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Dolphins of Muscat

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Muscat to Muscat

Two days at sea to recharge our batteries after the 4 day Indian onslaught, so glad we did it and now it has given us the thought that we would like to see more by way of a land tour, to see the Taj Mahal, do an Indian safari & a trip up the Ganges - something to research! Dad & I got our photos entered into the photo competition, for $5 per photo (maximum of 8) the photo gallery will print your picture & display it with all the other entries - at the end of it you get to keep your photos, so it's a good way of getting an A4 print of your favourites. We saw them go up on the wall with all the other entries, 120 in all. There are 3 categories, Peoples choice (every passenger gets 1 vote), Photographers choice & Mickey Lives special award. We love the sea days, it gives you chance to catch your breath, relax, not adhere to a schedule but doing so anyway because of your inbuilt clock! It's so very hot and we enjoy sitting in the shade of our balcony, others are baking in the sun on the pool deck, everyone seems happy doing "their thing". Talks by guest speakers on different topics, quizzes, competitions, gambling in the casino, you can take part or do nothing - it's got something for everyone! We arrive in Muscat on Saturday 15th April, Stuart & I were here in December & had done a tour to the Grand Mosque, the Sultans Palace and a museum showing the history of Oman. This time we decided we would like to walk along the seafront to one of the lookout towers and take in the beauty of the coastline. It was such a hot day, we only got a few minutes out of the port & were questioning our sanity & ability to walk the distance but not wanting to admit defeat we carried on, stopping along the way to take photos, watch families fishing, a man swimming, the gardeners tending the public parks - we walked about 2.5 to 3 miles to the tower, where we climbed to the top & took in the views. The journey back was equally as interesting & hot! We walked along the other side of the road, finding shade to walk in - stopping at a local cafe on the way back, then looking around one of the oldest souks in Oman. The people in Oman are so friendly, they live together in peace - they have respect for each other and are an example to the world on what the Islamic faith is. (Many years ago we had a student live with our family, he was called Ebrahim Suheil Ali & he was from Muscat. He stayed with us twice, each time for 6 months, whilst he went to a local language school to learn English & also do some police training, he became part of our family, this gentle man. A few years later, whilst on duty (in his role in the police in Oman), Ebrahim had a terrible accident in his patrol car, which left him paralysed - the first we knew of this was when we got a phone call to say he was in the Wellington Humana hospital & was asking for his English family - without hesitation we jumped into the car & made the journey to London, Dad only realising he had left his slippers on when we stopped at the motorway services! This was the late 1970's and the Sultan had paid for his treatment in the U.K., he also sent him to the US to try & get him to walk again but sadly he did not. Every year we heard from him, he was married with 2 sons, when Stuart & I got married in 1987 we invited him to our wedding, he declined but wished us well, when my sister Susie married Bill we invited him but got no reply, neither did we get a Christmas card, this rang alarm bells with Mum & she contacted the embassy - weeKs later we learnt that Ebrahim had passed away. He always said that he would like us to visit his land - well here we are Ebrahim & your land is beautiful- we only wish you were here to see us visit, we now would like to see if we can find out what happened to his family & now we have been this we are going to try & do). We all wandered to the photo gallery this evening to see what the results were of the photo competition,as we thought it may have been announced earlier in the day, luckily we arrived 10 minutes before the announcement, people were milling around so we joined the waiting crowd. First one to be announced was the people's choice - with 15 votes a picture of 2 boys won. Next was the photographers choice - one of the photographers gave a talk on the rule of,thirds in photography - then announced the winning number, Stu looked at me & mouthed "it's yours" I shook my head at him thinking he had made a mistake! - but couldn't believe it that it actually was mine! Wow - there were so many fantastic pictures, I didn't set up the shot by rule of 3rds I just took it! Next was Mickeys special award, when he said he chose the photo, not knowing which one the photographers had chosen - I glanced at Dad - yes no fix at all Dads