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​​        BIRTHDAY ON MY PERSONAL YACHT

WITH each passing year birthdays take on an added significance.
You look forward to each of them wondering how you can make your next commemoration that little bit different and more memorable.

This year I decided to celebrate on my own private yacht with about 100 of my best friends
.

Different? Memorable?

Well some of us hadn’t been to the Balearic Islands off the south of Spain before. Nor Corsica, nor the Amalfi coast of Italy.
And when it came to some of the gems of Greece, such as Delphi, famous for its legendary Oracle, the Corinth Canal, so narrow that only boutique yachts can fit through, Santorini and Hydra, where motor vehicles are banned ...
The itinerary was a unique birthday present in itself.
One of the first stopovers was Ibiza, which young folk describe as the Bali of the Mediterranean.
But the psychedelic entertainment in the watering holes rarely begins before midnight.
Instead it was a splendid evening around the yacht’s piano bar where musician George tickled the ivories with more sedate hits from yesteryear.
Not quite Barry Manilow.
More a case of Cilla Black, Dianne Ross, Billy Joel and Neil Sedaka.
And, of course, John, Paul, George and Ringo.
I got by with a little help from my friends on board.
The bars of Ibiza may have just been opening.
But on board my private yacht we were certainly having fun.
That’s probably why none of the revellers managed to make it on deck for dawn on my birthday as the golden sun rose over Palma de Malorca.
And what a sight as the swimming pool was bathed in a deep orange hue!
Had my mates not been slumbering, the mobile phones and upmarket Canons and Nikons would have been getting a real workout.
And what about the birthday feast.
Summer Truffle Antipasto, followed by Ensaladilla Rusa with a main course of Whole Roast Prime Rib-Eye of Beef.
We could have had more … much, much more … but one mustn’t be greedy.
However, I must confess to telling a bit of a fib.
It wasn’t really my personal yacht.
It just felt like it, as I was pampered on the boutique cruise vessel SeaDream I as we sailed around the Mediterranean.
The fellow guests weren’t my close friends, either.
At first they were strangers, but within a few hours of climbing the gang plank  (I called it the ‘Eighteen Steps to Paradise’) they quickly became much more than just acquaintances … from Britain, Germany, Canada, Holland, the United States, Norway … 11 nationalities all told.
This small group of passengers was pampered by 92 crew members.
Most guests will remain in contact, just as many I met on my first Sea Dream experience a decade ago still are.
I hope to join you on our personal SeaDream yacht in 2016?
And I promise – Scout’s Honour – I’ll make sure I get up to see dawn break over the Med with you!
​
Enquiries to info@seadream.com or visit www.seadream.com 

