Whenever I’ve wanted to go to an out-of-the-way place, I’ve relied on Adventures Abroad (2148-20800 Westminster Hwy., Richmond, B.C., V6V 2W3, Canada; 800/665-3998, www.adventures-abroad.com) to take me there.
A trip I took with them May 14-June 6, 2015, “Indian Ocean Islands,” showed me Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Mayotte and Comoros. For transport, the company hired local boats, including the sailboat we used to go around Seychelles.
Save time getting to Antarctica and avoid possibly heavy seas by skipping a Drake Passage sailing from/to Argentina and choosing a "Fly the Drake " itinerary offered by Quark Expeditions (Seattle, WA; 844/881-3177, www.quarkexpeditions.com).
17-day, 16-night cruise on Le Ponant, March 29-April 14, 2017. Highlights: Charter flight from Miami, then tour Old Havana/tobacco-growing region of Pinar del Rio/embark ship/at Cueva del Indio, subterranean cruise/Zodiac ride to Cayo Guillermo for snorkeling, diving/in Santiago de Cuba, Emilio Bacardi Moreau Museum, San Juan Hill/town of Trinidad/disembark in Cienfuegos for city tour. Cabins from $17,380 ppdo. Zegrahm Expeditions (Seattle, WA; 855/241-7748, www.zegrahm.com).
“Careful! Don’t step on the sea lion.”
With those words, our guide Joed introduced us to the unique experience of observing wildlife in the Galápagos Islands.
London visitors can enjoy a 4-course meal while sailing up the River Thames on a 3-hour dinner cruise with City Cruises (phone +44 20 77 400 400, www.citycruises.com). The river sightseeing ship travels round trip from Westminster Pier, passing the Houses of Parliament and St. Paul’s Cathedral and under the Tower Bridge.
The dinner cruise costs £80 (near $116) per person or £85 for a window seat. A table for four costs £320. On the website, click on “Dining,” then “Dinner Cruise.”
With Volvo’s Overseas Delivery Program, buying a car in Sweden becomes a vacation.
After picking up your car at the Volvo Factory Delivery Center in Gothenburg, including a factory tour, lunch and an introduction to your car by the English-speaking staff, you are free to embark on one of the Volvo travel agency’s suggested self-drive tours of Sweden.
Itineraries include a 3-day food tour that visits the city of Smögen, a 3-day cultural-history tour that includes Marstrand and Gunnebo House, and a 6-day circular “Roadtrip” to northernmost Sweden and Stockholm.
I read with interest the article “Spending Time in St. Petersburg” (March ’16, pg. 18), as my husband and I are sailing with Viking Ocean Cruises (866/984-5464, www.vikingcruises.com/oceans) soon and will spend two days in St. Petersburg. I was surprised by the author’s comment, “there is a much-less-expensive visa available to cruise-ship passengers who only leave the ship with their guide and don’t stay in Russia for more than two days.”*
