You are doing WHAT for 80 days?

Day -1, Grand Asia 2017

Sept. 30, 2017

I’m sitting on the balcony of the Wyndham San Diego Bayside, looking at Holland America’s Oosterdam at the pier across the street. It leaves later today for points south, but overnight the Amsterdam will take its place. And I will board with about a thousand other people to start an 80-day adventure to Asia, Australia and the South Pacific.

Over the next few days and weeks, I’ll write about the ports we visit, the people I meet, what is involved in planning for and getting away for 80 days and a variety of other topics.

Surprisingly, no one asks “why 80 days?” I think a long cruise is a faraway dream for many people, although I would venture that a good portion of my friends wouldn’t really choose that as their preferred vacation. One of my sisters thinks a cruise longer than seven days is too long. But I love the sea and cruising. When I sailed for 45 days a few years ago (Florida to Rome and back), and 30 days more recently (Galveston to Dubai), I wasn’t ready to leave at the end.

I’ve never been to Asia or Australia, so these ports with the exception of Hawaii will be new.