Two days and counting…Cruise coming to an end…

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Note: Due to the ship’s poor WiFi signal, we cannot add captions to today’s photos of Lisbon.

It was another fun night aboard the ship as our days on the cruise ended. We disembark in only two days. This morning we arranged for our last load of laundry to be done, the second free bag of laundry based on our Elite priority club status.

We’ll be extra careful to avoid dirtying any clothes during the three nights at the hotel in Southampton to ensure we’ll have plenty to wear on the Queen Mary 2 cruise beginning on April 24th, sailing back to New York. Once we’re situated at the hotel in Minnesota, we’ll be able to use the hotel’s laundry facilities.

Tonight is a dressy night on this ship, but I have avoided wearing any clothes I designated as suitable for the Queen Mary 2. Tomorrow night, we have to pack as soon as the bag of clean laundry is delivered to our cabin around dinner time. It will all work out well.

The time has gone by so quickly, and of course, we’ve had a fabulous time. It couldn’t have been more rewarding and enjoyable. We’ve met more people than anticipated during the restrictions imposed due to Covid with no “table sharing” in the dining room. But the proximity of the many “tables for two” made conversations flow with ease.

Last night was the final “silent disco” event, and of course, we had another fun and festive evening with new friends we’ve made. We do not doubt that we’ll stay in touch with many of the beautiful people we’ve interacted with during this 13-night cruise. Soon, it’s time to move along.

With the awful WiFi signal, we need to get this post uploaded until the signal is gone entirely, which keeps happening off and on.

We’ll continue to post, but with improved accuracy and consistency, once we arrive at our hotel in Southampton on April 21. Please check back with us each day for updates.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 19, 2021:

Frank and The Misses stop by several times a day, messing with the seed container. They don’t like sunflower seeds, so they pick through the container to toss them aside. The next time we purchased seeds, they were without sunflower seeds. They were much happier. For more photos, please click here.

Three days and counting…The cruise ends soon…Change to today’s port of call…

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Inside a shop window in the Azores.

The time aboard the ship has passed so quickly. It’s hard to believe that in a mere three days, on Thursday, April 21, we’ll arrive in Southampton and disembark.

One of our long-time readers and her husband are meeting us for dinner at our hotel on Saturday. They had seen us do the seminar on Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas in 2016. Here is the link to the story about the seminar. We appreciate that they have followed us, and it will be delightful to see them and hear their stories of cruising since they are also cruising enthusiasts.

These unusual-looking trees lined the streets.

I’m a little bit sluggish today. Last night, we had an early night, heading back to our cabin after dinner. I had a hard time falling asleep. I didn’t finally dose off until around 2:00 am and awoke less than five hours later. Perhaps a short nap might be on the agenda this afternoon, perking me up.

Cruising can be exhausting, mainly when we’ve stayed up so late having fun with other passengers in the Martini Ice Bar or the Ensemble Lounge. Frequently, lively music plays in the background, energizing the mood with songs from our long-ago past.

Gonçalo Velho Cabral was a Portuguese monk and Commander in the Order of Christ, explorer, and hereditary landowner responsible for administering Crown lands on the same islands during the Portuguese Age of Discovery. For more details, please click here.

Having friends throughout the world has been a highlight of our world travels. The conversations, the dancing in our seats and on the dance floor, and the engaging interactions with beautiful people we’ve come to know in these few short days leave lasting memories we’ll treasure in years to come. When we look back at all the friends we’ve made while cruising, we realize how vital cruising has been in enriching our lives.

Based on yesterday’s change, we’ll be arriving in Lisbon later than expected due to the necessity of a helicopter picking up an ill passenger who’d had a heart attack. We watched the helicopter approach the ship. Tom was able to take the photo below, but we didn’t see much else.

A decorative miniature train in the town.

The passenger was taken off the ship safely. We’ve witnessed such a scenario on several other cruises in our years of cruising, and it’s always heartbreaking to think of how hard this must be for the patient. I can’t even imagine how hard it would be to be lifted into the helicopter by a metal basket.

The scheduled arrival time in Lisbon was 3:30 pm, but by 4:30, the ship was finally cleared. We will get off the ship to take some photos. We’ve been to Lisbon in the past and will be there again in seven months when we do the triple back-to-back cruises as we make our way back to Cape Town, arriving on December 20, when we’ll fly back to Marloth Park after the 42-nights of cruising. It will be the longest time we’ll have cruised since our first cruise on January 3, 2013.

