Tag: Plan

2024 – The Plan
Well, it has been a while since we have been able to write one of these posts. Travel has been so disrupted since the pandemic began that it has felt silly to plan ahead. However, here we are with renewed confidence, a diary with proper plans and properly booked flights for the year! Here is 2024 – our plan.

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Tunisia

The best manicure in the desert!?

Our first trip abroad of 2024 is to a new country, Tunisia. This North African country used to be a darling of British package holidaymakers but the Arab Spring and a beachfront attack on tourists put people on edge. Then along came a worldwide pandemic and it feels like this is Tunisia’s time to come back. Hopefully, the tourist industry can return stronger than ever and with more cultural tourism as well as the fly and flop contingent. The trip is going to be a quick one, just four nights but we are going to see the coast, the city and the desert in that short time. I might have to watch Star Wars again for my homework.

Iceland

They say that the third time’s the charm! However, we have been to Iceland twice before and loved it on both occasions so it seems like the first, second and third times are the charm. On our 2024 trip, we are going to be taking a series of tours to some incredible natural spots around the Golden Circle, along the South Coast and in between two tectonic plates!

Check out our 4 days in Iceland Itinerary.

Italy – Pesto Championships

You may or may not have seen that I sort of won a pesto championship in London. As well as being a crazy night, it also entitles me to travel to Italy and take part in the 2024 finals. So we find ourselves booking to travel to Genoa in Italy. The finalists are all put up in a hotel for two nights and fight it out with a pestle and mortar during the day. It is a wonderful reason to revisit Genoa and we are going to add on two days to zip through Cinque Terre and Pisa. I know that’s not nearly long enough but you do what you can…

Spain – The Canaries +

I think we might be cruise people now. When Windstar Cruises was offering cruises to bloggers I jumped at the chance. Windstar has small ships, designed to feel like large luxury yachts. Ours, for example, is only going to have 312 guests maximum. This particular 2024 cruise is going to be taking us to some new destinations (for me) and a couple of familiar spots. We get to start in the Spanish Canary Islands. Mr Fluskey has been on a few family holidays here, but I have never visited and I can’t wait to see the volcanic beaches of Tenerife.

We will be hopping between three islands, before heading up to the Portuguese island of Madeira which we visited for a friend’s pre-wedding celebration. We never got to try the crazy downhill wicker toboggans so that will be stop number one. Plus, it is going to be during the flower festival so hopefully, the town will be in full bloom. The cruise is finishing up in Lisbon so I guess we will scoff a few pasteis de nata and then roll onto the plane home.

Funchal is the capital of Madeira Island

Spain – Costa Del Sol

Returning to Spain again rather quickly, we are going back to the south of the country for a family holiday with the Fluskeys. They are going to be in a holiday apartment for a couple of weeks and we need to work out the logistics of getting there too. When I say a family holiday, I mean the WHOLE family. This means we are going to be travelling in the school holidays and flights direct to Malaga are wildly expensive. We are looking at some fun train and bus options via Seville and Madrid. Bring on the sun, swimming pool and sangria.

The resort

Maybe a return to Ronda?

Bulgaria

In December, I won a raffle. I never win raffles so I was in shock. The prize was five nights at the Melia in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria and I thought what a super excuse to travel to another new country! The dates are a little tricky but we are trying to work out a way to go in 2024; it would be heartbreaking to lose it. Ideally, we would have used it as a jumping-off point for a longer trip across Bulgaria. It will probably be those five nights plus one day in Sofia, but we are still working on it!

Pink pools!

Camp Wildfire

This one isn’t confirmed but it is a maybe so let’s pop it on here anyway. 2024 would be our third year at the epic Camp Wildfire. Camp Wildfire is a summer camp for adults. Everyone camps (or glamps) for three nights. In the day there are loads and loads of activities that you can try. We have done some really cool things:
- Space science
- Ariel bungee
- Nerf wars
- Mixology
- Tai chi
- Afrobeats dance
- Burlesque
- Rifle shooting
- etc, etc, etc
Once the activities end, there are some fun group games. Then it is time for the entertainment. This consists of a clubbing tent, a talks and comedy tent and a live music tent. It is crazy fun.

