J&B Travels

Today we arrived bright and early in Hakodate, Japan , and what a lovely start to the day it was! I was fortunate enough to watch the sunrise as we sailed into port, and there is something so peaceful and magical about watching a new day begin from the deck of a ship. It is moments like these that remind me just how much I love being at sea. Watching the colours change across the sky as we approach a new destination is such a beautiful way to start the morning. And today there was an extra surprise waiting for us! The Seabourn elves had clearly been very busy overnight, because we woke up to find the ship transformed for Halloween! 🎃 There were decorations everywhere, and it was lovely to see the effort the crew had put into making the occasion special. It certainly added a little extra fun to our day. Gaby and I decided to have breakfast in The Restaurant this morning rather than our usual buffet in the Colonnade. It made a lovely change to sit down, be waited on and enjoy a more le...

Today we arrived in Aomori, Japan , and what a lovely place it turned out to be! Aomori is a smaller city, and one of the things I particularly liked was that the port was right in the heart of town, a little like Gibraltar. No need for shuttle buses or complicated transfers — we could simply walk off the ship and start exploring. The weather was looking a little overcast, so Gaby and I decided to take our raincoats with us, just in case. After all, we have learnt that the Japanese weather can be rather unpredictable! Once ashore, the local tourist guides explained how to get into town, and we found it incredibly easy to navigate. One thing I really appreciated was that the road signs included the main tourist attractions in English, making it so much easier for us to find our way around. Our first stop was the beautiful Utou Shrine , where we enjoyed a peaceful walk around the gardens. There is something so calming about visiting these traditional Japanese shrines. Even when you are i...

Today we arrived in Akita, Japan , and what a wonderful day it turned out to be! From fascinating Japanese traditions and beautiful Akita dogs to a very special tea ceremony and some unexpected childhood memories, this was certainly a day filled with lovely experiences. Gaby and I started our morning with breakfast before making sure Joe was settled and had everything he needed for the day. Of course, Mr C had already made his daily visit to the ship's medical centre to collect some more medication! I am beginning to think the medical centre has become his second home aboard the Seabourn Encore. He seems to pop down to see the team every day and always manages to come back with something he needed! Thankfully, he is gradually improving, which is such a relief after the worrying start to our holiday. As Gaby and I headed towards the shuttle bus, we happened to meet the ship's doctor and his wife. They were absolutely lovely and reassured me that they really enjoy Joe popping in ...

Well, today certainly didn't go quite according to plan! We were supposed to be docking in Niigata, Japan , but Mother Nature had other ideas, and instead, we found ourselves enjoying an unexpected day at sea. The weather had been rather stormy, and our captain had been keeping us well informed about the conditions, including Typhoon Champi , which thankfully we had managed to avoid during our journey. However, with the weather still causing problems, the captain made the sensible decision to miss our scheduled stop in Niigata and sail directly towards our next destination, Akita. Of course, it was disappointing to miss out on exploring another Japanese city, but safety always has to come first, and I was grateful that we were being kept informed and well looked after. And we could certainly feel the effects of the weather! The ship was rocking quite considerably throughout the day and night, and walking around became something of an adventure in itself. You definitely had to watch...

Today we arrived in Kanazawa, Japan , and what a wonderful day of exploring we had ahead of us! As this was our first port back in Japan after visiting South Korea, immigration procedures meant that every passenger had to leave the ship to complete the necessary checks, even those who weren't planning to go ashore. So, poor Joe had no choice but to get himself up and organised. Thankfully, he was feeling well enough to join Gaby and me for breakfast, which was lovely, before we headed off the ship just after 9am. Once we had completed immigration, we took Joe straight back aboard so that he could rest and continue recovering. Although he is making progress, he is still not feeling well enough to spend a whole day exploring, and we certainly don't want him overdoing things. After making sure he was settled and comfortable, Gaby and I headed back into the port terminal to see what adventures we could find. We visited the information services desk and discovered that we could take...

Today was our second sea day aboard the Seabourn Encore as we made our way back towards the coast of Japan, and after the events of yesterday, I was certainly hoping for a calmer and more relaxing day. Gaby and I started the morning with breakfast before enjoying a lovely walk around the ship. I do love being at sea, and although I enjoy exploring all the different ports, there is something special about having a whole day to enjoy the ship without having to rush anywhere. After our walk, Gaby headed off to join the trivia competition whilst I went to check on Joe and take him for his second IV infusion, luckily it seems to be doing the trick and he seems to be on the mend. Thankfully, he was feeling slightly better today, which was such a relief after everything he had been through over the last few days. We decided it would be good to encourage him to get out of the suite, stretch his legs a little and, most importantly, try to eat something. So, we took him for a gentle walk around ...

Today we arrived in Sokcho, South Korea , at 8am, ready for another new adventure and the opportunity to explore a country that neither Gaby nor I wanted to miss experiencing. Thankfully, the immigration arrangements were fairly straightforward. Only those passengers wishing to go ashore needed to complete the immigration checks, which was a relief as Joe was still not feeling well and certainly wasn't up to leaving the ship. After making sure he was comfortable and had everything he needed, Gaby and I headed off to explore Sokcho. We caught the shuttle bus from the port into town, where we were dropped off at the local market. I always enjoy visiting markets when travelling, as they offer such an interesting glimpse into everyday life, the local food, culture and traditions. We wandered around the market before deciding to explore a little more of the town itself. As it was a Sunday, Sokcho was relatively quiet, with quite a few shops and businesses closed. Nevertheless, it was lo...

