Friday 1 November
As we motor down the Queensland coast the weather has changed from the clear blue of yesterday to a grey, with little whitecaps and a strong wind from the east. For the first time they have closed our port deck, so we are having to sit inside. As I wrote previously, last night was Halloween and the dining room staff certainly went full-on with almost everyone in a ghoulish costume. They are also very good at entertaining. The party upstairs later on was pretty tame and they didn't have the right mix. The piano player in the Casino Lounge was much more fun. We actually got all of our table mates together and had a good old sing along. Tonight is the final formal night and everyone has promised to be at dinner. We don't think that we'll bother going to the last Captain's cocktail party - it is only half an hour and from past experience it takes at least that time to get in & possibly get hold of 1 drink.
And no, we did not go to the cocktail party but when we got to our dinner table we had a surprise additional guest, Brad Stevens, who is the pianist in the Casino Lounge. He is American and very charming - Elaine had him to herself most of the evening, much to Diane's dismay! Funnily, when we were talking with Brad later in the evening, he couldn't recall Elaine's name. Anyway, everyone turned up for dinner and we got a professional photo taken (which we purchased and shared with Diane). On this occasion we also head the parade of the Bombe Alaska, a traditional on Princess normally carried out on the last night. As about 100 passengers are getting off at Brisbane, everything seems to have been brought forward to accommodate them. Perhaps I am starting to get grumpy, but the cruise IS to Sydney and the normal schedule should be followed. Another example of a poor Cruise Director. Yes, definitely time to take a break.
Saturday 2nd
Woke to a glorious day and we were sailing up the Brisbane River. Having never seem Brisbane from this perspective, was really great. We were amazed how the river banks were so clean and well maintained. We went under the Gateway Motorway bridges by the airport, which is something the big ships can't do (they apparently dock right out by the heads) and as we approached the Overseas Terminal, turned around in the river and backed into place.
We had arranged to meet Alastair at 10.00, so we're were in no hurry too get off, but eventually went down to the terminal about 9.45. I went outside to check on the carpark and there was Alastair Kristi Blake & Jordan just getting out of the car. Talk about great timing. The terminal is new and surrounded by apartments and all the usual cafes, restaurants etc. so we wandered down and along the river to show the grandchildren the ship - they thought it was great and so big, I don't know what they would have thought of the Royal:-)
We went back to the shopping area and found a great chocolate shop, which is part of a chain in parts of Brisbane, so we all filed up on chocolate drinks (apart from Vivian, who had green tea) and then the children went exploring and bought more chocolate, so you can imagine....... Fortunately there was an excellent park just across the road, so we went and did the various activities to wear off some of the excesses. Both the boys enjoyed it very much and little Jordan, only 5 was great on flying fox, agility thingies and of course loved the swings. We moved on to lunch and although Kristi had originally thought of going to Southbank, everything was right here, so we stayed and had a lovely fish meal - as usual bought far too much and the boys had too much soft drink, but hey that's what it's all about. Was really great to catch up and we were lucky to catch up with Alastair as it turns out that he is off to Iraq on Monday. Excellent timing and hopefully our trips will coincide on future adventures.
After dinner we went to the show and then up to the Tahitian Lounge, where the band (at last) was playing. Well, there are 4 in the band and for a start, just the two of us on the dance floor. Another couple turned up, so we ended up with 4. But obviously the day on Brisbane had worn people out! While up in the lounge (top deck), we were surprised to see all the lights of Brisbane still visible and on our Port (left) side. This is about 5 hours after we set sail and 3 hours after we went through the heads. It was not until Sunday that I worked out that the course out of Brisbane heading south is a convoluted one to circumnavigate around Moreton Island and that the lights were actually from the Sunshine Coast
Sunday 3rd
Sad, sad day. Today is packing up day and a series of lasts. The sea is just a little choppy and a nice little roll reminds us where we are. We were a bit late to get "our" deckchairs, but here we are. We have put off packing until later, but we will have to focus tonight. Although they want the bags out before we go to dinner it is too inconvenient as we don't want to carry more carry-on luggage than we have to. I have relented and rather than take as taxi as planned, purchased the ship's transfer - the cost is about the same and we don't have to worry about bags, taxi overcharging etc. I also booked the last transfer to leave the ship at 9.30. The only downside is that our luggage tags are Pink 8!!
It has all become so real, with the bags on the bed and clothes etc. out for packing. Good news, I have just checked the Qantas website and find that all tickets purchased since 7 February have a 30kg baggage allowance (too bad that I've been telling Vivian that we can't buy any more because of our 23kg allowance :-) ). Update - have fully packed & the bags still weigh 22.1kg, amazing!
Final dinner tonight, but not as sad as other voyages, as our table companions are infrequent and generally don't share the same interests. We were just completing dessert when Elaine eventually turned up - she had been too busy at the gym !? Oh well people are different. Also at dinner the Captain made a surprise announcement that the Pilot would be boarding an hour later than planned due to the bad weather in Sydney. Just what we wanted to hear, but any delay would not affect us as we have a 3.30 flight.
Monday 4th
Hardly slept last night. The Captain's warning proved correct and we started to rock and roll just after we got to bed. Was certainly quite a large swell and the wind caused the ship to groan. The was amplified somewhat by the tender outside our window, which was moving a bit against its restraints. Anyway we woke/got up at 6.15 and there was a big swell running as we sailed down towards the harbour entrance. Watched the Pilot boat try to board the Pilot - it took 3 goes before he was able to get on board. With some relief, we soon entered the harbour and enjoyed smooth seas once again.
So here we are, up in the Premium departure lounge, looking over a beautiful Sydney. We have just one more hour on board and now is the hour to say goodbye (as the song goes) and I trust that you have enjoyed these random jottings over our adventure. Looking forward to being home with family & friends. Byeeeeee.
Monday 28th
As we sail eastwards across the top of Australia the wind & sea have picked up and while the stabilisers are doing a great job of smoothing out the bumps, the spray is sometimes reaching deck 5 a bit. Not at all unpleasant but apparently the walking track on deck 10 has been closed because of the wind. Now there is a great excuse to avoid the exercise! As we travelled along we saw a flock of about 40 birds flying in "V" formation. We passed them! After a while they gave up and flew back to wherever, presumably at great speed, given the tailwind. The sea abated a bit later in the afternoon and we did our 13 laps (1 mile) around the top deck before dinner. Vivian appeased the sea gods by donating her white cap, so we sure to have fine smooth sailing for the rest of the trip.
Tuesday 29th
Yes, it is 2 months since we left on our adventure and every day we have to pinch ourselves as so much has happened. I look back at the 2,500 photos in amazement. Probably because Australia is so familiar, it doesn't feel quite the same as many of the exotic places we've been in. The sea is much calmer and once again the clocks went forward last night, so at least we are now on Queensland time. We are just about to enter the Torres Strait, which is the closest point between Cape York & Papua New Guinea. From here we enter the Great Barrier Reef area and take a slightly more southerly course, down the east coast towards our next stop at Airline Beach on Thursday. We rounded Cape York at 11.15 and are now moving closely down the coast. It is nice to see the coast and various little islands so close.
Wednesday 30th
We are back to normal with our waking at 6.30 and we still see the coast of Australia out our cabin window (so sorry for those "POSH" passengers who have the sunrise but not the view). We don't recall seeing so much coastline when we sailed up here on the Sun Princess last year, but I think that as we are a smaller ship, we are much, much closer to the shore, inside the reef. We are making good progress and I estimate that we'll be off Cairns sometime later this morning. When we get out on the deck I'll get a good GPS reading on our exact location.
Anyway, as usual on waking I phone Room Service for our cup of tea. Each morning the phone is answered by Sandy, a very cheery and short Mexican girl. She is so cheerful and now I only have to day "Good morning Sandy" and she replies "ah yes, your tea' see you soon" and there she is within 2 or 3 minutes. The early morning cuppa allows me to check the news and emails. I have the NZ Herald app. which downloads the top 25 stories, so I can read them offline, which saves a lot of time & money. Not that the internet is costing anything as we got 1,000 free minutes when we boarded in Rome and I have been carefully allocating them. It is surprising how much you can do in a very short time:-)
Sure enough, we reached Cairns just before lunch and shortly after that we changed direction to a more easterly one and are now well out of sight of land. Tomorrow however we will be at Airlie Beach and the weather is looking great. We have nothing planned, but will go ashore after the mad rush (it is a tender port - our last thankfully).
Thursday 31st
Well, Airline Beach has put on s great day for us - brilliant sun, a bit of breeze & calm seas. It is about 4.00 & we are on the deck watching all the boats coming back to the ship. We were lucky today that they have predominantly using the big cats, rather than the ship's tenders. Certainly leather seats and air-conditioning beat squashed metal seats, diesel fumes and bouncing through the water. We were awake pretty early and once again the tender outside our cabin was lowered before 7.00, so we had a "respectable" breakfast before heading down for the boat to shore. We were very lucky that the held the boat for us, so we went straight on (& off we went).
