Travelling Fletchers

Our last day in Venice didn’t quite start as peacefully as the one before. When travelling, I often get a bit confused with time zones, and I hadn’t yet manually changed my watch. To keep things simple, I’d also left my phone on airplane mode. You can imagine David’s surprise when I suddenly shot out of bed, muttering frantically that we had to leave in twenty minutes or so!

Thankfully, David was much more sensible than me. He had already switched his phone over and calmly reminded me that we actually still had plenty of time. My confusion came from a perfect storm of events: the clocks had gone forward overnight both at home and in Italy, and my brain was busy adding two hours to my watch instead of one. I also hadn’t realised that a digital watch still updates itself even if the phone is in airplane mode. Once the panic subsided and the time maths finally settled, I realised we weren’t in a race against the clock after all.

​Today was a classic case of needing to be somewhere on time, having plenty of time, and yet somehow feeling like we had none at all. We strolled through Castello and onwards toward St Mark’s Square, noticing the volume of people increasing with every block we covered. Turning off through an alleyway, it became immediately evident where the tourist areas were.

St Mark’s Square was a different world today; there were more people in it than we had seen just two days before. We wondered if more people had arrived on a cruise ship, for the start of the school holidays, or perhaps as part of the growing popularity of the “extreme day trip.”

As we navigated the crowds, we noticed something else: many people were carrying palm and olive branches. It turns out today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. In Italy the tradition is to take the branches to the local churches for them to be blessed, and then to keep them in the home for the rest of the year as a sign of peace. Seeing so many people clutching these little symbols of greenery as they walked through the ancient, stony square added a lovely, traditional layer to our final morning.

It was a striking final image to take with us – the vibrant local tradition holding its own against the rush of the modern crowds. As we headed for our final journey out of the city, we left the “green house” and the quiet call of Castello behind, carrying with us the memory of a Venice that is as much about quiet vineyards and glistening glass as it is about historic squares and ticking clocks.

​We decided to take full advantage of a lazy morning, enjoying the luxury of not needing to rush anywhere. However, the quiet was suddenly broken by a rather startling knock at the front door. We weren’t expecting anyone at all, least of all the dustman who had come by to collect the rubbish! It is one of those unique Venetian quirks you don’t think about until someone is at your door in a city with no bin lorries.

Once we were up and moving, we had a much more leisurely day. We headed for the water and took a boat over to Murano and Burano. In Murano, we took some time to watch the glass blowing – a fascinating process that has stayed largely unchanged for centuries. After the demonstration, we spent a while just wandering the streets.

It seemed as though every shopfront was filled with beads of glass for sale, all of them glistening in the bright sun. It made the whole island feel like it was sparkling, a very different energy to the busy centre of Venice.

From Murano, we took the water bus over to Burano, choosing to get off at the first of the two optional stops. It was a quieter way to arrive, allowing us to walk through a peaceful vineyard that felt worlds away from the busy canals. When we finally appeared on the other side of the vines, we were greeted by the most beautiful coloured streets.

The sun was shining brightly as we walked, and the houses seemed to shine right back at us. It’s hard to describe the vibrancy of the colours until you’re standing right in the middle of them; every turn felt like a new part of the rainbow. While we wandered, we saw plenty of the island’s famous lace displayed in the shop windows – intricate, white patterns sitting against those vivid backdrops.

​After a full day of island hopping, we made our way back toward our apartment in Castello. Instead of taking the water bus all the way, we chose to walk back through the Giardini. It was a lovely, peaceful contrast to the narrow, stony streets of the centre. Walking under the canopy of trees with the water on one side and the quiet park on the other felt like seeing a hidden side of Venice. It’s a much wider, greener space than you expect to find here, and it provided a very calm end to a day that had been so full of bright colours and sparkling glass. By the time we reached our “green house,” we were ready to put our feet up—grateful for the quiet of Castello after the busy sights of the day.

We are staying in a cute little flat in the Castello area, which is about a thirty-minute amble from the main square. As we walked along the side of the canals, crossing many bridges as we went, we felt as though we were moving through the city almost unnoticed. It was a gentle start to the day, though as we approached the centre, we definitely noticed the volume of people increasing. Interestingly, many of the bridges now have ramps on them; we hadn’t expected that, but it certainly made for easier access as the streets grew busier.

