South by Sea — We Went Together

Doha and Barcelona · Days 1–5

Before the Crossing

A few days in Doha and Barcelona gave the family time to adjust to the time difference before the ship set south. A desert morning, the Sagrada Família, and then boarding the ship gave the children a new kind of journey to settle into.

The family awake early in Doha — Jet lag arts and crafts session.

Dune bashing in Qatar.

The family inside the Sagrada Família — Sagrada Família, Barcelona.

The cruise ship that would be home for the next three weeks — Home for the next three weeks.

Atlantic ports · Days 6–25

Ports Along the Way

The ship made the route itself part of the holiday. Each stop was a short window into another coast, city or landscape: Morocco, the Canary Islands, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, São Tomé and Angola.

The children walking in Lanzarote's volcanic landscape — Lanzarote's volcanic landscape.

A day trip from Tenerife — A day out from Tenerife.

The children at a monument in Dakar — Dakar, Senegal.

The children at a zoo in Abidjan — We visited the zoo in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

A green riverside in São Tomé — São Tomé and Príncipe.

Local dancers in Luanda — Luanda, Angola.

At sea · Days 6–25

Life on Board

The long sea days were a welcome rest between ports. The children enjoyed the rhythm of life on board: origami in the morning, crafts during the day, cooking demonstrations in the afternoon, and swimming whenever there was a chance.

That familiar routine made the journey enjoyable and gave all of us time to recover before the next stop.

A show on board the cruise ship — A nightly show on board.

The children doing arts and crafts on board — Arts and crafts at sea.

The children joining a cooking demonstration — Invited up during a cooking demonstration.

The children swimming on board — Swimming on sea days.

Cape Town and the Cape · Days 27–32

At the Tip of Africa

After three weeks at sea, arriving in Cape Town marked the end of the long crossing from Barcelona. With our own car, the trip slowed down and we were back at our own pace: the Cape Peninsula, Robben Island, time on the Whale Coast and a day out on the water.

Shark diving at Gansbaai.

Penguins on the Cape Peninsula — The Cape Peninsula's penguin colony.

Sophie with a former Robben Island inmate — A tour with a former inmate made Robben Island’s history feel much more immediate.

The children in a hot tub on the Cape Whale Coast — A perfect afternoon.

Victoria Falls · Days 33–36

Victoria Falls in the Heat

Victoria Falls was in the middle of a heat wave, and temperatures reached 42°C. The days were demanding, and the heat was difficult for anyone—let alone the children. But despite it, everyone stayed in good spirits and enjoyed the experience.

Helicopter flight over Victoria Falls — A helicopter flight over the falls.

Ziplining across Batoka Gorge in Victoria Falls.

The children meeting villagers in Zimbabwe — A village visit in Zimbabwe.

A Boma drumming evening — An evening at the Boma.

An elephant crossing the road at night — For the locals, an ordinary road crossing; for us, an extraordinary surprise after dark.

The children at Victoria Falls — Dealing with the heat.

The children enjoying the pool — Cooling off in the pool.

Chobe, Botswana · Days 37–38

Wildlife, Up Close

Safaris on the water and on land made Botswana one of the most memorable parts of the journey. One afternoon, with a National Geographic documentary playing in the hotel room, it struck us that what we had watched on television for so long was now something we were experiencing for ourselves.

Elephants seen from a Chobe boat safari — Straight out of National Geographic.

Wildebeest on the open plains of Chobe — Wildebeest on the plains.

The children with a lion behind them on safari — One of several lions we saw.