:40 am
#6
In Estepona
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Estepona, Spain
Posts: 633
Re: its getting near
Cant agree with this more.
Though i wouldnt say there is any particular season for when friends and relatives come out.
It seems that whenever there is a cheap flight going theyre booking it.
I recently had an experience of so called friends coming out to stay which changed my view on the whole thing.
Yes it is nice them coming out and seeing them again. Theres certain people who have not even bothered coming out at all, which has dissapointed me because I thought they would love to come and see where I am now. But then there are others that have been out 3 times in less than a year that I have been here.
But my recent "friends" who came out. Decided to come out in January becaue they got a cheap flight. Despite warning them that the palce is shut and its cold, she came expecting the same as summer.
I came home one night to find 3 bottles of wine had been opened and she just tried each one and then just left them out to go off! :curse: Everywhere I took her wasnt good enough. She expected the place to be like England. Not liking any different food. The funniest was her asking for a smirnoff ice in a spanish tapas bar. Oops. Then she decided she hated tapas (despite only trying 2 of them) She tried Sangria and spat it out back in her glass right infront of the waiter with a hell of a display.
That was only the beginning. She was having some issues with her boyfriend too, so arguments persued all week causing a thick atmosphere. I realised it was her in the wrong and felt really embarassed for him.
Next minute he's playing footsie under the table and getting on very well with my flat mate (who also happens to be my ex).
She had her birthday here and that was the worst day. We went to Gibraltar. And she was like "What are you buying me for my birthday?" I said "What do you want?" She said, "you can get me a bottle of Bicardi AND a bottle of Archers". So i said, "well ill get you one of them". She said "Oh is that all I'm worth". "Hmm so picking you up from the airport, putting you up in my apartment for a week, taking time off work, driving you around the coast taking you places, feeding you and dropping you back off at the airport isnt enough then is it?"
When i finally got rid of them, her boyfriend dumped her and booked a flight back on his own to see my ex!! Which never happened because they ended up getting back together. Funnily enough I no longer talk to either of them!
But I think thats what happens sometimes. People fly out to see you, and because theyre getting on a plane to a warmer climate. They feel like theyre going on an all inclusive holiday. They forget that they are visiting friends. Im sure she wouldnt have acted in such a spoilt brat way if she had driven a couple of hours down a motorway to see me.
Some people come thinking that I am on a permanent holiday. And wonder why Im not keen on going out for a meal every night, and going out for lunch and breakfast every day. They also wonder why I have to work and seem annoyed that i didnt take the whole time off. They dont eralise that with my trips back to the UK combined with peopel coming out to stay. I end up with no holiday dates or money to actually go on holiday myself.
So far ive been extremely acommodating of people coming to stay here. But Ive spoke to people who have been here for a while who dont even put their friends and relatives up anymore. They have learnt from doing that!
Though i wouldnt say there is any particular season for when friends and relatives come out.
It seems that whenever there is a cheap flight going theyre booking it.
I recently had an experience of so called friends coming out to stay which changed my view on the whole thing.
Yes it is nice them coming out and seeing them again. Theres certain people who have not even bothered coming out at all, which has dissapointed me because I thought they would love to come and see where I am now. But then there are others that have been out 3 times in less than a year that I have been here.
But my recent "friends" who came out. Decided to come out in January becaue they got a cheap flight. Despite warning them that the palce is shut and its cold, she came expecting the same as summer.
I came home one night to find 3 bottles of wine had been opened and she just tried each one and then just left them out to go off! :curse: Everywhere I took her wasnt good enough. She expected the place to be like England. Not liking any different food. The funniest was her asking for a smirnoff ice in a spanish tapas bar. Oops. Then she decided she hated tapas (despite only trying 2 of them) She tried Sangria and spat it out back in her glass right infront of the waiter with a hell of a display.
That was only the beginning. She was having some issues with her boyfriend too, so arguments persued all week causing a thick atmosphere. I realised it was her in the wrong and felt really embarassed for him.
Next minute he's playing footsie under the table and getting on very well with my flat mate (who also happens to be my ex).
