GeorgeVilla82

Haha, I wouldn't expect anything less in your destination reports Tony! Have passed them on to my other half as useful info :-)

Thanks Tony - I might take you up on that closer to the time, if that's OK? What did you think of the country generally? We've booked an 8 day trek from Paro (the airstrip landing looks interesting!).

Got flights booked for 2 1/2 weeks in Costa Rica at the start of December. Anyone been before and if so, any recommendations? Have also booked to go to Bhutan at the start of next year, but technically that's not for this thread...

I went to Cuba a few years ago in August for 2 weeks and it was absolutely fine - a few clouds/ showers in the afternoon but cleared very quickly and got rid of the humidity. Havana is a great city, and the beaches are beautiful. Don't know if it has changed much since they opened up to Americans - hope not.

@lapal_fan I found that it wasn't a conscious decision to tread cautiously - just an underlying need for self-preservation against something that had been very painful when it happened previously. You're right that emotions are difficult to explain, but I suppose it's not that different to physical pain. If you've spilled boiling water down your arm when emptying a kettle (which I did recently!), then you're naturally going to be more cautious the next time you use a kettle. (sorry, crap analogy)

Just adding a bit of female perspective - my ex of 15 years and I broke up after he'd been cheating on me. After a while, I went on a few dates as I was ready to move on and have fun, but was definitely very cautious (probably subconsciously) of getting too emotionally involved with anyone else because of the risk of being hurt again. After a while I met someone absolutely brilliant, and moved in with him after a year, but still couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't really giving it my all as I just assumed that he'd probably end up hurting me too, so it was easier not to get too attached in the first place. I soon realised that I was at risk of jeopardising a really good relationship just because of not wanting to let myself get hurt again and went to talk to someone about it. Made me realise I was being stupid, and now everything's great. It may be completely different with your girl Dem, and she may want her ex back (in which case, stay well clear), but it's not as easy as "being a spinster" if you don't want to get hurt - all a bit more complicated than that.

Adults on scooters. Not the motorised, moped things, but the push-along ones kids have. Especially on London pavements, which is becoming surprisingly common.

Had the back to work blues today so booked the following holidays for 2016: - 5 nights skiing in Morzine in March - week in Antigua in May - 2.5 weeks in Costa Rica in December. Just flights booked for the moment, still deciding on hotels and an itinerary for Costa Rica. Anyone been? If so, any tips?

I really like Opera Tavern in Covent Garden (smart tapas, sort of) but if you want somewhere that she'll like when dressed up, try Clos Maggiore (French, romantic), Balthazar (flashy brasserie) or Hawksmoor Seven Dials (very good steak and cocktails).

So sorry to hear that Mike - it's really horrible when that happens. Old age/ illness/ combination of the two? I had my cat put down a few months ago, and despite my best efforts, was in floods of tears at the vets.

Ugh no tramp porn here, I've got the Everything Butt series to catch up on Because an admission such as this is guaranteed to encourage GeorgeVilla82 to interact more with you, eh Rob? I'd only get in trouble off the missus if she did :D I definitely wouldn't want to get you in trouble Rob! Because that's obviously the only reason why I wouldn't post bum pics....

My Dad's been diagnosed with prostate cancer today. Caught very early, and good chance of getting rid of it (or at least living a long time before it has any worse effects), but still a bit of a shock. None of my close family have ever had cancer, so (stupidly) I kind of thought no one would ever get it, even though it obviously doesn't work like that.

Labour governed from 1997, so we're talking about 13 years of over-spending not just the one year prior to the recession.

No, but what they did do is not recognise the boom and bust economic cycle (which happens anyway, banking crisis or not) and ran a deficit in the good times. Even Chuka Umunna today admitted that they should have been running a surplus pre-2008. For me, it was Miliband's failure to accept that the last Labour administration overspent which massively dented his credibility.

Planning some pretty exciting holidays this year (well, for me anyway - not so much for Tony...) In April, I've got 3 nights in Rome, 3 nights at Lake Como, followed by the train to St Anton in Austria for the last 4 days of the ski season (probably won't do loads of skiing as the snow might have disappeared, but will definitely be partaking in a lot of apres). Then just started planning a trip to Argentina in October - looking to fit in Buenos Aires, Patagonia and Mendoza over 2 weeks, may be a little more. Any tips from those who've been?

I've gone in Premium with Thomson, and on balance it was probably just about worth the cash. You can select your seats, the seats have a much bigger pitch, free drinks (I drank champagne pretty much the whole way to the Caribbean and was a little tipsy when we landed...), better quality food, fewer passengers, quieter loos etc etc. But to be honest, whilst I think it makes the flight much more enjoyable, you're still in a metal tube with strangers for 10 hours which is never going to be that much fun.

