Good things come to those who wait!

 

Thoughts on traveling require a nice cup of tea and something sweet. 

I've been awaiting another trip home. We were there last year in the lovely month of June, this year we're crossing the pond in October. It's different packing for a cool weather trip when bulky, sometimes heavy, items of clothing are required. . . . . .and we all know how boots and shoes weigh so much more than sandals! These last few weeks I've chosen my clothes and footwear, then had to rethink the whole situation as to what to wear if cold, if wet, even unusually warm, as the climate seems to make odd, expected, changes this year. I'm embarrassed to tell you how many times things have been returned to closets and drawers!!! Today I think I have it done and I feel happy with what I will be packing tomorrow. I will be ready for whatever the weather throws at us, and whatever social situation pops up, from walking the beach to dining out in a posh restaurant. Yes, tomorrow is that day! Getting all the stuff into the suitcase might be a challenge but hopefully it will all work out. Also, my hair is cut, Bob and I had pedicures yesterday, I had my nails done today. We are ready to fly, literally!

I will be be seeing family and long time friends. My brother and family will fly over from France and spend a few days with us. I will also be meeting up for a cuppa  with a fun blog friend of several years, and her husband, for the first time. . . . .that's always exciting. Recently, we met a charming English couple visiting Raleigh and now are back home in the UK. As they will be in my hometown for a short break during our stay, we are getting together again for dinner at their lovely hotel which is also a favorite of ours, and where, long ago, we had my late mother's wake as it was her favorite place to eat and sit out on the patio viewing the beautiful seascape.

I've had no time to blog lately and I apologize for not commenting on your recent blogs. I do read them and promise to get back with you when I return from England. I admit that I now find preparing for overseas travel a little more difficult. . . . .I know I've slowed down a bit and not always able to keep up with you 'youngsters' out there. I turn 80 later this month! Where the heck have all those years gone?  I will continue to do what I can do even if takes longer.  You may see me here whilst in England - if not, you know I'm having too good a time with my loved ones, haha!!!

Cheerio for now!

No journey home yet!

It was to take place this month. 

Now everything is cancelled as International travel

is still not really safe.

It's been two years since I've been able to travel

 to England due to the pandemic situation.  

I don't think I've stayed away that long in the 

 almost 59 years since emigrating to

the USA!

Torquay, Devon - circa 1960's

Torquay - Last visit home - May 2019

Am I homesick?

You bet I am!

We have rescheduled everything and now hope to make it

across the pond in September.

Family and friends over there think this is the best plan

and, sad as it is, we have to agree. Hoping by then life will be

better, perhaps not normal, but safer and more cheery and 

manageable for travel long distances from the comfort of home.

Leaving home ---------------

This could be my 'last rose of summer' - a yellow Peace tucked in between 

two huge now withered hydrangea bushes.

Did it bloom to say "goodbye" as we leave, hefting the cumbersome luggage 

down the driveway for our ride to the airport later?

We stowed all garden knick knacks, seat cushions, bird feeders, umbrella etc., 

anything able to blow around and cause damage in a windstorm.

First leaves falling from the fig tree - on yet another already sweltering morning.

Very little autumn color here yet, but perhaps on our return it will have cooled at
 long last, the leaves will have changed to gold and rust, and hopefully rain - a lot
 of soaking rain - will have fallen to end the serious drought conditions. 

When we leave town this afternoon the temperature will be 99F/37C - hard to
 believe this is October and each day is breaking heat records here.

Next post should be from London when we arrive tomorrow and have an
 overnight at Heathrow, then on to Lisbon Saturday where we board the
 ship . . . . . . . or, if not from there, who knows where! This trip is going to so 
many places and I'm hoping to blog when Internet is available!
At least it will be cooler our first few days in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . I'm so
 looking forward to that, plus wearing boots and a sweater at long last!

Enjoy your October days.

Back across the pond today . . . . . .

Packed and ready to head east today. 

The overnight to Dublin followed by tomorrow's early morning train to Belfast. 

