Uncertain about summer plans

[wiseheart]

Now that Mum's got slightly bigger problems with her bad knee, chances of joining any organised package holidays longer than a single day are getting more and more unlikely. She's reached the age - and level of mobility - when it would be better for her to move around at her own pace. So, we'll likely go on a private holiday this summer.

There are two possibilities. One of them would be go to Graz, Austria, for a week, which would be easy. I could organise the hotel via travel agency, pay for it in our own currency and go there by train with relative ease. We'd have to change trains only once in Vienna, it seems. Which means we could add a couple of days in Vienna, too, since we're to get out of the train anyway. Plus, she has some old friends living near Graz whom we could eventually met.

But... we really, really would like to visit England again. Mum loves London like whoa, and I'd love to meet altariel, the_wild_iris, edge_of_ruin and whoever else lives in or near Cambridge again. Plus, my not-so-little Silvan girl is currently in Canterbury, working for the Arche, which means that a trip to Canterbury would be nice, too.

Most of the stuff I could organise via travel agency from here, too. Even though we'd have to fly, of which I'm hysterically afraid, but a bus trip to London is way too exhausting, even for me and my bad legs. The problem is, though: I don't trust myself to be able to navigate London traffic.

Even if we (theoretically) manage to get a room in some of the small hotels around Hyde Park, from where I theoretically may be able to find my way to Oxford Street (Forbidden Planet anyone?) and/or to Harrods for Mum, she won't be able to walks such great distances, and cab fare is a bit much for our pocket for going by taxi everywhere. And frankly, the task of getting from the airport to the hotel and back, not to mention the coach station for Canterbury and/or Cambridge and other places seems frighteningly huge to me.

But yeah, I'd liek to see London again. Especially as I haven't seen the Sutton Hoo exposion yet... among a hundred of other things.

Comments

[ma2d2.livejournal.com]

Travelling is very expensive, isn't it?!
I've never holidayed with my mum since I grew up. Might be an interesting experience.
I've never been to the Europe or the UK, would love to get there someday.
All the very best and I hope you and your mum enjoy your vacation wherever you decide to travel to.
Cheers. =D

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Mum is great fun to go to a holiday with. I never go without her, but again, we have been living together nearly all my life and are very close. We all but decided to go to Graz, unless some unexpected irresistible offer comes up. That will be a nice, slow-paced trip that she will hopefully be able to manage.

[ooxc.livejournal.com]

And I could get to London or to Cambridge to see you

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

That would be wonderful indeed. Alas, it's more likely to be Austria this year. Mum doesn't know if she would dare to try a more demanding trip. But I am still hoping, just a little bit. Meeting you in Wales was brilliant.

[rcfinch.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear your mother's knee has grown worse. It seems a good idea for her to take it easy. Wish her the best from me!
(My mother broke her hip last year, and though she recovered reasonably well, trips longer than a day are not advisable anymore.)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

That's the thing with getting old, isn't it? :(
But Mum is very brave about the whole thing. She keeps saying: "as long as it isn't any worse, I can live with it". Hopefully, she will, many years yet.

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear your Mum is having worse problems! I hope you will have a lovely holiday wherever you go. I have very fond memories of meeting you both, as well as other LJers, in London and going to the Forbidden Planet. Can you believe I didn't know about that place until then? Now I have found a Forbidden Planet here in Belfast, which isn't anywhere near as good as the London one, but still has some Sci-Fi and Fantasy books, though in a strange reversal upstairs.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

We mention you quite often as well. :))

I still use the patchwork bag you made for me to take my lunch to school every day. It's such a beautiful thing, with a reminder of friendship and a good time spent together.

I wish we had at least a poorly equipped Forbidden Planet over here. I can still only order things through our only English bookshop, and they only work with one provider, which is a lot more expensive than Amazon. I'm still struggling with my conscience if I should really order that particular Dr Who episode for the horrid price they offer it for. Amazon had a used copy for about a quarter of that price when I checked. Of course, that's probably gone by now.

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

Graz sounds like a good choice this year. Enjoy your time traveling together!
Please give Mum my best!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I will. How are you guys doing? Have you recovered from the moving stress?

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

We are getting through the moving stress. A dear friend with whom I used to work years ago came to visit from out of town this weekend -- our First Houseguest! -- so that makes this a homely house, methinks!