Its getting to that dreaded time again....visitors from UK.

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princess peach
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Its getting to that dreaded time again....visitors from UK.

Postby princess peach » Sat May 03, 2008 8:31 am

I dont know how anyone else feels about this,but i get thoroughly fed up with family members coming from the uk.
heres what happens with us...

O.K-familys arrive,they think that you have nothing better to do all day than laze around sunbathing.They dont realise that my hubby has been saving for them coming and sometimes goes into his overdraft to make sure we all have a good time.he has to take days off work(which dips into his holidays)to take them places.They think you are loaded because you live here,dont contribute towards petrol(which we always do when they pick us up from uk)dont even offer to help pay for the huge food/drink bill at the supermarket,and get out of paying anything towards it ,by shopping themselves with a basket,getting in everything they like.
then when it comes to eating out...being picky at the menu,as "they cant afford"a starter as well as a main course...it really gets me riled up!
then after a day or two of going out,all they want to do is sit in my living room,or go up on the terrace and burn themselves to death,then complain that they are too hot....hello this IS spain in Aug!!!i thought when you went away on holiday that you saved like mad to ensure that you had plenty of money to do what you wanted...its what we do!

we have only had one decent visitor in nearly 5 years and he is a single lad and the perfect guest.even my mother was a total embarrassment,and swanned about in a bikini and sarong when she had a ten min walk to the beach.i had to tell her to cover up..people have no respect.I was totally ashamed!

Does anyone else feel the same as me...most of the family members that come out think we are loaded(which we arnt)and can afford everything and anything going(including funding them for their holiday)bloody tourists... :twisted:
Am i just a miserable cow??? :lol:

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Troglodyfae
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Postby Troglodyfae » Sat May 03, 2008 8:48 am

Am i just a miserable cow???
Well if you are then I should be a part of the herd because I agree with your sentiments. We have jokingly said we should rename our cave house 'The Holiday Inn'

We had one couple who asked if they could come and stay as they were interested in buying a place in our area. Whilst we were friends with them, we did not know them very well and had been introduced to them by another of our friends. However not wishing to appear churlish we agreed. They stayed for one week, needed to be entertained 24/7. I had to buy in a great deal of expensive food, and to be fair stuff we would not normally use, as one of them had special dietary needs. Not once during their stay did they offer to pay for anything not even a round of drinks.

At the end of their trip they told us the night before they left that they had actually decided before they came that they were not going to buy in the area but did not cancel as they had saved up for this holiday :shock:

I did not bite my tongue, I told them that as most of their savings had stayed in their pockets the entire holiday, they would be able to afford another one very soon. Shot myself in the foot as they asked if we would be busy in August as they fancied coming out again then.

Needless to say I have lost contact with them.....lol

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Postby gerryh » Sat May 03, 2008 9:12 am

Must say that we haven't had this problem.
All our visitors, mainly family, have paid for some of the meals out, some of the visits to attractions, a trolley load at the supermarket etc.

Cheers
Gerry
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Postby laclotte » Sat May 03, 2008 9:25 am

I often remind guests of the quote by Benjamin Franklin:

"Visitors are just like fish, after 3 days they begin to stink" :wink:
- You don't get harmony when everybody sings the same note -

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Re: Its getting to that dreaded time again....visitors from

Postby pete_l » Sat May 03, 2008 9:48 am

princess peach wrote:I thought when you went away on holiday that you saved like mad to ensure that you had plenty of money to do what you wanted...its what we do!
Ahhh, that's your mistake 8)
No-one saves for holidays any more. You just buy it all on the credit card
and spend the rest of the year paying it off.
Start taking Mastercard & Visa (or at least PayPal) and make 'em hire
their own car from the airport. Then take E 100 off each of them for each
week when they arrive, for food etc. Also give them some chores to do
while they're with you: sweeping the yard, washing up and so-on.

One thing that is apparent about the NHS, is that no-one respects a
service when it's "free" - no matter how good or bad it is.

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Postby mirandamac » Sat May 03, 2008 10:00 am

I'm amazed you've put up with it Peachy. I'm usually a bit of a wimp at times like that but I wouldn't let that happen.(I hope) We could have had that here a bit as people like to visit York, but the visitors we've had, luckily, have been like Gerry's and mucked in with chores and taken us out for a meal.
I wouldn't want to go and stay with someone out there (unless it was close family) and I hope that when we get there ourselves we'll be able to use that lovely word - NO! - when we don't want visitors. Maybe this year, tell people you're running the place as a B & B and they're welcome to come but you have to charge as it's your business! And let them find their own way from the airport. Get mean! Enjoy your summer, you've worked hard for it.

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Postby ashfieb » Sat May 03, 2008 11:13 am

We always have a kitty when people come to stay. We all put in 50 Euros and all the shopping, drinks and food out come out of the kitty. When it is gone we all put in a bit more. Works really well and saves any problems with paying bills, only problem is to nominate a trustworthy person to look after the kitty !
Cheers, Barry

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Postby Beachcomber » Sat May 03, 2008 11:25 am

The only people who stay with us in our house are my wife's parents and my mum.

