Belly's Stag Do
The time has come for us all to discuss potential dates and locations for Belch’s stag weekend.
There are a couple of things we need to consider.
Firstly, location location location.
A number of suggestions have been raised, including Amsterdam, Prague and Krakow, however the general feeling is these are too commercialised now and too stag-do-esque for our needs.
Justin suggested Gdansk in Poland (incidentally this was shown on Michael Palin’s show last night and looks a nice city). Another place suggested to me is Berlin. Any thoughts on these or other locations?
Due to the teachers in the group we have to look at two potential timeframes – either the February half-term week or the Easter period. I am not sure exactly what dates these fall into yet, but what are peoples thoughts.
Two things spring to my mind – firstly Anton thinks that around Easter would necessarily be great for a city in Poland or somewhere similar due to how religious it is – a lot of places basically shut down. However it would to my mind make more sense to go during Easter break as it is closer to the actual wedding, Feb to me seems to far away.
Please let me have your thoughts.
There are a couple of things we need to consider.
Firstly, location location location.
A number of suggestions have been raised, including Amsterdam, Prague and Krakow, however the general feeling is these are too commercialised now and too stag-do-esque for our needs.
Justin suggested Gdansk in Poland (incidentally this was shown on Michael Palin’s show last night and looks a nice city). Another place suggested to me is Berlin. Any thoughts on these or other locations?
Due to the teachers in the group we have to look at two potential timeframes – either the February half-term week or the Easter period. I am not sure exactly what dates these fall into yet, but what are peoples thoughts.
Two things spring to my mind – firstly Anton thinks that around Easter would necessarily be great for a city in Poland or somewhere similar due to how religious it is – a lot of places basically shut down. However it would to my mind make more sense to go during Easter break as it is closer to the actual wedding, Feb to me seems to far away.
Please let me have your thoughts.
posted by Pie at 1:49 pm
47 Comments:
I think Berlin could be good, but a good test for this would be New Year. If that goes well and the Germans put on a good show for us then would be good.
Don't know if they would cater too well for Belly's cider needs though!
Will have a think about possible destinations.
I'll have a think too, but I read an account of a stag do to Poland one Easter and the whole place was dry (I think because John Paul was back that Easter too), can't imagine it would be dry normally, but opening hours may be reduced. So if it's Poland, I'd reckonmend a half term. Other place off the top of my head are:
- Tallinn
- Riga
- Barcelona
- Vienna
Ultimately though, Belch needs to want to go to the place though as it is his stag do.
Well where do they do the best cider?
Somerset it is then...
If you all want a 5 star hotel on richard bransons private island, then i'll probably be helpful in organising this! ;)
A wild card suggestion is my parent's holiday place. It's a few miles north of Dalry, Dumfriesshire on the doorstep of Galloway Forest Park. The nearest shops/pub are around 5 or 6 miles away, but there is a hydro electric power station nearby, and lots of trees....and red kites...erm...
Other places to consider
Warsaw
Budapest
Another (might be a little expensive) would be Las Vagas or Bangkok.
Some ideas would be here
http://www.lastnightoffreedom.co.uk/stag-weekends/
Poland would be a good place to go but it can be difficult/expensive to get flights at Easter. My suggestions would be:
Gdansk
Krakow
Wroclaw
Poznan
though I've only been to Krakow of the above.
has anyone else apart from Mr T been to Warsaw? It's just I really didn't rate the place when I went with Taylor in 2000. It was fairly expensive, big and sprawling and more of a business location than a place for tourists. It's was a bit like Bucharest without a proper centre and not much for tourists to see.
Prague - very touristy yes, but still one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. there is always the possibility of day trips out.
Budapest – a bit like Prague, slightly quieter, more expensive.
Bratislava – nice city, possibly a bit small and/or quiet.
Riga – very lively. Have always really liked this place and a beautiful city to boot.
Germany
Berlin would always be lively, and a fairly interesting city to boot. Possibly a touch expensive.
I’ve heard Hamburg is good.
Munich sounds a decent place
Dresden supposed to be nice.
Random suggestions:
Athens - though could be very expensive with flights etc.
Sofia, Bulgaria - cheap once you get there but could be an expensive flight. Also might be too shabby/battered for some tastes.
