Daily Archives: May 3, 2013

My favourite vacation spot

Do you know something? I don’t think that I have a favourite holiday spot. For me the holiday begins as soon as I close the front door behind me. Each journey so far, be it near or far, has been an adventure.

Down the years, I have travelled with family, friends and on many occasion on my own. Travelling alone might make me sound like ‘a loner’, but in fact, it is when I meet the most interesting people. I learned about fabulous unspoilt villages off the beaten track, interesting buildings & museums or sandy coves…. with sparkling water lapping onto un-trodden sands.

RESTAURANTS, oh the restaurants. I like to stay away from the tourist belts, and eat in the establishments that the locals frequent. The locals know where to find the best food!

Earliest memories are the long sun filled summers of childhood, when I was kidnapped in the closing week of the school term, to become an only child for a couple of months in Sligo on the west coast of Ireland.  My uncle and aunt returned me to the fold at the beginning of September, an inch taller, dappled with freckles and a more glorious glow to my hair, all the benefits of long hours outdoors and the locks being washed in Mr Clark’s rain water……

Once I finished school and joined the workforce, holidays changed.

I went hitchhiking to Salthill in Galway, but that is a stand alone, story… I still have the scar on my hand to prove it. 😉

Three car loads of us went to a festival in Tipperary, we were camping. Fifteen bodies, fifteen sleeping bags and three or four tents, gear to wear, gear to cook with, not forgetting the sausages, bacon, eggs and tomatoes for breakfasts all in three cars! – Another stand alone story.

Girlie camping holidays, one where one newbie in our group, arrived with pink silk dressing gown and bedroom mules in palest pink with swans-down trim. In Ireland home of eternal rain!

First trip to mainland Europe was overland, an opportunity to see six or seven countries, learn and gather a little knowledge for further exploration.

A cruise in the Med, where I ended up playing match maker!

A self catering holiday on a pig farm – with no smell – in Denmark.

Island holidays to Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza, Malta, Mykonos & Crete

Five wonderful days in Cape Cod, was my only visit across the pond.

There is still over half the world to see, so I am no way ready to pin point any one place as my favourite.

Delores is far away from home right now, in China for an extended stay and perhaps that is why she chose My favourite vacation spot as our topic this week. Now, I need to pack my bag for a trip round our other active members, why not toddle along for some holiday fun: Delirious, Maxi, Maria/Gaelikaa, Maria SilverFox, Padmum, Ramana, Shackman speaks, The Old Fossil, Will Knott.

Nancy

It is with great sadness that I share with you some sad news.

My dearly loved friend Nancy Leitz, known to all of you for her sense of fun, laughter, stories and not forgetting her love of vinegar & caster sugar, has not been very visible on my blog recently.

Since Thanksgiving, Nancy’s husband Roy has been fighting a mighty battle of illness. Unfortunately illness won on Wednesday morning, and Roy passed away in his home with the love of his life Nancy by his side.

Roy was a larger than life character, generous family man and a person of great wit, who always had a strong work ethic and he loved to travel.  He will be remembered by family and friends for his stories…

Wonderful stories that Nancy shared with me on many an occasion. You can read one of them here at The Elder Storytelling Place, where Nancy has found an outlet, and is a regular contributor.

Please keep Nancy and her family in your thoughts & prayers in the days & months ahead.