Today starts another big adventure! We have been planning this 5+ week vacation for over 2 years and we are finally going to embark on another trip of a lifetime! 2026 is the “Year of Ruth” as Richard is calling it. I turn 65 this month on March 20th and I wanted to be somewhere special for my BIG BIRTHDAY! One of the places I have always wanted to visit happens to be where we will be on my Birthday! Our adventure begins from Tampa, Florida where we have spent the winter

#avalonsaigon #vietnam #avalonwaterways #hochiminh #checkthisoffourbucketlist #saigon Day 1 of our land portion in Ho Chi Minh or Saigon…it seems no one can give me a straight answer on whether we should say Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City. Apparently the city was renamed in 1976 after the Vietnam War but locals with a sentimental connection to the city pre 1976 still call it Saigon. We left our luggage outside our cabin this morning at 6:45am and headed to the buffet on the Aval

Day 7 Avalon Saigon River Cruise on the Mekong Delta #avalonsaigon #avalonwaterways #checkthisoffourbucketlist #snakes #poprice #vinhlong This morning we had our last Sampan ride of the cruise. Our early morning excursion brought us to Vinh Long to a workshop. We got to experience some traditional Vietnamese foods and drink at this ‘one stop shop’ on the Mekong River. We disembarked at what look like a covered open air building which had various stations set up inside. Our

#avalonwaterways #avalonsaigon #checkthisoffourbucketlist #vietnam Day 6 on the Avalon Saigon on the Mekong We did not travel very far overnight as you can see from the map above the border of Cambodia and Vietnam is still pretty close. Our destination this morning was a very small place called Long Khanh A. Apparently there is a Long Khanh B and C but we were only visiting A today. As more silt builds up in the Mekong delta, more islands form and instead of figuring out n

Day 5 Avalon Saigon River Cruise…leaving Phnom Penh #avalonjourney #avalonwaterways #checkthisoffourbucketlist #cambodia #vietnam We started off from Phnom Penh this morning at 2am to sail on the Mekong River until we reached the border with Vietnam. Apparently we would have to ‘get in line’ with any other ships which were crossing into Vietnam, so arriving early in the morning was the plan to make sure we were not delayed too long at the border. Approaching Vietnam the Mek

#RoyalPalace #privatetour #cyclotour #tuktuk #phnom penh #cambodia #avalon #checkthisoffourbucketlist Day 4 Avalon Saigon Mekong Delta River Cruise Docking in Phnom Penh for a few days meant that we could have some free time this afternoon and we could go on an included excursion this morning. Cyclos all lined up to take us through the streets of Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh has a population of 2.8 million and the traffic is very chaotic. Rather than have a tour bus to drive us ar

#cambodia #avalontours #avalonjourney #avalon #checkthisoffourbucketlist #oxcart #killingfields Day 3 of our Mekong Delta River Cruise on the Avalon Saigon How do you get to work? Many of us that lived near Toronto would commute via GO Train or Subway, with a few brave ones willing to risk rush hour traffic and sit in their cars for hours at a time. Well today’s commute was a wee bit different to get to the village of Kampong Tralach! Ox cart!! Who knew there was a specific

#avalonsaigon #mekongrivercruise #checkthisoffourbucketlist #wathanchey #angkorban Day 2 on the Avalon Saigon Mekong Delta River Cruise We had the option today of climbing up 390 steps to the temple or take a bus. Humidity was 90% and it felt like 39C. We took the bus. We knew we would have lots of opportunity to sweat today, so why start out sweaty! The bus dropped us off at an 8th century Buddhist temple compound where we were to experience a water blessing ceremony by the

#busrides #avalon #checkthisoffourbucketlist #avalonsaigon We started off our morning leaving our luggage outside our hotel rooms at 7am....

#siemreap #bantaysrea #taprohm #cambodia #ricenoodles #avalon #checkthisoffourbucketlist #angkorwatsunrise 4:30am wake-up call! Up bright...

#avalon #checkthisoffourbucketlist #cambodia #siemreap #ankorwat In the 16th Century Portugese traders and missionaries discovered a vast...

#avalon #checkthisoffourbucketlist #vietnam #tamcoc #lagooncruise #gogoyears #retiredtravellers Day 2 of our Fascinating Vietnam,...

#avalon #hanoi #vietnam #checkthisoffourbucketlist Day 3 Hà Nội After two day in Hanoi with a guide and on our own, it was finally time...

#hanoi #avalon #streetfood #streetmurals #checkthisoffourbucketlist #gogoyears #retiredtravellers After another wonderful breakfast on...

#hanoi #hanoistreettour #avalon #checkthisoffourbucketlist We both had a great night’s sleep for our first night in Hanoi. With an 11...

#turkishairlines #touristanbul #checkthisoffourbucketlist #turkishairlinesbusinessclass #turkishairlinesneedssomework I’m writing this...

