about this blog
It’s hard to believe we’re about to begin our 3rd summer of retirement travel in Europe. Many of the basics - financial, medical, technology, furniture, etc. - are already in place, so we can concentrate on Collioure, our European friends, our Key West friends who also summer in France, and our travels.
All of the prior articles remain on this blog, so there are many details about topics and problems which were very important in 2006 and 2007. We’ll be pleased to answer any questions you have on any of these topics, but new postings will not repeat what we’ve reported before.
How this blog is organized …
categories … our posts are organized by categories, which are listed in the right hand column. Clicking the category will bring forward all of the posts in that category, in reverse chronological order.
There is also a page titled * INDEX TO POSTINGS BY CATEGORY which gives a convenient list of all the post titles.
search … Another way to find topics of interest is to use the search function. For example, type in a search term, such as “Budapest,” and all of the posts which contain the word Budapest will appear.
links (blogroll) … We have included links to some of the sites mentioned in our posts in the ‘blogroll’ in the lower right section of our Home Page. More links can be found by clicking on ‘other home exchange sites’ in the upper right section of our Home Page. We welcome additional reciprocal links to other blogs and sites where there is a mutual interest. Just contact us to make arrangements.
feedback … We welcome comments, suggestions, and questions, especially if we have been unclear about a topic of interest to you, or if you can add something we’ve overlooked.
PAT & LEW
February 27, 2007 at 7:00 am
Hi again Pat & Lew
I’ve just added a short item about your blog on mine and will add a reciprocal link shortly. Would it be possible to have a link for gti-home-exchange.com on your blogroll, please, as mentioned above?
Kath Botterill
Green Theme International Home Exchange
http://www.gti-home-exchange.com
email: gthomeexchange@btinternet.com
March 12, 2007 at 6:19 am
Kath’s link, to gti-home-exchange.com, can be found by clicking “other home exchange sites” in the upper right section of our Home Page. Her site has lots of great information.
May 2, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Hi Pat and Lew
You have an excellent blog - lots of fun reading with a great deal of informative content. I’ve just spent some time exploring your Home Exchange section which I found to be highly entertaining.
I will be adding a note about you on my blog and I will also provide my readers with a link to you - I’m sure they will benefit from what you have to say.
I would really appreciate a link to ExchangeHomes.com in your blogroll. Thanks
Sincerely
Anne Pottinger
http://www.exchangehomes.com
http://exchangehomesblog.com
May 2, 2007 at 10:43 pm
ANNE
I’ve just checked out your site, which looks excellent. I’ll be happy to add it to our listing of “Other HOME EXCHANGE SItes,” which I am making a page instead of a post. We’re still very new at this blogging business, learning by trial and error what seems to work best. Thanks for your comments on our site.
LEW
June 13, 2007 at 7:48 am
Hi! My namn is Karin, and I’ve just found your page here on the internet! I’m a 24 year old girl from Sweden, with my heart in Collioure. I lived there in the summer of 2004 with my best friend Lotta and we worked at Laurent’s Café Sola
It was the best time in my life, and from that day Collioure is my favorite place in the world (som far anyway!)… I’ve been back a couple of times, last time last summer and I’m actually going there again the 25 june! Still have great contact with Geoffrey who’s working there this summer to!
Anyway, it was really nice to read your blog! Always wonderful to hear how others also loves “my” paradise… 
Would be great to say hello if we are there at the same time, maybe for a drink at Sola?!
Sincerely
Karin Bengtsson
June 14, 2007 at 11:23 pm
I found your site from your comment on ell’s blog. I’ve seriously considered the home exchange and am delighted to read information from someone who does that and other creative ways to travel. I’ll be back here reading about your adventures.
June 25, 2007 at 8:10 am
What a great trip. Pop-pop would have been proud. Excellent tips on travelling. We have now put Normandy on the list of places to see when in France, and thanks to your suggestions, have the appropriate preparatory work to do. Can’t wait to see you in Ireland. Dawn (my wife) is very excited!
July 3, 2007 at 7:47 am
Hi again!
I’m so sorry that I didn´t contact you when I was in Collioure! I couldn´t reach my e-mail for the hole vacation and was unabled to write you back. To bad, because it would have been so great to meet you! How does it feel to be back in Collioure?
We were a group of 30 persons that stayed in Banyuls at “Le Manoir”, as we also did 6 years ago. Do you know the place? It’s been great! Spend most of the nights in Banyuls, but visited Collioure and Café Sola a couple of tims as well. It has been a lovely trip as always and I’m already longing to go back, it’s so wonderful there.
Well, anyway, I’m already planning my next trip, probably in august when I will be trying to stay in Collioure instead of Banyuls! Hope we can meet then. I’ll keep in touch!
Karin B
July 13, 2007 at 4:11 pm
“We welcome comments, suggestions, and questions…..”
Dear Sir/Madame,
I could not find your email-adress, therefor I write it here,
a very good website about airtraffic in Europe:
http://www.airtraffic.eu
Maybe something for the column “Blogroll”
Kind regards,
Jimmy
July 17, 2007 at 1:23 am
Lew,
A novel based on truth is effective if it composes right mixture of reality and message form. I am yet to read A Good Conviction.
July 18, 2007 at 4:59 am
Thanks for the visit
July 18, 2007 at 6:25 am
JIMMY
Thanks for the excellent site (http://www.airtraffic.eu/en) which has been added to the blogroll.
LEW
July 18, 2007 at 10:36 am
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your link– I love, love, love travel and am excited to read about your travel adventures!
September 2, 2007 at 2:04 am
Hi Pat + Lew, it’s the first time I have read a blog and must say I have thoroughly enjoyed experiencing your journey. My name is Peter and I’m in the process of leaving London behind and have recently bought a vinyard and old winemakers house in Salses Le Chataue, I will today visit colliure following reading your blog, it does sound idyllic. I have visited the area 4 or 5 times now, I’ve been coming at different times of the year to get a feeling for the changes in colour, atmosphere and weather, watching the vine leaves appear, and the grapes grow, I’m going to live in the winemakers house for 9 months per year, I will visit Sols cafe than Karin recommends and look forward to contining to follow your blog.
Many thanks,
Regards,
Peter
January 16, 2008 at 4:21 am
Hi Pat and Lew,
I am launching a social network site with David Siskin a major advertising and technology executive in Marin. The site is for Baby Boomers and covers multiple topics. Would you be interested in writing a weekly blog for us in our travel category? The site is launching end of week and it’s called Boomity. It’s in BETA, however, I would like to have you write for us. Your blog is excellent and refreshing completely perfect for us. I’ll explain details if you are interested. Happy travels
Wendy Abrams
February 2, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Hi, Pat and Lew,
I’m a writer who came upon your blog while researching an article on affordable retirement travel. Would you be willing to do a brief interview and share a few thoughts on home exhange and travel budgeting?
I’m happy to provide more details if you email me.
Sonya Stinson
May 6, 2008 at 8:12 am
Lew, I have discussed your 3rd query with my step-son who recommends roughly the following:
on leaving here for Trapani, you’ll arrive in the early afternoon; just after leaving the highway (5 mins) stop & have a look a the Greek temple in Segesta. Continue on to Erice and visit it before booking into Hotel Moderno for overnight stay & dinner (good restaurant).
Following morning: visit the Island of Mozia then lunch on the mainland at the Vaja Rossa (Red Cow). Return to hotel to collect bags then onto airport.
Buon Viaggio!
Pam
http://www.holidayintaormina.com