SOLO TRAVEL IS NOW FOR ME

I'm used to travelling solo by choice, but now I have to go alone. My husband passed away ten months ago and after two years of being unable to travel and then ten months of dealing with his estate, I am now able to spread my wings again.

I have plans, BIG plans for 2017.

I have booked a Russian cruise for September 2017 after a week in the UK visiting friends. After three days touring Moscow, we sail north for seven days to St. Petersburg, which we tour for another three days.

After spending a few days in Paris, I head for Amboise, which is the base for my small-group, chateaux and wine tasting tour in the Loire Valley. I'm going to add a couple of extra days at the front end of this adventure.

Back to Paris for a couple more days, and thence to Ottawa on my way home to see family and perhaps stay till after Thanksgiving.

My biggest shock has been the single supplements (SS). Some are as much as a 100% of the per person cost — I won't go there! The Russian cruise ships have single cabins and a very reasonable SS. And this is partly the reason I'm not cruising the Loire River. The other reasons are that the road tour has a much cheaper SS and visits the chateaux I'm interested in. The vineyards offered are better too and I shall get to eat in French restos, not on a ship.

I haven't firmed up my trip in April yet as I'm waiting for a few adventures to firm up. But I will be going to Morocco, hopefully for a writers' retreat, and back through Gibraltar and Madrid to visit the Prado.


My passport is about to get a work-out! But first, my annual golf pilgrimage to Palm Springs in a month.