Update on Ethans trip

 Ethan spent a few days in Prague but now he’s in Cesky Krumluv. He’s enjoyed his tours. Here are some pictures from him and one I found on a George Fox website.

He’s gone on tours, went to a concert, visited an illusion museum, wandered the streets. Keep praying over him

Day 5 tour to Bosnia

450 year old Oriental Plane tree

We got up early to catch our tour van at 6:15. After everyone was picked up we headed out on our day. First stop was Ston, Croatia. We had watched a Disney+ “Europe From Above” episode on Croatia and I had wanted to visit Ston and go over the bridge (that connects Croatia to Croatia because Bosnia owns a teeny section of coast cutting the country in two) after watching it.

Ston has the second largest stone wall in the world, after the Great Wall of China. In 1358 the wall was finished to protect the towns salt, which at the time was very expensive. 

Then over the bridge opened in 2022.

Then we headed to Kravica waterfalls in Bosnia. Got a stamp at border control and then we were at the waterfalls. They’re gorgeous. You are allowed to swim in the water but May is a bit cold so we only see one man go in and back out.

Then back in the van to Mostar, Bosnia. There is so much history in this country. And its recent history, with the war ending in 1995. So recent there are still big feelings about the people involved in this civil war.

We had lunch here. Ben tried Bosnian coffee and I think enjoyed that.

Day 4 Dubrovnik

We woke and went to breakfast at the hotel. Sitting on their balcony above the ocean we had our breakfast. It was beautiful. 

 We couldn’t really do anything planned today. I can’t walk. This hotel is on a hill so there are lots of stairs. It’s hard enough doing these stairs there’s no way I can walk this city. I feel so sad that we are wasting time here. Like I ruined Bens vacation. Thankful my tummy feels better but can’t believe I now have my first sprained ankle. We just relaxed in the room with the doors and windows open both listening to books. It finally cooled down enough for Ben to head down into the old town.

Dinner was at the hotel.

Can you pray that my ankle heals quick! We have heavy, heavy walking days in the next couple weeks. Tomorrow is a tour to Bosnia!

Day 3 Croatia! Friday May 9

We were up and catching a ride back to Heathrow at 8:30. We were going business class so we got to spend an hour in a lounge with breakfast! Easy flight with lunch, easy luggage retrieval. 

Forgot to mention when we first landed in London Bens luggage was hard to find. He finally found it in a group of luggage by a group of people. Not sure of they had pulled it off or someone else had left it!

Took an uber into Drubrovnik and I love our little boutique hotel sitting over the ocean. Enjoyed a couple hours sitting at the pool and then went to find our dinner reservations. Fun to try some Bosnian food. 

On our walk back to the hotel I tripped and fell down some stairs! It was quite embarrassing and I sprained my ankle cut up the top of the foot and the arm on that side. It’s embarrassing and it ruins some plans (a lot of plans) that need me to walk. I’ve never sprained an ankle. I’m thankful my shoes have a nice low area for the swollen area to sit out of. Poor Ben is stuck with me.

Day 2

Today wasn’t as planned as yesterday. We had a play booked but other than that it was kind of up in the air. We went to the hotels breakfast and then had decided to go see the Natural History Museum. I have been feeling nauseous on the trip and I thought it was just that for the three nights prior I was getting just a couple hours of sleep and the driving yesterday made me think it was just car sickness but I had a full nights sleep last night and still felt sick. We decided Ben should still go see the museum and I stayed behind in the hotel room. Ben walked there but didn’t last very long. I guess it wasn’t anything he really cared to see. I think he spent more time on walking there and back than he did in the museum.

A little after he returned we made our way to see Richard II, with Jonathon Bailey. It was a different show than we normally see. Enjoyable but not earth shattering. 

We then headed to Dishoom an Indian restaurant we enjoyed last time we were in London. So tasty. We’ve not found samosas in the USA like they do them at Dishoom.

London is so old with really beautiful old buildings but Battersea has these tall modern glass buildings along the River Thames. Its gorgeous. I can only imagine what it costs to live there. But we didn’t get to explore much because it was freezing and when we had left earlier it was much warmer. Decision made to just head back to our hotel. 

 I thought we might walk around the area a bit but it got so cold! Battersea is an interesting area in Southwest 

I love London. It’s alive. The streets make no sense and I’d hate to drive here but the city is just alive. The buildings have so much character.  The people are so diverse. There are restaurants everywhere. I hope I get to come back someday.

Please pray that I feel better tomorrow. Being sick on travel days is not what I want.

Day 1 The English Bus tour

 I didn’t sleep great our first night in London and so we were up In plenty of time to get a little pastry and hot drink before meeting our group of 12 that went to see Stonehenge, Bath and Lacock. It was the same trip I took with Alicia in 2017 but Ben wanted to see Stonehenge and I love the small group tour style of The English Bus. 

The weather was beautiful. Stonehenge sits at the top of a little hill in the middle of fields with sheep. It’s very picturesque. One of the fields has little mounds where people 5000 years ago would bury loved ones to be close to Stonehenge. I think Ben enjoyed getting to finally see it.

Then we were off to Bath. The buildings here are beautiful. Bath Abbey is huge with carvings of saints, angels, and olive trees. Ben and I had a little tea service with yummy eats and drinks. 

Then off to Lacock to see a couple spots that were used in tv and films in a quaint little English village.

We got back late and I was tired! I slept amazingly and woke up to 33 texts! Usually those wake me up through the night but I slept through them and am now hoping Ethan is safely on his flight to his own European trip. He actually will be at Heathrow for a few hours today. So weird to be so close to him but not see him.

Day 0 travel days

Ben and I took off early a Monday morning for a trip we’ve been planning and thinking about for years to celebrate our 26 anniversary a few months early. First stop London but it was a long day getting there. Ben and I saved our air miles and we were able to fly first class to Europe. We flew to DFW first on a lovely flight then had a 10 hour layover that became a 11 hour layover. But because we were flying first class we were able to spend most of that time in an American Air Lounge. Free snacks, drinks, sit down meals and comfy chairs with a view of the rainy tarmac. It was a great way to kill the time. 

Then a flight to London. Ben and I had fun seeing what lay down beds in first class feels like, pushing all the little gadgets, and then we landed on Tuesday afternoon. We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant near our hotel and then had an early bed time.