We finally got to see the Panama Canal, the Pacific side where the Miraflores Locks are situated.
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In our 97 days travelling around the world we had fun learning and discovering all sorts of interesting, strange and essential needs.
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After quite a time of little to do with regard to preparation for our trip, it is suddenly time to apply for our Schengen Visas.
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Over the years, as we have travelled I have realised that there are 3 things which I particularly love to see and they are waterfalls, bridges and steeples.
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Today I am starting the 30-day blogging challenge and will do everything I can to meet this challenge.
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Nine months planning and another month travelling and then, it is all over.
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As I mentioned in my first blog on travelling in South Africa, my home country, we have now travelled to and spent varying times in each of our current 9 provinces.
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- A week at Chaka's Rock Chalets 07 December 2020
- Assisted travel 16 July 2020
- Finally on our way home 18 June 2020
- 4 days to Buenos Aires 15 June 2020
- Cape Horn & Stanley, Falklands 10 June 2020
- Ushuaia Train to the End of the World 07 June 2020
- Ushuaia Part 1 02 June 2020
- Amalia Glacier and Punta Arenas 27 May 2020
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About Me
I was born into the early part of the Baby Boomer generation, the 3rd of what came to be a family of 6 daughters. Although both our parents, who are now deceased, had been raised in rural Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) and the 2 eldest daughters were born in a country town, the other 4 of us were all born at home in Durban. Read More
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Travelling Tips
10 things to note about visas
10 things to note about visas
Those planning to travel outside of their home country will possibly have to apply for a visa. ...
Travelling Tips
DOs & DON'Ts itemised
DOs & DON'Ts itemised
There is no question that there are some definite dos and don’ts for travellers and a few more of ea...
Travelling Tips
Revealing some indirect costs
Revealing some indirect costs
This article is written from the perspective of a South African traveller but has much information w...
Travelling Tips
Early steps in planning
Early steps in planning
We have decided!! We are off to see the Northern Lights, The Aurora in December 2015...
Travelling Tips
Some packing tips
Some packing tips
Packing for a holiday can be fun but needs planning. Included here are things we have learnt f...
Travelling Tips
Direct or obvious costs
Direct or obvious costs
OK, you have decided on a destination for your next holiday. Here are 4 important questions you must...
Travelling Tips
Preparation continues slowly but regularly
Preparation continues slowly but regularly
Having mentioned to Teresa Smith that I had already contacted a travel company in Norway she suggest...
Europe
Durban to Rome
Durban to Rome
At last, it is Wednesday, 3 May 2006 and Trevor and I are leaving for our first Senior Citizen’s tri...
Europe
Rome to Pisa
Rome to Pisa
TuriWe were finally on the open road north towards Pisa. There was another unexpected shock awaiting...
Europe
A week in Sestriere with unexpected snow
A week in Sestriere with unexpected snow
We spent a week in Sestrierre and it really is a beautiful place to be but very lonely in the Summer...
Europe
Out of Italy through Switzerland to Paris, France...
Out of Italy through Switzerland to Paris, France...
From Sestriere, we drove through some stunning Tuscan scenery to Lake Como, a most beautiful spot in...
Europe
2 days in Paris
2 days in Paris
Nadia’s family are really very special people whom we have visited twice since. We would love t...
Europe
London - here we come
London - here we come
Now we have to decide – do we go to the UK on the Eurostar or do we fly?
Travelling Tips
Local bookings
Local bookings
The type and form of transport and accommodation of any holiday depends very much on where and for h...
Europe
A visit to Bath
A visit to Bath
It took just a couple of hours to reach Stonehenge and once again we found that Senior Citizens rece...
Europe
A week in Wales
A week in Wales
Once we were finished exploring the Roman Baths, we left Bath taking the M5 to Tewkesbury on an over...
Europe
The last few days
The last few days
Gradually our first trip abroad together was coming to an end. We had just 3 days left before we fle...
Travelling Tips
Lessons learnt on our May 2006 trip
Lessons learnt on our May 2006 trip
As I said in the article, ‘The last few days’, in this, the final article about our first trip overs...
Africa
Victoria Falls, we are on our way
Victoria Falls, we are on our way
Having written a number of articles on our overseas trip in May 2006 I thought that it might be appr...
Travelling Tips
Preparation continues
Preparation continues
As always, time just flies when one is busy and has a very exciting trip to plan.
Africa
At Hwange & Victoria Falls
At Hwange & Victoria Falls
We spent a lovely couple of hours walking around the Matobo Hills and seeing the grave of Cecil John...
Africa
Off to Botswana
Off to Botswana
To reach the border of Botswana with Zambia we had to travel approximately 70kms due west on a beaut...
Africa
Homeward bound
Homeward bound
Botswana has 3 main sources of income – tourism, diamonds and animal husbandry.
Travelling Tips
Making a booking in Spain
Making a booking in Spain
I cannot believe that it is more than half way through the month of May! That means it is 7 mo...
Travelling Tips
Looking for places to visit and things to...
Looking for places to visit and things to...
At the end of my last article I said that we would now spend time looking at the places we plan to v...
Travelling Tips
Time to get Educated
Time to get Educated
I cannot believe that it is more than half way through the month of May 2015! That means it is...
