2019 Plans Beginning to Take Shape

I have been back here at my home in west central Florida for almost a month now.  The weather -- until yesterday -- has been Chamber of Commerce type stuff with highs in the mid 80s and lows overnight in the mid 60s.  But a plunge in the Canadian cold has reached even here with highs yesterday only in the mid 50s and lows overnight in the upper 30s.  Ya, I know .. I'm a wuss.  But I moved here to FL for a reason!!

But not to worry as the forecast has temps back in the mid 80s this weekend -- woo-hoo!

It has (almost) been boring with little to do each day other than ... whatever I want.  Then add that I live where everyone else comes to vacation .. especially during the holidays .. and it is an effort to resist the urge to go out and party every night.  The beach is free but the water temp is in the 60s and working on my suntan has become a no-no since my dermatologist visits have become more regular.

So I've had a lot of time to research where I want to travel in 2019.  I have also been checking into a Class A motorcoach as I consider upgrading my housing situation.  My search for places to go and things to do led me to an opportunity in Eastern Europe, of all places!  Obviously this would NOT be a situation where I have my RV or motorcycle.

Actually, this adventure is going to be a five week, backpack adventure beginning in mid-March.  I've booked a direct, overnight flight from Tampa to London Heathrow for less than $200!  I will have about 4 hours to take a bus from Heathrow to another airport (Luton) 35 miles away.  From there I catch a plane into Warsaw putting me on the ground about 6 PM local.  I have a 1-Bdrm apartment thru Air B&B reserved for the next 3 nights.

I will be picked up about 7 am Sunday morning and driven some 50 miles north to a resort hotel where I will spend the next five days -- room and board provided.  I will be one of about 15 other native English speaking people interacting 1-on-1 with locals wanting to fine-tune their English speaking skills.  Learning 'text-book' English is one thing. Learning 'conversational' English (for work or school) is quite different.  My job is to participate in various skits and role-playing for 5 days and nights speaking ONLY English.

I will be taken back to Warsaw on Friday afternoon where I will head for Brno, Czechia some 600 miles away.  Transportation is on me, as is my housing, on Friday and Saturday.  Then Sunday the process repeats at a different resort.  After that 5-day event I will head about 350 miles further south to Istanbul, Turkey.  Transportation and housing is at my expense again for Friday and Saturday.

After completing my third assignment near Istanbul, I will have almost 2 weeks on my own to get back to London for my $230 return flight to Tampa.  I still have a lot of details to work out but the general outline is in place.  This adventure is way outside my box .. but .. what the heck.  You only live once, right?