Why is it that, despite numerous exciting journeys throughout my adult life, preparing for going away, including the dreaded packing, always seems to be complicated and somewhat of a “pain.” For once, I felt much better organized than previously and any anxiety I had, was very much at a minimum. Once again, my neighour from over the road was on hand to “chauffeur” me in my Peugeot 508 to Southampton where we would stay overnight at a decent hotel…and enjoy a most leisurely celebratory dinner. The bulk of the packing was completed the previous night. Even so, there was still plenty to do before leaving the house for just over eleven weeks.
We were away by 10.45 and during the five hour drive, the weather ranged from being extremely bright to being dark and menacing with stair rods of heavy rain. Traffic was never heavy during the entire journey and only in Southampton itself did we seem to hit every traffic light on red.
When, eventually, I settle down for some sleep, I shall anticipate with considerable excitement the amazing journey I am about to embark upon. There is no flying; my ship accommodation until the end of March is a balcony cabin forward on the starboard side, facing the coast all the way as we circumnavigate almost the entire continent of South America. These are the ports of call and their countries:-
Bermuda,
Port Canaveral-USA,
Ft. Lauderdale-USA,
San Juan-Puerto Rico,
Bridgetown-Barbados,
Macapa-Brazil (cruise by),
Manaus-Brazil,
Santarem-Brazil,
Macapa-Brazil (cruise by)
Salvador-Brazil,
Rio de Janeiro-Brazil,
Montevideo-Uruguay,
Buenos Aires-Argentina,
Puerto Madrin-Argentina,
Beagle Channel (cruise by),
Ushuaia-Argentina,
Cape Horn-Chile (cruise by),
Magellan Straights (cruise by),
Punta Arenas-Chile,
Amelia Glacier (cruise by),
PIO X Glacier-Chile (cruise by),
Puerto Montt-Chile,
San Antonio-Chile,
Coquimbo-Chile (where I celebrate my 71st birthday, March 1st),
Arica-Chile,
Calleo-Peru,
Manta-Equador,
Fuerte Amador-Panama,
Transit the Panama Canal,
Cartagena-Colombia,
Willemstad-Curacao,
Ft. Lauderdale-USA, and finally…
Ponta Delgada-Azores, Portugal.
My plan is to write about about each place we call at as well as during the numerous at – sea and “cruise by” days. Experience has shown difficulties publishing blogs from remote locations and at sea, and some pictures don’t “work out.” Hopefully I shall be able to produce an interesting and worthwhile account of this exciting journey.
Thanks for reading,
David.
David's Cruise 