Africa
Discover home first
Discover home first
While listening to the radio a couple of weeks ago I learnt that South Africa had been voted the mos...
Travelling Tips
Medication Reminders For Travellers
Medication Reminders For Travellers
As we get older our medicine kits start to take up more and more space in our luggage. We know we ar...
Travelling Tips
Step 7 in Preparing for our trip
Step 7 in Preparing for our trip
It has been a while since I wrote on the preparations for our trip to the Northern Lights and that ...
Travelling Tips
There is no such thing as a free...
There is no such thing as a free...
In early 2000 my husband and I were invited to a presentation and if we attended, that is all we had...
Travelling Tips
160 days to go
160 days to go
Not sure whether to say yippee, there are only 160 days until we leave or, oh no, still 160 days bef...
Europe
The Passion Play in Oberammegau
The Passion Play in Oberammegau
The next morning we had an excellent breakfast at the Munich hotel before once again packing and boa...
Travelling Tips
Best laid plans
Best laid plans
We all know the proverb, “The best laid plans of mice & men often go awry”. Well, it certa...
Travelling Tips
Time moves on
Time moves on
Time is going too slowly but also very quickly. Suddenly it is just 4+ months to departure date and ...
Europe
Our stay in Salzburg
Our stay in Salzburg
Salzburg is a small but very attractive city having received its name from the mining of salt in the...
Europe
From Oberammegau to Salzburg
From Oberammegau to Salzburg
Although attending the Passion Play was the main reason for our trip, we spent another week as a gro...
Europe
A visit to Kehlsteinhaus (Eagles' Nest)
A visit to Kehlsteinhaus (Eagles' Nest)
My father, uncles and aunts, were involved in World War II and that period of history has always i...
Travelling Tips
Paying for the train
Paying for the train
As I have mentioned in a few of my articles, planning and preparation are so vital for when one...
Europe
Taking the Romantic Road
Taking the Romantic Road
As I said at the end of my last article, when we preparing to leave Salzburg, Jurg, our wonderful co...
Travelling Tips
How should we travel?
How should we travel?
I thought that I would discuss forms of transport in the countries one is visiting.
Europe
Stopover in Heidelberg
Stopover in Heidelberg
I continue with our experiences in Europe in 2010. We had gone on this tour with the main aim of att...
Europe
Part 1 of Rhine Cruise
Part 1 of Rhine Cruise
We left Heidelberg immediately after breakfast for Mainz where we would board a boat for a cruise on...
Europe
Part 2 Rhine Cruise - in pictures
Part 2 Rhine Cruise - in pictures
We started with a coach tour from Munich to Oberammegau, on to Salzburg and then back through variou...
Europe
Up the Moselle River Valley
Up the Moselle River Valley
Today I tell you about the final day of our first coach tour. Thanks to our bus driver it was really...
Europe
On our own with our Eurail Pass and...
On our own with our Eurail Pass and...
We arrived in Liege, Belgium on a wet Saturday afternoon. By the time we arrived the rain had stoppe...
Europe
Liege to Nancy to Pontarlier by train
Liege to Nancy to Pontarlier by train
We learnt quite a lot about our train pass and the trains themselves in the very first journey from ...
Europe
We need to book seats with a Eurail...
We need to book seats with a Eurail...
For Day 16 of the 30-Day Challenge I am writing about one of our best experiences on any holiday.
Europe
The big bridge of Millau
The big bridge of Millau
Part of the Millau ViaductToday was the day we were to see the ‘big bridge’ the construction of whic...
Europe
Geneva and the Big Bang Theory
Geneva and the Big Bang Theory
Yesterday we were admiring the viaduct in Millau, S. France and today we are taking the train from M...
Europe
Geneva - beautiful, interesting but expensive
Geneva - beautiful, interesting but expensive
This is Day 8 of our train trip around parts of Europe. If you have looked at any of the articles on...
Travelling Tips
Swiss trains and clocks are on time!
Swiss trains and clocks are on time!
Time to keep my promise of 2 days ago and tell you of a mishap with the train in Geneva.
Europe
Beautiful Interlaken
Beautiful Interlaken
A childhood dream was fulfilled in 2006 when we first visited Switzerland. I then had an opportunity...
Europe
To Lucerne by boat and train
To Lucerne by boat and train
After 2 beautiful days in Interlaken we continued moving northwards in Switzerland. We planned to sp...
Europe
From Basel to Andernach
From Basel to Andernach
Today we move out of Switzerland and back into Germany for the last few days of our holiday.
Europe
No Nurburgring but discovered Remagen
No Nurburgring but discovered Remagen
We had just 2 days of our holiday left (6 days more of the 30-day blog challenge) and today we ...
Travelling Tips
Musings of our 2010 travels to Europe
Musings of our 2010 travels to Europe
Today is Day 25 of the 30-Day Blogging Challenge and I have to decide on what to do for my last 6 bl...
Travelling Tips
Northern Lights, here we come
Northern Lights, here we come
At the end of my last blog I mentioned that we have already decided on our next trip which starts wi...
Travelling Tips
The final countdown begins
The final countdown begins
Yippee!! We have received the tour details and bookings for the Nordic Aurora Safari Tour. Thi...
Africa
The flowers in full bloom
The flowers in full bloom
When we left home in September 2001 it was to go and see the annual natural phenomenon of the&...
