the survey were: Cost, Destination,
Activities, Weather, and Accommoda-
tion.
But where could my wife and I
holiday that suited both our passions,
needs and desires?
We both fired up our “separate”
electronic devices and researched
our dream holidays. Some days
later we got together with a bottle of
Prosecco and shared our carefully
selected destinations.
It was no good, my plan to bring us
closer together through a joint hol-
iday planning exercise very quickly
descended into stalemate, then argu-
ing and finally bitter resentment.
One of us considering the ideal
vacation to be relaxing in the sun
drenched, tropical delights of Thai-
land and the other favoured, and I
quote “A miserable geography field
trip to freezing Iceland”.
It was no good; perhaps we were
destined to holiday separately, with-
out each other for the rest of our
marriage, me riding my motorcycle
and her sat on beach. Perhaps the
purchase of a dog, long walks in the
country and worrying over canine
needs was looking the best option to
bring us together as a couple?
I started reflecting upon my last
motorcycle holiday, why was it so
enjoyable? I pondered how my road
trip compared against the survey
findings. Was I simply odd? Were my
holiday choices strange?
Or, did my experiences fit the sub-
headings within the Google survey?
My last holiday was a three-week
motorcycle trip from Southern
England to the Pyrenees Mountains
of Northern Spain. I crossed the
English Channel on an overnight
ferry, arriving in France early in the
morning. I then rode for four days,
the length of France down to the Pyr-
enees using mainly D (Departmental)
roads; the quiet rural roads.
TRAVERSE 42
Upon arrival in Spain I spent
ten days “playing” on the Pyrenees
mountain dirt trails, through the
shady low-level forest paths and up to
altitude on the open barren mountain
trails. My holiday culminated in a
further four days riding back through
France and returning to England via
another cross-channel ferry.
Google Survey - “Cost”
Now, cost is an enormously sub-
jective subject! A hungry man might
walk into a back-street pub and order
a ‘Pie and a Pint’. Conversely, another
man might choose a classy restaurant
and dine on Beluga Caviar and Dom
Perignon champagne. Hopefully both
will leave you feeling refreshed and
secure that you have received value
for money.
I will therefore leave the issue of
cost till later in my ramblings.