Day 240 - 90 Days Later: Final Thoughts, Reflections And Lists - Part 1

 

We've been home for three months and have had much time to reflect on our trip, discuss it, and answer hundreds of questions. We had billed this as "the trip of a lifetime," and it indeed turned out that way. It was better than our expectations, so kudos to Regent (and ourselves) for an incredible five months. 

Our relationship not only survived all those days at sea but also gained and grew from it—which is more than we can say for some other couples. In addition to upgrading to a bigger cabin for more personal space, the secret was "divide and conquer." We didn't feel the need to do everything together, whether that was on or off the ship. Allison played cards, learned bridge, and had her gym and coffee buddies. I did the same with the morning deck walkers and sports players. Between us, we rapidly got to meet most of the passengers and crew. We used the same philosophy on the excursions. About 2/3 of the time, we were together, but when one of us saw an excursion they really wanted to experience, which the other did not, we split. That allowed me to take more strenuous outings, and Allison could take the "cultural" route. 

So - what were the Top Destinations?  

John's List 

New Zealand: The #1 place I want to revisit. I'd love to see more of the Northern Island by car - and we never even set foot on the Southern Island.)

French Polynesia: Mainly because we skipped three of the stops due to bad weather. We'll return to Tahiti in September 2024, so we can mostly cross that off the list.

South Africa: The safari was one of the absolute highlights of the trip. I'd love to return and explore other parts of Africa, like Victoria Falls and Botswana. We also didn't spend much time in SA other than a delightful day in Cape Town. 

Funchal(Madeira): We actually visited twice. The Atlantic islands offshore from Spain and Portugal were a significant, positive surprise. Madeira was a hit, the Canary Islands were nice, and the Azores were just "meh." 

Katmandu: Just seeing Mt. Everest close up and personal was enough. Add three days of cultural immersion, meditation, watching a Buddhist wedding, and attending a funeral—it's a great experience.

How About Suprise Stops? (places that were way better than expected) 

Muscat, Oman: This was a truly delightful day. Although still an Arab nation, it wasn't overboard with rules and regulations, and the aquatic scenery was superb. I also saw some very appealing luxury resorts.

Walvis Bay, Namibia: This was an overnight stop. On day 1, I explored the desert and its magnificent sand dunes, which swept right down to the ocean. On day 2, I took a kayak tour in the Bay with various wildlife. Spectacular!

Indonesia: Bali was a bit of a disappointment, although we did get a personal tour around some local villages and temples. After that, the visit to Tanah Lot Temple (on an island offshore) and horseriding through Semarang was special. 

How About "Never Need to Go Back"?

Komodo Island: Been there, done that - the Dragons aren't that exciting, and the island is now overly touristic and has huge and aggressive souvenir markets. 

American Samoa: Embarrassing that this is part of the US. Rampant poverty, terrible infrastructure, and too many churches. 

Dubai: A surprising choice, but the place just set my teeth on edge. The worst of Las Vegas combined with seedy Atlantic City and opulent Hollywood (plus throw in medical tourism). 

Most of the folks on the boat would put "Western Africa" on that list, too, but I don't think so. Places like Angola and Ghana may not have been my first choice as a destination, but I'm glad we went there and certainly learned much about their culture and the impact of slavery.

The following (and final) post will deal with lessons and lasting impressions.