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Darren and Janet
Darren and Janet

Darren and Janet

📍 England Read more🇦🇺Adelaide
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  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Frozen ground, Buriton
    Distance marker, PetersfieldBuritonMore yarn bombing, PetersfieldHigh street, PetersfieldWetherspoons, Petersfield3When in Wetherspoons...Good use of old headstones, PetersfieldPenfield, where all the major tourist attractions are signposted

    Following the carriage route

    Yesterday in England ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    Our final full day in the UK and, after scraping the ice off the windscreen, we left Soberton in bright sunshine.

    We had a couple of stops for a cache and a walk, in Clanfield, then Buriton , before stopping for lunch at Wetherspoons in Petersfield.

    Each Wetherspoons has unique carpet inspired by the building or it's location, and this one features cartwheels in reference to Petersfield's position as a resting place on the Portsmouth to London carriage route.

    We arrived at Heathrow late afternoon and dropped off our hire car, having travelled 350km in the week. Taking out the distance from Heathrow to Soberton, that's an average of 40km a day... but we walked an average of 7km a day.

    Overnight in an airport hotel in readiness for our flight to Malta tomorrow.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Market Square Wickham
    2Soberton, early morning walk to the post boxDurley Nature WalkIt's a fine day for the Merry bootsWickhamThe Dip Hole, Wickham.Wickham1WickhamSunset over Wickham

    Curbridge or Curdridge?

    January 9 in England ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    Today was the calm after the storm, with Storm Goretti hitting the south coast of England yesterday, and us getting the edge of the rain and wind, so the day began overcast and with a drizzle of rain.

    We visited various villages in the morning, beginning in Swanmore, morning tea in the Reading Rooms in Curdridge (not to be confused with the village of Curbridge 3km away).

    The afternoon was a nature walk in Durley, then a visit to Curbridge, and finishing the day in Wickham. Apart from a large market square, Wickham also has a Dip Hole - a set of steps built in 1820 to allow the villagers to collect water from the river before Wickham had piped water

    We returned after dark to Soberton, with dinner again at the White Lion.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    2Monument to the Glory of Cricket, Broadhalfpenny Down, Hambledon
    Foggy morning, near SobertonWandering in HambledonBroadhalfpenny Pavilion, HambledonBat & Ball Inn, Hambledon1The parish dividing line in the Bat and Ball pub1Meon Valley TrailA damp Rocky Road Trail, SobertonTrack leading to the Meon Valley TrailPublic footpath, Soberton, at dusk

    The Cradle of Cricket

    January 8 in England ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    We journeyed today to Hambledon, widely regarded as the Cradle of Cricket. It's cricket club, whose home ground is called Broadhalfpenny Down, was formed in 1750 and was the first headquarters of English cricket (the MCC at Lords was formed in 1787).

    Across the road from the grounds is the Bat & Ball Inn, which straddles the parishes of Hambledon and Clanfield,. The parishes previously had different liquor licencing hours, so at 10pm when one parish had to stop serving alcohol, customers moved across the dividing brass strip on the floor, to continue drinking for another hour.

    We had a walk around the village, then lunch at the Bat & Ball. Our afternoon activities were cut short when the rain came down heavier, so we adjourned back to Soberton and had coffee and cake at the pub.

    We took a late afternoon walk in the drizzling rain along a section of the Meon Valley Trail, a walking and bike track along the route of the former Meon Valley Railway, which runs behind Soberton.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    3Soberton public footpath
    St Peter's, Soberton, bathed in morning sunlightPublic footpath, SobertonSoberton public footpathBrewhouse and bakehouse, Bishop's Waltham PalaceWest Tower, Bishop's Waltham Palace ruinsWest Tower, Bishop's Waltham PalaceBishop's Waltham Palace, Great Hall ruins in the backgroundFrozen lake, Bishop's WalthamSt Mary's Church tower, ShedfieldThe old tower, Shedfield ChurchThe sheep didn't seem bothered that we were passing through their paddock

    Bishop's Waltham

    January 7 in England ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    What a difference a day makes! After yesterday's snowy weather, today was blue sky and sunshine all the way. Still only a few degrees, but perfect for a long walk.

