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Italian Opera-Edinburgh Tattoo-"Great" Houses-Cornwall: Ongoing and FINAL

Italian Opera-Edinburgh Tattoo-"Great" Houses-Cornwall: Ongoing and FINAL

Old Jul 27th, 2017, 01:16 AM
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Italian Opera-Edinburgh Tattoo-"Great" Houses-Cornwall: Ongoing and FINAL

I am once again going to attempt an ongoing "trip report" and it will also be my last one here. In the past, many very kind people have signed on to these attempts and for a variety of reasons the attempts have failed.

People write them to be helpful to others but I've learned that unless you talk about things of interest to many they won't get a lot of "action" which is understandable.

I do not top my own posts as some very well-known frequent posters seem to do in order to "get attention." The only topping I do is by adding another entry.

That all very boringly said, we are this morning at 6 days before departure.

Preparation: bought air tickets almost a year ago. Itinerary has bounced all over the place, especially in Italy and the UK and so many hotels have been booked and discarded, train tickets reserved (and a couple discarded), flights booked and changed along with two different rental car segments rather than one continuous one; I've got a file folder full of so much "documentation" it looks like a thesis binder.

The Final: Flying from Miami to London and on to Zurich next Wednesday-Thursday. Overnight in Zurich and on to Bologna the next morning by rail. Four days in Bologna (new for us) followed by four nights and four opera performances in Verona (not so new for us).

Flying to Edinburgh via Gatwick out of Verona rather than trooping to Milan to fly direct as we have done in the past.

The whole "Edinburgh thing" is so the Husbear can once AGAIN see the Tattoo. The last time we did it we had the "best" seats and the weather was miserable to include plenty of rain but that show goes on regardless as did we.

I was disappointed in the show itself but only because I thought there should have been a lot more bagpipes and all that and a lot less of the "everything else" which is what I was used to when these bands make trips to the US. Between that and the weather I swore I would NEVER do it again...ever!

So why are we? As they say, "For better or worse..."

Flying to Manchester and renting a car for some "Great" house touring to include Chatsworth and Hardwick Hall then flying to Newquay for a four-night stay in Falmouth. Will fly to Gatwick for one night and a show in London at the end and then back home.

Total time about three weeks and I already miss our little doggie.

I've had good and bad times on this site. Things have suddenly changed in our own lives here at home so this "report" will kinda be "it" for a while.

No worries about comments or likes and dislikes. I've been dissed before by the world travelers and the foodies so nothing is new.

More as time passes.
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Old Jul 27th, 2017, 03:06 AM
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i felt this way before a couple of medical procedures.
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Old Jul 27th, 2017, 03:43 AM
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Getting Ready

Every time we travel any great distance I swear I am going to be packed and ready a day or so before we leave and yet I'm always throwing stuff together at the last minute.

This year seems to be no exception. The luggage is open in the guest room and a few clothes are laid out and that's all.

We have decided to do this trip with carry-on luggage only which will be new for us on a trip this long. I am skeptical about laundry since I am determined not to stink. Will go back to washing out socks and underwear in the hotel room.

Packing "sensibly" as someone described it for opera performances, the heat and humidity of Italy, and the potential blustery weather in Scotland and you're from Florida and taking carry-ons only. Yeah, right.

There's a lot to do and why am I not motivated? We have someone who will come in and check our home every few days, water plants, stack the mail, etc. The friend we used to fly in to sit with the dog no longer comes and we very fortunately found a local person who boards our dog in his home and we trust him totally so big load off the mind. All that is arranged.

Because we live on the beach and in a flood zone in Fort Lauderdale, storms are always a concern between June and November. We have oceanfront BIG windows with impact glass but all the outside furniture will have to be secured before we leave. There are a couple of storm forecasters who broadcast and I watch what they are saying closely; thus far things look to be quite while we are gone, we hope.

Since we leave from Miami we have arranged for a car service to and from the airport rather than driving and parking for three weeks.

I take a laptop on trips. I used to take a tablet but got tired of using so-called "mobile" forms of websites. That and a Kindle for reading which I need to load some new books onto.

