Greetings, loyal (I hope) readers. It’s been a while—like since New Year’s Eve. I just wanted to give you a heads-up about some upcoming posts coming your way in late May and pretty much all of June.
Yes, it’s time to travel again. And what a trip we have planned. A full month in Europe will first take us to see two of our oldest and dearest friends, Paul & Gail, in Leeds, England. But before that, we get to try an entirely new airline that will take us from Seattle to Heathrow—Virgin Atlantic. We have never flown with them before, and to make it even more special, we have never (after more than 230 flights) flown on a 787 Dreamliner, but we will on this flight.
When we get to London, we will transfer to Kings Cross station for our train ride to Leeds. That should be fun. We are with Paul and Gail for a long weekend and then we are off on another train to the west coast of Scotland. Both Kathleen and I love everything about Scotland, and since we have spent a lot of time on the eastern coast (Edinburgh, Inverness, Stirling, etc.), we thought we needed to do the west side, including Glasgow, Oban and the Isle of Skye. Here’s what our route looks like.
Once we finish our Scotland journey, we grab a train back to London (actually Greenwich) for a couple of days. While we are there, we are going to do two things I am really looking forward to. First, we are traveling to Richmond to take a one-of-a-kind Ted Lasso tour. This tour goes to all of the places where they filmed my absolute favorite television show of all time. That night, we are back in the West End to see a new musical (that was nominated for an Olivier Award), Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder!
The next morning, we start the BIG second half of our journey, a Viking Ocean cruise down the Thames River to the North Sea to sail to Edinburgh, the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands, Scotland as well as Honningsvåg, Tromsø, Bodø, Geiranger and Bergen, Norway.
After the cruise and a day in Bergen, we fly back to London (via Copenhagen), where we will spend the night at an airport hotel before another ride on Virgin Atlantic’s 787 back to Seattle.
All this means lots of photography and, hopefully, my usual daily updates for the full month of June. So stand by. We leave on May 30th. I will check in again before we go.
Adventure is just bad planning. —Roald Amundsen
We used Lara at Travel by Locals for a great tour of Shetland this time last year on our British Isles Viking cruise.
Thanks, Marilyn! We have been to Shetland before, so we are just going to do the basic Viking freebie tour and then walk around Lerwick.
Your month long itinerary/trip sounds wonderful. Paul and I are really looking forward to seeing you and your visit with us in Leeds again. Let’s hope the English and Scottish weather Gods are behaving! ?? ?
Looking forward to “:traveling” with you and Kathleen. I should be back from France just as you leave…Your photos and commentary are always enjoyed! Safe travel…
Well that is an itinerary and a half, it must have taken some planning.
Scotland is only 7 hours or so up the road but somewhere we have not really ventured. What are you doing accommodation wise on that particular leg?
We still have another 6 months until our next cruise but it will be worth the wait as we circumnavigate Australia. 28 nights of which 15 are sea days but it has always appealed to me.
I’m really looking forward to Victor Meldrew’s 2024 tour of Europe. ?
Good to hear from you! Six more months? Oh, no. I am so sorry but that does sound like a super trip. And you have to get up north to Scotland. One of our favorite places. Edinburgh is in my top five cities we have visited and the Royal Military Tattoo in August is the best show I have ever seen.
We are spending three nights in Glasgow at the Grasshopper Hotel on the way up and one night on the way back. We chose it because of the reviews but also because it is on the sixth floor above Glasgow Central Station so we don’t have far to go from or to the train.
In Oban, we are staying at The Manor House. To be honest, I booked it so long ago that I can’t remember why I did ?. Then we found a really cute little B&B (like the real kind where they give you breakfast) for our three nights in Portree on the Isle of Skye. It’s called The Ballintoy B&B.
And since both you and my good friend from Leeds said I reminded you of Victor Mulgrew, I had to find the show. Watched the first episode and was totally insulted that you would equate me with him ? but I forgive you both anyway.
That is some Scotland tour! How many days will you be there.
We leave Paul and Gail’s on Monday the 3rd of June and take the train back to London on Wednesday the 12th.
Yay! Glad you are traveling again!
Looking forward to following along.
Claudia (sleep7)
A devoted follower here, so once again I’ll travel along with you on my computer. Your trip sounds awesome, as always. Are Steve and Jamie going with you? My brother and sister-in-law are ending their Regents Seven Seas 18 night cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver. They were in a second from the bottom cabin class and from the photos and what they said, AMAZINGLY large cabin. Celebrity would call it one of their top suites. Awesome food, BC flights, tips, all specialty restaurants included, laundry and Wifi for one device all included. Scotland is gorgeous and your extra time there will be a bonus.
Steve and Jamie will meet us in London for the Ted Lasso tour, the night at the theater in the West End and the 14 night Viking cruise.
getting closer
Why yes it is.