A pretty boulevard in the town of Ponta Delgada.

We still have some cabin credit left which we need to “use or lose.” Today, I meander down the row of shops to see what appeals to me. I am not much of an enthusiastic shopper these days, knowing I haven’t got room in my bags for anything of any size. Most likely, I’ll purchase a few items for the grandkids.

Today’s photos are the balance of those we’d taken in the Azores a few days ago. We’ll be taking more photos over the next few days.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 18, 2021:

Such cute little creatures who manage to kill venomous snakes. For more photos, please click here.

Off the ship today….The Azores…Photos of a quaint town…

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A colorful display at Ponta Delgada, the Azores.

More than halfway across the Atlantic Ocean today, we had a port-of-call experience when the ship docked at Ponta Delgada. For details about this island of nine in the archipelago, see below from this site:

“Ponta Delgada (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpõtɐ ðɛlˈɣaðɐ] (audio speaker iconlisten); lit. '”Thin Cape”‘) is the largest municipality (concelho) and economic capital of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in Portugal. It is located on São Miguel Island, the largest and most populous in the archipelago. As of 2021, it has 67,287 inhabitants in 

232.99 square kilometers (89.96 square miles). There are 17,629 residents in the three central civil parishes that comprise the historical city: São Pedro, São Sebastião, and São José. Ponta Delgada became the region’s administrative capital under the revised constitution of 1976; the judiciary and Catholic See remained in the historical capital of Angra do Heroísmo, while the Legislative Assembly of the Azores was established Horta.

The origin of the placename Ponta Delgada (Portuguese for delicate or thin point) was elaborated by the famous Portuguese chronicler, Father Gaspar Frutuoso, who wrote: This city of Ponta Delgada is named for its situation located along with volcanic lands, thin and not too considerable like on other islands, that lead to the sea, and where later, was constructed the chapel of Santa Clara (Saint Clare of Assisi), which was named the Santa Clara point …

Cloudy mountain view.

In 1450, Pêro de Teive established a small fishing village that eventually grew into an urban agglomeration in Santa Clara.

Populated in 1444, the island of São Miguel was a vast territory, with small settlements scattered about, except for Vila Franca do Campo on the central-southern coast and the smaller community of Ponta Delgada. Villa Franca had for many years been the center of the island economically and socially and the seat of the local government, but many nobles and landed gentry despised its subordinate status to the government in that town (originating many conflicts between these inhabitants and administrators in the southern coast). The nobles in Ponta Delgada sent a secret contingent, headed by Fernão Jorge Velho, to meet with King Manuel in Lisbon to petition that the community be emancipated. In Abrantes, King Manuel conferred a foral on 29 May 1507, elevating the settlement to the status of a village (Portuguese: vila).

Celebrity Silhouette docked in Ponta Delgada, Azores.

Then, in 1522 an earthquake and landslide devastated the provincial capital, destroying many of the buildings and killing several people. Ponta Delgada became the only center with an infrastructure to support the Azorean bureaucracy and supplant its important economic links. Quickly, its role changed, and eventually, it was elevated to the status of a city during the reign of King D. João III by decree dated 2 April 1546.

The naval Battle of Ponta Delgada (also known as the Battle of São Miguel) took place on 26 July 1582, off the coast, as part of the 1580 Portuguese succession crisis. An Anglo-French corsair expedition sailed against Spain to preserve Portuguese control of the Azores, which had aligned itself with the pretender António, Prior of Crato, thereby preventing Spanish control (it was the largest French force sent overseas before the age of Louis XIV).

During the 19th century, the municipality experienced its greatest boost of economic activity, with the funneling of citrus exports to the United Kingdom and the growth of foreign-owned businesses in the historic center, many of them Jewish merchants after 1818.[6] As with other centers across the archipelago, the town of Ponta Delgada experienced many of the trends common for the period, including the “greening” of the communities (with the construction of the gardens of António Borges, José do Canto, Jácome Correia, and the Viscount of Porto Formoso, which would become part of the University of the Azores), the construction of many of the ornate homes/estates, the clearing of animals from urban spaces, the opening of newer, larger roadways, the moving of cemeteries to the periphery, and relocation of markets for fish, meat and fruits. Due to these changes, and the growth of the mercantile class, Ponta Delgada became the third largest town in Portugal in economic riches and the number of residents. The poet Bulhão Pato, writing of Ponta Delgada, was surprised by the extraordinary riches of the plantation owners, the “gentlemen farmers” that lived within the urbanized core: exporters of oranges and corn, bankers, investors, industrialists, and shippers, all contributing to a privileged class of economic and social thinkers and philanthropists.

