After a (very) few days visiting friends and family in Montana, I headed South to do the same in California and Arizona. I also spent time doing some pet sits in Arizona (thank you, Trusted Housesitters!). How could you not love these sweeties? Trusted Housesitters is a great organization that matches travelers with pet parents to the advantage of both. I spent a quiet Thanksgiving with two labradoodles and Polly.

The last time I visited New Zealand I didn't get to the far North end or the far South end of the country. Even as I boarded my flight home, I knew I'd have to return. I decided to focus on the Northland this time, above Auckland. I'm so glad I did. As you drive North the island grows narrower, so the ocean is never far away.

Next on the agenda for this year of travel: a return to New Zealand. I visited two years ago and fell in love, vowing to return. I had done a day tour to Waiheke Island, known for its wines, and knew I wanted to spend more time there. So for the first few days "down under" I headed to an AirBnB on Onetangi Beach.

I've had questions about my experience with solo cruising, so I thought I'd talk about how this one went. It's been six years since the last cruise-not counting the three cruises I did as a Tour Director. That was work, and I had a built-in group to keep me busy. This was also my first time cruising alone. So - how did it go?

Polly and Dunkin After a week long Atlantic crossing and two days in Fort Lauderdale, I’m in Atlanta having just finished the first leg of my trip to New Zealand. I was delighted to find Dunkin Donuts in the Atlanta airport-how I miss them! No Dunkin in Montana. 🙁 I’ll have more to say about my overall cruise experience when I get settled in New Zealand.

This was my third time in Funchal, on one of the Islands of Madeira. It was a little bittersweet for me, since this was one of the ports my husband and I loved. I again took a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, and then returned to the city center to go to their wonderful market and have lunch. I love visiting markets around the world.

I’m a bit late in posting, but I was busy helping row across the Atlantic Ocean. Not really, but doesn’t that bring up visions of Vikings heading to the New World? Anyway, I took a ship tour of Vigo and got to check out the city. It was a nice overview with stops at an old fort and some gardens. We stopped at a 5-star hotel for lunch before returning to the dock, and I got to try some local wine.

Today was a rather warm port day in Bilbao. I did a Hop On Hop Off bus tour and got off at the Guggenheim Museum. I decided to walk back to the place where the ship shuttle dropped us off. I think that was a mistake-I ended up with sweat in my eyes. I guess I need to remember we’re no longer above the Arctic Circle.

Today’s adventure was a tour to visit Monet’s home and gardens. While it’s October and many of the flowers are fading, it was still a lovely visit. How exciting to see the places I’ve seen in his paintings so often.

Weather and rough seas forced an unscheduled port stop in La Havre ( I’m going back in two days) so I took a tour to Honfleur. A lovely old village, and of course I partook of the required French pastry and chocolates. The pastry didn’t last long enough for a portrait, but Polly helped me decide which chocolates to eat first.

My mother’s side of the family was Norwegian, and I grew up with the lefse and lutefisk as part of my world. Oh, and the usual “Ya, you betcha” as the answer to most questions. I knew my ancestors came from the fjord country, but haven’t ever visited until now. My month-long cruise is starting with several stops in Norway and a (mostly unsuccessful) hunt for the Northern Lights.

I took another tour to a place I’ve long wanted to visit: The Cotswolds. This was a smaller tour, limited to 14. If you’re wondering, it was a Rabbies tour and I highly recommend them. Oxford wasn’t my real destination, but I enjoyed it a lot. It happened to be graduation day for some of the colleges (I think there are 39) so the streets were filled with family members with flowers and graduates in their colorful robes.

I tend to avoid the big tourist destinations (for the most part), but…Stonehenge! I remember reading about it in our National Geographic or some similar publication when I was a child, and I was fascinated. Who built it? Why? What were those people like, and how did they live? Since I had a few days in London I decided I had to see it in person.

Polly is at Stonehenge So my traveling companion has a name. I had suggestions to use a place I loved, and I wanted something that started with a “P” ( for porcupine). There’s a mountain in Denali National Park called Polychrome, noted both for its many colors and the fact that it decided to get rid of the road that went past it. So…say hello to Polly Porcupine.

Getting ready to leave the land of Charlie Russell to head to the land of Shakespeare. This eight week adventure will take me from one end of the globe to the other, ending up in New Zealand before I fly home. Yes, I'm doing it alone. Yes, I'm ok with that.

Yes, a river literally runs through it. There’s something mystical about coming home, no matter where it might be. In this case, as I arrived back in my home state I drove along the Blackfoot River, the one Norman Maclean paid homage to in his book. As I drove along I learned of Robert Redford’s passing , so I stopped to pay a silent thanks for creating one of my favorite movies and for getting the heart of Montana right.

My only companion for the drive Heading back to Montana from Alaska, I decided I’ve driven the Alcan enough. I think it’s been 17 or 18 times, including my childhood trips. I’ve never been on the Cassiar, which is the Western route to Alaska…and much less developed. Why not try a new challenge? I found it much like driving the Alcan used to be in the early years, although it’s paved and in some ways an easier drive than parts of today’s Alcan.

My final tour group. The first phase of my year of travel is nearly over. My last tour ended yesterday and here I sit in the airport heading back to Anchorage. I’ll be heading down the road the day after tomorrow- the end of fifteen years of post-retirement seasonal work. My guests kept asking me if it was sad to know I wouldn’t be back.