Happy Birthday

This post is a BIG Happy Birthday for my little brother. Where I am at the moment midnight has just passed and with the end of Halloween now it is time to celebrate the 1st of November:

Happy 16th Birthday domi. I am sorry I won't be there as I am in Syria enjoying the sunshine but I send you the best wishes and a big hug.

Love Alex

Leptis Magna - Libya

Well it has been over a month since my last post, it has been busy busy busy here and many of my friends from on board have been departing in the last few weeks. The day before yesterday there was something new though and I thought I ought to take at least the opportunity for a picture and a mini post before something bigger sometime next week or so.
The new thing was actually our call in Libya, where I had not been before. A group of us went of to explore Leptis Magna (the picture is of the Theatre there which is being prepared for a concert that evening). This was one of the very important Centres of commerce at about 200 BC. Probably the best preserved ruins of that time (similar to Pompeii, only without all the hastle of excavating it as there was no volcano to cover it up). The best thing is that there are not many tourists there and no limits, so you can properly explore the whole site. So here you go, enjoy the view.

Big Waves

Why is it that the really bad seas usually come at night????? I am sitting in my cabin and it is nearly midnight. Today we were at sea all day and it was not exactly calm, but now I can see the "White Horses" galloping next to my port hole and I am on deck 3, usual waterline is deck 2. Anyway, I had a good diner and therefore I am not feeling seasick, just a like in a roller coaster. I am sure the waves would make for a spectacular picture, however it is pitch black outside except for the ships outside lighting. I do nonetheless have a picture to share with you - Sunset yesterday evening...... regards to everyone, thinking of you.

Close one

Well, thank you to my family who managed to visit one of the ports where we docked. Unfortunately we missed each other by 1 hour (us arriving their flight leaving) but they did manage to bring me my camera zoom lens that I had stupidly forgotten at home....... Yesterday we were back to Athens and Piraeus and for the first time I had the opportunity to go out as it was not an arrival/departure day. Here is at least one picture so that you can share the Acropolis with me.

As time goes by

Well I have to remark again, time absolutely flies when you have to work absolutely every day of the week. Not only do you loose a sense of time but also there is no weekend and it takes you many attempts to actually remember what day of the week it is. Always feeling tiered (which you get used to after a while) is also quite a strain, but the traveling is still fun.

Working on some more pictures for everyone as I have now passed the 2100 mark with the new digital camera that I had bought in May before I joined the ship.

Big hug for everyone... Thinking of you

At Sea

Just passing through underneath Italy on our way to the 12 Islands of Greece. Then going on to Athens and finally off to Istanbul in Turkey. We are out at sea so thought it was time for a quick sign of life, no pictures this time - hopefully I will have some of my visit to Capri ready for the next post. Thinking of all my friends and family. x

Sunset Extravaganza

Well, I just simply have to put up some more of those sunset pictures for all of you.

Again and again and again, nearly every evening...... Absolutely breathtaking

3 days in Venice

Well, those spectacular sunsets seem to be a fairly frequent appearance around here. So because they were so nice, here are two more (from the last two days.
today we arrived in Venice - as I was so exhausted and only finished work at half past midnight this morning I did not get up at 6 am to watch the ship sailing into port but I am told it was fantastic - so next time.....
I am really quite tied down with work so finding time to write all the mails is difficult, but I am getting there one by one. Drop me a line with your address and you may even get a postcard from me. Also if you are trying to contact me by phone (thank you Fi, i am sorry you did not manage would have been fantastic to talk to you) you may find it difficult to get through to me as the calls get to my mobile via a satellite when we are not in port ad the connection in some places is not so good. I also turn my phone of when I am at work but sms should get there or even better a little post on my blog which I am checking relatively frequently (meaning about once a week). So, time for me to go. Love and regards to all of you. Alex

Sunset paradise....

(with enough work to quickly bring you smashing back to reality - but nevertheless absolutely fantastic)

Well, today was strenuous but the finish of the day reminded me why being at sea is so absolutely fantastic. There are so many absolutely fantastic sunsets and tonight we were just south of Bulgaria when the sun set in the most spectacular of ways once again. The pictures only give a little indication of the beauty that we can experience nearly daily.

....... absolutely breathtaking

Concert in Ephesus

Well, yesterday was a special Silversea experience for our guests and I was lucky enough to be allowed to come along as one of the tour escorts. Turkey, Kusadisi and the Ancient monuments of Ephesus were the backdrop for a little classical concert. Here are some memories:

The tour escort team and listening to the concert

The ancient ruins of Ephesus, what a setting for a concert

Picture time

Hey time for those pictures I promised. The ships Internet is not working properly at the moment, so I may have only access once in a while. These are for the last few weeks - No particular order, just a little bit to share the fantastic and breathtaking views that I have been enjoying:

M/V Silver Cloud in Patmos


Corinth Canal & Me cruising the Caldera Volcano

Santorini

Rhodes - Lindros Acropolis

Me on Patmos


Blue Mosque - Istanbul, Turkey


Mt Etna - Sicily

Updates

Well, thought it was time for an update. I have lots of new pictures for I was on 2 volcanoes and in a few other places since my last post. Mt. Etna (in Sicily) was very interesting and this week we are were in Santorini and Mykonos, where we had a look at some of the volcanoes in this region. Nice scenery but wow, this is life in the oven. So hot that even the Ship's AC can't cope with it. We are in Athens today and I think the temperatures here must be about 40 something °Celsius. We are changing over guests today, so not much time however photos are in preparation....

regards to everyone

Have some pictures

Well now that I am feeling a little better (had a bad cold the last few weeks - one person ill on board a ship it is like an epidemic, I hope nobody becomes seriously ill on board or it is definitely going to spread very easily) let me try and give you some pictures from my travels.

