After our 19-night Indian Ocean cruise on Silversea's "Silver Spirit", we decided to spend 4 extra nights in South Africa; one night in Cape Town and three nights in Franschoek, in the wine region.

Our Cape Town experience was fantastic and traveled all around the area learning about the history and culture of South Africa.  We got to see everything from the southwestern most tip of Africa, Cape Point to a colony of South African penguins that are found only in that area of the world and are facing diminishing populations.  We explored the downtown harbor area, took in some shopping at the Victoria and Alfred Wharf and enjoyed an amazing dinner with the largest oysters I've ever had!

Then we headed off to Franschoek, one of South Africa's beautiful wine regions for a three night stay.  Our accommodations at La Providence Farm were spectacular and the food scene is world class.  I talk about each of the restaurants we visited and share with you how I go about choosing a restaurant from all the great options.

Of course the primary purpose of our visit was to check out some of the wineries.  We visited four and I'll tell you about the difference between a wine tasting in the U.S. and elsewhere versus a wine tasting in South Africa; they do it right!

So if you've ever thought about exploring this part of the world, join me as I tell you about our unforgettable journey and what makes South Africa a destination you must have on your bucket list.

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With so many places to see and even more ways to get there, how do you even begin to start planning a vacation?  It can be overwhelming, but I share with you our method to plan an unforgettable journey.

I talk about the three factors to consider when planning a trip: the destination, the best way to get there and managing the budget.  I use our most recent cruise on Silversea Cruises' "Silver Spirit" to the Seychelles and beyond to illustrate the process including when to book air travel, whether or not to book a hotel before and/or after a cruise or organized tour.

My travel mantra is "stuff happens" and I talk about what to do when things don't go as you had planned.

Links:

Priority Pass

1,000 Places to See Before You Die 2025

Cruise Critic Article

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Whether you're new to travel or have been on the road for years, I'll share with you some practical tricks and tips to get the most out of your time off.

Using my first ever Greek adventure as a backdrop, I'll help you gain an understanding of how to maximize your travel experience, whether your traveling 200 miles from home or 5,000.

Discover 4 ways to get the most out of a trip and create memories to last a lifetime.

I'll share with you some funny, and sometimes scary, stories of Duncan's and my first adventure abroad.  It was a great way for us to get a better understanding of the world beyond our front door and break out of our comfort zone.  If we could do it, you can too.

I've also posted a companion photo album to go along with this episode on the Explorations All Over Faacebook page.  It's a fun way to actually SEE what I'm talking about.

Find out about upcoming subscriber only content including exclusive interviews with travel professionals and a series called "Far Flung Destinations".

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Thanks for listening. Check back in 2 weeks for the next episode. Don't forget to subscribe and make sure to "like" the Explorations All Over" Facebook page, too!

[I decided to publish this episode sooner than my 2 week schedule since the first episode was so short.]

For those of us who enjoy traveling, we can all pretty much pinpoint the trip when we would say we were "bitten by the travel bug".  For me it was an amazing trip I took with my parents and sister in August 1975, which began on the Queen Elizabeth 2 and continued through some of the most popular European destinations.  I've got some amusing stories about our journey.

I'll also give you some of my tips for making the most of your travel.

Finally, I'll introduce you to the first "big trip" Duncan and I took together to Greece, starting with an unforgettable experience in First Class on Trans World Airlines in 1995.

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Thanks for listening. Check back in 2 weeks for the next episode. Don't forget to subscribe and make sure to "like" the Explorations All Over" Facebook page, too!

• Quick 5- minute intro
  • So what is this podcast about?
  • What can I hope to learn by subscribing?
  • Tell me more about yourself.
  • What makes this podcast different from all the others?

Share your thoughts on this episode.

Support the show

Thanks for listening. Check back in 2 weeks for the next episode. Don't forget to subscribe and make sure to "like" the Explorations All Over" Facebook page, too!