From Statista: The the Tour de France, kicks off next week, running from July 1 - July 24. Its touted as one of the biggest sporting events in the world, and according to statistics by Mdiamtrie, attracted a television audience of 150 million viewers across Europe in 2021. But how popular is it on a basis?
Data from Statistas Global Consumer Survey shows that one stereotype does hold true: the Read on...
So looking forward to this trip. Our last summer motorhome holiday was 4 years ago June 2018. That was followed by a new knee op which cancelled the annual September trip, A year off while Bob got his heart sorted then 2020/2021 well Covid of course. We did have our trip to Spain via France in Feb / March but our main memories of that are Rain. Certainly not the winter sunshine break we had antici Read on...
I made the early morning train from Santander to Quintanilla with four minutes to spare. Cycling into Santander by moonlight I took a few wrong turns even with Google maps doing its best to keep me right. Although sometimes I really wonder why it chooses the routes it does.
Quintanilla at 9am on a Saturday morning is a very sleepy little village. I easily found the road to Alar del Rey. As Id hop Read on...
7:15 - 17:00 with an hour bus journey, then actually walking by 8:30am, a few short breaks, 20mins in boulder field , 20mins at the top of col, 90mins at Refugio de Cap de Llauset, 20mins stuck under ground sheet seeking shelter.
Well, the idea of a bus taking us an hour up the dirt road was too tempting soooo we took it. Call it working smarter not harder or call it cheating, either way it saved Read on...
Week 26 - that is halfway through 2021. Day 482. In 26 weeks time we have been through Christmas and will be in the bit between Christmas and New Year . Not a thought I relish . Odd how the year is just drifting away and we are not even noticing . It us an awful thought that we are ticking the months away . Two Springs under Covid restrictions , Two Easters, Two Summers . We are heading for two Au Read on...
We spent most of Saturday very satisfied with ourselves that our packing for the next 16 days. I kept thinking, ‘What are we missing? and nothing came to mind, so I enjoyed our Saturday lounging around the house, enjoying the great spring weather on the porch.
We went out to dinner for some excellent Mediterranean pizza then off to my laws house to meet with my wifes brother, his wife, my niec Read on...
In the immortal word salad of George W. Bush, Fool me once, shame on shame on you. Fool me – you cant get fooled again. By which he clearly meant that the first time you do something, you can be forgiven your ignorance, but if its the second or sixth time, you have obviously failed to learn from previous experience. And yet, here we are again, moving overseas with a cat. Evidently George isnt t Read on...
Im excited, finally getting to visit the worlds largest island with the least densely populated region on earth. Hard to believe only approximately 56,000 warm bodies live on a hunk of rock 3 times the size of Texas! The majority of its residents are Inuit, whose ancestors migrated from Alaska through northern Canada, gradually settling across the island by the 13thcentury. Most reside along the s Read on...
The weather forecast had had warnings for the past 2 days and overnight the rain arrived in Lake Tekapo although it wasnt loud enough on the roof of our to wake us.
However, as daylight increased and the mountain and lake scenery that had been there yesterday didnt reappear it seemed clear that the rain was going to be with us for a good part of the day.
And so it turned out and finally we had a Read on...
We headed to Birr about 15 minutes north, and visited Birr Castle Demesne. This is a castle, still lived in by the Parson family who have lived there for over 400 years. The current incumbent is the Seventh Earl of Rosse (Brendan Parsons), Lady Rosse (Alison and their family.
The castle is situated in around 120 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland. We wandered along paths, following the sta Read on...