Open water, this is a good place to watch films about ships and submarines, it really adds an additional dimension to these kind of films when you can hear the Mediterranean splashing against the ships outer just behind your head.

The beach of Ajaccio, nice places and sunshine all inclusive job.

This is the MV Silver Cloud, my home for the next 5 months.

Updates

Hey just a little note to say look at my cruising blog where this week I have added some topics for discussion. To all of those who I promissed a lengthy e-mail, be assured it is in the making and will come eventually.

Newsupdate

Hey, thank all of you for the emails and sms. All it means that I now have to remember to give a different number when someone asks me how old I am.

Here for all of you the promissed contact info:

You can still contact me via my regular e-mail account.
The ship I am on is called the Silver Cloud
and when i am not working (so that would be hardly ever) you can reach me by calling
0042 36 63 08 65 47

This number probably even works via satelite when the ship is not in port, otherwhise take a look at the cruise itinary at Silversea.com to see when I am near land.

Hope all of you are well,
Miss ya loads and having a good time (all in all)

Sea to Sea

Hi there all of you, just a quick one to say that I am alive and well - cruising somewhere in the middle of the mediterranean sea.

I got to Nice ok, was a very difficult start on the ship and I am still not quite sure what to think of all of it. There was a flood in my cabin the first night on board and as we set sail headded for the last 2 days of the Canes Film festival I did feel a little sick. Yesterday we were at the F1 GP in Monte Carlo and today was our day out at see. There are heavy winds and I am surprised at how well I am actually coping with it as the ship is constantly rolling back and forth quite heavily.

Anyway, here a little picture for you to be envious and I will prepare a full length post a little laster when I have some more time.

A few last minute thoughts as I prepare for my trip

Trying to keep up with everyone is challenging at the best of times. Thanks to the internet it has become a little more easy. I have also decided to start a little extra blog for my cruise stories and I used a fantastic function in google maps to make "my map of the world", where you can follow me and my recommendations on where to go and where not as well as having part in my lifes travels. So if you have any questions about places I have been to simply drop me a line.

Counting down

Well, now time is really starting to count down for me. I am scheduled to board the ship this comming Thursday so it is time to see to all these last minute things and meet all my friends for one last time before I go on my journey. Looking forward to it. As this blog will be the best way to share all my adventures with all of you I will try and update it a little more frequently and hopefully put in some beautiful pictures too. I have also had a little go at google earths map functions and set up a Alex' Travels page where you can follow my visits and recommendations to various places arround the globe. Hope you are all well and I look forward to bringing you the first installments of "My Life on the little cruise ship".

Looking up

Well, looks like my plans have become a little more defined. I am going to be cruising through the Mediterranean sea on Bord a luxurious ship called the Silver Cloud. My contract starting at the end of May will give me 6 months of full on cruising. Should be hard work but all very very interesting and make for lots of lovely pictures. So keep an eye out for the pictures and stories to come...

The Newest Thing

Well, lots has happened in the last few weeks. During a little time off from work I began to think about the reasons why I worked so hard for a company that gave me so little in return. Not having the support from my superiors to make things happen and not offering a 5* service the way it should be. So, after some contemplation time and returning to an environment I did not want to be in I decided to call it quits and handed in my notice, so this is the one and only time and place to look back on the experiences that I made during my time there:

All in all the experience was very strenuous, however I do have to acknowledge that I would not have wanted to miss the opening and all the experience that it brought me.

That's it. Short and to the point and it marks the end this chapter. Looking forward I do seem to have an offer for my next adventure (looks like the time for a little cruising the world has come) but more on this to come a little later when things have been confirmed.

Just a last little, more personal note:
Fi - I hope you are enjoying your time (as much as the photos suggest you are)
Jen - Sorry about the lengthy pause (I will send you a proper mail to explain), in the mean time I hope you too are enjoying life.

Everyone else - If there is one thing that this whole experience with my last job taught me; then it is to always stay true to yourself and what you stand for. - Without any compromises

New Year

Well of course fi you got it right, it has been a long time since I posted something. January was a busy month for me at work and I was lucky enough to be given a few days at the start of February to engage in one of my favourite past times - skiing. Though snow conditions in Europe are far behind the splended winter that Whistler is having I was able to spend 7 lovely days skiing in Austria with my brother, father and some friends.