Reaching St Mark’s Square, we took a moment to just soak in the atmosphere. We spotted a beautiful building with a bell on the roof, flanked by two figures that look like Roman soldiers, who strike the bell to mark the time.

After a wander through the backstreets to find our pick-up point, we stopped at a lovely little cafe for lunch before heading back for our 3:00 PM gondola ride.

We shared the boat with another English couple, and for thirty minutes, we were treated to a completely different perspective of Venice. We stayed mostly to the quiet back canals, slipping under the bridges we had just been walking over. While the gondola tilted quite a lot to the right at times, you always have the confidence of the gondolier – they do this every day, after all. We spent a short period out on the Grand Canal itself, which was incredibly choppy, before retreating back into the calm of the smaller waterways.

​By the time we headed back to St Mark’s to take in the evening atmosphere and began the long walk back to the apartment, we had clocked up nearly 16,000 steps. It’s been a day of beautiful sights and a few tired feet, but the adventure is well and truly underway

If you’d asked me during the planning stages what the most “unexpectedly exciting” part of the journey to Venice would be, I don’t think I could have anticipated it would be Passport Control. The planning is always half the fun – sketching out routes and waiting for booking dates – but sometimes the reality is a bit more of a puzzle.

Arriving on Thursday, we had our first encounter with the new EU check-in service. It started simply enough – a digital screen, a passport scan, and the strange, clinical task of scanning four fingers on my right hand. But then came the true test: the queues. I was certain the digital check-in had told us to use the e-gate, but David wasn’t so sure. We joined the e-gate line, only to be told by fellow travellers that we were in the wrong place. So, we moved. We tried the manual process, only for the same thing to happen again – more voices telling us we were in the “wrong” queue. It became a bit of a comedy of errors; there were only two options to choose from, and yet, somehow, we were being told they were both wrong.

​Eventually, the lines sorted themselves out, and we were back on track. We navigated our way to the Alilaguna water boat – the first real sign that we had truly arrived. With the help of digital maps and some handy travel blogs, we began the trek to our apartment, planning a quick stop at a local Coop along the way. All the shops here close at 9pm, which left us with a swift fifteen minutes to grab a few essentials to see us through the night. Being in Italy, the frozen mini pizzas were far too tempting to pass up; it felt like it would be rude not to.

However, leaving the shop is where the logic of the map met the reality of Venice. Our directions simply said, “from the Coop, exit and turn right” – but suddenly, nothing made sense. It was only after retracing our steps that we realised there are actually two Coops sitting right opposite each other. Turning “right” could have been the correct right, or the other right – which, of course, was the wrong one.

​Even once we found the correct path, the narrow streets began their usual trick of confusing us. We were looking for a “green house,” though we weren’t sure if that meant a house made of glass or a house painted green. It turned out to be a bit of both: a big glass house with the exterior painted green.

​On finally arriving at our apartment, we settled in quickly. It is small and probably quite old, with all the character you’d expect from this city. Then came the final puzzle of the night: working out how to cook a frozen pizza with no oven! We ended up pitching them in the microwave against a glass of water to stop the bread going soggy – a bit of makeshift kitchen science that actually did the trick.

​To top it off, David discovered that the box of “apple juice” he’d picked up was actually white wine. We aren’t huge wine drinkers and had really been looking for orange juice, but when he couldn’t find any in the shop, he settled for what he thought was apple. He did wonder at the time why it was sitting on a completely different shelf, but it wasn’t until he took a drink that he realised exactly what he’d bought!

​The adventure definitely has begun.

As a 50th birthday treat, I was given a weekend away in Bath – a perfect little escape for an October weekend. We set off on Saturday morning and stopped at Avebury on the way down. We’ve been before and remembered it as a nice little place to stretch our legs.

Avebury is one of those rare spots where you can actually walk among the ancient stones. The stone circle there is even larger than Stonehenge – it’s thought to have been built around 2600 BC and surrounds much of the village itself. Managed by the National Trust, it has a peaceful charm and plenty of open space. We wandered around for a bit, enjoyed the sunshine once the rain cleared, and made good use of the café.