Africa
Off to see one of the Wonders of...
Off to see one of the Wonders of...
This series on our travels will be a return to my home country, South Africa. We are so fortunate to...
Africa
Big Hole to Big Falls
Big Hole to Big Falls
Our plan for the next day, having spent a very relaxing and interesting time in Kimberley, was to dr...
Europe
The Oslo Museums
The Oslo Museums
We arrived in Oslo expecting to see everything covered in snow but the locals were expressing their ...
Europe
Oslo to Bergen
Oslo to Bergen
Time to move on - to day we will travel from Oslo on the Norwegian East Coast to Bergen on the West ...
Europe
Bergen, a beautiful city
Bergen, a beautiful city
After a good night’s sleep we went downstairs for breakfast which was, on a scale of 1-10, about a 6...
Europe
Bergen to Trondheim by ferry
Bergen to Trondheim by ferry
So now it was time to go to sea. We had to board our Hurtigruten Ferry by 20:30 for departure at 22:...
Europe
One more night before the Lights
One more night before the Lights
Trondheim was to be a one night stop over before travelling by air to Tromsø, nicknamed the ‘Paris o...
Europe
Let's go dog sledding
Let's go dog sledding
If we had known in advance what going dog sledding entailed I think we, especially being over 60, wo...
Europe
A convoluted trip to Stockholm
A convoluted trip to Stockholm
Now we were on our own. No more tour operator organised bookings for accommodation or travel. T...
Europe
A day out in Stockholm
A day out in Stockholm
Instead of having approximately 12 light hours in which to explore Stockholm we were now reduced to ...
Europe
Next stop Copenhagen
Next stop Copenhagen
It had been our intention to stop over in Gothenborg to visit the Volvo Museum but what we did not d...
Travelling Tips
Just boarding the train
Just boarding the train
Today I will write about the next leg of our journey, leaving the Scandinavian states after a wonder...
Europe
Cologne at last
Cologne at last
After all the frustrations and stresses in boarding our train from Copenhagen we had a beautiful and...
Europe
Cologne - a Cathedral and Altestadt
Cologne - a Cathedral and Altestadt
On leaving the train yesterday evening we once again got a strong icy blast as we had in Hamburg.
Europe
Conned in Paris
Conned in Paris
We enjoyed Cologne. It is a city with so many really beautiful buildings and a lovely promenade alon...
Europe
Off to Barcelona
Off to Barcelona
After another limited Continental breakfast we booked out of the hotel in Lyon.
Europe
Day 1 in Barcelona
Day 1 in Barcelona
Here we were, in this glorious suite in a 4-star hotel in Barcelona with stunning views over the Esp...
Europe
Day 2 in Barcelona
Day 2 in Barcelona
We had one more day in Barcelona and, to ensure we saw as much as possible we had decided to use the...
Europe
Despedida Barcelona, Hola Fuengirola
Despedida Barcelona, Hola Fuengirola
Today is another day on the train as we move from Barcelona to Fuengirola in the south where we will...
Europe
On the Costa del Sol
On the Costa del Sol
It was a real treat to know that we could unpack our bags and be settled for more than 2 days.
Europe
Marbella - Mecca of the super rich in...
Marbella - Mecca of the super rich in...
As I have mentioned, we spent a full week at Club la Costa, very interesting most of the time but al...
Europe
Ronda, the mountain top city
Ronda, the mountain top city
When I was in Spain with my sister in 2002 we visited the town of Ronda after which getting around b...
Europe
Malaga - THE city to visit on the...
Malaga - THE city to visit on the...
Our visit to Ronda was to be the last big activity before leaving Fuengirola for Madrid in 2 days ti...
Europe
Hop on, Hop off the train
Hop on, Hop off the train
Today is Saturday and our last day here in Fuengirola. It has been really wonderful to have had some...
Europe
Malaga to Madrid
Malaga to Madrid
Today is our last day on a speed train as we travel from Malaga to Madrid for the last stop on our m...
Europe
Cold, damp Madrid
Cold, damp Madrid
Madrid was bleak! Yes, it was mid-Winter but it felt even bleaker than any of the other places we ha...
Europe
Beautiful active Madrid
Beautiful active Madrid
Madrid is beautiful! It is filled with fountains, plazas and magnificent buildings.
Travelling Tips
Getting to Sarajevo
Getting to Sarajevo
After much consideration I have decided to tell you of our trip to Eastern Europe in 2014.
Europe
Why visit Bosnia-Herzegovina
Why visit Bosnia-Herzegovina
I have been battling to get this blog written as I have not been certain of the angle from which to ...
Europe
Tour of Sarajevo
Tour of Sarajevo
As you read in my first article for this trip, we arrived at our hotel at about 11:30pm so we had a ...
Europe
Sarajevo to Dubrovnik by coach
Sarajevo to Dubrovnik by coach
The day after our walking tour of Sarajevo at 8am we left by coach for Dubrovnik in Croatia stopping...
The Americas
Nothing is as we have believed it to...
Nothing is as we have believed it to...
My first opportunity to travel beyond the borders of South Africa came in 1968 when I was selected t...
Europe
Dubrovnik and the Old Town
Dubrovnik and the Old Town
Wow, we were in Dubrovnik. We had heard and read so much about this ancient city and were really exc...
