JOURNEYS4LIFE TRAVEL

Dear Traveler, On a hot summer morning at the end of August, our Star Clipper Ship docked in the Katapola port on the island of Amorgos, the easternmost of the Cyclades group. Somewhat isolated, Amorgos wasn't on the traveler's map until the late 80's when it became a filming location of " The   Big Blue " -a freestyle diving movie featuring the french star Jean Reno. Cyclades Island Map Lonely Planet Compared with its trendy neighbors, such as Santorini and Mykonos, Amorgos attracts with its rough beauty and its peaceful and spiritual vibe. The mountainous relief of the island is hilly and steep with narrow and windy roads. The lack of hotel infrastructure (the majority of accommodations are room rentals concentrated around the port) draws low maintenance hikers, herb-pickers, and divers. We made a new friend at Asset Car Rental Amorgos is big enough that, in order to explore it, you will need to rent a scooter or a car. If you are not experienced w

Momemvasia, Greece Our last port of call with Star Clipper was Monemvasia, also known as the “Greek Gibraltar”. In a bright morning my husband and I were standing on the bow when the “Big Rock “ started to appear on the horizon. With its strategic geographical position, no wonder why the island was ruled by  Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian, & Turkish conquerors over the centuries. The road connecting mainland with the Castle Town There is a single paved road connecting the mainland with the Fortress Town used by all cars and tour busses. That’s how the name “Monemvasia” came out, meaning “single” (mon-), passage.  After a brief stop at the map point, conveniently located right after the bridge where the road splits, we decided instead to start climbing the Rock from the North Side. At the beginning, we didn’t realize that, unlike the South side road, there was only a somewhat rough path, just boulders marked with red paint, and steep cliffs below us, ending into

Wind Surf in the Tropics Enhance Your Vacation Experience  - See more of the visited destination with longer hours and overnights spend on land. Forget about crowds, check-in and buffet lines, long transfers from ship to shore. Small ship vessels are more intimate and feel like a floating boutique hotel rather than a Las Vegas type of resort. Visit Unique Ports the Mega-ships Cannot Access - River cruise ships embark right into the heart of historic town where included excursions showcase the best of the local history, culture and cuisine. Sailing and expedition cruises explore less visited parts of the world accessible only via small vessel and often requiring special permits. Typically included zodiac landing, get you closer to marine and wildlife in protected nature parks where just a few lucky travelers have been. Aqua Expeditions Amazon River Cruise Connect With Like-minded Travelers - The intimate ambiance on board small ship stimulate guests to meet and connect wi