Explore Echuca Moama - See, Eat and Stay  Dreaming of a country escape where delightful charm meets contemporary cuisine? Somewhere you can escape the city buzz and be immersed in the serenity of nature? I’ve found just the place that  will rejuvenate your soul and restore your faith in humankind. WATCH MY DAY IN ECHUCA MOAMA HERE Welcome to Echuca Moama, the twin towns just north of Melbourne, Victoria and lying right on the Murray River. At first glance, this region is similar to so many country towns in Australia, but scratch the surface and you’ll uncover a ge ..read more

Day 3 aboard Emmylou Murray River Paddlesteamers  The Tale of Perricoota Station So much of Australia’s colonial history is steeped in lore and the stories of early settlers working the inhospitable land with hard yakka and a determined entrepreneurial spirit. WATCH THE REEL HERE Perricoota Station, on the Moama side of the Murray, has a tale as deep as the river. A story of James Maiden who in 1843 settled the land and had the ingenious idea to set up a punt to travel between Moama and Echuca – charging people for the privilege. There's a dark side as well, but I'll leave that for ..read more

Day 2 - PS Emmylou Murray River Paddlesteamers - Echuca Breaking fast  I’m not a huge breakfast person, but whenever I’m on a cruise, I always make time for a sit down meal and take my time to get the day started in an unhurried manner. And that’s exactly how Day 2 aboard Emmylou kicked off.  Before retiring the night before, the super lovely Host Julie was happy to take my order at night or I could decide in the morning. I knew I wouldn't know what I felt like until the next day, so I opted for the latter. On getting up and heading to the Saloon (the main dining area) I filled ..read more

All aboard Emmylou The rhythm of the paddle as it churned the Murray River water matched my heart beat. A comforting pace, cadenced and punctured only by the iconic sound of the steam whistle. This was the Murray I had been hoping for and the next three nights aboard the PS Emmylou were bound to be a memorable and relaxing journey.  Early start and seamless connections Did I really get up at 3:30am? Yes and it only took three alarms to rouse me. I had an early 6 am flight to Melbourne which meant arriving at Sydney airport at 5am. Then, a short bus trip to Southern Cross Station where I ..read more

Let's cruise on a wood-fired paddle steamer - Murray River Paddlesteamers' PS Emmylou Large ocean ships, boutique expedition vessels and luxury liners – I’ve been on many different styles of boats and they all share some similarities. Tomorrow, however, I can say with complete certainty, that I’ll be embarking on a cruise that is so unique, that I have absolutely no idea what to expect. Introducing the Murray River Paddlesteamers', the PS Emmylou. The only wood-fired paddle steamer in the world that offers accommodated river cruises. If the words ‘paddle steamer’ and ‘Murray River’ imme ..read more

Delving into the Delights Of Turkey As the crisp air nipped at my cheeks, I wondered just how wise it was not to wear something a little bit warmer as I stood at the entrance of Ephesus, Turkey.  The last port day of the cruise, and this was the first time I’d felt a little chilly. It was mid-November after all, nearly winter. Exquisitely, the sun was still shining. I sipped the hot Turkish coffee in my hands, the steam of the soot-coloured elixir warming my nose. Exploring Ephesus Kusadasi is a popular cruise port for many Mediterranean itineraries, a starting point to explore ..read more

A Journey from Antiquity to the Middle Ages - Rhodes Cruising and travelling in the off-peak season has many benefits, the main is that you won’t have crowds of tourists.  In my wildest dreams, however, I never imagined that my daughter and I would be the ONLY people at the spectacular Acropolis of Athena in Lindos on the Greek island of Rhodes. Let me explain. Rhodes and the Temple of Athena It was Day 6 aboard my three continent cruise with Celestyal and today the destination was Rhodes. I don’t know which god or goddess of weather was looking down upon us, but the wea ..read more

Cyprus - The Island of Sunshine and the Goddess of Love There are some places in the world you have a very clear idea about, the landmarks or must-see tourist spots. This wasn’t the case for me with Cyprus. Still coming down from the high that was my spectacular day in Egypt, I was not expecting too much from our next stop. As Celestyal Journey made her way to Cyprus, I was looking forward to a pleasant day. Little did I know this would be one of the most surprising stops on my three-continent cruise. Docking at Limassol, the coaches were lined up at the port to take eager cruisers ..read more

Oceania Vista  - a floating world of  sumptuous delight How can a ship with this much marble traverse the oceans with such effortlessness? There are moments in life where you are so dazzled that your breath is literally taken away. I’ve had many of these experiences; when I saw my first iceberg in Antarctica, standing next to the Great Pyramids of Giza and swimming with stingrays in the crystal-clear waters of French Polynesia. And, now I can add another of these dazzling moments to my memory bank, stepping aboard Oceania Vista. I’ve cruised on large ships, small ships, brand ..read more

A Sea Day aboard Celestyal Cruises Celestyal Journey Sea-ze the day There’s fierce debate among the cruising community as to what they love more – a port day or a sea day. For those yet to cruise (what are you waiting for?) a port day is when the ship visits a port and guests can disembark and explore. A sea day is when the ship is at sea for the whole day cruising with no stops. Depending on the length of the cruise Today, was the only sea day aboard my 7-night Celestyal 3-Continent cruise on their newest cruise ship, Celestyal Journey. And I planned to make the most of every minute. The ..read more