A great reception on shore as they had over 20 volunteers to welcome & help passengers - a nice touch. Once again we elected to walk around the hill into town, which was still pleasant even though the day was starting to hear up. Walked the whole of town, including the market which they set up specially when cruise ships come to port (& undoubtedly ship prices too!). Vivian bought a couple of things for herself and we had a lovely flat white overlooking the harbour. There really wasn't much else to do, so we walked back to the dock and got back onboard about 1.30 in time for lunch and a rest on the deck.
Tonight is a Halloween theme and of course bring American based, they have gone all out. I can only guess that there'll be pumpkin soup for the rest of the cruise given the number decorated around the ship. We are due to sail at 6.00 tonight and have yet another sea day tomorrow in advance of our arrival in Brisbane on Saturday. We are meeting Alastair at the dock and will have lunch etc. We haven't seen him since his wedding as his schedules never seem to coincide. We were originally excited when we booked this cruise last year as it included Oman, where he was based, but that didn't last long! Looking forward to it.
There are quite a few passengers disembarking in Brisbane and I am not surprised, given that it is only really 1 more day to Sydney and then they'd have to fly back again. We are surprised however how many apparently got off on Darwin (& they'd only come from Singapore). However I suppose it shows how cheap the cruise was for them - enough said about that.
On our way to Darwin, where we arrive on Sunday (great planning Princess!). However, looking back to Vivian's birthday - as there was no bridge as it was a port day, we went up to the top lounge/restaurant (Sabatini's) which is reserved for "special" passengers. We have never been before as there is too little time between bridge/afternoon tea/dinner. Anyway this was a great opportunity to get some fantastic views of Komodo & the other islands as we sailed away.
As it was Vivian's birthday, she had a large Pina Colda, which lasted all the way through dinner too. I had the cocktail of the day "Chairman of the Board" which also lasted all evening . However the night was all Vivian's. Diane had decorated our table with balloons and had a birthday card for Vivian. All of our table companions made an effort and attended, so that was a nice touch. At the conclusion of the meal, our Head Waiter, Meg our waiter & assistant waiter Nikolai, along with Victor (another waiter) & his assistant, Fernando (another Head Waiter), Eleana and Marina sang a very merry "Happy Birthday" and presented a birthday card from the Captain, along with a little chocolate birthday cake (just one candle). A very happy occasion. For some reason, there were no shows that night, so we saw a movie - Red 2. I was unimpressed at first, but it was actually a spoof James Bond type of film and we had a good laugh.
Friday was an uneventful day (shortened once again by an hour) and was also a formal night, so we took the group photo as it may be the only time that we are all together. Preceding dinner, was the Captain's Circle cocktail party - we haven't been to the last couple of cocktail parties, so thought that we would. Just like the last Captain's Circle gathering - line up for 15 minutes, get a seat, wait 20 minutes for a drink, wait another 20 for a nibble (literally) & listen to the Captain give his standard talk! Vivian's bridge buddies from Adelaide won the "most cruised" award - again. They have won it on each sector, so did #2. Their cruise days are up in the 700s, so our 120 is insignificant :-)
We have been looking and thinking about future cruises, and there are a wide variety of choices, but we'll wait until we get home to plan, rather than rushing in now. Might have to do a couple more Australasian ones first, to get our status level up!! Although there are not as many Elite passengers on this sector, they still make up about 15%, with Platinum (us) just under 25%. We have established however that status and long term loyalty do not get upgrades, rather the amount you pay & a lot of luck. As with the NZ cruise earlier in the year we have heard a number of stories of people being contacted just before they left Australia, being offered a downgrade (yes, a downgrade) in exchange for large cash payment equating almost to a free cruise!
It is now Saturday afternoon and we had another of their famous Brunches, where they turn the main dining room into a bunfight for 3 hours in exchange for not having a proper breakfast nor lunch. I've got to say that the presentation is great, but just not my thing. I am starting to get past all the food stuff and am really looking forward to some good old simple home cooking - but without the preparation or the cleaning up.
We are in the Timor Sea and once again I suspect that we are running ahead of schedule as we are barely doing 8 knots. The sea is like an absolute millpond and this weather is predicted for tomorrow, but with higher temperatures. We arrive in Darwin at 7.00 and have no plans other than going into town, as we were there just last year. A bit annoyed however that we have to go to Australian Immigration at 7.15 - how about our sleep in? Well, it seems that once we've done that they'll leave us alone until we disembark in Sydney. Don't want to think that far ahead yet.
Sunday 27th. Well, here we are in Darwin (again). We are surprised that many Australians have not been here before. Our biggest surprise however was the amount of development which has gone on around the waterfront. Numerous apartment blocks have been built around the inlet, which has been fenced off to keep out stingers, Crocs, sharks etc. There are 2 areas, one which is about 8ft deep, complete with lifeguards and another much deeper for serious swimmers. Under the apartments are all the cafés & bars. There is also a lift which almost takes you to the bottom of Smith Street (main street/mall). It was a very pleasant walk from the ship and much better for us than paying $A28 for a 5 minute shuttle!!
Talking of Smith Street, quite a bit of redevelopment is going on, but at the same time there are many empty buildings, but overall Darwin was looking better than when we saw it a couple of years ago. Another surprise was that as we sailed in, we saw that we were to berth next to a warship (seems a common thread), but we could not identify it as there was no flag flying or any other identification. Turns out that it was HMNZS Te Kaha - a piece of home at last. We spoke with one of the seamen and they've been away about the same time as us.
We were in town just after 9.00 and as we passed the Cathedral, we heard singing and to cut a short story shorter, we attended the service. Interesting that they have a new Bishop & a new Dean arriving/going or whatever next Sunday. Following Church we resumed our walk through town and grabbed a coffee - first flat white for months. Darwin city is really small and a couple of hours was plenty, so we went back to the waterfront area and had a beer, watching the sights along with the gathering rain clouds. The moment we stepped into the open the spots started, but the torrential rain held off until we were just about to leave the security area to board the ship. Being tropical however it was all over in less than 5 minutes and the sun dried it all up in no time flat.
We only have a short time here and we are due to set sail for Airlie Beach, Queensland just after 3.30. So another 3 sea days are on store and we hope that the fantastic sea conditions we have been experiencing continue, particularly as Airlie Beach is a (last) tender port.
I have just been reviewing some of this & other posts and see that sometimes the spell checker/correcter has a mind of it's own - so belated apologies if some sentences don't make sense :-)
Thursday 24th
Woke just before 6.00 and a lovely day ahead - Komodo Island was just outside as we made our way into the bay, where we later anchored. The crew were up too and soon the tender/lifeboat by our cabin was more being lowered. Vivian had her cup of tea in bed to celebrate her birthday and we were soon up to get ready for our excursion ashore.
The day looked hot, and it was. Luckily our trip left early at 8.30 and we were tendered in the second boat (with only a couple of dozen of us). This was our group and we had 2 rangers plus a guide from the tourist company. The rangers carried sticks about 6 foot long, with forked prongs on the end. Given that we had been told that the dragons can run at 30kph for a short distance and that they are also poisonous, this seemed a little primitive. In the briefing beforehand we had been told that there was no guarantee that we would see any dragons, as they tend to sleep during the heat of the day. We were also instructed not to run, wave cameras or bags and generally to take it easy.
So off our little group went and once again we were pleased that it was only 9.00 as it was more than hot enough. The island is sparsely covered with spindly trees and in particular palm trees. Surprisingly the baby dragons (lizards) live in these trees for 3 years before they come down. This is because the adults will eat them - they are very cannibalistic. Because they young nest inside the trees, there is considerable dieback. Adult dragons live to 60/70 and when they dir, they too are consumed by others. All very tidy.
So here we are, all looking at this half-dead palm tree, with about a quarter of a young dragon sticking it's head out. All taking photos and looking up, when suddenly out of nowhere an adult dragon comes running (OK wobbling) up the path behind us. He is a good 8 foot long and is NOT happy. All 3 of our guides/rangers rush back and use their sticks to good effect. The dragon is redirected and wanders back into the bush. Most exciting - we have certainly seen a real Komodo Dragon. Vivian thinks that this is enough and would prefer to go home, but there's no other way than forward.
Moving on, we stop to admire some trees and once again the guide is explaining the traditional uses, when our friend returns yet again - he is still not happy about our little group, despite the fact that about 5 other groups had already been through and dozens were yet to follow. Vivian has seen enough! On we go and enter an area with a "silence" sign (I think that this is where their "tame" dragons are located). Sure enough, 2 adults are happily sleeping under a big tree in a massive clearing, waiting for their photos to be taken. But we also see a couple of young ones, about 2 foot long, as well as numerous deer. The deer are very tame and graze very close to the track and were not in the least worried about us, as we are not the enemy, but the dragons are. Apparently deer, pigs etc are bred food for the dragons. Anyway, while photographing the sleeping dragons, good old grumpy comes along again. This time however he seems quite happy to stay with the other dragons and happy to day that we did not see him again.
