Too wonderful for words…This five star hotel in Hanoi is over the top!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This clawfoot tub is just what I needed for soaking. The master bath is huge with double sinks, a private water closet and, a glass-enclosed shower.  Every possible lotion, potion, and amenity are provided.

First off, the flight on the jumbo jet on Singapore Airlines was superb. The seats were roomy, the bathroom was the biggest we’ve ever seen on a plane, the service was impeccable and the three-plus hours flew by (no pun intended).

With a lengthy slow-moving line at immigration the wait exceeded an hour, the longest we’ve experienced when checking in at a new country. By the time we made it to the baggage claim, our bags were waiting.

The king-sized bed in our Club Metropole is unbelievably comfortable with superb bedding. We both slept well.

By 2:00 pm we were checked in to Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, an absolutely exquisite hotel, built in 1901, as described on their website:

“Step back into history at Hanoï’s most storied 5-star hotel. A Grand Dame of Southeast Asia Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoï welcomes guests to experience her colonial grandeur and timeless elegance. Located steps from the Opera House in Hanoï’s French Quarter this legendary property brings guests into intimate contact with the opulence of another era.

Surround yourself in heritage as you stroll stately corridors and explore a dramatic past. Behind its classical white façade green shutters, original wrought iron details and stately wood paneling reside over a century of stories. Stand on the walkways that grace its lush courtyard lawn and immerse yourself in the hotel’s rich traditions.”

The desk soon became cluttered with our digital equipment.

Once we checked in, a beautiful young concierge escorted us on a tour of the hotel, ending at our prepaid booked room, a very lovely well-appointed king room. 

My biggest concern during checking in was that our room would have a bathtub. Soaking several times a day has greatly helped my painful situation during this past week in Singapore where we finally had a bathtub. 

It was good to confirm our travel scale is accurate with this included scale. The towels are thick and fluffy unlike any we had in a long time.

I was hoping to continue with several hot baths a day, which would be helpful in ensuring we’d be able to handle the upcoming tours beginning on Saturday, July 9th. I’m improving each day, quicker now than over the past several weeks. 

Once we saw our booked room, the concierge suggested an upgrade to the VIP penthouse level for the additional US $120, VDN (Vietnamese Dong) 2,676,780 per night. 

Not only are these two his and her robe included, but there are two additional silk robes in the closet.

By doing so, there are many extras including breakfast in three possible restaurants, high tea, and dinner in the VIP lounge each night, a buffet as well as tableside servings with offerings from the hotel’s other two restaurants. The meals and drinks alone, more than paid for the upgrade.

Also included is butler service with a pillow menu, free cocktails between 5:30 and 7:30 each night, complimentary all-day beverage service, including coffee, tea, mineral water, and snacks.

Tea and coffee service in the room, a nice touch.

Of course, this included an upgraded room on the VIP Club Metropole, the key-card-access-only seventh level.  In most cases to conserve expenses, we avoid “up-selling.” However, in this case, we decided a little luxury would certainly be befitting my continuing recovery.

Also, from reading menus from local restaurants, this five-star hotel is more suited to accommodate my way of eating. As a matter of fact, a huge number of the offerings are easily suitable for me; sashimi (raw fish) and other cooked meats, stir-fried and steamed vegetables, cheeses, and raw nuts. We’d never be able to find such options in any of the local eateries. 

The TV has premium movie channels and a number of English speaking channels including my favorite, Nat Geo. However, in an attempt to stop laying down to improve my recovery, we’ve spent little time in the room.  As we prepare this post, we’re seated in the Club Lounge.

The Club Metropole upgraded room immediately sold us its many amenities and we opted for the increased cost.  Over five nights the added cost would be US $600, VDN 13,383,900. We’d already paid the basic rate for the hotel a long time ago making this extra not seem as much. 

Last night while we languished over great food and drinks in the Club Metropole Lounge, I said to Tom, “Thanks, Honey, a little luxury is nice once in a while. I appreciate this.”

Another lounge area in the hotel.

He laughed and said, “It’s not as if we deserve it, Sweetie  Look where we’ve been over these past 44 months!” I laughed and agreed.

Sometimes, it all just works out and this was one of those occasions for which we’re very humbled and grateful. Once we’re done posting today, we’ll head out for a short walk to get me moving a little more to prepare for the upcoming action-packed days.