We carried on, driving through Bathford – another lovely little village – before reaching Bath. We’re staying at https://graysbath.co.uk/rooms, which is absolutely gorgeous. From the car park, we can see the Royal Crescent – yes, the Royal Crescent – glowing in the sunlight. We’re on the shady side of the valley, but when the sun hits that row of Georgian houses, it’s just beautiful.

Our room is quaint and could be described as shabby chic – every room here has its own en-suite. It’s very comfortable, with just the right mix of character and calm.

Saturday evening

Once we’d settled in, we decided to walk into Bath itself. We were told it was about a ten-minute stroll down into town, which felt about right – though the walk back definitely took longer. Uphill all the way, it felt more like twenty-five minutes!

In the city, we wandered around to get our bearings and soak up the atmosphere. Bath is such a beautiful place to just amble through – every corner seems to have another bit of history tucked away.

We managed to get last-minute tickets to the theatre and saw Death on the Nile. It was absolutely fantastic – we both really enjoyed it. The moving scenery made it feel fresh and exciting. We were sat up in the upper circle, and at first I thought my view might be blocked a little by a corner, but the whole play was cleverly staged across two levels. In the end, we were almost eye level with the action, which made it even better.

Sunday

Sunday was a pretty lazy day, just how we wanted it. We headed over to Chelsea Road in Bath – known for its vintage shops, antiques, and charity finds. Not everything was open, but it was still lovely to wander, browse the windows, and take our time. I even managed to pick up a few Christmas gifts, which made me very happy.

Later, we walked along the Royal Crescent and popped into the museum there. It was absolutely fascinating. I loved how the technology was cleverly hidden in pictures, mirrors, and furniture – it brought the whole experience to life. At one point, it felt like people were actually chatting around the dining table. The “gentleman’s boudoir” upstairs was especially well done, complete with a mirror that came alive with stories.

What really stayed with me, though, was how the museum balanced everything. It didn’t just show how people lived, but how society worked – especially around trade, politics, and the choices people made. The section about the sugar boycott was particularly powerful. Women couldn’t vote at the time, but they could still make a difference by refusing to buy sugar produced through slavery. It was a clever and quiet kind of protest that hit the profits of those involved in the trade and made people take notice.

Monday

Day three – came around far too quickly. Time to check out of our lovely B&B after another great breakfast. It was so nice yesterday that I had exactly the same again today. I’m not sure I need to eat for a week! Breakfast was served in a beautiful room and everything was so thoughtfully done. I’d definitely recommend Grey’s Boutique to anyone visiting Bath – the quality and service were excellent.

After packing up, we headed to Charlotte Street Car Park and had a bit of fun trying (and failing) to charge the car. In the end, we gave up and went old-school – parked the car and carried on with our plans.

Our final stop was the Thermae Bath Spa. We were booked in for 2 p.m. but asked if we could go in a bit earlier, and they were so accommodating. It was absolutely worth it – not too busy, just the right balance of calm and people-watching. The water there is fascinating – it started out as rainfall more than 10,000 years ago, seeped three kilometres underground, and now rises back up at around 45 °C. They have to cool it down before we can use it!

We started at the open-air rooftop pool, which looks right over the city – an incredible view. Then we worked our way down through the spa’s different levels. There was an ice room (very useful to cool down after being in the steam room), steam rooms, an infrared sauna, and a chill-out room with warm beds and twinkling stars on the ceiling.

Down on the lower ground floor was another pool – calmer and more atmospheric, with a lazy river winding through it. Phones are locked away while you’re there, which keeps the atmosphere peaceful and private. It’s also quite clever marketing – no one can take photos, so you just have to go and experience it for yourself.

So long Copenhagen.
What a delightful, clean city full of charm and charisma.

This was the start of our return journey – leaving Copenhagen train station to head for Berlin, then picking up the sleeper train to Brussels and arriving just in time to take the Eurostar back to the UK. The journey from Copenhagen went via Hamburg, giving us one last chance to watch the scenery change as we crossed back through Germany. And all trains through Germany went smoothly – leaving us with just the final UK leg to complete.

