Life Begins At.....
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/54730
Sailing in luxury on SeaDream I SEADREAM YACHT CLUB IS A BOUTIQUE SHIPPING LINE COMPRISING OF SEADREAM I AND SEADREAM II, EACH HOLDING AROUND 110 PASSENGERS, MOSTLY IN THE OVER 55 AGE GROUP. HERE CRUISING GURU JOHN POND REFLECTS UPON A CRUISE HE RECENTLY TOOK WITH HIS WIFE SANDRA ON SEADREAM I FROM MALAGA, SPAIN TO TENERIFE IN THE CANARY ISLANDS. ON THE CRUISE, CREW OUTNUMBERED PASSENGERS, ASSURING TOP OF THE LINE SERVICE. Boarding SeaDream I at Malaga, Spain After a smooth flight from Sydney to Madrid on Emirates, one of my favourite airlines, we caught a local plane to the Mediterranean port city of Malaga, where we were to board SeaDream I. Keeping to my credo of arriving at foreign departure ports a day or two before embarkation, ensuring one doesn't miss the boat so to speak, we were able to spend time sightseeing and shopping. On boarding, we were greeted at the top of the gangway by the Captain and officers, what a great start. Our baggage beat us to our stateroom while we were enjoying Champagne and canapés in the lounge where registration took place. Sailing to Tangier SeaDream emphasises that its ships are "yachts", but to me they are just small, intimate ships. As one might expect on a "yacht", the staterooms were a little smaller than on larger ships and the bathroom bijou, but then I'm a pretty big Aussie, however, the shower recess was an excellent size. No balconies on yachts, but the large picture window almost made up for it. The Champagne flowed on board, the real stuff, not fake sparkling wine which so many ships pass off as the real thing. An American couple on board must hold the world record for Champagne consumption. Starting at breakfast, they drank the golden beverage virtually non- stop until bed time, I'm sure they slept very well. Food, a highlight, was of the finest quality, not as big a menu choice as on larger vessels, but more than enough. I found some desserts a little too sweet. Their homemade ice creams were out of this world. I must confess that most nights I had double helpings, then I increased my insulin dosage, very bad of me. My favourite dinner was the prime rib, which was the best I've ever had. Take me to the Casbah On arrival at Tangier, Morocco, I was quite excited, for I remember all the old flicks featuring the Casbah. Humphrey Bogart, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, all starred in movies about this famous location. Many of the passengers left the "yacht" early on an optional shore excursion. Sandra and I have found that when visiting smaller ports, we prefer to find an English speaking taxi driver and do our own independent tour, which is also a lot cheaper. By doing this we can stay as long as we like at any given location. It's really important to do a little research about various destinations as this can maximise one's enjoyment. I have found that with destinations further afield from the ship, the organised tours are a better option, as the ship will wait for the group's return should there be any mishaps such as traffic jams etc. After a leisurely breakfast, we ventured ashore where we were approached by an elderly local, dressed in traditional garb; he looked straight out of a 1940's Bogart movie. We were offered his guiding services for two hours, including the use of a taxi. Negotiation is an art form in many countries, including Morocco, so when he 96 www.theretiree.com.au