Jen and Dave: Adventuring

Overnight rain left the city slightly fresher, and after a delicious breakfast in the hotel (where Dave tried tatty scones), we walked to the home of the Scottish National Orchestra, where a bus tour we had booked was meeting. Just 17 passengers and a friendly and knowledgeable guide (John of Skye from Timberbush Tours), it…

We woke up suddenly today to the fire alarm. Blearily getting dressed and going downstairs, we realized they take these very seriously. We were among the last out of the building. Shortly thereafter, six fire trucks arrived, departing as they declared all clear. Certainly an exciting introduction to Glasgow. Today was mostly about goals, and…

After a quick breakfast of in-room coffee and some fresh bread, we checked out, stowed our bags, and headed to Trinity College. The oldest college in Ireland, it was founded in 1592. Admission is limited to those on tour (plus their actual students and staff), so we joined a delightful recent grad in learning about…

Tired and bleary-eyed, we landed from our red eye in Dublin at 9:00 am local. We grabbed some coffee and scrambled eggs on toast at the airport, then bussed to the city centre for a short walk to our hotel, where we checked our bags before exploring the city on foot. We walked through bustling…

We started the day with a big group breakfast, and a bit of origami to keep the kids occupied. Next was a trip to Lightning Lake day use to see the ground squirrels, followed by a walk around the lake. In the afternoon we napped, played games, and made tons of origami and crafts. A…

How best to prepare for a hike? A weekend at Manning Park, glamping style. We walked around the back half of Lightning Lake before dinner at the Lodge and settling into our cabin, awaiting the friends who would join us!

One week to go, and we’re all packed up for our next adventure! Scotland, with a day and a half teaser of a stopover in Dublin en route. The main destination is the Isle of Arran, which we will walk around, bit by bit, on a lovely coastal trail. We are going carry-on only, with…

There is something about the North. Quiet, open spaces, bright snow and dark, dark nights, illuminated only by the dancing lights of the Aurora borealis. We arrived Thursday night after a comfortable flight on Air North, complete with complimentary coffee cake, cheese and grapes. After a quick stop at Tim’s and Superstore, we headed out…

July 8, 2022 Jen was scheduled to have two days of meetings in Zurich, but it turned out everything fit on the Thursday. Taking the advice of a Swiss colleague, we decided to take the train to Luzern and then the cog train to the Pilatus mountain massif. This turned out to be an amazing…