Greetings from Aix en Provence, France!
We've just wrapped up our Canal du Midi adventure and are now about to kick off the last leg of our France Kaleidoscope trip through Provence & the Cote d'Azur. It's been a blast boating along and really gave us the feeling of being in the heart of real French culture.
Boating along the Canal du Midi through the French countryside is a very special experience, way off the usual tourist routes and in an unusual chariot for the journey. And in intimate quarters, often out of range of cell phone and wifi towers, it was a chance for us to really get to know one another.
There's always a risk when bringing strangers together that they won't really vibe - and particularly so in a small houseboats! - but our group gelled from the start and it was a wonderful experience.
Just as you'd expect there were many travel stories swapped, but as if inspired by the setting and our surrounding, conversations went deeper and we moved into the territory that inspired Wheel & Anchor to begin with - the experience and sharing of travel's joys between friends.
Overall it was loads of fun, and a trip we'll be putting together again in the spring of 2024. And, speaking of 2024, I'd promised the 2024 planning calendar this week... but I must issue a mea culpa and ask for a little more time to get the details all straightened away.
What I do have for you this week is another intimate sailing experience, this one in the fall of 2023 and this time happening in the Turkish Mediterranean. We had planned to run this back in 2021, but were foiled by the circumstances of the day. I'm excited to pull it together again as it truly is a spectacular voyage in another special vessel.
The 10-cabin Turkish gulet for the program is a beautiful ship designed to sail beautiful waters, and our itinerary will take us to some stunning isolated bays and charming coastal communities.
Before we embark on our sailing we'll spend some time exploring Istanbul, then making our way down the coast to Bodrum, stopping in some of the small towns and villages along the way. We'll also get to visit the grand 10th-century ruins of Ephesus, once the most important port of the region in days long past.
We're doing the webinar for the program in the week ahead, so if your interest is at all piqued, do join us for that. You can find the full itinerary in your newsletter.
Lots more to come, from France and beyond. Stay tuned 🙂
Cheers!
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