    We started on the outskirts of Soberton, parking the car at a trail head just out of town. Over 2 hours we picked up 5 caches, and ended up walking 10km for the day, some through farmers paddocks on the public rights of way, some along wooded tracks through lush greenery.

    We headed to Bishop's Waltham for lunch, then a self guided tour around the ruins of Bishop's Waltham Palace.

    The town was originally named Waltham, but was given to the bishops of Winchester in 904 AD, and renamed Bishop's Waltham. The palace construction began in 1138 AD and underwent various expansions and additions up until the 15th century.

    The palace was abandoned in 1644 after being surrended to the parliamentary forces during the civil war. It was robbed of materials which were used to repair Wolvesey Palace in Winchester, and lay in decay for hundreds of years, finally being handed to English Heritage in 1952.

    Our afternoon drive took us to Shedfield, and a lovely walk behind the church and old tower, before returning to Soberton and dinner in the White Lion again.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Meon, plenty of snow
    4The White Lion, Soberton. 17th century pub, our home for 5 nights.Found the cache in the snow!Parked the car for a few minutes...1Public walkway, CorhamptonCorhampton houseQueen Victoria postbox, one of the small number still in operation from her reign.Winchester city centreWinchester CathedralCity gate, WinchesterWinchester city centre1"Yeah, but I found the cache"St Michael's graveyard, WinchesterApproach to Winchester Cathedral

    Winterchester

    January 6 in England ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    Today was the coldest day of this winter in the UK and we had flurries of snow most of the morning. The roads were blanketed in a fine covering of snow, and it certainly made caching more challenging!

    We took the backroads to Winchester, the ancient capital of England from the late 9th century until it was surrended to the invading Normans in 1066 (when the capital was moved to London).

    Winchester is also home to Winchester Cathedral, originally built in 1079. It is the largest Gothic cathedral in Europe, and is the final resting place of Jane Austen.

    We returned to Soberton via Droxford and a late afternoon walk.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Houses dusted in snow, West Meon
    Alton CemeteryThe grave of Fanny Adams, AltonPub lunch, West MeonLight cover of snow, West MeonWest Meon walk

    Soberton

    January 5 in England ⋅ 🌙 -1 °C

    We had an early start today and caught the bus to Heathrow to pick up our hire car. Google Maps did a good job of getting us out onto the M25, then on the minor roads south.

    There had been light snowfall overnight, and it was cold enough for it to stay on the ground all day (most of the day was feels like -7).

    First stop was Alton and a visit to the grave of Fanny Adams. She was a young local girl who was murdered in 1867. The brutal murder, so the story goes, coincided with the introduction of tinned meat in the Royal Navy, and the sailors who did not like the new food said the tins contained the remains of "Sweet Fanny Adams" or "Sweet F.A.", an expression which survives today as slang for nothing.

    We stopped at West Meon for a pub lunch, then via the back roads to Soberton, our base for the next week.

    Dinner was in the pub we're staying at, The White Lion.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Teddington Lock footbridge to Swan Island
    Teddington, Mo Farrah's gold postbox, painted to commemorate British 2012 Olympic gold medallistsSt Mary's, TeddingtonTeddington WeirRadnor Gardens, Twickenham1Sunday roast... with massive Yorkshire Pudding

    Long lap to lunch

    January 4 in England ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    We have a late lunch booking today with the final wedding extravaganza lunch booked for 2pm.

    Instead of walking there direct (an 800m walk), we left a few hours early and did a 9.5km circuit via Hampton Hill, Teddington and Strawberry Hill, collecting a number of caches on the way and some nice views of the Thames River and Teddington Lock (the lowest lock on the Thames, so the waters below it are tidal). It was cold all day with frost still on the ground as we arrived at the pub.

    Lunch was a traditional Sunday roast with the biggest Yorkshire Puddings ever seen, and stretched out to 5.30pm. Just enough time to pack our bags ready to move on tomorrow.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Twickenham Stadium
    Plenty of frost on the ground this morning1I do like a scenic route...Duke's Walk alongside Twickenham StadiumTwickenham Stadium from a distance5In church ready for the weddingUs with the bride 👰‍♀1

    Twickenham - home of rugby, and weddings

    January 3 in England ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    With the wedding this afternoon, we stayed local today with a walk to Twickenham Stadium (officially Allianz Stadium), home of England rugby, and the world's largest rugby union stadium (82,000 capacity).