Have a beautiful day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 6, 2015:

One year ago today we posted this photo of the upcoming private house in Phuket, Thailand. We’ll be moving in another 16 days. Wow!  For more details, please click here.

Tripping up a trip…Staying calm and cool…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
An elaborate Hindu temple at the beach.

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

Yesterday’s walk on the beach.

A year ago while living in Trinity Beach, Australia we booked a Viking Mekong River Cruise for July 8th upcoming in a little over one month. Over these past years with 13 cruises behind us and with 10 more pending, we’ve had tremendous success and satisfaction with Vacations to Go.  

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go through our regular cruise rep when river cruises are handled by another department. The river rep we received didn’t seem as knowledgeable as our regular cruise rep, but we didn’t complain and forged ahead.

Tourists walk along the beach area to shop at the many reasonably priced shops.

Cruise documents from Viking are not sent by email whereby other cruise lines readily make all necessary documents available online. As we’ve mentioned in the past, we haven’t been bringing paper documents to check in on cruises for the past few years when we discovered that only our passports and the reservation number are required to check-in at the port. 

When we discovered the river cruise rep has been out on medical leave off and on over these past few months, with nothing specific required until now, we hadn’t requested another rep. Now, only one month from the sail date, a new rep has taken over handling our booking.

Motorbikes line every road and highway, mostly owned by locals with some rented by tourists.

We’d asked many times via email and phone that the cruise documents NOT be snail-mailed to us to our mailing service in Nevada, USA. Alas, based on a Skype call we received from VTC during the night, the documents have been mailed to us in Nevada. What will we do with them? Pay to have them shipped overnight internationally for huge fees? That makes no sense.

Actually, the only reason we wanted the documents sent to us via email was for the confirmation for one flight included in the cruise fare. We’ll need proof of an airline ticket for the Vietnam flight when we apply for the visa in Singapore when we arrive in 24 days. Most immigration offices require proof that the visitor has a prepaid “way out of their country.” 

These little umbrellas are often used in decorating worship areas. Here, they are, outside a little restaurant at the beach.

Today, with a new contact person at VTC, we hope we’re on track to receive a document we can use when applying for the Vietnam visa. Once we have this, we’ll rest easy. In the worst case, we can have the mailing service scan and email copies of the itinerary but there again, we’ll have to pay for the scans as required by the mailing service.

Yesterday, we completed the documents for the three visas for which we’ll apply in Singapore.  Today, we’ll apply online for Cambodia which doesn’t require that we mail in our passports.

Hamburger night!  Tom had homemade burgers with cheese, fries, veggies, coleslaw while I had everything minus the fries. We’ve noticed he coughs from acid reflux at night after eating fries. No fries? No cough. Humm…what does that tell him?

This may all seem very confusing and we apologize to our readers for the redundancy and perhaps unclear representation. If you find yourself in such a pickle, please feel free to email us with questions. We’ll do our best to answer them clearly based on our experience and/or point you in the right direction for assistance.

Dolphin statue at the beach.

A dear friend wrote to me a few days ago saying, “most people would give up with all of the challenges you often face n continuing to travel the world.” That may be true for some. But, for us and perhaps others, it’s better than mowing the lawn, raking leaves, or shoveling the snow in the winter.

The beach in Lovina.

Our attention, our interest, and our enthusiasm remain constant as long as we have each other, good health, and the love and support of those who follow us along the way.  Thanks to all of you for that!

Photo from one year ago today, June 4, 2015:
“The International Date Line (IDL) explained:
The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line of longitude on the Earth’s surface located at about 180 degrees east (or west) of the Greenwich Meridian.

Illustration image
One year ago, as we crossed the International dateline, we posted this map illustrating where this imaginary line is located.  For more details as we made the crossing, please click here.

We’re back in Singapore!…Cruise is ending….Disembarking the ship early tomorrow morning…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Sunset out to sea.

Today has been a busy day. We’ve packed and will place our bags outside our cabin door for a late evening pickup. Once we disembark early in the morning we’ll collect our bags and be on our way, looking for the prearranged driver for the ride to the Singapore International Airport. 

We’ve left out clothing and toiletries for tonight and tomorrow morning and of course, all of our digital equipment, computers, and documents which we’ll keep in our possession.

Sunset moments later.

Also, today, we’ve prepared two posts, today’s and tomorrow’s, with all of our final expenses for the entire cruise, including the cruise fare, all ancillary cruise-related expenses and miscellaneous spending along the way.

