David & Janice The grey-haired-nomads

Grey haired nomads

David & Janice The grey-haired-nomads

David and Janice embarked on a life of serious travel on retirement in 2004, setting off from their Norfolk, England, home on a three-year journey by motorhome across Europe and circumnavigating North America. Travel, it seems is now a major part of their lives, fulfilling their joint love of culture, dramatic scenery, wildlife, hiking, writing and photography. This is their story.

David and Janice The Grey-haired-nomads
....and Todd came too.




Keep Smiling! Mike Fossey aka ‘Keep Smiling’ - The end of the trail It saddens me to bring news of my young brother’s departure from this life following a very brief illness. Mike has been with Travelblog for more years than I care to remember, telling tales of his travel adventures and sharing colourful blogs from his beloved India, where he made so many dear friends he always considered family. Mike was nine years younger than me, born in our small house in Wembley shortly before the end of WW11. It was only in later years that we became close friends as maturity and family events brought our paths together. A grammar school boy, he went on to become Managing Director of a major Travel company in London. It was there that his great passion for ... read more
With a rather special friend
Chatting with mourners in the desert
Sharing photos with children

Europe » Russia » Northwest » Saint Petersburg June 3rd 2019

3rd June 2019 And now St Petersburg, Russia. Days 2 and 3 The Grey haired nomads continue their journey around the Baltic: Tallinn, (Estonia), Helsinki, (Finland) and now, St Petersburg (Russia). I guess you might call our hotel in St Petersburg good value. It seemed to be extremely popular: friendly reception, convenient for the city centre and everything worked – good shower, nice bed, furniture a bit on the basic ‘seen better days’ side, but all very functional. Breakfast was not included in our 'booked on line' package, but the busy little café just around the corner served us veggie omelettes, croissants and coffee at locals’ prices, while office workers fiddled with their phones over coffee before work and a tour-group of Italians from our hotel chatted somewhat noisily. Nadia, our guide, stood by reception ready ... read more
Catherine Palace
The four-hour queue!
Tower blocks

Europe » Russia » Northwest » Saint Petersburg June 1st 2019

1st June 2019 And now, St Petersburg, Russia. Day 1 The Grey haired nomads continue their journey around the Baltic, Tallinn, (Estonia), Helsinki, (Finland), and now leave Helsinki by overnight ferry bound for St Petersburg, (Russia). We’ve been putting off going to St Petersburg for a number of years. British and US media can be thanked for much of that I suppose, lack of trust, anti-Russia and all that, but memories of the Cold War also persist for some of us, leaving fears of an unfriendly reception for us Westerners. There are also some complex issues of Visas. But we have finally been lured to this intriguing city by the many enthusiastic tales of its staggering beauty from those who have previously been fortunate enough to visit. There are many ways to get to St Petersburg ... read more
The Princess Anastasia
Inside Peter and Paul Cathedral
Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood

Europe » Finland » Uusimaa » Helsinki May 29th 2019

Wednesday 29thMay 2019 Hello from Helsinki After an early breakfast we made our way by taxi to Ferry Terminal D at the docks in Tallinn for the two-hour journey across the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki, Finland. Helsinki has been on our list since that wonderful mid-summer in 2005 when we entered Finland from Sweden in the north in our motorhome and only managed to get as far south as Oulu. Time was the enemy then as ever and we promised to return one day and visit Helsinki. Getting around Helsinki is remarkably easy. A €3, two-hour ticket, took us by tram directly to our ‘hotel’, The Hellsten Senate, a fairly basic apartment complex with our own suite – lobby, large bedroom and bathroom, kitchen, lounge and diner with TV and really great value in this ... read more
The Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral
Harbour-side market
Indoor market - Helsinki harbour front

Europe » Estonia » Tallinn May 27th 2019

Monday 27thMay 2019 A Taste of Tallinn - Estonia It’s a while since we were last in Estonia, 2012 if I remember correctly. On that occasion we were travelling from Latvia up Estonia’s west coast in our Burstner motorhome stopping off at the seaside resort of Parnu and the Soomaa National Park before reaching Tallinn. This time we’re doing it the easy way, flying Ryanair in a Boeing 737– 800 red-eye, from London Stansted to Tallinn in a little over two hours. (I’ve flown in many flying machines in my day, but you’ll not get me in a 737 MAX – ever!) As this is our second visit to Tallinn, it’s likely to be a rather more leisurely affair, having previously visited all of the city’s major sights in the company of our dear Estonian friend, ... read more
From the Flower Market
Tallinn Old Town
Tallinn Old Town

