ICELAND, GREENLAND, NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

 

ARCTIC VOYAGE

HEADING TO BOSTON - June 18, 2026

The flight from Charleston to BWI left about an hour late. The flight from BWI to Boston left about two hours late, so we arrived about 7 PM rather than about 4 PM. These days I consider that to be a success. 

We caught up with Lyn and Tony from Tasmania in time for dinner at the hotel. Tony was as sick as a dog with a constant cough. Not a good start for Tony or possibly the rest of us! The food and service at the hotel restaurant was "very average".  

Early to bed for all of us - at $400 a night I wanted my money's worth. 

VISIT TO STURBRIDGE - June 19, 2026

First thing in the AM Lyn and Tony headed to the doctors where he was assured that he had a virus and not an infection and was therefore not infectious. Meantime I bussed over to the airport and picked up the rental car. 

Back to the hotel to pick up Tony and the two ladies. The drive to Sturbridge was a bit busy but we made it in about 90 mins. Tickets into Sturbridge were free – we think because of the Juneteenth Holiday. But all the "action" activities were not in "action".

Back on Boston by about 6PM. Dinner at Chick-fil-e in downtown Boston. Early to bed again, Tony still not feeling well.

 

DEPARTURE - Saturday, June 20, 2026

Breakfast was much better than dinner. We were on our way to the ship via LYFT by 11AM

The boarding process was a bit of a disorganized mess but we were on board by about 1PM in plenty of time for lunch in the buffet. 

Time to have a look around the ship before departure. The "Volendam" was very similar to the other Holland-America "dam" ships we had cruised upon. About 1,400 guests, quite the "gracious and traditional" design that I remembered.

Our cabin was #2587 (took me quite a while to remember that vital piece of data) located on the second level, about midships. Lyn and Tony were nearby on the same level. It was a very stable location - we slept like logs and seldom felt any ship movement or vibration. 

The ship was underway on time at 4:30 PM

Maybe it's on the other side?

The wonderful, beautiful and gracious Volendam

Tony & Bob - Dinner Day 1

 

PORTLAND - Sunday June 21, 2026

We woke up docked in Portland after a great night's sleep - although there was a  rattle some where in the cabin! (We told our "cabin-man" and it was fixed by the time we got back from breakfast.)

Our first buffet breakfast was good - I even liked the coffee. 

We had visited Portland on Tide Hiker back in 2017 and so we were happy just to wander around the waterfront. Deidre had forgotten her coat (maybe left it in Kylie's car after the drive to the AP?) so we took Uber to a mall and bought an inexpensive lined raincoat in a “disposal store”. Coffee at Starbucks. It rained a bit.

The ship was underway on schedule at about 4:30PM. 

We started a routine of "DBD" (drinks before dinner) in the Crows Nest) at about 5 PM followed by dinner in the dining room at about 7 PM followed by a show in the theatre exactly at 9 PM. We kept up the routine for just about the entire 28 days. Sometimes after dinner we drifted into the Ocean Bar and listened to the band. 

The dinner service was amazingly civilized and enjoyable. The dining room was at two levels in the stern, with 3 sides of glass, and it was hard not to have some view of the ocean. The food was served and presented very professionally but the meat was only average and there was a lot of "heated" meals rather than "cooked" meals. Over the next 28 days we learned how to pick the meals that were the most enjoyable. 

I had ordered 8 bottles of wine ($15 bottles from Total Wine that cost me about $38 each on the ship) for my dinners, so I had to ration those out. Lyn and Tony's "package" had included unlimited booze. And after a while we had that system nutted out so that all four of us could benefit.)

Comedian in the theatre that night.

SEA DAY - Monday June 22, 2026

Great nights sleep. Tony is starting to feel better. A day to settle in. 

Foggy in the AM, calm seas.

Started my walking routine on the 3rd level "Promenade". One loop around the ship is about 650 steps. According to the ship notes, three and a half laps is a mile. (16,296 steps!)

SYDNEY - Tuesday June 23, 2026

Small but neat town, about 30K people. Not much going on. 

The dock reception office had wifi so that was a plus, but the number of people trying to login buried the service. 

Wandered around and found a pleasant park. (Photo)

Back to the wifi on the dock.

