A lovely Christmas was quickly followed by the gloomiest of New Years... a heavy cold and bad chest presaged the news that came out on 30th December that the New Year cruises for both mv Minerva and mv Voyager were cancelled. By the 4th January it was announced that Voyages of Discovery and Swann Hellenic had ceased trading, and with that came the end of a glorious era. Both ships were almost lone beacons of personal, intimate service, where going on board was like going back into the welcoming bosom of one large family - loyal passengers, many friendly faces and an unsurpassed crew, who never failed to cheer up one's day. Oh how they will all be missed. So many memories, from wonderful, obscure destinations and great dinner table conversations, to hilarious art workshops delivered in force ten gales and fascinating lectures on every topic from volcanoes to Cold War diplomacy...
But life goes on...and I now look forward to dedicating some of the unexpected free time to lecturing on land and doing some serious paintings based on some these great destinations - watch this space!