2024 review / 2025 plans

[duncs500]

Been to Amalfi and Sorrento, but aside from saying they're nice, I don't know what to recommend. I got the boat to Capri, and wasn't overly impressed but then I met other people who liked it.

I don't think you can go that wrong around there, but I'd also probably not go there with the little one, I feel like kids wouldn't appreciate it.

[240PP]

Anyone been to Sorrento with any recommendations for that area ?

Hire a car, the smallest one you can get away with.

The whole coast is lovely, Positano isn’t far from Sorrento. Get a boat to Capri. Pompei also well worth a visit

[dinny_g]

We're planning early July - after A Levels but before "School Holidays".

Fly to Naples, Hire a Car (Surprisingly cheap) and go self catering for a week to 10 days

Our son will be nearly 19 so I'm hoping he'll get more out of it. Worst comes to the worst, we can go visit Napoli's stadium and Museum. That'll keep him happy

[Gavster]

That part of the coast gets properly mental from mid July onwards as the whole country shuts down for six weeks, so make sure you book as soon as possible (without wanting to scare you!). When I was there in June they were building beach bars on the beach which create just for August because it's so busy, then take them down again in September.

Naples is a dive, a beautiful one, but it's definitely a hot, sweaty, messy dive so don't give it any more than a day or so to eat some pizza and see the big sights.

On the Amalfi coast it is an absolutely beautiful stretch of coast and lots of places to visit, although I found some of the big towns slightly disappointing, simply because they are such tourist hot spots that they are super busy and full of tourists - obvs. I guess it depends what you want from a holiday and your boy needs to be entertained so maybe that's okay. I preferred the quieter towns about an hour south of the Amalfi around the Cilento national park, lots of beautiful quiet towns, beaches and holiday stuff. Also enormously better value than the Amalfi, the home of mozzarella (the fresh, non-refrigerated stuff) and they're not tired of tourists, yet https://archive.is/PaeaE

[dinny_g]

Thanks Gav...

My main challenge is that my other half isn't super keen on driving and I don't want to be the designated driver EVERY evening when there is so much fine wine and grappa to be had. Quiet house, up in the hills away from every where and then drive each day is fine by me but I don't want to have a t-total week (Spot the paddy.. )

[Gavster]

You definitely need to enjoy the food and wine if nothing else! The stretch of coast between Salerno and Paestum is full of Lidos so that whole bit is only for day trips or a solid beach holiday. From Paestum further south it gets cheaper and more peaceful. I'd recommend searching for accommodation and seeing where fits your budget AND is within a stones throw of a decent town. The whole stretch of coast beautiful in its own way, and it's pretty driveable too, I didn't get held up while whizzing up and down there.

And get one of these for your accommodation so you've got a good reason not to drive (That's not a wine recommendation, I don't drink enough to buy that much, but found the idea of £1-£1.50/l wine utterly fascinating)

[Gavster]

Fuck I want to go back

[Gavster]

Stayed here for £60/night back in September, near Agropoli sooooo peaceful!

[V8Granite]

quote=V8Granite post_id=198320 time=1703784006 user_id=151]

No need to look back, I only have 2 plans….

Fix my body, I fractured my kneecap, broke a bit of bone in my foot, torn shoulder muscles and trapped nerves in my left thigh. I intend to fix them all.

Get nicely set for what I believe will be a harsh few years. Broaden my shares and start investing much more. Open more savings account and generally be ready to jump on a forever home by 2025.

Dave!

Right shoulder fixed, left leg better but not fixed, kneecap all sorted, foot sorted but now my left elbow is giving me a lot of pain. It feels like the muscle is torn but it can’t be. Physio lady who fixed my shoulder is on the case in Jan.

Shares and investments are doing well, not a lot of money but a reasonable lump which is great.

Strength, weight loss all great. Marriage is better than ever and genuinely couldn’t be happier in that regard.

Kids doing great, it was hard work job wise but at home it’s better than it’s ever been with the family.

