h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello everyone,well,i'm back,and trying really hard to keep awake long enough to tell you about my holiday(anyone know how long jet lag is supposed to last).
We were up early as we had to be at the airport for 10a.m....three hours before the flight.We checked in ,only to find that we were delayed for two hours,which meant that we didn't fly until 3.10 p.m.
It was just after midnight here in england when we landed,so quite late by the time we had collected the keys for the villa,and loaded the hire car with our luggage,and of course,spent over an hour finding the place we were staying.
The excitement of arriving at the villa,and sitting by the pool for a last cuppa before bed is always wonderful.those villas are so nice,all cream and light,and comfortable....mmmmm.!!!
You can never quite describe how you feel so at home as sson a you open the door.
What it was that gave me this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach i'll never know,but words can't describe the dirty,disgusting sight .
I won't go into detail,it would take too long,but suffice to say i wouldn't have let my budgie stay there,and he's in a cage four feet away from the floor!!!
We slept on top of the bed,and next morning went and complained.....which has now taken on the theme of an epic film,as i try to sort out the problems with the travelcompany.
Anyhow,two nights in a hotel,lots of calls to the family in england,and tuesday afternoon saw us settled in a beautiful villa,sat by the pool with our belongings at last unpacked.
The weather was beautiful,the sun shone,and we shopped,saw mickey and minnie,and all those wonderful disney characters.Our eldest daughter,her hubby and three of the grandchildren arrived on the thursday,and we spent a lovely afternon when they visited us,just sat round the pool ,and swimming,then had tea together.We went to epcot,and to the magic kkingdom,and MgM studios with them,and went out for a few evening meals together.
All in all it was a wonderful holiday,although we lost the first four days because of the villa,and i am now in the process of trying to sort out my complaints with the travel company....which looks like a long haul!!
It is nice to be back though,and when i
m alert enough i shall have fun trying to catch up with all the postings i missed.s

Hi sal glad u and bill are back safe and sound and u eventually had a good holiday
See u on Friday all being well lot of love

Nice to see you back here

Yeswelcome back Sal!

Welcome back Sal

I hope you're going to screw them for every penny for not providing you with the villa that you expected. Go girl

Hard to believe you were treated so badly.
Tourism has been down and I would think they would want to try harder to please. I am glad you are going to contact the BBB. It will help protect others but do nothing for you unfortunately.

You deserve to have some compensation. I would not want it to be a free stay there since you did not care for it.
Did you use a travel agent?
Sometimes they can help. They can also find you another place based on that experience and what you are looking for.

Glad to hear you had a nice time in spite of the initial disappointment.

Perhaps you could get some advice from McKay about how to get some compensation: F96614?thread=850339


Any photos?

az

Dear smurfles,

So glad you managed to enjoy your holiday in spite of the horrid beginning.
Brrrr.!!

Nice to have you back
Also Ran1

Hello everyone,and thanks for the advice and support.I have e-mailed the travel agents,but they told me on the phone that to complain is a lengthy process!!!
Just so i have given a general picture,the villa was filthy,dirty teatowel in the kitchen drawer,dust that rolled into balls of fluff,kettle that wouldn't turn itself off,telephone that wouldn't work unless it was held into the socket,cerealbowl wth remnants of the last meal still in it,dirty pool and furniture,the list is endless!!!
I can tolerate a couple of faults,but this place was horrible,and was still dirty after it had been cleaned twice.
Still,we managed to laugh at the characters,went on a tour of the backlot at MGM,whhich was scary,and saw the muppets in 3-D.!!
I'M sure we have pictures az,i'll take a look later on,and see what i can find!!!

I enjoy the large studios.
Fun to see how they decieve you

Did you go to the Epcot Center?
You were looking forward to that

Was the weather nice?

Hi Sal, sorry the place wasn't nice, this can really ruin the whole holiday. Glad you're back, hope to talk soon. ns
Claudiaxxx

nice to have you back xd

Hi Smurfles, Welcome back! pity about your holiday? I sometimes watch that TV program about Holidays From Hell, and its really scary how bad things can get on a holiday

I have never had a holiday abroad, (apart form a 10 day trip of hell to Morocco?) as all the times I have been abroad I was working.
The other times I was with the Navy, sometimes welcomed, and others not so
Anyway, is good to have you back with us
Smudger,

Thanks smudger.I missed my friends on h2,but the holiday was lovely once we got the second villa.
I can't explain how bad the first one was,but we've alwys had lovely ones before,so maybe weve been lucky.
We went to epcot,i alwys love going there,and we went to the magic kkingdom,saw the fireworks on the mountain,and th ones on the lake,,theyre beautiful,and we spent some time with the family as they were there at the same time almost.
Hope you and MK2 are both okay??

We cant really go abroad for a holiday Smurfles, as we cant get travel insurance for Mk2 Also she needs to have her blood taken often to monitor its thickness for DVTs, so we can not be away for too long?

One day, if my claim ever gats sorted out, we hope to go a Cruise where all the medical aid she needs will be available on the ship That will a novelty for me, to be at sea again, and not working or keeping watches
Smudger,

Smudger, that this will come true soon

Hi smudger,,a cruise sounds good ,although i must admit i'm no good on boats.Lets hope that everything wil be sorted out before long
Just for the record i e-mailed the travel company on wednesday last week,and added a note to please confirm receipt of said e-mail.Nothing had arrived by friday.so i sent the whole e-mail again(i am assuming since there was no confirmatin that they hadn't received it)!!Still nothing,so i sent the e-mail again,on sunday,Guess what!!Still nothing today,so i shall be sending it again later on,If they don't acknowledge it by tomorrow then i shall have to take it,in writing,to the travel agents on thursday.I really didn't want to confron tthem as i might be very ,but best t wait and see i suppose.

Hi Smurfles, That's weird, I often get Emails with a link that I have to click on, to confirm I received it?
So I thought by me doing that, they would know that I have received it OK.

Mind you, I don't know how to do that myself, would be handy to know though Eh! Its a bit like recorded delivery on snail mail, but I suppose it does work
Let me know if you ever do find out how to do that
Smudger,

Smurfles if you send your email from the computer you can ask your provider to confirm they have recieved it and then keep a copy of that It is found in your mailing preferences and I think most programs have them.

A note for me,as wll as an update!!!
i spent some time on the net,and found two sites that are really useful if you're looking for info on holidays.One site gives peoples opinions on where they've stayed,another one gives advice on how to proceed with a complaint.
Anyhow,ii got a reply from the travel agents yesterday....the site i found told me that if you e-mail your complaint they are forced to respond within 5 days.....and they are obviously using delaying tactics.It was just five days,but they have asked for details of our booking reference number,where the holiday was booked,and when,and have said that once they receive these they can look into our complaint.
I had put the reference number at the heading of my e-mail,and it would seem logical to me that seen as i am complaining to them it was them that we booked with!!!!!
Yesterday was the 12th of october,so it should be the 9th of november before i hear from them again.
Might as well just sit back,drink lots of ,and wait!!