If I weren't here.....

If I weren’t here, I’d be in a square in Verona, people watching and drinking coffee or maybe eating lunch in the warm sunshine before heading off down an old narrow street to my favourite shoe shop!.....?

It would be a gloriously sunny day, a cloudless sky and I would be barefoot walking in the edge of the sea on Morfa Bychan beach near Porthmadog in North Wales. I would be drinking in the backdrop of the Snowdonia mountains and lost in childhood memories.

If I weren’t here, I would be walking the Cornish coastal path from Mousehole to Lamorna Cove. There would be a light breeze, and the sea would be deep blue sparkling with sun diamonds and foaming over the rocks. The smell of ozone would fill the air, little birds would tweet and flutter through the yellow gorse and the bay would open up below in a circle of sand and peace. Ahhh...

If I wasn't here I would be in Florence Italy at a little pavement cafe drinking coffee and people watching with a book in my lap in case I felt like reading instead. The sun would be warm and I would be wearing a hat, waiting for lunch time.

Today we should have been driving north to the Highlands of Scotland for a week, so that's what I'd be doing, with days of walks and exploring ahead.

I would be sitting on the rocks looking out at La Corbiere lighthouse in Jersey.The sea crashing against the rocks,sun warm on my back,seagulls crying out overhead. And,as it's all a dream,my beloved family members no longer with us would all be with me. That would be heaven right now.

What a lovely discussion. I would be a) in the Maldives and going out with my snorkel to spend ages looking down into the sea. Then I would take a stroll around the island in the white sand and stop off at the bar for a cocktail. Or b) I would be sitting outside our hut at Runswick Bay (just north of Whitby), watching the grandchildren damming the stream on the beach below me, with a mug of tea in my hand. Or c) I would be looking out of my hotel bedroom onto the Grand Canal in Venice, watching all the boats and gondolas go by. I don't know which is my absolute favourite, but as I get older it's probably b).

I would be in Sorrento, staying in my favourite hotel, then DH and I will stroll along to the town and go into our favourite restaurant. Sitting outside and people watching we would have coffee/tea and a huge Rum Baba each, no where does rum babas like they do. Followed by a gentle walk down to the harbour to watch the boats. Back to the hotel, which is also a cookery school, seated around the communal table then the cookery students serve up several courses of whatever was cooked that day. Always delicious.

I would be up in the North West of Scotland enjoying walking in the mountains. Flask and butties out on some remote ridge and enjoying the views but being Scotland it might be raining!

mine would be on top of snow covered mt cook in new zealand having arrived there by helicopter, looking around at the freshness and how peaceful it is, then to turn around to find my 2 darling grandchildren pelting me with snowballs, to me at this moment would be heaven on earth.

I am there with you! I have never been to Portugal. It sounds lovely.

Ah Bohemian, the bluebell woods of Buckinghamshire. How I'd love to be able to walk through them again, preferably with my much -missed Mum and her old dogs Bandit and Joe.

I'd be in our campervan somewhere in Europe, probably heading for Provence, turning West and trundling all along the coast towards Cadiz, stopping for two or three days wherever the fancy takes us....................

If I were able to transport myself it would be summertime in Aix en Provence in the south of France where my dad grew up and where we came to live when I was 18. I’d walk down the Cours Mirabeau to sit in Les Deux Garçons and order one of their delicious black coffees and a croissant and sit in the early morning sunshine watching the world go by. Growing up we had heard so much of this place where my dad had lived and now he was back with us sharing his dream and meeting all his friends and their families. Magical moments to remember and I’d love to be there again now x

I'd be in Brazil, where my father was born. I'd be at the Iguazu falls, walking along the tree lined path looking at the huge volume of water from the main waterfall and countless smaller ones. I'd stop at a shady bench and just look, and because some water may have blown in there may be a beautiful butterfly or two to share my space. Then I would go back to the little coffee shop where you can sit outside with your coffee and enchiladas. Everywhere around wherever there is a puddle there are thousands of butterflies of every size and colour...So beautiful!

I would be in our small apartment on the island of La Palma. My partner flew out two and a half weeks ago and I was due to fly out last Thursday. She is now in total lockdown only allowed to go to the supermarket and I am stuck in West Yorkshire. It’s likely to me months before we get to be together again.so I would like to be sipping wine on the terrace and eating fresh mango and pineapple.

I'm on a tiny little beach in Pefkos, Rhodes- just a stone's throw from our appartment. Most of the day I have it to myself & there are only a few people if anyone else comes along. Those that do come down are always nice & we can have a chat if we want .DH is in the bar by the pool of the aprts. & I will stroll up & meet him for lunch before returning to my sunbed for the afternoon. He will come down for a bit but prefers the shade & likes people to talk to. I can read a book a day & if I get too hot the sea is shallow & there are loads of fish to watch.
In the evening we will stroll to our favourite Taverna where we get the most wonderful welcome.
Unfortunately I doubt we will be able to get there this year unless things get better quickly once this is all over.
I can dream!

I'd be in Side, Turkey, wandering through the old Roman ruins and down to the beautiful sandy beach. Come lunchtime, it's off to one of the bars for a freshly squeezed orange juice and some lahmacun.......

I would wake in the summer morning in my Godmothers cottage in the Cotswolds as a child and hear the cocks crowing. Then I would run to the stream in my nightdress and clean my teeth and wash my face and hands there.

Thank you Trisha for your uplifting post ❤

I would be with my family on the Cornish beach where I spent my childhood. I left Cornwall many years ago but it is always in my heart.
We would be looking in rock pools and finding little tiny yellow shells on the shingle. The sound of the waves would be heard as the tide comes in over the warm sand. We would be looking at the ships and yachts in the bay. May even have a pasty for lunch. Sadly I am over 300 miles away from my 93 year old Mum who never left Cornwall.

I'm researching Tavira
Thank you

I would shepherd my whole extended family through the gardens of our big (rented) house down to the beach on the shores of the Helford River, just at the inlet of Port Navas Creek. Having set up 'base' with the family I would watch the adults sail, kayak, windsurf, snorkel and swim whilst the grandchildren explore rock pools, holding onto Great Grandma's hand and have their finds patiently explained to them by Great Grandpa. After a picnic lunch (prepared earlier) I'd climb in a boat and be sailed to Frenchman's Creek by my lovely husband and we'd reminisce about the first time he took me there thirty five years ago.

Getting back to 'our' beach we would have a barbecue and all play beach games (with lots of laughing and banter) until the light begins to fade and then we'd return to the house, put the children to bed and relax easily together with a glass of wine and a cheeseboard.

I have been blessed to have enjoyed many, many days with my family like that - and I hope there will be many more to come.

I would sit in my garden in Hampshire from the time we lived in the U.K. There would be the sound of grazing cattle nearby, a rather opinionated raven fussing at me, the sweet smell of grass and brightly colored baskets of flowers hanging near the door. Add btright sunshine and it would be perfect.

I would be sitting at a sidewalk cafe in Paris thinking to myself what wonderful places I have been to over the last 10 years and how fortunate I was to have to see some of the world's great museums and art galleries.

How lucky I have been and how much I have to look back on.