Santander/Madrid, Spain.
I wouldn’t consider places like Russia, Ukraine, former Yugoslavia etc as they will be far too expensive to get there and most of the former USSR require visas which is another hassle. Scandinavia may be cheap to get there but we’d just eat through money.
Maybe we could go in the easter holidays for the teachers, though not at easter weekend?!
If I was going to pick one place from all the above as my recommendation for the short list, I'd pick Riga.
I thought it was a great city, with a good balance of things to do and see. Frendily Frank can organise Uzi gun shooting, bobsleding (if you still can at the time of year we end up going), and one hell of a bar crawl. I'm sure you could get something like paint balling too. Russ's Sat nav may not work too well, but Anton is a dab hand with an LP map and works for crumbs :)
In my opinion, Las Vegas and Bangkok are a little too far. Just my thoughts though.
That Riga idea sounds like a plan Shiz - especially if we can get some activities organised too...
Riga sounds good.
Dates:
Easter School Holidays: 20th Mar - 7th Apr
Easter weekend: 21st Mar - 24th Mar
Hows about the weekend of the 29th March?
Just had a quick look at prices
Dates: Fri 28th Mar - Mon 31st Mar
From: Liverpool
Airline: RyanAir
Cost:£127
Sorry to come in late and rearrange things but a few things..
Firstly this will have to be very cheap as we are still saving for the wedding itself and a stag do isn't as high a priority!
Somewhere with cider would be nice!
Lastly the Feb holidays would probably be better for me as Easter is only about a month and a bit from the wedding and we will be having to organise a lot more around that time than we would in Feb.
Anyway, a cheaper and not-as-commercial place would be cool, rather than Prague etc.
Discuss..!
"A number of suggestions have been raised, including Amsterdam, Prague and Krakow, however the general feeling is these are too commercialised now and too stag-do-esque for our needs".
Just as an aside what exactly are “our needs” John?!? And what is wrong with a place that is “too commercialised”?? Riga is just about the number #1 stag-do destination in Europe and is now well ahead of Prague…but there’s a good reason for that. I’d be happy enough with Riga as it’s ideal for a stag do – loads of nightlife, cheap, firmly on the beaten track, with loads of strip-clubs and good-looking women around!!
Maybe we should establish what sorts of prices people are willing to pay for flights, accommodation, going out etc.
Riga sounds good for me. Friendly Frank would be a good shout if he is all he is cracked up to be.
The more I think about it, the more February seems pointless. Its just way too far from the wedding IMO.
Even Easter (end of March) is 2 months away which is still too long IMO, but we are governed by school holidays.
By the way I've just looked at prices and concur with what Justin said. That doesn't seem too bad to me to be honest.
If March seems too far away anyway is there much difference between then and Feb? It would help me out in terms of free time nearer the wedding.
Flights might be more expensive in the Easter hols, but I'm just guessing there.
As for destination, all of the places suggested sound good - the deciding factor for me is price which I can't emphasise enough!
There is a good opportunity for anyone who finds themselves with a spare half hour at work on Friday to run through some of the more popular places on the list and plug in the costs for Feb (It is Belly's do after all, and if he'd prefer it then, then that's when we should stick the flag in). Parrs Wood High school holidays are: Monday 11 February 2008 to
Friday 15 February 2008
We are all together Friday evening at the Meghna, so maybe this could be briefly discussed at the Ladyboy after it.
Hopefully you all know this anyway, but Riga is just my recommendation, I'm not saying we must go there, if people are happy with it then great, if you (and most importantly Belch) prefer somwhere else, even better (providing it's not Scandinavia, I'm not buying a round in for 10+ guys over there!).
I'm happy with pretty much anywhere and though I would have a preference to go in Feb as I may have a field trip to Barcelona around Easter, though we haven't been given dates yet.
Riga - Flights were £39 return inc taxes when me, Shiz, Paul, and Mr T last went (Oct 05) but I doubt you'd get such a good deal in Feb holidays. The only other thing is that Ryanair prices can jump up and down all over the place (unlike the other airlines which generally rise steadily) and seem to be cheapest about two months beforehand....but that's a risk.