#checkthisoffourbucketlist #vietnam #cambodia #avalon Somewhere in Vietnam! 9enerated by AI Our big 2025 Adventure vacation is almost...

#myvikingstory #amsterdam #vikingrivercruise #headinghome #checkthisoffourbucketlist I put our luggage outside our cabin last night...

#kinderdijk #netherlands #vikingrivercruise #myvikingstory #checkthisoffourbucketlist Kinderdijk, Netherlands November 2, 2024. ...

#Cologne #Cathedral #AllSaintsDay #vikingrivercruises #myvikingstory #checkthisoffourbucketlist Friday November 1st, 2024. All Saints...

#taxes #rhine #castles #checkthisoffourbucketlist #koblenz #middlerhine #scenicsailing Happy Hallowe’en to everyone! October 31, 2024...

#strasbourg #MyVikingStory #vikingrivercruise #checkthisoffourbucketlist #kehl We docked in Kehl, Germany overnight so we could visit...

#ravenna gorge #breisach #myvikingstory #checkthisoffourbucketlist Monday October 28, 2024: Breisach, Germany We had an early excursion...

#bustrip #longdays #beaune Sunday October 27th, 2024. Viking Buri from Lyon to Viking Hiln in Basel, Switzerland The image looks...

#lyon #france #myvikingstory #viking #checkthisoffourbucketlist October 25, 26, 2024 - Lyon, France This morning the included tour with...

#tournon #tainlhermitage #valrhona #vienne #france #rivercruising #vikingrivercruises #myvikingjourney #myvikingstory...

#viviers #tournon #france #viking #myvikingjourney #myvikingstory #checkthisoffourbucketlist Wednesday October 23, 2024 - Viviers, France...

#avignon #france #viking #Myvikingjourney #myvikingstory Tuesday October 22, 2024 - Avignon, France I’m having that familiar feeling from...

#Arles #Myvikingjourney #myvikingstory #Viking #Rhonerivercruise #France #checkthisoffourbucketlist Last evening we had special local...

#Nice #France #Avignon #TGV #trains #Viking #myvikingjourney Yesterday was our last full day in Nice! Those 12 days sure went fast! ...

#cannes #Nice #retiredtravellers #canadiansinfrance #checkthisoffourbucketlist We had to wake up with an alarm this morning! Yeesh…me...

#Nice #France #cotedazure #frenchriviera #footlooseandfancyfreetravel #makingitupaswe go #retiredtravellers If I look back on how we used...

#checkthisoffourbucketlist #Nice #France #eze #Frenchriviera #cotedazure #retirementtravel Wow! Wix sure has some neat tools now with...

#checkthisoffourbucketlist #travelblog #NiceFrance #Frenchriviera #retirementtravel If this works then anyone who had subscribed to our...

#Nice #villefranchesurlamer #capferrat #France #checkthisoffourbucketlist There was no blog yesterday (Monday Oct 14/2024) as we were...

#Nice #NiceFrance #liberation #Sunday #France #checkthisoffourbucketlist I think the antibiotics are working so that is good! My foot is...

#Nicefrance #Nice #France #Menton #checkthisoffourbucketlist #sorefeet No, I’m not talking about the Italian spaghetti western starring...

#mediterranean sea #Nice #france #blueandwhiteumbrellas #gardens #iconicNice If you’ve been to Nice, France before quick, close your...

#nice #france #touring #frenchriviera #sorefeet Last night we stayed up quite late trying to determine where the path of hurricane Milton...

#Nice #France #Vikingrivercruise #OctoberinFrance Last night we decided to walk around Nice and get our bearings and we found a new way...

#Nicefrance #stormyweather #Vikingrivercruise #frenchriviera France in Autumn! What could be better? Slightly cooler weather. Less...

Europe, get ready for us! We're coming back like a bad sequel - bigger, bolder, and with more questionable fashion choices than ever...

#EV #electricvehicle #chevysilveradoev #GMCanada #camping It sure has been awhile since I’ve written a blog but here goes…. If you...

Day 15/15 2034 Viking Ve Grand European Christmas Markets River cruise. On the way home to Plant City, Florida from Amsterdam, via London...

Day 14/15 2023 Viking VE Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise #myvikingjourney #checkthisoffourbucketlist #myvikingstory...

Day 13/15, Viking Ve Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise. Cologne, Germany #myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #vikingve #cologne...

Day 12/15 Viking Ve, Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise. Sailing from Mainz, Germany to Koblenz, Germany. #castles...

Day 11/15 2023 Viking bus trip from hell through Germany! On our way through Wurtheim to a burger joint and eventually the Viking Ve...

Day 10/15 2023 Viking Bragi Grand European Christmas Markets River Cruise. Christmas Day,Bamberg, Germany #myvikingstory #vikingbragi...

#bamberg #germany #viking #myvikingstory #myvikingjourney #checkthisoffourbucketlist #vikinggrandeuropean #christmasmarkets Day 9/15....