Silver cloud in Fortuna Bay Three amazing days around South Georgia came to an end with a fantastic last landing at Fortuna Bay - a king Penguin colony of thousands of birds - amongst elephant and fur seals peacefully cohabiting on this pristine beach. Busy cruise ship season in Antarctica as documented by http://www.cruisemapper.com Once… Continue reading Antarctica reached – Yes, we are still alive

Kayaking in Haakon Bay past a king penguin colony Our day began very early at 445AM for a pre-breakfast zodiac ride to Cape Rosa where Sir Ernest Shackleton found refuge on his 1914-16 polar expedition after sailing back from Elephant island on the Antarctica archipelago to South Georgia. Selfie on Cape Rosa For our second… Continue reading Antarctica on the horizon – South Georgia – kayaking

Map of South Georgia Two days at sea running at 18 knots away from a massive Antarctic storm system, our masterful captain Andri Domanin steered us safely toward South Georgia with minimal waves. His feat allowed us to experience an additional, unscripted passage through the stunning Drygalski Fjord at the very southern tip of the… Continue reading Antarctica on the horizon – South Georgia Island

Rock hopper Penguin on Falkland Island After a day at sea, our Silver Cloud expedition ship arrived at New Island in the western Falklands for a first zodiac outing. Courtesy of my companion Jerry’s video skills, enjoy the Rockhopper Penguin we saw from a few feet away as we explored the cliffside. Landing site at… Continue reading Antarctica on the horizon – Falkland Islands

Santiago’s Plaza de la constitution We put our day in Santiago to good use as the hotel could not give us a room til late afternoon. instead of sitting around, we walked the historic Bellas Artes neighborhood on foot, from Constitution Square to Plaza de Armas, and down to the market hall, our sojourn showcased… Continue reading Antarctica on the horizon – Santiago to the end of the world

United A319 to Houston While I have seen a lot of aircraft of late, today’s boarding in sunny Palm Springs carries special excitement as I begin my vacation with an overnight flight to South America. United is flying me via Houston to Santiago in Chile where I will unite with my travel companion Jerry for… Continue reading Antarctica on the horizon – journey to Santiago

Once on German soil, I met up with fellow Direct Travel staff in celebration of our Top Sellers for our annual “Going the Extra Mile” rewards trip. This years’ program started in Munich with a fabulous overnight at tge Rocco Forte The Charles hotel in located on a peaceful park in the heart of the… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 6th Leg

Fall colors in Bavaria It’s been over two decades since I last foraged for wild mushrooms in Europe. Growing up, we used to do this every weekend in the fall as we searced for porcini’s, trumpets, and more edible varieties of mushrooms. Don’t be fooled - red caps are poisonous I was fortunate to get… Continue reading Foraging for mushrooms – what a treat

Singapore airlines A-350 in Munich A short hop from Da Nang got me to Singapore’s Changi Airport just after 7pm. While most travelers don’t enjoy lay overs, here in Chamgi it is a plus as this world class airport features outstanding Lounges which I got to enjoy for 4 hours, including a shower and a… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 5th Leg

Dinner at Hot Stone Grill Al fresco My four nights aboard Silver Muse are ending today in the bustling port town of Da Nang located on the central Vietnamese coast. This morning’s fond farewell from the amazing crew represents both, the start of my fourth leg of this journey and it starts the countdown clock… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 4th Leg

Silver Muse in Ha Long Bay Two nights west of Hong Kong, after we sailed between Hainan island and the Chinese Mainland, we reached the UNESCO world heritage site of Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam. I am happy to report that this third leg of my trip was covered aboard the ultra luxe Silver… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 3rd Leg

Light show over Hong Kong island What looks massively impressive during the day, turns even more magnificent at night when the Hong along skyline erupts in a digital light show across its high rises. The show starts promptly at 8pm daily and is best viewed from the “walk of fame” in Kowloon. Skyscrapers in creative… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 2nd Leg

United Flight 877 SFO to HKG Sitting at the Polaris Lounge at SFO last night, I was reflecting on a life lived in Travel as I was about to board my second trip around the world. This time, the circumnavigation is west-ward to Hong Kong, then Vietnam, via Singapore to Munich and back from Amsterdam… Continue reading Around the World in 16 Days – 1st Leg

Queen Mary 2 - Sydney Noca Scotia The stormy seas calmed overnight, our majestic vessel pulled into Sydney, Nova Scotia to partially cloudy skies. At first, you think we’ll “what is there to see in this tiny enclave?” On shore, within a few steps you realize this town serves as a vivid reminder of a… Continue reading Queen Mary 2 – A Lesson in History

Queen Mary 2 - Sydney Noca Scotia The stormy seas calmed overnight, our majestic vessel pulled into Sydney, Nova Scotia to partially cloudy skies. At first, you think we’ll “what is there to see in this tiny enclave?” On shore, within a few steps you realize this town serves as a vivid reminder of a… Continue reading Queen Mary 2 – A Lesson in History