Check out our 2023 review Bungees, Beats & Badgers

Switzerland

After a week travelling around Switzerland last year during our Interrail trip, I found a new love. The Swiss train system is wonderful and the special trains are all worth the trip. This time we are going to be hopping on the Bernina Express from Italy to St Moritz and then taking the iconic Glacier Express all the way to Zermatt. It takes around 8 hours and is known as the “slowest express train in the world”. Lots of time to relax, take in the views and maybe have a sneaky nap. Then, we continue around the country for another 6 days, jumping on and off trains and enjoying a few gorgeous vistas. Apart from the prices which are eyewatering sometimes, this is going to be fabulous.

France

We are going to be taking our first river cruise in late September 2024 (coming straight on the back of the Swiss trip). It leaves from Lyon, somewhere we have never been, and sails the Rhone down to the Med and back up again. The ship looks really elegant and the food looks fantastic. I would say pair that with local wine but it seems to be a lot of scary, grown up red wine so we might make idiots of ourselves. Ah well, slipping through the French countryside with small, pretty towns to explore is going to be so lush. I am looking forward to the laidback feel of a river cruise. They can moor right up in the centre of town so you just hop off, take a stroll and you are back on board again without any stress.

Final Thoughts on Our 2024 Plans

Planning these trips, Mr Fluskey isn’t too happy that we are spending quite a bit of time in Europe. In one respect, I agree. I work for a long-haul airline and it would be a shame to end the year with cheap tickets left. We’ll just have to think of something for the end of the year which is a little further afield. We are also visiting many places we have been before but the plan is to see as many new spots within those places as we can…at least, that is what I am going to try to work out. Let the 2024 itinerary planning commence!

Rosie xx
16/01/2024
2019 – The Plan

2018 was a crazy year for travel. We dashed off on 9 holidays and spent, well, more than we should have on our adventures. We may have been the only people to have made a New Years resolution to travel LESS. So what does 2019 hold for the Flying Fluskeys?

January/February – The Trans-Manchurian Railway

We have just one truly epic adventure planned for 2019 so far. We are heading to the frozen east. After flying to Shanghai, we are taking the train up to the Harbin Ice Festival. This annual extravaganza is a HUGE celebration of all things cold and icy!

From there, we are jumping aboard a train bound for Russia and, with a few stops, travelling all the way to Moscow and St Petersburg. As always, we are trying to squeeze three weeks worth of travel into ten intense days. There will be bad nights sleep, hectic city tours and lots, AND LOTS of snow!

March – Taiwan

After our plans had to change in December, we are giving a trip to Taipei a second shot in 2019. It is a wonderful chance to pound the streets, eat everything in sight and learn as much as we can about this exciting, dynamic island. Plus, we are going on a pilgrimage. We are going on a hunt for the original Din Tai Fung, one of our favourite dim sum restaurants.

Oh Din Tai Fung, your xiao long bao are just so fabulous

June – Israel

We are joining forces with a friend who lives in Egypt, to explore some of Israel. It will be a relatively short trip, but we are hoping to visit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with one more spot, if we have time. I’m sure that this country, full of ancient history, will throw some uncomfortable truths at us, but I think it will be fascinating.

Swimming in the inifinity pool, overlooking the Dead Sea after we had had our trip was glorious.

June – New York

This one isn’t a guarantee, but we didn’t visit New York in 2018, and that bucks a five year trend. We are having NYC withdrawal.

In 2019, New York is hosting World Pride. The whole city will burst into rainbow and we want to experience a little slice of pride. It may be a three day trip, it may be a week…it may not happen at all, but won’t it be fun if it does!? Read all about a fabulous way to get there on Virgin Atlantic, a very proud airline.

September – A Something, Something.

September is the big unanswered question. We have time away from work, and traditionally we have done a big trip mid-month for a few years. However, for 2019 the dates are slightly awkward so we don’t know if it’ll be a big trip, a little long haul trip or a sneaky European city break. If it were up to me, we would go somewhere nearby, pop back home to fulfil our work obligations, and then jet off again somewhere a little further afield.

October – Back to the USA

A good friend is getting married in Maryland and so we are heading Stateside to celebrate. This may be another chance to visit NYC, or take our first trip to Boston? We have been to DC twice, so I think we will skip that, but if you have any recommendations in and around Maryland, we would LOVE to hear them!

Been there, done that! Mind you, I didn’t get the t-shirt so maybe we should go back….?

Got time for a drink? Why not read My Favourite Bars in New York City

So that is our year of travels.

Let’s face it, there is the distinct possibility there will be more trips than this. There will be if I have anything to do with it! I hope Mr Fluskey is ready, let the nagging begin!

