I added the below picture to Facebook and Twitter recently, I’m sure many of you have already seen it, but the response was so much more than I had expected – maybe that’s because it is your happy place too – and it inspired me to write today’s blog.

Travel and the ocean are my happy places rolled into one, I feel like I can’t have one without the other and in many cases, I physically can’t. I love to visit new and interesting places but I also enjoy returning to places that I have been many times. There really is nothing more rewarding than exploring a foreign land, but I have to say that my time aboard is probably the most precious and nothing can beat the tranquility of a transatlantic crossing – even if there is a force 12 outside!

Sea days are my absolute happy place and the further away I am from land, the better. Of course, I enjoy arriving in port and seeing land for the first time after having been at the mercy of the ocean for several days, but I certainly wouldn’t wish those sea days away. One of my favourite ships is P&O Cruises Oceana, I have sailed on her 7 or 8 times now and she always offers me something special. I remember on one cruise, I made my way up to the Pennant Bar, pulled out a chair and I just sat there. There wasn’t another soul in sight (OK, there was 1 man but he was far away) and the colours in the sky were absolutely beautiful. It was a priceless moment and it’s those moments that make it so memorable for me. The feeling of peace and happiness on an evening like the one pictured below couldn’t be bought for all of the money in the world.

I don’t know what it’s like for you, but for me, being aboard a ship lets the rest of the world become a distant memory. I lose track of the days, become accustomed to “ship life”, meet new and interesting people and I simply enjoy being a small speck in a vast ocean. I don’t think any other form of travel lets you feel as free as cruising does.

My next cruise is in February, a 35 night Caribbean and USA voyage with P&O Cruises from Southampton, and I absolutely cannot wait. Not only am I going back to some fabulous islands, but I am also going to explore new lands (including New Orleans, which I am beyond excited about) and I can have my collection of sea days all over again – there and back! If I remember correctly, we have 3 days at sea, a call to Madeira and then 5 days at sea before we reach St Kitts. Absolute heaven! I don’t care if it is blowing a gale and pouring with rain outside to begin with, I am so looking forward to once again being in the middle of nowhere and cut off – if only briefly – from the world.

61 days and counting…