Ibiza as seen by a new-to-clubbing innocent...

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young_nic

Guest
Well, I got back last night. Well, okay, this morning, technically!

First, some details for background: I'm 30, never been to Ibiza before, usually go to a little quiet place in Greece where I can read and go see lots of ancient monuments (yeah, dweeb), but have done the odd beery holiday with friends too. Travelled alone - not unusual for me, second nature really due to married/skint friends. I only recently got into dance music, and like trance. Sorry if that's not to some people's taste - live and let live is my thing, so if we don't all like the same thing, that's good by me! And when I'm out and dancing I'm fuelled solely by a combination of Smirnoff and Polos :D

Dates I was there: 28th August - 11th September

Where I stayed: Hotel Ses Savines, San An Bay. Fine as hotels go - I certainly got a pretty good deal. Food there was average, but rooms were clean and secure. Only gripe really is that single rooms don't have a balcony, and so look out over the main road - and are therefore v hot and v noisy. And there was me hoping for a sea view! Never mind. The hotel's location is great though - on the beach, five mins from Itaca/Bar M/Kiwi etc. Great for me! Beware though - it seems to be mostly doddery oldsters.

Club nights visited: Cream at Amnesia 29th August (fantastic - especially considering it was my first time at a club in Ibiza - great intro for me), Euphoria at Eden 31st August (good, esp the last 90 minutes), GodsKitchen at Eden 3rd September (v enjoyable, despite the beerboys), Cream 5th September (didn't enjoy this much at all - apparently Tiesto was ill and didn't show, which explained a lot), Euphoria 7th September (good again). Too hungover to visit either Judgement Sunday, and too ill with a cold to go to GodsKitchen on my last night there.

Best night: First time at Cream at Amnesia. Especially when the DJ played my fave mix of Saltwater! Couldn't believe I was hearing this in a club, on my first night out in Ibiza!!!

Worst night: Second time at Cream. Music was plodding and monotonous to me - put it this way, if it gets to 5.30 and they haven't used the smoke machine yet, that says something to me...

Best Bar: Hmm, toss up between Itaca and Coastline. At both I felt perfectly comfortable hanging out on my own. Itaca seems to be quite quiet, I suppose it's got a lot to compete with with having Bar M next door. Coastline was my customary sunset haunt - they seemed not to mind some loony woman sat reading from 7 till 11 most nights, so good on them! Made friends with the lovely waitress (Luria??), despite us barely speaking each other's language, and had some marvellous sunsets...

Best place to eat: Itaca does a fab spaghetti carbonara. Also ate lunch quite a lot in Kiwi / The Orange Corner, and can also highly recommend David's, a fab Italian opposite the Curry Club.

Money spent: Excluding flights and hotels, about £900!! (Which compares to my normal week in Greece at £150...)

Biggest regret: Haven't got one. Knew I wouldn't go to lots of different places, do lots of different things - that's me. When I'm on my own I'm very stuck in the mud! Wish I'd made it to one or other Judgement Sunday, but in no way will it keep me awake at nights. Okay, biggest regret is that my best chum who knows the island like the back of his hand was on the other end of my mobile phone rather than there with me. Wasn't a lot either of us could do about it though. :(

Going back: I would go back, with the above-mentioned friend - but not on my own. I discovered that clubbing is great, but I don't like it enough to go so often on my own without it getting a bit samey and boring. Likewise, loved the sunsets - but the sun sets in quite a lot of other places too. ;) In terms of the magical mystery that is allegedly Ibiza, I can see how people get that, but I have to say I get that feeling far more in my little secluded corner of Greece. If/when I go back, I will also stay somewhere nicer - either a posh hotel, or a villa. Had no qualms about staying in San An, but heck, if I'm gonna spend a grand on spending money, why not push the boat out and spend a fortune on accommodation as well and make it a posh holiday!!!

Top Tip: Probably the best I can offer here is - do go to the sunset strip to see a sunset or two. I thought this would be highly overrated, but my first one made me all gooey and emotional (mushy cow). But really - take your top tips from people who are far more adventurous than me!

Other comments: I've mentioned elsewhere in the forum that I had a scary moment with a "looky looky" man last Sunday at 7 am after Eden chucked out. He was very persistent and grabby, and it eventually took a local to shout at him to get him to leave me alone. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I HAVE EVER FELT UNSAFE DURING 8 SOLO HOLIDAYS. And as such, has lessened my opinion of Ibiza a little bit.

I witnessed nothing even remotely "Ibiza Uncovered"-ish. Where do they film this program? Or did I just manage to avoid the excesses of the West End?

So, in conclusion: I had my two weeks in Ibiza this year as a bit of an experiment - to see whether I would enjoy "that sort of holiday". In actual fact, it pretty much turned into my usual sort of holiday - I read 13 books in 14 days, spent my days chilling out, ate some good food (and some not so good) - with the added bonus of lots of young, friendly people about, and the odd night out listening and dancing to music that I enjoy. So maybe my advice is more relevant to anyone wondering whether to go from a point of view that Ibiza "might be too much" - the answer is no, it's what you want it to be. If that's full on, then it can be truly full on, but you can also dip in and out of "club culture" as much or as little as you desire.

And now I've promised myself no more holidays (that was my third this year) until I've paid off the plastic... :cry:

Nicola
 
Totally right. Ibiza is what you make of it. If you want to club it the entire fine. If you want to have quiet dinners and enjoy the sun fine. If you want to go to bed at 6 am everynight or 9pm. It truely is for everyone. It can be as wild or family oriented as one can imagine.
 
Don't mean 2 b picky, but y didn't you try 2 experiment with different clubs, instead of going to the same nights both weeks?
And the biggest crime of all, you didn't experience Space! Even if it is just once for a little while, its something everyone must do.
 
Well, as I said in my review, I'm kinda stuck in my ways when I'm on my own. If I was there with friends, fine, I'd have maybe tried new things - but on my own I know what I like and I see no need to break out of that (after all, for me the whole thing of going clubbing in Ibiza was experiment enough)!

You have a good point though. But I don't regret not trying other clubs - I have more than a slight feeling I'll see Ibiza again, so maybe I'll try other clubs next time. This trip was as much about getting a break as going wild and frenzied for a fortnight!

And as for Space... call me awkward, but if there's one thing that's likely to make me avoid doing something I'm ambivalent about, it's when people say, "Oh, you must do that, it's a crime not to"! You may well be right - but my inherent stubbornness makes me think well, okay, maybe not for me...

But no offence meant. Like I say, you have a good point - but I did really enjoy my holiday. Maybe in a year there'll be another review on here from me where I've tried other things!

Nicola
 
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