Literally makes me cry every time I have to send my old passport back and get a “fresh” which of course means “empty “ one in return 
Love a stamp. And when you order the 48 page and they send you the 24 version!! #noooooooo
3 Likes
@Cuttlefish I know that feeling! …
although it’s just a good excuse to start filling up the new one then 
1 Like
I enjoy traveling, but my list is quite selective at this point. I did a lot of traveling in my 20’s and 30’s so now I’m winding down a bit. I do know that after this winter wuth health challenges and cold westher i want somewhere a bit warmer lol. I cannot believe I’ve been traveling now for 4 months and going on two months in the UK. One more month before heading back to the states. Where else do you want to go?
1 Like
Hi @Catgoddess_99 I am so pleased you are enjoying your time in the UK. 
That’s a great question. I would certainly like to visit Sapporo, capital of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and attend the annual Sapporo Snow Festival which features enormous ice and snow sculptures. I would also like to visit Matera in Italy, Bora Bora in French Polynesia, the U.S. state of Alaska and I would love to travel extensively in Australia. Of course I still have many other places on my list besides these 
2 Likes
Wow! That’s a pretty big list
1 Like
I have lived on and off in Alaska for over 10 years, give me a shout with any questions.
1 Like
Thank you @Catgoddess_99 and I certainly will. 
I have a couple of questions and want your suggestions. I will have a bit of a gap after my Overton Hampshire sit, and want to go to another coastal town afterwards. I’ve already been to Scarborough , and still might visit Whitby as part.of a day tour from York, but I want a few night’s that isn’t a forever train ride. I really wanted to go to Cornwall, but a 6 plus hour train trip is not appealing. Anyway, I’ve been doing some research and think Weymouth in Dorset might be a good option and only 3 hours by train. Is it worthwhile? The photo’s of the town look pretty quaint and I’m not interested in anything too fancy. It’s between the Devon coast and Dorset. Any suggestions? I’d love your perspective.
1 Like
I don’t think anyone else ha picked up on your recommendation for Brighton.
A few years ago we asked our teenage daughter where she’d like to go for a half-term break and she came up with Brighton. Our reply wasn’t enthusiastic but we agreed to look into it.
Suffice to say we had a brilliant week. In addition to the usual things like the beach, fish and chips on the pier, the Regency Palace, The Lanes etc, we visited the greyhound race track, museums, even went on a ghost walk.
It may not be the prettiest of places but if you’ve got teenage kids, there’s plenty for them to do. We stayed in an AirBnB so self-catered right in the middle of town - and it was dog friendly!
2 Likes
In answer to your question, I would say yes Weymouth is a seaside town that is worth a visit. The shortest journey time from Overton to Weymouth is to get the bus to Basingstoke railway station and there is a direct service from there to Weymouth; journey time 2 hours 45 minutes. Weymouth offers a number of attractions including a beautiful sandy beach overlooked by a magnificent Georgian seafront. A short walk through the town from the beach will lead you to the marina and if you cross the River Wey to the south bank you can then walk out to Nothe Fort, situated at the end of Nothe Peninsula. The structure was built between 1860 and 1872 to protect Portland and Weymouth Harbours.
Weymouth is also renowned for an abundance of excellent cafes and restaurants. My recommendation for a coffee and a sandwich or light bite would be the Ebike Cafe @ Deheers; it is a lovely cafe on the Custom House Quay in Weymouth Harbour. Almost next door you will find Restaurant Les Enfants Terribles which serves up Local cuisine, French, Seafood and Vegetarian friendly dishes, well worth a visit. One final recommendation is Hall’s Kitchen which serves up Seafood, British, Contemporary, Vegetarian and Vegan options. This restaurant is in the Old Town part of Weymouth at 46 St. Mary Street.
A seaside town that we know well that you might like to consider visiting instead of Weymouth is Brighton. This is a very vibrant coastal town, larger than Weymouth with a lot of history. The journey from Overton would require a 20 minute bus ride to Basingstoke railway station, then a 40 minute train ride to Clapham Junction and from there a direct 50 minute service to Brighton.
Brighton was a favourite haunt of the fun loving George IV back in the 18th century. It is resplendent with its majestic Regency squares and crescents, iconic Royal Pavilion and famous piers. An intriguing part of the town is an area known as The Lanes, a collection of narrow lanes famous for their small shops and narrow alleyways. A real must on a visit to Brighton is the Royal Pavilion and surrounding gardens which was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales who later became George IV in 1820. Here you can experience a fantasy palace fit for a King, with Regency splendour inside and out.
For Brighton’s best views you can head up to Brighton i360, which is 360 degrees of views at 138 metres high in the sky. Just along from the i360 you will find the Upside Down House which is a lot of fun!
Photo from the Upside Down House website
Brighton has a plethora of amazing restaurants that cover a multitude of cuisines from around the world. In The Lanes you will find a fabulous curry house called the Permit Room. The bar/café is inspired by the permit rooms of the 1960’s and 1970’s Bombay, post-prohibition spaces that held alcohol permits and served homely plates. A short walk from the i360 is Shelter Hall, a chic seaside food court with global eats and views of one of Britain’s best loved seasides. It is a seafront food market featuring seven unique kitchens along with two craft beer, wine and cocktail bars. Whatever your taste in food there is bound to be a restaurant in Brighton to cover this!
To summarise, yes Weymouth is a good choice of venue for a couple of peaceful enjoyable days but Brighton has considerably more to offer and is the same distance/journey time from Overton. I hope this helps.
2 Likes
Thanks Sam. I’m looking for somewhere quaint, I’m still plagued with issues due to the Piriformis syndrome and extensive walking is a challenge. Anyway, I’ll make a decision soon. I appreciate your great suggestions.
