Hello Everyone:
Hope this note finds you all well and safe from these scourges that seem to plague us all.
My trip two years ago was cancelled by COVID - rescheduled for 12 months later - cancelled again.
SO - here we are: I decided 6 months ago to take this trip. I was in miserable physical condition as a result of an indulgent lifestyle. 6 months in the gym - 199 pounds to 182 - waist from 39" to 33" - ready to travel. :-)
Here is the new journey: (leaving tomorrow morning - so - comments may not render results. :-)
Thanking you in advance for all the wonderful advice received in this forum -
Packing light following Rick Steves guide for the first time. Interesting.
THE FAREWELL TOUR
Calvin & Carol Williams
Comment:
I love the old trains. Having traveled years ago - when a family could purchase a sleeping quarters - ensuite- the new bullet rains are just not appealing. Although I love anything with power - the 200 MPH is usually laid out on flat ground and packed with business travelers. The old trains - rambling along between neighborhoods with local families - seem to meander - to belong - to be a part of the human landscape. This journey will encompass 8 trains in three countries - 1,756 miles - with stops in six places.
It will probably be my last trip. 60 years have gone by quickly since my first journey on this interesting continent.
Again - thank you all for the insight and advice received these many months, Bon Voyage.
Calvin.
1. APRIL 12 – DEPART FOR FLORENCE, ITALY
a. DELTA 5298 10:45 AM – ARRIVE APRIL 13 – 9:05 AM
b. Monastery stays: Casa per Ferie Del Santo Rosario –Via G. Giusti, 35 Florence 50121 – 6 NIGHTS 13 APRIL – 19 APRIL
1. FLORENCE VIATOR TOURS:
a. 4/13 -Skip The Line: Accademia Gallery Tour with Michelangelo’s David @ 4:00 P
b. 4/15 -Early Access Guided Uffizi Gallery tour with skip-the-line ticket @ 8:40AM
c. 4/15 - Leonardo Interactive Museum – 2 PM
d. 4/16 – Tuscany In One Day – sightseeing tour from Florence – (tour without Pisa) Departure: Piazza della Stazione, 50123
Firenze FI, Italy @ 8:AM (12 hours)
2. APRIL 19 – DEPART FLORENCE – ARRIVE MILAN
Train –Florence to Milan - 5 H-10M
a. Monestary stays
b. ONE NIGHT – 4/19- Villa Cagnola (LOG104)
OPERATED BY: The Conferenza Episcopale Lombarda –
3. APRIL 20 - Train – Milan to Nice – 5H – 10 M
Train – change – Nice to Marseille -2H -35M
APRIL 20 - AIRB&B – OVERNIGHT MARSEILLE - 7 Rue Armand Bédarride, Marseille, Provence Alpes-Côte d'Azur 13006
4. APRIL 21 Train – Marseille to Montpellier – 2H – 20M
Train – Montpellier to Barcelona – 4H – 40 M
5. APRIL 21 AIRB&B - BARCELONA – Via Augusta, 25, 5-2, Barcelona, Catalunya 08006
4/22-4/23-4/24 & 4/25 (one night + 4 days )
6. APRIL 25 – Train to Madrid – 2H – 50M -AIRB&B - Calle de Fomento 12 , 1ºC -Int, Madrid, Spain 28013–
4/26 – 4/27 – 4/28
(one night + 3 days) Depart 4/29 AM
7. APRIL 29 - Madrid to London – (British Airways- Flight BA7068 – operated by Iberia)
Depart 9:10 AM – arrival – Heathrow (LHR) London 10:35 AM)
8. APRIL 29 OVERNIGHT –London - (EXPEDIA) THE FALCON INN- 20 MINUTES North of Heathrow Airport. Village Road,
Denham, Uxbridge, England, UB9 5BE
9. APRIL 30 RENT A CAR – DEPART FOR COTS ON THE WOLDS – NORTHERN ENGLAND
10. APRIL 30 TO MAY 6 – AIRB&B - Sika Cottage, Quenington, THE COTSWOLDS
11. MAY 6 – FLY HOME- 5/6 -Qatar Airways Flight 16 DEP @ 9:40 PM to Doha ARR-6:20 AM – 5/7- DEP Doha @ 7:50 AM flight
729-ARR Dallas @ 4:15 PM-5/7 -Dep Dallas@ 9:35PM-5/7--Qatar Flight 9010 -ARR GPT 5/7 @ 11:09PM