What to do? Where to go?

Well - ain't the financial markets just great - NOT! We have seen our available funds almost halved in the past three weeks.
I guess that at the worst, that might see us having to re-think our route to take advantage of the cheaper parts of the trip first in a hope that we might recover somewhat before we hit the more expensive areas of central Europe.

As it is, we are already having different thoughts about which roads we choose to lead off on. We had previously thought to try to follow the sun as much as possible to maximise what we can see and do. At the time, that would have meant driving from Germany to Spain and beginning in Spain and Portugal.

But if we get to New York for a week (still dependent on the $ recovering somewhat), then it seems to make less sense to travel almost 1,000 kms just to get started. Rather, we are now thinking that we cross the Alps from the north and begin in Italy and do Spain later in the year when we are in France.

Crossing the Alps in January - now there could be the basis for a great story! Some have asked - the Alps? in Winter? What they may not know that many of the passes have lengthy tunnels through the mountains allowing travel into even quite inhospitable country in challenging weather.

As we learn more of the areas available to us during the year, we are considering getting visas for Syria so we can visit Damascus and Palmyra from Turkey. And I am determined to get into a hot air balloon over Goreme in Cappadocia.

So, the planning continues with daily if not hourly adjustments!