We’re up in the air again. Smooth check in, well under the luggage allowance (which is 31 kg, which seems a lot) and cruising along at 35000 ft. There was a trick when we saw our gate and the final boarding call but it was just ‘Greek’! Our gate, our flight number, our airline but the final call was for the previous flight from that gate and had not been amended. Only mild panic but really no drama as we knew that over an hour was left before scheduled take off. Flying Etihad as we did on the way over but currently on the A320 which is a baby for their fleet and not one I expect to take us home. It’s just under a 5 hour flight to Abu Dhabi and most of that time ... read more

Despite having yoghurt, muesli, fruit, juice, several pastries and coffee for breakfast I set off on my food tour. Leaving the eggs, bacon, breads etc was a good decision, well not really I’ve become so accustomed to not having that English style breakfast I no longer really even think about it. Perhaps I should have had less of everything though because a focus of the tour was on sampling. Met Trevor, an English trained chef who has lived in Athens for almost 20 years at Syntagma Square (doesn’t everyone met everyone there), and set off on the Athens Food Adventure. First stop probably 2 metres away! And that’s the tone for the tour. Little walking, lots of eating. Only 3 in the group and that’s why my take away bag was choc a block full. We ... read more

By taxi, by train and by plane, all modes of transport have lead us to Athens. And despite just about having to sell my kidney to pay the taxi fare from the airport I love it. Having visited years ago I had an impression of Athens based on that visit and on what I’ve read and gleaned and often and frequently the impression and the reality do not match. Here first impressions (after the airport in the middle of the night) do. The skyline from the rooftop garden of our hotel is the equal of any city vista I’ve seen anywhere. It is so evocative of so many concepts and I love it. It is truly inspiring. I’m eagerly anticipating a couple of walking tours I have booked and can’t wait to get amongst what the ... read more

South side of the Douro so we are in Vila Nova de Gaia not Porto. Technical difference but important to locals! No one wants to be called a ‘tripe eater’ when they’re not! Talking food the ship served a ‘francesinha’ on board today. Poor substitute for the real thing and significantly smaller but it probably meant considerably fewer heart attacks than serving good ones. After breakfast we walked across the Luis l Bridge to the cathedral and then to the station. All I’d seen before but with a guide I had a few aspects explained or expounded so it was worthwhile. Additionally the bus picked us up and drove via a fairly circuitous route back home so I saw a few sights outside of my walking radius. We also went to a port warehouse, Sandemans, one ... read more

Actually in a lock as I type so not expecting to be able to post for a while. From memory the gorges will feature as the predominant landscape soon and that too will preclude posting so again it may be typing time for a while and possibly posting time quickly when I can. It’s just after breakfast, it’s always just after some meal or just before another meal when on board. It’s coolish but not cold, I’m getting dripped on from the lock wall but we’ve just started to move so the drips will be ancient history, now are ancient history. Temperature today is expected to get to 30 degrees and there’s not a cloud in the sky. Me and all my friends (well one of them) are on the top deck for the lock process. ... read more