    We grabbed a light lunch at the Turkish cafe next to our accommodation, then headed to St Mary's Church for Erin and Hugh's 3pm wedding.

    After a lovely service complete with choir and organ accompaniment, we headed next door to York House for the reception .    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Dominion Theatre
    3Houses of Parliament and Big Ben2National Covid Memorial Wall5Queues of tourists waiting to get a photo with a phone box and Big Ben in the backgroundHorse Guards Parade, London Eye in the backgroundHorse Guard, WhitehallTrafalgar SquareLeicester Square3Dominion Theatre

    West End girls... and boys

    January 2 in England ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    We caught the train to London Central today for a West End musical, allowing plenty of time for the journey to account for some closed lines and rail maintenance.

    We alighted at Westminster Station and joined the throngs of tourists walking around Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey precinct.

    We also walked along the National Covid Memorial Wall, which stretches for 500 metres alongside the River Thames, directly opposite the Houses of Parliament. There are more than 240,000 individually hand-painted red hearts, each representing a person who died in the UK with Covid-19 as a direct cause of death.

    We skirted St James Park, through Horse Guard Parade (site of Trooping the Colour) and had lunch in Trafalgar Square (home to the most favourited cache in the UK with over 4,000 favourite points).

    We continued our walk to the Dominion Theatre for a matinee performance of The Devil Wears Prada.

    Our jouney home was more circuitous, changing trains twice before arriving at Twickenham in time for dinner at the William Webb Ellis Wetherspooons.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Fountain Court, Hampton Court Palace
    CourtyardKing's StaircaseEast Wing entranceGreat HallKing's Guard ChamberAnne Boleyn's Gateway and astronomical clockIce skating in the palace groundsPond GardenDecorative Tudor brick chimneys

    I'm Henry the 8th, I am, I am

    January 1 in England ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    Today was a visit to Hampton Court Palace, one of the favourite residences of Henry VIII and his six wives.

    Henry did massive renovations when he took over the palace from the Archbishop of York (who gave the palace to Henry to try to save his own life), quadrupling the size of the kitchens to allow his entourage of over 1,000 people to be fed, and built the Great Hall and Royal Tennis court, as well as his personal living quarters.

    Subsequently William III added his own living quarters and reception rooms, so the palace has 2 distinct styles inside.

    We walked back to our accommodation via Bushy Park, the second largest of London's Royal Parks, home to large herds of deer, and the birthplace of the Parkrun movement.

    Dinner was in the Turkish Restaurant next to our apartment.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    4Happy New Year!
    Top deck travelGTech Stadium, home of The Bees, nestled amongst apartment blocksWater tower, London Museum of Water and SteamLondon Museum of Water and SteamBlack headed gull, plentiful along The ThamesMonument to The Battle of BrentfordDespite the sun being day out, air temperature was below zero most of the day1Our transport todayPre-wedding NYE dinner, The Marlborough, Richmond Hill1Frosty start to the new year, -1 feels like-6 🥶

    Home of The Bees... and Happy New Year!

    December 31, 2025 in England ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    We had a late start today, so only ventured as far as Brentford, home of Premier League club The Bees. We had hopes of attending their home game tomorrow night, so dropped into the stadium on the slim chance there were tickets available. But with a public holiday match and only a 17,000 seat stadium, all tickets were gone.

    We briefly visited the London Museum of Water and Steam, then walked along the Thames via a number of caches, with lunch at a Thai restaurant.

    Our last stop was the monument commemorating The Battles of Brentford - the first an Anglo-Saxon victory in 1016 against Danish invaders, and more recently, a Royalist victory in 1642 during the English Civil War, where Charles I's forces pushed the Parliamentarians back towards London.

    When the weather got too cold to continue our outdoor activities (most of the day was "feels like -1"), we caught the bus back to Twickenham for afternoon coffee from the Turkish cafe next door, in preparation for night ahead.

