August 31: Dover

 Day 3:  Sissinghurst Castle & Garden

We set sail for Dover last night around 10pm and as we were getting up around 7am we were docking with the iconic "White Cliffs of Dover" right outside our balcony (see the banner above, shot from our balcony).  After breakfast we were scheduled to get on the bus for the trip to Sissinghurst Castle, which is a European manor estate originally built in the 1500s at 10am.  We were there about fifteen minutes early, but as it turned out the bus was stuck in morning traffic and we were an hour late leaving, so we did not get back until about 3:45pm.  But both Kim and I thoroughly enjoyed walking around for nearly three hours while enjoying the coolish-65 degree weather and enjoying the day in the English countryside.  If you were to picture in your mind what an olde English country estate looked like with formal garden AND vegetable garden, that's what we saw today....including the original moat that surrounded the homestead.  One of the highlights came when Kim and I climbed the many, MANY, M-A-N-Y steps of the spiral staircase in the tower to enjoy a view from the top (and it was an ideal photo-op).  Probably the most interesting story of the day was that we were told that in this area there is a "no dig" policy for farming and gardening.  What they do each planting season is they ADD at least two inches of top-soil and compost to "bury" last year's growth and then plan in the new top layer of soil.  More environmentally friendly!  Tomorrow is a full day at sea before arriving in Ireland the next day, enjoy today's photos......

Welcome to Sissinghurst Manor

Close up of the entrance

Garden at the entry

The tower

Photo-op atop the tower with panoramic view of the grounds

View of the gardens from atop the tower

Photos of the grounds.....

One additional highlight for me.....during the night as we were sailing, one of MY horses - I am a part owner through the MyRacehorse group - Seismic Beauty ran in southern California at Del Mar race track.  She is a highly regarded 2yo filly that we have high hopes for.  She was sensational yesterday winning easily, leading Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert to remark afterwards that today's race saw her so much better than her competition that it was like a "paid workout" and that he believes she is very promising and is excited to see her grown into a top notch 3yo next winter and spring!

August 30: London / Viking TV Day

 Day 2:  London - Viking TV Episode Shoot

For those of you who really know me, you KNOW how much I enjoy travel and especially to learn about new lands, and visit new places.  But today was one of THE BEST days of our traveling adventures, because today the Viking TV crew of James & Ciara came on board this morning and we spent the entire day filming for an upcoming episode of Viking TV.  In the episode which is tentatively set to air on Monday November 11 (mark your calendars!) I provide a guided tour from a guest's perspective of what it's like to come on board a Viking Oceans vessel and the various places you can enjoy on the ship while you are traveling.  Not only was this exciting to be a part of, but last night at dinner James had told me that "everyone on board knows about you, what you're going to be doing, and are very appreciative that you're doing it."  I wondered just how serious he was, but as we left the restaurant James pulled Kim and I aside and told us he'd added on the drink package (at a cost of $350 per person!) in appreciation for our efforts.  WOW.  Then this morning when I was downstairs right after breakfast I walked by an office where a Viking staff person was working and he called out "Good morning!"  I replied, thinking it is so typical of Viking staff to be so friendly.  When I returned and walked by and was several steps past the office I heard, "Mr. Love!"  I turned and the staff member came out and was walking towards me.  He stuck out his hand and I read on his badge he was the General Manager of the ship!  He said, "We are so happy you are on board with us and filming this episode.  Thank you!  And.....we added on the "silver spirits drink package for you" and if a larger suite opens up we will upgrade your stateroom - but we are nearly full so I'm not sure that will happen.  But thank you so much."  I was so impressed that he even offered to upgrade us.  Once Kim and I met with James and Ciara I asked again about what would be the plan, and they said "how ever you want to do it," so I suggested we follow the "script" I'd laid out earlier for them and we began shooting.  Nearly every scene led to multiple "takes" as a guest would walk into the frame or more often the lighting was bad as I walked around talking.  But throughout the shooting both of them kept remarking "you're a natural at this" and "that was brilliant Mark!"  I was very flattered.  Near noon we were filming on the upper deck where the World Cafe is so they wanted to film us sitting down to eat, and then we all had a leisurely lunch together.  We resumed filming and for the episode's finale they had Kim and I order drinks and then go out on the upper deck.  James went to the top deck and launched a drone which filmed us toasting one another and then soared off to take a panoramic view of London.  THAT will be cool.  As we did one last scene in the living room where I closed the episode down I thanked both James and Ciara for spending so much time with us and giving me the opportunity to do another episode.  Both then remarked they were "sure there will be more episodes" and said what they wanted to do next was to arrange for me to join them on a cruise and film an episode throughout the cruise.  I LIKE THAT idea :)  It was just a great day.  Big thanks to my wife Kim for being so supportive (and making several "cameo appearances" in the shoot, and for taking the action shots below!  This evening we depart from London and will sail to Dover for tomorrow's adventure!