Kayakers in the bay.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Ponta Delgada’s position was relatively high (eighth largest), although the changing importance of rural economies steadily chipped away at its growth. But it remained the central place in the economy and hierarchy of the Azorean archipelago. Consequently, it was at the forefront of political change following the Carnation Revolution. In one such event, property owners and right-leaning farmers challenged the Civil Governor António Borges Coutinho, who was responsible, under the direction of the MFA government, to implement land reforms. The Micalense Farmers’ Protest forced his resignation and inspired a series of terrorist acts that plunged the Azores into political turmoil.[7][8] After a clandestine round-up of arrests and detentions by the Military Governor, the Autonomous District of Ponta Delgada was extinguished, along with the other districts (Horta and Angra do Heroísmo) on 22 August 1975, with the establishment of the Junta Regional dos Açores (Regional Junta of the Azores), the provisional government that assumed the competencies of the administration during the region’s transition to constitutional autonomy.”

We’d considered taking a taxi for the city tour, but we decided to walk when we discovered the village was easily accessible. The air was crisp with a cool breeze, but I was comfortable in a tee-shirt, jeans, and a hooded sweatshirt. Tom brought along a lightweight jacket but never had to put it on.

A play area for kids.

Although not outstanding, the scenery was pleasant, as shown in today’s photos, and we enjoyed the pleasant walk through the quaint village. Although it was a pretty town, it wasn’t an island we’d care to visit in the future. When we compare Madiera, another Autonomous Region of Portugal, we assumed that Madiera, where we stayed for 2½ months in 2014, was much more appealing to our tastes, and we had a fantastic time.

After over a week of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, it was fun to get off the ship. But, as often is the case, it’s worthwhile to check out various ports of call while we’re cruising to “expand our horizons,” as they say. We’ll reach Southampton on Thursday, five days from today. As mentioned, we’ll spend three nights in a lovely hotel, and then on April 24, we’ll board the Queen Mary 2 to return to the USA.

So far, this has been a fantastic cruise. Before it started, we wondered if being unable to sit at “shared dining tables” would hinder our ability to meet new people. This rule went into place when cruising started up again after the pandemic. But, with the placement of tables for two, we’ve met many wonderful people and made many new friends with whom we hope to stay in touch.

As it turned out, several other passengers on this cruise will also be sailing on the Queen Mary 2 back to the US, some of whom we’ve met. That ship will also have a reduced number of passengers, as has been the case here with only 1288 out of a possible 2888. The Queen Mary 2 has a capacity of 2691, so we shall see how many they actually allow during times of Covid.

Tonight, like last night, will surely be another pleasant evening, during dinner and afterward socializing with a wide array of passengers we’ve met in the past eight days. We certainly enjoy cruising. More new photos will follow tomorrow.

Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 16, 2021:

Narrow and The Imposter lying close together, appearing to be a two-headed warthog, one head at each end. For more photos, please click here.

Covid protocols while out to sea…

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Port Everglades as the ship began to journey out to sea.

It’s going well. We are enjoying the cruise, meeting people, and dining last night with readers Nancy and Bill in the Cuvee Main Dining Room. It was delightful to chat with this lovely couple, frequent travelers and cruisers who served as an inspiration for us.

Nancy and Bill are more than 12 plus years older than us and are mobile, active, and fit seniors who continue to thrive as travelers and property owners in the Villages senior community in central Florida. It was interesting to hear about their lives in the massive community geared to active, social seniors with ease of living with everything right at their fingertips.

Although we listened attentively to the nuances of that lifestyle, we realized it is not for us when the time comes that we may need to settle down. But, we were thrilled to know how much they are enjoying their lives, taking advantage of many experiences generally associated with the younger generation.

This young woman has a beautiful voice and offered pleasing entertainment in Cafe al Bacio while we worked on yesterday’s post.

By 10:00 pm, we were back in our cabin. I’d slept poorly the previous night, our first night at sea, and desperately needed a good night. There was nothing about the ship or sailing that kept me awake. Most likely, my excitement to be traveling again kept my mind spinning at a feverish pace. Covid has undoubtedly impacted our travels over the past few years.

