la masia is brill we went last year after prev goin to estarit the year before give it a try would highly recommend

Thanks for the replies, as i said Estartit is not what it was and we are looking for a new destination in Spain for the future, i will have a look at the posts on calella, so long as the children are happy and entertained is the main thing so us adults can relax and chill out, i will prob travel with Siesta again 2012 so it all depends on what they offer

hi all....been on google and had a mooch on HT ....but cant find any upto date info on rules about taking food from britain to france and spain....was planning to take some chicken drumsticks, cocktail sausages , and beef/ham balmcakes for a meal on the coach...for teatime about 6/7 oclock....which means we will be in france.....Ive always done it before....but wondered after all the food scares if there are any regulations in force to stop me doing it this year....tweetie

hi tweetie pie,
we came back from calella on the 10-07-11,on a coach.
we took meat foods there and back,i didnt notice anything about meat or dairy products at either end of journey.
normally they would tell you on the coach.
angelica

thanks angelica.....that makes things simpler...take it you went via the tunnel....can you tell me about the breaks...

1/where did you do the coach change over...can you remember about what time it was....was there a mcdonalds or burger king there

2/did you get a break before you went through the tunnel.....can you remember about what time it was...was there a mcdonalds or a burger king there

Im trying to figure out the best way to get everyone fed all day...there not kids anymore and take some feeding......my plans are

1/cereal before we leave home at 5am
2/taking ham balmcakes for when on coach at 8am
3/crisps ect to snack on till we hit a burger king or mcdonalds
4/burgerking for diner (so atleaste dont need take stuff for that)
5/crips ect to snack on till tea
6/then tea...chicken drumsticks,cocktail sausages,stuffing , pickled onions (as requested by lads )and beef balcakes
7/cholate ect for snacking on later
8/breakfast...order bacon/sausage butties for everyone off hostess
9/ snack on what ever we got till we get to site

So would be handy to know if we will be on a break where there is a burger king about lunch time....tweetie

hi tweetie we stopped last year bout lunchtime cant remember the name of the services but they did have a burger king /mcdonalds we got to the tunnel bout 2 pm no stop immeadiately before or after u might get a short stop to refuel a legstetcher or smoke break if u smoke we took food last year to cover lunchtime we took a subway footlong each i also take some bottles of water frozen so they stay cold but the food on the coach is fine and resonably priced unless they have put them up which i doubt lookin forward to a corned beef toastie lol ! roll on my hols cant wait been lookin at some tube footage looks nice lovely beach

changeover usually done at leicester forrest sayin that my daughter went earlier than us last year by a week she was on a feeder coach an got picked up in man airpotr then got took to leeds ????then down to leicester forrest the change over comin back was immeadiately after coming out of euro tunnel

thanks mbapjones....my lot like the toasties too....and they will probably ask for one at some point despite me takin stuff....probably late on for supper....or next day......snacks on coach are good and not bad price....but would cost me loads to keep my lot going....tweetie

know what u mean when you have a few kids got 3 of my own an the price just seems to mount up only got two of mine goin this year my son whos 17 doesnt wanna go with us anymore so just leaves my eldest an youngest daughters. ive seen loads take food the seiesta staff are brill ive never seen them say anything to any travellers bout takin own food they dont mind the only thing they dont like is drinks in glass bottles , one year when they used the ferry some young lads bought a crate of carlsberg to drink that nite on the coach but instead of gettin cans they got bottles they had to leave them on the boat the driver wouldnt let them on with it made them leave it with ferry staff they were well deflated esp havin wasted their money lol they sell lager an cider on the coach tho only once u reach france

hi mbapjones.....got my 25yr old coming and he is a big lad...and my 16yr old who is sport mad and in training ....so can get through some when in the mood....and hubby who says he doesnt want any, but asks for some when there's none left....the coach has always been part of the holiday ....we went for over 10yrs to salou...but the last 2 times coaching weve gone palafrugel...inbetween weve been greece, rhodes, and gran caneria twice but we flew....when they were kids they partied all the way on the coach....and think they still think the same way now...I keep getting asked have I got this for on the coach or that for on the coach....and they wanted to know was I doing my on-coach meal ( always better than the in-flight ones )....I am but a simpler version this time...I used to do pousions and salad with all the trimmings....but this year its drumsticks and the salad has been ditched....and no coldlaw or potato salad just mayo and tomato sauce they can sqeeze out of the bottle if they want it......tweetie

