Something New, Something Cherished - Part 2

Last week, I shared our "new" England experiences, this week I'll share some of our cherished England revisited!

As you know, we're foodies so of course we had to get all of our favorites!!

Ooops, someone got so excited to dig in they forgot to let me take a photo first.  This may or may not be MY plate! lol

Can't have the fish without the chips and mushy peas!

Steak and mushroom pie

Sticky toffee pudding - just one of many we had - and not the best - that honor belongs to those made by our cherished friend, Dani.

One simply must have tea and scones when in England. Yorkshire scones are huge and delicious but were missing and essential ingredient - clotted cream!  We remedied that - MANY - times during the second part of our trip - but the very best ones were at Vintage Blue Tea room in Lavenham. Which also served Eton Mess- another family favorite.

The Vintage Tea Room not only has delicious food, its adorable!

 More fish and chips - in Whitby.  We enjoyed eating them outside in a seaside town.  Our family did a taste test and decided we are a "haddock" family and preferred it over the cod.

When we lived near Cambridge, the girls were a little small for punting on their own so we made a trip back to let them give it a go.  Our smallest member was the best punter.  Our cherished friend Joe joined us and in addition, to providing us with this great photo, provided us our best adventure and a great day of memories!

London West End shows are definitely a family favorite.  On this trip, it mean rising at 5:00am and driving 5 hours in the rain to get to a tube station to make our way into the city but it was oh so worth it!!!!

As you can see my family and I are quite passionate about England and LOVE it. I would love to help you plan a trip there and experience all that is special about it!

Something New, Something Cherished -Part 1

My family had the privilege of returning to our beloved England this summer.  During our 3 years living there, we'd never made it to the North Yorkshire Moors so decided to spend the first part of our trip there and experience a "new to us" part of England.

It did not disappoint!!  A gorgeous drive across the moors with its fields of purple heather - not quite at their peak but still beautiful, brought us to our cottage at Church House Farm where we enjoyed spectacular views from our garden and from our walks.

Local Fairy house

While there we enjoyed a couple nice day trips - including a visit to Whitby Abbey and the town of Whitby.  Do you know the literary significance of Whitby Abbey?  Answer below...

199 Steps from Whitby Abbey to the town.  We started at the top and went down - and took the shuttle back UP!

Whitby was inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula.

What's a summer vacation without a beach day?  Apparently many others agreed because we began our day at one beach and had to abandon our plans when we couldn't find a single parking spot anywhere in town, and moved on to Runswick Bay which was stunning. The walk down was very steep but my chivalrous husband  played chauffeur and dropped us and picked us up at the bottom.

I want to live in that white house all the way on the end but I got vetoed!

On our way home from the beach, I wanted to catch the Hogwarts Express - but alas I missed it!

I did get to visit the station for a bit.




We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Moors and have a new "cherished" portion of England to love!  In Part 2, I'll share our cherished favorites revisited!

First Steps to Travelling Internationally

As I prepare for my own upcoming international trip, I am so grateful for yet another opportunity to experience another country's sights and culture.  My exposure to foreign countries has taught me so much and stretched me as well as given me incredible vacation memories!

So today, I just want to share with you the first few steps to planning an international trip while they are fresh in my mind.


1.  Don't do it alone.
Find a travel consultant that has experience with the region or country you want to visit and enlist his or her help.    In addition to the training and expertise travel consultants have in actual travel planning, their insights and personal experiences are beneficial in providing tips for you, easing your fears, and possibly guiding you to the hidden gems they have discovered that can add the magic to your vacation memories!


2. Passports and Visas - Familiarize yourself with the requirements of the country you are visiting.   Check your passport's expiration date (or apply for one if you don't already have one!).  Some countries require a certain amount of time left on them and well as a minimum number of blank pages.  Be sure you will be able to comply with those requirements before committing to your destination and choosing travel dates.

3.  Ask yourself "Do I want to travel in a group or independently?"
Consider your travel style and your own comfort level.   Do you like being spontaneous and just seeing where the day takes you?  Do you like having control over all your options for each day? Do you like making the plans on your own? Or do you prefer to follow a set plan laid out by others and know exactly when and where you are going to be each day?  Are you comfortable navigating new and unfamiliar situations independently?  Do you prefer to have someone guide you?  Do you have a special interest that you'd like to experience on vacation with like-minded travelers?  Do you want to explore multiple facets of that foreign country, or do you want to concentrate on one area or resort and spend all your time at just one destination?

This is YOUR vacation and making decisions based on YOUR style and comfort level is vital.  It is a not a right or wrong choice, just a personal decision.  And it can also change based on your destination.  For example, I have had the privilege of living in Europe for 7 years.  I am very comfortable travelling in European countries. Even though they can be quite different from each other, they have enough similarities that I am confident that I can navigate the culture comfortably and enjoy myself as I explore the countries there.  And while I know of escorted tour companies, that I would highly recommend and be confident they provide an excellent vacation experience, travelling independently was the best option for my family's travel preferences while we were travelling in Europe.     On the other hand, while I have been to China, I am still not as confident with the cultural differences which are more extensive than they are in Europe, and our family is opting to travel as part of a group for our upcoming travels.   Knowing that we will have tour guides on hand to assist us and direct our travels is greatly comforting to me, as I know we will have experts on hand at all times to guide and assist us.  I also think the common interests of the other members of our group will greatly enhance our experiences there.


These are very basic first steps to starting your international vacation, but they are first steps....so where would they take you if you could choose your dream international destination?