PORT VICTORIA, SEYCHELLES - 11th April The Seychelles consists of over 70 coralline islands and 42 mountainous granitic islands scattered over the Indian Ocean. Victoria, the capital is on the granitic island of Mahe. With its tropical climate it produces lush countryside with exotic flora and fauna. Tourism is the main source of income. The focal point of Victoria is the Clock Tower, approached down Independence Avenue. It was erected in 1903 when the Seychelles became a Crown Colony and was no longer linked to Mauritius. The Tower used to stand at the harbour front before land reclamation and is a replica of the tower of Londons Vauxhall Bridge. We walked through the town to the various food and souvenir markets. The fish market was in full swing early in the morning but it was becoming ... read more

SINGAPORE - 2nd April This was the end of the first leg of our cruise from Sydney and there was going to be another turnaround of passengers. Like Hong Kong we were only here for one day instead of the normal two, and as we have been here and done most the sights we knew what we wanted to do. Our aim was to visit The Gardens by the Bay - so more on that later. Singapore has a wealth of attractions and over the past 5 plus years we have seen the Marina Bay Area grow from reclaimed land to what it is now. The Marina Bay Sands Hotel is the focal point with its boat shaped roof top sitting on three blocks. The city has come along way since Sir Stamford Raffles founded it ... read more

PHU MY, VIETNAM - 26th March Vietnam's seaside resort is the gateway to the city of Ho Chin Minh formerly known as and still called in most circles Saigon. Saigon is located on the river near the Mekong Delta, it was formerly in French hands and became known as the "Paris of the East" with many fine examples of French colonial architecture. It's now about 90 minutes from the port to the city thanks to a new motorway which keeps the hordes of motorbikes at bay, so it was a quick trip into the city with the first port of call being the Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral. The General Post Office with its huge picture of Ho Chi Minh was built at a similar time as the Cathedral (1870's). The Cathedral is a ... read more

BALI - 20th March Bali forms part of the Indonesian archipelago which lies between Australia and Singapore, it is one of the smallest islands measuring 93 miles east to west an 57 miles north to south. A Thousand years of Hindu influence has been mixed with various cultures to produce a glittering and sophisticated culture of its own. Landing at Padang Bay by tender took us passed the water sports playground with jetskis and parascending boats all jockeying for position. Bali is a favourite haunt for Australian tourists so the bay was full of people enjoying themselves. Known as the island of a 1000 temples, Bali may have ten times that number to service the dense population. There are more than 100 ethnic groups speaking more than 300 different languages but they all seem to live ... read more

SYDNEY 1st March - 9th March Arriving early morning into Circular Quay, always a special sight, the sun over the Opera House and the first view of the Harbour Bridge. Disembarkation was easy, however waiting for the transfer was not. No transport waiting for us, bookings all messed up and eventually tracked down the company responsible. It was only about 800 yards to the Mantra where we were staying so no big deal but it was hot waiting and seeing everybody else disappearing was a bit traumatic. This is our fifth visit, so what to do. The answer is loads, from museums to beaches to gardens. The apartment was ready early so off shopping only for essentials. Who do we bump into in George Street but friends we have made on Arcadia, Hilary and Phil. They ... read more