The brochure advised early booking as this tour had a limit of 32 guests. I was on the phone immediately to secure my reservation.
I didn’t make a point of watching as we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge at around 04.45hrs. We would dock at San Francisco at around 7am, by which time, I would be preparing for my day out on the Napa Valley Wine Train. Any shore excursion with trains as a main element of the tour will always attract my attention. And I was not disappointed. The commentary from our tour guide was informative and delivered in a pleasing way. Soon, we were left to enjoy the passing wine fields draped countryside, just having important landmarks brought to our attention. The train was fascinating. Vintage one hundred year old clerestory passenger stock was marshalled with carriages from more recent eras. High end cuisine and wine was served throughout the three hour experience over a round trip of 30 miles, including the locomotive changing ends.
Being late (01.00hrs) I just enclose a handful of images taken today.
Below, are pictures taken from on board Queen Elizabeth as we leave San Francisco.
Arrival at San Francisco today (3/7/19) marks my complete circumnavigation of the world on transport other than aeroplane.
1) QM2 World Voyage 2018, Southampton to New Zealand and Australia, out via west Africa and Mauritius, back via the Far East, Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.
Cape Town to Port Elizabeth was by bus. Adelaide to Melbourne was by local flights via Canberra.
2 and 4) I would travel from Melbourne back to Adelaide by train in March 2019.
3) San Francisco to Sydney, 2019 Queen Victoria World Voyage sector, February 2019
4) Melbourne to Adelaide March 2019 by train, The Overlander.
5) QM2 Transatlantic crossing 31/5/19
6) New York to Schenectady, Toronto, Jasper, Kamloops and Vancouver by rail. June 20197) Vancouver to Alaska and San Francisco, arrived 3/7/19.
I think that’s it; we are celebrating later today!
All the best,David.
David's Cruise 