[Worldtrippers home] [World Cruise home]
On May 9, we disembarked Viking Neptune for the last time, ending our world cruise. Over the past four months, the ship has become our home and our neighborhood. The guests and crew have become our friends and our family. This may be the closest community we have ever experienced in our four years of cruising. We will cherish these experiences and memories. Many tears were shed as everyone said good-bye.
But we still had one more adventure ahead. Viking’s Executive Vice President, Karine Hagen, is known in the Viking world for her two yellow labrador dogs, Finse and Charlie. Finse is the subject of a children’s book series, “The World of Finse.” We have gotten to know the books’ illustrator, Suzy-Jane Tanner, through previous Viking cruises. And when Suzy heard we would be disembarking in Greenwich, she invited us to stay with her for a few days.
Suzy and her husband Ken live in Peckham, a district in southeast London. So after disembarking the ship, we packed our nine suitcases into a cab and proceeded to Suzy’s house. (Suzy had ordered a large car, but for some reason a regular-sized car showed up. Fortunately, we were able to make everything fit.)
Suzy and Ken (also an artist) live in a beautiful old English house with a gorgeous garden. For three and a half days they were terrific hosts, from serving breakfast and tea to showing us around the area.
On May 10, we took a river boat to Kew Gardens. On this particular route, the pilot gives commentary throughout the one-hour ride up the River Thames. Kew Gardens, founded in 1840, boast the “largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world.” More than 50,000 species can be seen across its 300 acres.
One highlight was the Marianne North Gallery. Marianne North was a widow who travelled the world, painting plants in their natural settings. Her collection of more than 800 paintings was invaluable in an age before color photography.
