Holidays 2002: Darting here and there's such fun

TRAVELLING around Europe on a coach trip with pensioners might not seem an obvious holiday choice for 20-somethings.

Booked on a nine-day tour of Prague, Budapest and Vienna, my friend and I had feared we would be the only people under retirement age - and we were. But to our surprise our group turned out to be warm and often hilarious companions.

The actual travelling - two full days and one morning - was manageable. My friend and I bought a velcro dart board to break up one particularly long journey and soon the on-board darts facility had sparked a full tournament with our seniors rowdily queuing up for a go along the aisle.

We had two or three days at each destination, with a guided tour the first morning. Most nights there were excursions but my friend and I chose instead a livelier night out, and each morning at breakfast our fellow travellers greeted us with a barrage of questions about our activities.

Prague, our first stop, was vibrant and beautiful. Our tour guide Martin - the world's most beautiful man - took us around many of the sights, including the glorious castle district and the Charles Bridge - but we were quickly elbowed out of the way by Martin's fanbase of elderly females.

Prague is also famous for its cheap beer, less than 1 for 500ml, and enjoyed at a street cafe in the main square, Staromestske namesti.

Budapest is just as easy to find your way around and just as cheap. But our journey was hindered by long delays at Slovakian and Hungarian borders.

On arrival, we succumbed to a night-time excursion - a wonderful boat trip along the Danube with views of the illuminated Chain Bridge and Parliament Building. By daylight, we took a trip of our own to one of the city's famous thermal baths. We spent a fantastic afternoon at the luxurious Hotel Gellert for just 4. Glowing and revived, we undid all the good work with a night out at an outdoor bar by the Elisabeth Bridge, where we bumped into members of Woking FC.

Onwards to Vienna, and a ride on the famous ferris wheel at Prater Park which gives great views of the city. Plus there are great shops along Kartnerstrasse and a lively bar scene.

We reserved our last night for drinks with our travelling companions who regaled us with their outrageous vodka-drinking exploits and holiday romances.

The next morning the dartboard was formally handed over to the coachdriver for future trippers to enjoy.

THE FACTS

SHEARINGS (01942 824824; www.shearingsholidays.com) run trips to Europe all year. An eight-day Hapsburg Cities coach package to Prague, Budapest and Vienna starts at 599 per person.

Copyright 2002 MGN LTD
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