Now, back out to sea with minimal Covid protocols, we are experiencing an entirely familiar perspective from a few years ago, long before the pandemic. Less than one out of 50 passengers  (from what we can determine) are wearing masks. All staff, including entertainers, are masked at all times.

Last night, Tom’s apple crumble dessert in the Cuvee dining room on deck three.

We can only pray that no one gets sick on this ship, but like many other cruise ships at sea at this time, there is often a breakout at some point. We are as careful as possible, avoid group events, do not shake hands or hug, and frequently wash and sanitize our hands.

There are sanitizing stations at the entrance and exit of all restaurants and entertainment venues and two little bottles of hand sanitizer in each cabin, one of which we carry with us at all times. Elevators are limited to four occupants, but that’s easy to accomplish with the small number of passengers.

This little bottle of hand sanitizer left in our cabin is small enough to fit into a pocket. We carry it with us everywhere we go; we wash our hands frequently. My cup of herbal raspberry tea and my eyedropper bottle of liquid sweetener is to the right.

We have peace of mind with only 1288 passengers aboard this ship, which usually accommodates 2886 passengers, with a crew of 1250. It’s no wonder we are getting such exemplary service when there are almost as many crew members as passengers.

There’s been no mention of onboard Covid tests, which may occur further into the journey. We’ve only been sailing for less than two days, with 11 more to go. But, as is the case for most cruises, the time flies so quickly that suddenly it’s over.

A typical morning at Cafe al Bacio on deck five, where we always sit to do the post and research each day while sailing on this class of ship, referred to as Celebrity Solstice class. Although this is the Silhouette, its design is identical to several other Celebrity ships, making the layout very familiar to us.

We wouldn’t be interested in sailing permanently, which we’re often asked. We wouldn’t want the novelty to wear off. The occasional cruise keeps the experience fresh and anticipated on every occasion.

Today is another sea day as we make our way to Bermuda, arriving tomorrow morning. The seas are a little rough, but no one seems worse for the wear and is walking and active about the ship. As always, both Tom and I revel in each other’s companionship and cheerful dispositions, making cruising all the more pleasurable.

Please check back tomorrow when we’ll be posting the detailed list of every cruise we’ve been on since the onset of our world travels in 2012.

Thank you again for all of your kind wishes and supportive comments. It wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without all of YOU!!!.

Photo from one year ago today, April 10, 2021:

We shot this photo from the veranda of the Mugg & Bean Restaurant in Lower Sabie in Kruger National Park. Mom and baby elephant are munching on the vegetation. For more photos, please click here.

Cruise check-in during times of COVID…Bermuda crazies…

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Our balcony cabin while still in Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Note; The WiFi aboard the ship is very slow. At this point, we aren’t able to add many photos. We will try to do so for tomorrow’s post late tonight or early tomorrow morning when fewer passengers are online.

By the time we arrived in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, it was close to noon. The drive went quickly, especially when we entertained ourselves by making a list of every cruise we had taken since we began this journey 9½ years ago. As it turned out, this is cruise #25! Tom remembered every cruise. In a few days, we’ll post the list.

For some reason, I’d thought this was #27, but over the years, there were approximately eight cruises that were canceled, only three of which we chose to cancel; two of which we canceled due to my heart surgery in 2019, and one, that we canceled recently, when the itinerary changed from Russia and Ukraine to areas we weren’t interested in visiting at the high cost of the cruise.

Here we are, perfectly content on the Celebrity Silhouette, crossing the Atlantic Ocean, currently sitting at Cafe al Bacio enjoying tasty, frothy mugs of Caramel Macchiato (mine is sugar-free decaf, using real cream, not milk). Delicious!

We were shocked by the easy check-in process. Once we dropped off the luggage at the port and then dropped off the rental car and made it back to the port by taxi, it was 1:30 pm. We produced our ID and cruise confirmation on our phone, and we were asked an important question, “Did we have the approved Bermuda Authorization form?”

Immediately, we provided our authorization approval on my phone, both of which came through on Thursday night while still at Karen and Rich’s house, just in time for Friday’s cruise. I hadn’t mentioned much about this form when we were worried it wouldn’t get approved in time for the four final days in Apollo Beach. What was this form all about?

It was a recently required visa and health document that Bermuda imposed on all visitors to their country, requiring a $40 fee for each applicant. They designed this process to reduce some of the country’s losses due to the loss of visitors during the pandemic.

