Well I've been lurking on here on and off for a while now and I felt I should contribute and finally write something. I've been to Ibiza 5 times since my first visit in 2002, and am hoping to go again next year. I have loved every minute of being there, spent far too much money there, and drunk far too much. From what I can remember of the earlier years, here any my thoughts and findings. I hope you enjoy.
2002 (June-July)
I'd not long been into dance music and had seen the Ibiza uncovered series on TV. I used to go to clubs in the UK, however these were only very commercial dance nights with mates, nearly always as a place to carry on drinking after 11 when the pubs closed. I missed the whole being young and going to Ibiza, stupidly I wrote it off as being far too expensive and ultimately went to Ayia Napa instead. I've since learnt the error of my ways although my wife and I have returned to Cyprus and loved it.
Anyway there was a group of us whole used to meet in London for a few drinks on a Friday night and one of my friends found an offer to go to Ibiza - £130 all in with flights AND hotel in late June. The only trouble was, it was with the 18-30 crowd. I agreed, expecting all the bad things, but can never resist a bargain, so off we went. Flights were at unsociable times, and we got there about 3am. I thought we'd head straight to our respective rooms, but no, we went straight to the West End, and started to drink. We finished this soon, and went back to the hotel (the Del Mar in San An). I was expecting the room to be a complete disappointment, but I was surprised at how clean it was. The one thing I wanted to do that week was go to Judgement Sundays, but instead our group got convinced to do the 18-30- package......which sounds terrible I know, but as it turned out, it was OK. From memory, we went to Es Paradis for the first night, for a night called Cultural (I think), I remember it being a trance night which I rather enjoyed. We also did the usual boat party, West End driknig games etc and generally had a great time. This was it, my love for Ibiza was set, and I didn't want to go home.
As a first impression, with my expectations set rather low, Ibiza had got in my head and would refuse to go. My only regret was not going to any of the bigger club nights, but the company i was with and the atmosphere meant this wasn't an issue.
2003 (July)
So, after 2002's adventures I really wanted to return, although most of the group's circumstances had changed. I was getting more and more into the trance/hard house scene and some of the line ups were looking really good for this year. My then girlfriend (now wife's) sister was a travel agent so I booked a week with a friend who had just come out of a long term relationship and was looking for a fun week after all the rubbish they'd been through.
We stayed at the Ibiza Rocks hotel, although it wasn't called that back then - I can't remember the name now.
We did a lot of clubbing that week, and again I was keen to do the larger clubs, so we ended up going to Judgement Sundays, Manumission, Cream and Space (can't remember which night) as well as other nights in and around the West End. I also took the plunge to hire a car for the day, a Peugeot 306 Cabriolet. At the time this was still a nice car, but the CD player didn't work, and I ended up driving to Cream which wasn't great. In fact I didn't enjoy Amnesia at all, far too expensive, rude door and bar staff and generally finding it a bit, well, overrated I felt. I will say now for the record that I ONLY drink, there are no other substances involved, there are reasons for this but this is another story. The whole Peugeot thing was rubbish and to this day I vowed never to buy one of these pieces of junk (I am a petrolhead, so this is important to me!).
I also took the opportunity to revisit some other places from 2002, namely the Curry Club in San An (great food imo) and Sunset Strip.
All in all another fantastic trip, and now the need to go back in September was calling. Shame the money was stopping me lol
2006
I missed going to Ibiza each year that passed. My life was moving forward, my wife and i bought a house together and I have just graduated from uni after 7 years studying (part time during when I also worked).
I met a few friends at uni and as the numbers attending dropped you talk to more and more people. I tunred out some people here were Ibiza veterans, or had always wanted to go. One person, it was his 40th, and although we had been clubbing a few times in London, he had never been to Ibiza. Also, I met someone through some car forums, and he was working in Ibiza that year, so again I booked to go for a week, with said mate from uni. One slight issue, his mrs WAS NOT happy at all, she claimed we said a few days, not a week. Apparently she went ballistic at him, and so we had to rearrange the flights and have one less day there. One less day, like that would make any difference!
This time we stayed at the Abrat Hotel, in San An, which was pleasant enough. It included breakfast, which I think we made it in time for, just the once lol
Anyway, Judgement Sundays was done and lived up to expectations, as it was brilliant, then Extreme Euphoria (which the worker mate got us in for free), but to make a change of scene we went to DC10, which wasn't my thing at the time, but I totally got it, and loved it. Slight trouble getting back to San An, but there we go! Overall another great time was had, although my friend's mrs would never quite have the same attitude towards me again, I think she thinks I'm a bad influence.
We also explored Ibiza town for the first time and Bora Bora, both of which I enjoyed, although Ibiza town I'd like to go back to later in the night as I was there too early (with hire car).