lol see ya there maria xx

tweetie pie,we went with ferris and they dont do hot food,only things with hot water,and crisps cans etc.
we went by ferry,and yes there is a burger king at dover,
angelica

hi angelica....thanks for that....mbapjones says siesta's main stop is in leicester and only a short break before the tunnel for a smoke or a leg stretch....so probably not enough time to get burgers ect...being 8 of us....so planning on getting them a big mac meal at leicester .....tweetie

hi all....the panic is on...going in a few weeks and only 3 out of 4 cases ironed and packed....and am going to help out with the kids for a week as member of family having a c-section ...and got night shifts either side of that.... ....and house in a messs...and other things to do to before I go.....including the washing of a load of my stuff needed to be packed....so am ready for going over the wall...

Thing is tickets come and with a sheet about cases weight ect...saying now strictly enforced ...we have always taken hold alls and been told in past they like them better than cases as can stick them in awkward places ...and never really worried about the weights....never had them weighed ect by coach staff..

I decided to get my scales I use for the flights.....and my 3 cases are all between half and 1 kilo over...I am already panicking about getting packed ect in time and dont really have time or energy to start messing with the 3 Ive already packed....

So can anyone who went this year tell me ...have things changed recently....are they insisting on the right size cases now.....has anyone seen people being pulled for wrong size cases....has anyone seen cases being weighed......or am I panicking for nothing.....tweetie

ps...was always aprox 8am pick up from manchester....now its 6am.....any one know why....surely not extra 2hrs going from place to place for pick ups....

omg u got me worried now lol they did get scales out last year on way home but never actually did anything coz most were over unless its changed in last 12 months never been weighed goin out there tho aint had my tickets yet expectin them next week if u are worried just get a set of scales from b&m only 2 quid wots bets they dont weigh em tho . my daughter last year had a 6am pick up from manchester even tho it said 8 am on brouchure

hi....thanks for reply mbapjones...so did your daughter get on the euro tunnel earlier or was there a load of pick ups ...ask her what time she arrived at tunnel...2hrs is a long time extra to just be picking up at places...

Am just getting up steam to start on my case....going in on nights tonight and need cook tea as well....and on nights sat and sunday too....and dont get much sleep in the day...but too tired to be doing cases....then away mon to fri and my lot are useless with cases ect...so no good trying to get them to do them while Im away...and enough to worry about with out worrying about sorting out cases that will be OK....

Did everyone have right size cases....or was it as it always has been ....different size cases and hold alls...I really havent got time now to find buy and pack the right size cases....they dont stipulate size for flights for hold luggage....so my cases are bigger than those they say we have to use as well....

Some people have taken huge cases that weigh really heavy...seen them myself....so hope siesta havent decided to enforce the rules to the letter to stop them...it would be a shame as one of siestas best points was they were human and not jobs worths....and so no stress to travel with them...no worries weighing cases and getting them spot on.....tweetie

hopefully someone who has recently come back will come on and put us in the picture

my daughter got picked up at 6 am then went to leeds ???then onto another coach then down to leicester forrest for big changeover still got to euro tunnel about 2pm as we did . Hopefully sumone posts a update regarding luggage but i wouldnt worry too much the drivers who load seem pretty good an dont mind ,ive only got as far as gettin my cases outta the loft so far lol the panic will set in next week this damn rain aint helpin at the mo cant get washin out to dry , sounds like u got full on week or two ahead u will get there we allways do lol

hi...normaly cases last of my worries....its only because of the sheet of paper that came with my tickets...they usually send a reminder about cases but this one is full on....says any extra weight will be be put in a plastic bag and charhed at £5 per kilo....like I said before maybe they are trying to frighten those who take giant cases fully loaded.....have you had your tickets yet...tweetie

ps....nothing ironed but atleaste I have sorted whats going in my case this afternoon....too late to start ironing ...so will have to do as much as I can and hope to get case packed over the weekend....Im fed up with this rain too as need do work on door to dogs yard so friends dont need come through house to take him for a walk.....maybe if we both wish hard enough the rain will go away

i aint had my tickets yet hopefully next week you can bet all this crackdown on luggage will be a forewarning to the new coaches next year sayin that sum people take the mick esp comin back an fill them with booze i dont just mean a couple of bottles im sayin suitcases full there was one last year comin home like that, weather update for where we are goin 30 degrees so make sure youve got your factor 15 my daughter checks every day lol sounds much better than our drizzle we have here at the mo , happy packing lol see ya there xx