The floor in the casino.  We never played!

Time has moved quickly over these past two weeks. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single day aboard Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas, as we always do on all cruises. The social activities have been over-the-top as we’ve met hundreds of wonderful people, most Aussies, some Kiwis, and a handful of others from a variety of countries. 

We still haven’t encountered the reported 15 other American passengers on board the ship, although we did meet a few Americans that have lived in Australia for decades, their American accents interspersed with the delightful Australian dialect.

The Promenade at night,

Of course, we welcome interaction with people from all over the world, especially after our growing worldwide travel experience. As time marches on, we’ve both become more adept at understanding thick accents from many countries and enjoy the varied perspective of many travelers whether they’re on their first or 25th cruise.

Cosmetics shop on the Promenade where I made a purchase.

Amid today’s tasks, we went to the movie in the La Scala Theatre at 2:30 for a much-enjoyed respite from the usual activities. Even there, while waiting for the movie to begin, we often meet yet more people, all making an effort to be quiet when the movie begins.

We’re anxious to be settled in Bali by tomorrow evening around 6 pm, providing all of our travel plans go smoothly. As for Singapore today, we’ll be back for a week in 60 days when we’ll see the sites and explore this amazing country.

A portion of the art gallery.

Hope your day will be productive, leaving you with a sense of accomplishment in whatever you decide to do.  Happy day!

No photo from one year ago due to the poor wifi signal. Thanks for your patience!

We’re in Port Klang, Malaysia…Sailing in the South China Seas…Unbelievable sites to see…In 48 hours, we’ll be flying away…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
This is a floating oil rig we spotted in the harbor in Singapore.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we’re not getting off the ship today. With a three-hour round trip bus ride to Kuala Lumpur from Port Klang, it wasn’t appealing to us, especially when all of the tours were centered around three or four hours of shopping in the capital city.

With the ship departing at 4:30 pm today and disembarking the port not allowed until after 8:00 am, it left little time to feel safe doing something on our own, risking not returning to the ship on time for departure.

This is a tug boat pulling a floating oil rig in the bay, unrelated to the freighter in the background.

This morning when Tom took a walk to check out our arrival in Malaysia, he came back to the cabin coughing.  He explained the pollution was so severe it was hard to breathe outside. 

We’re used to some of the freshest air in the world in New Zealand and out to sea. The thought of spending an entire day having trouble breathing held little appeal.  As we always say, our health is our top priority. 

Through the haze, we could see Singapore


Besides, at the moment approximately 25% of the ship’s passengers have colds, flu, and bronchitis, many of whom have been to see the ship’s doctor for antibiotics, so we’ve heard.

For the second morning in a row, we were seated at a breakfast table in the dining room, only standing minutes later apologizing for leaving, when we heard diners at the table coughing and sneezing. We don’t want to get sick this time.

Singapore looks interesting even through the haze.

Out of 13 cruises in 42 months, we’ve been ill five times catching colds and flu often lasting for many weeks after we were off the ship. The worst of this was when we arrived in Australia this past June and were sick for six weeks after the cruise ended.

We avoiding taking antibiotics during that illness but for both of us, it was the worst case of flu either of us ever had with a horrible cough, fever, and lingering weakness that was unlike anything we’d ever experienced in the past.  On a few occasions, we went as far as wondering if we had contracted malaria in our travels. 

We wish we could have had a clearer day to show how many boats were in the harbor in Singapore.
Over time and after considerable rest, we eventually recovered within a week of one another. It’s the nature of the beast. We’re going to get sick on cruises from time to time. 

For this cruise, I started taking 2000 mg of powdered vitamin C in its purest form a week before we left continuing each day aboard the ship. It tastes terrible but so far so good. Tom usually gets sick after me, catching whatever I get. If I stay well, most likely he will also. I‘m not about to say we’re safe from illness this time and need to wait until three days after the cruise ends to rest easy. 

Yesterday, we sailed by the port in Singapore which we passed on the way to Malaysia in the South China Seas.  It was one of the most amazing sites we’ve ever seen. There were literally hundreds of cargo ships, tugboats, junks, and small fishing boats in the immediate area. 

This adorable hanging towel monkey was hanging in our cabin when we returned last night.

I attempted to take photos in Singapore but the dense fog, humidity, and smog made it difficult. Also, the camera kept fogging up from being inside air conditioning and then outside in the humid climate. By the time the camera’s temp stabilized we’d moved far from Singapore. o please bear with our less than ideal photos today.