Today was our first sea day aboard the beautiful Seabourn Encore as we sailed away from Japanese waters and headed towards our next destination, Sokcho in South Korea. I have always loved sea days. There is something wonderful about having nowhere in particular to be, no rushing around exploring a new city, and simply enjoying everything the ship has to offer. And today, the crew had certainly made sure there was plenty to keep us entertained! Unfortunately, poor Joe is still not feeling well, and his back continues to cause him discomfort. We encouraged him to try and eat a little breakfast, so he opted for room service whilst Gaby and I headed to the main restaurant to experience something a little different. Today they were hosting an Asian Brunch , which we were told was the first time they had ever done it. We have to admit, it was very nice indeed! It was lovely to try something new, especially as we are travelling through this fascinating part of the world. After brunch, Gaby an...

Today we arrived at our first port of call, Kochi, Japan, at 10am. Our Japanese adventure was finally getting underway, although I have to admit my body clock is still very much out of sync! I seem to have developed a new routine of staying up far too late and then struggling to get up in the mornings. Not quite my usual early morning gym and meditation routine, but I am sure my body will eventually adjust to the time difference. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is my love of the sea. I spent some time sitting on our balcony, simply watching the water and enjoying the peacefulness of it all. There is something so utterly calming about looking out across the ocean. The gentle movement of the ship, the sound of the water and the endless horizon have always been my happy place. I could happily sit there for hours, just being present in the moment. Eventually, Gaby and I headed to the Colonnade Restaurant for breakfast, whilst Joe opted for room service. Unfortunately, poor Mr C...

Finally, the day had arrived! After what had been a rather eventful journey to Japan, today was the day we would be boarding the beautiful Seabourn Encore and beginning our cruise around Japan and South Korea. The morning started with Gaby and me heading down for breakfast before taking a little walk around the block to explore our surroundings. Of course, no visit to Japan would be complete without popping into a 7-Eleven! We needed to get some Japanese Yen from the cashpoint, but Gaby was equally interested in exploring all the weird and wonderful products on display. There really is something fascinating about seeing the everyday things that are so different from what we are used to back home. Then it was back to the hotel to collect Joe and take him to the medical clinic for another injection to help with his back pain. The doctor also adjusted his medication, so we were keeping everything crossed that this would finally start to give him some much-needed relief. Once that was done...

Well, after what felt like a very long journey, we finally landed in Tokyo! Our Japanese adventure was officially beginning, although we still had one more flight to go before reaching our final destination of Osaka. Thankfully, as promised, the airport assistance team were waiting for us when we arrived. What a relief! With Joe still struggling with his back, the thought of navigating a busy international airport, immigration, security and collecting all our luggage was not something we were looking forward to. We were taken through immigration and security and then into the arrivals area to collect our suitcases. Whilst waiting for the luggage, a sniffer dog was doing his rounds, checking everyone's bags. Well, imagine my surprise when he suddenly became very interested in mine! In fact, he went absolutely crazy sniffing it! It turns out that the banana I had been carrying earlier had left enough of a scent to get him rather excited. Thankfully, I had eaten it on the plane, as yo...

Well, they say every adventure has its challenges, but I wasn't expecting ours to begin quite so soon! Unfortunately, our day didn't get off to the best start. During the night, Joe had got up and somehow managed to trip backwards, hitting his back against the marble bedside table. Ouch! Not exactly what you want to happen when you're about to embark on a long journey to the other side of the world. Despite being in considerable pain, Mr C was adamant that he didn't need to see a doctor and that he would be fine. Those of you who know Joe will know that once he has made his mind up about something, it can be rather difficult to persuade him otherwise! So, we headed down for breakfast at the hotel, packed up our belongings and made our way across to Terminal 5 to check in for our flight to Tokyo. By the time we had walked through to the terminal, Joe realised that his back was simply not up to navigating the airport on foot. Thankfully, we were able to arrange wheelchair...

 And so it begins again! Another adventure, another opportunity to make wonderful memories, and this time we have the added joy of having our gorgeous daughter Gaby joining us. Today was the first day of our travels, and in true Brenda style, I managed to squeeze in a couple of meetings before leaving Gibraltar. After all, with a 5pm flight, why waste a perfectly good working day? Joe, of course, was all packed and ready to go, whilst I was my usual last-minute-dot-com self, still packing on the day we were leaving! Some things never change, no matter how much travelling you do. Thankfully, Sam kindly dropped us off at the airport, and we navigated check-in without any dramas. Before long, we were relaxing in the lounge, ready for the first leg of our journey to London. The flight went smoothly, and once we landed, collected our luggage and jumped into a taxi, it was a short journey to the Sofitel at Terminal 5, where Gaby was already waiting for us. She had flown down from Edinbur...