Coeur d'Alene/Spokane Travel Group - December 3

I'll definitely be there and if you decide you need to skip I can go early and try to grab that big table in the middle. I hope you can join us even if you have to mask.

Hahaha on the white elephant idea....chances are if one if us didn't like it the rest of us would not!

Has anyone had difficulty using a plug adapter recently? I meant to mention this last time but forgot. My adapter would not work in any of the bedside plugs in Italy (seemed like the prongs were too wide or too big in diameter) but would work in the wall plugs. I'm adding this because you all know I will forget by Saturday, hahaha!

Pam, we had trouble with our adapters this year, as well. Not everywhere, but in a couple of the places we stayed, our adapter wouldn't fit into the outlet.

We we be coming weather permitting.

Yes Pam, problems with the plugs in one hotel, but finally found 2 that we could use. One of the tour members had problems and had to buy a new and different looking adapter and that was a different hotel. The trip was still worth it, though.

M&S

Hi Pam, I didn’t have any issues with my adapters in Italy this year. I just have the generic cheap one that RS sells. Are you using a larger block adapter perhaps? I don’t know if it makes a difference that I tend to stay in mostly older small boutique hotels, although my one in Perugia had modern, updated rooms.

Pam, sounds like your adapter would be the perfect “white elephant “ to “gift” to someone else - LOL!

Hahaha…to the gifting of the adapter!!

Yes, it is one that is bigger and has some sort of grounding (according to the package). I do have one of the smaller $1-$2 ones from Rick’s store….just need to find it before April, lol.

Mary and Jane…good to hear it wasn’t just me!

Hoping to be there, but my little old prius isn't very good in the snow. So we'll see what the weather decides to do.

I hope you 2 can make it...totally understand waiting until Sat AM to see what's what. Looks like they missed the mark for the forecast in my neck of the woods as we've had no snow since earlier in the week but rain, rain, rain.

Hi everyone, I won’t be attending tomorrow but hopefully will see everyone in January! Have a great time!

Hi all!

We’re in Mexico (warmth! sun!)…but I wanted to add my two cents re the adapter. We can only speak to Italy, but the little cheap adapters (ours from RS store) worked much more reliably than others, especially those designed for multi-country use.

Have a nice get together!
Cathy

Sorry I'm not going to make it again. Hit too many icy spots when I was out and about yesterday and things haven't improved. Miss seeing everyone and hopefully next month.

Jean and Leslie! Will miss both of you. I've "talked" to Mary this morning they will be coming over to CdA so there will be at least 3 of us!

Well, Mary had to tell Sterling and me to shut up because the 2 of us had gone down the rabbit hole of discussing WWII, lol!! We got back on the discussion of touring England and Normandie.

We missed everyone. Mary and Sterling made the better decision to park in the snow- and ice-free parking garage. I parked on the street and had to get out into a snow bank which showed no forethought whatsoever.

Mary, I will be there in January…in case you want to have a different discussion while those two are in the rabbit hole! LOL!

Hahaha Jean!! Well, we are ALL going to England next year so lots to talk about. Can we talk Leslie and Cathy into England as well?

My spring trip is still open. I would go to England in a heartbeat, plus my youngest grandson says he's ready for London and Paris.

Cathy, enjoy that nice sunny warmth in Mexico! Hope you have a great time!

Maybe we should all be ordering tea at our French bakery next time - ha!

Here’s our itinerary so far. I’ve found some fun hotels for these locations but will go very basic for London’s lodging and Oxford’s was picked for location. My husband is excited to golf for the first time in Europe:
Oxford: 2-hr City Bike Tour, pick up a rental car, Blenheim Palace & gardens
Stow-on-the-Wold: (Staying at The Bell & Stuart House) Wander the villages, Kiftsgate Garden
Kidderminster: (Staying at Brockencote Hall), Warwick Castle, Wightwick Manor
Chester: (Staying at The Chester Grosvenor) husband playing Wallasey Golf Club while I join a City Bike tour & explore
Conwy: (Staying at The Castle Hotel) Conwy Castle, husband playing Conwy Golff while I go to Bodnant Gardens and/or Llandudno’s waterfront.
York: (Staying at Galtres Lodge Hotel) City bike tour, climb York Minster and also attend one of the Sunday services, tea at Betty’s or other, York’s Chocolate tour
London: British Museum (haven’t focused on all of London’s options, yet, to prioritize)

My husband may be joining us in January, too!

You know we will welcome your DH Jean!

When you are in Stow-on-the-Wold you will want to zip into the churchyard of St Edward's Church right off the square. There are yew trees almost embedded into the church at the North entrance door that supposedly gave Tolkien his idea for a hobbit house. Very neat.

In Llandudno if you don't go to Bodnant Gardens, you can take the tramway up to the top of the Great Orme. I visited a mine up there that is Bronze Age and very interesting. I'm not big on mine visits but this one and how they discovered it was quite interesting!

https://www.greatormemines.info/

Leslie, sounds like fun!