The painstaking process of completing and submitting this mandatory document was awful, with slow response times, login issues, and general website glitches. I thought we’d never get it done and approved. When we hadn’t heard back since our initial submission on Tuesday, I sent an email with all of our attached documents once again, requesting they speed it up.

Celebrity stated that if a passenger didn’t have this form approved by the time of boarding, the passenger(s) would be denied entry to the cruise. As it turned out, Bermuda couldn’t keep up with the processing of over 2000 forms that couldn’t be finalized until after each passenger submitted a negative Covid test which couldn’t be done more than two days before departure. What a mess!

Finally, our approval came through after sending the email. We found out that many passengers didn’t get the approval in time. Celebrity decided to let them board, but they probably won’t be able to get off the ship in Bermuda, our first of very few ports of call.

Once we entered the cruise terminal, it took no more than 10 minutes for us to be checked in and make our way to the ship. In the “old days” before Covid, champagne (sparkling wine) was served upon boarding. But, that is no more. But. we were thrilled to be on the ship.

We were told our room keys were in the mail slot outside the door to our room. Neither key worked and our excellent cabin steward, Push, took the keys to the front desk while we waited for him to return with two working key cards. The line at the customer service desk required a two-hour wait when hundreds of passengers’ key cards also didn’t work. All we had to do was ask.

Immediately, we got the WiFi working which was included in the cost of our fare, by using a barcode sign in our cabin. In no time at all, we were online. However, this morning, I decided to check our account on the TV to see we were charged almost $400 for WiFi. I called customer service to get this resolved, and it was promptly removed from the bill. Also, two drink packages and tips were also included in our fare.

Our bags came to our cabin, and before we left for dinner, we had unpacked and felt content and settled, knowing we’d certainly enjoy the upcoming 13 nights.

Tonight we will be having dinner with a lovely couple who approached us after breakfast, saying they knew us from our blog. How fun is that! They had been reading and found they were sailing on the same cruise and looked forward to meeting us. Of course, as always, we are flattered during such encounters, if not a little shy about it.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back sharing the Covid protocol on the ship, some expected and some surprising. We’ll see you then!

Be well, and thanks for sailing along with us!!!

Photo from one year ago today, April 9, 2021:

“This is a good place to rest my head.” For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…Murano, another fine dining option aboard the ship…Our anniversary cake…No boredom here…

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The anniversary cake was hosted by the restaurant. Tom didn’t eat any of it. We handed it over to the neighbors from Minnesota in the next cabin for them to enjoy.

The cruise is rapidly coming to an end with only four days until we disembark in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from which we’ll immediately fly to Minnesota on the only flight that worked time-wise for us, requiring a lengthy layover in Detroit. We don’t mind since it’s a relatively short travel time compared to most international flights.

For the next few days, we’ll revel in the relaxation and delightful encounters and interactions with other passengers and, of course, with one another. It’s funny how people often assume we cruise all the time when they first hear we are world travelers.  

The lobster was fabulous!

Neither of us would ever be interested in cruising all the time. Firstly, it would be too expensive for our budget unless we selected “inside” cabins which don’t appeal to us.  

Secondly, we’d eventually become bored with cruising if it were to be our permanent status. The novelty of cruising an average of three times a year is ideal for us. We use cruising as a means of transportation whenever possible, significantly reducing travel day stresses.

Besides, who wants to socialize every day? The ability to interact with others at our option is ultimately an ideal scenario. Doing so every daily could become trite and boring.

Tom’s plate with chateaubriand, potatoes, and vegetables.

Neither of us ever feels bored with our lifestyle.  We’ve shaped it in a manner to avoid becoming bored and lackluster. This is one of the innate requirements of ensuring long-term travel has purpose and meaning.

With considerable forethought and planning as we research each new location, we allow ourselves quiet time to relax, reflect and recharge. Even during these less-than-exciting times, we seldom, if ever, feel bored.

If a moment of “what-do-I-do-now?” overcomes us, we both easily switch gears to tackle a new project, conduct more interesting travel options or engage in research on our favorite topics.

Tom’s dessert of chocolate bites, coconut macaroons, and sugared ginger.

In the worst case, we can always stream a movie or favorite show to watch on our laptops. Our lives are no different from anyone else who may or may not be traveling in these respects. 

