Cruising.
It’s a very different way of travel from our usual independent travels. But we had enjoyed the few cruises we took - to Alaska, through the Panama Canal, etc. No driving, but you get to settle in one ‘hotel’ room and magically arrive at your destination. We may not be your average cruiser - we don’t party, or dance nor are we very social. But for many years I had one huge item on my wish list of travel destinations: the South Pacific. Come with us as we travel there...
When Covid cancelled my school tour of schools across China in 2021, I was doubly disappointed since it would have been the first time that I was able to bring my grandson along. Nico was 10 then. Ever since he was born I dreamed of showing him the world. When our time in China was cancelled, I felt I owed him a trip. “Where would you most want to go?” I asked him. “Egypt!” he answered immediately.
We knew we didn’t want to spend the entire winter at home and were dreaming of going some place warm and sunny by January. We researched possibilities and came across a trip that really appealed: a 3 week cruise through the Panama Canal. The question is: can we handle being on a cruise ship for three weeks?!
Friends are often surprised when we tell them that we enjoy cruises. We never travel in groups and pretty much like exploring on our own. But cruises are versatile. Yes, you can go with friends and be social. But you can also enjoy everything a ship has to offer on your own and take full advantage of seeing many different ports. And often cruises a great way to reach places without having to drive long stretches.
Egypt - fabled land of sphinx and pyramids, of the river Nile and Cleopatra. I didn’t think I’d ever visit here. But - thanks to my books My Librarian is a Camel, the story of libraries around the world, and thanks to Stepping Stones, the story of a refugee family - I received an invitation from an international school in Cairo to come and do author presentations for the students. Of course, that was also an opportunity to plan some travel in Egypt. But where do you start and what is possible?