beautiful photo of the white throated Kingfisher was the winner! Jubilant & proud winners, Dad & I quietly sang we are the champions all the way back to the cabins! Dubai We had to clear immigration in Dubai, we docked at 12, cleared immigration by 1.15 & were on our way by taxi to the Dubai Mall, with temperatures hitting 40 degrees we thought this was a prudent activity - it is a spectacle to see, huge, with everything you could possibly wish for, from high end to a discount Japanese store, ice skating & dancing fountains. Fast food, slow food, tea, coffee, Waitrose(!) - you could get lost quite easily in here. Watching two of the fountain shows which give you a dazzling display every half hour from 6pm, one in the light & one as it became dusk we arrived back at the ship too late for dinner so enjoyed the buffet instead. Our last evening with Josh & Cathy as they are leaving us tomorrow. Abu Dhabi We must have docked very early in Abu Dhabi as we were alongside when we opened our curtains & the dock was alive with activity - Mum & Dad went to find Josh & Cathy before they departed. As we were back to back we did a tour of the sheikh Zayed Mosque & the heritage centre in Abu Dhabi - arriving at the Mosque we filed off the bus in the busy car park, passing the security guard he wouldn't let mum &'I pass and told us to stand to one side - the guide said we wouldn't be able to go in & would have to wait in the coach, disappointed at being inappropriately dressed (my cream long sleeved shirt deemed by its colour to be transparent - it wasn't. Mums thin scarf and possibly the hint of her ankles prevented her entry) we made our way back to the bus, then about 15 minutes later the guide came running, thrust a bag at us & said "your husband has bought these! Put them on quickly & come with me!" Donning our black abayas & covering our heads with a black scarf we moved incognito into the mosque. So glad we did, it was absolutely stunning, ornate, pristine breathtakingly beautiful - the largest mosque in the world! In the sweltering heat we visited the heritage centre, watching people perform traditional crafts in reconstructed ancient buildings, carving, boat making, carpentry, displays of swords & daggers, it was fascinating but we were all wilting in the heat. Back onboard we completed the lifeboat drill & set sail for the next leg of our journey, to Rome - first port of call Muscat! Muscat - again 😊 We've booked tours for this trip to Muscat, Mum & Dad are doing a boat trip to see if they can see any sea life, Stu & I are going to Nouvelle Nakhon Fort. On our way to the fort we call at the village of Barkha to visit the local fish market - here the local fishermen are selling their catch - huge tuna, squid and lots of smaller fish, some of which were still gasping 😔, that we don't know the names of - we watch the theatre of some men in an auction, the auctioneer moving the fish around on a tiled stage area as the bids come in - one fellow tourist asked me if they were playing a fish game! Onto the fort, which is believed to date back to the pre Islamic era & is located on the edge of the Jabal Akhdar mountains & overlooks vast palm orchards - it is spectacular as we walk in the heat through the sand coloured architecture contrasting with the bright blue sky. This fort has been renovated to its original glory, there are rooms set as they would have been with cushions laid onto carpet for guests to sit down on, wooden pegs sticking out of the wall for the weapons to be hung easy to believe you had stepped back in time, particularly as there were not lots of tour buses there at the same time! We stopped at the Al Thowarah hot spring on the way to our lunch stop - the water was at 40 degrees Celsius, so not a place for a cool off, but we sat on rocks with our feet in the water - Garra Rufa fish nibbled at the skin on our feet giving us a mini pedicure, 20 minutes later, our feet feeling clean & refreshed we walked back to the coach, passing through a group of men having a barbecue get together, we drove onto a resort hotel for a sumptuous buffet lunch - all too quickly, we were back to the ship, the heat was unrelenting - it had been 41 degrees Celsius - a dry, crackling heat, this is the end of their tourist season as within weeks it will be 50 to 55 degrees not a place for a holiday. Impressed by Oman again, the Sultan looks after his people, there's no tax, education, healthcare is all paid for, they pay very little for fuel, they get paid to go to university - the people can apply for interest free loans, at 21 they can apply for land (given free) on which to build a house - all this has come from the proceeds of the oil & a very fair ruler! Mum & Dad saw many dolphins on their boat trip, feeling it was cruel though with many motor boats corralling the dolphins, they were not out there too long but Dad got some great photos!