Soon the track returned us to the waterfront and the tour ended. We then wandered down to the market, which was typically Indonesian - all the same stuff, lots and lots of vendors, noisy and in your face. We decided that we had had enough and headed back to the tender and the ship. Got back in time for our usual 11.00 coffee and then the deck in the shade. Although it was only a short time ashore, it was more pleasant to be back and change into something cooler (we wore long trousers and blouse). Vivian's afternoon is being rounded off with a rest, which is unusual as there is no bridge today. A few sea days until we reach Darwin on Sunday and then the reality of nearly being home will set in. 8 weeks today since we left and so, so many things seen & done.
Monday 21st
Grey morning with threatening skies, however we were still able to sit on the deck as the drizzle went by. We crossed the equator at 12.54 and all the water went straight down the plughole :-) Unfortunately we did then pass through a heavy shower, which delayed the King Neptune ceremony at 1.00. It was all good fun (watching from above), with lots of noodles, eggs, ketchup, flour and other delights strewn about. No sooner had the proceedings finished the rain reappeared. Didn't last long and we saw a lovely sunset. After dinner we sat on the deck as usual and were treated to a magnificent lightning display, including some multicoloured forked lightning. We were also travelling a fleet of squid fishing boats - over a dozen with bright lights, quite spectacular.
Tuesday 22nd
We are in the Java Sea this morning and the sea is flat, skies clear and I suspect that we could be in for a hot day. They stole an hour from us last night, so we are back on Singapore time. It was noticeable at breakfast that there were only a dozen of us at 8.00, but the crowds rolled in half an hour later. We are back in the shipping lane, with a number of tankers passing or being passed. There is also an aircraft carrier off to Port, but it is too far away to know whose it is.
Wednesday 23rd
We are about 20 miles north of Bali and later in the day we will pass between Bali & Lombok on our way to Komodo Island. The sea is still calm and the sun is bright. Once again we are on deck, but today half of our (non-smoking side) deck is closed as they are doing some maintenance work. Update - they've finished!
We have a lunch today with other members from the Cruise Critic website. Cruise Critic is the cruising version of Trip Advisor and generally we have a get together once or twice during a cruise. We had a lunch on the first sector too. Our dinner table continues to be partially occupied each night, with only Diane from the Gold Coast a regular. Sveta & George did come on Monday night, but we haven't seen Elaine since the first formal night. Vivian did meet her in the passageway a couple of days ago & she apparently had gym at 6.00. Like, I'm washing my hair too:-)
Had a good show last night - a comedian/magician from UK. Reminded us of our friend Norman, from the last sector and he actually did one of Norman's tricks - but using invisible cards. Sounds silly, but the woman from the audience played along well with the invisible cards gag.
Well since I started this the sea has risen and the wind increased. As we are sitting more towards the front of the ship, we are getting quite a bit of sea spray. A reasonably large wooden raft had just drifted past, no one was on board, except half a dozen sea birds - and no, not boat people, as it was headed the other way, towards the north. Both islands of Bali & Lombok are now in sight and the sea is further increasing however our stabilisers are smoothing out our journey. Latest update just after 3.00, we have past through the small strait and are now in much calmer seas. It was very interesting going through though as I was up in the lounge on the top deck at the front of the ship and there appeared to be a large rip or at least current running and we were certainly moving around a bit. I think that we are pretty well in the Indian Ocean now, although keeping pretty close to the shore on our journey to Komodo.
Somewhere in the South China Sea, heading south on yet another lovely day. The sky is a bit overcast but it feels like 30 degrees, even with the wind from the ship's movement and the area is calm. I say this because it was very windy and a bit rocky as we left the Mekong River last night. However we have 4 sea days until we reach Komodo Island on Thursday, so I can handle this sort of weather. Some of our "new" passengers are already bemoaning the upcoming days - let them get off & walk I say.
Yesterday was our visit to Vietnam and we had a very early start as we had to assemble by 7.10, so an early wake-up and small breakfast as I wasn't up to much, given that we had as lot of travelling to do. We were docked in the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, about 4 hours up the Mekong River. It was very reminiscent of our river cruise as we sailed up (& down). Interestingly, the locals still call the city Saigon and clearly there are major differences in attitudes, food & culture between the north and the south (but we thought it safer to " not mention their war!).
Our trip involved a 1.5 hour coach ride to Me Hong (Mekong), through Saigon and through the countryside. Although it was relatively early, and a Saturday, Saigon streets were congested with motorcycles, carrying 1, 2, 3 & sometimes 4! Thankfully for them there are very few cars. The reading system was generally good and there are major motorways out of the city - 6 to 8 lanes. But they are tolled and we're stopped a number of times on various sectors. Once clear of the city, we entered the rural area, where rice is the major crop. Apparently last year Vietnam overtook Thailand as the top rice producer. They also overtook Brazil as the top coffee producer too. The paddies initially were very small fields around the family home, but as we got further out, the paddies got much bigger. One thing that struck us though was the large headstones scattered amongst the rice. Apparently they bury the dead on the family land, not in a separate area as we might, but all over the place. Must be a nightmare when harvesting etc.
When we arrived at the wharf terminal, there were about 10 buses, from different touring groups - but when we returned there were nearer 100. I don't know where they all came from, but apart from the half a dozen or so Princess tours, most seemed to be Asian, so tourism is on the up. However, I am ahead of myself (again). Our tour was a trip on the Mekong Delta to an island and we boarded our ancient wooden boat, which had a number of holes in it, a very noisy & smelly diesel engine, yet somehow floated and motored. We went up the river a little and over to an island, where we were offered a drink of honey, bee pollen, lime & lemongrass tea - it was actually very pleasant. Onwards we went to visit a Vietnamese home adjacent. Enough said. Next we walked a little way and arrived at another venue, where we were offered all types of local fruit (including the smallest bananas I've ever seen) & some more tea of some sort. All very touristy, but nice, we then had local performers doing song & dance - very local songs finishing with "If you're happy & you know it ....." Oh, and that is when the donation boxes came around!
I should point out that there were probably up to a dozen groups doing the same things, but spaced out. However once the food/song & dance was over, it was across to the next group, and on and on. There were of course markets operating to help loosen the wallets. Next was a walk through the jungle path to a little creek which ran into the Mekong. We all got into little wooden boats (these were in even worse repair & held 4 passengers and a girl at front and back, who did the paddling. We got out just before we reached the river proper thankfully as I'd hate to be in real water in these things. Next up was the coconut confectionery manufacturing, which was also interesting, but very much a tourist thing. The bloke had to unplug the fan from an adapter to enable the grinder to go. I am sure that the goods for sale actually came from a factory elsewhere and from a Health & Safety angle .....
It was getting hotter by then, as it was coming up midday and we were pleased to reboard our big noisy boat and head off under the huge bridge linking the island to the mainland and part the numerous fish farms anchored in the river. We soon reached a large hotel/reception place where we were to have lunch. They had a number of open-aired rooms and in one there was a wedding group of up to 200 people (so money is not really a great issue in this part). We were seated in groups of 4 - two at each table. We had a great banquet of prawns, whole fish (like a snapper) which had been cooked whole and flesh wrapped in rice paper with pineapple & cucumber - this was all done at the table. Pork, some sort of roll thingy, a sort of sweet bread type of thing which came out as a big hollow ball and was cut up for nibbles. Finally noodles and a soupy dish - but by then we were pretty well done. Oh, almost forgot, a local beer 333. It almost evaporated in the heat.
So back to the boat & back to Me Hong, but on the way they cut up pineapples with a machete, initially with a triangle in the top for a drink and afterwards cut in half to eat. We didn't. Found our bus and journeyed back to the ship - arriving just as they were disassembling the gangway. At least with a Princess tour we knew they wouldn't go without us. But we sailed quickly thereafter. I suspect that as we had quite a journey down the river, the tides are probably important. We did not see many big boats on the river and the larger ones berth much further away.
On the bus our guide offered a sample of rice wine, made locally. It was only 40% :-) As one Aussie quipped, best to empty it into the petrol tank, as it would make us go faster. Another said that they had the same stuff in Australia, called Methylated Spirits. I had a sip in the cap of a water bottle - not again! Our guide said that Vietnamese men die early as they smoke & drink too much - certainly just about every man had a cigarette, including the soldiers on duty and the men in the toll booths. As far as drinking was concerned, every town & village we passed was full of men gathered together - no sign of the women.
Since I started this, we have had rain, sun & more rain. Considering the monsoon is still around we have been extremely lucky and hope that this will continue. Komodo Island is our next port and unless we are rated by the Komodo Dragons, I'll update after we are back on our way. Do not want to think too much that it is only a fortnight until our voyage comes to an end. So many things to talk about (& only 2,300 photos so far - who's for a photo evening, weekend :-) ).