(20,964 steps)

 

SAINT PIERE - Wednesday June 24, 2026

This is a bit of a weird place - its French territory. I am tempted to investigate why, but its honestly not worth it. 

There was a free "bus" but the place seemed deserted so we walked along the waterfront into the "town" which also seemed deserted. We thought "maybe we could get a coffee" but where? There was a liquor shop and it was open - so I bought a bottle of  MANDARINE NAPOLEAN instead. 

(18, 310 steps)

SAINT JOHNS - Thursday June 25, 2026 (2 days)

This port had an impressive entrance and a very busy port. Lots of offshore petroleum service and shipping boats. Impressive entrance and small busy port. This port played an important roll during the WW2 battle of the Atlantic. 

Sydney was a bigger city than expected – maybe 300K population? And was quite busy. 

We rented a car for the day and headed out of town to find a moose-burger. I was driving and was not impressed with the speed limits (really low) and the local drivers (really slow). We found a place that offered moose-burgers but they were "out of moose" so that was a bit disappointing. 

We parked and walked to a lighthouse. 

(11,725 steps)

 

SAINT JOHNS - Friday June 26, 2026

We were going to try the "get on get off" bus but got tired of waiting and hired a cab to take us up to "Signal Point". Good views of the port. 

This was the location where the first wireless transmission from Europe was received. This was also the main contact point of wireless transmissions with the Titanic. 

Tony and Lyn walked back. Bob and Deidre took a few photos and took a cab back to the boat via the rock museum. There were some great rocks but the best part was the wifi!

 

AT SEA - Saturday June 27

On our way to the North Coast of Iceland. Calm seas, sunny skies and a bit cold. Very relaxing.

AT SEA - Sunday June 28, 2026

Still on our way to the North Coast of Iceland

Calm seas, sunny skies and a bit cold.

The Captain had told us that we would pass over the Arctic Circle today, but I spent all day on the Promenade deck looking for it, but missed it. 

AT SEA - Monday June 29, 2026

I just do not remember this say at all. But I got XXXX steps

ISAFJOROUR  - Tuesday June 30, 2026

Our first port in Iceland. Small and neat fishing town. Not connected by road to the rest of Iceland, so you need a boat or a plane to escape. Located on the side of a branch of a larger fiord. If you want to "get away from it all" this might be the place for you. But quite a spectacular setting. 

You may wonder why anyone would select this place for a settlement? Well, as it happens, one day a troll was walking down the other side of the fiord and decided that the other side would be a good place to live. Having made his decision, he sat down on the mountain and made himself a seat. Apparently he was a big guy.

Informed of that interesting history, we walked into small downtown. Found coffee and a "look-a-like" chocolate lamington that was probably as heavy as our famous troll. But also dome wifi. And that was it. Small neat fishing town in spectacular setting.

Now you can see where the troll sat down! He was obviously a big guy.

 

AKUREYRA – Wednesday, July 1, 2026 

This town is considered to be the "Capital of Northern Iceland". Believe it or not, it was settled by Norsemen in the 9th century. Apparently the fishing had to be "seen to be believed" and the harbor was typically ice free in the winter. (So they could still swim)

As a result it is now a busy place and has a population of about 20,000 and an airport and university. And a fancy church. 

We rented a car to explore the many lakes and waterfalls and many larvae plains. . We headed towards our target waterfall and were also directed to a place reputed to be the place where the European continental plate is pulling away from the North American plate. (I am not convinced)

We drove on to a small town with the reputation of being the largest whale spotting port in Iceland. Fish and chips for lunch. 

The Falls

 

The big crack

SEYDSFJORDUR – Thursday, July 2, 2026

We have now made it to the East coast and South a hundred miles or so.

Small, nice town located on another deep fiord with a bonus waterfall opposite the dock. Sadly, I do not remember much more, not even where we might have found a cup of coffee. 

Day 12 – Friday - Djupivogur

Our next stop is so small that it does not have a dock big enough for our ship - so we have to "tender to the shore."

Was a very small place. Its claim to fame are its large sculptured bird eggs. 

But we did get a beer and a donut at a local cafe. (The donut was so stale they could have used it to sculpture the next egg.)

