A Tour of Fire and Ice

Another Year, another Holiday Blog

Well folks here we are again at the start of another of my holiday blogs. This is now the ninth holiday when I have used a blog to capture my thoughts, feelings and reflections and share them with you my dear reader.

It was in 2006 that I first blogged about a trip when we visited South East Asia, since then I have blogged as we have travelled around Southern Europe (2012), Scotland (2016), the USA three times (2013, 2015, 2017) and Canada twice (2011, 2018). I have always found keeping a blog to be a great way to engage with family and friends as we are on the journey, and as a source of memories and pleasant reflections when I look back at the trips when back home. 

Hopefully this blog will serve the same function this year as we take a very different type of holiday than in the past.

So time for the big question: 

Where are we going?

A Tour of Fire and Ice

2019 - A Tour of Fire and Ice

Drew, who was the main instigator of the initial plans for this year's holiday, has called it "A Tour of Fire and Ice" since we began our planning. This title is an allusion to the Game of Thrones original novel series which is called A Song of Ice and Fire, as well as a reference to the places we are visiting.

As the image above, and the background image of the blog (which may not be visible if you are reading the blog on a mobile device) indicates, the holiday will be based around the West Coast of the mainland USA (San Francisco), Hawaii (which has long been considered as the Heart of the 'Ring of Fire') and Alaska (with its Ice and Snow).

So we have a very varied range of locations and a lot more travel (especially by air) than in our previous holidays where most of the journey had been done by land (road or train) not air.

We leave home on Thursday, in the days between now and then I'll update on the details of the holiday and the way we planned for this year's trip.