Dammit! I Miss Being On The Road Again... Or Lake

Independent Traveller

I took my last trip almost 2 months ago ~ A week in Dubai.  Anyone who knows how much I am used to travelling will readily see that for me, this seems like an eternity..... oh..okay... I'm exaggerating.... lol....

There is a good reason for my hiatus, and I have plenty of other things to keep me busy at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t missed traveling just about every day since my last  trip.

Addicted To Travel

I miss the thrill that travel gives me.  I miss being out of my comfort zone.  When we travel, I get a real sense of accomplishment when I have to think on my feet to solve a problem, or the way that being in a new place can help you to see things in a different way.

Saving For My Travel

I miss the anticipation and anxious months of planning a trip.  Having a trip out on the horizon to look forward to becomes like an addiction, almost as much as the travel itself.  I miss spending spare moments looking in travel books for ideas and putting together itineraries that I almost never actually stick to.

The airport is always an exciting place for me, and I miss the familiar airport rituals and the incredible sense of sheer potential that I always feel when in an airport to travel somewhere.  I imagine the airport as a portal to a whole new world of new experiences. The airport is always the beginning of a new adventure, and I love knowing that infinite possibilities for adventure lie before me when we step off of the airplane.

Lastly, I miss coming home.  I miss that first night home in my own bed, and the difference in perspective that traveling gives you about the place that you live.  It makes you appreciate my space in a new way and usually gives me a renewed sense of passion and purpose in my life.  I love the feeling of returning home, refreshed and ready to take on life again.

And for now... I'm dreaming of these few places. I'm working hard to make it a reality! So ~ please pray for me.

Lake Annecy France

Lake Annecy (French: Lac d'Annecy) is a perialpine lake in Haute-Savoie in France.

It is the third largest lake in France, after the Lac du Bourget and Lac de Grand-Lieu, if the French part of Lake Geneva (which is also partly in Switzerland) is excluded. It is known as "Europe's cleanest lake" because of strict environmental regulations introduced in the 1960s. It is a popular tourist destination known for its swimming and water sports.

The lake was formed about 18,000 years ago, at the time the large alpine glaciers melted. It is fed by many small rivers from the surrounding mountains (Ire, Eau morte, Laudon, Bornette and Biolon), and from a powerful underwater source, the Boubioz, which enters at 82 m depth.

Nice France

All About Nice

Monaco

Squeezed into just 200 hectares (2.8 sq km), this confetti principality might be the world’s second-smallest country (the Vatican is smaller), but what it lacks in size it makes up for in attitude. Glitzy, glam and screaming hedonism, Monaco is truly beguiling.

Although a sovereign state (Monaco has its own flag and national anthem), the principality's status is unusual. It is not a member of the European Union, yet it participates in the EU customs territory (meaning no border formalities crossing from France into Monaco) and uses the euro as its currency. Citizens of Monaco (Monégasques) don’t pay taxes. The traditional Monégasque dialect is, broadly speaking, a mixture of French and Italian.

Eze France

Your jaw will drop at the gorgeous view of the Mediterranean from Eze, a charming hilltop town on the Cote d’Azur. Its beautiful cobblestone streets and hot-pink bougainvillea are a far cry from the glamour of Cannes or St-Tropez—and for travelers who could care less about celebrities and megayachts, that’s quite appealing. Shoppers will delight in the many local perfumeries and art galleries.

Cannes France

Basking in the sun of the French Riviera, Cannes sparkles with glamour and exclusivity. This legendary seaside resort has all the glitz and allure of the Côte d'Azur: private beaches, marinas filled with luxury yachts, stylish boulevards, elegant Belle Epoque hotels, and fashionable restaurants. In an enchanting setting on Golfe de la Napoule bay, Cannes is blessed with a balmy Mediterranean climate. The weather is mild year-round and perfect for sunbathing by the beach from May through October. Leafy palm trees grace the streets of Cannes, and subtropical flowers flourish throughout the city, giving visitors the impression of being in paradise. The prestigious Film Festival of Cannes has been an important event since it began in 1946. Drawing famous movie stars from around the world, this annual red-carpet gala has earned an international reputation for promoting the art of filmmaking.

Now let's fly to Amsterdam for my Tulips!

The Keukenhof theme for 2016 is “The Golden Age“, the era when Holland became rich through worldwide trade.

The highlight of the theme year is the flower bulb mosaic beside the Oranje Nassau Pavilion. This shows a Delft Blue tile on which the trade across the seas and the rich canal-side houses of Amsterdam are depicted. The mosaic covers an area of 250m2. There are 100.000 flower bulbs used; tulips, grape hyacinths (muscari) and crocuses.

The Golden Age provides the inspiration for the flower mosaic and for many of the flower shows in the Oranje Nassau Pavilion. New in 2016 are a Golden Age inspirational garden and a Delft Blue garden.

Dates Flower shows 2016

24 March - 29 March Tulip show: Oranje Nassau Pavilion

24 March - 05 April Hyacinths show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

24 March - 28 April Flowering Shrubs show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

24 March - 16 May Potted plants show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

24 March - 16 May Amaryllis show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

24 March - 16 May Bulb-on-Pot show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

24 March - 16 May Permanent Lilies show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

31 March - 05 April Freesia show: Oranje Nassau Pavilion

07 April - 12 April Gerbera show: Oranje Nassau Pavilion

14 April - 19 April Roses show: Oranje Nassau Pavilion

21 April - 25 April Daffodils and Special Bulbs show: Oranje Nassau Pavilion

25 April - 01 May Tulip show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

27 April - 03 May Alstroemeria show: Oranje Nassau Pavilion

29 April - 16 May Perennials show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

05 May - 10 May Chrysanthemum and Calla show: Oranje Nassau Pavilion

05 May - 16 May Lilies show: Willem-Alexander Pavilion

12 May - 16 May Carnation and Summer flowers show: Oranje Nassau Pavilion

The Hague

The Hague is a city on the North Sea coast of the western Netherlands. Its Gothic Binnenhof complex is the seat of the Dutch parliament, and 16th-century Noordeinde Palace is the king’s workplace. The city is also home to the U.N.’s International Court of Justice, headquartered in the Peace Palace, and the International Criminal Court.

Geneva Switzerland

Geneva is a Swiss city that lies at the southern tip of expansive Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). Surrounded by the Alps and Jura mountains, the city has views of dramatic Mont Blanc. Headquarters of Europe’s United Nations and the Red Cross, it’s a global hub for diplomacy and banking. French influence is widespread, from the language to gastronomy and bohemian districts like Carouge.

If time permit..... Interlaken

Located between two Alpine Lakes (Brienzersee and Thunersee), Interlaken is a popular base camp for outdoor sports and travel in the surrounding Bernese Oberland Alps. While Interlaken itself is not that scenic it serves as a good base to discover the neighbouring valleys, mountains and lakes, since it holds all the infrastructure and can be reached quickly from major Swiss cities by train and car.

Ahhhhh......