“Fly the World above the Crowd”

If you’ve never been to England (I haven’t), or even if you have, Joe (my husband) and I invite you to join us—virtually—in May as we head to the UK for a much-anticipated visit! I’ll share some of our favorite sights, hotels, restaurants, and landmarks. I’ll share “travel hacks” and travel resources that I hope will help to make your next trip easier, less stressful, and more fun—whether your journey takes you across town or across the ocean! [This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase through the use of these links, we will receive, at no extra cost to you, a small commission from Amazon.]

The Backstory, Part 1

Joe is a retired commercial airline pilot, having his mandatory retirement fall during the time when he was flying frequent trips to seven cities in Europe: London, Manchester, Madrid, Munich, Frankfurt, Rome, and Paris. He flew for US Airways, which acquired American Airlines (when they filed for bankruptcy) and then took the name of American Airlines. So, technically, he is a retiree of American Airlines. All that, to say this: my husband and his late wife enjoyed traveling to many places, but they particularly enjoyed their trips to England. As fans of hymn history, church history, and world history, England provided the perfect setting for their combined and shared interests. Because my family was close friends with Joe and his late wife, we often received cards, letters, or even gifts from their travels abroad. After her passing and our marriage to each other, Joe would often say, “I’d love to take you to England some day.” In my desire to honor to my late friend, I felt that for us to go to a spot they loved so well would be inserting myself into their memories, and with all the places in the world, we could certainly find a spot that would be “ours.” Besides, even with all his travels, there are so many places within the US that Joe still has never seen that I wanted to introduce him to some of my favorites right here. Besides, I’m not a huge fan of flying [I’d rather do the backstroke “across the pond” than fly! Ha-ha!], so there’s that!

The Backstory, Part 2

Enter: Escape to the Country. When we got rid of cable and used a Roku device or a digital antenna to access seemingly obscure non-cable channels, we came across a now-favorite show, Escape to the Country. I describe it as a more detailed type of House Hunters, only this takes place across the UK and includes not just the homes being considered by the buyers but interesting insights into the towns and villages which may or may not become their new communities. It’s fascinating, and it served to show me that, while I naturally love the historic, royal, and globally recognizable sights of the UK, there is so much more to the region. I still recall the day we were watching an episode that took place in Wales, and I turned to Joe and said, “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go!”

The Backstory, Part 3

As a former music teacher, I had my summers “free” and worked for an amazing woman and her tour agency, based in the Detroit area. (Check out Custom Holidays for some incredible tours and trips!) I learned the invaluable steps of trip planning, and I was able to help schedule many successful tours while I was there. That experience was put to good use in planning our upcoming trip, and my desire is to share some of those time-saving, money-saving tips with you before, during, and after our trip!

The Next Chapter

So sit back, think of where you want your next adventure to take place, and join us as we “fly the world above the crowd,” won’t you? While you’re at it, grab a copy of The House at the End of the Old Gravel Road (affiliate link), become friends with the fictional residents of the fictional town of Dodgeville, SC (“it doesn’t exist, but you’ll wish it did”), and prepare to read Bitsy and Henry’s version of their trip to the UK when Book 2 launches on September 1, 2024. I think you’ll enjoy the tie-in of our real-life trip with their fictional version of the same. Stay tuned!

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