Spain and beyond.

 We have a six-week trip to Europe almost planned; just a couple minor accommodations and some car rentals left to do.  We start by flying to the Canary Islands.  We have a one-week cruise there and are arriving a few days early. Then we fly back to Madrid and spend two weeks in southern Spain with a day trip to Tangier, Morrocco and tickets to tour the Alhambra.  While in Europe, we might as well take advantage of it, and Dawn wouldn't mind spending the entire summer there.

We have been to France on previous trips but have missed the southwest part of the country.  Thus, we are flying to Bordeaux and driving (130 miles) to Salat-la-Caneda in the Dordogne River valley for a scenic stay. Then we fly to Manchester, England and rent a car (137 miles) to spend a week in the Lake District of northern England.  From there we fly back to Washington, DC, with a brief flight change in Iceland.  

In DC, we want to see our grandchildren often as they are growing and changing fast. Then it is back to Colorado.  It should be a great trip.  A little late in getting reservations; amazing how many flights and accommodations where we got the last room or last two seats.  But I think they were being honest; I could see that in most locations, at least half of the hotels were already fully booked.  

How many more years will we be able to do this?  On a recent exam visit to my physician, he told me I am exceptionally healthy for my age.  That actually bothered me; I would prefer to think that most people of my age are still healthy.  Exceptions usually revert back to the mean before too long.  We do try to live a healthy lifestyle.

The longest trip we have ever planned, and it should be great.  

12 accommodations

9 flights, 5 airlines

7 train rides

3 car rentals

2 ferries'

1 small cruise ship,

stops in 6 countries

My concerns:  1) I need to familiarize myself with the Spanish train system.  We hope to use the train for day visits to Toledo, Segovia, and Cordoba.  This system is different than the Swiss trains. 2) Wish our French was better.  We lived in Panama for 3 years and Germany for 3 years and have some familiarity there, but we have never had much French exposure and are traveling to a part of France that doesn't see that many English-speaking tourists.  3) Driving on the left side of the road, seated on the right, manual transmission on left, in the Lake District of England could be challenging.  We will never forget driving on backroads in the low mountains of Ireland.  No road shoulders to pull off on, overgrown with shrubbery, extremely narrow winding roads, and relatively high speeds.  We both retired to the bar as soon as we got back to our hotel for a tall drink.  But, in all our travels, we have never had even a scratch on one of our rentals.

It will be part of the challenge.