Just Cruising

Cruising is my favourite form of travel. That does not mean I don’t enjoy other forms like plane, rail, coach and car travel. Because I do. I have had some incredible land journeys but I do love to cruise. People either love it or hate it. I love it. If I could (translates to “enough money”), I would cruise most of the year. The only downside is I would miss my family and friends. Apart from that, I love cruising.

Thinking about some of the wonderful places I have been fortunate enough to visit over the years, it is impossible for me to choose a favourite destination. Not that I have been everywhere. Nowhere near. But, today I am thinking about a great 28 day cruise around Asia undertaken with my husband in 2014.

Firstly, this was not a cruise that had been planned for years or months, although it was on my loooong list of places to visit. This was a last minute “deal” that we couldn’t pass up. We had a short time to organise ourselves but when you are on a mission you just make it happen. We always hoped that being retired we could take advantage of cheap, last minute cruise fares. So, here was our opportunity!

Our itinerary was full of exotic destinations starting in Singapore. Then followed by

• Thailand
• Cambodia
• Vietnam
• Hong Kong
• China
• South Korea
• Japan

As you can see from the photos above, we managed to see some amazing places. These are just a small sample of places we visited on this cruise. Can you work out where the photos were taken? Some will be easy, some not so. Let me know in the Comments Section if you know where they were taken. Sorry, no prizes for correct answers.

All in all it was 28 days of cruising and a great way to visit amazing destinations! Fantastic! I love to cruise. Unpacking once is a huge advantage. When you travel on land, either on tour or independently, living out of your suitcase can take its toll, especially on long trips. So, to be able to hang your clothes in a wardrobe makes life much easier. There are plenty of other reasons I love to cruise. Wonderful choices of food and drinks in the restaurants and bars. Just love “happy hour” and the opportunity to try some interesting cocktails. And for me, not having to plan meals, shop for food, prepare the food, cook the meal and clean up after the meal is probably the best part. The entertainment is usually first class and there are so many other things to do. I think there is something for everyone. Whether it is shore excursions to exotic places or just finding a quiet nook to read that special book. There are plenty of classes to take advantage of such as dance (which I am not good at), Tai Chi (on the Asian cruise anyway), wine appreciation, exercise and cooking. There is also the daily Trivia competition (plenty of rivalry between teams) or you can grab a coffee and just roam around the ship discovering what is available. The choices seem to be endless. You never need to be bored.

Dinner is a great opportunity to meet other cruisers and we have met people from all over the world. We opt for flexible open dining rather than a set dining time which allows us to meet a range of people in either small or large group settings. In these scenarios I have heard many wonderful life stories. One that comes to mind is the US Vietnam Veteran who, in 2014, was making his first trip back to Vietnam since he left in the late 1960s. He mentioned how he suffered (still suffered) Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome following his war experiences. However, through all of that, he had managed to attend university and became a university professor. His trip to Vietnam was an emotional time for him but he was determined to visit the place that had shaped so much of his life. What an inspiring story. He refused to be defeated.

As you can probably tell, I enjoy cruising. It is a special type of travel. I have a few more stories up my sleeve and hope to share them with you down the track. So, please, watch this space…

Do you enjoy cruising? What is your favourite or least favourite part of cruising? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for visiting.