Another great port and good weather, just 28 degrees. Ko Samui is a tender port and we had another early day, so watched our arrival to anchorage from the back of the ship while having breakfast. Our meeting point was on the lounge and I was a little dismayed to see that there were about 100 of us "Green 6s". However we boarded the tender (which holds 120 as a tender & 150 as as lifeboat) in calm waters and made landfall in about 15 minutes. Numerous buses were waiting along with over a dozen 4WDs. Now these were proper vehicles with big wheels, tyres and big suspension. They were also modern and the seats on the tray comfortable. We had 8 to each vehicle and now became Group 3 for the excursion. Our little Thai guide was Vivian too!
So very quickly this convoy took off through the village and out into the jungle/bush. Most of the roaring is concrete, so 4WDs were a bit of a gimmick, and unfortunately the cause of a couple of people having accidents with the steps up. The villages are typically Thai (or any Asian country) and being on an open vehicle, allowed one to experience the smells as well as the sights.
We reached our destination, which was a wild life park, where we were to complete our triride (that's a new word for 3 animal rides) by riding an elephant. Our group was reformed to one of 24 to achieve this, as we were the first 3 vehicles in the convoy. This was a good number and enabled us to be loaded on the waiting elephants quickly. 3 or 4 of our group elected not to go, but most did. We also paid the 300 Baht for a photo!
Two people ride together behind the Mahout (or elephant master). Our elephant was 40 years old and as they live to 100, had plenty of life in him. Our Mahout had inherited him from his father. Thankfully we had a seatbelt on as our ride was quite extensive over a 15/20 minute period. I thought that we'd just go along the path, but no, off into the jungle along rocky paths and worst of all down towards the water. Going up is easy, but going down felt as though you were about too be thrown off. The Mahout however sits sidesaddle and controls the elephant by his ears (the elephant's, not the Mahout's!).
After our ride we were taken to a Thai cooking demonstration and while sitting there there was this loud growling sound - looked over the back & here are 2 quite unhappy Sumatrian tigers. We never found out why they were there, as they were not part of the show - but magnificent animals. Anyway, on with the show, which was the elephant show. They bought out 3 elephants, a baby about 2, another one probably 8 and an older one. All 3 were interacting with the audience, posing for photos, bring stroked and most importantly, taking the money for the Mahout's - cute.
The main show had all 3 with hula hoops on their trunks, standing on 2 legs, playing soccer against a Kiwi (elephant won) and providing elephant massage. All entertaining. It was then on to the monkey who collects coconuts from the top of the tree. The monkeys spend over a year to be trained for this task, so they are very valuable to their owners. This completed our visit and we were off again, this time to visit a "remote" waterfall. Still on concrete road we arrived in a large carpark, with all the usual stalls lining the track to the waterfall. Our guide apologised that due to the lack of monsoon (hey, they are getting it further up in Asia), there was a mere trickle. All very interesting but by now it was midday and the humidity was rising. Overall it was one of the best trips we've done and everyone we've spoken to agrees.
The dynamics of the ship have changed considerably and unfortunately we do not seem to be able to establish a dinner table group. The night before last we reached 6, with the addition of another Australian couple from Macedonia. George however does not like cruising or socialising and turned up on formal night in a polo shirt. He apparently refused to go on any excursions and neither of them turned up last night, nor did Elaine from Cairns, so it was very quiet with just Diane from the Gold Coast for company. I assured Meg our waiter that we'd showered, but he said not to worry - which I am not!! It is noticeable that many other tables are only partially full, with lots choosing to dine in the buffet. I suppose that it does make Anytime Dining a bit more attractive in some ways.
Not that our dining arrangements are hindering our ongoing enjoyment and we still bump into many of the passengers from the first segment who have similar habits to ours - which reminds me that we are almost due for our regular 11.00 coffee. Yes, on deck watching the water go by. We are in the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand and reach Ho Chi Minh tomorrow. What surprises us is the number of small fishing boats, out so far from land. Just hope that the weather holds, as it is becoming quite blustery but with smooth seas.
At last we have arrived in (almost) familiar territory. I am writing this on Wednesday, the day after our visit to Singapore. Singapore saw the departure of all but 147 passengers and the embarkation of some 450, mainly Australians. We are presently sailing fairly close to the Malaysian coast on our way to Ko Samui (Thailand). We see magnificent beaches stretching for miles, as well as some colourful local fishing boats on a pretty calm sea. But first things first and I'll revert back to the Bay of Bengal a few days ago.
The sea on the way to Kuala Lumpur became a little more "interesting" with medium swells causing the ship to roll a bit, but nothing untoward. We were very lucky that the typhoon well up the Bay, which killed many on India, did not affect us. We observed that disasters of one sort or another seem to strike after we have left, except of course the typhoon which struck Vietnam yesterday (but that was further north than where we are headed on Saturday).
As I mentioned earlier, they have been stealing a few hours from us and on Sunday morning we were woken by the Cruise Director's " happy campers" announcement on the PA. That meant that we'd slept in until 9.00 but that didn't matter as we had another brunch to attend, so went upstairs for a snackfast:-) On the subject of our Cruise Director, I'd have to say that he is the most useless and ineffectual we've come across. He is English, an ex actor cum part time singer, 5 foot little, with clothes far too big for him. His assistant is 6 foot 3 slim, blonde, young Canadian woman. They are solo different SNF clearly they don't get on and always look uncomfortable with each other. On previous cruises the CD & Assistant usually bounce off each other, but hey, who needs a CD "If it isn't in the Patter, it doesn't matter" (The Patter is the daily programme published each evening).
Now back to last Sunday. The sea was much calmer as we entered a straight between Malaysia & Indonesia and although the clouds looked heavy further north, the day was pleasantly warm. Recently the temperature has stayed in the high 20s, which surprised us, given that we are getting closer to the equator. But not complaining. Monday dawned cloudy and warm with the odd spit of rain. We had a really early trip booked, which left at 7.30, so we were up just after 5.30 and on deck having breakfast at the buffet by 6.00, as we tied up to the wharf at Port Kalang. The port is about an hour away from KL, but mainly motorway (tolled in many places) and in good condition. Apparently it was built with American money, or by the Americans. There is a lot of development going on out of town and many thousands of new apartments going up. Apparently they are aiming to clear they slums, although we didn't see much evidence of substandard housing.
The history of the country was explained and although they do not particularly like the previous colonial powers, they certainly enriched the area. Much was made of how Malaysia was broke and on much need of aid and how the Commonwealth Games helped restore prestige, however we later visited the King's new palace, built only in 2011 at a cost of tens of millions. The new King was only installed last year - they are elected/appointed every 5 years by the Sultans of the 13 states, so I guess they'll do it all again in another 3 or 4 years.
Our city tour was a photo stop only, although we did go to the National Museum (which was excellent) and a walk through the old city, where KL was founded. This latter stop was most interesting, as KL was founded at the confluence of 2 rivers, which looked more like sewers. However in the old days the ships sailed up and this was a major trading area. Behind this was where the English established their centre, with 4 story brick building - massive, cricket ground, pavilion, pub & church built opposite! Apparently "old" KL was built in timber, but a major fire destroyed much of the city, so it was directed that new buildings must be brick "just like home" even to the extent that all the plans had to be approved in UK and the approval for the Government buildings took 3 years and required amendment to the roof - to support the weight of 3 foot of snow!!!
Saw the Blue Mosque the largest in Malaysia, holds over 25,000 worshipers, railway stations (old & new). Apparently the British didn't want the original to fall to the Japanese, so ordered it bombed. Oops the maps were not so good & GPS not around, so they bombed the Museum instead! Also photographed the twin towers, which glittered in the sunlight. Interestingly one tower was built by the Japanese and the other Korean, both with Indian finance - truly international. A really good trip, but pleased to be back in air conditioned comfort. Our final night with our good friends as they disembark. A bit sad.
Singapore looked threatening and sure enough the heavens opened as they always do when we are in town. We were determined to get ashore and went through the process of collecting our passports, entry exit forms etc. As this was the end of a cruise we had to sign off with our old cruise cards and use new ones when we got back. Fortunately Singapore has a new cruise terminal, so we didn't get wet, but there was a long queue for taxis with all the disembarking passengers. We took a taxi into town and got on the Hop on bus. The rain had pretty well stopped but the seats were wet so we used our raincoats. Jumped off at the Botanical Gardens. It was getting very hot and muggy by then, but after a cup of coffee we headed off and had a lovely wander as it was pretty quiet in the mid morning. Also did the orchid garden, which was amazing - nothing like ours though.
Decided that it was time to go and headed for the exit and our next bus. Unfortunately we were lost, well not lost but in the wrong place. I had assumed that where we came in was at the end of the gardens - no, it was in the middle, so another trek was called for. I kept convincing myself that this was good for our health after all the food and drink. Boy it was hot and very humid by then. The bus eventually came and we went back to Sunteck Mall. We toyed with the idea of taking another route, but worked out that there was nothing else we really wanted to see and we'd had a very good trip on the yellow line. Also, time was potentially an issue. So we wandered the Mall and found a Subway place and had a great sandwich & drink, so we were set to get back to the ship.
