Welcome back to the TobyMoto blog! I wanted to resurrect the blog because I know how much some liked following my motorcycle adventure around the US. I am going through the same process to plan a 14-day campervan tour of England (maybe Cardiff, Wales too). I really enjoyed the planning process of my last adventure, but really did not share much besides the plan once it had developed. What I want to share today is the thought process of why I plan and how I balance planning for fun and not rigorous activity that will feel like failure if everything does not line up.
The reason I plan is so I am not sitting somewhere wondering what I could be doing without options of what I can do. I do not plan so I can fill every waking moment with activities on a train-like schedule. For instance, on the around the US trip, I wanted to see some national landmarks, but be able to diverge from the path to visit important people from my past. The second half of that plan became the best part of the trip very quickly. Did I make it to the outer most edges of the country? I did not, but I got to spend more time with Brandi in California, with Harrison and his family in Washington State, with Charlie in Maine and with Amy in Florida. Those short visits were worth more than extending the trip mileage to reach the edges of the US.
For this adventure I have a primary goal of finding out what area of England fits me the best. As much as my family does not want to hear this, the likelihood of me ending up on the UK canal and river system in a narrowboat is high. I have a clear plan and clear waypoints to that goal. This trip is sort of a feeler to make sure the home of my ancestors is everything I have researched and observed on the subject. I do not think my dad meant to plant that seed when he bought me my first car almost 27 years ago when he bought me a 1969 MGB roadster. The British and Euro car culture endured as I bought a few Porsche 944s and an old school Mini while I lived in Germany, and now own my third VW.
Anyone who has known me well over the past few years knows I am also constantly searching for British panel/game shows and UK canal life videos on YouTube. The UK comedy scene, and canal-life vlogs are endlessly entertaining for my tastes. While the primary goal is finding which UK areas fit me the best, I think it would be a waste of a trip if I did not attempt to fill my evenings with as many comedy shows of the panel show guests I could. Also, I must make the canals and rivers a part of the trip as well.
The problem with this is balancing plans of things to do without feeling like I must hit everything. Once I find out which comedians are touring England during the time I am there and plot out a reasonable path, I will be able to fill the evenings on my itinerary. Until then I am going to highlight some locations to visit in some of the major towns. This way, even if there is no show, I can still fill the day walking or biking in a town without feeling completely lost. To help me, I have bought Rick Steve’s guide to England which I am reading as much as I can. Researching opportunities versus a detailed must see list is my balance. I know I am not going to see everything, and that is OK. It is especially OK if I plan to live there one day.
I want to end this blog with a thanks for taking the time to read it, and that I am always open for suggestions. I cannot promise to head your advice or even ever post here again, but I am always excited to hear from people that care. Until next time, make some plans, but do not be afraid to wander as well.