Words: Malcolm Andrews
Pictures: Helen Read
​
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  • Destinations - Australia
    • Royal Caribbean Program
    • The Whitsundays
    • Alice Springs
    • Green Island Qld
    • Coober Pedy SA
    • Palm Cove
    • Yeppoon QLD
    • Sapphire Coast
    • Mollymook
    • Hyde Park Barracks
    • Palm Cove Social Club
    • Kangaroo Island
    • Aussie Country Towns
    • Escape to Australia
    • Lord Howe Island
    • Rottnest Island
    • Kangaroo Island Magic
    • Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour
    • The Public Silo Trail WA
    • Brisbane Calile
    • In awe of the Kimberley
    • Hunter Gatherings
    • Pacific Hotel Cairns
    • Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours
    • Kangaroo Island
    • Sunshine State
    • Kimberley Coast
    • The Kimberley and Mitchell Falls
    • Forget Bali - Go Bush
    • Barcaldine
    • Tap and Go Sydney
    • Port Douglas
    • The Outback and fascinating Lava Tubes at Undara.
    • Darwin
    • Brisbane Grand Ladies
    • Brisbane to Townsville
    • Citadines Sydney Airport
    • Mudgee
    • Kimberley Coast
    • Mudgee's Blue Wren Winery
    • Uber Cool Brisbane
    • Southern Highlands NSW
    • Perth Day Cruise
    • Lord Howe - Return to Paradise
    • Broome
    • The Hydro Majestic Hotel
    • O'REILLY'S
    • Hervey Bay
    • Sealink Swan River
  • CRUISING
    • Cruising
    • Princess Explorer >
      • SeaDream Visits Elba
      • MSC Bellissima
      • ms Volendam >
        • Rivers will boom
        • Riviera Cruises
        • Cunard Queens
        • Norwegian Cruise Lines >
          • CroisiEurope >
            • Sunborn Yacht Hotel
            • Riverboats
            • AMERICAN STEAMBOATS >
              • HAL Latest
              • Voyager of the Seas
        • SeaDream A Seven-Day Dream
        • SeaDream Wins Again
        • msNoordam >
          • Rhine Part 3
        • CroisiEurope
        • Sailing the Orient
    • Paul Gauguin Cruises Tahitian Dreaming
    • Silversea NZ Part 1 >
      • Lake Geneva Part 2
      • Avalon Waterways
    • Majestic Princess
    • Sun Princess
    • Silja Line
    • Pacific Jewel
    • Norwegian Jewel
    • Azamara >
      • Bordeaux and Riverboats
      • River Cruises >
        • CroisiEurope
    • Diamond Princess >
      • Multigenerational Cruising
      • MSC Grandiosa
      • China Shore Tour
    • Blue Lagoon Cruises
    • 14-day Baltic cruise on the Celestial Eclipse. >
      • Captain Cook Cruises Fiji
    • Lake Geneva Part 1
    • CroisiEurope Rhine River >
      • Rhine Part 2
    • Riviera Cruises
    • What's New >
      • PNG with P&O >
        • Holland America Line
        • Crystal's 2019 Collection of Globetrotting Voyages
      • Paul Gauguin Cruises 2021
      • New Vibe Hotel for Sydney
      • Back Roads Touring
      • Henty CoPilot
      • Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam >
        • Mekong Riverboat
        • MSC Seaside
        • MSC Opera
      • Princess Cruises Australia
    • SeaDream Memories
    • Volendam
    • Silversea NZ part 2
  • CARAVANS & RV
    • Caravans Rule!
    • YaMate Insect Repellent
  • GROUP TOURS & EVENTS
    • Gambaro Hotel
    • Noosa Festival
    • TravelComfort
    • Canberra Wine Food
    • Puglia with Lyndey Milan
    • Sydney Microbrewery
    • Back-Roads Touring Goes USA
    • Noosa Wine and Food Festival
    • BBQ Beer and BS
    • Cuisines of France and Mexico
    • Wine with David Ellis
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • Canon EOS R
    • Canon EOS200D
    • Canon EOS M 50
    • Inflighto
    • Canon - PowerShot SX730 HS
    • Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III >
      • Shoulder Bag
    • Travel Light
    • Firefly
    • My Flight Hammock
    • LG Stylus DAB+
    • Paklite
    • Navman >
      • Flight Kit
      • Eyeglasses
      • Listen Wireless Headphones
      • Rigon Headwear >
        • Travel Sickness
    • Lonely Planet Wellness
    • Motorola
    • Flight testing the Focal Headphones
    • Samsung Camera
    • Nokia Lumia 925- WOW
    • The New Paklite Collection
    • New from Samsonite >
      • Seaquatix
    • 5 Suitcase Essentials for Arthritis Sufferers
    • Mature Traveller's ARE SEXY
    • Room hangables
  • Books
    • Penguin Books
    • Captain Cook's Epic Voyage
    • In Her Footsteps
    • Riptides
    • The Drover's Wife
    • Who Owns History
    • Lonely Planet Dark Skies
    • Latest Lonely Planet Kids
    • Lonely Planet The Universe
    • Win BIG with Lonely Planet
    • Conversations in the Kitchen
    • The Rescue Dog