Deidre is a "Good Egg"

 

Day 12 – Saturday – Heimaey

Now this was a cool place. Compact fiord harbor with a narrow entrance full of ships and boats ! The ship "parked" just outside the harbor entrance alongside some steep cliffs. The ship held its position without an anchor, but with just forward and aft thrusters. We tendered into the dock. Really neat and busy place.

The harbor was almost blocked by a larvae flow back in the 1970’s. The fire department and the ships successfully sprayed the advancing larvae with salt water.

 

Our Heimaey Anchorage

If you look closely, there are sheep grazing half way down the cliff

These photos were taken from the ship.

Leaving Heimaey 

Day 13 – Sunday - 

Reykjavik

Rented a car, stick shift

Black larvae

Bubbling mud

Lunch on the 3^rd floor

 

Day 14 – Monday - Reykjavik

Last day in Iceland

Wandered around – really nice downtown – shops but too expensive.

Fancy concrete church

Hot Larvae Museum

 

 

Day 15 – Tuesday – July 7, 2026 (?

Sea day

Some rough days at last.

Emergency Practice Day

 

Day 16 – Wednesday, July 8 – Sea Day

Up for 6 AM entry into

Got back an hour

Brilliant sunny morning

Deidre and I were up at 5:30AM local time

Fantastic fiord

Iceberg in the way

Amazing scenery

Fog……

Magician and comedy

 

Day 17 – Thursday, July 9 – Qaqotok

Sunny day

Dinghy ashore

Flies

Not much there, not “finished”

Disappointing ice cream

Long line for dinghy

 

Day 18 – Friday, July 10 – Nanortalik

Wet and cold morning

Slept in, late breakfast

Windy, cold and raining – stayed on the ship

Icebergs in the bay

 

 

Day 19 – Saturday, July 11 – Sea day

Extra hour, slept in.

Not much going on 😊

 

Day 20 – Sunday, July 12 – Sea day

 

Day 21 – Monday, July 13 – Corner Brook

 

Day 22 – Tuesday, July 14 – Cape-aux-Meules

 

Day 23 – Wednesday, July 15 - Halifax

 

Day 24 – Thursday, July 16 - Halifax

 

Day 25 – Friday, July 17 – at sea

 

Day 26 – Saturday, July 18 - Disembark

SOUTH EAST ASIA VACATION -

Tuesday March 4, 2025

Charleston to LAX

Free seats on Southwest, changing planes in Dallas, takes all day.

Wednesday March 5, 2025

LAX to Hong Kong

The United flight was less than 50% full. There were lots of empty seats in the back of the plane for sleeping. But I had paid a bunch extra to be in Premium Economy, so it would have been a waste of money and actually sleep over three free seats. The flight took about 14 hours, we crossed the international date line, and arrived at about 4PM - now on Thursday.

On arrival in HK we took the airport train to Central HK and then a feeder route to the station nearest the hotel. It was quite dark when we exited the subway and the Google route was quite spooky, but we made it OK.

Friday March 7 through Sunday March 9, 2025

Hong Kong

Our room was on the 24th floor and had a great view of the harbor. The number of high rise buildings was quite amazing - although the atmosphere was very misty/foggy/wet.

The first time I visited Hong Kong was for a trade conference in about 1974. I was there for about 10 days and had the time of my life. I wanted Deidre to feel the energy and excitement of the place. I also wanted to take Deidre to and from over the harbor on the Star Line.

Our hotel was deliberately close to the Star terminal and on day one we walked down to the terminal and boarded the ferry. Oh my goodness, it had changed - bit like us, it was very old and not packed with people as I had remembered. The fare was 13 cents, so I did not feel that bad.

We love Chinese food and we wandered around looking for a place for dinner without much success, mainly because we did not find items we recognized. When I asked for Kung Pow Chicken or Sweet and Sour Pork they looked puzzled. 

Since HK was previously English, Deidre suggested looking for a pub. After a steep climb we found the place and enjoyed the BEST MEAT PIE EVER!

I had brought some $HK with us but we purchased a couple of Octopus cards that we could easily use on public transport. Our favorite mode quickly became the old "Ding Ding" double decker trams. 

On Saturday we took a "ding ding" across town to a bus station where we found a bus to Aberdeen. This was once a floating fishing village and a hurricane haven for boats. There were some fishing boats still there but the floating village people had been relocated to the huge high rise buildings that now surrounded the bay. 