In less than 48 hours and we’ll be on the flight to Bali. Tomorrow morning, we’ll arrive back in Singapore where we’ll spend the night to disembark the following morning. On this upcoming June 28th, we’ll be back in Singapore for a week’s stay departing on July 5th.  

When we return for that week, we’ll explore the city and its amazing sites both day and night. It’s hard to believe that’s only two months away. How the time has flown!

Hopefully, I’ll be able to upload today’s post sooner than yesterday’s when we were unable to get a signal until later in the evening. We’ll see how that goes.

Have a fabulous day! Thanks for “hanging in there” with us during this poor WiFi period aboard this ship!


Photo from one year ago today, April 28, 2915:
We’re unable to post a year ago photo due to a poor wifi connection aboard the ship. Thank you for your patience.

New ship photos…Managing travel days…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
A beautiful sunset as we passed the tip of Australia.

This morning at 7:00 am we crossed the equator.  There have been several time changes over these past several days, including two separate 30 minute time changes, a first for us. Now, we’re back on the hour as we continue toward Southeast Asia.

Time is moving quickly as our cruise winds down. With only three days until we disembark the ship to make our way to the Singapore International Airport to fly to Bali, we realized it was time to book transportation from the port to airport.

An elephant made from towels left on our bed at night during turn down service. (My reading specs).

Most often we aren’t able to get off the ship until 8:00 am or so. This time we made special arrangements to disembark earlier at around 7:30 am with the driver arriving to pick us up at the port at 8:00 am. 

The Flowrider, a fun activity for those who can participate.

Hopefully, this should leave us plenty of time to get through customs and immigration making it in plenty of time for our 10:45 am flight to Bali. Sure, its a tight schedule for our liking and Tom is a little worried. But, as always my rationale remains the same;  get there safely and in good health and the rest is incidental.

The miniature golf course.

Missing a flight is not something we’ve experienced as yet and of course, we hope we’ll never will be in that situation. The reality is, as inconvenient as it may be to miss a flight, we’d figure it out. It may cost time and money but as mentioned above, safety and good health always supersede all else.

At a distance, the rock climbing wall next to the sports court.

We’ll be anxious to get as far away from Denpasar Airport as quickly as possible. Listed as a high risk location, with attacks in Bali over these past few years, the further away we get from the big city, the more at ease we will be.

Once the pre-arranged driver in Bali picks us up at the airport, we’ll be on our way on a four hour drive to the house on the southern coast. If all goes as planned, we should arrive at the house around 6:00 pm with the household staff holding dinner for us.

Close up of the rock climbing wall.

We requested an easy dinner for our arrival; chicken, cheese, and veggies. Once situated we’ll be able to review our food restrictions, shopping list and future menu options with the cook and staff. 

As always, we looking forward to being unpacked, organized and checking out the quality of the wifi.  If the wifi proves to be problematic, we have a backup plan to rent an unlimited hotspot from a company that is located two hours from the house that charges a small fee to deliver it to us at the house. We’ll report the fees if this proves to be necessary.

View from upper deck of the hot tubs by the pool.

As I write today’s post, once again we’re sitting in the Promenade Café. So far over the past two hours new friends of Tom’s have stopped by to sit with us over a cup of coffee. 

As I continue to write, one ear is directed to their lively conversation as they make every effort to include me in the idle and pleasant chatter. Gosh, this is almost too much fun, interacting with people hour after hour.

I suppose we’ve handed out no less than 150 business cards to ensure our new friends can easily reach us after the cruise, reading our posts old and new, and be able to contact us and we them, when we return to Australia and eventually Tasmania. How fortunate we’ve been to meet so many wonderful people!

May someone new cross your path today and bring you joy!

Photo from one year ago today, April 27, 2015:
Due to a poor internet signal, we’re unable to post the one-year-ago photo.

Part 2…Visiting Darwin…More photos

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Tom checking out the sights in the Darwin area.

Today is ANZAC day in Australia. This morning, aboard the ship, services were held for Australians and New Zealanders in commemoration of this special day in their lives.

These plaques are embedded into the cement walkway in Darwin.

ANZAC day is described as:

Anzac Day /ˈænzæk/ is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served.”

Another plaque in the cement in the walkway.

