VirtualTourist Member suvanki
| Page Views: 18,249 | Happy Travelling in 2008! by suvanki - last update: Feb 24, 2008 |
How I Caught the Travel Bug! | Venice- Flying Home June 2007 |
I grew up in a village in Nottinghamshire (Robin Hood Country), and from an early age I was aware that there was a big world out there! I couldn't wait to explore!
Family and friends who lived or holidayed abroad had me transfixed with stories of their travels. My prized possessions were a globe and encyclopaedia. I used to spend hours reading about foreign countries. I also received my first camera, starting years of snap happy moments!
Family holidays were spent camping in Scotland or the Yorkshire Dales. My cries of "Why can't we go to Spain like normal families"? were ignored as we set off up another rain soaked mountain. Years later, I realised how lucky I'd been to see these stunning, unspoilt places
1971 My first trip abroad aged 11, to Belgium, Holland and Germany on a school trip. I've never forgotten the magic of arriving in Valkenburg Holland, at night time The bars and streets were dimly lit. It had such an exciting 'foreign' atmosphere! I loved the differences, such as ham & cheese for breakfast!
Summer '76, the year of THE HEATWAVE, ladybirds everywhere, I was waiting for my O'level results. We headed off in our caravan, to Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg (still not Spain, but at least we were on foreign soil)
Despite the worry of my exam results, I managed to enjoy revisiting places I saw on my previous trip, and discovering new ones.
Amsterdam was fascinating, if a bit scarey - our campsite was guarded by gun toting security men. We also visited Radio Luxembourg - the station I was (secretly) tuned into every night at home.
At 18, I left home for the bright lights of Sheffield, to start my Nursing career. Earning money, and owning a passport - I was off!
My first holiday with 4 friends was to Lake Como, with a day trip to Venice.
Long weekends and short breaks were spent in Europe.
Married, I continued to enjoy the benefits of student travel. I even got to Spain! oh and enjoyed camping holidays and backpacking around Scotland and the Yorkshire Dales! My honeymoon was spent camping in Derbyshire!
Despite some great holidays in Europe and USA, and spending the night together in a police cell in Utrecht (That's another story!) we divorced.
This was the start of a whole new life for me!
Needing a holiday, I arranged a flight and accom in a small Cretan village, where we'd spent our last holiday.
My 1st holiday alone - I loved it!!
This gave me the taste for travelling by myself.
I returned to Crete.
Next, I booked a "holiday of a lifetime " to China, somewhere I'd wanted to visit since I was 5 yrs old.
Unfortunately, the tragedy of Tiannamen Square led to cancellation by the Foreign Office.
I ended up booking a last min package to Turkey, a country I knew very little about. It was love at first sight! Very soon I was obsessed by this fascinating country, the people, culture, scenery, food, language etc
I returned many times, either on my own or with friends, for 3 week hols just getting a flight and going where the fancy takes me, short winter breaks in Istanbul, or 2 week packages. oh and a couple of day trips from Symi.
In 1999 I spent a few months working as a holiday rep, in Turkey, based in Marmaris and Icmeler.
A job I found frustrating when the clients wanted everything to be English, and weren't interested in Turkey at all, except for its bargain t shirts, cheap drinks etc..
I returned home to Sheffield, and to my Nursing career.
I'm now employed by Sheffield University as a Research Nurse, a job that I enjoy as I travel to various sites in Sheffield, Barnsley and Rotherham. |
| Sign in Restaurant window Venice December 2006 |
Where I've been recently 2002
First visit to Symi for a week, which co incided with Greek Easter! Plus a day trip to Datca (Turkey)
2003
I revisited Symi
This time I spent 2 weeks, and re visited Datca.
December 2003/January2004
I finally got to Kerala, somewhere that had been at the top of my must see places list! It was well worth the wait!!! A magical place, and I made some good friends, during our 5 day Spice Tour, visiting Kovalam Trivandrum, Munnar, Periyar Sanctuaryand Cochin or Kochi
2004
After My Kerala holiday in January, the rest of my year was spent in the UK.