She had her birthday here and that was the worst day. We went to Gibraltar. And she was like "What are you buying me for my birthday?" I said "What do you want?" She said, "you can get me a bottle of Bicardi AND a bottle of Archers". So i said, "well ill get you one of them". She said "Oh is that all I'm worth". "Hmm so picking you up from the airport, putting you up in my apartment for a week, taking time off work, driving you around the coast taking you places, feeding you and dropping you back off at the airport isnt enough then is it?"
When i finally got rid of them, her boyfriend dumped her and booked a flight back on his own to see my ex!! Which never happened because they ended up getting back together. Funnily enough I no longer talk to either of them!
But I think thats what happens sometimes. People fly out to see you, and because theyre getting on a plane to a warmer climate. They feel like theyre going on an all inclusive holiday. They forget that they are visiting friends. Im sure she wouldnt have acted in such a spoilt brat way if she had driven a couple of hours down a motorway to see me.
Some people come thinking that I am on a permanent holiday. And wonder why Im not keen on going out for a meal every night, and going out for lunch and breakfast every day. They also wonder why I have to work and seem annoyed that i didnt take the whole time off. They dont eralise that with my trips back to the UK combined with peopel coming out to stay. I end up with no holiday dates or money to actually go on holiday myself.
So far ive been extremely acommodating of people coming to stay here. But Ive spoke to people who have been here for a while who dont even put their friends and relatives up anymore. They have learnt from doing that!
Mar 11th 2008, 9:01 am
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: ashfrd kent
Posts: 236
Re: its getting near
Cant agree with this more.
Though i wouldnt say there is any particular season for when friends and relatives come out.
It seems that whenever there is a cheap flight going theyre booking it.
I recently had an experience of so called friends coming out to stay which changed my view on the whole thing.
Yes it is nice them coming out and seeing them again. Theres certain people who have not even bothered coming out at all, which has dissapointed me because I thought they would love to come and see where I am now. But then there are others that have been out 3 times in less than a year that I have been here.
But my recent "friends" who came out. Decided to come out in January becaue they got a cheap flight. Despite warning them that the palce is shut and its cold, she came expecting the same as summer.
I came home one night to find 3 bottles of wine had been opened and she just tried each one and then just left them out to go off! :curse: Everywhere I took her wasnt good enough. She expected the place to be like England. Not liking any different food. The funniest was her asking for a smirnoff ice in a spanish tapas bar. Oops. Then she decided she hated tapas (despite only trying 2 of them) She tried Sangria and spat it out back in her glass right infront of the waiter with a hell of a display.
That was only the beginning. She was having some issues with her boyfriend too, so arguments persued all week causing a thick atmosphere. I realised it was her in the wrong and felt really embarassed for him.
Next minute he's playing footsie under the table and getting on very well with my flat mate (who also happens to be my ex).
She had her birthday here and that was the worst day. We went to Gibraltar. And she was like "What are you buying me for my birthday?" I said "What do you want?" She said, "you can get me a bottle of Bicardi AND a bottle of Archers". So i said, "well ill get you one of them". She said "Oh is that all I'm worth". "Hmm so picking you up from the airport, putting you up in my apartment for a week, taking time off work, driving you around the coast taking you places, feeding you and dropping you back off at the airport isnt enough then is it?"
When i finally got rid of them, her boyfriend dumped her and booked a flight back on his own to see my ex!! Which never happened because they ended up getting back together. Funnily enough I no longer talk to either of them!
But I think thats what happens sometimes. People fly out to see you, and because theyre getting on a plane to a warmer climate. They feel like theyre going on an all inclusive holiday. They forget that they are visiting friends. Im sure she wouldnt have acted in such a spoilt brat way if she had driven a couple of hours down a motorway to see me.
Some people come thinking that I am on a permanent holiday. And wonder why Im not keen on going out for a meal every night, and going out for lunch and breakfast every day. They also wonder why I have to work and seem annoyed that i didnt take the whole time off. They dont eralise that with my trips back to the UK combined with peopel coming out to stay. I end up with no holiday dates or money to actually go on holiday myself.
So far ive been extremely acommodating of people coming to stay here. But Ive spoke to people who have been here for a while who dont even put their friends and relatives up anymore. They have learnt from doing that!