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Muscat day 2

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Abu Dhabi

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After Singapore and before Cochin

Sea day & Phuket Our clocks had gone back an hour, waking up to the gentle sound of the sea as it surrounds us, transporting us on our journey ........... that is what we have come to expect, however this morning we are awoken with some almighty banging & crashing, the sky lit up like someone flicking a strobe light on & off! We passed through the storm pretty quickly, it was however a rude awakening! Two beyond the podium speakers today, Ranger John, talking about tsunamis & then a favourite- Mickey Live. The talk from Ranger john gave us a fascinating insight into earthquakes & said tsunamis, given where we are travelling which was affected so badly by the Boxing Day tsunami, 2004, it was very appropriate & gave us a small appreciation of how they happen & really how nature is all powerful & how insignificant we are when faced with such a force. Mickey Live, entertaining as ever, giving great tips on increasing our flow (happiness), being adventurers, documenting our journey & generally being responsible for living a life less boring - we need patience & kindness - fundamental reminders for life really! A relaxed rest of the day - culminating in "evening chic" night - as we are travelling as a group we decided to go down the formal route, enjoying the chance to dress for dinner - no one bats an eyelid at the outfits worn, ranging from smart casual to full on sequinned glamour! The show tonight was a talented singer, who has played in the west end, in the production of We Will Rock You - Michael Falzon, better than the previous nights show by far! Phuket We tendered in the port of Phuket, Josh & Cathy went on an organised tour, the rest of us went off by tender,ready to barter for a Tuk Tuk journey up to the big Buddha sitting at the top of the island - walking along the line of drivers all vying for business the cost for us all to go would be $100 - we carried on walking, crossing the road to have some peace & to look at the businesses along the busy street, spying a Starbucks, McDonalds, Buger King we decided that adventurers we were & found Mr Nawin who for $40 took us on a journey around the island past glorious beaches, up to the Big Buddha which sits on a high point of the island with some fantastic views we climbed to the top, stopping on the way to observe some young boys, here for a month, resplendent in their orange robes, having their lunch break! Back to Mr Nawin, who took us to our next stop, some temples, beautifully kept, ornate & well used, people were constantly streaming in & out with prayers & offerings. We were Then back in our bright red tuk tuk, descending back into the hustle & bustle of Patong bay! Waving bye to our driver we strolled along the beach back to the jetty for our tender back to the ship - this time we were not approached by the taxi drivers - just the massage ladies along the beach. Luckily there was no queue for the tender as it was baking hot - our walk along the jetty was punctuated with ice cold towels & a selection of waters - perfect! A short trip across the bay & we were back at the ship. Dinner tonight was great, followed by a fantastic Australian violinist - Jane Cho, with her plastic electric violin has us all mesmerised - a standing ovation was well deserved! Sea Days & Sri Lanka A couple more days at sea before our next port, with an hour and a halfs time change to get used to! We embraced the beyond the podium speakers (not literally) lectures, where we learnt what's in the ocean around & below us & the art of being a digital traveller. We spent our time generally relaxing, going to the gym, walking around the deck, reading, looking out to sea & being rewarded by seeing dolphins - the latter activity is very time consuming, takes a lot of patience & is addictive - teamwork, me with the binoculars, Dad with the camera! The dolphins appeared next to the ship, we could see them just beneath the surface as they raced along, jumping & slapping their tail fins as they hit the water! We docked in Colombo, Sri Lanka early morning, breakfast was in the cabin, ready for our early start. There was an almighty rain shower as we were eating, it reduced the visibility to nothing - we thought this would cool things down a little, how wrong we were- opening the balcony doors when the rain had finished was like opening the oven door! Our trip went on the Viceroy train to the government run, Pinnewela elephant orphanage. We arrived at the station in Colombo with plenty of time to spare, this meant that we could take in the atmosphere as we waited for the train to arrive. Many people travel by very basic trains, but as they alighted the majority were dressed smartly in impeccably crisp clothing, looking much fresher than our tour group, who were all melting in the heat! The Viceroy train steamed into the station, this train was inspired by Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, who used a similar train on the same route. The only steam locomotive still in operation in Sri Lanka - fitted,out with 19th century period fittings, it had two carriages & a restaurant car, a toilet that deposited everything on the track, a beautiful window so that we could see the track disappearing behind us & it had air conditioning - bliss! Our two and a half hour journey took us through the country side, through stations, past people walking on the tracks, work gangs, all moving out of the way as we rumbled along. We pulled into Rambukkana station where we left the air conditioned carriages for the heat! We were guided to a hotel next to a river for lunch, before we could walk down the street we all had to,stand aside as the elephants belonging to the orphanage, walked up from the river after bathing - shopkeepers just stood back & accepted the pause in their business! After a buffet lunch, we ventured to the orphanage where we saw baby elephants being fed, the isolation of the male elephants in musth & the rest enjoying the freedom of a plain. At 2 pm it was bathing time again, the roads were closed & the elephants once again steadily made their way back down to the river - all apart from 1 baby, who excitedly started to run past the herd, not being able to wait to get there! We then watched them bathing & generally having fun in the water! Our meet time of 3pm sadly couldn't come fast enough, it was so very hot & we were all wilting like English roses (!). We had a 3+ hour coach journey back to the ship, in air conditioned comfort we watched the fascinating landscape go by, there were people all along the route, going about their daily business. There was never a sizeable patch of land, all along the route there were shops & businesses, its hard to see how people make a living! We saw coconut trees in abundance along with banana plants & pineapple plants. It was a journey like we have never experienced before, lots,of traffic all vying for the same position on the road, it didn't seem to matter what was coming in the opposite direction - there were a lot of sharp intakes of breath from us all! We made it back to the ship very tired, hot & happy after our experience of Sri Lanka!

