THE MAGIC OF TRAVEL
Iwent on a cruise. Yes, after all those years of concern around the pandemic with cruising, the industry is very much back with new cruise ships, revised health and safety protocols, and itineraries that will take you to undiscovered parts of the world. My first ‘return’ cruise took me to a world I really knew nothing about. I travelled to Milwaukee in the US and boarded the brand-new Viking Octantis. An expedition ship that sailed the Great Lakes skirting both America and Canada, and before I got there all I could think was, ‘How did they get the ship into the Great Lakes?’ You can read how on page 44.
The ship itself felt like a luxury lodge and a welldesigned modern natural history museum; I learnt so much while travelling. I visited a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, they released weather balloons, and I took part in citizen science in the ship laboratory. The covered in-ship marina – which made it easy for guests to get on and off the Special Operations Boats, the same used by the US military and modified for Viking complete with shockwave seats – was impressive. There were even two piloted yellow submarines called Paul and John. Oh, things have changed.
I remember my first cruise many, many years ago, feeling seasick, staggering down hallways holding on for dear life and making it to our tiny room just in time. There were no submarines, in-ship marinas or science laboratories. Instead I remember sitting watching a tea dance during the afternoon and a collection of dance hosts smiling and making small talk with older unescorted single women doing the foxtrot, the tango and waltz. It was a different pace, and it was some years until I revisited cruising as a holiday option.
So much has changed. Our Cruise Special in this edition very much reports on the many different styles of cruises to different locations, unique range of ships, and onboard and on-shore experiences. To travel internationally again you really want to make every moment count and not only see and learn new things but treasure those moments in a location you know you might not revisit for a long time, if ever again.
One thing was clear – to be travelling and back exploring the world again was fantastic.
While in the Great Lakes, my wife and I cycled around Mackinac Island, which was about 13 kilometres and took about an hour and a half. We took photos, visited the local art gallery and decided where the best place was to stop and have a swim. That feeling of absolute freedom of being on holiday and having the sun on our faces deciding where to stop next was a moment I just loved and have since cherished thinking back on. Laughing and being together and just enjoying that time was simply magic.
I also have noticed when travelling how many citizens from countries around the world love to claim the best, biggest, largest and most wonderful of experiences or man-made structures. While cruising the Great Lakes we did pass under the mighty Mackinac Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere at over 8,000 metres – the fifth longest in the world. It was mesmerising as we approached and then slid under this really impressive man-made structure.
We also travelled to the Soo Locks which enabled the ship to pass between Lakes Huron and Superior between the peninsula of the state of Michigan through to Canada’s Ontario. Gathering on deck and seeing how the ship entered the lock was fascinating, as it slowly edged forth and floated upwards 6.4 metres entering the lake ahead. Seeing first-hand another extraordinary man-made structure has made me want to explore other locks and learn more about how ships navigate these clever structures.
And that’s the wonderful thing about travel and experiencing new cultures and ideas ... it can make you want to learn and understand more about the world. Start planning and book your next holiday; you no longer need to smile, make small talk and know how to waltz or do the tango. Unless, of course, you want to.
“YOU WANT TO MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT.”