This morning after a leisurely breakfast and last bit of sightseeing on our own we boarded a bus to the new port at HaLong Harbor, and our beautiful Paradise Cruise Line junk for our overnight excursion. The trip up was about 3 hours, and the guide tried to make it interesting, but after an hour or so, it was redundant. The road was under major construction, nothing that could have been helped, and will be wonderful once it's completed!It is a glimpse into daily life of rural Vietnamese in the North, mostly farmers and factory workers, and those that support them. Get there, get there soon, Donald Trump is building a mega resort with a private club casino, and it will not be the same after it's finished. We had packed an overnight bag, a carry ... read more

Hanoi is a bustling city with an intriguing past. A few minutes from the Hotel Metropole is Hoan Kiem Lake, which is the hub of activity in the center of the city. There is a very wide pathway around the lake and it is where people come and run, walk, do Tai Chi, see and be seen, bring their families, play checkers and chess, and many other day and evening activities. There are small restaurant and Pho shops dotted throughout the park. This is a walking thoroughfare from wherever you are to the market area of Old Town, and myriad of shops on crazy streets with everything under the sun to shop for or see. It's easy to get lost here, so ask anyone for Hoan Kiem, and they will point you back to the lake, ... read more

I was very apprehensive about traveling alone to this part of the world. Things were nerve wracking getting ready. I had chosen Cathay Pacific Airlines via Vancouver for the Pacific route, and am sure glad I did. I had chosen Premium Economy, and it was wonderful! Footrests. How can such a little thing make such a big difference? I am 5’3” and my feet never touch the floor. The simple multi-level foot rest, like buses have, got the backs of my legs off the seat and blood flow was ultimately better. Out tiny cabin had it’s own toilet which stayed clean and fresh through the 13 hour flight. We left Vancouver at 2:20am, had a dinner, mine was a diabetic meal with lovely fruits and vegetables with moist chicken. I slept 8 hours straight. When I ... read more

We have a day at sea today , so I chose to have room service breakfast delivered at 8:00am, my usual coffee, yogurt and croissants with jam to get me going. I set out on foot to find my way around this beautiful ship. I have been on her sister ships the Oosterdam and New Amsterdam, but this is a little bit bigger than those two, with a few added show rooms and more dining options. I chose a spa treatment about noon to both help my poor aching muscles from my poor sleep on the flights, and my sore feet from walking all over Rome. After a short nap, I headed up to the Lido for a small bite from the buffet. They always have a great selection of meat salads, those Scandinavians like their ... read more

My flight from Seattle on Delta nonstop to Paris was delayed by two hours. Cargo was not balanced, according to the Captain. We had to sit on the plane while it was rearranged. Then we had to wait another hour for extra fuel because they were given permission to fly at warp speed to catch up on some of the missed time. I had booked Economy Plus so I could hopefully get some decent sleep on the flight. A couple of hours into the flight the woman next to me had an "incident" and they called for a doctor. The flight attendant put me in the only other seat available on the flight, Row 36, in the middle! I could not sleep a wink! I had to lean forward with my blanket and pillows on the ... read more