2011 (July)
Memory gets better here, but I'll complete this when I have more time. There is more detail for the next 2 years' visits.
Hope you liked so far.
2002 (June-July)
I'd not long been into dance music and had seen the Ibiza uncovered series on TV. I used to go to clubs in the UK, however these were only very commercial dance nights with mates, nearly always as a place to carry on drinking after 11 when the pubs closed. I missed the whole being young and going to Ibiza, stupidly I wrote it off as being far too expensive and ultimately went to Ayia Napa instead. I've since learnt the error of my ways although my wife and I have returned to Cyprus and loved it.
Anyway there was a group of us whole used to meet in London for a few drinks on a Friday night and one of my friends found an offer to go to Ibiza - £130 all in with flights AND hotel in late June. The only trouble was, it was with the 18-30 crowd. I agreed, expecting all the bad things, but can never resist a bargain, so off we went. Flights were at unsociable times, and we got there about 3am. I thought we'd head straight to our respective rooms, but no, we went straight to the West End, and started to drink. We finished this soon, and went back to the hotel (the Del Mar in San An). I was expecting the room to be a complete disappointment, but I was surprised at how clean it was. The one thing I wanted to do that week was go to Judgement Sundays, but instead our group got convinced to do the 18-30- package......which sounds terrible I know, but as it turned out, it was OK. From memory, we went to Es Paradis for the first night, for a night called Cultural (I think), I remember it being a trance night which I rather enjoyed. We also did the usual boat party, West End driknig games etc and generally had a great time. This was it, my love for Ibiza was set, and I didn't want to go home.
As a first impression, with my expectations set rather low, Ibiza had got in my head and would refuse to go. My only regret was not going to any of the bigger club nights, but the company i was with and the atmosphere meant this wasn't an issue.
2003 (July)
So, after 2002's adventures I really wanted to return, although most of the group's circumstances had changed. I was getting more and more into the trance/hard house scene and some of the line ups were looking really good for this year. My then girlfriend (now wife's) sister was a travel agent so I booked a week with a friend who had just come out of a long term relationship and was looking for a fun week after all the rubbish they'd been through.
We stayed at the Ibiza Rocks hotel, although it wasn't called that back then - I can't remember the name now.
We did a lot of clubbing that week, and again I was keen to do the larger clubs, so we ended up going to Judgement Sundays, Manumission, Cream and Space (can't remember which night) as well as other nights in and around the West End. I also took the plunge to hire a car for the day, a Peugeot 306 Cabriolet. At the time this was still a nice car, but the CD player didn't work, and I ended up driving to Cream which wasn't great. In fact I didn't enjoy Amnesia at all, far too expensive, rude door and bar staff and generally finding it a bit, well, overrated I felt. I will say now for the record that I ONLY drink, there are no other substances involved, there are reasons for this but this is another story. The whole Peugeot thing was rubbish and to this day I vowed never to buy one of these pieces of junk (I am a petrolhead, so this is important to me!).
I also took the opportunity to revisit some other places from 2002, namely the Curry Club in San An (great food imo) and Sunset Strip.
All in all another fantastic trip, and now the need to go back in September was calling. Shame the money was stopping me lol
2006
I missed going to Ibiza each year that passed. My life was moving forward, my wife and i bought a house together and I have just graduated from uni after 7 years studying (part time during when I also worked).
I met a few friends at uni and as the numbers attending dropped you talk to more and more people. I tunred out some people here were Ibiza veterans, or had always wanted to go. One person, it was his 40th, and although we had been clubbing a few times in London, he had never been to Ibiza. Also, I met someone through some car forums, and he was working in Ibiza that year, so again I booked to go for a week, with said mate from uni. One slight issue, his mrs WAS NOT happy at all, she claimed we said a few days, not a week. Apparently she went ballistic at him, and so we had to rearrange the flights and have one less day there. One less day, like that would make any difference!
This time we stayed at the Abrat Hotel, in San An, which was pleasant enough. It included breakfast, which I think we made it in time for, just the once lol
Anyway, Judgement Sundays was done and lived up to expectations, as it was brilliant, then Extreme Euphoria (which the worker mate got us in for free), but to make a change of scene we went to DC10, which wasn't my thing at the time, but I totally got it, and loved it. Slight trouble getting back to San An, but there we go! Overall another great time was had, although my friend's mrs would never quite have the same attitude towards me again, I think she thinks I'm a bad influence.
We also explored Ibiza town for the first time and Bora Bora, both of which I enjoyed, although Ibiza town I'd like to go back to later in the night as I was there too early (with hire car).
2011 (July)
Memory gets better here, but I'll complete this when I have more time. There is more detail for the next 2 years' visits.
Hope you liked so far.
