Anything planned yet for 2025 ?

I too have tickets for Bruce in May, I gave my daughter one as a Christmas present, as we like to go to gigs together. This will be our 7th Bruce gig. Really looking forward to it.

That's all I have planned for now in the way of outings, any spare pennies will be going into the kitchen renovation that seems to have been in planning for ever. We were going to do it last year but we upgraded the living room instead and I'm pleased we did. The room is a nice cozy refuge now in the cold weather! However my inhouse plumber/electrician is not getting any younger so we had better get on with the kitchen before his knees give up altogether!

I have booked to walk the Tour de Mount Blanc in September. I am going with a girl friend as my DH didn't fancy it. We are going with Exodus so a leader, all accommodation booked and luggage transfer. I will only have to concentrate on walking 108 miles. Really looking forward to it.

I’m off to stay at my cousin’s house in the south of France in July, and off to Uzbekistan in September. And London for an exhibition in February. I try to have something every month so plenty of bookings to do. I am off to an early doors disco next Saturday- 3 - 10pm… does that count?

I’m trying to keep this as anonymous as possible.
My English daughter lives in France with her french boyfriend. She has lived there for about 9 years. I travel as often as I can via Eurostar to visit. I work incredibly hard to make Xmas as wonderful and accommodating for them as possible when they visit by car. They bring their dog so my cat has to go away, I of course give them guest room and my study for all their stuff which is 5+ suitcases, boxes, huge bags of presents for all their friends and their friends children) food for them (they mainly like french cheeses, french meats etc etc and my fridge stinks as there could be 15 different seriously smelling cheeses) I try to provide food which they like, but all English food is inferior (they do like the Xmas dinner I make and the Boxing Day dinner I make) he belittles everything English and sadly my daughter is now completely french. And everything he says she agrees with. They are here for 6 + days and out every day visiting her friends for lunch, friends that she grew up with (although all these friends visit them in France) leaving at 10:30 returning at 4:30 most days. When they return they barely acknowledge me, go straight to guest room for a nap as they are so tired from traveling to visit friends and come down around 8:00 pm, make themselves something to eat sit in my lounge and speak the whole time to each other in french. I sit there trying to engage and ask a few questions in English, I am trying very hard to
Learn French but am in my 60s and I find it hard. When I ask her to please speak English as my french is still not good enuf she says they are tired and anyway they are talking about mundane things. Also as she and I went away for my birthday earlier in the year (and had a fabulous time, I paid for it all but she booked everything so that was fair) they are both earning excellent money so that is not an issue. When I tried to discuss with her how I felt as I had no quality time with her at all she told me I was very selfish as we had our quality time for my birthday. She says some of her friends she hasn’t seen in awhile. She told me I was selfish and jealous and proceeded to criticise me, that I talk too loud, I talk too much, don’t dress smart enuf, expect too much of her etc etc. but when she visits all of her friends I know she and he speak English as none of her friends speak French. I basically feel that I running a B&B for them and might as well not be here. Am I very selfish and expect too much? There is so much more I could say but I find writing this still so upsetting.

I think you're posting this on the wrong thread Chabot1928.

I think you sound very reasonable Chabot and I can perfectly understand why you are upset and disappointed. I think you need you start your own thread as this is really about holidays and plans for 2025. You will get more replies.

That is dreadful Chabot1928. They are using you. Don’t put up with it.

Got GC staying for the weekend, 3 of them. Not as exciting as some on here but should be fun.

We have no definitive plans for this year. We have had some bad health news for my DH's brother, who lives nearby, so DH doesn't want to go away anywhere for now. DH is also high on a wait list for a hip repair (not replacement), so will have some recovery. That scuttles any warm winter get-away.

But I am planning on retiring at the end of March, so if things have settled I may plan a get-away then. I've always wanted to see the Grand Canyon, so possibly that.

I'm actually ok with not having any plans and taking it one day at a time.

This thread has led me astray,
I'm lying here with a bad back unable to do anything more than get to the loo unaided. So what have I been doing? Planning a final ABA (Awfully Big Adventure ).before Brexit and Covid, I had planned to follow the Danube from its source to the sea in my campervan with my dog. My dog has died and I've given up driving due to eyesight problems. So I've started planning the trip by rail. So far I've discovered Eurostar are doing a special offer if you book before the 9th January. If nothing else I will spend many happy hours planning and working out how much I need to save to do it.

I have classes booked for zoom and at our local education centre. I'm doing a uni course online too. I also have 3 holidays planned in the countryside in various parts of the UK with our AC and dgss, and a 3 week cruise planned in September. We like to book early to get the cabin we want.
I love to see my wider family, and plan some trips to see them too.
I like to have things to look forward to and feel productive! All my weeks are filled with activities, choir and piano lessons.

Currently on holiday in Australia combined trip as daughter lives here been all around Australia now 4th time, hoping to visit Canada and Rockies and couple of trips to canaries. Want to move and downsize but not looking forward to starting the process.

chabot1928 Once your daughter and partner return home, write and tell them that as you get older you are finding it more and more tiring to cope with guests in your home, even your daughter. So next time they come over, while you will be very happy for them to spend their days with you, will they please stay in a hotel.

The fact that you put your cat into a care when they visit with their dog suggests, that perhaps you were one of those parents who has always done everything for your children, with the best of good intentions, and the result has been selfish children who expect you to do everything they want.

It is time for the worm to turn. Tell them what you can cope with and what you cannot cope with - and stick to your guns when they start protesting.

I hate to be a killjoy but air travel and cruises are major factors in the global climate crisis so I don't intend adding to it. We had a talk at WI recently which shocked us all. The government is doing nothing to educate people about the seriousness of global warming. There are lots of lovely places to visit in UK without needing to fly so that will be my plan.
We have a son and family in USA and they want us to visit so I am in a dilemma. Thank goodness for Skype.

rubysong Get yourself over to see your son and family! So many people do not have one! Be thankful!

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.

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.

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 🥰

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. 🚐🐶😁

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.

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.

Charleygirl5

Staying alive!

Ditto that!

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'.

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?

Ooh Doodledog!!