    Pre-wedding event dinner tonight was near Richmond Hill, so at midnight we wandered down to the viewing point and saw in the New Year to a cacophony of fireworks from all directions. The celebrations continued for quite a while, and we were serenaded by the random popping of fireworks as we walked back to our accommodation.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Santa working some serious overtime in Kew Gardens
    Some Swan upping on the Thames at WindsorWindsor Castle1The last original blue mailbox in the UK, Windsor, used for airmail only, from 1930 to 1938Christmas markets, Windsor1The people you meet in Windsor...Christmas at KewAmusement rides, Kew Gardens1Christmas at Kew1Christmas at KewChristmas at Kew

    Windsor, right on Kew

    December 30, 2025 in England ⋅ 🌙 2 °C

    We awoke to blue sky and sunshine... but still only 2 degrees! We caught the train to Windsor, but no castle visit as it was closed today. The Bavarian themed Christmas market was still operating, so we partook in some mulled wine before continuing our walk around town. Without the tour buses, the streets were pleasant to walk, so we had a leisurely lunch in a cafe before catching the train back to Twickenham.

    A quick turnaround at our apartment, and we caught the bus to Richmond, then walked to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for their Christmas at Kew light display. This was the first of the wedding events organised by Erin, so we had the opportunity to meet many of the other wedding guests. The gardens were very popular, with hundreds of families walking the 2 hour circuit, complete with food stalls, amusement rides and Santa still in residence!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet
    Holly Road Garden of Rest
    3Holly Road Garden of Rest4Squirrel, Holly Road Garden of Rest3Twickenham pedestrian shopping precinct1St Mary's Church, we'll be back in a few days for the weddingThames River, Twickenham1York House statues3Lunch of fish, chips, mushy peas and curry sauce.1Xmas themed yarn bombing

    Walking tour of Twickenham

    December 29, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    We began our walk around Twickenham with a visit to the Holly Road Garden of Rest, a disused cemetery now being utilised as a playground and dog park. It was the burial ground of the parish from 1782, but was full by 1835, and remained untouched until it re-opened as a public park in 1953.
    Some notable burials include Thomas Twining, founder of Twinings Tea, and William Howe, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army during the American War of Independence.

    We continued along the banks of the Thames, past the church and reception venue of the wedding in a few days. We stopped for lunch at a pub, before returning to our accommodation via a stop at Tescos for supplies.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetEngland and MaltaDarren and Janet

    Welcome to Twickenham

    December 28, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    We departed Adelaide on time at 10.40pm Saturday for our flight to Dubai. We had 4 hours in transit, then an onward flight to London, arriving to overcast skies and 7 degrees.

    Our accommodation for the next week is an apartment in the Twickenham high street, behind the hairdresser. After a quick visit to the grocer across the street for breakfast supplies, we had a quiet night in.Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    Expo 2020 site, main entrance
    1The crowded main boulevard of Expo CityApproaching Al Wasl Plaza, centrepiece of Expo 2020Al Wasl Plaza.. world's largest interactive dome. Who knew that was a thing!3Saudi Arabia exhibit1Metro station, Expo City1Driverless Metro trainAfternoon traffic1Dubai Tram has one line (10km), running between Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina1Walkway from the Metro to the monorail goes through a building under construction

    Expo 2020... missed it by that much!

    June 30, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Our final day in Dubai and we headed to the site of the 2020 World Expo. It gets mixed reviews, with the most positive claiming it's a futuristic extravaganza. We saw the polar opposite, more like the back lot of a movie studio, with most exhibits closed and only staff in attendance.

    In fact, we didn't find anything open apart from a hotel and eateries... but there were many staff keen to give us a guided tour of the site by golf buggy, for a hefty fee.

    We caught the metro back to near the palm, then the monorail to our hotel for a late lunch.

    In preparation for our flight tonight we had an afternoon nap, a walk along the beachfront promenade for dinner, and a 10.30pm pickup booked for our 2am flight home.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    Atlantis The Palm
    View through the haze of the Burj Al Arab Hotel, from the end of the palm breakwater41View of the outer frond, from the monorailOne of the fronds has been demolished already (no doubt to be rebuilt bigger!)View down the trunk, from the monorailMonorail tracks walking trailMonorail walking path, Nakheel Mall and Tower in the backgroundDubai skyline silhouetteOn the beachfront near our hotel

    Tour of Palm Jumeirah

    June 29, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    As we're staying at a hotel on the trunk of the palm, today we toured around the palm.