Though i wouldnt say there is any particular season for when friends and relatives come out.
It seems that whenever there is a cheap flight going theyre booking it.
I recently had an experience of so called friends coming out to stay which changed my view on the whole thing.
Yes it is nice them coming out and seeing them again. Theres certain people who have not even bothered coming out at all, which has dissapointed me because I thought they would love to come and see where I am now. But then there are others that have been out 3 times in less than a year that I have been here.
But my recent "friends" who came out. Decided to come out in January becaue they got a cheap flight. Despite warning them that the palce is shut and its cold, she came expecting the same as summer.
I came home one night to find 3 bottles of wine had been opened and she just tried each one and then just left them out to go off! :curse: Everywhere I took her wasnt good enough. She expected the place to be like England. Not liking any different food. The funniest was her asking for a smirnoff ice in a spanish tapas bar. Oops. Then she decided she hated tapas (despite only trying 2 of them) She tried Sangria and spat it out back in her glass right infront of the waiter with a hell of a display.
That was only the beginning. She was having some issues with her boyfriend too, so arguments persued all week causing a thick atmosphere. I realised it was her in the wrong and felt really embarassed for him.
Next minute he's playing footsie under the table and getting on very well with my flat mate (who also happens to be my ex).
She had her birthday here and that was the worst day. We went to Gibraltar. And she was like "What are you buying me for my birthday?" I said "What do you want?" She said, "you can get me a bottle of Bicardi AND a bottle of Archers". So i said, "well ill get you one of them". She said "Oh is that all I'm worth". "Hmm so picking you up from the airport, putting you up in my apartment for a week, taking time off work, driving you around the coast taking you places, feeding you and dropping you back off at the airport isnt enough then is it?"
When i finally got rid of them, her boyfriend dumped her and booked a flight back on his own to see my ex!! Which never happened because they ended up getting back together. Funnily enough I no longer talk to either of them!
But I think thats what happens sometimes. People fly out to see you, and because theyre getting on a plane to a warmer climate. They feel like theyre going on an all inclusive holiday. They forget that they are visiting friends. Im sure she wouldnt have acted in such a spoilt brat way if she had driven a couple of hours down a motorway to see me.
Some people come thinking that I am on a permanent holiday. And wonder why Im not keen on going out for a meal every night, and going out for lunch and breakfast every day. They also wonder why I have to work and seem annoyed that i didnt take the whole time off. They dont eralise that with my trips back to the UK combined with peopel coming out to stay. I end up with no holiday dates or money to actually go on holiday myself.
So far ive been extremely acommodating of people coming to stay here. But Ive spoke to people who have been here for a while who dont even put their friends and relatives up anymore. They have learnt from doing that!
soundS like you need to keep clear and be out or away next time they contact you.
I have friends who we visit in chester, in the uk.we stay in a travel inn, have breakfast at the hotel then get to our friends at 10- 11 ish..giving them time to get up and relax before the day ahead..LOL we normally look after their children for the week while they work for a few days..and take them out to the zoo etc..then we spend time with our friends and we treat them to meals before we return home...works well for both of us..
June [my friend] lived in greece for 10 years and knows all to well what the visitors are like..she used to say that they used all the toilet roll up as well as a few of the other statements..
One family left all the bath towel AT THE BEACH. and said 'oh you can get some more, theyre cheaper abroad arent they!
carole
Mar 11th 2008, 9:12 am
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Jaen
Posts: 48
Re: its getting near
Some people come thinking that I am on a permanent holiday. And wonder why Im not keen on going out for a meal every night, and going out for lunch and breakfast every day. They also wonder why I have to work and seem annoyed that i didnt take the whole time off. They dont eralise that with my trips back to the UK combined with peopel coming out to stay. I end up with no holiday dates or money to actually go on holiday myself.
Definitely agree with the above quote. People don't seem to understand that we have to do normal things. I've made a habit now of going to the supermarket when they first get here. I used to rush to make everything perfect for when people arrived.
Most of my friends and family have always helped out with the costs (they know I'm earning a Spanish salary) but I do find that I never have a minute to myself. Of course they have a wonderful siesta and stroll around town while I'm .......at work!!
Still I love having them
