I turn 70 this year. It’s about time I faced a travel challenge again: it’s not going to get any easier as the years roll on. My trip to Warsaw to visit the twins (and their parents) has suddenly expanded. I’m not going straight to Poland. I’m landing in Slovenia and spending three weeks meandering through Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria and Czech Republic, mainly by train. Every time I look at a guide book, I have another scheme. Maybe I’ll take a day trip to Venice and add another country to my list.
It’s taken me a month to book accommodation. Airbnb has made it eas. Hosts have been willing to offer suggestions about must-sees in their neck of the woods, and detailed instructions from bus stations. They also offer me an English-speaking contact in strange places.The daunting job of booking trains and planes I’m handing over to my travel agent.
Just as I began to get down to serious place-by-place itinerising, I discovered 5W. I’ve emailed women in cities I’m travelling to and received warm replies, including suggestions about what to see, links to websites to help me plan, invitations to meet for coffee, offers to guide me around their city, and even the possibility of a side trip from Warsaw to Doha where one of my Viennese contacts is working.
As departure date thunders towards me, I begin the most difficult piece of editing I’ve ever done. I remember the strategy we used before a six-day hike in Nadgee wilderness. We spread out everything we might possibly want to take on the floor: for four weekends we scrutinised and debated and discarded and added and discarded, knowing whatever we ended up with had to travel on the feeble human back. So my spare room is no longer available for guests. The bed is spread with a jumble of possibles. I wander in and out determined to be brutal. I buy a new suitcase, small and soft, as another way of reining in an urge to take everything. Luggage limit on the flight to Dubrovnik (15 kg) provides further discipline.
http://www.womenwelcomewomen.org.uk/
Posted with Blogsy
warsawandbeyond2014 
so exciting Meg! We are in last minute panic mode too, but managed a mothers day brunch and a swim this morning … this afternoon more sorting and rebooking an airb&b after being told our Paris accomm. would have no power or water for a few days! I have ‘followed’ your new blog so will read your adventures 🙂 Bon Voyage!!
And Bon voyage to you too. Help. No power and water! That was unexpected. I’m busy contacting all my airbnb hosts with arrival times. No swim, but a garden weed and two loads of washing on another perfect south coast day.
Perfect, south coast sounds good on this grey English day 🙂 Do squeeze Venice in if you can- it is so worth it, hype and all.
I’m not walking today as I’ve hurt my knee so huge opportunity for much needed catch up. You sound so organised. Good luck to you and Christine both 🙂
A pity about your knee. Dancing? or that lovely walk? Or general wear and tear?
Organised? Me? I ought to be – organising has been my life for two months. But I don’t feel it. Still have to sort travelsims which are proving complicated, or I głupa (one of the few Polish words I can summon at will)
Couldn’t seem to organise Venice from here, me or the travel agent, but I’ll see when I get there. If not this time, a side trip from Warsaw next time.
Dear Meg, Too much time seems to have elapsed since your departure and no update. I’m up to the worry bit – how’s it all going?
Hi! Meg! It’s Vicki Moses! Found you! Are you there??