Reflections on a final day…
If you’d asked me a year ago what I would find so exciting about this trip, I don’t think I could ever have anticipated the answer. The planning became half the fun – sketching out routes, waiting for booking dates to open, and securing our trains. That sense of anticipation carried us right through to the moment we set off.

Leaving on that very first day, I wasn’t sure how things would pan out – but I was truly excited for the journey ahead. We’ve seen and done so much, and soon came to realise that travelling by train was as much a part of the adventure as the places themselves – offering moments of rest, reflection and watching the world roll by.

We sat to chat amongst the four of us about our favourite day or places during our trip. I think it’s safe to say that the answer was that we didn’t have one particular moment that jumped out. Each day has been so different in its own way that we don’t have a favourite.

We have stayed in four apartments, each with their own character and charm – from the clean, modern lines in Berlin to the hikers’ cabin complete with a mixed set of crockery, from managing with a composting toilet to the luxury of two bathrooms. We also stayed in one hotel – a rescue from a near disaster, made easier by the effortless cancellation of our booked accommodation.

Each city carried its own character too, shaped by time and history. It reminded me that I am not just one person from one place, but part of something bigger – as humans we come from all over, sharing the same history. We should remember the horrors, celebrate the successes, and work towards living more sustainably together.

We’ve carried four backpacks and used or worn every item we brought with us – with the single exception of our waterproof trousers. I would never recommend leaving them behind though. If that was the only thing we didn’t use, then I’d call it a good insurance policy and well worth the little bit of extra space.

We have been away celebrating an 18th birthday, our 25th wedding anniversary, and my upcoming 50th for 18 days. During this time we’ve covered 2,730 miles by train, 570 nautical miles by sea, and driven 225 miles – and we’ve lost count of how many buses, trams and tubes or even steps that we’ve taken.

That’s 413 hours away – and WE. ENJOYED. EVERY. SINGLE. MINUTE. OF. IT. All 24,780 of them.

Our apartment is on the ground floor of a six-storey building – no lugging bags up endless stairs. It’s neatly placed equidistant between two metro stations, giving us options each time we head out to explore. This is also the first time we’ve stayed somewhere with a bed to convert – a little novelty for us.

It isn’t a studio either, which makes it feel more spacious, and even comes with a small study tucked under the stairs. I imagine students make this their home during term time, and we’re lucky to be here in the quieter spell before they return.

Over 20,000 steps have been clocked up by each of us today – no wonder our feet are tired. Our average won’t dip though, as the next couple of days will be spent sitting back and watching the world go by on the train.

We picked up the hop-on hop-off bus again today, but this time followed a different route. The highlight was pausing at the street food area in Copenhagen – the perfect spot to graze, rest and soak up the atmosphere. This was a sharp contrast to the street food in Oslo. The concept was the same, but here every corner of the world was represented – the English offering was fish and chips, alongside Kurdish dishes, Mexican, American and even Canadian food. All of it served from converted cargo containers, perfectly in line with the Danish ethos of reuse. The backdrop was the city’s recycling centre, and diners could eat alfresco if they weren’t too distracted by the bungee jumpers leaping overhead.

We ate with a view across the docklands, watching the cruise ships that had docked for the day and the seaplanes taking off and landing on the water.

The kids were keen to visit the Lego store – fitting, given Denmark is the home of Lego. Tempting as it was to go wild, baggage limits meant souvenirs had to be small and preferably flat. In the end, keyrings and a couple of Lego characters won the day – just the right size to squeeze into our bags without breaking the zips.

We ended our evening at Tivoli Gardens – one of Copenhagen’s top attractions and a magical way to round off the day. I won’t say I didn’t enjoy it, but it’s fair to admit that it didn’t quite live up to my expectations, or more accurately, my memories of it. Places change, progress moves on, and over time the gardens have been reduced. The old wooden rides that once gave Tivoli its unique charm have been replaced with towering steel roller coasters for the thrill seekers. The lakes are now hemmed in by shops with inflated prices, all on top of the entrance fee, and at the heart of it all is a grand concert stage with music loud enough for the whole city to hear.

