The Great Wall of China

I haven’t yet been to China and it’s certainly right up there on my list. If for the sole reason that there is a big drawing-pinless gap on my world map. But ever since Philip Bailey sang in his high pitch about ‘walking on the Chineeeeeeeese wall’ sometime in the long distant 80′s (?) I’ve wanted to do that. (Click here for a blast from the past courtesy of YouTube.)

The trip is 12 days from June 1, 2010. It includes Beijing, Xian and old Shanghai, the Terracotta Warriors and a meander one of the famous Great Wall of China. You’ll sail the Yangtze River through the scenic Three Gorges and impressive Three Gorges Dam, visit small villages and modern metropolises (metropoli?), take photos of ancient history and futuristic technology on the state-of-the-art Viking Century Sun. It can accommodate only 300 guests and all rooms have balconies so you slip away, put your feet up and relax as the scenery floats past.

The price includes return flights ex Auckland on Cathay Pacific, 12 days ‘Imperial Jewels of China’, one night in Hong Kong and transfers in Shanghai and Beijing.

See ya later alligator, as Danny would say…

*Sorry folks, this deal was in 2010.

Luxury on the Yangtze - Viking Century Sun

This amazing state of America was owned by Russia until 1867 but didn’t become an official United State until 1959. It is very different from any other state in the US. I mean you’re hardly likely to see bears wandering out of the forest to catch a salmon in a Californian river. And if you do you should call a policeman.

Salmon sashimi anyone?

I did a 7-day cruise onboard Holland America Line and saw some of the most spectacular scenery on earth. We did a slow cruise up the Inside Passage (no I’m not going to labour the gag) which includes the towns of Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Skagway as well as Glacier Bay National Park. This was a real highlight.

Margerie Glacier

The 104 km fjord meets in a cul-de-sac of glaciers and is also unreachable by road – although you can fly there.

We didn’t get off the ship to join the hikers or kayakers, rather did a half-hour slow donut, taking photos and listening to the cracks that echo like rifle shots across the water just before the blue-tinged ice calves into the sea with a roar. Margerie Glacier is the main one that comes down to the water’s edge – actually it reaches 30m below sea level. It’s also 76 m above sea level – about 25 stories high! Whales also play in this area and we nearly capsized the ship rushing to one side just in time to see one breach, which I’m told is rare in cooler waters. Mind you, after a few days at sea seeing whales all around us we got very blaze. Poor things. Try as they might to show off rounding up fish and gulping up through the middle of the frenzy.

Juneau from my ship balcony

As with all cruises, shore excursions should be booked as soon as possible once you get onboard, or better yet, add them at the time of booking so you don’t miss out on something as remarkable as dog sledding or taking a ski plane to see those bears in the river catching their own sashimi as American Bald Eagles sit beady-eyed hoping for a morsel. Only limited numbers can hop on these planes and sleds.

Onboard there is loads of very good food. Several dining options from posh restaurants with a couple of dress-up nights to pizza bars. On the deck the kiwis took on the Belgians at a game of cut throat shuffleboard and after losing the 1st (warm up) game, we whipped them soundly. Of course a mighty shuffleboard win should be celebrated by a drink with an umbrella in it on the deck, but even though it was summer in Alaska, you can only expect temperatures in the mid to high teens celcius. And d’you know that Juneau is officially the wettest city in the United States? (Say that outloud. It’s my terribly funny d’you know/Juneau gag.)

I bought 4 sets of these cuties

Well it is, so bring your coat, a beanie and your hiking boots so you can spend the day pottering through the towns, patting husky dogs, buying Russian dolls (and there are gazillions of them here), trying on Daniel Boone hats and popping in for a beer at the local before dinner is served onboard.

Deck chairs on the Lido deck

My sister and I headed off from Miami on the ‘fun ship’ Carnival Liberty to swan about the Caribbean for a week. (I know!) She has abandoned husband and kids and we’re off to pretrend we’re 20-something without a car as we visit Cozumel Mexico, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios Jamaica.

This ship has a totally different clientele to others I’ve been on. Carnival’s tag line is ‘fun ships’ and there’s not a mobility scooter in sight. It’s all honeymooners, college friends, high school groups, families with little kids and just a handful of retirerees on this monster ship of 3500 passengers and 1200 crew with 3 pools and a gazillion deck chairs laid around them. There’s a big screen TV over the main pool on the Lido deck for late night movies and concert DVDs under the stars and below that is a stage where DJs and live bands play into the wee small hours.

For kids and energetic adults there’s a crazy slide that interestingly ends right beside the pool (not in it). But don’t get me wrong, it’s not all about yoof – there’s a well equipped gym, a spa for a bit of pampering and a casino which begins each week-long cruise stocked with about US$3million. (More about that later..)

Johnny Depp anyone?

Of course a cruise wouldn’t be complete without the all-inclusive and never ending supply of food. There’s a whole deck with a buffet  for breakfast that becomes lunch and then morphs into dinner. There’s a kiosk pizza bar, a nacho counter and soft serve ice cream stations that always have a few kids lined up. Then there’s the fancy sit-down restaurant with tables for just you and your group (you’re not assigned to sit next to strangers). Pip and I have a little table for 2 where Sandra from South Africa and Mitchell from Indonesia look after us. They became friends after a couple of days and we’ve taken to debriefing our day and getting their advice on what to do tomorrow.

But that’s enough for now. More later – I’m off to get the cocktail of the day….

Get the party started!

My sister and I headed off for a 1-week cruise around the Caribbean from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico then on to Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios Jamaica and back to Miami on the latter. We went on Carnival Cruises – known as the ‘party ships’. Here’s a link to my cruise story in the NZ Herald.

And yep, we’d do it again for sure!