So, now that we are actually travelling I finally feel safe reporting the details of our trip. I have been wrong so many times because things changed SO MANY TIMES, that I have really been uncomfortable even talking about it— I know some of you who have been subjected to being around me IRL would disagree, but I HAVE talked about this trip so much less than any other! We are currently in the Atlantic Read more…
As we say in the South, it’s been “a minute” since I last updated this blog. Many of you know us IRL, so it hasn’t been necessary for you guys to read the mundane details of the last year, but there might be a few followers who haven’t seen us and don’t know what we have been up to. For those, and those of you who were only halfway listening while I have prattled on, I give you the following highlight Read more…
I wanted to give anyone interested a quick update. We are back. I have accepted a travel position in Florida and start tomorrow. Yes, you read that right- we jumped out of the (COVID) frying pan and into the (COVID) fire! I have to say from a health standpoint it was probably not the best decision. We came from a continent where most were vaccinated and happy to show their cards attesting to it and Read more…
So we are home. It was not easy. Everything that could go wrong, did. What was supposed to be an 11 hour trip actually took about 74 hours. It was a fitting end to our trip. Our Air France flight was delayed by 2 hours and 45 minutes (on the tarmac) due to a broken toilet. The delay caused us to miss our connecting flight out of NY. This time is important, because per EU Read more…
I visited Paris once before and was not exactly in a rush to return. My previous visit was very short and not particularly enjoyable. It was a quick overnight trip on the Eurostar from London in 2005, when I travelled with friends. I remember Paris was hot, frustrating due to language issues, and smelled of urine absolutely everywhere we went. I also remember that it seemed everyone was happy in the city except me and Read more…
We spent a relaxing week here. Mostly because there are several fun things to do that appeal to adults and kids here and everyone was interested and content. We did an escape room at Le Donjon de Rouen and got to use Oculus Quest VR goggles. We visited St. Joan of Arc’s Church, as well as the Historial Jeanne d’Arc, which is a reenactment of the second (posthumous) trial. We explored parks, playgrounds, cemeteries, and Read more…
Rob and I joked about how once we made the decision to go home, everything would smooth out and go perfectly because that just seems to be the Wicker Way. It looks like we were right. We have just spent the most lovely week in Rouen. The place is gorgeous. The people are lovely. The art is amazing and seems to be everywhere you look. And there are patisseries on every street. I have taken Read more…
We have made a hard decision. We are temporarily throwing in the towel and crying “Uncle”. It has become an exercise in futility. We are running into new cancellations and rule changes every few days and nobody seems to know what to do or what the newest requirements are. We changed the schedule and came to France when Amsterdam, Brussels, and Berlin would not allow us in after being in the UK. But now the Read more…
I have a very small inkling of how immigrants to our country feel now, and I don’t like it at all. I had two years of high school French that were, quite obviously, a waste of my time and Mrs. Meles’. (She hated me, btw, but that is a story for another day.) Today is a day for catching up on the past week which was, fairly uneventful, and also terrifying. I have been able Read more…
I didn’t say it was a GOOD plan, lol. But it is a plan. We turned in the rental car in Newcastle-upon-Tyne today, as scheduled. Unfortunately, however, we could not leave on the ferry from there and instead had to ride on a motorcoach (Flix Bus) to London. It was an interesting people-watching experience and we learned a very valuable lesson…. DO NOT sit near the rear of the bus with the Port-a-potty. The smell Read more…