Our Tour de France

As you may remember, last month Dr. H and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary by treating ourselves to a vacation in France (I'm a very lucky girl). Our trip was beyond wonderful and admittedly a bit unique, so I thought I'd share some pics, tips and inspiration for your own adventure in the Loire!

I first got the idea to go bike riding in France from an article I read (somewhere, I've had no luck re-finding that first inspiration!) and given our shared love of the outdoors, biking and wine, Dr. H was on board immediately. The Loire is also home to some of the worlds most gorgeous chateaux (castles) so this fairy tale loving lady was ready to go!

From my mystery article, I knew that there are tour companies which specialize in travel-by-bicycle itineraries.  I found Inntravel, a UK based company, through Google (how did we live without Google?!) and LOVED all of their location options, highly organized itineraries and price points (though not inexpensive, the pricing is, in my opinion, very fair for the level of services, accommodations and meals). After doing lots of research, reading a ton of reviews and being impressed by their email responsiveness, Dr. H and I took the plunge on Inntravel's "Chateaux of the Loire" 6-night holiday which we felt was the perfect length of time, distance traveled and site-seeing trip for us. And it was:

Azay-le-Rideau

Villandry

Usse

Saumur

Fromage (mmm fromage)

Somewhere between Montsoreau & Fontevraud

               

This forest....

Chinon

Just outside Azay

I could go on for days about the rich history and culture of each location that we visited, the deliciousness of the fresh cheeses and breads and the friendliness of the local people, but to be brief, I cannot recommend highly enough a visit this area of the world. It is the definition of charming, quaint, relaxing, rich and beautiful. And if you're brave enough, I cannot think of a better way to see it than by bicycle. 

Merry Meri & Dr. H adventure abroad tips:

* Don't be afraid to be different. 

Though we didn't know anyone who had taken a trip like this before, the online reviews were excellent and we really felt that the idea suited us. Don't be afraid to try something totally new!

* Know what you're looking for.

Dr. H and I love foreign cultures, being outdoors, eating well, and a combination of adventuring and relaxing. We hate crowded or overly toursity areas. This trip allowed us to be completely on our own, but with plenty of the frills (bag transports, detailed directions, pre-arranged accommodations) that made us comfortable and confident.

* Be realistic about what you can plan; if needed, work with a vendor you trust.

It was a leap to use InnTravel based purely on internet research, but we could not have executed our itinerary without professional experience and assistance. We didn't know the area intimately enough and even my OCD planning skills would have fallen short. Find an agent or company that makes you feel confident that no matter what, everything will be ok. (ps- we LOVED Inntravel and plan to use them again for other bike adventures in the future!)

* Just relax and enjoy.

We got lost. We missed meal times and had to improvise... our vacation was far from "perfect" but that's what made it PERFECT. Whatever trip you plan, roll with it and make the best of each day, even if it doesn't go exactly as planned.

Une vie á plein bord.

Bonjour my merry friends and a most sincere apology for leaving you all on your lonesome at the end of last week... I had fantasies about finishing up the last two F.I.T.S. posts once connected to wifi abroad, but vacations sometimes need to be vacations from everything and sitting at a computer was just not part of my itinerary. I hope you can understand :)

Today I'm back, and struggling, I think as we all do, to put vacation behind me and a normal day-in-the-life Monday in front of me. I miss the French countryside air, spending hours each day on a bicycle, that magical Parisian elegance and also... where is the fromage?! After 8 nights in France I can tell ya a thing or two about good fromage. #insanelyluckygirlproblems

As I dive back into the ordinary and reflect on my time away, a quote I discovered at the Rodin Museum in Paris (Rodin being a most favorite artist of mine) really stands out. He said, "une vie á plein bord" which translates to "a life full to the brim". I think this is an apropos mantra for a girl who writes a blog focused on happiness and really for any of you out there who also "seek to be merry". I think, if we make it our goal to fill our lives to the brim, hopefully with wonderful things, but also with struggles and hard work, we can finish each day with a unique sense of contentment and personal pride. Our victories will be more joyful, our power to overcome challenges more obvious and our love for people and places more fulfilling. Because to me "full to the brim" isn't necessarily about a jam packed schedule or constant thrill seeking, but more making sure that at the end of each day you know you threw it all on the table. Maybe all Rodin was saying was the Frenchy elegant version of "give it your all", but whatever, I like it and I'm in. 

More pics and a full run down of the Dr. H and Merry Meri Tour de France coming soon, but for now let's get back to our 31 days of Halloween!!! It's a Q-Tip Skeleton!

Click HERE for the full instructions from Alive & Mortal on this simple and kid friendly holiday craft!

Dream big, travel often.

Sky Lantern Festival, Thailand

fan•ta•sy [fan-tuh-see, -zee] noun. 1. imagination, especially when extravagant and unrestrained. 2. the forming of mental images, especially wondrous or strange fancies; imaginative conceptualizing. Isn't that definition amazing!? "extravagant and unrestrained"!? "wonderous"?! The word fantasy was MEANT to be applied to travel because the world is just filled with so much to fantasize about. Whether its wishing to explore a new neighborhood in your own city, or to go to the farthest corners of the earth, there's more beauty out there than most of us will ever be lucky enough to see, but that doesn't mean you can't have a wish list!

I fantasize about sleeping in an igloo and watching vibrant colors light up the sky:

Northern lights, Canada

I fantasize about hotel rooms on stilts surrounded by only the bluest ocean: 

Maldives

... and staring at stars from my bed:

"star bed" in Kenya

And of course castles; lots and lots of beautiful castles:

Mont Saint Michel, France

And though some prefer not to dream beyond their definitive reach, I am simply not one of those people. I say make a list of all your "wondrous or strange fancies" and fight your face off to get there; whether it's a motel or the Ritz, a Louis Vuitton trunk or a backpack. Dream big and travel often.