    Palm Jumeirah is the largest man made island in the world, constructed from 2001-2007 from 7 million tons of rock and sand mined from the Hajar Mountains, 400km away. It has a trunk and 17 fronds, creating 73km of beachfront, and it's own monorail.

    We caught a taxi to the far end of the outer breakwater (predominantly to get a cache 😁), then stopped in at Atlantis The Palm resort and waterpark on the way back (of course it's the world's largest waterpark, with 105 slides and rides). We didn't partake this time.

    We caught the monorail half way back, to Nakheel Mall for lunch, then late afternoon continued our monorail journey back to our hotel on the trunk.

    At dusk we went for a walk along the promenade under the monorail tracks, then I had a refreshing evening dip in the pool.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    Burj Khalifa
    2Fountain, Dubai MallDubai Mall aquarium (and OLED screen)Dinosaur skeleton in Dubai Mall... as you do 🙄Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall in the foregroundCinnabon afternoon tea overlooking the ice skating rink inside Dubai MallView of the private beaches along the palmRooftop pool was busy tonightSunset dip in the rooftop poolDubai FrameDubai Eye after dark

    Dubai - world's largest everything

    June 28, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    Very late start today - we made it to breakfast 20 minutes before it closed at 11 am.

    The weather isn't conducive to walking anywhere, with 41 degrees, feels like 47, so we caught a taxi to Dubai Mall (largest mall in the world).

    First stop outside was photos of the Burj Khalifa (tallest building plus various other records), then inside to wander in air conditioned comfort for a few hours.

    We visited the aquarium (largest aquarium in a mall... now they're grasping at straws 🤣), which also has the largest high definition video wall above it.

    The taxi ride back to our hotel took us past The Dubai Frame (largest building in the shape of a picture frame)... which epitomises Dubai in many ways - if you build something weird enough it will get a claim to fame and people will pay to see it!

    As the sun was setting it was the perfect time for a swim in the hotel's rooftop pool... complete with a great view of the Dubai Eye (largest observation wheel). Seems an apt way to finish the day.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    Museum of the Future looked good at night
    View from our roomAlso the view from our room.. 24 hour construction just below usWe're staying at the case of the palm (but not at the Hilton as it may appear 😁)

    Welcome to Dubai

    June 28, 2025 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 35 °C

    We had to disembark the ship by 9am, for a 2.15pm flight to Dubai, so today was a lot of waiting around.

    The flight to Dubai was late taking off, but we still arrived on time at 12.50am... and the temperature was still 37 degrees!

    Given the hour, the roads were remarkably busy, and we arrived at our hotel just after 2am.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    1Catching the 25 tram
    Entering Lisbon up the Tagus RiverView approaching LisbonPraça Comercio SquareOn the 25 tramEstrela ChurchEstrela GardensWalking the cobblestone streets1Of course we had Portuguese tarts...Miradouro Observation Point1About to catch the funicular down1Lisbon Train StationRestaurant stripFinal trivia session today

    Lisbon by foot and rail

    June 26, 2025 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    We had an afternoon arrival into Lisbon, sailing into the mouth of the Tagus River and past Belem Tower, docking at 3pm.

    No bus for us today, our tour of the city was by foot and rail. We only had a group of 12, and began with a walk to Praça Comercio, the main square on the waterfront. From there we caught the 25 tram to Estela Church, had a refreshment break in Estela Gardens then walked on to the Principe area.

    We had free time to explore the local shops, and festivities in the park before walking to Miradouro Observation Point and catching the funicular down the hill toward the main square and crowded restaurant strip, with hundreds of locals enjoying dinner al fresco.

    Finally, we caught the metro back to the cruise dock, arriving at 8pm, having walked 11.3km for the day! We had just enough energy to grab a couple of caches outside the cruise terminal before boarding for late dinner and an Abba themed farewell party in the lounge bar.

