We have all... the time... in the world

biondino

Me and my mate were talking about cycling up Italy, until his wife got pregnant (I did apologise, but he didn't see the funny side, hoho). That'd be amazing - so much different scenery, beautiful food, wine and weather, mountains if you want them, seaside never far away. Much nicer than France.

artaxerxes

How about South America? Chile, Peru, Argentina?
If you want something hotter, how about exploring Cambodia and Laos by bike? Just back from Vietnam and Cambodia and I much preferred the latter. Vietnam's roads are death traps for cyclists.

rhext

Have done cycling holiday in Holland. Great holiday, but down to company rather than Holland. Can think of no good reason to go cycling there again myself. Apart from the wind, there's no scenery. None at all. You look forward to crossing road bridges because they're the only things resembling landscape (so no change there from London). Cities nice enough, but there are cities everywhere. Yes, it's cycle friendly, but so are the French! And the food about a million times better in France.

Clever Pun

lost_in_thought wrote:

Some good ideas in there!

I particularly like the NZ idea, I've never been there, always intended to... and I have a LOT of air miles.

As for touring in France, another good idea, the Tifosi maintians that it is a tourer, all I'd need is a few bits (god knows what) and I'd be off.

And yes, I do realise that, despite the pending unemployment that goes with this, I'm a lucky girl.

I spent a month in NZ, with the exchange rate I lived like a king, it was awesome, any info needed drop me a line, I did lots of nice things loads of nice wine places to see and have lunch with stunning views and more activities than you can shake a stick at

I learnt to cook as well in my time out

I tended to go for a big ride every other day, find a couple of different routes and explore the area

lunchtime drinking is great, lunching with others who work different timeshifts is fun

watch the cricket

oh and sign on, it pays for your pension

il_principe

lost_in_thought wrote:

What about America?

How about a cycling and wine tour of California?

itboffin

Ride your bike, annoy all of us esp me and hopefully enjoy the summer.



It's still not nice thing to happen.

Your always welcome in Windshire.

Roastie

Greg66 wrote:

I'd chuck the bike in the car and go cycling in nice bits of Europe.

Noooo ... then you miss out on all the best experiences out there. If you aren't under time pressure, there really is little that can beat the feeling of getting across countries under your own power, meeting people along the way and really getting a place under your skin.

Fireblade96

Il Principe wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

What about America?

How about a cycling and wine tour of California?

That's just what I was about to suggest ! I've ridden a motorbike down through the Californian wine country, and up the Pacific Coast Highway, and both would be stunning by bicycle. The roads are narrow-ish, winding and scenic, and Americans don't usually drive fast on that sort of road.

foreign motorbikers, on the other hand,.....are invariably courteous ;-)

biondino

Il Principe wrote:

How about a cycling and wine tour of California?

I went wine tasting here:



And yes, it's in California. And the wine was AMAZING.

DonDaddyD

Greg66 wrote:

Truthfully?

I'd either (a) spend my time in Canada or (b) I'd go skiing in Queenstown; or (c) I'd chuck the bike in the car and go cycling in nice bits of Europe.

Like LiT there is a implication behind the use of the word truthfully and made me rethink.

What I would do would depend on my state of mind at the time, but I couldn't stay in one place for long.

In the immediate I think I would need to get away from capitalism and city life. Jamaica, on the mountain where my Gran grew up, not far from my Grandfather's land/town/near by a volcanic spring - beautiful, remote, peaceful and healing. The beauty of staying somewhere like this is that you don't want for much and the £pound£ still goes really far. - LiT it doesn't have to be Jamaica could be Africa, South America, India or other islands in the Carribean. - Somewhere where a hut serves as a bar.

Once healed mentally and physically I would take some time renting a villa in France/Spain/Italy/Belgium/Switzerland where I could go cycling around the country side for a while - get to know the locals, drink and eat their food. Learn and share their culture/society and forget I was/am a Londoner for a while.

Then I would need to expand my mind and use the opportunity to visit/explore ancient ruins and places of historically significant like the Pyramids, Rome, Athens and the like. This would sedate the historian in me.

Probably could only afford one of those and Jamaica but my goal would be to do all three.

Live my dream LiT, LIVE!!!

Edit: - At the end of it all I would have to go to Tibet, study and meditate with some monks. Always wanted to. Only then could I return. In fact gimme two years I might do this...

lost_in_thought

DonDaddyD wrote:

Live my dream LiT, LIVE!!!

California could be a good plan... I don't do very well in hot weather though, how hot is it there at this time of year?

I've also been looking at the Scandi option in more detail... turns out there's 12 hours + of sunlight all the way through september, even as far north as Helsinki.