Europe
Up the Croatian coast to Split
Up the Croatian coast to Split
Today we travel 230kms (142m) from Dubrovnik to Split, approximately halfway up the Dalmatian Coast,...
Europe
An ancient city and lots of water in...
An ancient city and lots of water in...
After just 1 night in Split we were once again on our way to visit the Plitvice Lakes.
Europe
Slovenia steals my heart
Slovenia steals my heart
It was a Wednesday and the skies were blue in Croatia! Almost a strange phenomenon, according to som...
Europe
Yay, another day in Slovenia
Yay, another day in Slovenia
Happiness is - another full day in Slovenia which was just beautiful. The main attraction in this ar...
Europe
From Slovenia back to Croatia
From Slovenia back to Croatia
And so the last 2 days of our guided tour have arrived. Today we leave Bled and travel across the bo...
Europe
A day in Zagreb, Croatia
A day in Zagreb, Croatia
On arrival in Zagreb, we had about 3 hours before dinner so went for a walk around the area near our...
Europe
Zagreb to Budapest by train
Zagreb to Budapest by train
We left Zagreb by train on our way to Budapest and this proved to be quite an energetic escapade. Th...
Europe
We are in Prague
We are in Prague
We boarded our train for Prague at Budapest main station at 11:20 and once again we experienced a nu...
Europe
Getting to Berlin
Getting to Berlin
Believe it or not, the train trip to Berlin took 30mins more than expected due to, you guessed it, w...
Europe
The Topography of Terror in Berlin
The Topography of Terror in Berlin
As I said in my previous blog, we ended our first day of discovering Berlin at The Topography o...
Europe
Day 2 in Berlin
Day 2 in Berlin
Our first day in Berlin was about exploring and reading about so many depressing historical happen...
Europe
The last leg - to Frankfurt
The last leg - to Frankfurt
Our trip to Eastern Europe was coming to an end. After Berlin we were to have 2 days in Frankfurt fr...
Europe
And now we head home
And now we head home
And so the final day of a wonderful holiday in E. Europe has arrived and it turned out to be very sp...
Europe
Durban to Prague
Durban to Prague
After months of preparation Wednesday 19 April 2017 finally arrived. We were off on our first River ...
Europe
Our first day in Prague
Our first day in Prague
Well, Prague did live up to its legacy of being absolutely beautiful and very interesting.
Europe
A visit to Prague Old Town
A visit to Prague Old Town
As said at the end of my previous blog, our trip back to the hotel on the first day was very interes...
Europe
A chilly trip from Prague to Passau
A chilly trip from Prague to Passau
We woke to a sunny but bitterly cold day – 5deg for most of the day.
Europe
Hello Vienna
Hello Vienna
We spent most of the day sitting on deck and watching the beautiful scenery as we made our way to Vi...
Europe
Vienna's Famous Ferris Wheel
Vienna's Famous Ferris Wheel
We ended our day by visiting the popular Vienna Ferris Wheel after seeing St Stephen’s Cathedral.
Europe
On the Danube
On the Danube
For a change to writing a full blog I thought that I would show you some of the beautiful scenery to...
Europe
Esztergom's Basilica
Esztergom's Basilica
We sailed out of Vienna for an overnight ride to Budapest with a 4 hour stop on the way at the small...
Africa
The Creighton Aloe Train trip
The Creighton Aloe Train trip
As I said in the cover page of Destinations, Africa, just as wonderful as it is to travel abroad, he...
Europe
Hello Budapest
Hello Budapest
In 2014 we stopped overnight in Budapest so saw only a minimal part of the city of 3 towns – Buda, O...
Europe
A special day in Hungary
A special day in Hungary
For a change we decided to go on an organised excursion and were so very glad that we did. It was ve...
Europe
We leave Budapest Castle
We leave Budapest Castle
I finished the previous blog by saying that we were unable to visit St Matthias Church and the Medie...
Europe
The Lipizzaners of Budapest
The Lipizzaners of Budapest
I ended my previous blog as we were about to go to Tanyacsãrdia Farm to see the Lipizzaners. It was ...
Europe
On to Bratislava
On to Bratislava
Sailing out of Budapest was once again a very beautiful experience, especially moving slowly past th...
Europe
The town of Melk and its Abbey
The town of Melk and its Abbey
We left freezing Bratislava and sailed for about 18 hours to the beautiful little town of Melk in Au...
Europe
Last day of the Danube Tour
Last day of the Danube Tour
How can a week go by so fast? As the saying goes, “Time flies when you are having fun” and this was ...
Africa
Visit 1 to Namibia
Visit 1 to Namibia
While on a trip in 2014 to visit our daughter and son-in-law, Lyn & Tyrone, in Swakopmund, Namib...
Africa
Off to Katima Mulilo, Namibia
Off to Katima Mulilo, Namibia
When we decided to visit our children in Katima Mulilo (I shall use the shortened term Katima in thi...
Africa
A week in Katima Mulilo
A week in Katima Mulilo
We left Nata Lodge after a hearty breakfast and continued to travel North for the final 500 or so km...
