2024 On The Road Again........

 

Yep that’s right, after much thought, actually not too much thought but a fair bit of consideration we’re getting ready for another adventure.

Lots of friends and family have been asking us since we got back from The Alps last year, ‘what are you doing next’ and that has been great encouragement, thanks.  We've enjoyed being back in Shropshire and doing a whole variety of work and travel things too but we've itchy feet for another big trip and so these are our plans.

Last year we loved living in a traditional alpine environment, not just a skiing resort but a place that had history and nature and to be honest I wasn’t sure we’d find anything better than Samoens and the Grand Massif area.  It's definitely an area we want to return to someday.

But the real aim of this trip is to visit Spain and particularly the southern cities of Andalucia. Granada, Seville, Cordoba, Ronda and Almeria have all been on Melle’s wish list for almost as long as I’ve known her, which is a very long time. And recently I’ve read so much about the food and drink, the traditional festivals, the culture, nature and architecture and of course the people that I can’t wait to get there. We’re aiming to arrive at the end of March, and maybe take in some of the Easter festivals, and then spend April exploring the area. We’re hoping for a bit of early sunshine too - and maybe bring it home back to the UK in early May?

But of course it’s the winter and squeezing in a bit of winter wonderland and skiing is always on my mind as well. It would be too far to go to the Alps on the way to southern Spain so we did originally plan to go to Sierra Nevada which is only 30 mins from Granada and at over 3,000 metres Spain’s number one ski resort. They say you can be on the beech from there in an hour too. But then I read about the relatively unspoilt natural beauty of the French Pyrenees and started to reconsider. Long story short we’re now planning two or three weeks in and around Luz Saint Sauveur which is close to Col de Tourmalet for the Tour De France enthusiasts and Pic du Midi too. We're hoping to ski two or three resorts from there and also maybe do a bit of snowshoeing and relaxing in the natural spas they have in the area.  Taking in what we're told is a mix of French and Spanish culture and experiencing some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Europe too.  So watch this space for the photos.

So currently we're turning the planning into preparation as we get Homer his annual service, MoT and habitation check and start to go through the kit list again. And this time we have another fellow adventurer joining us as we prepare to bring our Jack Russell, Roxy, along. Who knew there’s so much prep for that - her Animal Health Certificate is a major undertaking on its own. And I never thought I’d say this but I’m actually looking forward to having her along. She’s 14 years old now and has calmed down a bit in her dotage and I think she’ll enjoy the trip and give us an extra bit of home comfort too. I hope I’m right - no doubt you’ll hear all about it anyway!!

So that’s it for now - we’ve booked the ferry - Newhaven to Dieppe on Fri 23rd Feb (returning 10 weeks later on 3rd May) and loads to cram in before then…..

Oh yeh - we've also put our house on Air BnB so if you know anyone who might be interested in staying in lovely Shropshire during March or April please send them the link airbnb.com/h/family-home-shrewsbury

To be continued........😉

This blog was written by Chris


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