    We are in dock overnight before disembarking at 9am tomorrow.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    Finale of the crew talent show
    Engine room preso2Trivia team dinnerLisa Lawton, UK soprano and swing performer

    Final sea day

    June 25, 2025, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    Our last sea day of the cruise, spent in the usual way - in the morning a preso from the engineering team about the engine room, then bracelet making, trivia and more eating!

    We had an early crew show on stage tonight, followed by dinner with my trivia team, and finished the night with a performance by a soprano/swing performer.Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    2The new mountain formed by the 2021 eruption
    Entering Santa Cruz harbour, 7amCigar selection at the factoryHandrolling cigars4View from Viewpoint La Conception, our ship in dockView from La ConcepciónSome considerabe trimming of the mountain was required to construct the coast road!Our Lady of the Snows ChurchThis road is the runway of the original La Palma airport, until 1970, on a plateau above Santa CruzBlack lava flow on the left, untouched town on the rightWalking trail, Caldera de Taburiente National ParkDeserted streets in Santa Cruz todaySanta Cruz Town Hall1Replica of Columbus' ship, Santa MariaBlack volcanic sand beach, Santa CruzSanta Cruz foreshore, old and new1Barraquito!

    Lovely La Palma

    June 24, 2025 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    We arrived in Santa Cruz, capital of the island of La Palma, Canary Islands, to clear skies and bright sunshine.

    La Palma is one of the smaller of the 7 Canary Islands and receives considerably less tourists than it's more famous neighbours - 120,000 per year, compared to Tenerife (6 million), Grand Canaria (4 million), and Lanzarote (3 million). Most come here for the natural beauty and tranquillity.

    Our day tour began at the Royal Island Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Snows, a church in the hills above Santa Cruz. The church houses a 14th-century sculpture of Our Lady of the Snows, believed to have been brought by merchants before the arrival of the Spaniards. Every five years she is carried down to Santa Cruz in a grand procession, which begins next week, so the city is deep in preparation for the month long festival to celebrate it.

    We drove to the west of the island via a cigar factory, and a local farm for refreshments, to the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, a popular walking and hiking area. We took a short walk, but the planned 1 hour walk was not possible as they are currently upgrading the track. The park is also home to the largest telescope in the world.

    We continued west to view the site of the most recent volcanic eruption in the Canaries, where the Cumbre Veija Volcanic Ridge erupted for 85 days in 2021, leaving a 6.2 km long and 3km wide lava trail which reached the sea and displaced 7,000 residents. The main road has been repaired, but the damage is still very visible, as is the newest mountain on the island which was created in the process.

    Returning to the port at 2pm, we had 1.5 hours to explore the city on foot, so we visited the main shopping area. It was a religious holiday today, so many of the shops were closed and the streets almost deserted, but we managed to sample the local coffee specialty, the barraquito - a multi-layered drink containing condensed milk, Liqueur 43, coffee with milk, milk foam, cinnamon, and lemon.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    Churros for dessert
    Cooking demo with the executive chef

    Water, water everywhere

    June 23, 2025, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Another day surrounded by water, so today's fun facts are about water.

    The ship has its own desalination plant which produces 600,000 litres of fresh water a day, used for drinking, cooking, flushing and washing (people and clothes - there are 5 laundries on board)

    Today's activities were bracelet making, a cooking demonstration and the usual trivia, with a comedian as evening entertainment.

    After 4 consecutive sea days, we're certainly ready for a shore day tomorrow in the Canary Islands.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    Country Fair on the pool deck
    Pool emptied because of the rough seasName that spice, with the restaurant departmentHorse racesCorn holeWater PongAnother parlour game...1Afternoon teaAcoustic duo in the cocktail bar

    All the fun of the fair

    June 22, 2025, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    The Country Fair was on today, where all the ships departments host a game booth of a classic fairground game, with the chance to win some ship's merch.

    The seas were the roughest so far this trip, so the pool was emptied to improve stability and the risk of spillage on the decks. Games and activities, however, continued as planned, including a lecture about the colonisation of Africa, daily trivia, and afternoon tea with a strudel theme.