Rosie xx

27/12/2018
2018 – The Plan
Our backpacks are sitting empty and forlorn, ready to be stuffed full of our favourite travel gear, and whisked away on a holiday. In 2018, they will get to visit four continents and at least eight countries. Join us as we take a quick look at what 2018 has in store.

Orlando

Is there a better way to see in 2018 than with a sky full of fireworks? Mr Fluskey and I both adore fireworks and so we are going to the happiest place on earth to see them; Disney. Along with us, we are going away with two good friends, let’s call them Jazzy. We are taking a few trips with them in 2018, so don’t forget them!

We are spending New Year’s Eve getting stuck in Epcot’s every nook and cranny. In the evening, the DJs will play us into 2018 and the sky will be FULL of sparkles. The following day, nursing slightly sore heads, we are going to Universal Studios. We expect lots of fun, and quite a bit of queuing.

Read our Top Ten Tips for One Day at Universal Studios Hollywood

San Francisco

A super speedy stop in this West Coast city is in store for Mrs Fluskey in the second week of January. It is going to be a crazy cross-Atlantic dash to meet her brother for two nights and bring him home. We have never been west of Chicago, and 2018 is the year to remedy that. California, we are coming for you!

The Philippines

In 2009, Mr Fluskey and I spent five glorious months travelling South-East Asia. We couldn’t afford to make the plane ride to The Philippines and so we are ticking off a big bucket list box this year. Starting at the Ati-Atihan festival, we are going to be island hopping across Palawan and Borocay. Our last day will be spent on the hunt for whale sharks in Donsol. Unlike the more famous spot of Oslob in Cebu, the sharks here are not fed and so a sighting isn’t guaranteed. Our fingers are firmly crossed.

Paris

This is no ordinary city break to the city of light. We are jumping on the eurostar and whizzing over to Paris to join in with the annual Bastille Day celebrations. Yes, we are chasing fireworks this year. As we have both been before, we are hoping to see something just out of town as well.

Should we visit the Champagne region or Versailles? Leave us a comment and help us decide. Either way it’s high living so whatever the outcome, there will be a glass of champagne at the end of the day.

Amsterdam

Continuing with the major celebrations theme, we are taking another eurostar trip, this time to Amsterdam.

We are going to don our orange clothes and celebrate King’s Day. We don’t know anyone in Amsterdam, so we won’t be on one of the barge parties, but our buddies Jazzy will be joining us, so there should be lots of fun bankside.

Dubai

This is a very tentative idea. We spent a whirlwind 8 hours in Dubai last February but we would like to see a little more. Mr Fluskey is very keen to acend the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and Mrs Fluskey would love in indulge in her guilty pleasure, waterparks. It will either be a long weekend, or a longer trip that incorporates a nearby destination too; probably Abu Dhabi or Oman.

Madeira

Have you heard of a sten do? Those travel buddies, Jazzy, are tying the knot this year, and this trip is the first of a couple we are taking in connection with their big day. We are combining the traditional stag and hen dos into one brilliant weekend away exploring this Portuguese island. Honestly, I have no idea what we will be doing yet, but I expect lots of great food and drink and hopefully some lovely sunshine.

Read about our trip Whale and Dolphin Watching with VMT Madeira

USA West Coast

This will be a trip to see California properly. After the whirlwind trip in January, this will be a chance to really get stuck in. We will be hiring a car, probably, and making our way from San Francisco to LA,..probably. We haven’t really started planning it. All we know is that we are going West until we hit the sea, celebrating Independence Day (more fireworks) and having a great time exploring.

Read about Discovering Venice Beach Through Food – A Secret Food Tours Review

South Africa

The second of our Jazzy wedding related trips is an African adventure. Their are only two certainties about this trip.
1. Jazzy are going to be celebrating their marraige at a stunning venue in the middle of the South Africa
2. Mrs Fluskey REALLY wants to jump into the Devil’s Pool at Victoria Falls.
Therefore, some sort of Southern African trip is on the cards. Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botwana, Mozambique, Namibia; it’s all up for debate.

We love South Africa, read all about our trips to the rainbow nation

We may pop down to Cape Town again, it was just so lovely!

A Pot Luck

With two flights to use, and only 20 days to use them, we can take a last-minute trip for three or four days in December. Maybe it’ll be snowy Boston, maybe sun-drenched Mexico. We can’t wait to find out.