 A huge change in weather and temperature for sure. Prepared for rain, hoping for sun.

Green and pleasant Ireland with amazing history, scenery, music and food.

It may be hard to beat the trip there a few years back, but travel is what 

you make of it . . . . . . . . and we're planning to make it special.

Primping and packing . . . . . .

. . . . . . . and flying home.

It's that time again!

Raleigh Nail Salon - mani by My Lihn, pedi by Kim - my nail gals of many years.

My go to signature nail gel color - 'Queen Fierce' by Lechat Perfect Match

 with their matching regular polish for toes.

For me, getting ready for a trip is the hardest part!

What to take usually depends on the weather expected, and in

 the UK, being an island, it can change in a heartbeat.

Easter there was "scorching hot" according to family and 

friends. Now the forecast says most of the time we are

 there it will be back to cool and perhaps wet days, with 

what will feel to us - coming from the now really warm

 southeast - really cold nights! Evening pub visits with fires

 on the hearth, crunchy local fish 'n chips and good wine

 might help!

Yesterday was mani/pedi day for my 'perfect 20' and after my

 hair cut/color appointment today, some re-packing may be in order. 

A warmer coat, another sweater, ditch the sandals and pop wet weather

leather sneakers in the bag!

Getting it all together - one more 'sleep' tonight and then homeward bound.

Leaving the garden at this lovely time of year is hard though!

Elizabeth Barrett Browning in Devon -

The life of the Brownings was a great love story, part of which is set in my

 hometown Torquay, in England.

Famous writers, such as Agatha Christie and Charles Darwin wrote 

books there. . . . .  and the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning,

wife of poet Robert Browning, lived there for a while when her health

 deteriorated, before moving to Italy where she died in Florence in 1861.

We've booked an Airbnb in Torquay in what we are hoping will be
 "the merry, month of May!"

It's next door to the Hotel Regina where Mrs. Browning lived for a short time 
when her declining health required a warmer climate.
It's still run as a hotel, but is apparently nowhere near as glamorous these days. 

 Most of these historic buildings have lost their glow now they are over 200 years old.
Owners seem financially hard-pressed to make repairs, freshen up facades, 
and keep interiors bright and clean. 

This amazing old copy of Mrs. Browning's book of sonnets was sent to me by

 my lovely blog friend Shane in Auckland, NZ. It arrived last year before I knew

 I'd be staying within a stone's throw of where this famous poet sat, long ago,

 putting pen to paper and writing beautiful poems. 

So yes. . . . . . for those of you who've asked if I'm planning a trip anytime soon,

This week will see me going home to visit family, old friends, and new friends!

More another time.

Happy day.

Expedition to Sicily. . . . . . . . . . . .

WAY we go.

At the airport now. 
Leaving tonight for Italy. . . . . . . . . usual long transatlantic flight to London's

 Heathrow airport, followed by an early morning bus ride south to Gatwick airport. 

 Meeting up there with our friends, and other travelers joining the trip, and we all
 head out together on a flight to Naples. 
The MS Island Sky will be waiting for us and we board early afternoon to be
 whisked away on the evening tide for the overnight sail to our first shore excursion
 just south of Naples, then cross the sea to the beautiful Island of Sicily. 
The red marker on this map is Mt. Etna, hoping to get pictures, but not planning
 to climb as it has been quite active lately!

South of Sicily is the tiny island of Malta and it will be our last stop on the cruise.
All these places will be a first for us so we are very excited about this trip. 

I may not be here blogging for a while - but on the other hand I may just

 pop up unexpectedly if I have Internet access. 

I probably won't be leaving comments but I will read your posts if 

possible, again it all hinges on whether there's Internet available and

 how fast it works on board the ship!

"Arrivederci amici"

Crossing the Pond tonight!

Awaiting the flight to London right now. The packing was crazy for this complicated

itinerary but, as you can see, it was completed early this morning.

Yes, I still love old fashioned padded hangers by the way!

