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Going BIG in 2022!

artnbarb

1000+ Posts
We'll have almost 3 years worth of travel $$ for 2022, and I'm determined to make up for lost time. Add that to my "if this is the last year we can travel" mindset and here's what I'm thinking:
  • mid July - Fly to DC to see our granddaughters. 2-3 nights. - Fly to Dublin, stay 2-3 nights, then rent car and drive to Galway, then north/northeast into Northern Ireland. End up back in Dublin
  • late July - Fly from Dublin to Edinburgh. Rent a car or join a small group tour - not sure of length of tour - at least 8 days, Return to Edinburgh in -
  • early August - stay in Edinburgh 2-3 nights, attending the Royal Tattoo. Fly to London, staying at least 4 nights.
  • mid August - fly London-Perugia on the new British Air flight (hurrah!!!). Stay in Umbria for 89 days. During this time I'd like to spend a few days in Florence, and I'd like to spend our last few days in Rome before returning to the states in -
  • early November
So - we both have to stay healthy and fit. Art will be 76 in 2022, and I'm not sure if that affects his ability to rent a car - or if it might cost more. If I have to drive it'll have to be an automatic, but we already do that in Ireland/England/Scotland. It would probably cost more for the 3 months in Umbria, but it is what it is.

I don't feel as if the planning will take a lot of time, which is what I want. I want to see the high spots and still have time to discover some off-the-beaten-path sites as well. We could even end up taking a small group tour in Ireland. The timing of those tours would be critical, but I know Art would really appreciate being able to sight-see - and if I end up being the one driving, I'm not sure I'm willing to give up just enjoying the scenery and letting someone else plan my day.

Having a few extra dollars really eases my mind about added expenses we may face - taking more taxis instead of schlepping thru public transportation with rucksacks and a rolling bag, Or hiring a driver to take us to/from the airport. Or staying in a 2 star hotel instead of a one star. I might even splurge on a 3 star!!! Our time in Umbria will be a continual feast of porchetta and gelato and pizza and pasta and wine and olive oil - and friends!!!!! It seems so far off, but I really need to see a light at then end of this tunnel.

Anyone else planning big for 2022?
 
I’ve been thinking big too. Your trip sounds fabulous!

I know you don’t drive in Europe, but in this plan you are driving. Was it driving a manual that held you back before? We’ve always rented automatics. For our first few trips Steve always drove but finally I started driving too. It is nice to share the driving.

Your splurges sound good and will make the trip easier.

My possible big travel next year is also to do a longer trip. We are talking about Israel or France or Switzerland - doing a longer trip to one of them. But I think places may be very crowded next year with all us boomers loading up on travel.
 
Yes, since I don't drive a stick I've never driven in Europe at all, even when we rented automatics in Gr. Britain. Art really isn't a good passenger (or navigator) so for us it really works out best for him to drive - but now we might have to change, and it makes me nervous!

Places being crowded is a concern for me too - but we also have age working aginst us, so I don't want to wait another year.
 
Your trip sounds wonderful. I'm planning fairly big for 2022 - hopefully at least France and Italy for 4 weeks in the spring. I have some friends who will be moving to southern France once they can get their visas, so will have a place to stay some of the time. Then, Rome, Florence, Bologna, and other towns in Tuscany and Umbria. And, if it works out with my daughter, we want to take a Rick Steves tour of Poland later in the summer, provided of course the tour is available next year.
 
2022 will hopefully be a big year for me too! A week or so on a boat in Narbonne, a leisurely meander through Provence (7-10 days), 6 weeks in a Paris Airbnb, and perhaps a week in Switzerland with another week side trip to Belgium and Amsterdam. Did I use up my 90 days yet? No? Then probably Italy or Spain; haven't decided yet but intend to spend a lot of next year over there!
 
2022 will hopefully be a big year for me too! A week or so on a boat in Narbonne, a leisurely meander through Provence (7-10 days), 6 weeks in a Paris Airbnb, and perhaps a week in Switzerland with another week side trip to Belgium and Amsterdam. Did I use up my 90 days yet? No? Then probably Italy or Spain; haven't decided yet but intend to spend a lot of next year over there!