    Evening entertainment was an acoustic duo in the cocktail bar, before changing the clocks for a time zone change... the 6th change of the cruise!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    1Breakfast as we leave Cape Verde 😭
    Entering Porto Grande harbour, Sāo Vincente Island, Cape Verde2On the upside, I finished a book and returned it to the book swap. Quite an achievement for me 🤣3Entering the harbour, Porto GrandeHello Cape Verde...and goodbye Cape Verde

    Cape Verde... almost

    June 21, 2025 in Cape Verde ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    We were on time for our 7am arrival at the island of Sāo Vincente, the second most westerly of the Cape Verde islands.

    Cape Verde is named after the westernmost cape of Africa, located in Senegal, the nearest point on the continent. It consists of nine inhabited islands and one uninhabited island.

    Unfortunately, this morning we experienced 40 knot winds as we were attempting to dock, so after one aborted attempt the captain gave up and cancelled our visit, and we headed towards our next port, the Canary Islands.

    So after a leisurely breakfast on the deck, we had a day of bracelet making, lunch, playing cards and the usual trivia.

    We were hoping the extra day could be spent at dock in the Canary Islands, but it's not possible for "operational reasons", so we now have 3 days at sea, at a reduced pace, and will be reaching the Canary Islands in line with our original schedule.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    2Brown Booby on the wing
    1Donut or cronut for breakfast?1Oh, yes please!Booby flips, ready to dive1Afternoon teaFirst sight of the eastern Cape Verde Islands (we travel overnight through to the western islands)

    A hatch of Boobies*

    June 20, 2025, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Another travelling day, on the way to Cape Verde, and for the first time this trip we had a flock of birds following the boat for a few hours. We identified them as Brown Boobies as they soared along next to us, then flipped over and dived into the ocean to catch a fish, occasionally emerging triumphant. The fish were almost presenting themselves by jumping out of the water, so this entertainment kept us amused for quite a while this afternoon.

    This morning's presentation was by the ship's bridge officers about what happens on the bridge, and other useful bits of information such as how our waters are pumped into various tanks and used as ballast (fresh water, grey water and blackwater), and how recycling is done on board (all waste is sorted, and the ship has a glass crusher, a baler for cardboard and aluminium, and food waste is pulverised for later disposal)

    *the collective noun for a group of boobies is a hatch, a congress or a trap    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMauritius and West AfricaDarren and Janet
    3African Renaissance Monument
    1Goree Island... as close as we got3View from the African Renaissance Monument, cemetery in the foregroundMosque of the DivinityOur taxi crewOur chariotCoffee sellers are popular on the streets3Dakar Train StationPlenty of street sellersLocal busParliament HouseCathedral of our Lady of VictoriesOutdoor dinner with a view of the dock, watching the sea eagles soar around usDusk dip

    Dakar, as west as West Africa gets

    June 19, 2025 in Senegal ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Most of the day was at sea, with our scheduled 11am arrival into Dakar pushed back to 3.30pm. This also meant that 3 of the 5 tours around Dakar were cancelled, including our trip to Goree Island.

    This was a real shame - it was the excursion we were most looking forward to, as Goree was the largest slave-trading centre on the African coast.

    The only tours remaining were a city highlights tour, or a cooking class... and the cooking class was booked out. The city highlights tours spend more time on the bus than visiting sites, so us and another couple opted to catch a taxi for our own city tour.

    There were a number of taxis on the dock, so we negotiated a price for 2 hours to see the major sites, and it was brilliant. We visited all the sites the bus tour was doing plus more, and were finished in half the time 😁

    Progress was swift because the roads around the city were the best we've seen, and the city is one of the cleanest we've visited.

    Dakar is situated on the Cape Verde Peninsula, the westernmost point of Africa, so our tour began on the coast at the African Renaissance Monument, Africa's tallest statue. At 52 metres, it is taller than both Christ the Redeemer in Rio and the Statue of Liberty. It depicts a man, woman and child emerging from a volcano, symbolising Africa's emergence from centuries of oppression, and was the subject of much controversy because of its cost and design.

    Our others stops were the President's Palace and Parliament House, Mosque of the Divinity, Cathedral of our Lady of Victories, and Independence Square, before returning to the ship and some market shopping on the dock.

    We still had time for a swim and dinner before the other buses arrived back, then a leisurely cocktail in the lounge bar before the nightly show in the main theatre.    Read more

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