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Mumbai

Mumbai Oh my goodness - Mumbai! We docked later this morning which meant that we could catch our breath a bit - we could catch it a bit more as the Indian authorities had put an extra security check on in the terminal building, this meant huge delays & huge lines - we sat in the comfort of the theatre onboard whilst we waited for our tour to be called, eventually we were wending our way through the corridors of deck 2 to our escape into the heat & humidity of Mumbai. We arrived at Church Gate Station for our 1/2 hour train ride to Mahalaxshmi station, we were given instructions by our guide that in everything we did today we had to put ourselves first, no politeness with the population of Mumbai when it came to moving around just go, push forward otherwise we would never get anywhere! Thankfully this wasn't rush hour at the station, we travelled in the first class mixed carriage, (there are carriages for Men, Women, disabled, cancer patients and luggage) doors that were left open for the whole journey to enable people to get on and off in the 17 seconds allowed ( I don't know how you get off & retrieve your luggage in 17 seconds)! We alighted at our stop & made our way up the steps, out onto the street right next to Dhobi Ghat, a unique laundry service, the crowds of people that were there to see this amazing place is hard to describe - but they do the laundry for their clients, it is not computerised, each customer has a number & they do not lose things (like the odd sock we do at home) there is a 99.6% accuracy rate! We followed the rules & pushed our way back onto the coach. We then visited Khotachiwadi a Portuguese village in the middle of Mumbai, frozen in time as the original Portuguese buildings remain - we walked around, altering our route when the guide saw a dead rat - one lady in our group had a phobia of cats, the trip wasn't good for her as there were cats all over the place! An oasis in the middle of the heat and humidity was lunch at the Oberoi hotel, one of the hotels that was attacked in the terrorist attacks a few years ago, we were searched & scanned as we entered the building, this was absolutely stunning, 5 star luxury in stark comparison to the world outside! A sumptuous buffet of Indian food was served & we all enjoyed the surroundings & the view the hotel had to offer. Negotiating the traffic to cross the road for a photo opportunity of the skyline of Mumbai across the bay was no mean feat, but the traffic doesn't travel very fast so if you walk confidently you get there! Mani Bhawan - the base for Mahatma Ghandi in Bombay, that is now a museum. It was a house that belonged to a friend of his, so it was quite small but gave us a history of his whole life, he achieved so much without violence, an example that many could follow today! Back into the streets, accosted by street sellers as we made our way back to the bus "bags $2" "elephants $1" "Maps $2" they followed along until we joined our bus! The wholesale market for fruit next, we've never seen so many mangoes, apparently these mangoes have been imported from Spain as theirs are not in season yet! It was thriving, with sellers, delivery drivers, box makers, packers & the occasional man asleep, no wonder when we were told it is open virtually 24 hours a day! The Gateway of India next - when the British ruled there was an area that the Indians were not allowed in, surrounded by numerous gates, a decision was made to let the Indians into the area, the British destroyed the gates & then the Indian people built the gate of India as a thank you, it was started in1913. And completed in 1924. An obligatory shopping stop for 20 minutes on the way back to the ship & our tour was completed, our senses overloaded by the days sights, sounds and smells - it truly is "Incredible India"!