Haha, we were right by the taxi rank and thought that it would be easy, no, first driver did not understand "cruise ship terminal" neither did the second, but thankfully the third one did and he was very chatty. Made it back and through all the processes without a hitch. I realise that I omitted to mention that Tuesday was a public holiday (Muslim holiday I believe), so the traffic was very quiet and the city closed, apart from the Malls. Similarly in KL most people had talked the Monday off to make a long weekend, so in neither city did we experience the vibrancy or congestion. However, construction still goes ahead in Singapore despite a holiday. Amazing how they are still reclaiming and building, particularly around the new Marina area, which is where we were docked.
For unknown reasons, the refuelling of the ship was delayed and therefore we did not set sail until about 7.30 so we were treated to a magnificent sight of Singapore by lights. We sat on the deck after dinner and watched us sail out past all the anchored tankers etc. which appeared out of the dark, with just navigation lights yo show where they sat. We were also amazed at the air traffic coming and going. I am sure that at least some of our new-found friends were on board, heading home at the end of their exciting holiday. We are truly not counting down the remaining 20 days!
Wednesday 9th
Apparently it rained a monsoon rain last night about the time I was posting my last entry. An advantage of our cabin is that we are sheltered from rain, wind & sun to a certain extent, so we had no idea. This morning was overcast, but was perfect on the deck. Anyway, when we woke this morning it was as if we had broken down, as we were barely moving. We were overtaken by everything in sight. I reckon that our little boat would go faster. We've been doing just 8 knots all day and with a following sea we were wallowing a little. The thing is that the distance between Cochin & Colombo is not that great, but we are not scheduled to arrive until tomorrow, so we must fill in the hours somehow (a bit like the 14 hours for the Cook Strait crossing in February!).
Pleased to report that we are out of the pirate zone and all the fire hoses etc. have been put away. However sitting at breakfast this morning a little boat with 7 people on board came racing up to us waving madly. They were locals and were showing off their catch (undersized anyone?). We would have been at least 10 miles out to sea - not a lifejacket in sight. We were also passed by a gas ship and numerous container ships. As I look out the cabin window the sun is about to set, so it once again must be time to eat. Don't know how we will survive when we get home.
Thursday 10th
We sat outside port for about half an hour and the ship rolled quite a bit - enough to throw a large bottle of water off our writing desk. However it didn't last long and we were soon in port and calm waters. The port is huge and is a main container hub. It was interesting just watching the operation of all the straddle cranes and how quickly the ships were unloaded/loaded. It was also the first port that had a welcoming performance by local dancers & drummers.
Disembarkation was so simple here with none of the bureaucracy we have experienced in India. Our trip today was to their tea plantations and involved a 2 hour drive into the country. There were 3 small buses (17 in each) and we took off in convoy with a police escort. The police car had 3 policemen in it and away we went with flashing lights and siren all the way. It was just as well we had an escort as otherwise we'd probably still be stuck in traffic. The city was full of police, both normal and traffic as well as armed soldiers on every corner. We later found out that there was a big Buddhist festival or something happening and the President was attending. It seems that although their "troubles" are over and the various religious groups co-exist, there are still worries about the Tamils/Muslims from the north.
Colombo doesn't really stop, just the buildings get smaller as we drove south. We continued through a number of villages, where the populations varied from 100,000 to 20,000 - some village! Having said that, each village had a particular focus, such as timber, plumbing (thousands of handbasins & toilet bowls lined up) or electrical goods. Eventually we came through areas growing rice & coconuts and then finally up a bit higher, tea & rubber. We saw plenty of cows wandering the streets as well as water buffalo in the paddies, but no elephants!! The roads were generally good, certainly compared with India they are wider and generally well maintained. There were large sections being realigned and resealed and clearly the Government has a high focus on modernisation. Having a police escort certainly helped, but being in the first bus behind the police car was a bit reminiscent of Mumbai - it seems that a siren will automatically give you and the following vehicles safe passage even over one way bridges and in the face of heavy vehicles.
After 2 hours we reached the tea plantation and wound our way up the road to the production plant. We were amazed how labour intensive the production from the raw leaf was. Although there is machinery for drying and crushing the leaves, each leaf (well bundle pot leaves) are handled dozens of times, mainly by tiny Sri Lankan women. All they do at the factory is to produce a local tea which is immediately sold to the tea brokers, who ship it overseas in most cases. It was funny that when we had our cup of tea at the conclusion of the visit it was good old Dilmah teabags. Made us feel at home.
It was hot, dusty & claustrophobic in the factory, so Vivian wanted to get out into the fresh air. Well, it was certainly fresh. It was also very, very wet. An absolute downpour had arrived and we must have had half an inch in 5 minutes. The water was overflowing everywhere and the tour crew struggled to find umbrellas to enable the various buses to be loaded. We were really lucky as our bus was the last and by then the rain had stopped. Down the road to the actual plantation and a cup of tea, sandwich & butter cake. All very nice. Although it was not raining, most sought shelter in the small concrete building adjacent. It wasn't until later that I noticed the sign along the lines "No 3 toilet" by the open door. Now they could have done with those toilet bowls we saw on the side of the road (if you get my drift!).
Once again it seemed to be mainly women picking the tea. They only pick the bud and tender new growth about 5 cm long. Now that is not very much, but they each must pick 20kg per day - no wonder there is an incentive to throw in some bigger heavier leaves. For that work there are paid less than $2. The work is undoubtedly tiring and repetitive, as the tea is generally planted on slopes, shaded by other trees. All in all it was a very interesting experience and gave us a good insight into the area.
On our return journey we found that the traffic was even heavier, particularly in the outer villages, as school finishes about 1.00 - 1.30 and there were thousands of children of all ages in their bright white uniforms all around and waiting for buses etc. Education is very important in Sri Lanka and literacy is in the mid 90s. It was great to see that the government has the right focus. As we approached the outskirts of Colombo, our guide suggested we may wish to buy tea - so we all pull up at this upmarket jewellery store (undoubtedly owned by someone's uncle) to have a comfort stop and shop. We elected to stay on the bus as the ship was only 10 minutes away! Following this stop, some passengers wanted to be dropped off at a Mall, and this was OK as it was just a pull over on the road. Next someone said they wanted to go to the markets, and ever obliging, we went off on a wild ride through downtown Colombo. When the guide suggested we wait for them to do shopping before returning to the ship there was a minor revolt. As it was we were an hour late in getting back to the ship. Oh, and we had not had lunch! As if we needed it, but had a sandwich & a drink.
Vivian thought she wanted to go back into town to go to the markets, but I was unenthusiastic. Feedback from those who did go was that we made the right decision & that it was as chaotic as Mumbai & the hawkers from Cochin combined. Went to the movies tonight - White House Down. Plenty of bodies and lots of laughs. In fact considering where the US is today, could almost be a true story about to happen. Back at sea in the Bay of Bengal and 3 more sea days ahead. Look forward to some well deserved r&r. Oh, they are stealing another half an hour tonight and an hour each of the following 2 nights :-)
Tuesday 8th October
Surprisingly the weather is a little cooler down here, which is a bit surprising given that we are heading down towards the equator. There were actually some spits of rain last night, just enough to make the outside loungers wet, so we couldn't sit outside after dinner. This morning as we approached the port of Cochin, the weather looked perfect and as we were watching, a large pod of dolphins swam by, right beside the ship. Yesterday it was a group of whales, off the coast of Goa. The ship almost tipped over with everyone rushing to the starboard side - no that is an exaggeration! There was an announcement from the bridge but by the time people went out we had gone well past.
Cochin is made up of many islands, linked by canals and we once again were docked in a commercial dock area on Willingdon Island. While the main modern city area is to our east, the centre of interest is the old city on Vypeen Island to the west. We elected to take the ship's tour, which took us down through the port area and across the bridge and up to the old town, which has roots back to 6 BC, when it was settled by Jews - we visited "Jew Town" which now has just 8 Jewish individuals from 5 families. We also visited the Synagogue, built in the mid 1500s.
However, back to the beginning. There was almost no one at the breakfast dining room, so we had excellent service (as always) and a satisfying breakfast, as we knew that our tour did not include lunch and that we would not be back until 2.30. Our official time to get through immigration (how come you have to go through immigration twice, when you haven't left the country?) was 9.00, but we found that following the crowd, we could get through at 8.30. As we later found out, this strategy did not actually help. We boarded our bus just after 8.30, but still had to wait until just about 9.30 until we left port. While the bus was air-conditioned, it had seen another life about 50 years ago! It was filthy, but then so was the whole of the area. Our guide was good, so no real complaints. Our trip to the old city was not quite as hair raising as Mumbai, but was "interesting". The trucks are all multicoloured and look very cheerful while the buses are drab and over overcrowded.
