ATM - Lycian Activity Week 29-June

Hi Tom!

I'm booked on this trip.  I'm really looking forward to it, but a little nervous too - I hope I'll be able to keep up with everyone else on all the activities!

 It's my first time travelling with Exodus - have you travelled with the company before?

Hi Linda

I went with Exodus last year to the white water stuff in Slovenia, it was a big mix of people and mostly complete beginners so I wouldnt worry about keeping up at all and from what I can see from reviews its what you make of it and I would expect there to be easier and harder routes for anything.

 Its the cycling Im worried about keeping up for as I am a tad unfit at the moment!

Hey Tom, Linda & others,

I'm also joining you guys and looking forward to a bit of active holidaying in the sun.  You guys flying from Gatwick?

Hayley

Hi Hayley,

Im not sure, Im flying from London so I would guess its from gatwick, I should probably check! 

Hi Tom and Hayley!

I have checked my invoice details and I am flying from Gatwick - flight TOM862 at 8a.m.

Looking forward to meeting you both.

Hey Linda,

Yeah me too. It'll be an early start getting to the airport by 6am, hey?

Hey Linda and Hayley,

 I checked and yes its Gatwick at 8am for me too, to be honest Ill probably get a cab, I'll be coming from Southfields in SW London if anyone wants to share and be picked up or just a lift if you are close by anyway?

Hey Tom,

Yeah, have to agree I was probably gonna catch a taxi.  I'm in Tooting so if you don't mind sharing that would be great.

Hayley

Hayley

Yep it makes sense, looking at it is it going to make sense for me to come to Tooting or you to come to Southfields? Probably me to you looking at the map.

Hey Tom,

Did you want to swap email addresses and we can sort it out from there.  Maybe we can just get Southwest cars or whoever to pick you up first then come to me or vice versa?

Hayley

Ill put a throw away email address on here so it doesnt end up being found by some spam bot, if you email Ill reply with my proper one:

DE9sQZi2k9Zy1pAj@spambox.us

 The above one will forward any emails to me for 1 day.

 

Hi Tom and Hayley,

I hope you have managed to sort out your travel arrangements to get to the airport - wise move sharing a taxi.  I'll be travelling up from "sunny" Southend so I look forward to meeting you (and all other travellers on this trip) at the airport.

Just as an aside, I haven't received any tickets etc in the post yet and was wondering if you have received yours?  I note from the email I received when I booked this trip that the paperwork is usually issued about two weeks in advance, so plenty of time yet I guess for it to arrive.  :-)   

Hi Linda

 I havent recieved anything yet either, I would hope to this week though to be honest so if not Ill give them a call Friday.

Thanks for your reply Tom.  If I receive anything in the next few days, I shall post a message to let you know.  If nothing arrives by the end of this week, I reckon Exodus will be receiving quite a few phone calls asking where the documents are!

Hey guys, my tickets arrived last night.

Hayley I am going to phone around the local cab companies next week and get it booked, want to get somewhere cheap but also reliable as I dont fancy them not turning up and having to hunt around that morning!

Yeah mine turned up last night too.  I did phone South West cars and with the 2 pick ups was quoted £38 so see how you go Tom, thanks again.

well the first quote I got today with the 2 pickups from the Keane group was 55 so I wont be using them

Hi guys, thanks for advising re tickets.  I apparently have an envelope from Exodus waiting for me at home too so hopefully that'll contain my tickets - phew!

Hope you get a good deal on your taxi. 

Hi everyone, I'm not comng on this trip I was just looking through the posts and this one caught my eye since i've just got back from it.  It really is a good trip so much that i am now booked to go to Slovenia in August. 

 From the experience I would say don't worry too much about your fitness levels.  The pace which is set on the activites is fairly relaxed and there are frequent breaks.  If you are struggling there is always one of the guides at the back to help you along.  The biking is the hardest and easiest task!  It starts with 7km of uphill then 31km of downhill all on roads or big gravel paths.  If you are stuggling on the uphills the tour bus is there to pick you up and get you to the top of the hill.  The final climb on the last 1km of the 7km is a real killer.  The guide will warn you about it and if you are not really fit or not great on a bike I would suggest getting in the bus.

 The 2 main pieces of advice I can give you are think about wearing some kind of glove for canyoning.  The whole group found that their hands proceeded to fall apart for the week after the holiday, basically grabbing rocks damages your skin as you're not used to it.  2nd piece of advice is take a non cotton top for rafting.  If you wear a cotton top the guides will tell you to remove it as the cotton stays wet and pulls heat away from your body.  We were given waterproof tops, which the material against bare skin is not very nice especially once wet.  So some kind of lightweight top to stop the jacket clinging to your skin is best.

 Hope this helps.

 Gareth

Cheers Gareth.  Will take your advice about the gloves and wet tops.  I do have a top that I wear in the surf (rashie) which may suffice or thermal tops, although warm are sweet when they get wet.  I'm really looking forward to it

Hi guys - looking forward to meeting you all. Looks like I'm the inly one flying from Manchester... Hope my flight arrives on time otherwise I'll be making my own way to you!! quick question, what are you all taking for footwear for canyoning? I've been surfing the t'internet and it advises something grippy like wet shoes but the trip notes suggest something with ankle supports. Any ideas?

I'll just be taking an old pair of lightweight sneakers.  From past canyoning experience I don't think the ankle support is essential just good for clumsy peeps like me who knock their ankle bones on the rocks!  I think I've just worn wetsuit booties before but I wouldn't think they are a necessary investment.  I do have a bit of a "she'll be right" attitude though.

The Slovenia trip is great, I did it last year!!

 Ill be taking my cycling gloves and tops then I guess, as per ankle support I have some basic walking boots but to be honest when I did canyoning last year I just wore a pair of trainers with good grips so Ill probably do the same again.

Cool, thanks guys

Thanks for your advices Gareth - really pleased to hear you enjoyed the trip.  I hope you have a fab time in Slovenia.

Thanks also to you other guys for your recommendations about footwear etc - like Dipesh I was wondering whether I should invest in a new pair of boots/wet shoes but am definitely liking the suggestion of just wearing old trainers!