Number one, as a young child on one of our many trans-Atlantic liner journeys crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth and seeing my younger brother returning from his adventure walk around first class (we weren’t allowed up there) with a big grin on his face. For me at that age the journey was of more interest than what happened at the either end which usually involved school.

Number two, when my wife and I, very many years later, were asked to cat-sit at a flat in Rome and we saw much more of that beautiful city than we had ever done before. Bookended with a visit to my favourite Italian city of Venice, and we had really good weather we loved it. Having the flat enabled us to make much more use of the city than we had previously or since.

Number three, chronologically between the other two, in 1972 when I had a rail pass for two months and used the trains as hotels when not sleeping at friends or in hostels (Nuremberg, Munich, and Schaffhausen favourite hostels) and really explored much of Europe for the first time on my own, having lived in much of the US, Canada and England as a child. The stories I could write about that Summer would take many pages and are not necessary at this point but a number of them have been related over the years. I also had a month in England with relatives and met many friends in Germany, Switzerland, France, and back in England.

Top of the pile for me, in a strong field, was hands-down number three.

Hey Nigel, good to see you here.

My number one would have been the trip when my mom came to Italy with us in 2014. Hubs and I had already been to Venice and Rome so were familiar with them, and discovering Amalfi Coast (my mom's fav spot) was lovely. Really hoping to be able to do the coast with mom again.

Two would prob be the south of France trip we did in 2018 - went for lavender, was not disappointed. Rented a car, saw lots of gorgeous fields and towns and villages. Being able to travel at our own pace was fun.

Three - tulips in the Netherlands in 2017 - I did have something horribly wrong with my throat for a few days, as well as getting sick, but this was the trip when we finally learned to slow down a little, without so much moving from city to city. We loved Belgium and revisited Paris - and having been to Paris already 3 times previous, we were really able to just slow down and enjoy. That had def spilled over into our trip to France in 2018, and our trip last year where we slowed down.

I think four may have been the trip I should be on right now - I had so many big plans for Scotland. Ah well.

1) My first trip to Europe at age 28. Started out scared of making mistakes or looking like a fool and ended up with a case of europatitis that can only be relieved with doses of trips to Europe.

2) Driving trip through Germany, Czech Republic and Austria with my wife and 2 kids. It was scary at first but became easier as the trip went on. Great experience without the stress of catching trains or planes.

3) Italy, Hungary, Austria, Chechia, Netherland trip in 2017 with my wife and 2 adult kids. The first part of our trip the kids were with us for the first 10 days and then they flew home. Then I got to spend 2 weeks traveling with my wife and no kids for the first time in 29 years. Great memories.

1. First trip to London, 12 days in heaven (early 1990s)
2. A Thanksgiving in Tuscany in 2005
3. Paris for 3 weeks in 2017 (just Paris, in depth for 3 full weeks)

** Prague-Venice- Florence-Rome in 2006. Holds title to best and worst trip (she- so beautiful, so insane).

#1 would have to be our first European trip as a family to Italy when our girls were 10. There is nothing like Europe through the eyes of children.
#2 was definitely Costa Rica, again with my girls then age 16 and a friend. A very active vacation, I simply have never had so much fun on one trip in my life.
#3 my last trip - mother/daughter to Barcelona & Budapest.
#4 my very first trip over the pond to Ireland over 30 years ago. It felt like home.

Except for Ireland, my favorite trips all include my kids. I think it's because they push me to do things outside of my comfort zone and trying to set a good example I comply. 98% of the time I'm glad I did!

1 first trip to Europe with then boyfriend in 1972. Was also my first time on an airplane. It was a business trip for him as a rep for his fathers company. So many days of hours of exploration on my own. Cities were: Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Munich, Nuremberg, and Vienna. Eye opener.

2 Ireland and N Ireland. Had always wanted to go and finally did. Was during the Troubles so another

eye opener.

3 Italy the year my best friend died as I took some of her ashes with me. She was Italian and always wanted to visit where her parents were from. Sadly, never made the time to go. So I took her. That’s what best friends do.