Anything planned yet for 2025 ?

I was meaning those people M0nica not the ones who have thoughtful holidays.

Everything in moderation.

I think, when talking about the environmental effects of travel, we need to see it in the wider context of our total footprint rather than just frown on some one for taking one return flight within Europe and a short cruise each year.

When it is taken within the context of another wise, low impact life style, I think it quite reasonable. If the flight and cruise, was one of ten such flights and holidays, and you were also travelling extensively in the UK, then it would be a different situation.

I was referring to the negative environmental impact of both air transport and cruising Norah.
It wasn't clear in my post what I was meaning but I now try to have low impact travel.
I went to the Isle of Skye last summer by bus. It was a treat.

Grammaretto

What is the logical option Norah?
I don't like to be a kill joy but I think I have had more than my fair share of foreign travel in my lifetime and should now think of helping others to achieve an acceptable level of financial stability.
I shall begin with my DD and then think about the DGC.
Charity begins at home. 😃

I'm not sure what your question entails?

For us, as I said, travel is the logical option to staying home.

Everyone is, of course, different, spending in various ways.

One small example: we'd not move house, we've lived here since we married when I was 16. We just extend, live in an old not fashionable farm house - spending house money on other things.

Congratulations!

I did hear the other day that the number of flights on private jets made by Trump during his election campaign produced 20,000 tones of carbon emissions.

If I make one flight during 2025 on a commercial airliner with eg 400 other people then I will not feel guilty.

Oh, OK I've just read your apology on page 2 Doodledog.

The ones with second homes and who pay school fees for grandchildren must be desperate to cut back 😢.
Ooo dear. Well that's me told! 😆

To start the year, I've won a competition in 2 weeks' time on the inaugural sailings, there and hopefully back, of a new ferry which is a Hybrid-LNG ferry. I think means it combines liquefied natural gas with electric battery power. So at least I'm doing something good in terms of helping the environment.
I'm just hoping they don't want us to test the evacuation procedures on the lifeboats! 🙈

DH became a professional holiday planner in retirement and without him there really doesn’t seem much point. Given the amount I have spent on the house in the past three years, and with a leak in the kitchen to sort out, it’s probably as well I haven’t succumbed to an expensive cruise and am merely hoping for a reasonable summer to enjoy the garden. Am impressed by the organisational skills of so many posters, though, and hope everything goes to plan.

What is the logical option Norah?
I don't like to be a kill joy but I think I have had more than my fair share of foreign travel in my lifetime and should now think of helping others to achieve an acceptable level of financial stability.
I shall begin with my DD and then think about the DGC.
Charity begins at home. 😃

a wedding for one of our ACs, and a couple of simple self-drive holidays, one to Britanny, and one to Italy, with stops on the way and back.

Have a lovely time😀. And thank you.

Doodledog

Sorry. That was uncalled for. I had just come off the phone after a difficult conversation and forgot to sit on my hands as I usually do.

No, you always make me think. Do type on...

We are not impacted by WFP, tax decisions re GC school fees, second home costs, and are decidedly not disadvantaged by any government attempts at making society more fair.

However, people have different thoughts on solutions.

Avoiding holidays in 2025 isn't a logical option. We want to sail along the Adriatic, visit more 8th-17th century Venetian historical sites.

We have no set plans, just hopes that our health and family life will remain stable enough for us to take a few breaks during the year. We have a business that includes site visits and they’re always in beautiful places, so a few nights away are always on the cards, our next job is in Studland - a very pretty area.

We hope to buy a campervan in the next few months and then we can be spontaneous about going away for a few days. My parents-in-law are at the stage of needing a lot of care, so we don’t feel able to plan much in advance.

Sorry. That was uncalled for. I had just come off the phone after a difficult conversation and forgot to sit on my hands as I usually do.

maddyone. Good luck with your operation

Ooh Doodledog!!

MissAdventure

Enough to be going along with.

Yeah. Where are all the posts about the poor souls who will be shivering in their hovels (with the ability to post on GN from tablets or ‘the latest iPhone’) as a result of being £200 poorer? The ones with second homes and who pay school fees for grandchildren must be desperate to cut back 😢.

My plan is not to boast too much on social media whilst also pretending to be disadvantaged by a government who is trying to make things fair.

Send thoughts and prayers?

Not sure whether to take up a (slightly costly) Scottish Gaelic course again although I've been plodding along on Duolingo.
Booked a long w/e of circle dancing at the end of June. I rarely get to do it if I don't travel somewhere to meet with others.
Vaguely thinking of a trip to Norway but nothing definite.

I'm with those who plan to 'stay alive' and 'have fun'.

Charleygirl5

Staying alive!

Ditto that!

Graceless, I like how you have altered your plan to allow for your physical challenges. I'm sorry your back is bad right now, my DH has been flat out for the last few days with a similar issue.

Planning a holiday can be fun. I love google maps and all the hotel finding apps. Also check out the travel forum on Fodor's; there's lots of good info there.

My most immediate plan is to have my spinal surgery which is booked for 27/01/25. I have a few other ideas for later in the year, if it all goes well.

Congratulations on your Golden Wedding Cambia. That sounds like an amazing trip. We went to the Galapagos for our Golden Wedding and it was wonderful.

We have nothing set in stone yet but we were thinking of driving in our motorhome to Spain in February for a month or so. I fancy doing the Fairytale Route in Germany and maybe some of northern Germany. DH fancies Norway.
Decisions, decisions!
After our golden wedding trip last year we went to Galloway Forest Park and toured around a bit in the area. Later we headed across the Channel and stopped first in Belgium, then down the Rhine with a couple of stops to do the Romantic Road (lovely) then across Austria with a stop at Innsbruck. Then into the Dolomites and down to Lake Garda. From there, across to France then up through France to come back to Scotland. We also had a few stops to meet friends. It was a lovely, interesting holiday, we saw so much, just us and our cocker spaniel. But this year? Who knows where we’ll end up! I’m looking forward to it already. 🚐🐶😁

Cambia

We have planned 25 days touring South Africa for our golden wedding anniversary. It will be luxurious with a trip on the Blue Train including a butler, safari and nice hotels. Having never had luxury holidays, I may find I can’t live without a butler after this!! Don’t think we will be celebrating another golden wedding anniversary though so pushing the boat out. Also it’s all organised for us so no stress either. Can’t wait.

Oo this sounds lovely and I hope it all goes well. We had our golden wedding anniversary in 2024 and had a special holiday too to Cape Town, then Kruger for safaris, and then Mauritius. Unfortunately our luggage didn’t join us and we had to use some of our precious holiday time shopping for clothes and things. You don’t realise how much stuff you need! And of course a hold-all to carry it all in. And I didn’t get to wear the lovely new things I’d bought. Thank goodness we always have our medications in our hand luggage (who wouldn’t). We finally did get our suitcases - a week after we got home. The actual holiday was fabulous and I hope you enjoy yours as much. Congratulations in advance. Have fun 🥰

Our emphasis will be on keeping warm this winter - we live in Scotland and it's freezing. Heating can't keep up with it! Not a lot of spare cash for exotic trips, although they do sound fabulous.

Well said rubysong There are places in Europe and Ireland too where I'll bet most of us have never been to without the need for flying or cruising.
And you can take the dog with you.

Like you, I have a DS far away - NZ and I flew last January but stayed a month and it was the first time for 12 years.