The Living Journey
Welcome to The Living Journey – a collection of journal entries and photographs by our own Residents that offers an exclusive glimpse into their adventures at sea. Experience The World through their eyes as they share personal and authentic stories of what it’s like to travel the globe from the comfort of home on this luxurious ship. These posts capture their once-in-a-lifetime experiences not found anywhere else on earth. This blog is continually updated so we invite you to come back and visit often.
A delightful tour of the gardens, pubs, food and history of Edinburgh
We spent two relaxing days at sea getting from Aarhus to Edinburgh. The conditions were reasonably good for the North Sea. We had dinner with friends, caught up on reading and photo editing, and I did a bunch of work.
A sunny summer walk through Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is probably my favorite Scandinavian city. It’s particularly great on a sunny summer day. There’s a lot of great architecture and parks and water views everywhere.
The first day we were there I took a long walk by myself.
Exploring the Quaint Town of Mazatlán, Mexico
We had a very pretty sail into Mazatlán, my favorite stop in Mexico so far. We caught the first shuttle into town and set out for a long walk along the oceanfront promenade. The old town was quaint and authentic,
Returning to The World: From Seattle to Civitavecchia
I wouldn’t let myself believe this trip was actually happening until we got all the way here.
Four airports, an actual port, and various assorted taxis and ferries later we were on the Ship, cruising through the Mediterranean on our way to Portofino.
Swimming with Whale Sharks in Cenderawasih Bay
We anchored near the village of Kwatisore and close to several bagans, fishing platforms built around a boat. Fishermen live on the platforms and fish for about six weeks at a stretch. Because there is no refrigeration, they keep the captured fish alive in nets under the bagan while locals in boats come by and to purchase some of the catch every day.
A relaxing reprieve on the Thai Island of Ko Kut
After the crowds and history of Bangkok and Ayutthaya, Ko Kut was a complete change. We anchored off this tiny island and ferried people to the pier near a white sand beach.
The crew had set up a buffet lunch and brought out the kayaks and Hobie Cats.
Hungry Polar Bears and Curious Belugas on Ellesmere Island
We woke up with the Ship tucked into Boger Bay on the southeast side of Ellesmere Island. We were very close to the beach and there were lots of polar bears around. As a matter of fact, we had to cancel both the kayaking and hiking expeditions because we had 10 plus bears roaming around the area.
Mid-Atlantic Exploration: Boatswain Bird Island and Georgetown
We spent several days at sea sailing from Dakar to Ascension Island. I did a lot of reading, spent some time talking to people I hadn’t seen in a while, caught up on the blog, and even participated in an escape room event the Ship put together.
Mid-Atlantic Exploration: Dakar, Senegal and Lake Retba
Right after breakfast, I took a trip out to Lake Retba. We drove through the countryside and through busy outlying suburban areas with lots of traffic and bustle. There were horse carts and trucks fighting over road space, roadside stalls selling fruit and housewares,
The British Isles & Hebrides Exploration: Sightseeing & Whiskey Sampling in Kirkwall, Scotland
Kirkwall from the Ship’s anchorage
We arrived in Kirkwall, Scotland and went on a tour of the local archeological sites. The Orkney Islands have been inhabited for a very long time. We visited Skara Brae, a remarkably well preserved Neolithic village that was first inhabited over 5000 years ago.
The British Isles & Hebrides Exploration: Papa Stour & Foula, Shetland Islands
Overnight we sailed out to even more remote parts of the Shetland Islands. We started our day with an expedition briefing and cocktail where we were introduced to the Expedition Team. After lunch, we went for a Zodiac cruise along the rugged shoreline of Papa Stour Island.
Discovering the Seaside City of Valletta, Malta
We arrived in Malta on Saturday morning, docking in Valletta. Malta has an interesting history, given its strategic location. The first settlements date back to over 5000 BC, and over the course of its history has been ruled by the Phoenicians,
Exploring Ketchikan, Alaska
Cruising the Canadian Fjords
We spent two days cruising through the Canadian fjords on the west edge of British Columbia as we made our way up to Alaska. We passed hundreds of miles of pristine waterfront, but we didn’t pass much civilization,
Roman artifacts and Moorish ruins along the Spanish hillsides
We arrived in Tarragona in late July. On our first day in town, our daughter headed out to a local amusement park with friends, while we went and explored the town. There are quite a few Roman ruins and we did a quick tour of most of the major ones.
Hiking the rugged coastline of Belle Ile, France
After two days at sea, travelling from London to the Atlantic side of Brittany in France, we arrived in Belle Ile, France. Belle Ile is a small island with a few small towns and a ferry line connection to the mainland.