Biding Our Time
“Wasting my time, resting my mind
And I’ll never pine
For the sad days and the bad days
When we was working from nine to five”
Lyrics from “Biding My Time” by Pink Floyd
We’re in a bit of what you might call a hiatus. It’s been a strange year, one way and another, with the whole of January at home to deal with a property matter, then our Brazil trip interrupted by the sad news of Michaela’s Dad’s death and our return to England for the funeral.
Of course, we then reconvened our trip and enjoyed ten weeks of Brazil, the southern states of the USA and a little fling with Argentina, but it’s been a slow year by our travelling standards and we are already craving the excitement of exploring new countries. But for now we’re stuck in England as there’s a small medical issue going on and we’re waiting to find out if I need a bit of surgery – until we know that, we can’t really commit to any travel and the frustration is growing. The phrase “caged animals” springs to mind, especially as we look out on the continuing miserable weather.
It’s the last day of May, we’re into June tomorrow and today is another grey, miserable day of drizzle where the temperature isn’t going to get above 10 degrees celsius. There’s promise of improvement next week – we may even hit 20 degrees – but it’s not yet doing much to assuage our wanderlust.
So far this year we’ve been away for a total of 91 days – last year’s final total was 270 which now looks like a record which will stand for at least another year. The bed count is currently 29 – this time last year we’d already laid our heads down in 44 different beds. Here’s a quick look back at where we were at the end of May in previous years since retirement.
2020 was of course a time caught in the grip of COVID. Our first South East Asia trip had been cut short by our close shave with Vietnamese quarantine and our quick dash home from Hanoi. April and May were home months spent wondering what had happened and what would happen next. It would be nearly two months before travel restrictions were lifted and we headed to Croatia. Bed count at 31st May – 14.
2021 and COVID had been, gone and come back. We’d hit Croatia (5 weeks) and Turkey (9 weeks) before freedom was once again lost and we were once again stuck at home – although May brought a small amount of respite and we were able to spend two weeks in Cornwall. By the end of May we were in that bizarre period where we could go out, but not go in ; pubs and restaurants could only serve outdoors and we were all sipping pints of beer whilst wearing overcoats, shivering with each swallow and pretending we were having fun. As a result of all that, bed count at 31st May was a measly 2. But things were about to improve – we spent the entire summer travelling Greece and its islands before a brief winter trip to Lithuania and then the start of our Costa Rica tour.
2022 and things were definitely looking up. Costa Rica and a first call into California had been completed, as had our lengthy tour of Egypt and Tunisia, partly completed during Ramadan. What was to follow was our amazing California road trip, our long tour of Mexico and Belize, then Bologna, Rome, Jamaica and Panama, ending the year on the island of Contadora. As at 31st May our bed count was 30.
2023 was our most extensive travel year to date. By the end of May we had already travelled Panama, spent a week in Italy and Switzerland, and made the long awaited resumption of the South East Asia tour, through India, Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore. It had been a fabulous start to the year yet there was so much more to come. As at 31st May our record breaking bed count year was already at 44.
For now 2024 hasn’t quite reached those kind of numbers. But…what’s next?
Well, once this little medical issue is resolved one way or another, we crave adventure. Something more challenging, something less straightforward than what the year has delivered so far. Maybe a little further out of the comfort zone, a little less planned, more left to chance and deeper into the unknown. Adventure.
Can’t wait for the starting gun. The caged animals are ready to run.
44 Comments
Helen Devries
I hope the medical issue is cleared up soon…waiting is the worst thing as once you know how things stand you can plan.
Phil & Michaela
Exactly – it’s frustrating at the minute. We know exactly what our next planned trip is but can’t even commit to flights yet.
grandmisadventures
Here’s hoping all goes well with the surgery and that you back at what you love in short order…and hoping for better weather so you can at least.get.outside a.little bit 🙂
Phil & Michaela
Cheers Meg
Annie E Berger
Thanks for letting us know what’s going on. Hope and pray it is indeed a minor medical issue that can be resolved with as little nuisance as possible so you can back on the road again as quickly as you want.
Phil & Michaela
We’re hoping so too Annie. It’s very frustrating not being able to commit even though we know where we want to go next…
Monkey's Tale
Stay healthy Phil! Maggie
Phil & Michaela
Doing my best. Now, where did I put that bottle of Bordeaux…ah yes, in the medicine cupboard of course….
Helen Devries
I used to have a chart telling you which wines – and how much – to take for any illness you could think of……so the Bordeaux is in the right place!
Phil & Michaela
As it happens, we’re on the Languedoc right now!
Monkey's Tale
🙂
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
Good luck with your medical issues. I’m sure you are anxious to get back on the road. I can’t imagine going farther afield than you have in the past. My comfort zone is exceeded just by reading your stories.
Phil & Michaela
Ha ha that made me smile! So frustrating, all ready and planning done but can’t go any further with booking flights. Fingers crossed we get resolved quickly.
Alison
Hope it’s nothing too great an issue Phil. You’re not encouraging me back to the UK with the sounds of the glorious weather. I can’t believe how many countries you’ve been too!
Anyway more time to research unconquered (by you) places.
Phil & Michaela
Well Ali, this medical thing is the only reason we haven’t suggested dates for meeting up with you yet. We’ve got our family commitments in place so we’re getting close to being able to sort it. You’re here from 12th till…..when?
Alison
We leave on 20th, 13th and 18th are now taken! We may yet find a date somewhere with you
Phil & Michaela
Our only free date in that spell is 15th which is also our wedding anniversary.. and even that free date is provisional as I don’t yet know about the surgery thing..
