Devall Travels

A bit late now but I suppose I can add it to my pile of maps and when we next get a chance I can dust it off.....

... not to cancel. That is the question. With vast areas of Spain now being on lockdown including Madrid and Barcelona, it will be a matter of time before it extends down the coast. Luckily British Airways have introduced a voucher or free re-book for flights up to 31st May 2020. BA Voucher Will have to see. At least we don't lose money that way. We will lose the RCI fee but car hire and hotels can be cancelled without cost to us. Update 16/03/2020 So far have cancelled the hotels that topped and tailed the apartment stay. Also managed to get onto the Carcrawler website and cancel the car-hire and the AXA extended insurance.  Awaiting the emails to say that the money is coming back. Logged onto the BA site using the link above and requested my voucher.  In total the flights and car hire are worth about £460 ($570) that hasn't been lost.   Admittedly BA still have my money but at least we can use that next year as long as ...

With the UK Government looking to contain and delay the coronavirus outbreak into the summer I have decided to cancel the Road Trip now. We have not paid anything, unlike the Easter trip to Spain, and so it makes sense to kill it now.

The bug seems to be spreading across the globe and quickly.  With Italy shutting borders and closing access to vast parts of the north it looks pretty bad. What this will do to the Italian economy is a worry. Our RT20 trip goes in a big loop from the Mediterranean border with France to Tuscany and then across to Bologna and then up to Milan and Como. Unless things get better I may have to start cancelling the hotels etc.  It's still six months away and so we have time to see if things run their course. This is of course small beer. Nothing to compare against the tragedy that people are being taken sick and dying.  Let's hope it blows its course and we can all relax and be safe.

It is one I have had for a number of years. To take the bike and tour in the US. Either Spring and early summer. April/May or May/June. I retire in December 2021. The projected income looks okay. Without my fares getting to work now I'd be quite well off.  The lump sum though is good enough for a few decent holidays but not to live the life of Riley. My work and State pensions (projected) is less than my current gross salary but not paying national insurance and the accursed fortune to travel to work and pay to park means I might have more disposable income! Plus we will only have one car.  Mine will be worth nothing by then, but I'll save the £175 a year road tax and £200 insurance plus running costs. So I dipped my toe in the water so to speak. I completed a form on James Cargo website. I was a bit vague as I have no idea of dates.  So I put May 1st 2022 to June 30th 2022. I am aware that Claire needs to be onboard and that she wants a cruise t...

With the current outbreak spreading across the world and affecting travel maybe things will change for our summer holiday.  At the moment I am letting things lie. Luckily nothing has been paid for and bookings can all be cancelled if need be.  RT20 could be in jeopardy. No doubt this is a "first world" problem especially as  people  are falling  ill and even dying as a consequence  of this new strain of flu/disease. It's just a holiday/vacation. No biggy. Currently our planned trip to Italy is to nearby one of the hotspots. The province /city of Piacenza is directly in the line of the planned Bologna-Milan-Como route I have planned. This was sent out to Claire's company from a partner company in Italy. " Please be informed that following to coronavirus outbreak several towns in the provinces of LODI -CREMONA-PIACENZA-PADOVA (Postal codes 26, 29, 35) have been put on lockdown by the Italian authorities  Any access to these town...

Rather than get up at about 5am for the drive back to the airport from Denia, we decided to leave in the afternoon on Friday and drive back to Alicante area.. So I booked the Ibis Budget again. Time to get up and breakfast on Saturday before the short drive back to the airport for the 1020am flight home.