By Al & Sunny Lockwood
Al Lockwood and I married in 2000. At the time we lived in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California. I worked as a reporter for The Union Democrat newspaper. He built homes as a general contractor. When we retired, we began the adventure of seeing the world via cruise ship. We had such a good time exploring that we wrote about most of our trips. I used the pen name Sunny Lockwood.
Al says, “We write to encourage others to travel, to take a break from their ordinary routine and discover the many rewards of traveling with your eyes wide open.”
If you love a good travel tale, check out these travel memoirs, written with you in mind.
Cruising Panama’s Canal
Cruise from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, through the world’s most famous canal in the comfort of your reading chair.
“Al’s humorous yet mouth-watering descriptions of the desserts made me want to rip the pages out and eat them!”
★★★★★ reader review by Karen Z.
“Their writing is inviting, funny, contagious, and just a flat out joy to read.”
★★★★★ Top Amazon Vine Voice reviewer, William Curnut
Cruising The Mediterranean
In this joyful travel memoir we explore grand European cities and smaller charming islands discovering the history and beauty of each place. Join us as we venture through Amsterdam’s historic canals and tiny alleyways. In Greece, we visit the Parthenon and Acropolis before the crowds arrive. Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar dazzles us. We also visit Mother Mary’s house in Ephesus, and wander ancient avenues where Cleopatra once walked.
“A Gold Medal Winner and highly recommended.” — The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
“This memoir gives us more than just facts. It’s a sweet slice of life from places we’d all love to visit.”
★★★★★ Seven Sisters Book Awards
“…full of adventure and life and great advice on traveling.”
★★★★★ Indie Book Reviewers
Finding Ourselves in Venice, Florence, Rome and Barcelona
Join us as we ride the choppy green waters of Venice’s Grand Canal. Walk with us where Colosseum gladiators once battled. Enter Barcelona’s jaw-dropping Sagrada Familia, the most visited monument in Spain. Indulge in peaceful walks beside languid rivers. Relish evening meals that last until the stars come out.
Anyone wanting to be transported away for a while and seeking a deeper appreciation of human connection would enjoy this book. – ChicagoGirl
“ … would-be adventurers who dream of touring the major cities of Europe and seeing some of their best monuments will find Finding Ourselves a rich memoir pairing personal experience with practical travel savvy ….”
★★★★★ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“I have not visited Barcelona but it is now on my list for a future trip after learning so much about its singular charm, precisely what a travel book should inspire. Well written, easy to read, an enjoyable experience.”
★★★★★ B. Good
Cruising The Atlantic
One mega ship. Two mature travelers. Fourteen days cruising from Barcelona to Miami.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to cruise across the Atlantic Ocean with more than 4,000 passengers, this travel memoir is for you. It answers questions like: Are the crowds crushing? Is the food boring? Is the experience a “get me outta here” nightmare or a dream-come-true adventure?
Our observations will introduce you to colorful characters, enchanting sunsets, and authentic experiences that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.
“What a super book! Super interesting, super fun, super helpful, super ship. Have you ever dreamed about going on a repositioning cruise? Many cruise boats must transfer from their summer routes in southern Europe to the Florida, Caribbean area in the winter. Guess what? You can ride along!”
★★★★★Jean Mader Booklover
“Seniors can’t miss with a travel book by AL and Sunny Lockwood. Whether I’m planning a cruise, reliving a past cruise, or dreaming about places I’d like to visit, they have something to suit my mood. Sunny’s exuberance overflows on every page and Al’s wry comments offer a balanced counterpoint.”
★★★★★ Kathy D.
Cruising the Mississippi
A river cruise from New Orleans to Memphis on a Genuine Paddle-wheeler.
Join us on the decks of an antebellum paddle-wheel riverboat as we experience the culinary delights, rich architecture, breathtaking vistas, and famous hospitality of Southern culture.
If you like cultural exploration, American history, practical travel insights, colorful characters, and authentic personal stories, you’ll love this illuminating exploration of America’s mightiest waterway.
“Gripping! The way a travel book should be written.” – Wishing Shelf Book Review
“I loved, loved, loved this book! I have lots of books on my kindle that I’ve collected but never read. When this book popped up and I read it was a travel book, I almost put it back to read some other time. I’m so glad I didn’t! I felt like I was right with the author and her husband. Such beautiful descriptions and wealth of information is in this book. But it was just so enjoyable! I was as sorry as they were when the trip ended.”
★★★★★ Kathleen
“Thoroughly enjoyed traveling with Sunny and Al up the Mississippi. Many interesting historical anecdotes, a great description of the American Queen, and colorful descriptions of the ports of call made this a book worth reading. It almost felt like I was traveling along with them and brought back fond memories of my river cruises with Viking.”
★★★★★ Henry A.
Cruising from Boston to Montreal
This travel memoir will introduce you to the fascinating heroes, stunning beauty and staggering tragedies that have helped shape Canada’s Maritimes, Quebec City, and Montreal.
We start with a rousing baseball game at Boston’s Fenway Park. Later, we learned about Alexander Graham Bell’s involvement with Canada’s first airplane flight. We visited the Prince Edward Island farm that was the setting for the Anne of Green Gables books. We discovered how lobster graduated from barnyard feed to gourmet fare. We sailed Canada’s greatest waterway, the mighty Saint Lawrence River, and so much more.
“The first-person descriptions read with the drama of fiction and the excitement of journal writing….”
★★★★★ Midwest Book Review
“I enjoyed this book so very much. Sunny and Al 😃 described the sights in down to earth ways. They don’t ignore the rain and wind that other writers just complain about but found ways to include it and almost make it a tolerable part of the cruise. They described places so very well I felt like I was there. I’m glad I found these authors and look forward to their other books.”
★★★★★ kindle customer