    • Lonely Planet Kids’ Atlas of Monsters and Ghosts
    • Welcome to your period
    • Flight to Fame
    • Long Flight Home
    • The Daredevil’s Guide to Outer Space
    • Hush Hush
    • The Last Elephants
    • Home at Last
    • Lonely Planet Kids Stickers
    • Rome Precincts
    • The Ink Stain
    • Storm Boy
    • Muttshots
    • King of the Air
    • Steam Australia
    • More Lonely Planet Kids
    • Australian Birds
    • Lonely Planet Atlas
    • The Rescuers >
      • NSW Central Coast
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • Six Decades of Holden V Ford
    • Teida's Story
    • Take Back Australia Mark Latham
    • Hardie Grant Books
    • New Holland Publishers
    • The Pacific In the Wake of Captain Cook
    • Bill Lawry
    • Endeavour
    • In the Valley of the Blue Gums
    • Political Correctness
    • Heros of Hamel
    • Lonely Planet’s Cruise Ports
    • The Last 100 Days
    • Against The Odds
    • How to win a Noble Prize
    • Child of Africa
    • Where the Murray River Runs
    • Moment of Thruth
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018
    • A Short History of Golf
    • Freedom’s Salesman
    • Mark Latham
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • A Hard Place
    • Big Boys’ Toys Book
    • Fly Fishing Book
    • Stealth Raiders Book
    • Hero or Deserter? Book
    • GOLF RESORTS BOOK
    • THE CHARGE
    • Gelignite Jack Murray
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF PIKELET
    • Fur-Ever Loved
    • Alicorn
    • Roped In from Hardie Grant
    • The Australian Bird Guide
    • The Mysterious Mr Jacob
    • The Rugby League Book of Records
    • Rubbing Shoulders Around the World
    • Make Science Fun Book
    • Gallipoli Book
  • Photo Gallery
    • Paul Gauguin Photos
    • Blue Lagoon Photos
    • Kakadu
    • Hotel Kurrajong
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    • The Steamboats of Lake Geneva
    • Sir Donald Campbell Bluebird >
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      • Whitsundays Photo Essay
    • SAMOA PHOTO JOURNEY
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    • Salzburg
    • Austria's Silent Night
    • Ethiopia
    • Yorkshire
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    • Macao
    • Dubai Taj
    • Destination India
    • Return to Sri Lanka
    • Nepal
    • The Balkans Tour
    • Disney Star Wars
    • Destinations - Asia
    • Indian Motorbike
    • The Falkland Islands
    • Rajasthan
    • Marrakech
    • Port Macquarie
    • Ganges Odyssey
    • Hokkaido
    • Würzburg
    • Samoa
    • Tripura India
    • Hong Kong Park Lane
    • A Day in Hong Kong
    • Zagreb Croatia
    • Paris Mercure
    • Majorca
    • Dubai
    • Croatia
    • Flanders
    • Wales
    • Switzerland
    • Morocco Part 3
    • Morocco Part 2
    • Ireland's Movies
    • Morocco Part 1
    • Milwaukee
    • Hong Kong Peak Tram
    • India's Golden Triangle
    • Destination USA & Canada
    • Peru's Colca Valley
    • Destination Africa
    • Samoa Paradise
    • Italy
    • Jasper Canada >
      • Cuba Cars >
        • Sri Lanka Eco Lodge
        • Caribbean Airport
    • Antarctica
    • Kuala Lumpur
    • Cuba >
      • The Netherlands
    • P&O Samoa
    • Destination Europe
    • British Columbia
    • Winnipeg Canada
    • Thailand
    • The Canadian
    • Ghana Bikes
    • Finland
    • Malaysia Medical
    • Finland 'Escape'
    • Stockholm
    • Deadwood, USA
    • Helsinki cool
    • South & Central America
    • French Village
    • Alaska 101
    • Samoa Win
    • Vietnam
    • Cumbria England
    • Doha Qatar
    • Ottawa
    • Tokyo Disney 1 >
      • Tokyo Disney Part 2
      • Tokyo Disney Part 3
    • Hong Kong
  • LUXURY RESORTS
    • The Havannah Vanuatu
    • Paul Gauguin Cruises 2020 brochure
    • Back-Roads Touring Film Locations >
      • Adina Brisbane
    • Pan Pacific Hotels
    • Novotel Century Hong Kong
  • TRAINS
    • Yorkshire Train
    • Eurail >
      • Eurail New Free App
    • Canada Rail
    • The Ghan
    • Portugal Rail
    • China's Trains
  • Airline Reviews
    • Hawaiian Airlines
    • Fly Rex
    • Cathay Pacific A350-1000
    • Air Asia
    • Cathay Pacific Menu
    • Cathay Pacific Business
    • CMV Vasco da Gama
    • Scoot to Berlin
    • Costa Rica Lindblad
    • Airbus A350 1000
    • The Rhine Part 1
    • Airbus
    • Finnair Business
    • Air France Business Class
    • Asiana Airlines
    • Flying Finnair to Europe
    • Business Class with Cathay
    • Finnair
    • Singapore Airlines
    • British Airways Business
  • Celebrity Galapagos Cruise