Anyone else rents our apartment on the coast paying a shade less than the going rate and do their own thing and pay their own way. If they want, they can hire a car and come up to visit us for a day.

That's the deal, they can either take it or leave it. It doesn't bother us one way or the other.

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Postby olive » Sat May 03, 2008 12:05 pm

Even when friends and family contribute to food, drink and petrol they still seem to break things.

Tally (so far) after last lot:

Garden tool
kitchen bin (picked up by lid)
stained silk top

If you were running a B&B those things would come out of your profit!!

olive

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Postby mirandamac » Sat May 03, 2008 1:00 pm

But at least there would be a bit of profit I guess! Sounds like Beachcomber's got it sorted.

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Sat May 03, 2008 2:49 pm

laclotte what you have quoted is so true!

well,im amazed you must all have perfect guests.I can only say that once they have come,they are only invited back if they want us to book them in a hostel(the unwelcome ones that is)
I cannot believe the single lad that comes sometimes for a fortnight,is better behaved and willingly delves into his pocket at any given oppourtunity is better behaved than the likes of my mother..it astounds me.
I hope your good fortune with your lovely house guests continues....and dont get any family members like mine(rab c nesbits of the UK) :lol:

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Postby maddy » Sat May 03, 2008 5:05 pm

so many people think we have loads of money as we´re "living in spain"
when they visit they think we should automatically feed them, entertain them, chauffeur them, go out on town every night with them......I don´t know of a single visit that has run smoothly after 3 days...... :cry:

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Postby Troglodyfae » Sat May 03, 2008 10:35 pm

Having posted my comments this morning I was delighted to receive a phone call from my big brother announcing his arrival with his wife in August. I must have forgotten to tell him that I had moved back to Andalucia recently, as he told me he had booked his flights into Alicante :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

On hearing the news he wanted me to find him a rental for first week in August with so many criteria it would knock your socks off, and then as his Pièce de résistance he wanted my other half to drive for 3 hours to pick them up, take them to their rental and then drive 3 hours back to Andalucia :shock:

He was slightly stunned when I said "No way Jose" I told him to hire a car, to which he said "I do not like driving in Spain" so I suggested he let his wife drive instead. He was aghast and told me "But she is on holiday and does not want any stress"

Un feckin believable!! He will be hiring a car :evil:

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Postby .Griff. » Sun May 04, 2008 12:56 am

When we were using my uncles villa we'd always make sure it went appreciated.

He'd leave us a list of "jobs" to do whether it was a bit of gardening, changing the water timers or a bit of DIY and we'd always ensure we left the place immaculate with a few bottles as a way of a thank you.

I can't quite comprehend people coming out to stay with family or friends, and therefor saving on accommodation money, who go on to take advantage.

Surely it's common courtesy to show your appreciation and chip in where necessary?

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Sun May 04, 2008 1:48 pm

Trog what you have said is just about right and sums everyone up perfectly who visit from the uk.They are here on their holidays ...and want to relax..doesnt matter about the people who they put on!
good for you,for standing your ground! :lol:

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Postby katie » Sun May 04, 2008 9:18 pm

Saw this on another site thought it appropriate to this post :lol:
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.

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?”

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Postby katie » Sun May 04, 2008 10:53 pm

Sorry just noticed it's been posted before :oops:

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Postby Travelogic » Sun May 04, 2008 11:03 pm

They're dirty b4stards, pure & simple if you ask me!! They deserve the concrete boot and then helped into the deep end. :cry:
Soy el hombre con tres piernas

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Postby Ulli » Tue May 20, 2008 8:30 am

I just had my mother and her friend here . Thankfully they rented an apartment on the coast so didn't have them at home. Mind you that could be because, as she puts it, "who could possibly live in the countryside in the middle of nowhere" (20 mins from the coast :lol: ), and also the "what an absolutely horrid place to live". She had never been to my place :lol:

Even though they did have a flat I ended up being the local taxi service and tour guide however and I have to say that some people certainly have some really warped ideas of what is Spain today. Mind you, that could be because she hasn't been here for 20years :lol:
And of course there is the distance thing... She thought that a trip to Marbella and Nerja on the same day (staying in Carihuela) was not a problem because of course everything is a 10 minute drive :lol:

Then I had my dad and his partner... They are very well behaved guests, he was almost upset that there was nothing he could do around the house and also always asks me to leave out my ironing so he can do it :D (yes I hate ironing and I am dad's little girl :lol: ) I do pay for food etc but that's a deal we have so I can't complain.
Just thought I would leave a slightly good example aswell :D
F?dd i Sverige men med Guds hj?lp Sk?ning :)

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Postby Colinm » Tue May 20, 2008 1:27 pm

Troglodyfae wrote: He was slightly stunned when I said "No way Jose" I told him to hire a car, to which he said "I do not like driving in Spain" so I suggested he let his wife drive instead. He was aghast and told me "But she is on holiday and does not want any stress"

Un feckin believable!! He will be hiring a car :evil:
Thoughtfull of your parents to call your brother José, he should feel at home in Spain and have no problem driving :lol: :lol:


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