Where is 2018 taking you? Will we pass by any of you? Do you have any recommendations for things we just can’t miss? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Rosie xx
28/12/2017
2017 – The Plan

In a change to our regularly scheduled programming: our plan for 2017.

2016 was a BIG year. Ignoring everything else that happened, Mr Fluskey and I finally got married after ten years together. It took up most of my time, most of my thoughts and most of our holiday days. This year, I am dragging us back out for some more on-the-road adventures.

January

In three days we are off to Sri Lanka. We booked this trip back in November and I have been bouncing up and down on my seat since then.

“India lite” as people have described it, is a close cousin of the great diamond shaped subcontinent to its North-West. We adore India and I am in serious need of some vitamin D. If I can have all the best bits plus a slightly more relaxing trip, I’m in. Everyone said we had a nice summer last year, but I was either at work, or inside making wedding centrepieces. I’m vampire pale now (although my work tights give me a nice tanned pair of legs). The idea of temple hopping, walking in lush wilderness, followed by safaris, (leopard and whale) and beaches has held me captivated for months. We will end our first trip in 2017 in Colombo on Independence Day. Hopefully with a large fireworks display, and we love, love, love fireworks.

On the way back, we have a day in Dubai. This is a taster day which will help us work out if it’s a destination we are keen to visit properly. It’s a real Virgin Atlantic staff favourite but I’m not sure if it will hold much appeal for me after I’ve scaled the Burj Khalifa. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

March

To top up the sun further in 2017, we are going to Jamaica with our dear friends Carolyn and James. We haven’t been to the Caribbean all that much, just Cuba and Puerto Rico, so we don’t know what to expect. Talking about it yesterday, I realised that Jamaica has created such a strong brand for itself, that it has become a bit of a legend. I hope it stands up to the hype and delivers an island break with a whack of culture too.

April

Off to Germany we will go in April, to visit Phil. Phil is a fellow travel enthusiast who has been working for a travel company over in Düsseldorf for a couple of years. We are finally off to see him, with a few more of our friends. On the way, we have decided to go by train, stopping off in Brussels to have a look around. Others say there’s not much to see but we mustn’t forget the oft quoted adage:

May

Continuing our effort to see where our adventurous friends live, we are finally getting ourselves to South Korea. This trip is a double whammy. First of all, my parents, Mr Fluskey and I are off to Hong Kong, where we will meet my brother and his girlfriend for a couple of days.

Check out 42 Things for Your Hong Kong Bucket List / Hong Kong Itinerary

James and Harri are living in Hanoi and so they will whisk my parents off to see Vietnam. We will be flying to Seoul at the same time, to see Lucy, our friend who is out there teaching English to young children. She had been there for three or four years but our habit of travelling in winter, combined with Seoul’s terrifying minus temperatures, mean we haven’t gotten round to going yet.

Check out 5 Reasons to Book a January Holiday, and Where To Go

June

In June, we are hitting the Balkans for a two week speed tour. We are going to Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. I wanted to do it all by train but some of the routes have stopped running so we will have to bus it. We still get to take the Bar to Belgrade train though, rumoured to be one of the world’s greatest.

September

Our anniversary trip is still undecided. We have four days off in September and I am very open to suggestions. Leave them in the comments box if you have any ideas. I’m thinking Boston…or Egypt…or Poland…or…

October

After many years of lamenting, I can finally go to New York for Halloween. The weakness of the pound means that Manhattan hotels are now out of the question, but I’ve found a very good deal on an AirBnB right next to the L train subway in Williamsburg. First time in ten visits that I’ll be staying off the island. As long as we see both the Parade and our New York favourites Andrew and Ernie, I’ll be a happy girl.

November

In November, we will be returning to Lewes for bonfire night. If you haven’t heard of it, google it! It is the country’s most intense and fantastic bonfire celebration. We finally managed to book a room in the hotel opposite our normal watching pitch but I’ll write about it properly nearer the time.

December

Finally, New Year’s Eve. If i can get the time off work, it’ll be the year we resurrect the group holiday. Ever since my first trip away to Budapest, I have thought that our trips to take the pressure off that one night, are superb. Who knows where we will go!?

All I know is that I am already excited about 2017. No matter what the year may hold politically (I’m not sure the future looks bright there) at least I know, another trip is just around the corner.

If you have any hints, tips, blog or atricle suggestions for 2017, I’d be ever so excited to read them. You can comment below, tweet me or comment on the Facebook link. It is all fuel for the fire.

Rosie xx

19/01/2017