Sure, in most cases, others have the option to make a phone call to meet up with family and friends for social activities, lengthy phone chats, or planned activities. This is rarely the case for us when everyone is so far away. But we have each other and find tremendous fulfillment in our time together.

Soon, we’ll be in the US and spending some time apart with our respective families during an undetermined time in Minnesota. We have no doubt we’ll figure it all out with ease. 

In any case, regardless of how much time we spend in the US, on January 30th, we’re flying to Mumbai for the next leg of our journey when the adventure continues.

Happy Monday to all!

Photo from one year ago today, November 4, 2018:
Finally, the lions reached the kill, perhaps left behind by another lion. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Murano, another fine dining option aboard the ship…

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Tom seated at the table in Murano specialty restaurant. Tom took a photo of me, but it was too blurry to post here.

Celebrating our seventh anniversary of traveling the world in Murano Restaurant aboard Celebrity Silhouette was ideal for observing the special occasion.

A tower of unsalted butter and crusty rolls, which Tom tackled with enthusiasm.

The fact that Celebrity had “comped” the meal due to the flood in our cabin in the middle of the night made the event all the more enjoyable, knowing we didn’t have to add another $150 (including gratuity) to our bill.

My ice cold seviche.

We’ve easily used our $400 cabin credit for other items, including dinner in Qsine and a lovely sterling silver necklace I purchased that hides the scar from my open-heart surgery. I also included a high-quality pair of matching earrings.

Murano has a pleasing atmosphere.

The jewelry was pricey at $345, but I rarely purchase anything expensive for myself. I justified this purchase for these particular reasons. It felt wonderful wearing this fine piece of jewelry on the two formal nights when I wore dresses with a little bit of a low neckline.  

This small tower of seafood was not only pleasing to the eye but delicious. I asked them to return this one and bring me another without the wheat cracker at the bottom.

Most likely, there will be one more formal night to go.

This jewelry will serve me well in the future for dress-up nights on other cruises and other social events. I can’t begin to say how much more at ease I am wearing the necklace.

Tom’s lobster bisque.

Yesterday, we spent the day in Boston, but we, along with many other passengers, stayed aboard the ship again. It was cold and windy, and we didn’t have the appropriate clothing for such weather.

Scallops in a puff pastry roll.

We’ll have to figure something out for clothing for our arrival in Minnesota in five days as the cold winter weather rolls in, not unusual for November. No doubt, it will snow while we’re there.

This was fish in another pastry for Tom.

We continue to have a perfect time on this ship. We’ve probably made more friends on this ship than any other in the past, literally handing out dozens of business cards with our web address. 

This was my cold spinach salad, dressed in a tasty vinaigrette and topped with a chilled poached egg. Its appearance was odd, but the flavor was superb.

As it turns out, many people have approached us, saying they “already know us” from our over seven years of posts. We certainly realize our lifestyle is unique from that of many other frequent world travelers. 

The platter of accompaniments was prepared for the chateaubriand served tableside.

We haven’t met anyone on this ship that has a situation similar to ours. Yes, many people travel, but all have homes, apartments, belongings, and a place they call “home.”

The flambe of the chateaubriand.

Many express shock over how we ever managed to leave everything behind to embark on such an adventure. Overall, most struggle with the concept of ridding themselves of their treasured belongings. 

Many have moved to other states/countries to their desired locales with good weather and, like us, don’t see their family and friends as often as they’d like. But, they, too, feel a powerful sense of freedom and commitment to carry on their lives, experiencing as much of the world as possible.

Slicing the delicious, well seasoned, and prepared chateaubriand.

It’s been purely delightful sharing stories with other travelers, further confirming that we are not alone in our desire for wanderlust and a somewhat nomadic lifestyle.

Today, a sea day, we spent most of the day in the Cafe al Bacio enjoying our unlimited drink package, including specialty coffee, tea, and other beverages. I don’t drink alcoholic beverages during the day, but Tom has partaken of a few Pina Coladas and other exciting coffee drinks.

We shared the chateaubriand for two but also ordered the lobster as the main course.

Soon, we’re off again for yet another evening of entertaining conversation, good food, and adult beverages. I’ve been sticking with my daily limit of two small glasses of fine cabernet sauvignon, which is included in the unlimited drink package.  

With each of the two glasses of wine, I always order a green glass bottle of Pelligrino (sparkling mineral water), making it possible for me to easily “stretch” the wine throughout the evening.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more food photos and updates. 