Obviously Riga in Feb will be...er...baltic.
Record high 10.5
Average high -1.9
Average low °C -7.3
Record low °C -34.9
...though the BBC claims that the record high is +5 and the record low -28.
Prices - we'd need to take into account accommodation and living costs...i.e. Prague has some of the cheapest beer prices around but accommodation can be a bit pricey. If there are a lot going will we all get in at one place?
Stag do's are never near the wedding now. Tho we're still taking the boy out on may 29th to get him totally (ok, maybe a quiet 3 pint night) drunk! Stag do is just an excuse to go to blackpool and get drunk..
And yes, my satnav works in riga.. albeit as a "lite" version due to it only having main EU maps, ie. paris and not tiny french village in south...
So, someone bring a map tonight, and we'll stick a pin in it as to where to go!
The Russian govt doesn't like SATNAVs or GPS's and deliberately interferes with the satellite systems :-). OK Latvia is now independent but....
So that's it then. Riga has been decided?! Shouldn't it be Belly who decides? It is his stag-do after all.
Technically John should decide as he's the best man, but there we go! Welcome to democracy Anton!
Riga is fine, sounds nice and cheap. Was that film Hostel set in Latvia? Could be fun...
Riga is fine with me. I have heard it is a good place for a stag do.
Dates are not a problem with me. The earlier we decide the easier it is for me to get off
Just had a quick look on RyanAir
Liverpool - Riga
Fri 15th - Mon 18th = £92.96
Fri 15th - Sun 17th = £122.96
Weds 13th - Sun 17th = £132.96
It looks like they don't fly on a Thursday or a Saturday from Liverpool.
East Mids - Riga
Sat 09th - Tues 12th = £92.96
Sat 09th - Thurs 14th = £92.96 (requires us normal folk to have 4 days off)
They don't fly from Nottingham on a Friday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday.
Thats just looking at Ryanair. Might find cheaper but gives an idea of prices and dates.
I'm happy with Riga. And hopefully there will be snow :-)
In general I don't think you can beat Ryanair. and i don't think anyone else goes to Latvia (outside of London) apart from the traditional schedule airlines. Air Baltic only go from London or dublin.
I see Ryanair more than double the prices arounnd the Feb half term. You can go for �18 outside of that week on some combinations. Bastards!
And no Belly, hostel was filmed in Bratislava.
9th Feb = County v Notts County
16th Feb = County v Bury
Boooooooooooooooooo!! Boo. To. You.
:(
Let's go to Edgeley Park for my stag do.
Ok people.
We generally seem to be in agreement with Riga. And the dates are looking at sometime 9th-17th Feb 2008.
I'll look into flights now.
Dates
Saturday 9th Feb – Sunday 17th Feb 2008
Flights
Manchester – Riga (via Copenhagen) - £194.70
Liverpool – Riga (direct - Sunday 10th Feb – Wed 13th Feb) - £82.96
Flight out leaves Liverpool at 6.30am.
Inbound leaves Riga 11.40am
Incidentally the Manchester - Riga flight above is with Air Baltic.
The Liverpool - Riga flight is with Ryanair.
I've also found another flight from Manchester - Riga with Czech Airlines.
Manchester – Riga (via Prague – Tues 12th Feb – Fri 15th Feb) – £163.50 – Czech Airlines
Here is a link for some ideas for Riga for a stag do too. There are sugesstions for other places too.
http://www.lastnightoffreedom.co.uk/stag-weekends/riga/
Some interesting ideas.
So how many nights are we thinking - I think 3 nights would be ideal (1 to get settled, 1 as the big night and 1 to recover).
The Liverpool flight would be my choice as it's a helluva lot cheaper and not too far on the train (if there is one that early).
You recover when you get home not on the stag do!!!!
3 nights is best I think. Though as Just said its a stag do, not a bloody leisure weekend so you recover when your back. :)
If we went from Liverpool I expect the best way to get there would be to book a minibus - i know my mate did from Donny to Manchester for his stag do for about 20 of them and it wasn't too expensive.
Just a thought, we're restricted to flight schedules and price, and going on a stag do. The current days above miss the Friday and Saturday nights.