I remember it differently – a park of old-style rides and soft twinkling lights in the evening. Maybe it’s just that I’ve grown up and the magic doesn’t quite sparkle the same way. But I think I’ll choose to hold on to the memories of Tivoli as it once was, if it’s all the same. That being said, it didn’t spoil the evening for the others, who were seeing Tivoli for the first time. We ended the night watching what I’m fairly sure was a Pierrot and Harlequin performance – which, without any context, only made it feel more bizarre than classic. Still, at least there was no language barrier to get in the way.

We arrived at our last stop – Copenhagen. The city greets us with colour and energy at every corner. It feels both old and new – rebuilt through the centuries yet still fresh and alive. There’s a sense of care here too. Copenhagen is a city that takes the environment seriously, weaving cycling, green spaces and clean living into daily life.

After dropping our bags, we made our way to the centre and wandered along the harbour side. Each building stood in its own bright colour, lined up like a row of paints across the water. The sunshine made them shimmer, and the whole place felt alive with movement and warmth. Cafés spilled out onto the street, boats rocked gently in the water, and it was the perfect first glimpse of Copenhagen life.

We took the river cruise as part of the hop-on, hop-off system and listened as the story of Copenhagen unfold. The city has been transformed with each leader since the 1600s, rebuilt and reshaped after fires, wars and changes in vision. From colourful houses to grand palaces, and later modern harbour districts, every chapter of leadership has left its mark on the city we see today.

Today, Copenhagen focuses on the health of its people and on sustainability. Cycling is second nature here, with bikes welcomed on every street and corner. Even the recycling centre is more than just practical – it doubles as a hub for leisure. Inside there’s a snow zone, the highest climbing wall in Europe, and of course a viewpoint where you can take in the city from above.

Sitting in front of the recycling centre are also repurposed shipping containers. Converted into accommodation, they provide living quarters for the city’s students and again show the ethics of the city – reuse, sustainability, and finding creative solutions for modern living.

As we disembarked, we also noticed sea bins in the harbour. These floating devices act like underwater rubbish bins, drawing in plastic, oil and debris to help keep the water clean. Another small but clever way Copenhagen looks after its environment.

One of the most popular sights here is the Little Mermaid. I’ve seen her before – though last time she looked a lottle more green and was missing an arm. That arm had been sawn off by vandals but was later returned, just not reattached before my visit. She has also been decapitated more than once, but each time lovingly restored as the much-loved icon of the city. The irony of all this vandalism is that in Hans Christian Andersen’s original story, the only thing the mermaid grew was a pair of legs-and those have never been tampered with.

We returned to our apartment for the evening, passing a Netto store on the way. I’ve always thought of Denmark as being expensive-but this time, shopping for food for an evening meal felt surprisingly close to home in terms of cost. Eating out, though, is definitely more costly, helped along by a 25% VAT on restaurant meals and cafés.

At first, I wasn’t sure-everything seemed like such good value. Then I remembered that in Norway I’d spent a whole week converting 100 NOK to about £7. Now, using Danish krone, 100 DKK is closer to £12. It was a subtle shift, but one I could really feel as we settled into our first shop here.

When we were shopping, we couldn’t remember if we had a full oven or not-so we played it safe and opted for salad and cold meats. We even tried looking up the facilities online while in the shop, but that didn’t give us much of a clue either. Sure enough, we did have an oven – and had a laugh about it as we thought how nice it would be to add eggs and some freshly boiled potatoes to the meal. The only snag was the kitchen came with just one saucepan, so it turned into a showdown: potatoes or eggs? And yes – you’ve guessed it -the potatoes won. The eggs will just have to wait their turn.

With the potatoes we thought we’d add some butter we’d recently purchased. We were quite chuffed with ourselves for picking what we thought was the smallest block – a perfect size for a family of four staying just two days. Only later did we discover our clever shopping wasn’t quite so clever after all.

It wasn’t butter – it was baker’s yeast. So instead of a creamy topping for our potatoes, we were all set up to bake bread for an army and even had the oven to do so!

We left our flat this morning after an easy checkout and as we stepped outside, we noticed a small brass square set into the pavement. It stopped us in our tracks. These are the markers that remember Holocaust victims – placed where they once lived. The family linked to our apartment were taken and died in Auschwitz.

