cruising | Adventuring into Retirement

Here are my answers to this week’s SYW from DI

If money was no object, where in the world would you like to visit?
I have traveled to many wonderful places, but my favorite destinations are right here in South Africa. However, if money were no object, I would choose to visit India. Having never been there before, I believe it would be the next best place to my own country. I have always wanted to see a tiger in the wild, and I would hire a personal guide to take me into the jungle to find one. The guide would also know the best spots to observe birds, which I might enjoy even more than seeing the majestic tiger.

Would you like to visit Outer Space?
I would, actually. If I were to go into outer space, I think the best thing would be experiencing the awe-inspiring views of Earth from above. Seeing Earth suspended in the vastness of space, would be a magical experience. I would also love to do a space walk. Imagine how awesome it must be to ‘fly’ in the endless universe.

Have you ever been on a cruise?
I’ve been on several cruises, each one a delightful experience. The most memorable was in 2019 when my husband and I embarked on a 29-day journey from Port Louis, Mauritius, to Venice, Italy. Along the way, we visited many exotic countries along the coast of Africa, navigated through the Suez Canal, and explored the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean destinations.

The Suez Canal from the Costa Victoria 2019

Would you like to go on an underwater adventure?
I believe the mysteries of the deep sea are more thrilling than outer space. There is still so much to uncover in the depths of our oceans. If it were possible, I would love to board a ‘yellow’ submarine and explore the ocean floor. I’ve had a taste of the ocean’s wonders through some snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, which left me in awe of its beauty and diversity.

Gratitude

“To wander is to wonder, and I am forever grateful for the beauty and wisdom each new place imparts. The world is my classroom, and every journey a lesson in gratitude.”

I am not sure where the above quote comes from but I couldn’t put it better myself.

Friday 14 June 2024

We are cruising close to the coastline of Greece and I have managed to connect to the internet. Below is yesterday’s report.

Thursday 13 June 2024

Yesterday we left the hotel at 11 and our transfer dropped us at the cruise terminal at 12 noon. Check-in for The Earl, Lollz, Sash, and me, took under an hour and we were able to go straight to our cabins although we didn’t get our luggage until a few hours later.

We are on the Fantastica package, so we have a slightly better choice of cabin than the Bella package. The better the package the higher the deck number. The Earl and I have been assigned a cabin for the mobility challenged so is much bigger than a standard cabin. We did not request this but it is certainly nice to have! Sorry, the photos have not loaded in the correct order. No time to fiddle.

Click on the first photograph to enlarge it, then use arrows to view the slide show. Click Escape to return to the blog.

Lisa and Dominika flew in from Poland and checked in much later. We were wandering around the top deck when they spotted us and joined us for drinks. What a happy reunion.

It was Sasha’s birthday and the lovely South African barmen gave us each a tequila on the house to celebrate!

Lollz, Sash, The Earl and I had the early sitting for dinner and afterward we went to the theatre for “Tales of Istanbul’ which was lovely

The ship only departed at 11 pm and we were on deck to bid farewell to Istanbul. It was very viby if a little crowded but the views at night were awesome.