It's been awhile I know! Life has been somewhat stressful since moving, with a family situation and the continuation of the re-model of our new home, but I'm here now!
I love travel as you know! There is nothing more exhilarating than getting on to a train or plane, or in the car and exploring a new country. Just recently a very good friend threw us a "lifeline" when she offered us the use of her vacation home in Bavaria for a week. So, the bags were packed and, as Becky was also visiting, the three of us made our way to the mountains. Unfortunately the weather was not kind to start with but finally the sun shone and, as always, the mountains calmed my soul. As the American naturalist, John Muir, once said,
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”
The area of Oberammergau is stunningly beautiful, and every time I visit I am known to gasp and "oooh" as I travel around. This time was no exception as we took a gentle hike up the Ammer valley to Ettal, stopping for a beer at a local hostelry, of course. Then some hikes down a couple of small local mountains, the Laber and the Herzogstand, over the next couple of days, testing our knees! The week was wrapped up with a short visit to one of my favorite cities, Munich, where we enjoyed several good German beers and a bratwurst or two in the sunshine, whilst exploring.
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| Oberammergau |
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| Ammer valley |
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| Herzogstand. |
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| Surfers in Munich! |
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| Tourist watching. |
My travel blog is nowhere near as exciting as Thom and Christina's,
http://chriandthom.tumblr.com as they have spent the past 12 months traveling through South America! They are passionate young travelers with some great tales to tell, but the people who have inspired me the most are good friends of ours, Kate and John. They have decided to take a "gap year" and travel the world for 12 months. So? Kids do that all the time, what's the big deal? Kate and John are our age though, with a mortgage, grown up kids and responsibilities and have decided to do this now, before they can't! It takes a heap of courage to put those responsibilities to one side and take time for yourselves and I respect them for the step they have taken. I'm sure they have stressed over the decision at length but they are now on the way, stopping off with us for a couple of nights, before heading through Europe towards St. Petersburg and a rail trip through Siberia. I look forward to traveling vicariously through them by following their blog....what travel tales they will have to tell!
http://thebirdshaveflown2015.blogspot.com