NOTE our attire....I went back and forth several times about which of my Viking shirts to wear, and wouldn't you know it, I picked the same one James had on.  And Kim had randomly picked this blue striped top, only to see when Ciara showed up that she had on a very similarly looking top!

Discussing the shooting schedule

Getting sound test and ready to go

The opening sequence on the big staircase

Takes #2, #3, #4, and #5 to get the angles & the lighting right!

Walking the outer deck shot

Setting up the lunch on the Aquavit Terrace shot

And "ACTION!"

More outside deck shots

Talking about the pool grill with THE BEST hamburgers & hot dogs

And pointing out the salad options

Interior discussions of the art work and restaurants

Pointing out the Viking tapestries on the walls in the stairwells

Many thanks for a great day!

August 28-29: Travel Day

 Day 1:  London

Today was our travel day and with our arrival at 6:30 am in London, it seemed - for the most part - like we had a full day here on board the Viking Neptune.  Kim and I had our ride pick us up at 10 am and we were at Fort Lauderdale International airport by 10:30.  The flight left on time and during the three hour flight to Newark I watched an excellent movie starring Russel Crow, "A Good Year."  He inherited a farm & vineyard in Provence, France and ended up falling in love and moving there from his real job as a broker in London.  Highly recommend.

We arrived in Newark at a little before 4pm, took the shuttle to the international terminal and had an hour before boarding began.  Our flight left about 6:30 pm and within an hour and a half we were served a full meal for dinner.  Lights went out and I slept for more than four hours of the remaining five and a half hours of the flight!  Made the flight go rather quickly for me!  Kim didn't sleep but she said it wasn't too bad for her.

We got through customs without any delay and our bags were among the first ones out.  Left the baggage claim area and were immediately met by the Viking staff who escorted us to a waiting porter who took our bags and made sure they arrived in our stateroom onboard the Viking Neptune.  The trip from London Heathrow airport to Greenwich where the ship was docked was nearly two hours and we both were in and out throughout the trip.  Arrived and were escorted to the crypts below a palace built in the 1600's for coffee and pastries while we awaited our turn to board the ship.  When we were escorted to the check-in we were immediately cleared (thanks to the Viking "Comfort Check-In" I'd completed last week online), and then boarded a small boat to ferry to the ship in the middle of the harbor.  By now it was approaching noon and our rooms were not going to be ready until about 2pm.  So we went immediately to the excursion desk and tried to get our final two excursions - we were wait listed on both (they'd been sold out online).  As we were finishing my two Viking TV pals saw us and came over to greet us.  It was meaningful for me because they sought us out and were genuinely happy and excited to see us.    Kim and I headed upstairs to the World Café and had a light lunch outdoors on the Aquavit Terrace while we awaited our friends Pam & Bob Murray and Claudia & Gary Wanlin who were about to board (they both had flown to London a couple days early).  The six of us enjoyed a glass of wine and chatted until our rooms were ready.

As we were finishing a Viking staff member found us and let us know our rooms were ready - and our luggage was waiting for us.  I unpacked while Kim had a workout in the gym.  When I turned on the TV in our stateroom and navigated to the "Viking TV" channel, what appeared on the screen?

YES - my first episode is right there for everyone to watch!  She returned and unpacked while I did some work on these photos to post.  We both got about a half an hour of rest before we showered and got ready for pre-dinner drinks with our friends at 5pm in the Explorer's Lounge on the top deck.  At about 6pm we headed down to Deck 1 for our dinner with the Viking TV staff that had been set up by the head of the department, James and his right-hand woman, Ciara, in a private dining room at the specialty restaurant Manfredi's.  We had THE most delightful time as all eleven of us had a steady flow of conversation.  By about 8:30 we were all ready to turn in.  Kim and I made arrangements to meet with James & Ciara tomorrow morning at 10am to start the filming.  We talked about several different ideas for the program, all of which sound pretty cool....but the specifics we will wait and work out as we work through the episode as they want to capture what it's like for a guest to explore a Viking Oceans vessel - and they want me to tell some stories that are brought to mind from our Viking experiences!  More photos and stories tomorrow!

Welcome - Preview Our Trip

 Viking Oceans:  British Isles Explorer

August 28 - September 14

We will set off on our latest adventure with not one, but two other couples!

