Further Help Please - Analyn and Dave

[gWaPito]

It's nowt in the greater scheme of things, let's be honest.

Most Brits have probably got at least twice the total amount it costs to bring a lady here owing on their credit cards, and you're a long time dead.

A friend of mine went to the Phils back in 1990, and after staying there 6 months had already blown £21,000. ...BEFORE he met his Mrs.

You could have bought a terrace house up North for that in those days.

In real terms airfares are much lower now than say 20 years ago. My first trip to the Phils (1990) cost £700 for the KLM flight, and over £2,000 in all for the 3 week holiday.

During the next 12 months I spent approx. £13,000 on the several trips I made out there before finally bringing the ex back here.

I wouldn't like to think how much I've spent to-ing and fro-ing since.

I remember my brother in law' s brother going to the Philippines in 86.

That 4 week holiday cost him 4k. He did find his wife and are still happily married...they've just sold up and gone back to live in the philippines, leaving there grownups behind....the kids didn't want to go....both in their twenties.

Those were the days when such holidays for normal folks, like most of us , were once in a life time jobbies. If you were lucky

Now its no harder than popping down to tesco's.

We've never had it so good. So less bleating about airfares

[Arthur Little]

I remember my brother in law' s brother going to the Philippines in 86.

Those were the days when such holidays for normal folks, like most of us , were once in a life time jobbies. If you were lucky

... IRONIC isn't it !? Thinking back to 1986 ... my late [first] wife suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis (NOT "Arthuritis", I hasten to add!) and hence declared medically unfit to work - even though our two children were, by then, both in their teens - which meant I was sole breadwinner. Consequently we could scarcely afford an annual holiday in this country - let alone, abroad!

Contrast that with MY current situation. Nowadays, I'm only in receipt of Occupational and State Pensions - which, even when combined, amount to less than half of what I would've been earning at today's rates for the same job had I still been working - yet it's amazing what I've accomplished financially over the past three and a half years ... 2 trips to the Phils + hefty visa costs &c ... and two short holidays on the Continent ... despite being retired! Putting it bluntly ... I've never been better off !