UPCOMING TRIPS: ICELAND, VIETNAM, BALI AND ROUTE 66

 But first, from Time magazine:

$100

The price of oil hit $100 a barrel on Thursday for the first time since May.

It comes after the Houthis of Yemen struck two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, enforcing a long-threatened blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another shipping route crucial to the world’s energy supplies.

From the New York Times (Sam Sifton) this morning:

The Trump administration has imposed new tariffs on goods from more than 80 countries. The tariffs, along with the war in Iran, are threatening the U.S. economy.

For my readership, here are some upcoming journeys.

• August-September 2026:  Total Eclipse of the Sun.
• Ever see a total eclipse of the Sun?  
• This is the one where you will feel that extra chill, gets almost dark and some animals think it is the end of the day.  
• My one experience was on 11July1991 over the Big Island of Hawaii on by wife's birthday.  To quote that posting, it is pretty amazing that the coverage is almost perfect to allow us to see the corona:

The Sun is 400 times the diameter of the Moon, and by pure coincidence (although some would argue for divine intervention) is also 400 times the distance away from Earth, relative to the Moon's distance.  We are the ONLY PLANET IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM that experiences a perfect total eclipse.  

• In 1504, Christopher Columbus, in discussion with the Jamaica Taino population, used similar scientific knowledge to extract food and supplies for restoring the moon.  Note, this was not a total eclipse of the sun.
• 
   The universe is preparing to put on an absolute masterclass in celestial mechanics. August 12, 2026, is not just another day on the calendar; it is a date packed with an extraordinarily rare convergence of astronomical events. Within a single 24-hour period, skywatchers will be treated to a pre-dawn six-planet alignment, a spectacular total solar eclipse, and the dazzling peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
• 
  One hour to 90 minutes before the sun rises, the morning sky toward the eastern horizon will host the planetary alignment of Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune.  Actually, you will need to use binoculars to see Uranus and Neptune.  This will not be a straight line, but an arc.  And you will be able to see it from anywhere not clouded over.  Tough to see with a lot of city lights, so you need to go to a darker location.
• 
  The total eclipse will be quite limited, only around 189 miles wide in the vicinity of Greenland, Iceland into Spain.  But even Madrid and Barcelona will only see a 99% eclipse.
• North Pole into parts of Siberia, plus Reykjavik and Eastern Greenland, 100%
• Southernmost city will be Palma, Mallorca,  100%, but very low on the horizon.
• Paris  92%
• London 91%
• Berlin 85%
• Cairo, Egypt 21%
• Montreal 18%
• New York City 9%
• Moscow 8.8%
• Chicago 0.1%
• Los Angeles, Honolulu, Vancouver, Delhi, Tokyo, Beijing 0%
• Perseid meteor shower.

• 
  We will fly from Honolulu to Seattle, then overnight to Reykjavik.  
• Board the Amazamara Journey to Montreal on August 8  We will hope to see the total eclipse from this ship.

• Fly to Vancouver, then board the Silversea Whisper on September 3 to Honolulu.

• 
  December-January 2026:  Vietnam, here we come.
• We've been to Vietnam several times, but mostly as a stop during cruises in Southwest Asia.
• In 2009, my first visit:  
• HO CHI MINH CITY
• I MADE IT TO VIETNAM
• IF IT’S THURSDAY, I MUST BE IN SAIGON
• In 2010 I went around around the world, spending 8 days in Vietnam. 
• SOME FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA*
• WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT CAMBODIA
• SCENES FROM ANGKOR WAT
• SCENES FROM SAI GON
• ANOTHER DAY IN SAI GON
• I'M BACK IN SAI GON
• HO CHI MINH'S REVENGE
• THE MOST AMAZING BEACH IN THE WORLD
• THE ROYAL CAPITOL OF HUE*
• A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VIETNAM
• HANOI: DAY 1
• 
  This time, train trip and river cruise.
• Train:  Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon)

Sjourney Luxury Train

Vietnam Luxury Tour by Rail – A Journey of Elegance

SJourney train is one of the finest choices for a Vietnam luxury train journey, offering a relaxed and comfortable trip. It travels from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, covering 1,726 kilometres. Along the way, you’ll pass through peaceful villages, busy towns, and beautiful countryside. Each stop gives you a chance to enjoy local food and learn about the culture.

The train has soft seats, clean rooms, and large windows to enjoy the view. You can also enjoy fresh meals made with care, including both Vietnamese and international dishes. SJourney train is a simple and pleasant way to see the best of Vietnam while traveling in style.

• Viking Saigon:  Ho Chi Minh City to Cambodia, then fly back to Hanoi.

• 
  Spring of 2027:  Crystal cruises from Bali to Tokyo,
• Crystal Serenity from Bali to Thailand, where we will spend a few day, then fly to Hong Kong to catch the Serenity to Yokohama.
• My first Crystal cruise was on the Harmony from Auckland to Honolulu.   Since then, there have been a few more.

• 
  September-October 2027:  Cruise, train, and so forth, focusing on Route 66 and National Parks.
• American Cruise Line from Portland, Oregon to Clarkston, Washington on the the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

• 
  Chicago to Denver on Route 66.
• Train from Denver to Las Vegas.
• Then on to the rest of Route 66 to Los Angeles.

Hurricane Fausto strengthened into a Category 2 storm today while continuing west across the East Pacific, prompting forecasters to urge Hawaii residents to monitor its progress even as the system is expected to weaken before reaching the islands next week.

At 5 a.m., Fausto was centered about 1,560 miles east of Hilo with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and was moving west near 16 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

From Weather Underground:

Following Fausto:

Just today attaining typhoon strength, Noul, at Category 2, will make landfall over China, with Hong Kong being in the cone of possibility, tomorrow.

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