getting ready

 

I am in the throws of getting ready for my next trip, and recovering from my last trip!

One thing that struck me as when I was at Heathrow, was how people dressed to fly.

My earliest flights were in the 70's and we always got 'a travelling outfit', the question 'what are you travelling in ' was something that was regularly heard.

In the very early 80's, at the height of Ultravox fame, I remember my sister and I getting trench coats from  C & A to wear when we flew out to Tunis from Heathrow, where we were having a months holiday to celebrate me being 18 and alive ( long story).  These double breasted coats were fastened up with the belt knotted round the waist and the collar turned up  a la Midge Ure!

I remember well my sister having a bacon and egg  sandwich and spilling the egg on the hem of said coat. I spotted Dee ( Dave ) Harris from a band called Fashion  ( he is now a renowned producer and Jazz musician). I got his autograph on the back of a doctors appointment card!

Moving on to the 90's and I still thought it was important to 'dress' to go to the airport. on one occasion Jon and I flew out to Barcelona, I was in a dress and heels and he was still in his work suit as we had sped off straight from work to Heathrow for the flight. This was the era of shell suits........................enough said

I seem to always  have tried to turn up 'smart'.

I can't remember noticing other people flying outfits, until the last couple of years, when the airport seemed to be full of young girls in leisure suits and rollers in their hair in the airport. One was on my flight and she nearly blinded the man behind her, when near the end of the flight she removed the rollers and started flipping her hair around!

Anther thing I really don't appreciate is  seeing any mans bum cleavage, but definitely not at the airport or on the plane, and yes that has happened a few times recently. 

At Heathrow as I glanced around, I realised that the days of getting 'a travelling outfit' are obviously a thing of the past.

 I NEVER travel in flip flops, no matter if I have to take my 3in heeled stiletto strappy sandals off and put them through the scanner. 

How do you travel?

😊

Travelling solo

 

The lovely Dale  at   https://dalesidebottom.notjusttravel.com/  sent me an email with a guide to Essential solo travel.

This made me think about my solo adventures, not just those documented here but most of my adult life.

I realise that travelling solo is something that I have done more than gone on holiday with another person.

So why do I prefer this to having a companion? Well I often tell people that its because I am a bit selfish, when in reality I think its because I very much like my own company.

Being a solo traveller means that you can choose the place you want to go, accommodation and things to do. It also means you only have one person to think about, you ( the most important person).

As a lone female traveller. I delve into laws and customs of places I go to, this is more common sense than anything else. I also always carry a small pocket torch, its easier to switch on than the ones on phones. If I am out in the evening I usually stay close to my base and where there are people about. 

Insurance, well that goes without saying, too many people travel without insurance, why????

When taking the car abroad ( I used to go regularly to France with my car) I'd have the car given a once over before I went, made sure I had my country sticker and light adapters and lightbulb kit, warning triangle and hi vis, my god there nearly wasn't room for my suitcase and all the wine I carried home!!!!

I always do a lot of research about where I am travelling to and make a rough itinerary of what I want to do and see. This often goes out of the window ( Spain 2023), but its your holiday and you can please yourself. The joy of travelling solo.

I travelled solo in the days before mobile phones so would phone my Mum to say Id arrived and usually once during the time away ( it was very expensive to phone home), however same applies now, although I let my Aunt know as Mum is no longer with us.

I keep my money and documents in  the safe, if there is one in my room at the hotel, if not, I have a safe place to put them. Same applies if I am in an apartment. I carry only as much cash with me when out and about as I think I'll need, and very rarely carry cards. 

I rarely wear jewellery if I am out and about in towns and cities, just to be on the safe side.

I enjoy myself, after all I have picked the holiday. Your holiday is what you make it. I stayed in a hotel last year, with awful staff and where I was humiliated every evening when I went into dinner. It didn't spoil my  holiday. I cut interaction with reception and bar staff to a minimum and went out to eat  for the last few days of the holiday, enjoying more local cuisine.

I'm not a loner, I just enjoy my own company, I love travelling solo.

Ticks for April

 

I had made the decision that I would be in the UK for April, this year is not about travelling abroad every month, but about doing something different or going to a new place.

And so I had a drive over to West Yorkshire to visit Keighley. This was mainly to look at an Antiques centre, but also for a look out.

The Antiques centre ( Worth Valley Antiques) is a lovely place, an old mill which still incorporates a sawmill.

The antiques centre is spread over 3 floors and very newly opened, so if you are in the area, pop in and have a look around.

The thing that I wasn't too keen on was the 'mountains' that you had to drive down to get into Keighley, and obviously drive back up to get out.

Being mainly a city girl, this goes totally against the grain, I'd prefer 3 circuits of the M25 than have to do that regularly.

Another thing that I had never done before, was fly to London and back the same day.

I have flown in and out of Heathrow,  to the North East many, many times but usually with a few days 'hols' in between.

The idea of going to a sales meeting, there and back in a day was totally appealing, until the reality hit home at 2.30am the day of the meeting.

Up at 2.30am, picked up by taxi at 3.45am and fly out from Newcastle at 6am, well 6.30am as we were stuck on the runway due to air traffic and wind, not sure if the latter was affecting the former but we didn't take off on time.

Arrive at Heathrow, I saw Concorde, which always makes me happy. We then walked straight past the driver holding a huge sign for us!!!! ( come on I was dead on my feet and still had a meeting to get through). Into car, and whizzed off through Berkshire to Buckinghamshire and our HQ in Marlow.

A full days sales meeting and then 4.30pm back in the car and whisked back to Heathrow.

Luckily there was time for the obligatory airport glass of fizz, before we were shuttled onto the BA flight back to Newcastle...........................and then sat on the tarmac for an hour waiting to take off. It seems rain on the radar is the air equivalent  leaves on the line. I can only imagine that the shipping version is clouds on the compass!

As we eventually took off, there was a traffic  jam of planes lining up to take off, 7 according to the attendant.

We arrived back into Newcastle after 8pm, cold, tired and hoping that our taxi would be there, it wasn't!

It did eventually turn up and I arrived home at 9.30pm, dragging myself upstairs  and straight in to bed.

I'd never done that 'day trip before' and doubt  I'll ever want to do it again.

Put them down to experience, and that's exactly what this year is all about.

So 2 ticks for April and we move onto May.