TRAVEL
Jump onboard! I’m back in familiar territory - my old stamping ground of Japan. And while this is a mother and daughter holiday, I’m also refreshing my knowledge and checking out things for March 2019 when I will escort a fabulous cruise taking in China, Korea, and Japan during their haze free, picture perfect, too short spring. If you haven’t heard of this trip before, then you’re clearly not in the know! This Regent Seven Seas luxury cruise (at a very affordable price) is all but sold out, save for the few rooms that Trendsetter still has available to sell. And it’s a great deal because not only will you enjoy 18 days sailing, but we then follow this up with 3 nights touring in Tokyo, a most exciting city. Come with me for this taste of the experiences to come, if not in reality at least vicariously! Our journey commences in China with an overnight in each of Shanghai and Tianjin (the port for Beijing). Both these cities are amazingly modern - remember the iconic architecture created for the Beijing Olympics? And yet each has managed to retain some of the traditional and old so that you can still feel the roots and sense the culture that imbues life in China today. The unlimited free excursions enjoyed on this cruise will allow you to experience this for yourselves. Leave the skyscrapers and travel to the water village of Suzhou, or explore the Forbidden City in Beijing. Plenty of choices await. There is also one more Chinese city you’ll get to explore and that is Dalian, consistently voted one of the top three cities in China. It was supposedly built on a plan of Paris, and with its many trees and gardens is high on the liveability index. We then leave China and sail toward Korea, arriving after a palate-cleansing day at sea, ready for the delights of Seoul and Busan. I’ll be heading to picturesque Bukchon Hanok Village, a village of traditional banok houses
dating all the way back to the Joseon Dynasty. Amazingly, they are still lived in and in the heart of the city between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace. Busan will be new to me. Described by Lonely Planet guide as “one of the great unheralded cities in Asia. Brimming with cobalt oceans, verdant mountains and delectable fare, it's a city full of surprises and a laid-back vibe.” I can’t wait! Finally, we travel south to Japan with Nagasaki our first port of call. Long before it became famous as the second of two Japanese cities to succumb to extensive bombing, Nagasaki was the port where many foreigners, particularly the Dutch, came to trade and where missionaries tried to convert the Japanese to Christianity. For decades it was always more outward looking and somewhat accepting of cultural differences, and this coupled with its southernmost location provides a totally different experience to that of the traditional cities. From Nagasaki we sail to Kagoshima, known as the Naples of the East for its bay location, hot climate, and stratovolcano Mt Sakura; and then Hososhima, the gateway port to a number of Kyushu’s beautiful shrines and temples. The next stop is Hiroshima, where it’s unlikely anyone will miss the opportunity to visit Peace Park and the Museum dedicated to the memory of the atom bomb experience that in these times of political uncertainty, serves as a poignant reminder about why rearmament is indeed scary. An overnight in Hiroshima will allow us all to explore further – Hiroshima is not just about the war. The Inland Sea of Japan is one of the most scenically beautiful and revered places in Japan, being a long expanse of inland waterway and peppered with hundreds of small islands and rocky outcrops. We wend out way up through Kochi (where I will be looking to bathe in some natural hot springs), and overnight in Kobe, the port for the temple and
garden heaven Kyoto with thousands of cherry blossom trees in bloom. Our penultimate stop is Shimizu, from where many will head towards iconic Mt Fuji , before a final sail into Tokyo harbour for our 3-night land touring. Wow, what a diverse and exciting range of experiences this cruise and tour presents. I jumped onboard, so to speak, at the chance to escort a group on cruise, which is sure to be a ‘best of’ event. The choice of up to 56 complimentary excursions is a wonderful bonus. I do hope you can be enticed to join me in March 2019 and I welcome your enquiries where I can tell you much more. I am brimming with excitement!
TRAVEL Adrienne Witteman,
Managing Director, Trendsetter Travel & Cruise Centre.
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