The scenery was quite reminiscent of Bali or Thailand, with narrow streets, unkempt grounds, small stalls etc. The Portuguese & Dutch had a great influence before the British and all 3 have left their mark on the area. We visited the Dutch Palace & Jewish quarter. A lot less than a quarter, but it provided a comfort stop and a nice air conditioned "spice market", which is actually one shop used by the tour company. There were many other stores and markets along the way but this was not a shopping trip! Forgot to mention, just like Bali, surrounded by street hawkers from the moment you step off the bus. They even followed us up the steps to the Palace. Very interesting looking at the history of the area and the local Royalty. Cochin is very English in many ways and a large majority of the population speak English and similarly a large number work overseas.
Next stop was the Fort and what is now the naval base. This was- formerly British and there is a noticeable difference in the houses/mansions now occupied by wealthy foreigners. In this area we visited St Francis Church, which is the first church in India, built by the Portuguese in 1510. The original wooden church was destroyed by fire and a new one erected in the 1700s - originally a Catholic, then Dutch Reformed and finally Anglican (1804), which reflects the changes in governance. Just down the road are the fishing nets - 14th century Chinese still in use today - we actually saw them bring up fish and the adjacent fish market offers "you buy, we cook" No thanks
Moving on we pulled into the luxurious Brunton Hotel, which is an old hotel of the era, although not quite the Taj. Here was an opportunity to have a drink of anything (free). Vivian had coffee & I elected to have a Kingfisher beer. The beer was premium and only sold in this province for some reason (probably taxes). Anyway, it went down a treat. Following this, onto a less than luxury launch for a cruise around the lake which surrounds the islands. It was extremely good and a slow cruise with a cloudy sky and temperature in the early 30s, with a gentle breeze was all one could ask for to complete our whirlwind tour of India.
We left Cochin just after 5.00 and are currently headed down the bottom of India and on to Sri Lanka, with a well-earned sea day tomorrow. Really we have been so lucky all of our holiday to have had great weather, just missing the Monsoon, although I should not tempt fate I know. Sad to think that this time next week we will be pulling out of Singapore with a whole bunch of new passengers. Just hope that they are a great as the ones we have got to know on this leg. Certainly going to miss Margaret & Norman, particularly his party tricks!
Another early start today as we berthed just before 7.00 and we had to present ourselves and our passports to the Indian authorities on board before we could disembark. The process was painless and we soon found ourselves on the dockside with our Aussie friends Margaret & Norman. A free shuttle took us to the Green Gates, where we were surrounded by anxious cab drivers of all sorts. After a bit of haggling we agreed $US40 for 4 hours. Off we went to visit the main sights of this town of 20 million people. Incredible.
Fortunately it was a Sunday morning and the streets were relatively quiet. Our taxi was an air conditioned SUV and was comfortable with leather seats. I know why. We quickly established that there are no road rules in Mumbai after driving on both/either side of the road, at times directly into oncoming traffic. Our driver explained that Mumbai drivers consider themselves "tigers" and only give way to bigger "tigers" :-) The miracle is that most of the cars are completely undamaged and the only thing that must work is the horn. A blast on the horn seems to open the road magically.
We saw all the sights, including Ghandi's house, Prince of Wales Museum, Jain Temple, train station, Dhobhi Ghat (where all the whiter than white washing is done), Gateway of India and finally the Taj Mahal Hotel. We made the fatal mistake of mentioning that we were looking for a shirt for me & another blouse for Vivian. This meant 3 stops at "very good value shops sirs", but in reality they had nothing and we soon escaped and told our driver that we were no longer interested. Our trip was actually only 3 hours but we felt that we'd seen enough of the city and elected to get off at the Taj.
Security is now tight at the hotel, with screening of all visitors and cars entering the hotel courtyard. No problems for us, and the ladies changed their shoes for something more presentable and we entered the hotel foyer. There are many restaurants - Indian, Asian & others that we not too sure about, but we found out that the Middle Eastern restaurant was on the 20th (top) floor, so up we went. What a magnificent sight of both the vista outside & the food inside. This was a top class and award winning restaurant and on Sunday's they served what they termed a "brunch" but was really a buffet of magnificent middle eastern cuisine. The food was superb and a glass of French champagne was included. OK, this was not a cheap meal, but we thought that we had good value at $60 a head. We were pretty well the only diners there, so we had great service from 3 waiters and we got to meet the Chef, who was from Syria.
The views were outstanding and we got some great photos of the Gateway of India, directly on front of the hotel. Our berth was in the commercial harbour, which is also the large naval base, so we had a dozen or so warships as well as 2 aircraft carriers adjacent. Funny how we seem to have attracted the various navies over the course of our journey.
While at lunch, a local couple were dining and he was wearing a shirt like I wanted. We established that there was a shop behind the hotel that sold men's shirts. So after lunch, we head out through the crowd to find this shop. We pass dozens of men sleeping on the footpath, dogs and generally a downtrodden part of town - immediately behind the opulence we had just experienced. By great fortune, Norman spoke to this well dressed woman, out with her husband and young son. She knew the shop and took us there - down more dingy/dodgy alleys. In a rundown building, off a courtyard, off a side street, off the beaten track (I think you get the idea), a sign directs us to the first floor, once again up a deserted building we go, the women are not too sure. But there we are - bright lights, air-conditioning, Taylor Swift music, and this amazing store. Needless to say, we bought shirt & blouse and were happy.
Made our way back to the Taj and jumped a real local taxi (yellow & black in air conditioned) for a trip back to the dock. His English was not good and he delivered us to the market on the other side of town. When we told him this was wrong, we retraced our route and were delivered safely. Two things - I was in the suicide (passenger) seat & the traffic was a lot heavier in the afternoon. An experience I will treasure (or something like that). Good to be back on board and although we know that there is a lot more to Mumbai, we are contented with what we did today. Tomorrow of course is yet another sea day in preparation for our 2nd Indian port of Cochin.
We retraced our steps through the Gulf of Oman and arrived at the entrance to Muscat harbour during lunch. The Captain announced that there would be a short delay in teaching our berth as the pilot had not arrived "probably still eating his Couscous!". But he did arrived and we tied up and were amongst the first to disembark about 1.30. We were on the first (free) shuttle bus into the local market area. Our timing was perfect, as the souks close between 1.00 & 4.00 ! Some however remained open - mainly Indian/Pakistani owned. More on our souk experience later.
After getting off the shuttle we were approached by taxi operators offering local tours. We negotiated a 15EUR fee for 1 hour. Much haggling as they tried to upgrade for more hours, but we were content that we could see the main sites, which was mainly the Palace within that time. I should have said that the first thing that impressed us when we arrived was the landscape. We had imagined that all desert countries would be flat and sandy like Dubai, but Oman, or should I say Muscat where we were is extremely hilly, with huge rock faces rising almost from the sea. A most impressive landscape with many, many forts on the various cliff tops.
Our drive headed south from the port to the actual town of Muscat, which is built around the old fort. This is also the site of the Sultan's palace - an absolute marvel in the "middle of nowhere". We subsequently drove further down the coast, past the marina to the site of Parliament. They certainly don't spare expenses down there - extensive park like lawns surround the large white buildings which house parliament. As the country is an absolute monarchy, it is not clear what parliament actually does.
Our hour was soon up and we were content with what we had seen and decided to explore the soul which was partially open. The main thing they were trying to sell were stoles (wool, silk, cashmere, llama - you name it, they had it). But no, Vivian was after a long blouse or tunic top. We got to the very end and found what she wanted. Not so lucky with a man's cotton shirt however. As I said, much of the souk was closed, but it made it easier to explore the side alleys etc.
Found our way back to the waterfront and sat down to have a coffee. Vivian was so impressed with the iced coffee in Dubai that we ordered the same. Ha ha. 2 very hot black coffees plus a bowl of shaved ice! Omani coffee is very strong and apparently lots of sugar helps. I persevered and survived to tell the tale. While we were sitting there we attracted a lot more customers for the cafe owner - but no discount :-)
Berthed just opposite was the Sultan's Royal Yacht which was almost as big as our ship (well that's stretching it, but it was very large and just a not bigger than his son's one next door). They are very strict in Oman and apparently the fine for smoking in public is over $100. While still sitting having our coffee, we hear the sound of sirens and s police car pulls up, policeman gets out, checks his pistol and approaches one of the tour buses parked partially on the footpath. I don't think the driver was around as their policeman soon returned to his car, but as he walked back, as young couple took a photo. No no, you can not do that. The policeman grabbed the camera and took some time to ensure offending photos were deleted. I also noticed than when taking, or about to take photos in the soul, any women within sight immediately fully covered their heads.
By the time all this excitement was over it was 4.00 and everything was now open, so we wandered further down the street to the area of the Gold Soul. This particular one was obviously far more upmarket as it was fully air conditioned. This soul was one frequented by the locals, and being Thursday evening (pay night?) all the women were in all these expensive jewellery shops - and it looked as though they were buying. They were always in groups of 3 or more and it was hard to tell whether they were friends, relatives or the wives! The other fascinating thing was all the dress shops - I can report that the colour for next season is ----- black. That was all that was in the shops, and dozens of them too. But I must say the trim and designs were quite stunning - just not on Vivian I must add.
