LUXEMBOURG
We were very happy that we had chosen to spend a few days here before the boat-bike tour. Luxembourg is a very clean, attractive city with lots of impressive historical sites. It was an easy place to be without a car, as everything we wanted to see was within walking distance of our Air BnB. Our flat was great for the four of us -two bedrooms, only one bathroom, but that wasn’t an issue. Having the washer and dryer was good so we could start out the bike tour with fresh clothes. We enjoyed our train/bus trip out to Vianden as well, as it gave us a chance to experience a rural area and small town. It was easy to get by, as most people spoke English and some French, so communication was not a problem. We found people there to be friendly and helpful. We didn’t find it overly pricey there - groceries were reasonable, as was eating out. The great find was the hostel only five minutes away where we could go for a really good breakfast!
BOAT/BIKE TOUR
I very much enjoyed the tour. Took a bit of adjusting to get used to the touring bikes, as they are a little more unwieldy than a mountain bike. But once I got the hang of it, I found it easy to manage. Most of the riding was flat, with the exception of the odd hill or two, but nothing we couldn’t handle. The scenery throughout was spectacular! Riding through forested areas and vineyards and picturesque small towns and villages was absolutely lovely. So many interesting sites along the way. We found it easier to navigate than we did in the Netherlands, as the maps and directions seemed more straightforward and clear. The boat part was equally as great - very good meals, friendly and helpful staff, roomy cabins. The only big minus was the fact that Irv fell off his bike the first day and messed up his leg, which meant he couldn’t cycle, and which was an issue, mobility-wise for the rest of the trip. We enjoyed the company of Karen and Steve, who we had met before and spent some time with in Phoenix a number of years ago. They were good company both on the boat and on the cycling part.
SICILY
Sicily was amazing, on many fronts. The places we stayed, the meals we ate, the sights we took in, the historical significance of so many places - it was all we could have hoped for. The first part was a little stressful in terms of the driving, since they wouldn’t let Richard be a driver on the car because he didn’t have the actual drivers license card, only the temporary paper version. And even though Irv had obtained his international driver’s license, with his injured leg, there was no way he could have driven, the car being a standard and the driving itself being so challenging. So Mer ended up driving for the first part. But it was very stressful for her, with the narrow, twisting, hilly streets, the lack of parking spaces and the crazy Italian drivers. So eventually Richard took over the wheel and we just crossed our fingers that we didn’t run into any trouble. He is such a great driver and rarely got flustered even though we were in some very tricky situations manoeuvring in the smaller hillside towns. It was also a bit stressful not having a clear itinerary after our initial stay near Catania. I would never do that again, even though it turned out fine. The places we chose to stay were great, we had nice accommodations, and we didn’t feel like we were rushing to get from one place to another. Staying 3 or 4 nights in places meant that we didn’t see as much, but it also meant that we felt we had really visited those places. And all the more reason to return!
MALTA
Initially I was a little leery of going to Malta, as it wasn’t a place I had ever thought about visiting, and I didn’t do a whole lot of research on what there was to do and see there. Plus it didn’t seem to be that easy a place to get around in. However I needn’t have worried in the least! Rick and Tasha were the most amazing hosts you could ask for. Not only did they give up their apartment for us to use (they booked into a nice hotel not far away), but they toured us around the whole island and then some. We never would have experienced as much of this beautiful island country had it not been for them. They were literally our full-time tour guides the whole time we were on the island. They even rented two vehicles so we would all fit comfortably. I can’t say enough about how much we appreciated their hospitality.
Malta is a most interesting place with a wonderful history and tons of sites to take in. And both Rick and Tasha know enough about the island and its history to share that information with us. Plus they are both very interesting people themselves. They both work in very high-level jobs and travel a ton for work. But they also like to travel themselves and have been to more places than anyone I have ever met. They rent the apartment in Malta, own a flat in London, own a house north of Malmo, Sweden and I believe Rick also rents an apartment in Stockholm. Tasha is a patent lawyer and Rick works as a director for the Church of Sweden, which ranks right up there with the Catholic Church in terms of prosperity.
With all the uncertainty that accompanied this trip - our lack of accommodations, our lack of real planning about where we wanted to go in Sicily, the challenges of Dad’s health situation prior to the trip, I was feeling very trepidatious about the whole thing. But travelling with Mer and Richard was a real bonus. They are much more travel savvy than we are, and far more tech savvy, which is a real bonus in this day and age of travel. They were also very patient and understanding about Irv’s limitations. Plus Richard’s exceptional driving skills and Mer’s navigational skills made for much easier, though not always stress-free, travel throughout Sicily.
All in all, a wonderful holiday with many great memories made to treasure when we are sitting in our rocking chairs in the nursing home!!