Africa
Katima Mulilo to Botswana via Popa Falls
Katima Mulilo to Botswana via Popa Falls
The road from Katima to Popa Falls was upgraded to a tarred road in the 1980s by the SA Defence Forc...
Africa
We leave Botswana for home
We leave Botswana for home
When we arrived at our hotel in Maun around midday to find lots of activity but also the staff and s...
Africa
We visit Gobabis
We visit Gobabis
In 2010 Lyn & Tyrone had been transferred to Gobabis, Namibia. Where I heard you ask? That was j...
Africa
At Fish River Canyon
At Fish River Canyon
Our time at Fish River Canyon was a wonderful experience. As the 2nd largest canyon in the world it ...
Africa
Northwards from Fish River Canyon
Northwards from Fish River Canyon
Fortunately it was not necessary to drive back to Grunau before turning north to Keetmanshoop. We to...
Africa
We arrive in Gobabis
We arrive in Gobabis
This is the day we finally get to see where our children lived in Gobabis, Namibia, at least for the...
Africa
In Gobabis and visiting interesting places
In Gobabis and visiting interesting places
It was great to know that we would be settled for a while as we would be spending a fortnight with L...
Africa
Shelly Beach, KZN S. Coast
Shelly Beach, KZN S. Coast
Once or twice a year we take a mini-break of 4-5 days at a timeshare resort in SA, usually in our ow...
Africa
A few days at Mont-aux-sources
A few days at Mont-aux-sources
For the 2nd time this year we are having a 4 day break within our own Province of KwaZulu-Natal. In ...
Africa
Photos of the N. 'Berg
Photos of the N. 'Berg
This page is of various photos taken while walking up to the Thukela Falls. Until late afternoo...
Africa
A week at Henties Bay
A week at Henties Bay
To be able to see more of Namibia, after a few days in Gobabis, Trevor, Lyn and I went on a week’s h...
Africa
A first visit to Etosha
A first visit to Etosha
A year after our first visit we went to Gobabis, Namibia again but this time we flew from Durban to ...
Africa
A meteorite and a deep lake in Namibia...
A meteorite and a deep lake in Namibia...
From Etosha we drove the 110 kms to Tsumeb where we were to spend the night at the Minen Hotel, a be...
Africa
Harnas Wildlife Foundation Namibia
Harnas Wildlife Foundation Namibia
One of the being abused best days we had while in Gobabis the 2nd time we were there was a visit to ...
Africa
Sossusvlei for a day
Sossusvlei for a day
Through my previous blogs we have seen that Namibia is a country of differences. When I first asked ...
Africa
What are dunes?
What are dunes?
What is a dune? A silly question?. Everyone knows that a dune is a huge pile of sand along the coast...
Africa
Swakopmund is worth the visit
Swakopmund is worth the visit
We were so thrilled when we heard that Lyn & Tyrone had been transferred to Swakopmund on the We...
Africa
We contine the long drive to Luderitz
We contine the long drive to Luderitz
As the crow flies, the distance between Swakopmund and Luderitz is about 450kms but one can only g...
Africa
90kms to Luderitz
90kms to Luderitz
With 90kms to go to arrive in Luderitz there was an unexplained sinister clicking noise coming from ...
Africa
Visiting Bogenfels
Visiting Bogenfels
Our safari drive was a door-to-door service starting at 09:00. As we drove past the service garage w...
Africa
Discovering Luderitz and surrounds
Discovering Luderitz and surrounds
Our second day in Luderitz was spent discovering the town and its surrounds and it was another reall...
Africa
Of Giants and Quiver Trees
Of Giants and Quiver Trees
If one drives 340kms (210 miles) due west from Luderitz along the straight road through the desert p...
Africa
Zebra River Lodge
Zebra River Lodge
Just 2 days left before we would be back in Swakopmund. We had enjoyed a wonderful holiday seeing mo...
Travelling Tips
Travelling with medication
Travelling with medication
Once again we, ourselves, are planning a wonderful trip and I shall keep my readers up to date on ho...
Travelling Tips
97 days of holiday
97 days of holiday
As mentioned briefly in my last blog about travel and medication, the 2 of us are planning an absolu...
Travelling Tips
Visas, visas and more visas
Visas, visas and more visas
When the idea of doing a really big trip was first mooted it sounded like fun and seemed easy as the...
Travelling Tips
Planning can be great fun
Planning can be great fun
As I begin this blog we have reached the countdown and today signifies we have just 117 days to ‘lif...
Travelling Tips
What should we wear?
What should we wear?
This is the perennial question. The more that we look at our itinerary we see that we will encounter...
Travelling Tips
The final 30 day countdown
The final 30 day countdown
Just 30 days and then we are up, up and away to Lisbon, Portugal where we will spend a week on the f...
Europe
We arrive in Lisbon
We arrive in Lisbon
Over a 3 month period in 2018 we travelled to 13 countries. We began our trip flying from Durban, vi...
Europe
A Day in Oriente, Lisbon
A Day in Oriente, Lisbon
This is a continuation of the previous blog where I wrote that we spent our first day in Lisbon in O...
Europe
A Day at the Oceanarium
A Day at the Oceanarium
When we first visited Oriente it took us some time to see why we had been told to go there but once ...
Europe
Lisbon, the city Part 1
Lisbon, the city Part 1
We spent 2 days discovering the city of Lisbon itself and found it truly beautiful and interesting. ...