It was still a bit interesting, but a bit lifeless. We found a local coffee shop then found a bus back to town. Hong Kong has become too much like New York. 

Later that afternoon we took a cab over to the Carlton-Ritz Hotel on Kowloon. It is the tallest building in the area and has a bar restaurant on the top floor. We grabbed two seats at the window ($HK1,000 minimum) and spent a fun couple of hours over some beers as the sun set in the West.

View from the Ritz-Carlton

On Sunday we bought tickets for the typical tourist "hop on and off" double decker bus "around the island". We exited he bus in Stanley and enjoyed lunch at McDonalds! It was a fun ride on the top deck but I ended up with an ear ache that lasted a couple of weeks!

Monday March 10, 2025

Hong Kong to Hanoi

The flight on Vietnam Airlines took about 90 minutes, and we arrived about 4PM. We exited the plane onto the tarmac and walked into the terminal. A very low fog/smog cloud hung over the ground and the air stank of jet fuel.  The arrival procedures were easy and our driver and guide were waiting for us. He explained the low cloud as a "this time of year" thing. The traffic was a sea of scooters and small motor bikes. 

Our hotel "The Silk Path" was quite modern, and 3-4 star, and right in the center of town. We were on the7th floor and our view of a sea of rooftops. We went for a short walk "around the block" looking for dinner. We were quite tired and a bit intimidated by the traffic and after looking at a the few menus we gave up and ended up back in the hotel and had a pizza! The best part was that I could get a really nice Margarita for about $2.00.

Tuesday March 11, 2025

Our guide was a young Vietnamese lady who spoke pretty good English. We also had a driver and a nice Toyota to ride in. I cant remember the order of our Hanoi tour but we:

* Visited the Hanoi Hilton where American servicemen were imprisoned during the Vietnam war. 

* We were dropped off for the afternoon show at a "water puppet" theatre. The stage was a pool of water and the puppets were manipulated from behind a curtain using rods under the water. The best bit was a 6 piece traditional Vietnamese "orchestra". It was really a kid show, but quite funny.

* Taken to a fancy coffee shop overlooking Hoe Bay Mau. Interesting to see two Rolls Royce cars dropping of some "cool looking dukes" and their ladies for a coffee. I asked our guide who they might be, but she declined to respond. 

* We were invited to view HCM in his mausoleum but we declined and just walked around the building. There were plenty of people in the line.  

* We were dropped off for lunch at a nice enough place. The lunch was a 5 course fixed lunch with way too much food. This was the case for all the pre paid lunch meals in Vietnam.

Hanoi is a very busy and quite old fashioned city. The streets are not very wide and there are lots of narrow lanes and alleyways. The number of motor bikes and scooters is just amazing. There are not a lot of modern buildings. The most prominent buildings seemed to revert back to the French colonial times. Once again we did not find a place we liked for dinner and ate at the hotel.

Wednesday March 12, 2025

Breakfast at the hotel was "included" and was rather impressive, with plenty of "western" choices. We were picked up about 9 pm and headed north towards Halong Bay.

The drive was a bit disappointing. The strip development along the two lane highway was rather shabby with a bit too much trash for Deidre's liking. But we caught good glimpses of very green rice paddies. Not much traffic, but lots of motor bikes and scooters. Some time later it was explained that males ride motorbikes and ladies ride scooters because "ladies don't change gears". We had a web connection the entire way.

Shortly before reaching the the bay we made a toilet stop. Turns out it had some nice toilets but they were way in the back of a very large cultured pearl outlet, and it was quite a challenge to navigate through the rows of counters and sales people to the facilities.

The "port" for the cruise ships was quite shabby. After 30 minutes or so in a modern waiting area we were ushered to a power launch that took us out to our cruise ship. 

The crise ship was really not a "ship" but quite substantial, maybe 50m long, with two accommodation levels, a large dining room and a top deck half the length of the ship. We were greeted by service crew and taken to a buffet lunch. We had met two couples, one English and one Aussie, so we had company for lunch. 

Our room was on the top level and really great. The bed was huge, the water side was all window with a narrow deck. The bathroom was also big will a full size bath in front of the window. Shortly after we settled in the ship headed further into the Bay.