We wandered further through the various souks and eventually came out into the street well back from the port. Thankfully I had my trusty Tablet, with its GPS. We soon confirmed our position and headed back through the original souk. As we passed the little shop where Vivian bought her blouse, there were out table companions/friends from Perth. Amazing, considering the literally 1,000s of shops etc. Anyway, they spent a lot more than we did.
Caught the shuttle back to the ship and had only half an hour to get ready for dinner. A bit of a rush but we did it. We set sail at 6.30, bound for Mumbai. A couple more sea days to go, but they keep stealing hours from us as we head eastwards! Sharing the port with us was HMS Westminster. We are pretty sure that she was in Dubai as well. On the first day there were 2 frigates in port, but only one when we left. Reassuring that we have friends around us.
Lovely evening relaxing on the deck, rather than the banjo player. Also had more time this morning, updating the blog. Tonight is another formal night, starting with the Captain's cocktail party for Captains Circle members - which is pretty well everyone on this cruise. Never known such well travelled group of people, but the one good thing is that pretty well all of them have been to NZ - and they love it. Makes us proud to be Kiwi. On the meantime, onwards to India........
I'll start with the bad news! Despite many hours (OK, less than one), in the Dubai Port Terminal, I am unable to load photos to this blog. Sorry.
The days all start to merge into one big blur, with so many exciting memories and trying to find the right place for them. So it has been since the last entry. The seas have been remarkedly light, although there was a bit of a swell when we hit the Arabian Sea. That only lasted less than as day, as we turned the corner into the Gulf of Oman. The water from thereon, through the infamous Strait of Hormuz, between UAE & Iran, into the Persian Gulf has been millpond flat.
Before we reached Dubai, we passed a port, about 10km away, around this area there must have been between 100-200 tankers anchored. I think that they remain anchored until the oil price rises and then they take off around the world. Amazing as there were small ships as well as some pretty big ones. There whole area around the straight, almost down to Dubai is designated traffic separation area - there are a series of marked lanes all the way.
We were disappointed to see the rubbish in the sea, including bottles and we even ran through a small oil slick. As this area is one of the busiest in the world, I suppose that to a certain extent it is inevitable. As we approached Dubai it was clear that the water is not particularly deep and has a sandy bottom as we stirred up quite a bit of sand. I am sure that large ships would not use the port, although having said that they have a large drydock operation. Anyway, the skyline was impressive after 6 days at sea. As with Egypt, the sky is not clear and there is a consistent haze, which is due in part to the sand particles in the air.
Most importantly we had lunch before we disembarked at about 1.30. We caught a free shuttle bus to the Mercato Mall, which is a relatively small mall, close to the beach. The mall has been modelled on an Italian village. Nice, but nothing spectacular. From here we grabbed a taxi to take us to the very large Dubai Mall. Foolishly, we asked the driver for a price and at that stage only had US dollars. So it was $10 (remember that). Well, Dubai Mall is impressive, with the largest indoor aquarium, ice rink and it covers acres. A whole floor devoted to children. All the big names from around the world were there. We loved it.
Decided that we'd go back to Mercato, to catch the 4.30 free shuttle back to the ship. It took ages to find the money exchange - I knew that it was on the lower ground level, but couldn't find an escalator. Well hidden behind the aquarium. Down there was also signposted for taxis, so changed a bit of money and went out to get a taxi. Ha ha, the first one wouldn't take us as he reckoned he didn't know where Mercato was (really the fare wasn't worth it), so we carried on and came to this official person who showed us back inside and the end of a queue of about 100 people, including our Assistant Waiter & other crew.
After half an hour we made the front of the queue and got our ride to the other mall. Cost was 21 local currency, which equated to about $6.50 US. No wonder the first taxi driver was happy. Got to the mall just in time to catch the shuttle back to the ship. The temperature was up in the mid/high 30s and it was really nice to be back "home". Open sitting for dinner, as so many were away from the ship. Decided to give the show a miss, as it was on a lot later than usual and we had an early start the next day.
Wednesday. Our tour left at 8.30, so up early and first in the dining room for breakfast. The tour took us to the beach area, to see the world's largest freestanding hotel, shaped like a sail (it's generally the symbol of Dubai). We were more interested in the beach and went down to touch the water. We could look out and across to the Palm Islands & the "World", all designed by a Kiwi. At beach level, you can't actually see a thing - just sand in the distance. After that, the obligatory Mosque.
Drove back to the centre of town and went to the museum, housed in an old fort. It would have been great, but it was a relatively small museum with defined paths. When you add 8 tour groups (x38) I including local spoiled expat school kids, it was bedlam. Actually pleased to get out onto the street at nearly 40 degrees. One of our group had decided to go shopping, so we then wasted almost half an hour trying to find her. She did the same thing at the next stop and then abused the guide & all in sundry. Really!
Anyway, we drove to the creek, which is the waterway between old and new city and took the water taxi across to their old city. These water taxis have to be seen to be believed. They are basically flat, with driver in the middle and a raised area running the length of the boat, which you sit on. They take just over 30 passengers and were very well frequented. On arrival on the other side, we were rushed through the Spice Souls (markets) to the Gold Souk. Gold, gold, gold & silver. All very bright and shiny, but not for us. Off the main area were further general markets and the usual pestering hawkers - mainly Indian, Pakistani & Bangladeshi. Incidentally 80% of the population is made up of foreign workers.
We were directed by our guide to a cafe the size of a small kitchen. Half a dozen tables & chairs crammed together and no room to stand. Had a great iced coffee though. Opposite, Vivian got accosted by Pakistani vendor and almost ended up buying a blouse, but time and price haggles got us away and back to our meeting point OK. Funny thing was though that this little shop was crammed with goods and when Vivian pointed out that the blouse she selected was shop-soiled, it was "No worry, my brother will get one from our stock" & brother disappears upstairs on an open lift like ours.
Our tour then ended back at the ship just after 1.00 and after lunch I thought that I'd post those photos to my blog, so spent an hour setting them up. Left the ship and went to the terminal for free WiFi, but as I said, no joy. Pity, but that is that.
Today, Thursday, we are back on deck about to arrive in Oman after lunch. One naval vessel went past this morning - to certain of the nationality, but it left us alone. It is incredible to think that 5 weeks have gone by since we left and that we are just over half way through our holiday. If the second half is as exciting I'll probably burst :-)
There is a lot of water in the world! ...and we've seen a fair bit over the last few days. Apart from a few tankers in the Red Sea, a Russian frigate yesterday, a couple of jet fighters & a helicopter from an American aircraft carrier ( which is apparently in the area), we have had the world to ourselves. We are now well away from pirate territory, although there were 2 on board last night - the ship's photographers. It's all about taking money from the passengers, so it was apt - agreed that the biggest pirates around here are Princess Cruises (just kidding)
We are now off the coast of Oman and have another day & a half at sea before Dubai. Just looking out the cabin window, a little boat is going by. Amazingly small this far out to sea. No, we are happy that it Is not a pirate boat, so assume it must be a fisherman, of some sort of trader. It is really just a bit bigger than our boat (well, probably twice the size, and only appears to have one person on board. We still have our security at full strength and this morning we had breakfast on the back deck. From there we can look up to the security deck and saw the famous scarecrow - dummy dressed in uniform, sunglasses and binoculars, so that anyone approaching would see that someone is always watching. And yes there is always at least one real person up there all the time. We also saw the sonic cannon and spotlight. The sonic device apparently sends an earsplitting sound which means no one can approach from the back of the boat - if they go around the sides, high-pressure showers are in place.
Today, being Sunday, they decided to have a brunch and what a magnificent spectacle. However we are more in favour of the traditional breakfast & lunch, but we went along with it. We also had a port lecture on Dubai, which was interesting but hasn't really solved our problem on what to do on Day 1. We are 2nd on the waitlist for the 4WD safari. If this doesn't eventuate, we'll probably take a taxi to the comfort of one of the Malls. Too darned hot in the middle of the day and local shops etc. close at 1.00, which is about when we arrive. We already have a tour booked for Wednesday.
We have been extremely lucky with the weather, and today is a much more pleasant 26 and cloudy. It actually looks as though it may rain, but we'll see. It is 5.10 as I write this, and the sun has officially set! I can only assume that in the next couple of days we'll readjust our clocks to get some normality in the day. We are soooo busy that we don't wake up until 7.00 in the morning, so the extra daylight at that end is wasted. I note with interest however that daylight saving started in NZ this weekend, but with the reverse effect.
Forgot to mention that Vivian got a haircut last week. Way back in Santorini I saw a hairdresser advertising EUR15 for ladies haircut, but Vivian wasn't interested. By last Monday however, it was necessary so up to the Lotus Spa. Now surely the name would give it away, but anyway Vivian came back and hour later looking like Cilla Black - dead straight shortish hair. Apparently the Irish hairdresser had given her the works! I later looked at the receipt and found that it was a very reasonable haircut at only USD86.25 (including gratuity). On top of that she sold some French shampoo, only USD24. I think that I'll be waiting until Mumbai :-) :-)
It is now pitch black outside and once again time to prepare for yet another feast. Vivian is already dressed and is reading her book. There is an excellent library onboard, which puts the Royal to shame. I am still working through the 10 or so I loaded on my Tablet. A lot less weight plus I can always find my place in the book. Failing anything exciting happening, next instalment will be from Dubai.