How long would you allow for 100k? 1 day?

rhext

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Live my dream LiT, LIVE!!!

California could be a good plan... I don't do very well in hot weather though, how hot is it there at this time of year?

I've also been looking at the Scandi option in more detail... turns out there's 12 hours + of sunlight all the way through september, even as far north as Helsinki.

How long would you allow for 100k? 1 day?

You're on holiday. I'd allow a week ;-)

Fireblade96

California could be a good plan... I don't do very well in hot weather though, how hot is it there at this time of year?

Feckin' hot !

Actually, it varies quite a lot. Inland and towards the Sierras it is hot and dry. Nearer the coast it's cooler. I started down the I5 (Interstate) cos I was under time pressure to Laguna Seca to watch the World Superbikes. At each stop I bought two bottles of water - one to drink and one to pour all over me. I was dry again within 5 miles. In the end I got bored of riding on the Interstate so I headed down through the wine valleys which were much more pleasant. By the time I was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge a mist had rolled in and it was actually chilly.

If I were doing that area on a bicycle I'd probably concentrate on the wine valleys and the Coast Highway / Highway 1, north of San Francisco. You could easily spend a couple of weeks on that area alone before boredom/liver damage set in !

stuaff

To add to all the other excellent ideas (many of which I'd happily do myself if I were in this position..), a couple more ideas:
1. How about doing a charity ride (or rides)? Bit late for the big ones to Paris, but you could always do one or two or three shorter ones. Looks good on the CV as well. And an excellent excuse for 'training'.
2. Don't forget your numerous on & offline cycling friends and acquaintances. Some of us are on leave for a week or two in the next few months, and there's always these things called 'weekends'. So if you fancy a day out riding somewhere in the green & pleasant land (say, for example, south-east Hampshire, West Sussex or the IOW...), you have plenty of route info & riding partners.
+1 for the Chameleon. Superb bikes.

lost_in_thought

Fireblade96 wrote:

California could be a good plan... I don't do very well in hot weather though, how hot is it there at this time of year?

Feckin' hot !

Actually, it varies quite a lot. Inland and towards the Sierras it is hot and dry. Nearer the coast it's cooler. I started down the I5 (Interstate) cos I was under time pressure to Laguna Seca to watch the World Superbikes. At each stop I bought two bottles of water - one to drink and one to pour all over me. I was dry again within 5 miles. In the end I got bored of riding on the Interstate so I headed down through the wine valleys which were much more pleasant. By the time I was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge a mist had rolled in and it was actually chilly.

If I were doing that area on a bicycle I'd probably concentrate on the wine valleys and the Coast Highway / Highway 1, north of San Francisco. You could easily spend a couple of weeks on that area alone before boredom/liver damage set in !

If it's hot, it's out, I'm afraid. I nearly melted riding out in oz, and the longest ride I did there was about 80k... deeply unpleasant!

I have to say, I'm leaning more and more towards setting sail to Scandinavia and making my way across to Russia via a series of ferries and cycle routes, then flying home.

EDIT: And I'm signed up for a charity ride in September already, good call though!

artaxerxes

Edit: - At the end of it all I would have to go to Tibet, study and meditate with some monks. Always wanted to. Only then could I return. In fact gimme two years I might do this...

You can now take the train to Llasa from Beijing in 48 hours. Tibet is changing fast - becoming more Chinese and less Tibetan by the day. So get there while you can still see bits of the old Tibet.

Agent57

DonDaddyD wrote:

LiT it doesn't have to be Jamaica could be Africa, South America, India or other islands in the Carribean. - Somewhere where a hut serves as a bar.

For me, that'd be Guyana. Rose Hall, in the East Berbice-Corentyne area. I wonder if my grandaparents'/father's house is still there. Last time I was there was in 1976, just before we came back to England.

Specifically, I recall a place we used to go and buy soft drinks (Puma, IIRC). I was a kid at the time, but I still have strong memories of lazy days there despite it being 33 years ago.

Coriander

If you fancy doing the Canal du Garonne trip and also fancy company, I'll come. My parents live in the Gironde; Father could pick us up from the airport and we could leave bike bags,etc there...

lost_in_thought

Coriander wrote:

If you fancy doing the Canal du Garonne trip and also fancy company, I'll come. My parents live in the Gironde; Father could pick us up from the airport and we could leave bike bags,etc there...

Ooooh, interesting! Could be lovely as a short break in August - I realise it's hot, but it's not like we'd have to rush - 200km isn't a ridiculous distance.

Looking at ferry prices, Scandinavia would have to be a trip for September.

