The Last Voyage: To India and Australia, in the 'Sunbeam'

Set sail aboard the elegant yacht Sunbeam in late 1886, and follow a determined Victorian lady as she steers through bustling ports of India and the far‑flung coasts of Australia. Her entries blend vivid sketches of bustling markets, tranquil harbours and exotic landscapes with the hum of steamships and the clatter of colonial railways. Every stop is accompanied by detailed illustrations that capture the color and texture of each locale, drawing listeners into a world where sea spray and desert heat mingle.

Beyond geography, the diary reveals a woman whose health wanes even as her spirit remains unyielding, chronicling daily bouts of weakness alongside acts of compassion. She devotes herself to establishing St. John Ambulance branches, offering first‑aid knowledge to remote settlements, and her compassionate observations lend a humane pulse to the grand adventure. Listening to her modest humor and quiet resolve, you sense both the exhilaration of discovery and the poignant awareness that this may be her final circumnavigation.