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Mumbai

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Goa

Goa Looking out from our balcony onto a wood clippings pile we had arrived in Goa, another hot day with high humidity & this day would take us to see Forts & Heritage. Our cabin steward is from Goa & was excited to meet with family, so we (& Mum & Dad next door) told him we would take care of making our own beds today if it meant he could get off a bit sooner. It must be so lovely for them to have a taste of home! The tour groups seem to be quite small which is very pleasant, about 20/24 people, our first stop was a small fishing village of Verem, we visited the local market where the days catch was sold, in stifling heat, the fish not on ice this proved to overload one particular sense!! It was tiny thankfully, but seeing the flies on the fish I think the whole group vowed not to eat fish at the lunch stop! We walked along the small row of shops each one busy with the local trade - it made us realise the choices we have at home & the convenience we have! Back on the bus to Reis Magos Fort,built in 1551, beautifully maintained, we tested our stamina & endurance by climbing the slope from the ticket office to the fort and enjoyed beautiful views, then onto Fort Aguascalientes's, built 1612, which was built around a freshwater spring that supplied ships that used to stop by. It has a storage capacity of 2,376,000 gallons of water, one of the biggest of its time in Asia. It was huge to walk around the inside, but with no handrails it proved a daunting challenge for some! We stopped for lunch at a Noble families house, a villa overlooking the water - the house was built 300 years ago & in that time, the only maintenance has been a lick of paint - fascinating to look around, it was actually in good condition, with the family on hand to answer questions there were many antiques to look at. Still lots of hustle, bustle & rubbish to look at on our journey back - we arrived back tired & hot to the coolness of our ship!

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Goa

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New Mangalore

New Mangalore Another day, another Indian port, this time, New Mangalore. Today we are visiting the 15th Century Thousand Pillar temple in Moondabidri - then onto Dr Soans Spice farm. This time we were all travelling on the same tour. Yash was our guide, 45 years old, had an arranged marriage & one 11 year old son, interestingly after having quite an in depth conversation about marriage we asked if his son would have an arranged or a love marriage - he said it would be a love marriage - guess times are changing! Another fascinating journey, with the hustle & bustle of Indian life flashing past us on the coach - we arrived at the temple & stepped off the coach in 84 degrees & 66% humidity. Leaving our shoes at the entrance we climbed the steps & entered the beautifully carved stone temple, lucky to be here whilst they were preparing for a festival, we witnessed the rare sight of a statue of the god being carried around the site before being placed at the alter, the religious man carrying the statue could not be touched otherwise he would have to go & bathe! We marvelled at the ornate carvings that have stood the test of time & wandered around the beautifully tiled floor in our bare feet. Our next stop was Soanes farm, a spice farm where an abundance of spices fruits & nuts are grown - senior Mr Soane gave us a walking tour, we learnt that pepper grows on a vine, saw cashew trees, a collection of Bamboo (surprisingly not all invasive), pineapple, mulberries, cinnamon, coconuts, a berry that tastes like peanut butter, to name but a few - there were ladies chopping open coconut shells to lay them out to dry in the sun before they would have the oil extracted from them. Stacking up the pineapples ready to be shipped out - we were given a glass of fresh pineapple juice & fresh peppercorns & cashew nuts were purchased. A half day tour for us today, we were back onboard by 1.30.

