2014 is a rather special year for us.
40 years married, and now both of legal retirement age of 65, we decided to take a trip to the UK.
Along the way Kris was able to break through a lot of family history brick walls. Some so solid that some new tactics became necessary. So with a rainy summer, and some propping up of the UK economy some new research sites were used, and finally our paternal grandfather's life was discovered.
Trouble is he was not who he said he was, so he probably would be rather upset to learn that his grand daughter-in-law was able to unearth his well hidden family secrets.
Kris was also able to source her maternal family line back through William the Conqueror, to the royal families of Europe and to the Viking warriors. In fact her direct links start in the year 00.
With all that information, we decided to follow in the family footsteps, and planned an extensive holiday which would take us to all the different areas that they had all lived.
A long wished dream or top of the points on the Bucket List was to visit Galliopoli to honour Montague Durnford, a great uncle obliterated on 25th April 1915.
So how to incorporate that into our trip? We found a trip called "Turkish Delights" by Insight Tours. 8 days in Turkey, including a visit to the Galliopoli Memorial, and for the cost, it seemed good value.
Due to the closeness of Turkey to Germany, we decided to travel to Prussia. The North East part of Germany that was home to all of John's German family members on his maternal side.
Finally after a great deal of planning, research, we have now our travel arrangements in place, and our accommodation in over 30 places confirmed. From London we drive to Dover along the bottom up to Wales across to the Shropshire area, in the ferry to Ireland, from Dublin to Galway and back to Belfast, up to Glasgow the down to Hadrians Wall, Newcastle and all places east until we arrive in Cambridge. Three months, lots of miles, and hopefully not all rainy days.
Excited, yes.