Well, we are just about halfway through our sea-days. We are sitting on the Promenade Deck, watching out for the pirates. Actually we are at the end of the Red Sea and approaching the narrow stretch of water between Somalia & Eritrea. It is very hot (34 degrees at 10.00) and quite humid. Fortunately there is a small breeze generated by our ship.
We have a pretty standard routine on sea days. We generally wake up about 7.00, order a cup of tea, get up etc and head to breakfast by 8.00. We much prefer breakfast in the dining room as not only ate we served & have "controlled" portions, but it gives us the opportunity of meeting other passengers, as we are always "happy to share", as our Italian Head Waiter greets us. As an aside, while a large number of our waiters are from India, today we had Elena from Ukraine. The American couple opposite were complementing her on her English and she said that she is an English interpreter, with a Masters degree from US. She finishes her current assignment in December (when the ship is in Tahiti) and then fly's home to winter in the Ukraine. Pretty extreme climate change.
After breakfast, it's deck time. There are very few on deck down here, so have no trouble getting loungers. 11.00 is time to go into the cafe and have our lattes. They know how to make a decent coffee in the cafe and we have them trained to make it hot.
Lunch, once again in the main dining room and then Vivian has her bridge at 2.00. 4.00 we meet up for formal afternoon tea and before we know it, it's time to get dressed for dinner, which is at 6.00. A show sometimes after that and off to sleep, ready for another day.
The ship is lovely and traditional, with everything close at hand. The shows are great and being a smaller lounge, are more cabaret style. Food is of course great, but I am down to 2 courses now & only 1 at lunchtime. The beauty of this sauna environment is that I reckon the weight is pretty stable. Our dinner companions from Canada are retired teachers - David was a maths teacher and his wife is not very well. The other couple, Margaret & Norman are from Perth. Norman is a homegrown magician/illusionist and has us both amused and bewildered. Both couples are great company and it is s pity that they will be leaving the ship in Singapore.
Continual maintenance goes on, and they are just re-varnishing the handrails, so I think we'll go in for coffee a bit earlier today.
Day 7
After a sea-day and our first formal night, we awoke to the island of Mykonos. There is a strong wind blowing, but we tender over without any problems. We are impressed with the white buildings and of course the windmills. After exploring the little side alleys, we work our way to the end of the town and head back. Lynne & Ivan stopped off for a coffee and free WiFi, while Vivian did some shopping. The prices seemed reasonable, particularly as they appear to increase the nearer one gets to the port. Vivian also managed to put a hand in the water, which was quite a feat as the wind was creating some reasonable waves.
As the visit was only for half a day, we set sail for Istanbul just after lunch.
Day 8
We have a ships tour to the Topkapi Palace, Harem & Grand Bazaar. We were originally going to do it " on our own" but the Palace is closed on Tuesday's, except to ship's tours :-) A longish drive through Istanbul to the Palace (which I am sure was just to confuse us). The Palace is magnificent and the artifacts amazing. Similarly, the associated Harem was really interesting - gave a whole new understanding of the life of those times and that it's purpose was primarily to educate women (as well as find the sultan with a wife or two, or more!).
We were then bussed into the centre of Istanbul, to the Grand Bazaar - we elected to leave the tour and the carpet weaving demonstration. Had a quick look at the Bazaar and were not overly excited, but found where the ship's shuttle departure place was, picked up a map and headed off on our own. Soon got onto the tram line and in no time made it to the Blue Mosque, besieged on the way by well-dressed gentlemen employing us to go to their carpet shops. I fooled them by wearing my Aussie hat!!
Well, we missed entry into the mosque by 10 minutes as afternoon prayers started at 12.15. So we went in search of the Hagia Sofia and were really surprised to realise that it was right beside the Topkapi Palace (boy, that bus trip really confused us). Went through the Hagia Sofia, which is impressive, but like so many things we have seen, is in the course of restoration. Scaffolding etc. does not add to the ambience.
Headed back towards the Grand Bazaar and decided we needed something for lunch. Once again Mr McD came to light (never been to so many). After lunch Vivian wanted to go back to the Blue Mosque, so in the middle of the day, surrounded by carpet salesmen again, I willingly complied :-) :-) :-)
Infidels enter through the back entrance and we are given plastic bags for our shoes and enter. Luckily, both men & women are allowed into the viewing/public area, whereas Muslim women have their separate area at the back of the Mosque, while men have the main chamber. What surprised us were the number of the devout who were wandering around the body of the mosque taking photos etc. An experience.
Found our way back to the shuttle meeting point, only to find that we had to retrace our steps to where the buses were parked. The problem was that you needed a ticket to board the bus and you could only get that by going to the meeting point. By this stage we were feeling so fit that nothing really mattered any more. Ah, back on the ship. We loved Istanbul and would liked to have had more time in Turkey. A very interesting & friendly place from what we saw.
Day 9
Today we arrived in Kusadasi, which is still in Turkey. The main reason for visiting here is to see the ancient ruins of Ephesus. Once again, the history is unbelievable. This is the town (for want of a better word) where St Paul & St John preached 2000 years ago. To say that the site is amazing is an understatement. Although one could say that it is just another site of old history, it is simply magnificent. We enjoyed the whole experience and never complained about the walking or the heat that prevailed. After this experience, we journeyed up to the top of the surrounding hills and visited the house of the Virgin Mary. A very, very small building, which we passed through. Once again, amazing to be standing in a piece of history. New Zealand is solo new, we'll never have such experiences at home.
All set for another full-on day as we head across the Agean Sea to Athens tomorrow. This is sort of our last port, if we ignore our destination of Venice and in some ways I'll be pleased as we have seen so much in such a short space of time, my brain hurts !!
Day 10
Athens on our own. This gives a bus trip from the port to the edge of the Plaka, which is the shopping area at the base of the Acropolis. As these are the only 2 things we want to do in Athens, it looks like a good choice. Our guide, Anna, is useless, but anyway we strike out and buy our tickets for the Acropolis from the south gate. It is an easy, pleasant walk up around the hill and we are pleasantly surprised.
But wait, there's more - a lot more - a lot, lot, lot more. Our pleasant path leads us to the main line coming from the main entrance. Next minute we are sandwiched between 10-15,000 other people going either up or down, or standing, or listening in groups to their guides. Yuck! It was bedlam. Nobody was in control, the marble steps uneven, pushing and queue-jumping. Unbelievable - all the while the temperature was climbing to mid-high 30s. To cut a long story short, got to the top, took photos and headed down. It was just as bad going down. Saw an elderly woman who had cut her leg badly and as we found out later, Lynne (who was not with us) fainted and had to be taken down by emergency elevator.
All that aside, we were not that impressed, I think that we'd been spoilt in many ways with all the ruins we have just seen and once again, the Acropolis is a work in progress, with so much scaffolding and so much of what you see is replacement (have to go to London Museum for the original!). Still, we are pleased that we have done it, and we certainly will not be doing it again.
After coming down, we were pleased to sit down in a cafe on the side of the avenue which has fine mist sprays going to keep everyone cool. Boy, the beer did not touch the sides. After lunch Vivian had an energy burst, so off to the Plaka in the afternoon sun. Bought a tablecloth and a runner, so that made her happy. Got back to the other end of Plaka and bought a Sprite and went across the road to Zeus Park. Suddenly Vivian has a thought - oh oh, tablecloth is the wrong size (read the wrong measurement). So with Boy Scout precision, we manage to locate the shop, which is no mean feat, and find our way back.
Boy, it's been a hot tiring day so we buy another Sprite and sit on the steps of a disused Greek Bank and watch the traffic go by. Forgot to mention that there are 6 cruise ships in port & all of the passengers are doing the same thing. Also, most have bus pickup point at the same place - hence dozens of buses. Enter the Athens Police with lights & sirens. No, buses may not stop and are moved on. This is really funny to watch, until it comes to our bus arriving. Luckily the bus is able to stop 50 odd metres away and we are soon home. Exhausted.
Day 11
Well, today is our last full sea-day and we have had such a great experience. Tonight will also be our 2nd formal night, as well as the Captain's cocktail party for Platinum & Elite passengers. Nice to actually meet the captain, who was captain on the Diamond Princess earlier this year. Very pleasant and is great to have a day to enjoy the ship - even if we are supposed to be thinking about our disembarkation. Tomorrow we arrive in Venice and will cruise up to our berth. We are looking forward to that and although there are some things which we do not like about Royal Princess, there are a lot of great features and all the staff are so friendly & helpful.
This is the last entry for our Mediterranean cruise and I trust it has painted a little picture of our adventures. Now on to the rest of Italy and the journey to reach our little ship for our cruise home.
