2017 Travel

[jonathan]

Our travel plans for 2017 are a bit on hold: some time in the early summer, we aim to sell our Stroud house and move to a flat on the Isle of Dogs (briefly mentioned in Pauline's Travel Planning, Planning, Planning thread earlier this year). But we've just booked a week for the very end of 2016: does that count here?!

And yes, as mentioned in that thread, we are going to go for a week on La Palma (one of the less crowded of the Canary Islands), over the Christmas period - and thanks, Pauline, following your tip, I've booked a week of self-guided walking from one of Inntravel's Casas Canarias.

Meanwhile, we leave this weekend for our final trip of the summer: another road trip from here to Ostuni and back. We're taking our time on the way down, overnighting in Alençon, Chambon-sur-Lac, Barcelonnette, Ovada and Fermo on the way down, and Ravenna, Mittenwald, and Bernkastel on the way back. This year's trip avoids Switzerland (partly to save on not buying the vignette), so we'll have to wave at Pauline and Steve from a slight distance...

 

[artnbarb]

I am COMPLETELY rethinking all my travel plans for next year! This comes after a light bulb moment, thinking about our recent cruise to Alaska. I really did NOT enjoy it that much. There, I said it. Everyone says it's their favorite cruise, and that it was incredible, etc, but I just wasn't that enthralled. Yes, we say some beautiful scenery. Yes, we saw some cool animals. Yes, the vastness of Alaska is overwhelming. But in the end, I'd rather have repeated the Baltic cruise we just took in July, if given a choice between the two.

So......now I have to be honest again and say that Ireland does NOT pull at me - at all! Yes, I know it's beautiful, and yes, I'm sure I'd love it and have a good time (except for that driving on the left!), but honestly, I am just not feeling it! I don't have the enthusiasm and resulting energy to do the necessary research, so now I'm rethinking our summer'fall 2017 plans! Maybe the Tattoo in August in Edinburgh? I wouldn't mind a cruise along Norway's coast, but those seem to be much more expensive than the Baltic cruises. Or maybe we could spend a longer period in Italy. A transatlantic cruise returning from Italy would mean fresh olive oil and Umbrian wine. Isn't it wonderful to have such interesting problems?

 

[artnbarb]

Our travel plans for 2017 are a bit on hold: some time in the early summer, we aim to sell our Stroud house and move to a flat on the Isle of Dogs (briefly mentioned in Pauline's Travel Planning, Planning, Planning thread earlier this year). But we've just booked a week for the very end of 2016: does that count here?!

And yes, as mentioned in that thread, we are going to go for a week on La Palma (one of the less crowded of the Canary Islands), over the Christmas period - and thanks, Pauline, following your tip, I've booked a week of self-guided walking from one of Inntravel's Casas Canarias.

Meanwhile, we leave this weekend for our final trip of the summer: another road trip from here to Ostuni and back. We're taking our time on the way down, overnighting in Alençon, Chambon-sur-Lac, Barcelonnette, Ovada and Fermo on the way down, and Ravenna, Mittenwald, and Bernkastel on the way back. This year's trip avoids Switzerland (partly to save on not buying the vignette), so we'll have to wave at Pauline and Steve from a slight distance...

Jonathan, that's quite a move! What takes you to the Isle of Dogs as a permanent home?

Your trip back from Ostuni sounds wonderful! How longs does that drive take? I wasn't that crazy about the drive down from Umbria to Ostuni - a bit long and boring for me, but I still think the car's a better option than the train. I just don't like long car trips - that's why they invented airplanes! We'd thought about renting a car in Zurich next spring to drive down to Umbria, but I just don't think I want to drive that long!

 

[Pauline]

And yes, as mentioned in that thread, we are going to go for a week on La Palma (one of the less crowded of the Canary Islands), over the Christmas period - and thanks, Pauline, following your tip, I've booked a week of self-guided walking from one of Inntravel's Casas Canarias.

I want to hear all about this one and if you like it, we will try that trip too. Have fun in Ostuni!

 

[Pauline]

... This comes after a light bulb moment, thinking about our recent cruise to Alaska. I really did NOT enjoy it that much. There, I said it. Everyone says it's their favorite cruise, and that it was incredible, etc, but I just wasn't that enthralled. Yes, we say some beautiful scenery. Yes, we saw some cool animals. Yes, the vastness of Alaska is overwhelming. But in the end, I'd rather have repeated the Baltic cruise we just took in July, if given a choice between the two.

I have this theory about northern countries, that they are very much alike. I grew up in Canada, a northern country, and when Steve and I did our big year in Europe trip (late 1980s), we spent a few weeks in Norway. We traveled north and inland and it all felt like British Columbia to me. Not that BC isn't great, but I didn't need to see it again in a language I didn't speak. And when we went to Scotland we actually did a u-turn on the highway to Fort William (I think that was the town) because it was starting to snow in October and I felt like we were driving into Prince George BC!!

Which probably explains why we have never been back to Scotland, but I know we should go. And here I am living in a northern country again.

I feel drawn to Ireland but Steve isn't. We spent two weeks there in the early 1990s visiting my family places (west coast near Galway) but I would like to go south and see that part of the country. It would be so easy for us to go - we could drive our car!

It is very individual, I think, which places we are drawn to and which we enjoy traveling in.

 

[jonathan]

Jonathan, that's quite a move! What takes you to the Isle of Dogs as a permanent home?

Philippa grew up in London, and I lived there for the first 15 years of my working life - so it's a return, albeit to a very different part of London. But as we move into retirement, there's a lot to be said for living in a big city with with a thriving arts scene and excellent transport connections. Not to mention the enforced downsizing, from a rambling and overstuffed Victorian 6-bedroom house to a much smaller modern flat: therapeutic, we hope!

Your trip back from Ostuni sounds wonderful! How longs does that drive take? I wasn't that crazy about the drive down from Umbria to Ostuni - a bit long and boring for me, but I still think the car's a better option than the train. I just don't like long car trips - that's why they invented airplanes! We'd thought about renting a car in Zurich next spring to drive down to Umbria, but I just don't think I want to drive that long!

It's about 1400 miles on that route from Ostuni to the Chunnel at Calais: three overnight stops at those named towns, and between 5-7 hours driving each day. Quite a lot - but Philippa and I share the driving, and both of us enjoy the variety of scenery and road conditions that a trip like this offers(our 10th roadtrip since we bought the house in 2004!). And, of course, it's our own car - so we can take stuff down to Ostuni that we need there (and would rather buy in the UK: pillows & towels, this time), and bring back wine & oil...

 

[artnbarb]

I'm a city girl at heart, NYC would be my first choice, followed closely by London, so I'm excited for you! However, it will be quite different from the Cotswolds, but I agree that at 'our' stage in life int's nice to have transportation options and everything located within a short distance. Best of luck!

I understand about wanting to take your car so you can take stuff to and from Italy. Enjoy both the drive to and from, as well as your time in Ostuni. Safe travels!