I had some great days out including Llama trekking around Saddleworth . I had a few short breaks including Whitby and Robin Hoods' Bay 2 of my all time favourite East Coast places. I also revisited Bristol for a meeting, and managed to spend a day in Bath, a place that I'd wanted to visit for a long time.
Living in Sheffield means that I am within a few minutes of Derbyshire so I was able to enjoy a few drives out, and some walking around Bakewell, Youlgreave or Youlgrave and Castleton
2005
January
Celebrated my 45th B'day in Marrakesh, A Magical place, and visited Essaouira, due to many recommendations from VTers!
May
Granada -just for 2 nights, but packed in plenty of sightseeing, and was also lucky enough to enjoy some of the festivities of the Festival of the crucifixes
2006
February 'Girls weekend break' 4 of us hit Oslo for a friends belated 40th celebration! Great fun in the snow!
March- another bargain break to Porto with my friend Joy, who I met in Kerala. Great City, Great Weather!
August/Sept- 2 weeks in Morocco including 8 day group tour of Marrakesh and the Sahara, where we visited Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, Telouet. Tighza, Essaouira and Zagora Still recovering from the camels!!
October- 4 nights in Granada - sightseeing plus seeing Bruce Springsteen on Sun night play in the Bullring- My 9th time of seeing 'The Boss' and I saw him do his sound check too! |
Christmas 06 Venice A great time 'getting lost' and enjoying an unchristmassy Christmas!
then 2 weeks later-
January 2007I was in Santiago de Compostela for my Birthday! A great time, but not long enough!
February weekend in Valencia -8 of us celebrating Lou, Linda and Heathers 40th B'days- some culture, lots of liquid intake!!
June
Venice
Intended to see The Killers and Aerosmith at Heineken fest. but freak tornado resulted in cancellation. Still had a great time exploring more of Venice, then Padua and Lake Garda before returning to Venice, where I stayed on Sant Erasmo
November
Madrid
To see Bruce Springsteen in concert (again!) and a bit of the city
December Venice for Christmas
I'm spending more time getting to know more about my hometown of Sheffield, and I'm lucky enough to live a short drive away from the Peak District as well as Sherwood Forest, so plenty of places to visit!
Phew, how do folks find time to travel AND complete their pages???? But I'm glad that you do, I really enjoy reading your pages. |
| Springsteen concert poster Granada October 2006 |
|  | What's Happening and Where to Next. Lots of photos and tips to sort out from my Italian trip in June and Christmas 07 as well as my Madrid trip to see Bruce Springsteen
I've also taken a few trips back down memory lane - trying to add to my 'pre-VT travels' One of my favourite trips was the 3 weeks I spent travelling around Turkey by myself, just hopping on and off buses where the mood took me.Some places were Sanliurfa , Harran ,Erzurum , Amasya and Nemrut Dag Although this was in '93, some of the info is still relevant. It will still take ages to be anywhere near complete though!
*** Booked trip to IRAN for May/ June - a place I've dreamed of visiting for a long time *** |
 Comments for suvanki | | | | |
bagira11 Sun May 11, 2008 21:45 UTC
thanx so much for ur bday wishes !!! | evaanna Sun May 11, 2008 21:42 UTC
Hi Sue, yes, spring is here and so is my allergy to tree pollen.:( Hope you enjoy your trip to Iran. xxx Ewa | angiebabe Sat May 3, 2008 20:34 UTC
Hi Sue, I see you online now - getting closer and closer to Iran!my laptop is out of action so no more tips and stuff for a while - busy at work too&still having to work out whats happening with Greece or wherever?Enjoyed Brussels! | kbr61263 Thu Apr 24, 2008 20:55 UTC
back. put a few pics on a venice page |
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