26 July 2026 We zig-zag back across the Adriatic overnight, arriving in Kotor, Montenegro in the early morning. We had to get up very early because the way into the city was spectacular and we did not want to miss it. Fjord-like, the high rock walls of a sunken river valley sometime during or after the last ice age provides us with spectacular views. An absolutely monstrous ship, the P&O Azura, is shadowing us and anchors not too far away from us. We are using the ship's tend

25 July 2026 Overnight we cross the Adriatic Sea, landing in Bari, located on the 'heel of the boot' that is the shape of Italy. It is a later start today being 9:30 AM and our tour leaves the pier exactly on time. After a quick drive around the old and new cities, which stand side by side, our shuttle buses stop is pointed out before the bus returns to the promenade and the entrance to the old city or Bari Vecchia. We walk through an archway, which leads to a narrow laneway

24 July 2026 Another early morning and another day venturing out of the city. Today our bus will take us to the beautiful Konavle Valley to experience some aspects of traditional Croatian life. After a forty-five minute drive from the city of Dubrovnik, we arrive in Gruda, where Antonia Ruskovic has maintained the tradition of handcrafted silk production. Antonia, an artist is not in attendance today, but her assistant, an expert in wholly hand-crafted silk production provide

23 July 2026 One thing about travelling in general and this trip in particular is that I am absolutely forced to get up early each day ahead of our pre-booked tours. Today, after docking in the Croatian city of Split, we quickly find our tour bus and wait for the remaining passengers to join us. We have selected a tour that will bring us out of Split to the UNESCO historic town of Trogir, an ancient walled city, which was first settled by the Greeks around the 3rd century. Tr

22 July 2026 After leaving Venice, we cross the Adriatic Sea overnight, waking up to the grinding noise of the ship berthing at a pier. We are on the Silversea Silver Muse, a ship with approximately 600 passengers, small by current standards, and very elegant. Our room is larger than I have experienced with other cruise ships but you won't hear me complaining. I lean over our balcony watch the activity on the pier. Some people are already disembarking ahead of their excursion

18-20 July 2026 We arrive at our hotel near Desinzano on the banks of Lake Garda. Villa Garuti, a faux castle complete with battlements, will be our home for the next three nights. Since our rooms are ready when we arrive, we have the afternoon to explore. We take the free shuttle into Desinzano and explore the lakeside resort town. The town itself dates from the Bronze Age. When the Venetians controlled this area of Italy, they rebuilt the old port in 1454 to make this a com

17 July 2026 It rained overnight giving us the idea that perhaps it will be a little cooler today. We have a very early start today and we are bleary-eyed as we hop on the bus on the dot of 7:30 AM. We travel along the side of Lake Iseo for a few kilometres before branching off onto a narrow road. Susanna, our guide tells us that her decision to leave early is to avoid the expected heavy holiday traffic on the narrow roads between our hotel on lake Iseo and Tirano, which is o

16 July 2026 It’s time to say goodbye to Baveno and move onto our next lake. Como will not be our final destination today, more an interlude for now. The Italian weather does not fail and we have yet another hot day ahead of us as we pack ourselves into the bus, adjust the air-conditioning and wait for the bus to chug up the hill, leaving Baveno behind. Susanna, our guide fills us in on the history and geography of this region as we first travel south, then to the north towar

15 July 2026 At breakfast, someone announced that a thunderstorm had been forecast for last this afternoon. Although the sun is shining, the air is close, cloying even, and there is a haze over the mountains and the lakes. It is already 32C when we leave the hotel at about 10:00 AM. We need to leave early-ish because we are going to visit a museum. I think the heat has fried my brain because despite me looking for a sign of some sort, we just kept walking along the promenade:

14 July 2026 After a leisurely breakfast at the aptly-named Splendid Hotel, we stroll into the village of Baveno. The neon display on the pharmacy informs us that it is already 33C, so we take it slowly. The first point of call is a store to buy a hat because Tom left his at home. No matter, because he did get himself a jaunty hat, which will keep the sun at bay. We wander through the narrow passageways, where there are plenty of nooks and crannies that deserve further explor

13 July 2026 My birthday! And what a wonderful place to celebrate! It had been very disconcerting last week when bombing between Iran and the United States resumed in the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz. We had been booked to travel on Qatar Airways with a stop in Doha, so the last few days before flying were a little stressful as I wondered whether our flights would be changed at the last minute. Despite the conflict, our flights are uneventful and arri

I have only ever visited Italy in the winter, so this trip will show me a completely different view of this wonderful country. It is almost 49 years since my first trip to Italy with my family in December 1977. We covered a lot of distance by car; two adults and four kids squished on the back seat. That trip was probably the inspiration for National Lampoons European Adventure. My second trip was almost 10 years ago, in December 2016. Tom and I took a Trafalgar tour through I

8 August 2025 And so, pulling our suitcases after us because we have an early morning transfer to Gatwick airport, we barely give the...

06 August 2025 Whoo Hoo! The ship has docked and we can disembark in Belfast, our last Irish port. Growing up during the times of The Troubles, visiting Belfast was never on any itinerary, and when The Troubles ended with the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998, new tourism places of interest had been quickly established. Although officially the last era of The Troubles started in the late 1960s and lasted about 30 years, conflicts between Catholics and Protestants have be

04 August 2025 It is so easy to suddenly develop 20/20 vision after the fact. If I had a crystal ball and I could predict what was going...

03 August 2025 Carolyn and Laraine have opted to sleep in and to do their own thing today, so Marianne and I decide to make an early...

02 August 2025 I have been very complacent in the planning for this trip and I should have done more research. Simple... But this is...

01 August 2025 It is here in Dingle that I have have my greatest regret. I am not risk adverse, yet in the country where taking a risk is...

31 July 2025 The ship is not only not moving, but moored at Cobh Pier when I wake up this morning. From the window, I see a railway...

30 July 2025 With much anticipation and excitement, we boarded a bus that would take us to the Southampton Cruise Terminal, where we...