The Aussies and Kiwis take ANZAC Day very seriously. It was quite a sight to see the number of passengers attending this special day’s celebration that Royal Caribbean honored on their behalf. With 2500 Australians and New Zealanders on board, it was an interesting perspective for us to witness.

Shopping area in Darwin.

As we mentioned earlier, there are about 17 Americans aboard this ship. We still have yet to meet a single American, instead, enjoying all the other passengers from these two and other countries throughout the world.

A small band playing on the street in Darwin.

This morning, when I began posting in the Promenade Cafe we met a wonderful couple from Australia, younger than us, who have done extensive travel through their home country and soon are venturing to other worldwide locations.

It’s been delightful to share stories with other travelers we’ve met during this wonderful cruise, their adventures, and hopes for the future, often not unlike our own. 

A busy spot on the shopping walkway.

In a few days, we’ll arrive in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Unfortunately, it’s a 90-minute ride to the city and all offered tours stop at shopping areas for the day. For us, a day of shopping is hardly in our wheelhouse. 

This city is known for its varied shopping. Many passengers have brought along extra empty luggage specifically for this purpose. We could take a private taxi into town for our own tour to exclude shopping, we’ve decided not to go at this juncture

Double-decker, “hop-on, hop-off” buses, and lots of cars lined the busy Darwin downtown area.

With three hours of driving time, the taxi fare would be outrageous and we’d run the risk of not getting back to the ship in time if there were unforeseen delays. On a ship-sponsored tour, the ship will wait for any late arriving passengers. On our own, they don’t wait. It’s simply not worth the risk.

As a result, many other passengers we’ve spoken to, also have decided to stay behind on this less-than-convenient port arrival.  We’ll be back in this part of the world in the next few months and can easily explore on our own terms.

There wasn’t a huge amount of high-rise buildings in Darwin.

We’ll continue to make every effort to post as we continue on this cruise. With five days until the cruise ends, we’ll continue to take photos in hopes of being able to upload them along the way.

Happy days to all!

Photo from one year ago today, April 25, 2015:

A view of the Hanalei Wildlife Refuse from a hard-to-find overlook in Princeville. For more photos from one year ago, please click here.

Part 1…Visiting Darwin…A beautiful city…Busy downtown area…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
The two little ones played with the hanging branches of a Banyan tree in the middle of town.

The shuttle ride to Darwin from the port wasn’t more than 10 minutes from start to finish. Waiting in line to board the shuttle took about 35 minutes. In essence, we could have walked into town, but we enjoyed the ride seeing a little more than we would have on foot.

We actually had to purchase a few items which made the outing all the more fun for us. We’d been told by other travelers to purchase insect repellent in Australia since we’d be unable to find many options in Bali.

The sports store where we purchased a new Fitbit for me.

Secondly, after noticing several passengers wearing FitBit fitness tracking devices, I was determined to purchase a new one since my year’s old tracker had bit the dusk awhile back.

The Intersport store has typical sportswear and equipment.

I’ve found using such a device forces me on my feet more, taking stairs instead of elevators, and generally be more active. After returning to the ship and setting up the FitBit, I’d done over 1500 steps in the first two hours. At this rate, it may be possible to do the desired 10,000 steps a day.

We walked up and down several blocks looking for the store. It was a beautiful day, warm but tolerable in the shade.

It wasn’t that I detected any of the wearers necessarily appearing more fit than non-wearers, but for me, it had always been a good motivator, the digital person that I am. 

Plus, my last wristwatch died a few days ago and for the low prices I’d paid for them, it didn’t make sense to replace the batteries. The new wrist-worn FitBit also doubles as a watch. Perfect.

A pleasant park in near the shopping district.

We wandered about Darwin, feeling totally comfortable and safe in the lovely city. The high temperature was offset by a cooling ocean breeze. The city was clean and low-key with an abundance of shops and restaurants.  Of course, whenever the cruise ships came to town, the businesses thrive.

The Darwin State Square.  Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory in Australia.

When we entered a local chemist shop, it was jammed with dozens of cruise passengers. Cruise ships carry few toiletry items on board and an opportunity for a stop at a pharmacy is always a popular tourist attraction.

As we wandered about the town, we were amazed by how similar is it to New Plymouth, NZ which we left only a little over a week. In many ways, it feels as if it’s been much longer ago since we left when we’ve so easily immersed ourselves into life aboard the ship.