Europe
Lisbon the City, Part 2
Lisbon the City, Part 2
We returned to the city using the hop on/hop off bus on our own another day to see more places of be...
Europe
Visiting the Shrine at Fatima, Portugal
Visiting the Shrine at Fatima, Portugal
We spent just one day outside of Lisbon itself and that was to visit the City of Fatima, North of Li...
Europe
In Copenhagen in summer
In Copenhagen in summer
Our 2nd visit to Copenhagen was quite different from the first in 2015.
Europe
Cruising out of Copenhagen
Cruising out of Copenhagen
Great excitement! Today we board the ship for our first cruise on this trip - Copenhagen to Boston. ...
Cruising
Let's go cruising
Let's go cruising
Cruising on rivers and seas is growing exponentially, especially among Senior Citizens, as the way t...
Cruising
Skagen, with yellow buildings
Skagen, with yellow buildings
We sailed overnight from Copenhagen to Skagen which is the most Northern town in Denmark.
Cruising
Through the Lyjsford Fjord
Through the Lyjsford Fjord
Once again we sailed overnight to our next destination, Stavanger in Norway.
Cruising
Touring Shetland Island
Touring Shetland Island
After leaving Stavanger we sailed overnight to Lerwick in Shetland, an island North of Scotland.
Cruising
What to do on a Seaday
What to do on a Seaday
From Shetland we sailed further north to Akureryi in Iceland just outside of the Arctic Circle.
Cruising
Getting around Akureryi
Getting around Akureryi
We berthed at the end of a beautiful fjord in Northern Iceland to visit the city of Akureryi.
Cruising
Buildings of Reykjavik
Buildings of Reykjavik
We remained in Iceland for 2 more days, sailing South to the Capital, Reykjavik.
Cruising
Reykjavik's Statues and Sculptures
Reykjavik's Statues and Sculptures
Reykjavik has a number of spectacular statues and sculptures which tell of its history and art.
Cruising
Prins Christian Sund, Greenland
Prins Christian Sund, Greenland
When making the booking on the Royal Caribbean cruise I did not know that the part of the cruise to ...
Cruising
Town (City?) of Qaqortoq, Greenland
Town (City?) of Qaqortoq, Greenland
Overnight we sailed from Prins Christian Sund to Qaqortoq on the Greenland East coast.
Cruising
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Is there another Sydney besides the one in Australia? Yes, it is in Nova Scotia and it wa...
Cruising
AG Bell Museum, Sydney, Nova Scotia
AG Bell Museum, Sydney, Nova Scotia
After spending a morning in the town of Sydney, Nova Scotia we went on a tour to the Alexander Graha...
Cruising
Halifax, Nova Scotia - home of immigrants
Halifax, Nova Scotia - home of immigrants
Gradually our cruise across the Atlantic Ocean was coming to an end. We were approaching Halifax, No...
The Americas
Boston Massachusetts - so much history
Boston Massachusetts - so much history
At last, we arrived in the United States of America at Boston, Massachusetts at 6am.
The Americas
Boston City
Boston City
We had 2 more days to explore Boston and the first of these was to use the Hop on/Hop off bus to see...
The Americas
Harvard University and the Glass Museum
Harvard University and the Glass Museum
Went to Harvard but just for a day. For our 3rd and final day Boston we decided to go to Harvard Uni...
The Americas
Why visit Buffalo, New York?
Why visit Buffalo, New York?
From the bustling city of Boston we flew to Buffalo, Northern New York State Our flight to Buffalo f...
The Americas
Niagara Falls at last
Niagara Falls at last
Hello Niagara Falls! It has taken a lifetime to get here but we knew we would one day.
The Americas
To the seat of US Power - Washington...
To the seat of US Power - Washington...
From Niagara Falls to Washington DC. It is like going from one place of power (hydroelectric) to ano...
The Americas
Monuments and Memorials in DC
Monuments and Memorials in DC
We were up early and ready for our 1st day on the Hop on/Hop off bus around Washington DC.
The Americas
The seats of Power and the Smithsonian in...
The seats of Power and the Smithsonian in...
Today we visited the ‘halls of power’ and the Smithsonian NASA Air and Space Museum which was great ...
The Americas
Washington DC Trivia
Washington DC Trivia
The driver of the last bus we travelled on in Washington DC, ‘Big Joe’, told us a number of anecdote...
The Americas
A day in Greenville, Tennessee
A day in Greenville, Tennessee
After a hectic 3 days in Washington DC we flew to Knoxville, Tennessee.
The Americas
At Port Byron on the mighty Mississippi
At Port Byron on the mighty Mississippi
It took us a full day of driving to reach Port Byron, Illinois from Greenville, Tennessee.
The Americas
Visiting The Archway in Kearney, Nebraska
Visiting The Archway in Kearney, Nebraska
Yippee!! Off to tick off another item on the bucket list – The Grand Canyon.
The Americas
Ever closer to the Grand Canyon
Ever closer to the Grand Canyon
We travelled for 2 more days and arrived in Williams, Arizona in the evening of the 2nd day.
The Americas
Awesome day at the Grand Canyon
Awesome day at the Grand Canyon
It may have taken many years to get here but we are at the Grand Canyon and it is everything I belie...