May your Sunday evening be entertaining as well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 3, 2018:

Mom and offspring cuddling during a nap in our garden. Note the oxpecker on mom’s head. For more photos, please click here.

An evening to remember…Our seventh world travel anniversary…Dinner and dancing…

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View of the Intrepid Museum from the ship.

We’re thrilled to be able to upload photos finally. As it turns out, we’re still at the Port of New York when high winds prevented us from sailing away last night as planned.

As a result of the high winds, while we’ve been stuck at the port overnight, one of the pier gangway ramps severely jammed inside the ship and is being repaired/removed. We definitely won’t be able to sail away for several more hours.

Clouds over the skyline.

We aren’t sure how this will impact the few remaining ports of call on this cruise’s itinerary. The captain will let us know once we’re on our way again sometime this afternoon.

As long as we arrive in Fort Lauderdale in time for our flight to Minnesota on November 8th, we don’t worry about the world. We’re continuing to spend time engaging in lively conversations with other cruise passengers and, of course, with one another.

The New York skyline on a cloudy day.

Last night, the celebration of our seventh world travel anniversary was very special. First, we had happy hour in the Sky Lounge on deck 14 with the same group of about ten people with whom we’ve mingled each evening.  

At about 7:00 pm, we wandered down to the Emsemble Bar, chatting with another lovely couple. At 8:00 pm, we made our way to Murano, the specialty restaurant where we had a fantastic meal with impeccable service. We have several photos yet to share from the meal, including finally, one of each of us.

An old Concord supersonic plane is on display at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, as seen from our ships in port.

After dinner, we returned to the Sky Lounge for the 10:00 pm “silent disco.” I can’t dance as long or as enthusiastically as I had in days past, but I do not doubt that my stamina will improve in time.  

We had a fabulous evening reminiscing over the past seven years, particularly regarding cruises since our first in January 2013 when we experienced our first foray through the Panama Canal. At this point, we’ve been through the canal twice, but who knows what the future holds?

Other aircraft on display at the Intrepid Museum include a Blackbird spy plane.

This cruise is our third transatlantic, and the crossing has been seamless with only a few short spurts of rough seas during the first six days at sea. 

The itinerary from here in New York to Boston, to Bermuda to Fort Lauderdale, should be relatively easy, providing we don’t encounter any unexpected storms along the way.

A peek of the Empire State Building.

Tomorrow, we’ll report what has transpired with the ship’s repairs and our ability to continue on the planned itinerary and hopefully upload more photos.

Thanks to Louise and Pamela for filling us in on this architecturally unique building in New York: VIA 57 West (marketed as VIΛ 57WEST) is the name of a residential building designed by the Danish architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). The pyramid-shaped tower block or “tetrahedron” rises 467 ft (142 m) and is 35 stories tall and is located on West 57th Street in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City. According to The New York Times, the name was chosen “because the southbound West Side Highway slopes down as drivers enter the city, right at the spot where the building is situated,” serving as an entrance to Manhattan “via 57th”.

Enjoy your Friday and weekend to come! 

Photo from one year ago today, November 1, 2018:
Lilies growing in the Crocodile River as seen in Kruger National Park. For more photos, please click here.

Our 7 year travel anniversary is today!…It seems s long ago…

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Due to WiFi issues while in port today, we are unable to upload any photos.  We will be back out to sea tomorrow and should have a better signal at that time. Thanks for your patience.

Seven years. It went quickly, more quickly than we ever imagined. When we started in 2012, we had no idea we’d still be traveling all these years later. After selling everything we owned, which was a huge commitment to stay on this path for the long haul, this in itself presented a huge degree of dedication.

It would have been ridiculous only to stay gone a year or two and then try to rebuild an entirely new life living in a condo somewhere in or outside of the US. The thought of having to buy furniture and household goods made us cringe then and still does today. 

Is it inevitable that we’ll eventually have to stop traveling? Sure. At some point, we’ll no longer have the health or stamina to continue. At this point, we prefer not to have to think about that.

We realize now that in the worst of circumstances, short of one of us eventually losing our “leasehold” on life, we won’t be able to haul one more heavy piece of luggage, sail on one more cruise ship, or fly on one more plane in a cramped seat. Those days will come.

But, now, after our big scare in February, we’re all the more determined than ever to continue. There is so much more we’ve yet to explore. In reality, we haven’t even put a dent in it with so much more ahead of us.