Colhint - I'm a lawyer (not specialising in family law) but the advice above is absolutely right. Keep detailed notes and records of everything that you've put in, all of the unreasonable behaviour and everything you've done for the kids. And seek legal advice - Citizens Advice Bureau might be able to point you in the right direction. In terms of my own situation, just wanted to thank and update VT. So after finding out my boyfriend of 15 years had been cheating on me, trying to work through it for 4 months, him saying after that period that he was committed to getting married then 3 weeks later breaking up with me - it's been an interesting 2014! I spent 6 months having some time by myself (I hadn't lived alone for 10 years) and enjoying going out with friends, making the most of London nightlife. Feel like I regresseed to being 21, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In that time, I got a lot of confidence in being by myself and realising that I am completely capable of being happy on my own. And hindsight is not always truthful, but I've been the happiest I've ever been in the last 6 months which just shows that the break up was actually a great thing for me - I just didn't realise it at the time. I've also met someone who (as far as I know them so far) is brilliant for me - treats me as an equal and appreciates me, takes the piss outbof me when I get too serious but we both enjoy our own independence. Very early days, and I've learnt that I'm happier on my own than in a bad or mediocre relationship, so things are looking up for 2015. So thanks VT - I'm a longtime lurker and didn't post much, but when I needed a bit of support earlier this year, you faceless but enigmatic lot were absolutely brilliant. Have a great 2015.

Sorry - I should clarify: I'm absolutely not against getting into another relationship, but I'm not expecting it to happen quickly.If I meet someone soon, then great. If not, that's fine too - at least going on dates should be fun, gives me back a bit of confidence and distracts from the horror of my love life during the last 6 months. And MMV: unlikely - I know this sounds dickish, but I'm pretty sure that I earn quite a lot more than the people who have asked me out. So maybe they're interviewing me as a potential sponsor.

So, the ex has now moved all of his stuff out and whilst I thought I'd find it difficult, it's actually been quite liberating. And I even have a date or two lined up over the next 2 weeks - I'm not actively looking for anyone as it's far too soon for that, but does no harm for the confidence. Thanks again for all your wise (and not so wise) words. And Stevo, ignore the people at your GF's work - they sound like dicks.

Rob, that would be a good plan except it's my car (which he drives, I pay for and now I don't need as I work in London - brilliant). Anyway, anyone know any good looking, financially stable, eligible bachelors who aren't complete knobheads? There's your first mistake: good-looking, financially stable, single men, who are not knobheads, have just too many options for a viable long-term relationship. Find some guy who is the pleasant side of hideous, who who will bring a bit of gratitude into the relationship and give you all the power. Okay, he won't impress your mates but low maintenance is always the way to go, in the long-term. Wow, as if I wasn't depressed enough already . So what you're basically saying is that there's no chance of me having a relationship with anyone vaguely eligible, and I should just cut my losses? Excellent.

Thanks all - I know it will work out OK, but it's just pretty crap at the moment. Rob, that would be a good plan except it's my car (which he drives, I pay for and now I don't need as I work in London - brilliant). Anyway, anyone know any good looking, financially stable, eligible bachelors who aren't complete knobheads?

So, an update on my situation from February. Against all advice from VT, the boyfriend of 15 years (who I caught cheating on me) and I decided to give it 3 months to work on our relationship and see whether we wanted to stay together, get married and have kids, or to break up. We set a deadline of the last weekend in May to make a decision, as that was when the lease on our house needed renewing. We were getting on really well, made an effort to spend valuable time together, did lots of fun things. So when the end of May came, we had a chat about it and he agreed that he wanted to stay together (with all that entailed). It was good to finally be able draw a line under things and move on. We renewed the lease for another 6 months, and booked a holiday for the summer. So it was a bit of a surprise when he wanted to talk on Friday night. He said that, despite what he had said at the end of May, he wasn't in a position to commit and he wanted to split up. Apparently he thinks I'm amazing etc etc but doesn't know why he can't give me what I need/ deserve. He is also still in love with this other woman (although she is staying with her husband). I think I'm still slightly in shock about it all, especially as I thought we had moved on. But I know it will be for the best in the long term - the future's just looking a little scary at the moment. And now I'm stuck paying all the rent by myself, and with a holiday that I can't cancel. What a dick. And I feel a bit stupid for not taking all of your advice at the time.

So, the cheating boyfriend has decided that he's made a mistake and wants to try to make it work. Probably stupidly, I agreed to this (rather than throw away a 15 year relationship) but he's now just slipped back in to the same behaviour as before. We're spending loads more time together and it's pretty fun, but he's still not in a place to commit. He says he needsmore time. I should walk away, shouldn't I?

Phwoar. Yep, Mellberg is hot. So is Martin Laursen.

Fly back from a spa break in the Black Forest tomorrow morning, girls night out tomorrow night in London town, and then meet up with the ex on Sunday to hear his reasons as to why I should take him back (with what I anticipate to be a massive hangover - not fun)