North America » United States » New York » Niagara Falls October 4th 2018

4th October 2018 Return to Niagara Falls Continuing our journey through Ontario and New York State. (3 of 3) Leaving behind the wonders of Pennsylvania’s Hawk Mountain, we headed north through new territory for us. It’s a long drive to the northwest, out through rural Pennsylvania, past open-cast mines and farmland in the general direction of Niagara Falls, taking our time to savour the last few days of our North American adventure, 2018, and stopping off wherever and whenever the fancy took us. Wellsboro, on our route, is often referred to as the gateway to Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon. A 50 mile long canyon, a few miles out of town, carries the Pine Creek thundering over dramatic waterfalls and deep narrow channels through the Leonard Harrison State Park. A short walk offered us some grand views of ... read more
Leonard Harrison State Park
Middle Falls
Wellsboro

North America » United States » New York » Adirondacks September 24th 2018

24th September 2018 Continuing our journey through Ontario and New York State (2 of 3) The Adirondack Mountains and Finger Lakes USA Now, where were we? Ah, yes, we had just crossed the border from Canada into New York State, USA. Let’s not get confused here. When we talk of New York you’ll probably be thinking of the Big Apple city of that name down there in the southeast corner of New York State USA. But New York is indeed a big State, and the Adirondack Park, our planned destination, covers an area of 6 million acres and includes more than 10,000 lakes and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams! The Adirondack Mountains extend southward from the St. Lawrence River valley, westward to Lake Ontario, east to Lake Champlain and south to the Mohawk River valley, ... read more
Ski-jumps at Lake Placid
High Falls Gorge
Hoss's Country Corner

North America » Canada » Ontario » Huntsville September 15th 2018

September 15th 2018 Canada - Creating some new Memories Our lives are full to the brim with memories aren’t they? Memories of special people and wonderful places, delights and disasters, the exciting, the good - and just now and again, the not quite so good. But all memories have first to be created. Come, join us here by the fire pit beside our cabin in the woods in the Blue Rocks Campground, Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania, and we’ll tell you a little of what we have been up to for the past two weeks. We’re here to catch up with some very special friends in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada, and Upper New York State, USA, to revisit a few old haunts and discover more of Canada and North America’s delights. But first, let me introduce you to Jon and ... read more
The grey haired nomads at Lions Lookout, Huntsville
The Boathouse Cabin
The mural in the G8 Centre, Huntsville

Europe » Ireland » County Dublin » Dublin May 11th 2018

7thMay 2018 Ireland – Only for the Brave 5 ‘Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea’ Continuing the Grey Haired Nomads’ 2,200 mile journey by motorhome, clockwise around Ireland Belfast to Dublin and beyond Bank holidays can be a pain for retired folk like us when we’re on holiday. We don’t do crowds. And campgrounds can be full if you don’t pre-book. That’s never easy when you don’t know exactly where you’ll be when it’s time to stop play for the day. Inland seemed to be the best bet and we ended up for the night on a small site at Rathfriland, near Newry; very convenient, as it happens, for a tour around the Mountains of Mourne. To the east, boulder-stone walls fringe chess-board fields: bright green meadows on hilly slopes, ash and ... read more
To the east, boulder-stone walls..........
Battle of the Boyne!.
Hill of Tara


Ireland – Only for the Brave 4 2nd May 2018 Continuing the Grey Haired Nomads’ 2,200mile journey by motorhome, clockwise around Ireland The Giant's Causeway to Belfast Our overnight camp, only a few minutes from The Giant’s Causeway, gave us a fresh window of opportunity. Rising from our slumber at 06.05, we were showered, fed and ready to leave in watery sunshine by 07.00. By ten minutes past, we were kitted up in hats and waterproofs (rain was forecast for 9am), cameras charged, and through the arch at the side of the visitor centre before opening time. We could flash our National Trust membership cards in the car park later. Scattered cloud and an optimistic sun allowed for good light on the rocks and out across the crashing waves. This picture has been etched on our ... read more
The Giant's Causeway
Carrick-A-Rede bridge
Dark Hedges




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