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Because we are leaving today--in five hours to be exact--on the first leg on a Trip of a Lifetime. Cue chair dance of exuberance. To be even more exact, this is my husband's TOAL, which has been many years in the planning…so many years that he'd saved enough points for us to fly business class. To say I'm excited (even thought this is his TOAL) is an understatement.
The trip is to America, built around a visit to his sister who has lived in Canada for 22 years--and is therefore saying, "FINALLY, my brother comes to visit!"--and various horse-related activities. Any additions of football games, Grand Canyons, 24-hours-in-Vegas are down to my expert travel planning.
Actually, I shouldn't brag too loudly about my travel planning. I have made blunders. Firstly, I spent far too many hours on the planning, to the extent of total obsession. Secondly, I got impatient and booked the domestic US flights too early, hence there have been a lot of schedule changes, several of which made a significant difference to our plans. Thirdly, I assumed a couple of dates/times based on last year's events and came unstuck. Which meant having to change those booked-too-early flights and paying the price penalty.
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None of which matters now, because after a year from hell with far too much sadness and tears, we are leaving today on what will be a trip filled with joy and laughter and togetherness (and probably a few tears when we land at sis-in-law's.) And we will not worry about what is happening at home because we have four angels who have stepped up to make this possible, living in at the farm to care for our special-needs son, the animals and the precious plants which came from my Mum's garden. I have edited my list of instructions down to five pages. I am ready to go…once I pack.
Given no constraints of time, money or imagination, what would be your Trip of a Lifetime?
Oh Bron!!! How exciting - bon voyage. Hope you guys have the best time. So very excited for you both.
ReplyDeleteTOAL for me.....I'm lucky to have already done a bit of travelling but I think a grand adventure through eastern Europe ending with a few months in Tuscany at a big ol villa would be pretty divine!
Can I come too???
DeleteAnd let me guess… at that villa you might do a spot of writing, a la Under the Tuscan Sun? Because I would totally LOVE that!
Hoping that you both have a fantastic, safe and memorable trip!
ReplyDeleteMy TOAL is long leisurely drive around Australia, visiting all the towns we've heard of but never been near.
All the best, Bron.
That sounds wonderful, Claire. Especially the leisurely bit. My brother and his wife have been doing just such a trip over several years. They are leaving this week to resume after coming home to spend the last 10 months with Mum.
DeleteWoohoo Bronwyn
ReplyDeleteI am thrilled for you and Hubby it will be awesome as for me I would love to cruise around the world I love cruising and that would be the best for Hubby and I
Have a wonderful time ☺
Have Fun
Helen
I love the sound of cruising, Heln, but after getting sea-sick on a glass-bottomed boat on a totally flat sea, I'm not sure that I'd handle it. One day I may be brave enough to try!
DeleteBon boyage Bron and hubby. This sounds like an amazing trip and please give your s-i-l a hug from me! We all had such fun in San Francisco, didn't we?
ReplyDeleteTOAL...it's a toss up between taking a mobile home all around NZ's South Island in a very leisurely fashion (with perfect weather the whole time, of course!) or doing a very long and very belated OE with hubby and seeing parts of the UK, Holland (visit the rellies), France and Italy. If I could throw a river cruise in there as well, all the better. :-D
Now a river cruise I could handle, Yvonne, and I could totally handle more leisuring touring of the beautiful south island. It is a magic place!
DeleteI will give Ed the biggest hug from you. She remembered that SF weekend very well!
Ooh, how utterly exciting, Bron! Hope you both have the most perfectly wonderful time. Wishing you a safe and amazingly memorable trip.
ReplyDeleteTOAL...How I would love to spend three leisurely months touring Europe. Maybe one day. :-)
Just quietly, any leisurely Europe trip -- especially one where I got to stay in the one place to really absorb the local ambience -- would be my TOAL. One day! But for now, I am packed. I am currently trying to not stress about what I've forgotten. As long as we have passports and credit/debit cards, we can get by, right?
ReplyDeleteOh, Bron, how wonderful and exciting! I hope you have the most amazing time and look forward to hearing all about it and seeing lots of photos!
ReplyDeleteMy TOAL? Gosh, that's a hard one. I adore traveling and have done a fair bit, but I think possibly a road trip through the states would be high on my list as would a trip around Europe- pretty much anywhere, really. Add in business class travel and I'd be in seventh heaven! (one day I will travel business class, one day...)
Wow, Bron, you have a fantastic time. Of course you're going to anyway.
ReplyDeleteMy choice of a trip, other than all the ones I want to do to Europe, South America and Alaska, would be to the Antarctic. It still seems like one of those untouched places - though I know that's not quite true.
Bron, I'm so glad you've got this wonderful trip happening. Can't wait for updates or a report when you get back. I'm sure there'll be lots and lots of stories to tell!
ReplyDeleteTOAL? I think it varies from time to time. If I could fit in Morocco, Mexico, the Caribbean and a long stay in Europe that would be brilliant. I suspect though that's too much :)! Right now, just the thought of time switched 'off' and knowing everything back home is okay would be bliss.
Can't wait to see what stories come out of this trip!
Oh FANTASTIC about this TOAL, Bron! Have a wonderful time - and don't forget to pack the i-thing charger! I'm so looking forward to your post trip blogs!
ReplyDeleteAs for a TOAL for us... so hard to choose! I think I'd like to be able to spend a very open-ended time travelling right here in Australia and stay at places for much longer so we can really get the feel of the community. And so I can indulge my love of taking photographs! At the moment we're on our way home and whizzing past places and I'm thinking "gotta come back this way with more time" and "look at those pretty flowers! Need a camera stop!"
Congrats My friend!!! Hope you have a great time Bronwyn!!! if you plan on visiting Mass due it first cause the cold ass weather has hit....not like last time we were together in NY when it was just starting summer....lol
ReplyDeleteHave a totally amazing time, Bron. So excited for you. You deserve the most wonderful holiday ever.
ReplyDeleteI love Europe and get back there any chance I get. This year will are giving the kids a white Xmas over there. Can't wait.
Bron, I hope you have a ball! I'd love to go to Europe, maybe travel around for a few years so I could poke around all the lovely places. :)
ReplyDeleteFantastic Bron, have a fabulous time. My TOAL includes Paris, UK, some Europe, and maybe Canada, then down to Anne of Green Gables country. Oh, and add in the Guernsey Islands. Maybe a trip to Antarctica. Ha. Lots of places on the list!
ReplyDelete