Way to go

It’s time I went travelling again. The days are over when I’ll take off for months on end, but my life doesn’t feel normal unless I get away every couple of years at the max. I went to Bali last year, but that hardly counts. Before that was my jaunt to North Africa in late 2007. That’s too long.

I’m not going anywhere in a hurry, but I’m happy to begin planning. Realistically with work and a few other things I can’t really manage to get away anywhere serious before the end of the year. I might manage a short holiday before that, and maybe just sitting on a beach on an island resort in Oz. I could handle that, but the real business is jetting abroad.

Right now I’m tossing up options. Japan has been on the list for a long while, but I really I want to get there in the March/April period. The latter part of that is cherry blossom season, and I would be hopeful to get some skiing in at the start of it. So Japan’s out. Ireland has been on the list for a few years too, so is an option. Rightly or wrongly though I figure that’s one of those places best seen with a romantic interest. I don’t doubt you could have a lot of fun solo, but I imagine a romantic visit to the Emerald Isles would leave you with many happy memories.

The Trans Siberian Express has been on my list for many years, ever since I was a kid. I had romantic notions of sharing the journey with the rugged locals and passing the vodka bottle along. My views on it may be slightly more sophisticated these days, but I’m still keen to do it. In actual fact I very nearly booked a trip last year when it was on special. I kind of wish I had now. I think you have to go at particular times of the year. The depth of the Russian winter might be too rugged, but I don’t believe it’s the same experience unless you see some snow on the tundra. Maybe it’s an option around October, Beijing to St Petersburg.

Over a drink or two last week Whisky and I discussed hiring a yacht to sail around Croatian waters. It sounded nice, and something I’ve long been keen to do. But that’s next year at earliest, if it happens at all.

The final option is the states, and the one I’m leaning towards. I’ve never really done it properly, and given that I probably can’t allow any longer than 3 weeks away doing it ‘properly’ is unlikely this time too – but it’s better than nothing. Seems pretty tough though, and I think realistically I can only do one coast. That’d be the east coast. Do New York, Boston, maybe Montreal, check out DC, and I’d like to get somewhere down south, preferably by car – maybe Charleston. I’ve a yen to check out Chicago too. Then home, spending maybe a day in LA to do something trashily touristy.

Who knows, lot to happen between now and then, but you gotta hope. Figure something will happen. I’ll know when I set foot on some foreign shore that my life is back to normal and everything’s good.