Ryan's Annual Wee Epistle
Long long ago on an ocean far far away Ryan New Year 2024 (RY24) began upon the Andaman sea with bounty a plenty, drink in abundance, and the happy memory of y’all’n’all firmly affixed in our heart of hearts Thanks Be to God (TBTG)! We had set afloat to make memories for one’n’all lest this Annual Wee Epistle 2025 (AWE25) be short. Fear not gentle readers for was a banner year as meself and my good lady sallied forth dither and yawn in fine AWEful style recounted here as it annually must in grammar so challenging even AI shudders. So, at the dawning of RY25 “Beannachtam na Feile Padraig” or “Happy St. Patrick’s” let’s pick up the tale, trail, and tally in the Nicobar and Andaman islands’ very own Port Blair a missable paradise en route to Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
(Ceylon), where a TukTuk tour traversed time afore the Bay of Bengal (no tigers) opened into Colombo, the capital. Tea shops, touching elephants, and lunch at the majestic water front Gaile Face hotel steeled our courage for a dive into a market thronged with thrice more shoppers than WalMart on Black Friday. Next, Goa, India and the Festival of Colors + the uncorrupted St. Francis Xavier himself set expectations for Mumbai, which didn’t disappoint as we indulged for a week at Agni Village, an Ayurvedic Spa (so the Mrs. led me to believe) where the 4 doctors signed us into the “Lifestyles Disorders” detox – I kid you not! Suffice to say we WILL be going back!!
Whiskeyed via Singapore to Sydney in Oz, we boarded Celebrity Edge for wine, wonders, and well, kangaroos. Melbourne first for Phryne Fisher’s house & a German beer hall (Why not?) afore Adelaide and the famed ancestral Penfolds tasting bins (Grange yes). Incredible entertainers Will Martin & Jessica Jane stunned whilst Kangaroo Island and Devils in Hobart (no Bugs) and the mountaintop did not disappoint. Back in Syndey, Mr. Wongs, Luna Park (left), and the Bishop’s Mass made us sad to leave. Tokyo via Singapore called: Japanese toilets – amazing – Okonomyaki (left below) & Katsu to die for, cherry blossoms everywhere, TV tower & Tokyo tower vistas galore, Shibuya crossing unbelievable, imperial palace sublime. South on Azamara afloat for Kobe beef, bullet train to Kyoto, temples, palaces, castles of reknown – who knew? Mass in Japanese (hint: it’s the same) in Kochi + Bonito katsuo no tataki with beer fortified for a rainy Taiwan Taxi Tour with iPhone translating driver and a sumptuous buffet in the hotel of Taipei – it’s all about the food (IA2tF) – War memorial and Chiang Kai Shek tombs not to be missed and Keeling night street market for dinner then back to the ship to depart for Hong Kong – Myself was quite honored to read “In Flanders Fields” for ANZAC day at 05:30 the next morning on board – Very moving – before a visually stunning sail in and out of HK.
Hearty souls will read On, On! Click
through the pages at the top, or read the
entire original AWE25 by clicking here. Lots of photos below and on the pages to follow... Slainte!​​​​​
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