Ashley Harrell

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  It’s been awhile, I get it.  I KNOW!

Just wanted to provide a little update on the newest twist in La Vie de Ashley.  Can you say, “Cruise around the world”?  Perhaps my header for this blog was a little misleading.  No, fellow Californians, I am not moving back to the Bay Area, much to your anticipated dismay.

Several weeks ago, my lovely and talented friend, Peter, told me that he was auditioning for a cruise line gig that a friend of his was associated with.  He mentioned that it sounded right up my alley as well (ABBA, opera, Motown and pop), so together we made our audition videos and submitted them electronically to the casting agency.  The auditions were being held in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, so we anxiously awaited hearing a response to our East Coast electronic submission.  Just a week later, Peter got the job offer, and several days after that, so did I!  It was not a difficult decision to accept the job.  Trust me.

I am so excited to begin this new chapter of adventure in my life.  I always wanted to study abroad in college, but never had my opportunity.  Now I get seven months at sea!  Next month I am flying out to California to bring Marcel to the Harrell’s house in Alamo and spend some time with the family, then I’m off to Las Vegas for five weeks of rehearsal, then back to NYC for a couple weeks of catching up with friends and getting ready to depart, THEN, I’m off to Greece for my cruise embarkment!  I know you’re anxious to know where we’re going, so assuming that the casting arrangement doesn’t change during rehearsals, Peter and I will be roommates on the ‘Silver Wind’ throughout these cities:

-Piraeus (Athens), Greece
-Alexandria, Egypt
-Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
-Aqaba, Jordan
-Safaga, Egypt
-Muscat, Oman
-Fujairah, UAE
-Dubai, UAE
-Abu Dhabi, UAE
-Khasab, Oman
-Muscat, Oman
-Doha, Qatar
-Dubai, UAE
-Fujairah, UAE
-Muscat, Oman
-Mumbai, India
-Cochin, India
-Colombo, Sri Lanka
-Male, Maldives
-Curieuse, Seychelles
-La Digue, Seychelles
-Praslin, Seycelles
-Mahe, Seychelles
-Praslin, Seychelles
-La Digue, Seychelles
-Silhouette, Seychelles
-Mombasa, Kenya
-Zanzibar, Tanzania
-Nosy Be/Komba, Madagascar
-Pointe des Galettes, Reunion Island
-Port Louis, Mauritius
-Pointe des Galettes, Reunion Island
-Fort Dauphin (Tolanaro)
-Richards Bay, South Africa
-Durban, South Africa
-East London, South Africa
-Cape Town, South Africa
-Port Elizabeth, South Africa
-Maputo, Mozambique
-Richards Bay, South Africa
-Durban, South Africa
-East London, South Africa
-Cape Town, South Africa
-Walvis Bay, Namibia
-Takoradi, Ghana
-Dakar, Senegal
-Praia
-Porto Novo
-Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain
-Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
-Arrecife, Canary Islands, Spain
-Agadir, Morocco
-Casablanca, Morocco
-Cadiz, Spain
-Malaga, Spain
-Ibiza, Spain
-Palma De Mallorca, Spain
-Barcelona, Spain
-Marseille, France
-Monte Carlo, Monaco
-Livorno (Florence), Italy
-Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
-Naples
-Palermo, Italy
-Valletta, Malta
-Heraklion, Crete, Greece
-Piraeus (Athens), Greece
-Istanbul, Turkey
-Cannakale, Turkey
-Kusadasi, Turkey
-Rhodes, Greece
-Haifa, Israel
-Ashdod, Israel
-Port Said, Egypt
-Alexandria, Egypt
-Piraeus (Athens), Greece
-Santorini, Greece
-Valletta, Malta
-Siracusa, Sicily
-Palermo, Italy
-Cagliari (Sardinia), Italy
-Alghero, Sardinia
-Porto Mahon, Spain
-Ibiza, Spain
-Palma De Mallorca, Spain
-Barcelona, Spain
-Cagliari (Sardinia), Italy
-Trapani, Italy
-La Goulette
-Sousse
-Valletta, Malta
-Taormina, Italy
-Sorrento, Italy
-Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
-Sorrento, Italy
-Taormina, Italy
-Kotor, Montenegro
-Dubrovnik, Croatia
-Venice, Italy
-Corfu, Greece
-Santorini, Greece
-Kusadasi, Turkey
-Mykonos, Greece
-Cannakale, Turkey
-Istanbul, Turkey
-Kusadasi, Turkey
-Patmos, Greece
-Rhodes, Greece
-Aghios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece
-Santorini, Greece
-Hydra
-Mykonos, Greece
-Piraeus (Athens), Greece
-Milos, Greece
-Zakinthos, Greece
-Itea, Greece
-Corfu, Greece
-Gallipoli
-Sorrento, Italy
-Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy

Yes, there were some repeats – in fact, we spend nearly two months cruising around South Africa (January and February).  I know you’re jealous, right?  What I’d really love is any suggestions that anyone has to offer about these places.  Food recommendations, sites, etc!  In each city, we have about 8-14 hours (port early morning and leave in the evening to cruise overnight).  I’m not sure exactly how much free time I’ll have, but I’ll only be performing while we’re cruising, so I’m guessing I can sight-see as much as any passenger on the cruise.

More information to come as it comes in to me.  In the meantime, I’m catching up on episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s ‘No Reservations.’  Currently watching his episode on the Greeks Islands!  I plan to blog as often as possible while I’m on the cruise, while I port in each city.  I’m thinking of buying an iPad to make it as easy as I can.  So, stay tuned!