I just started reading "The End of Eddy" but the first chapter described some animal cruelty so brutal I couldn't even finish it! I'm tired of hearing about human barbarity for a while and especially political and religiously-motivated barbarity. Gotta find something else.
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Old Jul 27th, 2017, 04:17 AM
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I look forward to reading about this trip. Onwards and upwards!
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Old Jul 27th, 2017, 04:23 AM
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Looking forward to your report - particularly the Tattoo.
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Old Jul 27th, 2017, 05:11 AM
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"Things have suddenly changed in our own lives here at home so this "report" will kinda be "it" for a while."

Hope that is not bad news. If so, best wishes.

Sounds like a good trip. Especially interested in your take on Falmouth as I hope to get to back to Cornwall some time soon.
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Old Jul 27th, 2017, 08:07 AM
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Bon voyage, Dukey. Wishing you good health and perfect weather.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 07:03 AM
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The Packing Adventure-continued

So, after reading various posts and, as usual, having difficulty posting replies, I thought I'd update this "report."

First of all, the well wishes above are appreciated.

I actually began to pack yesterday and in a serious fashion. Laid out almost everything as everyone repeatedly recommends. I am not yet at the point of "discarding half and packing the rest" since I have been trying to lay out only that "half" in the first place.

Little doggie repeatedly jumped onto the guest room bed (where this whole operation is taking place) and tried to "help" and that included getting into at least one open bag and refusing to budge for a while.

Still not sure we can go without checking something; if we can bluff our way onto the plane with one bag which really isn't a "small personal item" as opposed to the size of a second carry-on BAG then we'll see.

Don't mind checking it as long as it makes the Heathrow transfer from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 and appears on the carousel in Zurich where we will only be staying for ONE night.

He also ran off with a pair of socks which I found in the living room later.

Have broken out the various currencies left over from previous trips, passports, Global Entry stuff; re-confirmed with house checker/plant waterer; outside furniture is secured. Have been eating up stuff in the refrigerator like produce.

I wish we were leaving TODAY cause I just want to get out of here for a while.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 07:46 AM
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Just found this, Dukey, and sympathise bigly [we can thank your Pres for that word, if for nothing else] with the attempt to pack in good time to avoid the last minute panic as we will be setting off in just over a week's time too. So it looks as if we may well miss each other in Falmouth, as when you are here, I will be there, there being Switzerland. Shame. [there I go again]

And I agree that it can't come soon enough - we too could do with a break.

O & U as bilbo says.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 08:06 AM
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The transfer from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 is a royal pain. When I did it it was a lot of walking and a lot of standing and more standing and I swore I wouldn't do it again. So, depending on the weight of the bag, you might want to check it anyway.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 08:37 AM
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hi ann, going to be in Cornwall week after next.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 08:58 AM
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oh no, bilbo, I'll be missing you as well.

Bad timing by all of us!
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 09:35 AM
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When we have transferred between 3 and 5 we took those shuttle buses. We have spinner luggage for this trip but I can fully relate to the long walks at LHR. Of course, we'll get to go through Security again so the more I'm thinking of it the more I am tending to agree about checking the two bags.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 09:47 AM
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Yes, I took the shuttle bus, but I had quite a long wait (standing) to board, and then had to stand on the bus and in a very slow queue for security at Terminal 5. It probably depends on when you land and how many other planes are landing at the same time. I always check my bigger bag just so I don't have to schlep it through terminals (and so I can pack some non-TSA approved things), but I see a lot of people who choose differently.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 11:52 AM
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I really hope you manage to catch some of the Fringe shows Dukey - I rate the festival far higher than the Tattoo. My personal recommendation is to see what's on at The Traverse, as most of the shows there during Fringe seem to be of high quality.

I am also in the Falmouth area this coming week (brief stop just a couple of days with family) so there will be a lot of Fodors ships passing in the night!
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 12:21 PM
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Yes, the Fringe. I agree it could be more fulfilling.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 01:09 PM
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Honestly, just because people don't comment doesn't mean they aren't reading and appreciating.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 02:39 PM
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Great so far Dukey. I'm looking forward to the rest. I have very good memories of the Tattoo, having been several times as I grew up in Edinburgh. I do agree with you that sometimes there's too much "other stuff". Hope it doesn't rain!
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 03:21 PM
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Can't wait to hear your day to day doings and wishing you the best of weather and transportation connections!
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Old Aug 1st, 2017, 08:40 AM
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I guess I am one of the guilty party.
I have read and appreciated Dukey1's past trip reports but have not commented on them.

Thanks Dukey.
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