Now I've do some digging, and whilst this option has a problems too (we'd be away valentines evening) Goin out Nottingham, coming back Liverpool gives us this
Thu, 14 Feb 08 06:20 East Midlands (EMA) 10:55 Riga (RIX) £27.79
Sun, 17 Feb 08 11:45 Riga (RIX) 12:35 Liverpool (LPL) £66.24
Just an option, but going Sunday and coming back Wednesday misses the big nights out.
With Ryanair prices jump about on a daily basis. All that reseach may out of date by now?? Just trying to get a long weekend to Porto sorted and the prices change every day....
If Prague is an option the best way to get there from Manchester is either BMI baby or Jet2. Both of which were around the 80quid mark. I'm happy with Riga and we seem to have a consensus so I don't want to rock the boat....but Prague may still be an option. possibly barring accomodation costs, drinking is approxinmately the same price as Riga.
Shiz - as it's stag do will we be going to places ordinary Rigans go or will we be joining the other Brit men getting trashed - i.e. every night is a big night??! We missed out on a Saturday night the last time were there.
Probably best to book a minicab to Liverpool. Trolleybuses run from Riga airport to the centre and cost less than a pound.
If Riga is chosen firing proper Kalashnikovs is the thing that appeals to me most!!
?Yeah... I can't imagine any of us being in a good way once our ladies have beaten us round the head for missing Valentines day!
I've booked the whole week off anyway. I have been hearing bad things about riga tho. Few guys just got back from a stag do there and had a rough time. One got beaten the shit out of as apparently they're not huge fans of loud drunk english guys. Anton, you may need a kalashnikov to protect John!!
...so don't act like a loud english guy!!
I suppose the irony is that the more people that go on mass, the more dangerous it becomes...sort of like if you go around Iraq/Afghanistan etc with the protection of the Brit/US army, you'll be in more danger than if you went without any protection...
In terms of making this thread a help in deciding things, can future posts expressing doubt about Riga come up with a single costed (flight only) alternative suggestion with dates on?
We now have 40 posts and only one detailed option. Concerns and alternative preferances are great, but if no detailed alternative is offered then is there any point in mentioning them?
Riga is fine.
Probably more likely to be killed in Manchester.
Hey chaps.
I have had a discussion with Belch and Mini about the stag do and locations.
After some consideration of doing Cornwall/Devon kind of way for the cider, it would work out costing as much to fly there and double to get the train there as flying to Riga!! Plus there is likely a distinct lack of night life.
I think we have come to a general feeling that Riga is the way.
I was actually looking at Friendly Franks Fun Hostel in Riga (as recommended by Anton and Shiz) and it sounds quite good. Is cheap too. And they can organise activities such as, and I quote "AK - 47 Shooting In A Genuine Soviet Bunker and Bobsled Rides With The Latvian Bobsledding Team".
http://www.franksbackpackers.hostel.com/
Sweet.
Some further options
Ryanair
Liverpool - Bydgoszcz (dont know much about this place) Wed 13 Feb to Sun 17 Feb £48
Liverpool - Wroclaw (someone liked this place from work) 14 Feb to 17 Feb £98.
Wizz Air
Liverpool - Gdansk
13Feb to 17Feb £76
9Feb to 13Feb £66
Liverpool - Warsaw (wasn't massively impressed by this place in 2000 but meant to be very up and coming)
13Feb to 17 Feb £41
9Feb to 13Feb £30!
Some tempting prices there Anton, I think Riga is still a good choice though as it sounds a bit different but at the same time isn't totally off the beaten track.
As for getting beaten up, I agree with Mini that you are more likely to get that in Manc.
The nights we go away doesn't matter to me, would it be that much busier on a sat night?
However the flights are a good price and if Ryanair's price does jump about a lot it may turn out the cheapest from East Mids.
And yes it is a leisure break - we aren't doing bars, we're doing spas!
So how many of us would be going? If the plan is to go from East Midlands how would we get there? A 6.30 flight means we'd have to get there at 4.30 or before....so we'd have to leave Stockport before 3am, there are no night trains, so that means a taxi....and that may wack another 30quid each on top of everything else?
Manchester-Prague may work out a lot cheaper after all!
I could cry, but instead I think I'll just get drunk :)
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