Thursday, 9 December 2021

It crossed my mind.

 I did a six mile walk today, drove half an hour to get to the start of it. I really enjoyed it. Not too cold, and not raining. It took me two hours. I will put some pictures up tomorrow.

Tonight I have been on the Trans Siberian Railway. The scenery is magnificent. Everyone was happy to be on the holiday. Plenty of eating, drinking, and sightseeing. It made me sad to think that travelling for ordinary people is coming to an end now. Only people with a lot of money can afford to charter private travel, trains and planes. The cost of  testing and quarantining is going to be beyond what ordinary working people an afford. 

Another thing crossed my mind. There is so much space in Russia, why can't the people who are having to leave their country go there. Russia could accommodate many more people. I know someone who sold up here and went to live there. He bought a house, said it was an OK place to live. It was a few years ago, not sure if he is still there. 

My next train journey was in the cab going through Switzerland. Two hours through deep snow. Beautiful scenery there. It made me think that there are so many places in the world to see. I let my passport go a few years ago, I couldn't see me flying anywhere again. An overland trip across Europe would be nice, but with all the hoops to jump through it's never going to happen. Feeling a bit sad about that. I shall make the most of my time on this island as interesting as I can, with the scenery we have here. 

Got to go, another train to catch. Toodle Pip. ilona

15 comments:

  1. Aint You Tube wonderful - at 80 years of age I enjoy it so much. One of my favorites at the moment is The Positano Diaries where an English lady and her Italian husband, who actually live there, take you to the far corners of the Amalfi Coast. They film their daily lives there with their daughter, a cute dog and some wonderful films of the veggies they grow. Some friends who are my age will not touch a computer and I try to tell them how much they are missing on utube. The Switzerland train journey is indeed a wonderful production.

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    1. I must look for the Positano Diaries. I went to the Amalfi Coast and loved it there. Especially the Isle of Capri.

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  2. The trans Siberian film was wonderful wasn't it, although it was an advert - worth watching. Another big fan of the Positano Diaries here Mona :) I had high hopes of travelling, but other things happened, so I remain an armchair traveller.

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    1. Yes, life gets in the way. The regulations imposed on travellers now takes some of the shine off it. I know someone who went on a cruise, they said it was ruined by all the rules.

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  3. I want to take that TransSiberian train ride, how amazing. Thanks for the link. Like you I do not imagine flying to other countries again, because of age and Covid and all the restrictions. I would like to visit Greece and Crete again and many more places. Good we did our share of travel when we could.

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    1. I did some travelling in my youth. I went to Moscow, can't remember much about it. Now I have some money and the time to go places, I am not feeling so inclined to go through all the hassle.

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  4. Now that I am older I have no desire to leave this country.Too many beautiful places here that I havent seen yet...as long as I can get to then with my bus pass,lol.I am going to watch the Switzerland train ride later on.My Great grandma was Swiss.I love the snow covered mountains because they remind me of when I used to go to Austria a lot when I was younger.xx

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  5. I’m going to Denmark and Sweden in June. It’s not a tour. I planned the itinerary on my own. Also planning to go to New Zealand in February 2023. Their seasons are reversed so that is summer. I’m not rich but have saved my money over many years. Until recently I was caring for an aging parent.

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  6. Would the Chunnel still be open? Then you could at least get over to Europe...

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    1. Yes, the Chunnel is open. I wouldn't be able to go though as an unmasked, untested and unjabbed person, not willing to apply for another passport.

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  7. I wondered what Hong Kong would be like and on utube there is a bus ride - very slow and no narrator - through the city. It is like being on the bus and it makes stops to pick up passengers here and there. I guess when we watch costs this is the way to go = first class seat and no worries about passports and customs.

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  8. Agree with you all. Too many regulations to comply with would take the enjoyment out of travelling now.I'm in Ireland and had hoped to take the ferry to Spain from Cork at some point but with all the tests and what not that's been shelved. We can still travel to the North which is in the UK but they may yet put obstacles to that. We are all getting a 100 euro credit on our electricity bills after Christmas and yet the politicians are stepping over homeless people on the streets of Dublin as they make their way to their offices in the morning,

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  9. I won't be flying again due to the rules and regulations but have been lucky that I have visited New York (I'm not a city person but loved it); Canada, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, most of Europe, Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela; my only regret is that I will not be able to visit Rome (I've been to Florence, Milan, Pompeii and Venice) as I am a history lover and would really have liked to have seen the Colosseum etc. However, I know that there are still many places in the UK that I can visit, and have not yet, so I thank my lucky stars for the travelling I have been able to do abroad. Amanda

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    1. Rome is beautiful. My friend just got back from there (cruise). I’ll see her tomorrow at our Christmas luncheon. I know she had lovely weather.

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  10. My husband and I have been travelling for the past three months. We left South Africa in September while it was still a red zone flew to Crete for a month then on to Spain, Barcelona, Benidorm, Seville, Conil de la Frontera and now Malaga from where we fly to Scotland for Christmas with the family we have not seen in over two years. We have had a wonderful time there has been a bit more paperwork and covid tests but it has not stopped the fun we have had. We have decided to fly back to SA in the new year as things are better there, and there is a government with lots of faults but one of them is not trying to control the people with fear. We should be in the Caribbean at the moment but cancelled our cruise because of restrictions. Life is what you make of it, a merry Christmas to all

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