1 Like
Hiya I live in Brighton and I’m a local Tour Guide if you’d like to know anything about the area.
My top tips are-
i360 is very expensive for a 20 minute trip so catch a 77 bus up to the Devil’s D*ke instead for the amazing views.
The Lanes are a touristy area full of jewellery shops and cafes, it was the old area where Hemp was grown by fishermen. The North Laine area is vibrant and bohemian with unusual shops as is Kemp Town…
The Royal Pavilion is worth visiting and the ticket allows you to visit the Museum in the grounds as well, and you can return once again for free within a year. Well worth knowing.
Brighton is very expensive to stay in so a house sit is a good way to see the area, however be aware that much of the city was built 200 years ago and the oldest buildings are made of ‘Bungaroosh’ which can result in dampness in basement apartments. It’s a very noisy busy City with 10 million visitors each year. There are 2 Universities and 40,000 students living in the area. Hove is a quieter more sophisticated area to stay and get some peace and quiet. Public transport is excellent buses/trains. Most people walk and cycle everywhere. It’s not a City to own a car in. The city is surrounded by pretty villages like Rottingdean an old smuggling village where Rudyard Kipling lived.
4 Likes
If you are looking for quaint then maybe head to Brockenhurst and Lymington in Hampshire. I say this because to get from Overton to Lymington you would take the bus to Basingstoke railway station and then take the train, initially to Brockenhurst, a 50 minute journey. Brockenhurst is the largest village in the New Forest and is worth a visit in its own right, with its abundance of restaurants, boutique shops and tearooms. You might even be lucky enough to see some of the New Forest ponies grazing on the village green.
If you do decide to stop in Brockenhurst then my recommendations for somewhere to eat include Albero Italian or The Retreat for a delicious breakfast or a light bite later in the day and finally The Pig Rooms & Garden Food also do a lovely breakfast and lunch/dinner.
Once you have seen enough of Brockenhurst you can take the train from Brockenhurst to Lymington which is less than a 10 minute journey. This is now a centre for sailing though much of the town centre is Victorian and Georgian, with narrow cobbled streets in the area of the quay. Lymington is supposed to have been a major centre for smuggling and there are many unproven stories of smugglers tunnels running from the old inns and under the High Street to the town quay.
Recommendations for eateries in Lymington include Brisa, a Spanish restaurant, The High Street Kitchen for lunch or dinner and Coffee & Drift for delicious Buddha Bowls, delicious paninis and Artisan coffee.
2 Likes
Those are great recommendations, I’ll definitely look into it. Ponies are high on my list 
🫏 thanks @Sam_F 
1 Like
I’d want to base myself for a few nights so I’ll look into a place to stay.
1 Like
I just had a thought that you might also like to visit Beaulieu if you are staying in the Brockenhurst area for a few days. This village is located on the southeastern edge of the New Forest, and was named the 5th most beautiful village in the UK & Ireland by Condé Nast Traveler in 2020. The village is home to the Beaulieu Motor Museum and the Beaulieu Palace, which is owned by Lord Montagu and is open to the public. During the Second World War the Beaulieu Estate was used to train Special Operations Executive agents, and one of the trainers was Kim Philby who was later found to be spying for the Soviets. There is an exhibition at the Beaulieu Estate detailing this time in its history. It really is worth a visit and can be reached by bus from Brockenhurst or Lymington.
1 Like
Hi @BonnyinBrighton and thank you for your insightful information about your home city of Brighton and Hove.
I know that Brighton and Hove have a multitude of great restaurants and cafes to cover all tastes and my husband and I have sampled some in the past. For ourselves and other foodies on here, do you have any recommendations for great spots to eat covering all budgets?
Yes I can recommend a lot of places however as the City is vibrant and a quirky place the locals tend to track the great chefs and follow them as they move around in/out of the City.
Great fb groups to join are
Brighton Sunday Roasts (for all things roasted on Sundays!) it has a huge following as Sunday Roasts have become very competitive!
What’s On in Brighton fb to ask about specific types of food.
Visit Brighton is a great local website for advice.
Foodie areas- the Seafront /North Laine/The Lanes/Kemp Town/Hove
Brighton is famous for its green credentials so lots of vegan/veggie options also most places have gf coding too.
4 Likes
Thank you for the great recommendations and as an avid Sunday roast fan I will definitely be joining this fb group!
1 Like
Those Unforgettable Travel Moments! 
Have you ever had an unforgettable travel moment? By that I mean one where you have been completely blown away, either by the view or something that happened to you during your travels. Perhaps it was your first glimpse of Uluru (Ayers Rock), or a Scarlet Macaw flying so low that it brushes your hair with its flapping wings, a true moment that happened to me whilst walking along the street in the seaside town of Jaco, Costa Rica!
On occasions it will not be just the attraction that you have come to see or what the location is known for that takes you by surprise but something else that you witness or experience whilst you are there.
One example of this is when my husband and I visited Iguazú Falls in Brazil which is also on the border of Argentina and Paraguay. We were sat on the terrace of the Hotel das Cataratas having breakfast. A large male Coati passed by our table twice with his nose in the air before being shooed away by one of the waiters. A few moments later, a blur of a Coati came shooting towards us from the undergrowth, threw itself in to my open handbag and within a couple of seconds it was making a rapid exit with my packet of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in its mouth, never to be seen again!
Every time I see a bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups now it definitely takes me back there!
These are just a couple of my unexpected and unforgettable travel moments.
What unforgettable travel moments have you had?
As I mentioned previously it can be somewhere that literally took your breath away at first sight or something unexpected or unforgettable that happened during your travels!
It would be lovely to hear your stories on here. 
4 Likes