We’ll begin our nomad life right back in our old stomping grounds, the Pacific Northwest.  There are a few options for the specific location of our AirBnB or VRBO, but we’ll want to be relatively close to daughter Meghan and her family in Cle Elum. In fact, our return date coordinates with our oldest grandson’s state track meet and high school graduation. 

Curiously nicknamed both The Holy City and Chucktown – oh, I get it. “Charles-town”, so “Chuck-town” – neither of us been here before, but if there was ever a town steeped in U.S. antebellum history, this might be it. In fact, we’ll both be reading Erik Larson’s The Demon of Unrest before we get here. We chose the Jonathan Jasper Wright Inn in the Cannonborough district for our lodging for the week.

We had this stay booked long before Hurricane Helene did a number on the Southeast, and several areas of Asheville were devastated by the flooding French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers. But our AirBnB is on higher ground right downtown and we’re excited to support the community in any way we can. Our great friends Graeme & Alison have been recommending Asheville for years, and may even rendezvous with us here for a day or 3.

The Iron City of Pittsburgh is the new habitat for daughter Kylene and her family, and they’re eagerly crafting a list of must-go-do-eats-drinks for us. We’ll stay in a hotel near their new home in Mt. Lebanon. Both Nancy and I had business trips to this City of Bridges, but never got to enjoy much of its culture, nor any of its 50+ breweries. (Dancing Gnome, anyone?)

After a quick stop near Philadelphia to see brother Eric, we’ll hop the Aer Lingus redeye to Dublin (thank you, Alaska Airlines mileage for premium class seats), and leave by rental car immediately for Galway.  Our AirBnB just west of the Latin Quarter will provide walking distance access to a couple dozen dining/drinking/music venues. We’ll take excursions a couple days to the Midleton Distillery and perhaps the Dingle peninsula.

Guinnness. ‘Nuff said.

Though I’m sure we’ll check out the Jameson Whiskey Experience on behalf of my favorite Irishman Thumbknuckle Chuck McMillan. And people tell me there’s this pub called The Temple Bar.

We’ll puddle jump  the Irish Sea to London, then drive 3 days to Glasgow by way of Oxford, Ludlow, Liverpool, and Keswick. I’ve been warned about the narrow roadways, but we’ll take our time and stop at various tourist traps along the way.

For reasons of which I’m not completely sure, Nancy and I get a kick out of the urban hip Moxy brand hotels by Marriott. We’ll stay in one in Glasgow as we explore the city for a couple of days.

And so begins the long-anticipated journey into my Scottish Gordon Highlander roots. Our week northern Scotland will include castles and museums and graveyards, oh my. Not to mention tastings at a gazillion Speyside whisky distilleries. Bydand!

Three days of exploring the Whisky Trail. My mouth’s already watering.

This’ll be fun! We’ll be lodging at the Brewdog Kennels and brewery. I discovered these young Scottish brewers via there TV show more than a decade ago and even invested a few shillings in their Kickstarter-ish fundraising campaign for their first U.S. brewery location in Columbus, Ohio. I even met one of them at their pub in Camden. Anyway, more fun Scottish antics await us.

The Fringe!! I’ve heard about it for years, and recently best friend Stan’s daughter Gabe offered hilarious stand-up comedy at the 2024 festival. We’ll immerse ourselves in plenty of artsy festivities, and co to a museum and a castle and several other old Scottish places. And I’ll try to talk Nancy into one more whisky experience. “Really, Glenn? Another one?”

This’ll be a quickie, just a 2-day pitstop on our way to Tuscany.  We’ll bus and train from the Rome airport to our AirBnB right next to the Rome Termini rail station where we’ll catch the train to Florence. Our lodging will put us within an hour’s walk of Vatican City and all the usual highlights in between. We know this Jubilee year will overrun the city with tourists, but the people watching should be fantastic.

Our Tuscany target is Siena, but we know that we couldn’t let my half-Italian wife scooch through Firenza without at least a look-see. We secured a great VRBO just off the Piazza della Signoria.  I’m sure we’ll be kicking ourselves for not staying longer, but Siena awaits.

Three days before we arrive in Siena is the renowned Palio di Siena in the Piazza del Campo. We kinda did that on purpose. Sounds wonderfully chaotic and wall-to-wall peopled, but not so much our cup of grappa. We’re excited for a 4-5 day exit excursion to Montalcino (Brunelo wine), Pienza (Pecorino chesse), Montepulciano (d’Abruzzo wine), and Ravenna (Nancy’s family lived 90+ years in Ravenna, Ohio).

Recommended by Nancy’s extended Italian family, we’ll stay in the heart of town by their main plaza. More on this stop later.

Our final stop in the center of the Puglian heel will focus on what we’ve been told is the best food in Italy. So sad for us, right? More later.

Not sure where we’ll be yet for this final month of our 180 days.