The Americas
The Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam
We had now seen the Grand Canyon and it was time to continue West to Las Vegas.
The Americas
An evening in Las Vegas
An evening in Las Vegas
From the Hoover Dam we drove down to the city of Henderson where we spent the night.
The Americas
Chinatown in San Francisco
Chinatown in San Francisco
We arrived in San Francisco (SF) after a wonderful 10 days travelling across the US my AFS family.
...
The Americas
Bussing in San Francisco
Bussing in San Francisco
We were up early and ready for the first hop on/hop off bus to see San Francisco.
The Americas
Discovering Hollywood and Beverley Hills
Discovering Hollywood and Beverley Hills
Today we discovered Hollywood and Beverley Hills.
The Americas
We arrive in Hawai'i
We arrive in Hawai'i
Never believed we would go to Hawai’i but that was where we went from Los Angeles.
The Americas
Oahu, Hawai'i is stunning
Oahu, Hawai'i is stunning
Today we were determined to see some of the beaches as we could not come to Hawai’I and not see the ...
The Americas
Oahu Island North
Oahu Island North
After spending the night on board the ship, we waited on the pier for “Surfer Joe” to take us on a t...
The Americas
A day in Kona, Big Island, Hawai'i
A day in Kona, Big Island, Hawai'i
We are now aboard the Noordam of Holland-America Lines to sail from Honolulu to Sydney, Australia
...
Cruising
First Pacific Island stop - Samoa
First Pacific Island stop - Samoa
After 5 days at sea we arrived at the city of Apia, Upolu in Samoa (pronounced S’moa).
Cruising
Suva, Capital of Fiji
Suva, Capital of Fiji
After 38 hours of sailing from Apia, S’moa we docked at Suva on the Island of Viti Levu, the largest...
Cruising
Lots to see and do on Dravuni Island...
Lots to see and do on Dravuni Island...
Never believe that there is nothing to see or do at any place when you travel. It is a time to explo...
Cruising
Stop 3 in Fiji, Lautoka
Stop 3 in Fiji, Lautoka
We made 3 stops in Fiji – Suva located on the southern edge of Viti Levu Island, Dravuni Island whic...
Cruising
Easo on Lifu Island, New Caledonia
Easo on Lifu Island, New Caledonia
There were just 2 ports of call left before we arrived in Sydney, both in French New Caledonia.
Cruising
Last stop before Sydney - Tadine on Mare...
Last stop before Sydney - Tadine on Mare...
The day after we left Easo on Lifou Island we arrived at Tadine on Maré another island in New Caledo...
Australia
Sydney, Australia Day 1
Sydney, Australia Day 1
Our Pacific cruise has come to an end as our ship, SS Noordam, is berthed between the Harbour Bridge...
Australia
Sydney, Australia Day 3
Sydney, Australia Day 3
A 3rd day in this beautiful city and, although it was chilly, the sun was shining.
New Zealand (NZ)
Hello Auckland, New Zealand
Hello Auckland, New Zealand
Another day, another country. We arrived in Auckland, New Zealand (NZ) today.
New Zealand (NZ)
Beautiful Auckland
Beautiful Auckland
Yesterday we walked but today it was back to the hop on/hop off bus to see more of Auckland.
New Zealand (NZ)
Rotorua: Sulphur and geysers
Rotorua: Sulphur and geysers
Starting our self-drive through the 2 Islands of New Zealand and ticking off another bucket list ite...
New Zealand (NZ)
Animal Farm and Redwood Canopy in Rotorua
Animal Farm and Redwood Canopy in Rotorua
We had one day in Rotorua to see as much of the area as we could. We took the pamphlets we had...
New Zealand (NZ)
Past Lakes and waterfalls to Wellington
Past Lakes and waterfalls to Wellington
Today we drove through some of the most stunning scenery and scenery that was really stark. Before w...
New Zealand (NZ)
Crossing the Marlborough Sounds
Crossing the Marlborough Sounds
After the very wet day in Wellington, the weather cleared beautifully for our crossing of the Marlbo...
New Zealand (NZ)
O Little Town of Blenheim
O Little Town of Blenheim
We stopped in the small town of Blenheim for our first 2 nights on the South Island of New Zealand. ...
New Zealand (NZ)
Blenheim to Kaikoura
Blenheim to Kaikoura
As we drove south from Blenheim we passed large green vineyards reminding us that we were in the hea...
New Zealand (NZ)
Scenic drive to Christchurch
Scenic drive to Christchurch
Unfortunately we had only 1 night in Kaikoura as there was so much more to see.
New Zealand (NZ)
Arriving in Christchurch
Arriving in Christchurch
We arrived at our accommodations in Christchurch soon after lunch and found it to be beautiful.
New Zealand (NZ)
Our day in Christchurch
Our day in Christchurch
Our day in Christchurch left us with bitter-sweet memories.
New Zealand (NZ)
The road to Mt Cook
The road to Mt Cook
We left Christchurch for Mt Cook (also known as Aoraki) in beautiful weather with no idea of what th...
New Zealand (NZ)
Snowy Mt Cook to sunny Queenstown
Snowy Mt Cook to sunny Queenstown
We had driven from Christchurch to Mt Cook in weather which went from bright and clear, to mist and ...