One of our first cruising adventures came in the fall of 2015 on a big ship through New England as Kim and I wanted to see the colors of the fall leaves.  As good fortune would have it, our table for two was seated about three feet away from another table for two and we quickly began chatting with them.  By the end of the cruise we were best of friends with Claudia & Gary and we vowed to travel together again.  We visited them in their northern California home when we went on an extended weekend adventure to Napa Valley two years later and finally we were able to set up a trip to Alaska in 2019.  Again, we had such a wonderful time that we began trying to connect again.  When Claudia reached out and said they were interested in taking a Viking Rivers cruise to the Netherlands in 2023 we were so excited to travel with our friends that we cancelled a trip to Egypt to join them.  And we enjoyed that trip so much that we were able to convince them to join us on this adventure.  Similarly, when Kim and I set off for a Viking Rivers cruise to Portugal with our friends Dennis & Mary Smith, we ended up sharing a dinner table with Mary Pat & Tom Bischoff and Pam & Bob Murray.  By the end of this trip the eight of us were best friends and we agreed to try and travel together again.  Mary Pat, Tom, Bob & Pam all joined us on our first post-Covid trip with American Cruise Lines in September of 2022.  Then Bob & Pam joined us on a Collette land adventure to Iceland in January of 2023 and then we went on an Avalon Waterways "Paris To Normandy" adventure with them in July of 2023.  They were slated to come with us on our Viking Rivers "Pharaohs & Pyramids" trip but Pam broke her foot in the weeks leading up to the trip.  We have since set up not only this adventure with the Murrays but also two other Viking Rivers adventures in the future.  We are so very excited to have our "worlds collide" with four of our most favorite people.  Here's a preliminary look at our itinerary......

August 28-30 - Travel & London

Depart FLL 12:55pm     United Flight 1434     Confirmation: DKZ668

   Arrive Newark 3:56 pm     Economy Plus Seats 8A-8B     Duration:  3 hrs. 1 min.

Depart Newark  6:00pm     United Flight 110

   Arrive London Heathrow 6:20 am     Premium Economy Seats 21A-21B     Duration:  7 hr 20 min (+1)

Friday August 30:  London

During the morning – Viking TV Filming

Set sail for Dover in the evening

Saturday August 31:  Dover

10am – 2:45pm        Sissinghurst Castle & Gardens Excursion

Sunday September 1:  Scenic Sailing

Enjoy the amenities of the Viking Neptune as we sail around the southern coast of Great Britian and up the western coast of Ireland

Monday September 2:  Dublin

We’ve booked an excursion but will be cancelling to meet our friends from my retirement trip to Australia who just so happen to be in Dublin on the same day we are for coffee & breakfast.  Hoping to re-schedule a walking tour of Dublin for the afternoon.

Tuesday September 3:  Liverpool

It’s “Beatle-Mania” all over again as our excursion is “The Beatles Experience” from 8am to 12:30pm

Wednesday September 4:  Holyhead, Wales

We were unable to get the excursion we wanted, but are hopeful to book on board an all day (8 hour) train ride excursion

Thursday September 5:  Belfast

Belfast Food Trail Excursion 1:30pm to 5:30pm

Friday September 6:  The Highlands, Scotland

Scenic Assynt Excursion 1pm – 4:30pm

Saturday September 7:  Orkney Islands, Scotland

The Heart of Neolithic Orkney & St. Magnus Cathedral Excursion 9:15am – 12:15pm

Sunday September 8:  Edinburgh

We’ll trace some of the steps of Dan Brown’s book with the Da Vinci Code & Rosslyn Chapel Excursion 12:45pm – 4:15pm

Monday September 9:  The Highlands, Scotland

Another day where our excursion was “Sold Out” so we hope to go on an 8 hour Ultimate Loch Ness & Outlander experience

Tuesday September 10:  Shetland Islands, Scotland

Shetland Panorama & Ponies Excursion 8:30am to 10:15am

Wednesday September 11:  Bergen, Norway

After sailing across the North Sea we dock overnight in Bergen.  Our tour:  A Snapshot of Bergen 1:30pm to 6pm

Thursday September 12:  Travel to Oslo

Disembark the Viking Neptune and board “The Most Scenic Train Ride In The World” for a trip across Norway to reach Oslo

Friday September 13:  Oslo

Our final day of the adventure sees us enjoy a guided walking tour of Oslo from our hotel

Saturday September 14:  Travel Home

Depart Oslo               11:10 am                    Premium Economy Seats: 21A-21B

                  Arrive Newark           1:15 pm                      Flight duration:  8 hours 5 minutes

Depart EWR              5:59 pm                                        Economy Plus Seats: 8F-8E

                  Arrive FLL                  9:07 pm                      Flight duration: 3 hours 8 minutes