Update 2024-05-27: Cruise is back on, Take 2.
Update 2023-11-21: Cruise is cancelled. My travels continue.
My name is Basia Kruszewska and I am about to embark on a 3-year adventure circumnavigating the globe with Life at Sea Cruises. This blog will document my journey.
The blog is called Oceanview because my vision of retirement was sitting in a small beachfront cottage, (preferably somewhere on the Carolina coast) gazing out over the ocean. It didn’t take long to learn that beachfront cottages cost far more than I was comfortable paying. But it turns out that cruising around the world for 3 years costs far less than oceanfront property! So here I am, about to be ocean-viewing a different ocean every day. I love the idea of falling asleep in one country, and waking up in another, with little effort on my part.
Basia is a nickname in Polish for Barbara; it’s pronounced like Basha. I was born in Poland and moved to the U.S. when I was nine. (My very first transatlantic cruise!) Travel seems to be in my blood; I have been to all US states and Canadian provinces, and 40 countries. I have a PhD in neurobiology, so my professional name has a Dr. in front of it. But I have worn many other hats in my life, including (in reverse chronological order): change management consultant, trainer, instructional designer, professor, research scientist, dishwasher at a vegetarian restaurant, crisis hotline counselor, teacher, secretary, au pair girl, and Dunkin’ Donuts hostess. I am now blissfully retired and pursuing my three passions: travel, photography, and writing. I am also an avid birder and will be chasing birds in every country.
I know some will consider the prospect of living on a ship for 3 years nothing short of crazy. But as my sister Eva said to me, when I told her my plans: “Of course it’s crazy. And of course, you must!” I’ve had a long tradition of always celebrating my birthday someplace I’ve never been. With this adventure, every day is going to feel like my birthday.
About the Cruise
No cruise company has ever done a 3-year around-the-world cruise. Life At Sea Cruises by Miray will be the first. I am thrilled to be one of the guinea pigs pioneers setting off on this adventure. Our ship, the MV Lara, will embark from Istanbul, Turkey on November 1, 2023, and will return to Istanbul on November 1, 2026. In between, we will explore some 136 countries/territories in 385 ports on all 7 continents.
5 responses to “About”
My dear friend Jane Anne Davis told me about you and your new adventure. I would love to be included in following you
Hi Jane, and welcome. I’ve added you to the mailing list. Any friend of Jane Anne is a friend of mine!
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Basia, I have witinessed all of your blogs, starting with the snail mail variety from New Zealand. This one is the most sophisticated and will be very easy to “navigate” (sorry for the nautical pun). I have a feeling many of your readers and friends will be living vicariously through you.
That’s right, you were a subscriber to Newz New Zealand from way back! This is definitely more sophisticated. But sophisticated = more opportunity for technical glitches, I’m still trying to tweak it and figure out some gremlins that keep popping up. I guess I’ll have plenty of time on board to get everything worked out.