I’ve been spending far too much time at the computer figuring out … drum roll … our trip to the UK!

Yep, I’m back at it.

I’ve frequently said I really wanted to do one of those walking holidays. Plus I’ve always wanted Dan to see Scotland (I was there in 1976 and while the memories are vague, I know I loved it). For the walk I first looked at what is called the West Highland Way, but it turns out one needs to plan much earlier and things were full when we decided we were ready to go for it. So instead we are doing the Great Glen Way. That was the first bit we knew we had to get scheduled, because we didn’t want to do any more until that was absolutely set.

In reality I think the Great Glen Way walk is better for a first walk. It starts out very gently, and there are, I think, maybe two days that might have climbs. It begins where the West Highland Way ends, so perhaps we’ll run into people who are finishing with that and can hear about their walk. We walk for seven days — yes, we took the most days we could so we can amble and not feel at all rushed. The company I used to schedule our lodging and luggage transportation is Mickledore, and so far they’ve been great. We don’t yet get the full itinerary, though: we have only paid our deposit and they send the entire packet out after we pay in full and it is maybe a few months before the trip (in case they have to change things up). I know some people do all this planning on their own, and part of me feels as if I’m wimping out having a company do it, but I was just too unsure of what I needed to do. When we go out on the walk we do it on our own: the company only plans for us and then is there to answer calls should we have any problems.

Of course if one goes all the way to the UK one shouldn’t “just” do a walk and go right back home, right? Besides that, our son Brandon will be in London at the start of June so it seems to me we have an obligation to meet up at least for a day. So as it turns out we will end in London, and we needed to fill in the space between ending the walk and “landing” in London. Including our day of flying to our first destination (via FRA), we are out and about for a short 27 days this time.

Stay tuned for more to come about the planning of the trip and all. For now let me just say I’m pretty darn excited and even while we don’t leave for 119 days (not that I would be counting or anything) I am starting to pack in my head! (I’ll have to write about what we will pack later as well, since a walking holiday means a slightly different set of clothes and also means we can’t do all carryon.).

Oh … and our house sitters will be back. Thus, I can write about things here!