British holidaymakers soaking up the sun in Benidorm have adopted an unusual method to save money on pricey phone bills - by ditching their mobiles in favour of walkie-talkies.
The cost-efficient pair, Graham, 38, and pal Darren, 48, were stung with a £160 phone bill while using EE’s network on a previous trip. The best mates frequently visit the holiday hotspot and decided they needed a new way to communicate.
So instead of risking soaring bills from using their phones abroad, they opted to go old-school with the purchase of walkie-talkies. The communication devices cost them just £6 and helped them to stay in touch during the trip.
Graham and Darren, who are both from Middlesbrough, tested their new devices in Benidorm's Old Town and even adopted military lingo to chat. The nifty equipment works as long as the pals stay within two miles of each other.
Their successful exchange saw Darren get the message across that he was in a bar down the road. Graham asked his pal: “Are you there big dog? Are you there big dog? Big dog are you there?"
Beach resort dubbed 'North Korean Benidorm' now abandoned and filled with faecesTo which Darren replied: “Yeah, yeah I'm here" before Graham adds: "Where are you? Roger that." Darren responds: "Harry's Bar” and his mate confirms: "Harry's Bar was that? I'm on my way, five minutes." Darren then asks: "Where are you?" to which Graham responds: "Just up in the Old Town."
The unusual method of communication left other holidaymakers in awe at their adaptive abilities to save themselves cash. The friends are often looking for a bargain and admitted they often holidayed in Benidorm as it was cheaper than a night out in the UK.
Darren Roche labelled the pair as ‘genius’ whilst another fan, Sarah, dubbed it the ‘best idea ever’. “Love this absolutely brilliant tool to have, especially if you've got kids," joked Craig Petrie.