Hello Alwina.
I remember your wonderful trip reports from Paris on Slowtrav; I referred to them a lot for my two trips there in 2016 and 2017!
I wonder if it's possible to have them reproduced on here?
Pauline might know.
 
Hello Alwina.
I remember your wonderful trip reports from Paris on Slowtrav; I referred to them a lot for my two trips there in 2016 and 2017!
I wonder if it's possible to have them reproduced on here?
Pauline might know.
I have all the trip reports from SlowTrav and can copy them over if I get permission from the writer. I will send Alwina a message to see if she is interested.

Here is the list. The ones that have been moved to SlowEurope have a link to the report.
 
I have all the trip reports from SlowTrav and can copy them over if I get permission from the writer. I will send Alwina a message to see if she is interested.

Here is the list. The ones that have been moved to SlowEurope have a link to the report.
That list of names brings back so many memories. I wonder where they are now.
 
Your plan sounds fabulous. Matt and I are still working, so it's hard for us to get away for more than two weeks at a time, notwithstanding my 100's of hours of accrued vacation time. We initially thought that May 2022 would be our first opportunity to get back to Italy, and we were torn between visiting old friends and recreating our cancelled September 2020 trip.

Now we're beginning to consider a possible September trip, which would be the "old friends" version, then back in May for Bologna-Modena-Mantova-Padua-Ferrara. Meanwhile, my husband changed jobs during the pandemic and is now working for a company based in London and Copenhagen. He will probably resume business travel soon, and we might build in some long weekends in those cities. I can happily entertain myself while he's working part of the time.

My newly-renewed passport just arrived this week. I wanted to be ready to go as soon as we can.
 
We'll have almost 3 years worth of travel $$ for 2022, and I'm determined to make up for lost time. Add that to my "if this is the last year we can travel" mindset and here's what I'm thinking:
  • mid July - Fly to DC to see our granddaughters. 2-3 nights. - Fly to Dublin, stay 2-3 nights, then rent car and drive to Galway, then north/northeast into Northern Ireland. End up back in Dublin
  • late July - Fly from Dublin to Edinburgh. Rent a car or join a small group tour - not sure of length of tour - at least 8 days, Return to Edinburgh in -
  • early August - stay in Edinburgh 2-3 nights, attending the Royal Tattoo. Fly to London, staying at least 4 nights.
  • mid August - fly London-Perugia on the new British Air flight (hurrah!!!). Stay in Umbria for 89 days. During this time I'd like to spend a few days in Florence, and I'd like to spend our last few days in Rome before returning to the states in -
  • early November
So - we both have to stay healthy and fit. Art will be 76 in 2022, and I'm not sure if that affects his ability to rent a car - or if it might cost more. If I have to drive it'll have to be an automatic, but we already do that in Ireland/England/Scotland. It would probably cost more for the 3 months in Umbria, but it is what it is.

I don't feel as if the planning will take a lot of time, which is what I want. I want to see the high spots and still have time to discover some off-the-beaten-path sites as well. We could even end up taking a small group tour in Ireland. The timing of those tours would be critical, but I know Art would really appreciate being able to sight-see - and if I end up being the one driving, I'm not sure I'm willing to give up just enjoying the scenery and letting someone else plan my day.

Having a few extra dollars really eases my mind about added expenses we may face - taking more taxis instead of schlepping thru public transportation with rucksacks and a rolling bag, Or hiring a driver to take us to/from the airport. Or staying in a 2 star hotel instead of a one star. I might even splurge on a 3 star!!! Our time in Umbria will be a continual feast of porchetta and gelato and pizza and pasta and wine and olive oil - and friends!!!!! It seems so far off, but I really need to see a light at then end of this tunnel.

Anyone else planning big for 2022?
Wow, Barb, very big plans for you & Art! Well done! I love the idea that you get to stay such a long time.