2024 I’m trying to run the biggest job the company I work for has ever had so am going for the hard sell. If it doesn’t happen and I’ve tried I’m fine with that but need to try.

Carry on fixing body, teaching my boys what I think they need to know to be young men and generally trying to enjoy the ride.

Dave!

The big Nigeria job is in limbo due to funds from China, not sure what is happening there.

Work going well so need to keep cracking on.

Kids doing great still, my eldest is fast becoming a wannabe teenager but luckily a nice one.

Bought a house which wasn’t on the cards, shares doing better than I expected and on track for our retirement plans. Just need to keep the motivation and stay on course.

This year is all about paying off a little debt we have, adding to savings as we have none.

Both excited about the new car, will be fun to want to go for a drive just for fun again.

Dave!
[/quote]

A bit stressful but some big milestones hit.

I hit my dividends targets 2 years early, got a few jobs done on the rental, kids doing well despite some challenges with a huge jump in workload for the eldest.

The Clio is just what I needed, we have done over 10,000 miles in it and I've had a few great drives which is good escape. I never managed to sort the Defender but I have access to a lot of free wood now so need it back on the road, a few people will get a lot of free wood so I need to be on it by the spring.

I just got a promotion at work so have a pay rise starting January which helps for the next targets.

Wife being bombproof, incredibly lucky man.

Left shoulder sore so more money to my lovely physio.

This coming year....

NC500 with the wife as I couldn't make it happen last year.

Show work they haven't just made a big mistake

Hit my next dividend target as I'm still really enjoying the process.

Defender back on the road to collect loads of wood.

Some progress on the 500e but no idea how I'll be doing it.

Keep the wife and kids happy.

Dave!

[DeskJockey]

This year has been interesting, as per the 22/23 thread.

The job change has been quite the turnaround, making me realise how institutionalised I'd become in my old role/company, and how much I miss "knowing what to do". I'm getting there, but would like things to move quicker. It is a very different, much less mature, environment, which is the opportunity. Also have to be in the office twice a week, which is both annoying and good. I dislike commuting, but once there it is useful and a productive way of lining things up for the days I work from home.

Family is well and good. Kids are happy and doing well. Just waiting to find out where the eldest will end up for secondary school. Wife works too much, but that's an inevitable part of what she does. We're trying to figure out how she can reduce the extra hours down towards something better.

We had some good holidays, and while being between jobs I thoroughly enjoyed volunteering at the school. Spent a day a week reading with children, and it was very rewarding, especially with the older ones. Managed a few small wins by getting some reluctant readers to put some energy into reading longer books.

I kept to a consistent exercise regime (won't be challenging Gavster or Ascender any time ever, but good for me), running every week, and began adding some strength building into it. All that stopped after the snip, and it was only last week that things finally hung (ahem) like they should, so will be picking up again. I can feel old pains coming back because I've not been moving enough.

Biggest plans for the coming year is restarting the house hunt. My probation finishes in January, and we'll start doing something more than just looking on apps then. I'd like to be in by the summer, but time will tell.

Well, that didn't all go quite to plan.

Was put at risk again in late August, and while I've quickly moved internally into something I know how to do, there's a long road ahead to fix things.

This obviously also put further brakes on the house move. We're picking up again now.

Family is still well and good. Eldest has matured a lot with having to commute to school by himself. We've not had a single wobble with that or homework, which is impressive and makes me very proud. The other two are equally well and doing great, showing us that they are capable and confident. Youngest struggles with mornings, and we've yet to find a good system. We'll get there.

Wife still works too much.

On the exercise side I'm very pleased, I don't think I've been this fit in 20+ years. I'm running twice a week, still doing strength work and feel far more capable than before. I've run my first 10k, and it didn't feel like I was going to keel over.

See what the year brings. I want to keep working on my fitness, and have more spare capacity to spend on/with the children.

Yeah, that didn't quite work out, did it?

Made redundant in May, started new job in middle of December. All plans to move on hold.

Running went well until about October when my left knee started complaining. Not run a 10k since, but slowly building back up.

But, in the grand scheme of things all is well, and I'm staying positive.