My next post will hopefully be from lovely England tomorrow!

I had to buy a new camera yesterday - totally not planned! More on that another time.

These are my first photos - I'll be reading the manual on the plane tonight!

On the way to Hungary. . . . . . . . .

We'll be flying away come Saturday. . . . . . . .and by Sunday 

evening will be ready for a good night's sleep here in the truly 

fabulous city of Budapest.

Image from my visit in October 2013

Looking across the River Danube from Buda to Pest.

via Viking River Cruises

From Hungary to Holland ~  and many beautiful places in-between.
'Postcards' from the rivers and roads later! 

As several of you have already figured out, we are thrilled to be 
meeting up with the wonderful Jane & Lance Hattat who live in Budapest.  
Prior to embarking the Viking Cruises riverboat the Aegir (Norse name
 meaning 'of the gods'), these fun Brits will show us parts of the city we 
missed on our last visit.

Some of you already follow their always interesting and erudite blog 
HATTAT - click here http://hattatt.blogspot.com
There's great news on their current post . . . . . . Jane & Lance are soon
to become movie stars!

High Flyers~~~

If you have followed my travels you'll know I fly long distances quite a lot.

I love airports where I can watch planes arrive and depart, wondering where they 

came from or are flying off to, east, west, north, south………to all corners of the world.

 Some airlines paint their planes with brilliant colors, decals, logos, swooshes and lettering.

On the tarmac at London's Heathrow, a gigantic airport with planes landing and taking off continuously, 

most colorful was Thai Airways which I have flown on and found to be an excellent airline. 

Photo taken from the lounge window.

Classic now reigns for British Airways planes again. Some years back, in the late 90's, they 

painted their tail-fins in controversial designs which did not fare well with traditionalists.

Being the world's largest hub for British Airways, there were rows and rows of their planes 

at Heathrow - I took this pic as we were positioning for take-off.

Eight hours later, after a very smooth flight across the pond, I was looking down on 

North Carolina. Having a daily direct flight London to Raleigh is a joy - we are 

so thankful for this easy access to Europe.

I've come back with a horrible chest cold and laryngitis - for once I'm quiet!

Hope to catch up with everyone soon - will be sharing much more of the 

fabulous Baltic cruise and my time in the UK.

Mr. Selfridge has left the building…

If you, like me, have been watching, and I'm certain enjoying, the series Mr. Selfridge, you will know this amazing department store on Oxford Street, London's main shopping venue.

Monday was as usual a busy day on the street and it was easy to see Summer tourists are now arriving - and Wimbledon is in full swing also.

I see our big American Airlines bird at the jetway across from the hotel room window so we're off to catch a taxi shortly and will be heading back across the pond.  Will be in touch later once settled in at home - looking forward to getting back after a great trip.

CHEERIO…………………as we fly away!

We're off across the pond this evening! Arrive at Heathrow in the morning, then hop on a coach for the hour plus ride to Southampton. Our wonderful friends Jean and Mike from Devon will be meeting us for an evening of dining and chatting, catching up with all the news. They are staying over at our hotel so they can spend the following morning with us prior to our embarking the Queen Victoria. I feel so fortunate to have one of my very dearest school friends still so close that she, and her lovely hubby, would drive all that way across the south of England for a little visit with us. Jean and I shared school days and fun days as teens. Later, after I emigrated to the USA, we kept in touch, always got together when I visited home, and they came to visit me here in Raleigh once.  
Something very special, Jean was a super, caring friend to my mother in her later years, helping when I could not be there, my mother loved her and Mike very much. Jean you were the best ~ I've always been so grateful to have you as our friend. A tear falling here ~ I'll be hugging you both soon!

Packing update:
No, didn't manage to get everything in that one suitcase. With a pout and a sigh I had to hang a few clothes back in the closet, but I am taking all the shoes as planned - one pair tucked into Bob's luggage, another in my carryon bag, the others in my checked bag. Happy feet here!

Next post will be from across the pond dear readers…………………