A stunningly beautiful spring day awaited our group this morning - once the dense fog had lifted. In town for a taste of Viking River's Seine and Normandy cruise, guests were given a choice of a guided city drive with Versailles or free time to explore. Who could ever resist the charme of this ultimate… Continue reading Paris – mon amour 💋

With tens of thousands of miles in the air over the past 12 months, I had the opportunity to explore this question at length. The below blog will share what I have learned in terms of experiences aboard in relation to cost. (Above - Singapore Premium Economy) The model varies by airline as some require… Continue reading Is extra legroom economy any good?

A short 36 min turbo prop flight later we landed in the jungle city of Siem Reap- home to Cambodia's Crown Jewels of Angkor Thom and Wat. Thanks to our expert ground team from A&K, we got picked up and whisked away to the Belmond La Residence hotel in the heart of Siem Reap. 59… Continue reading Cambodia – the Crown Jewels – Part I

Our family away from home for the past 7 days celebrated with us for a farewell dinner and reception. While the staff is predominately Cambodian, the navigational crew is Vietnamese but all shared in the warm and welcoming professionalism that made this cruise an outstanding experience. Caring, compassionate, and efficient, these team members made our… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – bye bye Avalon Siem Reap

Our final two days in this mesmerizing country were spent visiting locals in their villages, schools and temples among other sights and sounds. An ox cart ride of 20 minutes was our introduction to this last of our various transportation modes. Bouncy and rough, our caravan of oxen bobbled their way along the raised road… Continue reading Cambodia – countryside life

One way to make difference is to visit countries like we are to share our wealth and knowledge with them. Tourism is one of the ways, supporting non-profit organizations is another. Tonight we were privy to a special performance of music and dance by the orphanage organization Cambodia Children's fund. The dances were both educational… Continue reading Cambodia – Street children’s life – non profit

After 3 full days cruising the Mekong in Vietnamese waters we crossed over the border to Cambodia. A completely different experience awaits. While wars ravaged both Vietnam and Cambodia, their histories are quite different. Vietnam struggled between east (communist north) and west (capitalist south) with a protracted proxy war between the US and its allies… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – a new reality across the border

Today was a heavy day for our small Avalon Siem Reap family as we visited the memorial site of the S-21 prison in Phnom Penh before heading out to the Khmer Rouge genocide center 8 miles out of town. Words are hard to come by when faced with this scale of masterminded and deliberate destruction… Continue reading Cambodia – looking genocide in the eye

A sunny and warm morning greeted us in Phnom Penh after sailing upriver all night. Traveling by cyclo (single pushed seat by a biker) we made our way to the Royal Palace and the National Museum to learn about Khmer culture and art. Run as a kingdom, Cambodia is still the poorest of the 4… Continue reading Cambodia – complicated history

For millennia Mekong delta peoples have learned to live with the water and the abundance as well as occasional destruction it brings. Nothing goes to waste. Rice is the king of crops grown in three harvests a year. Once harvested, the field becomes a goose or duck farm (fattening them up on the leftover rice)… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – making a living

Comfortably settled in on board, our first night came to an end with a gorgeous sunrise at 630am which we could enjoy from our comfy bed facing the water. It was as idyllic as it looks. Then it was off to our first of two shore excursions to learn how rice wrappers and coconut candy… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – life along the Mekong

Our adventure continues for the next 7 nights aboard the 36 passenger pandaw style boat MS Avalon Siem Reap. We boarded with 22 fellow guests at noon time on Thursday February 14th and began our sailing through the maze of waterways toward the right-most arm of the Mekong called the Vinh long stretch. Our accommodations… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – MSAvalon Siem Reap

You have heard me allude to the amazing meals we've had so far. As promised here is a bit more detail to the flavors to discover - all in their own right palate-expanding. From pipi clams in lemongrass infused coconut water broth (top picture) to scallops on the half shell with toasted peanuts and spring… Continue reading Vietnam – a foodie paradise

Another day, another plane - this time though it was a special twist. Our guide told us at breakfast in Hoi An that our flight would be delayed till 9pm due to mechanical issues. That meant shuffling our day around and extend our stay in Hoi An. Flexible as we both are, we said ok… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – Saigon here we come

It is still TET festival time in Vietnam even though the lunar new year celebration was over a week ago. What that means for us is a plethora of street fairs, gatherings and joyous parties seemingly designed to extend the holidays for as long as possible. It is now officially the year of the pig… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – Hoi An