The Darwin State Square Building.

We apologize for the last posting once again. Not only did we have a very busy morning, we just left La Scala Theatre after watching yet another movie, a perk included in the cruise fare. Now, after 4:00 pm, it’s time to dress for the evening and to attend a special party for Crown and Anchor members at 4:45. 

After the party, we’ll head to the bar for a pre-dinner beverage and by 7:30 make our way to the main dining room for what most likely will prove to be yet another enjoyable evening at a shared table of eight or ten.

Photo from one year ago today, April 24, 2015:
Due to the poor wifi signal on the ship, we’re unable to post the year-ago photo today.  We’ll get caught up as soon as we get a better signal.  If you don’t see a post, know that we’re struggling to get online and will be back as soon as possible.  Thanks for your patience.

We’ve arrived in Darwin…Soon, we’ll get off the ship to see this popular city…Photos!…Year ago photo…All here today!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Last night’s sunset from the ship.

We’re thrilled to be in Darwin today. We plan to get off the ship to tour the town after  having purchased round trip shuttle tickets at US $10, AU $13, per person.

This morning’s sunrise over Darwin, Australia.

Now, our big decision for the day is; do we go to town early and return to do the balance of today’s post, or do we head out early after the crowds getting off the ship thin out and to avoid the worst of the heat of the day? 

The interior of the casino where many passengers hand over large sums of cash to the ship.

Today’s high temp is expected to be 99F, 37C, with relatively high humidity. Apparently, it’s always hot in Darwin, a tropical climate. Both dressed in cool, casual clothing, we’re as prepared as we can be with plenty of Australian cash, insect repellent, sunglasses, and the camera on hand (including an extra battery).

There’s no doubt we’ll be back tomorrow with photos of the city, beloved by Aussies and tourists alike. A tender boat is not required here with a convenient pier to accommodate massive ships such as ours.

On several occasions, we attended movies and shows in La Scala Theatre.

We continue to have a great experience, dining, and chatting. It’s surprising how many passengers aboard this ship have had extensive travel experiences, many with much more than us over a period of many years.

For us, having traveled very little in our old lives due to my prior poor health, we have a lot of catching up to do. Even after 42 months we still have so much of this world left to see.

Cruise ships tend to have somewhat of an overly done, gaudy, often 1980’s theme, even when the ships are new or newly remodeled.

At this juncture, we continue to discuss where we’d like to visit in years to come. We’ll never run out of options.  It remains a matter of planning both financially and geographically what ultimately will work for us.

It’s funny how when we’re cruising, after hearing of countries and venues others have visited and loved, we open up our minds to a wider range of options for the future.

View of the Promenade Deck from a distant railing.

By the time we’ve completed the upcoming cruise to Antarctica on January 23, 2018 (21 months from now) we’ll have been to every continent on the Earth. This fact is mind-boggling. Who’d ever thought this was possible for us?

However many continents, countries, and cities we’ll have visited we’ll still have so much more to visit.  One could spend an entire lifetime and still have more awaiting their curiosity. 

Each sea day, Tom attends the Shed meeting in this bar, the Pig & Whistle located on the Promenade Deck, a street down the center of the ship.

It’s not as if we have a goal of any particular number of countries to visit or sites to see. We didn’t want to place that kind of pressure on our travels. For us, it is not about quantity and more about quality for those experiences in which we learn, thrive, and grow. One is never too old to acquire new knowledge, health providing.

As I began writing today, the answer became clear…finish today’s post and then take off for Darwin. The lines for disembarking the ship and boarding the shuttle will eventually thin out and soon we’ll be on our way.  There’s no point in standing in line for an hour.

With land at a distance, we captured this sunset shot.

Thanks to all of our readers for their patience over these past several days. Most likely, it will be equally difficult to post in the upcoming week with more sea days on the horizon until the cruise ends in Singapore and we fly to Bali. 

Once we’re settled in Bali in eight days we’ll be back to our routine of posting daily with new photos and of course, the photo from “one year ago.”

Have a beautiful day!  We plan to do the same!

Photo from one year ago today, April 23, 2015:

Driving down a road we hadn’t traveled, we followed the shore of the Hanalei River in Kauai. For more photos, please click here.

More freebies included in cruise fare…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment

Due to a continuing poor wifi signal on the ship, we’re unable to post any photos today including the year ago photo. We apologize for the inconvenience and will include photos as soon as we’re able.

