What followed is difficult to summarize. We are still reassessing the damage to the UK. I had set out to document my journey through the Brexit years. I hadn’t expected to halt the process, or even affect the outcome of that decision. I hadn’t anticipated the whole world interfering with my little project – it struck me as bizarre in the extreme that at the very peak of my pootering years I would be grounded like a grumpy teenager. I had anticipated getting into all manner of hilarious jams, seeing new places (even as I could see less), meeting new people, I had anticipated continuing to construct a narrative that would show me as the plucky fool I was, and, I expected to be largely ignored, as most people were too busy to follow my adventures.

But here we are, two years on, we had all suffered a massive blow to our systems, the world was a much less friendly place, and, on top of it all, part of Europe was now at war.

Again, it is not my role to explain any of this. Suffice to say, much had changed as I decided the time was right to take up my rudely interrupted travels and see how much of Europe was still on speaking terms with the UK.

I would start in London, where I had ventured last in 2019. It seemed like this was the place that had caused much of the initial problem – they started it! It seemed like the best place to resume my fragile fuddle. I should have picked up my travels back in Poland, as I felt I hadn’t finished with the Poles and their crucial position on the border lands of both Europe and much of twentieth century history. No, London would do – if I survived I would be re-energized  and would see if I could manage the complexities of this new world. Then, maybe, a Baltic loop which would give me a chance to explore further.

I was ready to go, I had a new journey planned with a fixed itinerary that would take me to a couple of those remaining EU member states, I might even find time for some more ‘parliament selfies’.

I am raring to go, the time is right, and I’m fully  vaccinated!

If they can manage a successful return to full on Eurovision Song Contests, I could manage a gentle pooter around Scandinavia and the Baltic States.

Sure, some of these countries were abandoning years of neutrality and applying for NATO membership (Sweden and Finland), yes I risked being a bit too close to the Russian border when visiting Finland and Estonia – we had already had a couple of days in Saint Petersburg removed from our itinerary, and there was still the increased complexity of Covid-19 restrictions.

What could possibly go wrong.

Vamanos! Let’s go …

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