The scenery was interesting, but not as good as the brochure. The sky was still very gray and sweaty, and that did not help our photo efforts. After an hour of so of "streaming" the boat stopped and anchored, and we were offered a boat ride to a watery cave. 

Dinner was also buffet style and excellent. We slept well. 

Thursday March 13, 2025

Bus back to the hotel where we picked up our bags. We had a few hours before the train so we wandered around the nearby Hanoi streets, using G-Maps to avoid getting lost. 

The driver arrived on time and delivered us to the station. The "Reunification Express" was waiting for us. It was a very long train, pulled by a large Russian locomotive. 

There are only two "classes" on the train - seating and sleeping. The sleeping compartments contained 4 bunks and no seats. We had reserved a sleeping compartment just for us, so we used the top bunks for our baggage, plus "robbed" the bedding to make some seats on the bottom bunk. There was no dining car, but some independent vendors roamed up and down the corridors selling hot food and drinks. The toilet was at the end of our carriage, and it was in rather poor shape with no TP and a sign in English declaring "NO STANDING ON THE TOILET". 

The train left on time and after an hour or so it was dark. We played on our phones for a while (plenty of internet access) but soon decided to try the bed. The beds were hard, the "mattress" thin and the carriage rocked and rolled and banged and crashed. Of course I slept like a log, but Deidre had a long night.

We were up with the sun a couple of hours before Danang, and so we managed to see 100 miles or so of the country side. There is lots of rice and its very green. Granola bars for breakfast. 

Friday March 14, 2025

Our next guide contacted us on the train via WhatsApp, and he was waiting for us at the Danang station. He took us north about 30 miles to our new hotel at Hue ("Way"). It was a very fancy hotel from French days and we like it, but of course our room was not ready, and so we washed up in the gym!

Fancy Hotel

The driver waited for us and after an hour or so we were on our way into the countryside for some more temples. 

Its at the next temple that we started to figure out that your Vietnamese girls and ladies liked to dress up and go out with their friends and photograph each other. From then on we noticed them all over the country at temples, restaurants, coffee shops and markets etc all dressed up taking photos.

Of course, some were cuter than others!

Little did I know that we were really just starting the " See lots of temples" tour. 

I was told to make a face like the statue.

Saturday March 15, 2025

 This morning we were picked up after another big breakfast to be driven to Hoi An. The drive was expected to travel over the wonderful Hai Van Pass, and it did, but we hardly noticed. Apparently we had taken the "scenic route" but we hardly noticed. But it did include another 5 course lunch.

Hoi An is rather a tourist destination, and famous (??) for its lanterns, the river walks, and maybe something else. It definitely felt like a fun town. We were taken to the lantern factory to learn how to make a lantern and how not to buy any lanterns (Sorry, they will not fit in our case!")

We were delivered to our Hoi An hotel in time for a dip in the pool. The hotel was quite modern, down by the river and rather nice. We had dinner at the hotel with a view of the river. 

Sunday and Monday March 15 and 16, 2025

Over the next two days we were driven all around the area visiting very important temples and palaces, and even took a river boat to another very important temple or palace. 

This was the temple we visited by boat. Looking at the hill, Deidre politely declined.

Sunday afternoon we were taken to the local "market garden" area where they grow vegetables for the local city. We were dressed up as farmers and taught how to plant vegetables. 

After that to a "coconut water forest" where we were served another 5 course lunch, taken for a ride in a cortical after which Deidre received a foot massage. (This is the first time anyone has touched her feet since she was delivered.)

  

On Monday we drove about 30 miles to the My So'n Sanctuary. My So'n is a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Shaiva Hindu temples constructed between the 4th and 13th century by the kings of Champa, an Indianized kingdom of the Cham people. 

Our guide was rather well educated (In Vietnam there is a 4 year degree in tourism) and the two hours in the car gave us a fairly thorough history of Vietnam. If you would like to hear about it, please give me a call and I will pass the phone over to Deidre.

Anyway, the best bit of this tour was that it included a 30 minute dance recital by the local ladies.

At the hotel we ran into a couple we had met on the the "Halong Bay" cruise, and we lined up a dinner with the for Tuesday, and out for a drink along the river afterwards.

but the design was a bit "home made". The rooms were either underground or not underground and we had been assigned an underground one and since the war was over that did not make me happy. We had dinner at the