While many people have only started to plan their travel journals for 2012, P.E.I. entertainers Richard Wood and Gordon Belsher have filled plenty of pages in theirs.
The Celtic music act, combining the talents of Wood, an award-winning Island fiddler, with Belsher, a singer-songwriter and storyteller, has already logged thousands of travel miles doing gigs.
The performers started their international adventures in late December in Australia at the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland. That event was attended by a large contingent of Canadian performers.
"Sharing the stage with Ron Hynes, The Once, The Ennis Sisters, Sherman Downey, we did eight performances in four days. We followed it up with two concerts in Sydney and Melbourne," says Belsher, during a telephone interview last week.
The musical duo then returned to the Island on Jan. 10 to spend two weeks with their families before heading out on a tour of the British Isles on Jan. 25.
"We've been really busy. We started in Brynrefail, Wales, in the northwest part of the country. From there we went to Basingstoke, England, and then to Scotland where we played a couple of performances in the Kingdom of Fife," says Belsher.
Everywhere they go, fans love the music, says Wood.
"Response-wise, it's been fantastic. So far, the highlight of the trip has been Wales. It was a magical evening. People there really responded to the music," says Wood.
Then, it was back to England where they gave a performance in Nottingham and one in London for the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership for 60 travel writers and agents.
Next, it was off to Chichester for a special gig.
That night, a group of 18 young fiddlers joined Wood on stage to play some of his music.
"It was wonderful .... It is so nice to go into different areas and be received for your work. It's one of the beauties of doing what we do.
"It's also beautiful to see the younger generation keeping the tradition alive .... That's what it's all about," says Wood.
One of the things they have in their favour is a strong fan base that began after their first visit to the British Isles in 1995.
"Since then it has become our second home. There are a lot of old faces as well as new faces," says Wood.
During the United Kingdom shows, Belsher takes a backseat to Wood, often only doing two to three solo songs per set.
"The rest are fiddle tunes. That's the way the show is designed over there. Back on P.E.I., it's split a little more evenly," says Belsher.
Surprisingly, the biggest challenge of the tour isn't the music lineup.
It's simply keeping warm. The UK is experiencing one of its coldest winters on record.
"It's five to 10 degrees colder than what it is normally in January and February and you notice it ... so, after being in shorts in Australia we have been wearing heavy sweaters," says Belsher, who is looking forward to performing a special date on P.E.I. later this month.
Fire and Embers: Richard Wood and Gordon Belsher in Concert will take place at the Old Belle River Church on Feb. 19 starting at 7 p.m.
"I've heard about all the great things that Wendy (Jones) has been doing at that venue and I look forward to performing there," says Belsher.
The duo will also be at the Old Triangle in Charlottetown tonight and tomorrow night, as well as at the Summerside segment of P.E.I.'s Biggest Kitchen Party at Credit Union Place on Islander Day, Feb. 20.
Wood is looking forward to these dates.
"It's been a great trip but we're excited about performing at home again," he says.
Sally Cole is a features writer with The Guardian. She welcomes comments about her column as well as suggestions for future columns from readers. She can be reached at 629-6000, ext. 6054 or, through email, at scole@theguardian.pe.ca.
