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what, who, why?
What is a middle-aged flashpacker? See below: Hello! This is me, Jill, on the Bangkok train to Trang, Thailand. You’ll notice some similarities to a back packer – a backpack (ok, it’s small), travelling on a train, beer. However, it’s the differences that make me a flashpacker. Please observe the luxury (!) of the 1st…
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Gran Canaria – Isle of Dogs
Playa del Aquila I’ll tell you what happens when a coastal event warning is given – very little. I was imagining a tsunami but got not even a wave. We had a lovely sunny day interspersed with the odd cloud and a tiny sprinkling of rain to complete our Gran Canarian holiday. We were quite…
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Gran Canaria – Isle Of Dogs
Arinaga After a very lazy day followed by an even lazier morning the next day, we decided it really was about time to actually do something. The problem is, from 10.30am to approximately 2.30pm, the sun shines on our cosy little garden and it’s just too tempting to stay in it, reading our books and…
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Playa de Ingles and Arco de Coronadero
Gran Canaria -Isle of Dogs Playa de Ingles and Arco de Coronadero A minor miracle occurred overnight. Despite going to bed feeling rotten, I woke up with my sore throat gone and generally feeling much better. However, I wasn’t quite back to full speed so a lazy morning was had, sleeping late and reading books.…
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Gran Canaria – Playa Aguila

We arrived at our destination in time to see our surroundings before the sun went down. We were greeted by a homeless man who was lurking to gain access to the complex. (A lady sitting in her car warned us.) Not a great start but he looked harmless enough and he had disappeared by the…
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Gran Canaria – The Isle of Dogs
Gran Canaria – Big island of Dogs Doesn’t sound that inviting does it? Unless you are a dog fanatic in which case it probably sounds like heaven. Apparently the “dogs” may have been monk seals, seen by Arab traders hundreds of years ago but who knows? Gran Canaria, home to massive sand dunes, rugged scenery…
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The Hills are Alive
Day 21 – Bethune/Home An early wake up alarm today. Neither of us wanted a rerun of our last road trip where we ended up involuntarily visiting all areas of Calais port before arriving at our ferry with minutes left to embark. After eating our tiny ,leprechaun-sized breakfast provided by the home (Irish theme today…
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The Hills are Alive
Day 20 -Chatillon-Sur-Seine/Bethune S did feel a little delicate this morning but was unsure as to whether it was the gut rot wine or the food. I’m pretty sure I know which one it was. We had a quick breakfast at our abode. I had a Belgian croissant which was a revelation. Far superior to…
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The Hills are Alive
Day 19 – Aix Le Bain/Chatillon sur Seine Before we set off on the next leg of our trip , we decided to get some fresh air and visit the Jardin Vagabond, 10 minutes walk away. It’s a small piece of land put aside for some wild gardening and a very tranquil place for people…
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The Hills are Alive
Days 17-18 Lorgues/Aix les Bains Goodbye beautiful abode and stunning Provence. House gleaming, we left Villa des Roses and headed for Aix les Bains. Our journey was on the long side for us – 4.5 hours not including stops – but the time seemed to fly by. That’s what happens when you know you’re…
