2018 began in Barbados, and what a beautiful place that was - friendly people, vibrant culture, crystal waters, great wildlife and good food. I loved heading out in my jalopy of a hire care to explore as much of the island as possible (it was a Suzuki Jimny – yes, they do still make them and no, they're not very comfortable – I had to hang out of the window to have enough room to drive it!). Botanical gardens, rum tastings, fish markets - I did it all. I also did my fair share of doing nothing immediately - sitting on the beach, going crispy, catching up on some reading. It’s likely to be my only 'big' holiday for the year - let’s see if that turns out to be the case!
24 hours in...
Taking time off work in 2018 has the potential to be quite last minute, so while supping a cold Banks' beer on Worthing Beach (the Bajan equivalent!) and watching the aptly named vessel 'Vitamin Sea' bobbing up and down, I pondered how I would satisfy the travel 'itch' again. A few beers later and I thought it would be a good idea to try and be a ‘weekend wanderluster’ - 24 hours in a new country or city, aiming to pack as much in without being completely knackered at the end of it. The beauty of travelling solo is that I am in control of my own time - so I can power round museums and catch the highlights without feeling guilty that I've not spent four hours seeing the whole place. So, fitting a few different things into 24 hours should be a breeze...
España!
Flying out on a Saturday and back on the Sunday means that Europe will have to be my playground...therefore February takes me to Madrid. Not a new country, as I've been to Spain before, but a new city at least.
Setting a budget for these monthly trips has been a challenge in itself. I might get a great deal on a flight, but will then put that saving towards staying in a decent hotel, or paying for an experience when I'm there. Or it may be that the flight is a bit steep so I will have to be a bit more inventive on the hotel front. I will often check to see if there is an opera on at the same time I'm visiting a city, but I will have to save Teatro Real in Madrid for another time - unfortunately there is nothing scheduled for the Saturday I'm visiting. Instead, I'll be doing a food tour, with some drinks and history thrown in, and then hopefully the Museo Nacional Del Prado too. I'll do a write up here of where I've stayed and what I've done.
Where next?
I have an escape booked for March, April and May (more details to follow), but will need inspiration for what comes after that. Feel free to add suggestions below!