New Zealand (NZ)
By the lake in Queenstown
By the lake in Queenstown
We arrived in Queenstown early afternoon and our first sighting of the town did not impress.
New Zealand (NZ)
On top of the mountain in Queenstown
On top of the mountain in Queenstown
Our final morning in NZ was wonderful as we got to see more of the beauty around Queenstown.
Australia
From Perth to Bunbury
From Perth to Bunbury
Deciding to spend our final week in Perth and vicinity was an excellent choice.
Australia
Discovering Geographe Bay
Discovering Geographe Bay
On our first day in Bunbury we visited some of the towns situated around Geographe Bay.
Australia
Bunbury: Dolphins and Cathedrals
Bunbury: Dolphins and Cathedrals
We were up early the next day in Bunbury to see the dolphins come close to shore on Bunbury Beach.
...
Australia
Bunbury to Perth by the scenic route
Bunbury to Perth by the scenic route
We returned to Perth once again via a scenic route and we saw some very interesting sites.
Australia
King's Park and Elizabeth Quay in Perth
King's Park and Elizabeth Quay in Perth
We had 2½ days left to spend in Perth and we made the best of every minute of them.
Australia
Birds and animals at Whiteman Park
Birds and animals at Whiteman Park
Today we finally got to see some exclusively Australian animals and birds.
Australia
Cruising down the Swan River
Cruising down the Swan River
For our last day in Perth and of our whole trip we decided to take a cruise on the Swan River.
Europe
The Oberammergau Passion Play
The Oberammergau Passion Play
I thought that I would tell you about our second overseas trip. Having learnt so much from insuffici...
The Americas
Paris to Panama
Paris to Panama
We were up early, packed and went down to breakfast where the only warm offering was the coffee. Tha...
The Americas
Panama, the country
Panama, the country
As mentioned in my previous blog I said that I would tell you something of the country of Panama, a ...
The Americas
On the way to El Valle
On the way to El Valle
Our first day in Panama was spent quietlyat home and then exploring the closest town where they do t...
The Americas
First visit to El Valle de Anton
First visit to El Valle de Anton
At the end of my last blog which described our drive up to El Valle, or El Valle de Anton to give it...
The Americas
The Butterfly Haven, El Valle
The Butterfly Haven, El Valle
Tyrone was at home and it was not a Tuesday so we went to El Valle once more.
The Americas
Carvanalas Panama
Carvanalas Panama
When we set the dates for our visit to Panama Lyn didn’t realise that 4 of those days would include ...
The Americas
Agua Clara and San Lorenzo Fort
Agua Clara and San Lorenzo Fort
Friday, the day before the Carnival, we had a long but wonderful day at the Caribbean side of the Pa...
The Americas
Chorro el Macho Waterfall. El Valle
Chorro el Macho Waterfall. El Valle
Believe it or not we went up to El Valle again but this time to visit the Chorro el Macho Waterfall....
The Americas
Gamboa, Soberania Ntnl Park, Panama
Gamboa, Soberania Ntnl Park, Panama
Before we arrived in Panama, Lyn had made a booking for us to spend 2 days and a night in Pana...
The Americas
The Biomuseo, Panama City
The Biomuseo, Panama City
We drove down from Gamboa and went directly to The Beach House Hotel where we were to stay overnight...
The Americas
Panama Viejo
Panama Viejo
After we had visited Casco Antigua and had a delicious lunch we went to Panama Vieja.
The Americas
The worst day of our trip
The worst day of our trip
Getting from Panama City to Santiago in Chile turned out to be a very long day.
The Americas
Day 1 in Santiago, Chile
Day 1 in Santiago, Chile
We finally got to bed at about 03:00 after flying in from Panama but were up in time to enjoy breakf...
The Americas
Beautiful modern buildings of Santiago
Beautiful modern buildings of Santiago
After our day on the hop on/hop off bus to visit San Cristóbal Hill and the Bicentennial Memorial Pa...
The Americas
Chile National Park and Lago Llanquihue
Chile National Park and Lago Llanquihue
As I wrote at the end of my last blog, our first day on board was at sea.
The Americas
Amalia Glacier and Punta Arenas
Amalia Glacier and Punta Arenas
After a wonderful day visiting Puerto Montt and surrounds we had another 2 days at sea but the 2nd w...
The Americas
Ushuaia Part 1
Ushuaia Part 1
No sea day in between our visit to Punta Arenas and Ushuaia, Southern Argentina.
The Americas
Ushuaia Train to the End of the World...
Ushuaia Train to the End of the World...
In Ushuaia Part 1 I described we spent our morning in Ushuaia exploring the town. In the afternoon w...
The Americas
Cape Horn & Stanley, Falklands
Cape Horn & Stanley, Falklands
Today was one we really wanted to see and experience, going around Cape Horn on the way to Stanley i...
The Americas
Finally on our way home
Finally on our way home
On hearing that more and more countries were closing their borders to all but their own citizens we ...
Travelling Tips
Assisted travel
Assisted travel
Assisted travel is not only for people with walking difficulties and it costs nothing.
Africa
A week at Chaka's Rock Chalets
A week at Chaka's Rock Chalets
A couple of months ago we decided to use up some of our club holiday points and spend a week at a lo...