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New Mangalore

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Cochin

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Cochin

Cochin After watching "The real Marigold hotel" & Good Karma hospital, both of which were filmed in and around Cochin we were looking forward to visiting, we had booked a trip that took us on a boat along the backwaters, Stu & I had booked a motor boat, the others were going on a traditional houseboat, both similar in size, one more luxurious that the other, ours had plastic patio chairs on the top deck, under a tarpaulin, the houseboat had bedrooms a kitchen & comfy padded seating! We both did the same, calling at a 5 star hotel for lunch. We had a two hour drive to Alleppey - once again fascinating sights along the way, never a break in hustle & bustle - as this was Sunday, there was no work for people but the small shops were open & there were people everywhere, mainly going to worship, the Catholic Churches along the route were incredibly busy as were the temples, catching someone's eye as we passed was lovely as we would exchange smiles & wave. Same sort of driving goes here, if there is a space, on either side of the road then you attempt to pass, regardless of what is coming in the opposite direction! Our waiter, from Goa explained that they are drivers of great skill, & we would witness many more skilful drivers especially in Mumbai! Seated on our boat, we started our two hour tour, exploring the backwaters & seeing how the people used them. Along the banks were homes, many with boats tied up. There were people chatting, ladies standing on steps to the water doing their laundry, slapping the washing against stones to get it clean. Children & adults were bathing, a group of children were throwing a small cat into the water (to our disgust) when it swam to the shore & climbed out they just threw it straight back in! We all felt very uncomfortable watching them do this, makes me wonder about the cats survival or indeed when it grows up it will steer well clear of humans! We witnessed a group of men having a pre wedding bathing ritual & then further up the waters edge the venue being decorated for the wedding! All the time various boats were using the waterways - a ferry, transporting locals, fishermen in their canoes, houseboats, one group on Indian tourists shouted "Welcome to India"! We docked at The Lake Palace hotel & were greeted by the staff, then shown to the restaurant where we had an Indian buffet waiting, the chef was helping serve the delicacies & we enjoyed a tasty lunch with an Indian beer. Back on our boat for the short journey to our coach, we then made the journey back to the ship - another hot day, which felt a bit better as we had a breeze on the boat, we arrived back, tired & happy.

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Voyage towards home

Singapore to ship This trip is a voyage from Singapore to Rome, calling at various ports along the way, with us are Liz & Bill (Mum & Dad), for the whole trip & Josh & Cathy (my nephew & his girlfriend) for the first part of the trip. Sadly our good friends Christine & Stuart had to cancel due to a family bereavement, we will miss them, as we had all been looking forward to this trip together. Fort Canning hotel was our base in Singapore, Stu & I have stayed here before, it is the old Army headquarters which have been converted into a hotel, it is not a high rise, it is set in a beautiful area & is peaceful but in close proximity to the hustle & bustle of Singapore. First morning we had a tour of the Battlebox, an underground bunker, 3 stories deep - this is where manoeuvres were co-ordinated from in the Second World War - where may be not so famously, things went from bad to worse for the allied troops against the Japanese. We did not realise that, as the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour, it was at the same time as the onslaught of the bombing campaign of Singapore - because of the time difference, history shows it happened on 2 separate dates. First defeated at sea with the fleet of only 2 British war ships sunk in the harbour. Then in the air, the outdated surplus planes from Europe were unable to compete with the modern Japanese aircraft. Finally, the ground troops were out manoeuvred, by an army less than half the size, surrendering, a decision made when supplies would last only another couple of days from the battlebox. The location was found in the 1980's and is now a museum. The afternoon saw us meeting up with Josh & Cathy at their hotel (Pan Pacific) - trying to keep them awake after their long flight we ventured to the Marina Bay Sands hotel where we dined on the 57th floor overlooking the whole of Singapore - fantastic views to start with, then the rain came in & reduced our visibility somewhat! We ventured over to the Gardens by the Bay where we explored the Forest dome & the flower dome, spectacular collection of flora & fauna. We ended up having a quick snack at the Toast Box - a chain of cafe that specialises in .............toast! The following day we joined the Celebrity Constellation for our journey towards home, re-familiarising ourselves with the ship & for Cathy, exploring her new surroundings, we settled into our home for the next few weeks, dinner & then the Australian Beatles.......tomorrow a day at sea.

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Ketchikan

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Ketchikan

Nothing planned for today, we have done so much we thought we would have a reasonably relaxed day exploring. Dad, Mum Stu & I got off the ship & went for a walk , we visited the National parks information centre - for $5 each we had entry into a fantastic exhibit, we watched a movie about Alaska & walked through an exhibit showcasing the way of life throughout the state. We walked through the old red light area, which is now a shopping area then bypassed all the diamond & tourist shops back to the ship. A welcome afternoon of relaxation & chatting we got ready for a meal in Tuscan Grille. Another fantastic meal, even though it's not mums birthday, they brought out a birthday cake for her & we all sung (quietly on mums instruction)! We left the restaurant & went to the theatre, to watch Yulia & Alan Reva - fantastic acrobatics & dancing, flying above the audience - Yulia is an ex Russian Olympian, incredible skills - worthy of their standing ovation!