We’d seen many of these Stolpersteine stones in Berlin, each one a stark reminder of families torn from their homes. So it was striking to spot one in Oslo too, right outside the flat we’d just left. A small brass square in the pavement, marking names of those who had once lived there and who later died in Auschwitz. I don’t think I’ll ever be blind to these again. Wherever we travel, I’ll be looking out for them – and perhaps that’s exactly the point. They’re not just markers in the ground, but a living memorial, there to keep memory alive so such horrors are never repeated.

We travelled down to the port side and made use of a storage locker for our bags. The lockers are deceptively spacious – we managed to squeeze in three out of our four bags without any trouble. Even a large wheeled suitcase would fit. The cost was a whopping £4.37, and worth every penny for the freedom it gave us to wander unencumbered.

We still had a little time left on our Oslo Pass, so we wandered down to the local fortress and castle. Not long after stepping through the entrance, the pass expired – but we’d already made it inside and still had time to explore. Akershus Fortress isn’t just a historical site. Parts of it are still in use today – housing military offices, museums, and even hosting state functions and official dinners. It remains both a reminder of Norway’s past and a working part of its present.

We found a little suntrap just outside the castle where we could sit and watch the boats drifting in and out of the harbour while we ate our lunch. From there it was only a short stroll back to the port to get ready to board the boat to Copenhagen.

It was time to board the boat – this time heading towards Copenhagen – another overnight trip. After missing the boat in Kiel, we weren’t about to take any chances. Being right by the port eased our minds, but there was still that nagging doubt. I opened the tickets for one last check and realised I’d booked the journey from Copenhagen to Oslo – the wrong way round! My heart sank at the thought of repeating Kiel all over again. A few frantic presses in the app and the crisis was averted.

(Side note: tickets can only be amended up to 48 hours before travel. Imagine if I’d spotted it too late… I’d never have lived that one down with the rest of the family!)

This boat turned out to be quite different – not just another cruiser from a different provider, but a whole new style too. Swimming was included, along with a jacuzzi and sauna rather than the lazy river we’d had before. All of the entertainment came at no extra cost, but our first stop was simply to head up to the top deck and watch the scenery drift by.

Arriving at our apartment in Oslo was easy. We walked from the train station along clean, well-signposted roads with smart, sharp-lined buildings. We found the apartment quickly and used the self check-in to be granted two key cards. Finding the actual room was trickier, but once we realised it was a basement apartment, all was good.

Again, we have a studio apartment, this time separated by a kitchen in the middle. It’s small but perfect for our two-night stop – a bonus being it comes with not one but two bathrooms. Even better, it has a tin opener!

We woke to a surprise – breakfast had been delivered outside our door. A croissant, a hummus and avocado sandwich, fruit and a drink. As we’d already eaten, it made the perfect packup to take out with us.

After our Segway experience, we thought it best to avoid them – for now anyway. The bruises have faded and David’s fingers are almost back to normal. We did think about a hop-on hop-off bus, something we’ve tried in other cities, but instead discovered the Oslo Pass. For a similar price, it gives access to museums and public transport, so we decided that was the better option.

We headed first to the Norsk Folkemuseum. Founded at the end of the 19th century, the Folkemuseum can best be described as Oslo’s version of Beamish or the Black Country Museum. One of the fascinating facts we discovered was that Oslo originally stood about 30 miles further east. After a fire raged through the city in 1624, the inhabitants packed up their belongings and moved to where Oslo currently sits. Very much both the positives and negatives of a wooden flat-pack house.

We spent quite some time at the museum, wandering through the old streets and wooden houses. A highlight was stopping to watch some traditional Norwegian dancing, complete with live music. It brought the place to life and gave us a real feel for the culture that these buildings are here to preserve.

Another highlight came at lunchtime. A few little birds were hopping around us, but one in particular showed real interest in what we were eating. David held out some food and, to our surprise, the tiny creature boldly took it straight from his hand.

Eating out can be expensive in Norway, and I had read a recommendation for street food on offer in the city. We took a tram across to a place called Barcode, which can best be described as a sort of indoor market – but with only food stalls, each one serving flavours from around the world. The smells were tantalising, and the whole place had a modern vibe with a retro twist at the same time.

Needless to say, we each chose something different – Greek, Mexican, Hawaiian and Indian – and it really was a delight.