11th September 2018, Trip to China, Arrival in Beijing

We arrived in Beijing late on Tuesday night after two eight hour flights, Cape Town, Dubai, Beijing. I love everything about airports, they are magical places that transport us on amazing adventures. Beijing is everything we imagined and more. Efficient and modern with large passages enabling fast throughput of passengers past passport control and customs. Luggage took some time as it was a large aircraft and completely full. Our driver and our guide Coco met us with a sign - our name, easy enough to find - no evidence of long queues or governmental control. Leisurely drive to Dongfeng hotel. Good hotel, clean lovely towels with complimentary bottled water, tea and slippers.

Air BnB in Tamboerskloof a bird eyes view

We stayed at the highest point in Tamboerskloof , we went for dinner at a gorgeous restaurant in which Carolyn’s sister is the head chef. Michael recons it was the best meal he has had in a long time. I agree 100%.

Wedding in Tulbagh in the Western Cape

Congratulations Chantelle, Gregg on your beautiful wedding. Mike and Fleur, you must be proud. Thank you for inviting Michael and I, we had a lovely time.

10 April 2018 LA, Echo Park and LAX airport.

The cycling around LA was difficult, I had imagined Venice beach and Muscle beach not the hills of Beverly Hills and BelAir, Brentwood, Culver City and Santa Monica boulevard (really long road) also known as Route 66. We arrived late - as we exited the ship at 7:35 - per the schedule - it took one hour to get through customs - very efficient - and out ready for a taxi by 8:15. Taxi came and well let’s say that $105 later and finally we were in front of the bike shop at 10:15. Not just traffic, the taxi driver definitely messed us around. 

Finished the ride really tired and used the Lyft app to get a car to drive us to our Airbnb in Echo Park a lovely part of LA cost of around $14 - why a huge difference- even in temperament of driver.

View from the Airbnb - too tired to walk anywhere we used Uber to order food - it is a different world in the USA. The quantity of Chinese food delivered was enormous. We could not finish it. In the morning we ordered a Uber to LAX. Definetly longer than our taxi journey for only $35.

We are now Tuesday the 10th at LAX airport waiting for our initial flight to Dubai approximately 17hrs plus 7hrs in Dubai then 12hrs to Cape Town arriving on Thursday the 12th, driving back to SFB 7hrs on Friday the 13th. Until next time.

9th April 2018 Getting off the Island Princess in LA

Should be a fun day cycling from Santa Monica around LA. Had a lovely breakfast as usual. I am repeating myself, the food is first class.

Smoked salmon. Mmm.

Looking out onto Golden Gate Bridge and the LA harbour on the other side.

06 April 2018 Puerto Vallarta Mexico

A place of beaches. I am at the Starbucks in Puerto Valhalla Mexico - internet on the ship is terrible 😂 I have not been able to post about any of the other places but will go back and update. We have had 3 sea days in the last 6 days and have managed to go to lectures on the GoPro camera, learned a lot. Michael has had 6 lessons with a personal trainer and has enjoyed the gym. We have read and rested. It has been lovely. The previous port was also in Mexico and we saw the Aztec pyramids - these were more like mounds not pyramid shape. Prior to that in Granada beautiful buildings and a great tour of the Islets - 365 islands which we took a boat ride around.

01 April 2018 - Puntarenas

Costa Rica and Por Vida is their slogan, brown sand beaches, coconut trees line the streets. Easter Sunday so everything is quiet very few shops are open. Imperial beer which we will sample on our way back - all a board by 18:30. We saw iguana.

Poe’s and Irrazul active volcanos can be seen on a clear day, unfortunately it was cloudy. They make fences out of living trees cut short. 

Lots of mango trees, different types of mangos to allow mangos for sale all year round. Melons and water melons are also farmed.

Cantonese Chinese not Szechuan style, come from the railway workers in the Caribbean. The land of crocodiles is an eco tourist park where we board our boat for our crocodile tour.