Author Archives: dipidydoo
Oban
We were up and about by 6am to take advantage of having mobile data again, which meant we could catch up on the blog and email, and get them out of the way before sightseeing. Back when I was researching our ports, I didn’t find much of interest in Oban itself, so we hatched a […]
The Golden Circle
Our last port in Iceland was Reykjavik, and it was a busy day. We were booked on a small bus tour of the famous Golden Circle, which covers the most spectacular sights in the south west. With at least four cruise ships in port, it was crowded everywhere, which is one of the unavoidable downsides […]
Akureyri and Lake Myvatn
The alarm sounded at 5.30am. A quick glance out of the cabin window showed that we were already inside the Eyjafjordur, one of the longest fjords in Iceland. Unlike yesterday, the sky was heavy with thick cloud, and we did not rush up on deck this time. We had to be in the queue for […]
Sunny Seydisfordjur
Just before 6am, Ian pulled our cabin curtains aside. “Quick! We need to get dressed and get up on deck!” One glance out of the window explained why. We were sailing up a stunning 17-km long fjord. We threw on our thermals and fleeces in record time, and bolted for Deck 11. The sun was […]
All at Sea
Two years ago we sailed on the Regal Princess, one of the largest ships in their cruise fleet. This time we are on Pacific Princess, the smallest. She is an older ship, recently refurbished. There are definite differences between the two, and pros and cons to each. Pacific definitely does not have the Wow factor […]
Shetland
Our first port of call was Lerwick, the capital of the Shetland Islands, and Britain’s most northerly town (if we’d brought DROC jackets we could have claimed the record for the DROC jackets which have been the furthest north within the British Isles). The Shetlands lie 130 miles northeast of the northern tip of Scotland. […]
It’s a Long Way to the Ship if your Suitcase Doesn’t Roll (with apologies to AC/DC)
Cruise embarkation day! While we slept, our ship, the Pacific Princess, pulled into Dover, and was awaiting our arrival. Turns out overnight she was also involved in the rescue of three fishermen, and news crews have been on board. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/25/cruise-passengers-clap-as-pacific-princess-rescues-fishermen Meanwhile we were busy eating the last of our food, packing our suitcases, and mustering up […]
A Grand Day Out
The sound of Dover is the sound of seagulls (not bluebirds), and they woke us up this morning with their clamour, along with a very pleasant burst of sunshine. Our mission today was to explore the Castle; but first we had to get there. Down our steep hill, along a couple of streets, then up […]
South by Train
We bid a fond farewell to Toft Hall, to stone walls, to the Tyne bridges, to the Angel, and to Northumberland in general; and boarded our train to London, which was embossed with “Battle of Britain” livery. We whizzed past Durham with its cathedral, then through York, Doncaster and Peterborough, with smooth efficiency. It’s remarkable […]
Angels and Romans
A lazy day. Rain. Eggs on toast for lunch. Eventually we drove to Gateshead to see the Angel of the North, which spreads its wings in welcome. Not everyone loves it but I reckon as far as public art goes, I’ve seen much worse. The dull grey sky made photographing it difficult; however If you […]
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