I was thrilled to be asked to deliver the port lectures on board m.v. Voyager for a wonderful itinerary around the Med beginning mid September. The ports of call would, I think, all figure pretty high up on anybody's wishlist. We kick off from Marseille and cruise gently down the coast to that perennial star of the French Riviera, Nice, from where there will be excursions to Monte Carlo and all those coastal villages perched on top of dramatic cliffs. Then it's the turn of the Italian Riviera - Livorno, Positano, Pisa, Florence, in short, all things Tuscan. After a day in Rome, we cruise down to Naples, Capri and the Amalfi coast, with excursions to Pompei and Herculaneum. Next stop is Sicily, perhaps with a showing from Mount Etna....then Brindisi down on the heel of Italy and then round into the Adriatic. Halfway to Venice we call in at Ancona, gateway to the Marche region, then a string of pearls to the climax of the cruise...Venice, Dalmatia...Croatia...Split....Hvar...Sibenik and last but not least, spectacularly beautiful Dubrovnik. September will be a perfect time to take in the early autumn moods of these places, and although I won't be doing the painting classes my camera will certainly be at the ready! Hmm, I can smell the pasta and seafood already!