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We were not on a Vantage cruise - but local guide emphasised not to hand out to the children - they do not want the village children to become beggars or dependent on handouts like in other countries. We did carry extra biscuits/fruit and gave to Monks if they were out collecting alms of a morning. There are already children that have their hands out in some of the places. Guide also arranged a quick visit to a local school whilst we were in town and we were able to leave a donation/gift.

I wore knee length shorts some days 3/4 and long pants other days - guide always told us requirements for following day. We each had a longhi - my husband needed his knees covered in Mandalay at one of the temples (ladies were not allowed into this area). At one of our town stops in the market area there were seamstresses that would sew a ladies longhi - buy your material for a couple of dollars and make for another dollar or so in the hour. It was cooller to wear your longhi on the open deck during the humid day. I wore thongs/flipflops on shore excursions/siteseeing - easier to slip on and off (sometimes 3 and 4 times each excursion) and had a bag to carry them around the temples -sometimes you would not use the same entrance and exit:)

"One problem has been DH's big shoes but we managed before although this time we may opt for him just wearing his dark Merrill walking shoes and not care if somebody in the dining room doesn't think it looks right, too bad."

My husband blacked out the big white tick on his Black leather Nike sports shoes. Then added polish often. He wore them every day whilst out and about and with his semi formal and formal clothes in the evening.

Cost of storage at the train station is 6 Euro per item for the first 5 hours

Vineyard View,

Stayed for 2 nights during May this year. Hotel is a 2/3 block walk from Singtagma square where the airport and cruise port shuttle bus and Metro stops are. Easy walking to Plaka attractions and restaurants - The cafe/restaurant in the side street was very good (sorry can't remember name -but you can't miss it).

We were first in the gate to the Acropolis so very close about 1Km walk. Breakfast was very good. Our only issue was with internet - there were free hotspots in the lobby - but we didn't see the signs and you needed a password - all the info in the room was about how to buy internet time. I gave a 4 star on tripadviser - would have been 5 if we had known earlier or been told about free internet -don't think you should have to ask.

Fisherman's Island is basically the freight terminal near the mouth of the river (You wouldn't stay here). If you haven't done the "Koala thing" Lone Pine is the place to go either by ferry or bus from the city. Nice view of city from Mt Cootha. Botanic gardens etc. Maybe a day trip to the Gold Coast.

Hi Sarah,

have been reading your review over the last few weeks and enjoying it and was so glad to see your photos of Santorini today. We leave tomorrow for Turkey and a Med cruise and Santorini is one of our ports of call - we are hoping to walk from Fira to Oia during our time ashore and it is great to see what other people do. Keep up the great blog.

Jan

My advise would be to do the Whitsunday tour if you are also going to Cairns. I have no experience re cruise ship passengers/tours or where you dock but have done land based holidays of both areas and visited the reef. The outer reef from Airlie Beach is a good 2 hour boat ride each way (seas can be choppy once you leave the islands behind). the Whitsunday snorkelling will be on fringing reef around the islands - not sure if they offer whitehaven beach on Whitsunday (a virtually uninhabited beach (excepting day trippers etc) a white silicon sand beach. Airlie is very pedestrian friendly if you are docked there as opposed to Shute Harbour. the reef at Cairns is a lot closer to shore.

It is probably best to first work out where you want to go (sounds obvious) - Most companies (and there are more and more opening up in Myanmar) do the Pyar (Prome), Bagan(pagan), Mandalay trip. stopping at the similar/same places. If you want to deviate from this be aware you need a boat with a shallow draft - the river can be very wide 2-3 kms but very very shallow. The Road to Mandalay is an ex European River boat where as the Pandaw boats are designed on the old Irrawaddy Flotilla boats. Pandaw also offer the Chidwin river and Irrawaddy from Rangoon to Mandalay in the monsoon season (more water). Some companies are all inclusive as well (local beer/spirits/softdrinks all day, wine with dinner).

Myanmar is wonderfully untouched at present - this will change in the future.

Yes, the Orient Pandaw is real. I was on her in 2011 on the Rajang River in Malaysian Borneo and saw her again in August this year on the Irrawaddy in Myanamar - we were on the Pandaw 11. I beleive she is being leased through cruisco? for this season in Myanmar. Happy to answer any questions you may have.:)

Unless you are going back to the same hotels nightly(to return your umbrella), I would consider taking your own folding umbrella as I used mine instead of wearing a hat. Many Chinese attractions have large open concrete spaces to walk through before getting to the attraction. Chinese women also usually carry umbrellas instead of hats. We travelled June last year.

Our balcony on the Victoria Anna looked like a "Chinese Laundry" with washing drying - so did every other balcony on every other boat.

We boarded the boat in Yichang - we were able to get a pass and wander up the hill to the group of restaurants on the river bank.

Chinese smoke everywhere - some restaurants have seperate rooms for smokers etc.

Have just returned from the 14 night repositioning cruise Yangon to Mandalay on Pandaw 2 - July/August. I apologise I was wrong about sliding glass doors as mentioned before. Teak door to outside prominade deck - double opening windows with insect screens (some people chose to sleep with windows open) - we had the air pumping. 2 bunks ample storage under bunks. Wonderful service - variety of meals buffet breakfast, either buffet lunch or 3 course (order main at breakfast + soup and salads and fruit/dessert), 4 course dinner order main at lunch. Informal seating /casual dress. In the delta area we had the 3.00pm downpour for an hour most days. Mostly fine otherwise. we took Doxy for Malaria but saw very few mosquitos. Happy to answer any questions. We loved being in the towns/villages that only see a tourist boat every other year - think this will eventually change. To the person enquiring about money we changed crisp Us dollars and also used the ATM machine. they were sprouting upeverywhere in Yangon (at least 20 at Shwedagon Pagoda):)

have a question about ships.Photo doesn t show windows on website and states,no private balcony.How was your Pandow ship cabin?:confused:

Pandaw boats are as pictured on their website. Outside "prominade deck" each cabin opens off this with a sliding glass door and sliding louvre door and curtains. Two rattan chairs and table outside each cabin on the deck. Upper deck usually undercover with outdoor furniture. We actually had a window as we were in first cabin at the front.:)