Alison
Well looks like we will have to wait till another time, I’m sure you don’t want to spend your anniversary with strangers! Ours is 6th June
Phil & Michaela
Well let’s see how it pans out. I’ll keep your dates and things may change, our diaries often do! Otherwise we’ll just have to put WA on the trip list…
leightontravels
Wishing you a smooth journey to full health with or without the surgery Phil. At least you’ll have some football to keep your spirits up before too long. And, with a bit of luck, England’s first major tournament win in a very long time to celebrate.
Phil & Michaela
You have commendable optimism. I’m not a Southgate fan. I really applaud what he did in his early days, knitting an England squad together after years of dysfunction, but….all of our strengths are in the front third and for me he doesn’t play to our strengths, he’s too conservative. We have an amazing array of flair up front, that’s how we could win this tournament. I would be the happiest man on Earth if I’m proved wrong but….well, we’ll see. But yeah in terms of being stuck at home…T20 World Cup and then the Euros…could be worse…
leightontravels
I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’m a BIG Southgate fan, but at the same time I don’t really get the intense levels of criticism. But hey, we all have our opinions. I have really enjoyed watching England these past years and I believe we have scored more goals under Southgate than any other manager in decades. Qualifications have virtually been flawless and we’ve handed out numerous demolitions under his stewardship and beaten Germany in a major tournament for the first time in god knows how long. I do think there is an issue with making substitutions quick enough in big games and a well-documented failure of being too loyal to players who are out of form or past their sell by date. At least this time around he has gone some way to addressing that by leaving the likes of Henderson and Rashford at home. Anyway, only time will tell if it’s right to be optimistic or not. If we play as we have in recent tournaments and get a bit of luck here and there or Kane manages to score a penalty rather than miss, I think we have a very good chance. If we don’t win Euro 2024 I think Southgate will be gone, so it’s now or never for him.
Phil & Michaela
He will go, whatever the outcome. The question is …what will his legacy be? The man who won our first trophy in almost 60 years, or the man who failed even with an embarrassment of attacking riches? I absolutely hope it’s the former.
leightontravels
I think if he wins he’ll stay on to try and do the World Cup too, how could he not? This concept of “failure” because a trophy hasn’t been won is a total nonsense. People don’t put these tags on Venables and Bobby Robson, it’s something that’s reserved only for Southgate. I think it taps into the notion that we SHOULD win the Euros and the World Cup, that we have some kind of divine right. But it’s true that if we don’t win it will be categorically Southgate’s fault in the eyes of people who are married to that narrative.
Phil & Michaela
Well we disagree on one point there. I have never – and I mean NEVER in my life – seen so many potential world beater footballers in an England shirt at the same time. The Robson thing is, I believe, because under him we over-achieved: the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. So he is correctly remembered with respect and affection. Right now, the sum of the parts is undeniably magnificent. But….whatever that opinion, I’ll be on the edge of my seat (nah, standing and animated) and willing us to win. And seriously, seriously hoping that Southgate proves me wrong . I am certainly not one of those who secretly wants us to fail – but then you know what it’s like to be a “proper fan” so you will get that. Here’s to success!
leightontravels
To success! If truth be told I have never truly believed I would see England win a major trophy in my lifetime, so if it actually happens I will probably lose my shit.
Phil & Michaela
I’ll be right there with you 🍷🍷🏆🏆
Andrew Petcher
An excellent round-up. My next trip is close to home, Ashbourne in Derbyshire to celebrate 70 years with my family.
Phil & Michaela
Ashbourne! Absolutely love it, my home county. Enjoy!!
Andrew Petcher
my second home county after Leicestershire.
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
So sorry to hear that you have a bit of a medical thing. I hope all goes well and you’re in the pink in no time.
I didn’t realise that the UK was allowing out-of-country travel in 2020 (although I may have known and then forgotten). We were locked up tighter than a prison. International travel was only allowed in certain rare circumstances and then there was a two-week, on-the-spot quarantine after returning. This wasn’t lifted – and then only partially – until spring 2021.
Phil & Michaela
Yeah we had to quarantine at home when we returned but anyone can do that for two weeks huh. Thank you for your good wishes, the frustration is worse than the pain at the minute!
Marie
Best of luck – you’ll be back in the air before you know it….
Phil & Michaela
We’re hoping so…
Travels Through My Lens
I hope the surgery and recovery are quick and successful. I can relate a bit; we’re leaving on Monday for Ireland, Wales and Cornwall which we have had to cut short due to some surgery I must have in June; sigh. All the best to you both.
Phil & Michaela
It’s the not knowing which is the real pain!
WanderingCanadians
Sorry to hear about your medical issue and that you can’t commit to any travelling at the moment. The waiting game is never fun. But hey, at least you have some down time to do some research on your next big adventure.
Phil & Michaela
Already done!!!
Toonsarah
Oh dear, that does sound frustrating! I hope you get an answer soon one way or the other. I’m sure your heads are full of ideas on where to go as soon as you get the starting gun 😃
Phil & Michaela
Plans all in place, just can’t book anything yet…….
wetanddustyroads
If one cannot travel due to whatever circumstances, it is always fun to just look at the photos of previous trips. Yes, I know: It brings a smile and beautiful memories, but also a desire to just get out and go on the next adventure. I hope your medical issue is sorted out soon Phil and that you can pack your backpacks again soon!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you – we’re hoping so too because not being able to commit to anything is torture!
rkrontheroad
All amazing, beautiful photos! Hope things turn rosier for you and you’re able to plan getting back into the world again.
Phil & Michaela
Hopefully very soon…