If you're staying that long in Umbria I might suggest a car rental from an Italian man, Luigi and his son, Andreas. Company: RentMangiaVacchi. They were recommended to me by some ex-pats about 6 years ago and I love working with them. No English, clean, new cars and vans; many sizes. Just outside of Orvieto across the A-1, easy access. When I get the train from FCO, I call to let them know when I'll be at the Orvieto station & they are there within 15 minutes to pick me up, take me to their warehouse. Cash gets a better deal than cc so I always pay cash. I have been paying 40 euro a day, inclusive of good coverage, etc. (no deposit needed). No website, just email: rentmangiavacchi@libero.it. Extremely reliable even when Luigi had a heart attack, Andreas made sure to pick me up at the station. Anyway, just a thought. And easier than buying or leasing. Maybe you could negotiate a 3 month rental with Luigi!

Fun story: A couple of years ago I was sitting in my favorite wine bar in O (Il VinCaffe) and got a call from Luigi. He was talking about a key but too fast for me to understand his Italian. I handed the phone to Cristian who listened and started laughing......He told me to look to see where my car key was. It was not in my purse! Not 10 minutes later Luigi walks in holding up the key to my rental. Apparently I'd dropped in town somewhere and the key fob had his company on it so the finder called him. And we all had a good laugh!

Very excited for you!
 
Wow, Barb, very big plans for you & Art! Well done! I love the idea that you get to stay such a long time.

If you're staying that long in Umbria I might suggest a car rental from an Italian man, Luigi and his son, Andreas. Company: RentMangiaVacchi. They were recommended to me by some ex-pats about 6 years ago and I love working with them. No English, clean, new cars and vans; many sizes. Just outside of Orvieto across the A-1, easy access. When I get the train from FCO, I call to let them know when I'll be at the Orvieto station & they are there within 15 minutes to pick me up, take me to their warehouse. Cash gets a better deal than cc so I always pay cash. I have been paying 40 euro a day, inclusive of good coverage, etc. (no deposit needed). No website, just email: rentmangiavacchi@libero.it. Extremely reliable even when Luigi had a heart attack, Andreas made sure to pick me up at the station. Anyway, just a thought. And easier than buying or leasing. Maybe you could negotiate a 3 month rental with Luigi!

Fun story: A couple of years ago I was sitting in my favorite wine bar in O (Il VinCaffe) and got a call from Luigi. He was talking about a key but too fast for me to understand his Italian. I handed the phone to Cristian who listened and started laughing......He told me to look to see where my car key was. It was not in my purse! Not 10 minutes later Luigi walks in holding up the key to my rental. Apparently I'd dropped in town somewhere and the key fob had his company on it so the finder called him. And we all had a good laugh!

Very excited for you!
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm hoping car rental prices will normalize over the next year or so before we have to deal with this!
 
Hello Alwina.
I remember your wonderful trip reports from Paris on Slowtrav; I referred to them a lot for my two trips there in 2016 and 2017!
I wonder if it's possible to have them reproduced on here?
Pauline might know.
I too have remembered Alwina's wonderfully detailed reports from France. It would be great to read them again! Glad to see you're now on the Slow Europe forums.
 
If you are looking for a tour in Ireland, I highly recommend Vagabond Tours, an Irish owned and operated small group tour company. I never thought I was EVER take a tour, but my husband is limiting his travel these days, and I desperately wanted to visit Ireland again. I went on the 11 day Driftwood tour in the spring of 2019, and loved it. There were only 14 other people on the tour, and the schedule was flexible - every day you had several options. I loved our tour guide Damien, and he could drive the van and tell Irish folktales and sing at the same time. We stayed in locally owned small hotels that I would have picked. I hope to take another tour with them in September.
 
Thanks for the suggestion @ElizaN ! Because Art would like to be able to enjoy the ride instead of driving, we're considering tours with 2 small group companies, Wild N Happy, and the Irish Expericence. I'll add Vagabond Tours to the list - find the right tour at the right time will be challenging, so more options are always welcome!
 

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