Coriander

lost_in_thought wrote:

Coriander wrote:

If you fancy doing the Canal du Garonne trip and also fancy company, I'll come. My parents live in the Gironde; Father could pick us up from the airport and we could leave bike bags,etc there...

Ooooh, interesting! Could be lovely as a short break in August - I realise it's hot, but it's not like we'd have to rush - 200km isn't a ridiculous distance.

Looking at ferry prices, Scandinavia would have to be a trip for September.

And I was just thinking I needed to go and see the Parents some time soon. Heat is an interesting point - i usually go over for the August Bank Holiday and haven't been in the pool for about 3 years, which suggests it's already cooling down by then.

always_tyred

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Live my dream LiT, LIVE!!!

California could be a good plan... I don't do very well in hot weather though, how hot is it there at this time of year?

I've also been looking at the Scandi option in more detail... turns out there's 12 hours + of sunlight all the way through september, even as far north as Helsinki.

How long would you allow for 100k? 1 day?

There is nothing so cold as summer in San Fransisco (Mark Twain, more or less)

lost_in_thought

Coriander wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Coriander wrote:

If you fancy doing the Canal du Garonne trip and also fancy company, I'll come. My parents live in the Gironde; Father could pick us up from the airport and we could leave bike bags,etc there...

Ooooh, interesting! Could be lovely as a short break in August - I realise it's hot, but it's not like we'd have to rush - 200km isn't a ridiculous distance.

Looking at ferry prices, Scandinavia would have to be a trip for September.

And I was just thinking I needed to go and see the Parents some time soon. Heat is an interesting point - i usually go over for the August Bank Holiday and haven't been in the pool for about 3 years, which suggests it's already cooling down by then.

All the more interesting in that case! I'll PM you my email address...

DonDaddyD

I've got another one....

A canal boat. I loved being on a canal boat.

LiT couldn't you hire/buy one and traverse the breadth of the UK, cycling wherever you 'park' your boat only to return and then set sail for parts anew... stopping only for supplies and local produce/food like some uber cool nomad...

Feck, even I might join you on that one.

That's what I want to do when I retire. (Though I don't visualise myself as being any older than I am now... :oops: )

(Can you tell I may, deeply, not be satisfied with life in the city... )

always_tyred

Agent57 wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

LiT it doesn't have to be Jamaica could be Africa, South America, India or other islands in the Carribean. - Somewhere where a hut serves as a bar.

For me, that'd be Guyana. Rose Hall, in the East Berbice-Corentyne area. I wonder if my grandaparents'/father's house is still there. Last time I was there was in 1976, just before we came back to England.

Specifically, I recall a place we used to go and buy soft drinks (Puma, IIRC). I was a kid at the time, but I still have strong memories of lazy days there despite it being 33 years ago.

Was that before or after all those weird Americans flooded the place? The least they could have done was tidied up a bit before poisoning themselves.

I was in Georgetown in 2005. Pace of life still not terribly rapid, from what I could see. Positively frenzied compared to Lethem, though. It may not be possible to find anywhere with electricity and a/c that is further from the maddeining crowd.

Stone Glider

Hard luck about the redundo. You seem to be cool about it but it is not a pleasant experience. You also seem to have a PLAN, which is vital (you don't have to keep to it) just update it accordingly.

Check the government site, the rules are well presented there, and be sure to sign on. You will not get any money (probably) but you need the "stamps" on your N I record.

Have a great summer and keep in touch

P S keep in touch with former colleagues too, it is easy to get forgotten.

NGale

actually sod going abroad, get on yer bike, get a YHA membership and explore this country over the next three months.

People often forget what a stunning country we have here, get out there and discover it. also a heck of alot easier than flying to NZ

tailwindhome

If only there were a island, just a ferry ride away, greener than any other, with miles and miles of roads to meander round, a welcoming bar in every town and none of those pesky alpine hills


If only....

lost_in_thought

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

If only there were a island, just a ferry ride away, greener than any other, with miles and miles of roads to meander round, a welcoming bar in every town and none of those pesky alpine hills


If only....

I will consider Ireland too then. Never been there before!

stuaff

lost_in_thought wrote:

[ And I'm signed up for a charity ride in September already, good call though!

Thanks for reminding me. You've now reached your sponsorship target

With all these jaunts home and abroad, you'll need to go back to work for a break

lost_in_thought

StuAff wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

[ And I'm signed up for a charity ride in September already, good call though!

Thanks for reminding me. You've now reached your sponsorship target

With all these jaunts home and abroad, you'll need to go back to work for a break

Ahh thanks! Very kind of you!