With the ongoing poor wifi signal posting continues to be quite a challenge. Once we arrive in Darwin tomorrow, we’re expecting a better signal and hope to be able to post a few photos after we return from checking out the popular port of call.

As a result, tomorrow’s post will be available about 5 hours later than has been over the past week since we boarded this cruise on Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas.

With the exception of the wifi issues, everything has been great so far. The highlight of the cruise has been social interaction. We’ve made a number of friends that we hang out with as we still reveling in meeting new people at every turn.

We may not take advantage of many of the “freebies” offered on the ship when for us the group activities are less appealing than interacting in small groups.  No doubt the majority of the passengers are senior citizens, most likely as much as 75%. 

The majority of the remainder of passengers are age 40 and over with a few “20 somethings” along with a handful of children of all ages.  There are a wide variety of activities for passengers of all ages, many of which don’t include additional fees.

Some of the “freebies” included on this particular cruise are:

  • Fitness center to include a few free classes and activities
  • Trivia games
  • Daily Mass
  • Men’s Shed
  • Water aerobics
  • Mensa challenge
  • Movies are shown daily in the large theatre and outdoors on a giant screen by the pool
  • Dance lessons
  • Mini-golf tournament
  • Lectures and seminars
  • Singles gatherings
  • Bridge lessons and tournaments
  • Shuffleboard, ping pong, video games
  • Napkin art workshop
  • GLBT meetings
  • Ice Skating and skating shows
  • Rock climbing
  • Paper airplane making
  • Drama class
  • DreamWorks characters on display in Promenade Deck
  • Voyager Scavenger Hunt
  • Karaoke auditions and eventual show in the theatre
  • Shows in the main theatre in the evenings at 6:45 pm and 8:45 pm, different each evening
  • Live music at various bars both during the day and in the evenings

Each day, more and more activities are offered, some of which we may participate in and others we decline as not quite our style.  Most days, we spend socializing, attending seminars, movies, and shows all of which keep us very busy. 

Other than the Shed, Tom and I spend all of our time together, enjoying this two-week period aboard a ship, appreciating every moment together and each and every encounter. 

In one more week, we’ll be disembarking the ship to begin another leg of our journey. For now, we’re totally living in the moment

Photo from one year ago today, April 22, 2015:
Please check back for photos in the near future.

Internet issues…Sorry for the delay in posting…Continuing on the cruise, out to sea…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment

We’ve had issues with the ship’s wifi that has prevented us from posting photos let alone being able to get online to write about our cruise experiences to date aboard Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas. 

Although we haven’t actually missed an entire day, we’ve only been able to post one photo in the past 24 hours. It’s unlikely we’ll be able to post even one photo today. The signal remains sporadic at best.

We’ve been having another memorable time on this ship as we have on numerous others. This morning we found out there are only 17 Americans aboard this ship. Thus far, we haven’t encountered one of them. 

Instead, we’ve met dozens of Australians who are some of the most friendly people in the world and friendships develop will ease and vast amounts of humor and lively conversation.

Aussies don’t hold back in conversation, are less inclined to monitor what they say is an attempt to always be “politically correct” although they are respectful of all people, if such a combination can possibly exist. 

Although we prefer not to generalize about a nation of people, we find this commonality in Aussies and Kiwis we find to be enchanting and enticing. Sure, they may be exceptions to any such similarity, but we seldom encounter it to be the case after spending the past 10 months in and around the South Pacific.

In a way, it’s hard to believe this much time has passed that we’ve lived in this part of the world and without a doubt, it’s added to our perspective of the world in a positive way.

As for the cruise, besides the pleasurable time we’re having meeting other passengers, we’re loving every moment. Our cabin is comfortable and roomy enough for us, the views from the veranda are excellent, the food is good and working well for my needs, and the endless array of activities and venues in which to be entertain keeps us on the move from one hour to another.

We’re unable to post the year-ago photos or links. Once we’re able to receive a better signal, we’ll catch up on those we’ve missed as well as posting many photos we’ve been unable to post.

Today, we’d intended to write about the ship “freebies” and inclusions. However, with this sporadic WiFi connection, I’m finding it difficult to stay focused on a specific topic.

We’ll continue to attempt to post until we’re near land for a better connection. Please stop back to see our new posts. We so appreciate all of our readers sticking with us through these less than ideal WiF conditions.

Be well. Be happy,