Today, we revel in this particular day, our seventh anniversary of total freedom to live life on our terms, where, when, and how we’d like based on the hopefulness of maintaining good health, a sense of well-being, and ongoing financial security.

Each of these conditions requires a degree of mindfulness and effort, but we do so with the utmost enthusiasm and zest for life. We each easily possess these qualities as we make our way through every day.

And today, we’ll celebrate this seventh anniversary in style…spending a leisurely day on the ship, preferring not to get off the ship in New York when it’s pouring rain, cold and cloudy.

Had we made plans, they may have been dashed due to the unexpected hours-long US immigration process. With happy-hour and tonight’s specialty dining reservation to celebrate our anniversary, we’d have had little time in the traffic-congested city to do much of anything.

Easily we avoid disembarking when we know full well that eventually, we’ll travel the US when most certainly New York will be included in that itinerary. Also, I’ve visited New York many times over the years and am not chomping at the bit to get out on this cloudy, rainy day, nor am I enthusiastic about tackling a tremendous amount of walking at this point.

Tomorrow, we’ll share photos from tonight’s activities and a memorable dinner. 

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 31, 2018:

An orange-breasted roller. For more photos, please click here.

Less than 24 hours until we’re on US soil as we celebrate life after 7 years of world travel….

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Bartenders were performing tricks at the Ice Bar.

It’s hard for us to fathom the idea that tomorrow on Halloween, October 31st, we’ll be stepping foot on US soil for the first time in 2 years, three months, which coincidentally, will be the seventh anniversary of the day we left Minnesota to begin our world travels.

For us, it’s a momentous day for many reasons, including the harsh reality of the struggles we experienced in the past year with the necessity of my having the triple coronary bypass surgery in February and the subsequent slow recovery.

Many often ask us, “What will you do if something bad happens?”  

Passengers were learning dance steps in the Centrum.

We have no home, no place to land, no belongings to settle into should such a situation arise. At the times of such questions, we’ve always replied, “We’ll figure it out.”

And…we did. We figured it out and, here we are 8½ months later, with me feeling well, albeit a little terrified at times when thinking about what transpired after being in the operating room four times in six weeks.

But, we must continue to face another harsh reality…that there’s no guaranty that I will be OK in the long run. Then again, no one has such a guaranty. Life doesn’t come with warranties and return policies.  

We “get what we get,” and none of us are exempt from those unpredictable situations whereby our lives are turned upside down by a single event. For now, we survived, and for this, we are more grateful than words can express here in a post written with the utmost candor and vulnerability.

Dancers are training passengers to perform dance steps.

We often surprise ourselves by how well we survived this trauma, how well we, as a couple, came out on the other side. Here we are on a cruise ship on its way back to the USA to see family and friends and to be reminded so close to this anniversary of how peaceful life can be.

Playfully, we’re enjoying every moment of this cruise, often finding ourselves laughing, dancing, and reminiscing over how much we’ve gained, how much we’ve learned, and how we’ve survived these fascinating, exciting and dangerous past seven years.

The future? Who knows? None of us knows. None of us can state emphatically that we’ll continue on any path we’ve chosen for the past years, months, or even days. Life will always be uncertain.

Tomorrow, our ship arrives in New York City. At this point, we may or may not get off the boat. Halloween festivities will create more traffic, more tourists, more hustle and bustle that, at this point, neither of us are much interesting in exploring.

The participants are having a great time learning dance steps.

The calm and peacefulness we’re experiencing during this highly pleasurable cruise could turn on its head if we threw ourselves into that tumultuous environment right now.  

Plus, I’ve only been able to walk well for the past six weeks. I don’t know if I’m ready to tackle as long a walk as required if we get off the ship. Our other option is a taxi to be potentially stuck in Manhattan traffic, a situation unappealing to either of us at this point.

We’ll see how it goes and what we feel like tomorrow. We have no one to please but ourselves, and as we’ve discovered during the past seven years, we aren’t “required” to do anything that doesn’t appeal to us at any given time.

Please check back tomorrow for our anniversary celebrations as we share highlights of this exquisite journey that we hope we’ll be blessed to carry on.

Have a safe and festive Halloween!

Photo from one year ago today, October 30, 2018:
Our friend Lois was feeding a large number of kudus who stopped by. She puts the pellets on the veranda’s edge to keep the helmeted guineafowl from taking them all. For more photos, please click here.