Cruise across the Mediterranean - Athens to Malaga, via Valletta

[RooFlyer]

Flying out tomorrow to Adelaide for the AFF gathering and then onto Istanbul for a few days (jet lag recovery in one of my favourite cities) and then to Athens, where I will begin two back-to-back Ponant cruises across the Med.

Flights - long hauls on QR.



The cruises - first Athens to Valletta, then Valletta to Malaga.

https://au.ponant.com/the-mediterranean-ancient-cities-of-the-mediterranean-ec081126-10

https://au.ponant.com/the-mediterranean-ancient-shores-of-the-mediterranean-ec161126-10

Included excursions in every port. Myceneans; Ancient Greece (Athenians, Sparta etc); Corfu; Norman Sicily, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Algeria (new country), Islamic and Roman Spain.



Le Champlain; 184 maximum passengers. https://au.ponant.com/cruise-ships/le-champlain




Then there's a high speen rail journey in Spain form Malaga to Barcelona, where I fly home.

See many of you in Adelaide!

 

[SYD]

We did Renfe Málaga - Madrid a few weeks ago.

Did you know that a Renfe ticket includes getting to/from the train stations by local train? “Combinado Cercanías”. So in Málaga you should be able to just scan your ticket QR code at the turnstile. I forgot, until I noticed others scanning Renfe tickets…

But the Malaga trains are relatively cheap and now take contactless card payment (no need to go to a ticket machine).

Renfe ▷ The best prices for AVE (high-speed) and Larga Distancia (long distance high-speed) trains

We have a range of AVE (high-speed) and Larga Distancia (long distance high-speed) tickets on offer (Básico (Basic), Elige (Pick & Mix) and Prémium (Prémium)) Discover the advantages now! ▷

www.renfe.com

 

[RooFlyer]

Did you know that a Renfe ticket includes getting to/from the train stations by local train? “Combinado Cercanías”.

Thanks, yes, but only going from the port to the train station this time.

 

[SYD]

Thanks, yes, but only going from the port to the train station this time.

Yes, Uber is your friend then. The trains don’t go much beyond the canal nor the old town/port area.

 

[ellen10]

Sounds like a great trip!
I will enjoy following along, safe travels.

 

[RooFlyer]

HBA-MEL-ADL had the added frisson of my first visit to the QF 'grab 'n go' at Hobart Airport, still under redevelopment. Caught up with @Dantas who, like me, was off the the AFF do in Adelaide.

Hauling out of Hobart on a nice Spring morning on QF1292, A220, 2B.



Led astray early by dantas, I had my first ever Lois for breakfast.



Caught up with @Lowjhg in the MEL QBP, then on QF683 to Adelaide. Lunch was a salmon soba noodle creation, and quite decent.

 

[RooFlyer]

Staying at the Sofitel in Adelaide for 2 nights, using 2 SNUs to a Junior suite and as a Diamond. Very slow check-in, but eventually rewarded with an upgrade to a Prestige suite because my earlier request for a quiet room, away from elevators etc was (again) not initially honoured.

A pretty good room - a true suite, well laid out with good furnishings. Aircon worked well.









Welcome amenity - initially forgotten to be transferred from the noisy room they originally allocated to me, but a gently prompt saw it delivered



View



The lounge was moderately busy both nights and drinks service a bit slow, but the food offerings I thought was pretty good. Overall knocks the socks of the Sofitel Brisbane (Central). A motley crew of about 6 AFFers occupied the easy chair area.

 

[Major]

Looking forward to a lot of European history

 

[RooFlyer]

Looking forward to a lot of European history

Yeah, I think you can count on that .

 

[kileskus]

And hopefully a lot of Carthage!

 

[RooFlyer]

Just a quick recount of the AFF meeting.

There was the icebreaker drinks and dinner at the Seven Stars hotel, then next morning a visit to 2 wineries at McLaren Vale.

D'Arenberg 'The Cube' was a disappointment for me. There was a tasting, which was one of those usual group tastings with lots of words like 'fruity' and 'citrus' from the host, but little real engagement. I didn't like most of the wines, including the 2024 Dead Arm Shiraz - too young. We were split into 2 groups and after the tasting, our group was led to the Dali exhibition of official prints and sculpture reproductions, with ludicrous prices. Then around the rest of the cube, where they proudly showed off the arty weirdness.



Views from the Cube were good.



Then onto Wirra Wirra, which was great. Met by a very enthusiastic host, who gave us the story of the winery, a short tour of some of the grounds, then the winery and a well led tasting, and then a massive lunch.



Every winery needs a trebuchet (one of the former winery owners also had a bit of an eccentric/eclectic taste). It works.



Tasting - I've always loved the Churchblock and liked most of the wines we tasted.





Lunch menu







I think everyone enjoyed Wirra Wirra and I'd like to go back.