iaint's VirtualTourist Home Page
| Page Views: 8,261 | Be Bold by iaint - last update: Nov 5, 2009  |
| the Teenager, giving an opponent a good skelp... |
Getting the Bug My first real travel experience was age 13, going all the way from Edinburgh to Metz (France) by rail. It was a school exchange trip. Looking back, we probably spent more time on the train than we did in Metz. At 15, it was a school trip to Moscow & Leningrad via Riga. Cruise ship to Riga, Aeroflot to Moscow, train to Leningrad, then ship home. Can you imagine 1960s Aeroflot for your first flying experience? This was summer of 1968, and all we heard on Soviet radio (no TV back then) was non stop ranting about Czechoslavakia. Only when we got home did we learn what was really going on... |
Moving on My 20s were in the 70s. A year playing rugby in Toulouse provided trips all round SW France (Castelsarrasin, Carcassonne, Foix, St Gaudens, Cahors, Mazamet etc), and I added a couple to Barcelona and Marrakesh. That was followed by several summers working on Long Island (Westhampton Beach), but not much chance to travel beyond that. Upstate once (Rochester), Manhattan of course, a few trips to the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania (Rolling Rock when no-one else had heard of it) and into Connecticut once to play rugby (Fairfield, I think - memory is a little hazy as a result of the post match activities). |
30 something... A few trips to Greek islands (Crete + Karpathos), and La Gomera (no, its not a pub, its a little undeveloped island near grotesque Tenerife). Singapore and Hong Kong to visit friends, with side trips to Macao, Vietnam and Thailand. |
life begins at 40 Many trips to Thailand to visit in laws in the 90s. Occasional side trips to Singapore and Hong Kong, curtailed when the next generation of world travellers appeared on the scene. Lots of business travel - all round Europe on various projects. Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn, Bratislava, Sofia, Warsaw, St Petersburg...endless list. Didn't miss out many western European countries either. Berlin just as the wall came down, but still in 2 countries. Nostalgic trip to US, taking in NYC, the Lobster Inn at Shinnecock, & Washington DC. |
| Vranov nad Dyji in the S Moravian borderlands |
the new millennium Instead of the millennium bug I got a divorce, so no more hols in Thailand. No more business trips either, thanks to a career move. Instead, something child friendly and nearer home. Eurodisney, then the Florida version. Crete a couple of times, Cascais & Lisbon. Berlin, Geneva, Lausanne, Stockholm for weekend breaks and ice hockey games... Czech Rep for ice hockey (no, Znojmo not Prague) and Istanbul for culture |
| Laggan Locks, Scotland...in deepest December |
to come Not many places left that appeal - maybe Macchu Picchu, Iceland, T'blisi, Samarkand. Ironically, the Teenager is booked up for a 4 week expedition to Peru in 2010, so he'll see Macchu Picchu before me! I'm trying to go back to a few places I've been on business, but didn't see much of, such as Belfast and Dublin recently. Shetland & Lewis are also on that list. I've had the urge to go back to Vilnius... |
Sports travel... My son plays ice hockey, which takes us all round Scotland each winter, and has also taken us to Ireland and England. If its a long trip we try to make it an overnight stay and see a bit of the destination as well as just the ice rink. Last big trip was to Newcastle in August 08, for a pre-season tournament. I've adopted horse racing as my summer sport - probably because its fast like ice hockey, but it's the antithesis because you're mostly outside in the fresh air and sunshine! There are only 5 courses in Scotland so travel is required. I've managed trips to Royal Ascot (near London), Haydock Park (near Manchester) and York in England. Further afield I've been to Limerick & Laytown, but want to go back to Ireland for a big meeting at a big course like The Curragh. In France - so far Deauville (in Normandie) and Chantilly (in Picardie). Must get to Longchamps next year! |
2009, planning... Managed a long weekend on Speyside (Scotland) in February. Too much snow - scary driving! Enjoyed a couple of days in N Ireland in April, plus in the summer the overnighters to Chantilly and York. Had a great mini Balkan adventure in July - Ljubljana, Zagreb & Sarajevo in 6 days. Went back in October - Croatia (Dubrovnik + Cavtat), BiH (Mostar) & Crna Gora (Kotor). Finishing the year with Christmas in Morocco - Marrakech, Fes & Meknes probably. Return trip after a 35 year gap! |
 iaint's Albums | | | |
|
 Comments for iaint | | | | |
lindyz Sun Nov 8, 2009 08:38 UTC
Hello Iain, you only have ONE (1) child - that is easy peasy!!! Life with 3 is sometimes quite challenging and frustrating, but that doesnt mean I love them any less :) | rachesuiphilippines Sat Nov 7, 2009 04:46 UTC
Scotland pics are so beautiful. I met someone from Inverness, Scotland before and so for me, it rings a bell...:)) | Jerelis Thu Nov 5, 2009 09:03 UTC
Hello Iaint. Thanx for you compliment on my homepage. Still ging strong, no matter what! | Suet Fri Oct 30, 2009 22:37 UTC
Good good, you should come over when you can. I hold many dinner parties, not as riotous, but the food is good. |
|
|
email me
add as friend
