On the Odyssey without a Tux

Please tell us more about the "glorious eccentrics and characters" aboard!

Thanks once again for the kind comments. I will try to answer your recent questions shortly; for now, backtracking a little.

Colombo: our driver took us to the National Museum which, despite our many trips to Sri Lanka we had never visited. It's full of fascinating stuff, though I think best experienced after one has spent some time in SL so that its many treasures can be appreciated in their cultural/historical and social contexts. The building itself is a fabulous example of neo-classical colonial architecture on the grand scale, gleaming white in the fierce tropical sunlight, its columned verandas designed to offer maximum shade and channel cooling breezes. By the main entrance there is a magnificent Bo tree, planted when the museum was built and now well over a hundred years old, massive, full of verdant pale green foliage, strung with creepers and casting protective shadows for anyone who ventures close.

Later we went to the Cinamon Grand, to spend some time at the huge pool. For the last decade the Cinamon Grand has generally regarded as the best 5*hotel in Colombo, but look out, both Shangri-La and Hyatt are right now building new luxury palaces nearby. The last time we had spent any significant time in Colombo was in 2004, a week or so after the Boxing Day tsunami. It was a chaotic place then, more so because of the then recent events and the long, financially draining, years of civil war: streets choking and grid-locked with traffic, dirty, colonial buildings spurned and starting to decay. Today all is different. They have sorted out the traffic, still chaotic, but now largely free-flowing, cleaned things up and are renovating the colonial buildings. Many fellow passengers commented on how much they liked or were impressed by Colombo, especially after the petty-fogging officialdom, seeming chaos and extremes of poverty in India. Highlights for us were trying out our faltering Sinhalese and watching the perplexed looks turned to delighted recognition, the smiling faces (as our friend Mohan Pererr once said "the day Sri Lankans stop smiling is the day we will really be in trouble") and seeing a couple of ladies walk by wearing their traditional "Kandy-style" sarees.

There was just time to pick up some ‘short eats’ (fiery-hot devilled beef and devilled chicken pastry parcels and a mutton samosa) and head back to the ship to have them as a late lunch with salad in the Colonnade before our sailaway into the sunset.

Loving your posts, Flaminjune, keep them coming if you can.

Golly, Flamin_ June, what wonderful, graphic reports. So good to read.

All that and Seabourn too. Paradise.

Flamin_June, we are thoroughly enjoying reading of your travels so well written and descriptive. Thank you.:)

Loving your posts. Keep them coming.

Why shouldn't the insects swarm the ship? They want a taste of Seabourn hospitality too.

Hope the air is clear by now.

The three sea days from Colombo to Yangon seemed to pass in a flash. Calm seas, blue skies with a few scattered cumulus clouds, hot, hot, hot sun. I have posted a few highlights elsewhere. The second day saw a Rock the Boat event. Before that we had an Epicurean evening at 6.00pm which we didn’t go to (busy getting showered, before dinner), but by all accounts was well attended. The Colonnade held a Chef’s Market at 7.00 pm - which turned out to be nothing more than a glorified buffet,- and we were astonished to see that, after the Epicurean event , it was packed out, nonetheless, with passengers and plates piled as high as an elephants eye. We retreated to the relatively hushed and sepulchral MDR for another fillet mignon ( got to build up one’s strength for the dancing to follow). And so to Rock the Boat.

There were probably around 70 of us determined to dance the evening away – pretty much an optimum number as far as room to move was concerned though in other ways a disapointing turnout. The band was/is great (we caught a performance in the Deck 5 bar the other evening where we made up an audience of five. The band were clearly playing for themselves, with some extended jams around a few jazz numbers and were absolutely outstanding). Angelique has a fantastic voice and she, Jenna and John and the other performers really rocked out.

Of course, nights like this tend to draw out the more extrovert and there are a few ,though the majority of passengers are, on the basis of previous experiences, rather a dull and pretentious lot whose conversation seems limited to reciting checklists of other cruises they have been on or their current tax-avoidance schemes. Then there are the door-slammers, pool- bobbers, peel-me-a-grape-ers and disaproving- glancers well known to all of us. But let us not concern ourselves with those. There are a number of gay couples, of various ages, who can always be relied upon to provide glamour, exuberance and conviviality. One part of one couple, we are convinced, is a pre-or post-op transexual with faboulously engineered shoes, outrageously provocative dresses, a Marilyn Monroe smile and no obvious sense of shame. It’s like sharing a cruise with a couple of characters from Andy Warhol’s New York Factory. The Monaco millionaires club is also good value for money ( and clearly have no need of tax avoidance schemes), braving even the two nights of insect attack to sit out and smoke cigars the size of demi -baguettes. They had 60 bottles of their own vintage wines sent to the Odyssey months before the cruise, but have already worked their way through them. Among their entourage are two stunningly beautiful and vivacious long tall blondes, one a young Jerry Hall lookalike, the other a sleek Greta Garbo type. They laugh and giggle a lot, have impeccable manners and like to dance. We also have a Lord and Lady on board with absolutely no unecessary airs and graces, but with good conversation and senses of humour.

Today we passed, at a very stately 6 knots, through choppy seas, rainstorms,heavy low clouds and poor visibility. The Odyssey had the odd moments of vibration as the stabilisers worked overtime. The Galley Market was on. It was jam-packed.We gave it a miss and had a cheeseburger at the desserted patio grill watching the rainspalshes and the minature tidal waves in the pool. After all the sun, heat and humidity it was refreshing and enjoyable. Of course, having the entire patio grill staff at our disposal meant the service was exceptional . The cheeseburger was delicious, by the way. Tomorrow we are in Phuket, on a speedboat trip around Phang Na Bay, and then I hope to write a bit about Yangon.

The grasshoppers and crickets are still with us. From experience I know they are prolific breeders, and they have hidden themselves away in nooks and crannies, despite the efforts of the deckcrew. It is very pleasant to have the sound of crickets chirping on ones balcony in the morning and evening. During the days they hop all over the place and I suspect the ship will never now be free of them.

..We also have a Lord and Lady on board with absolutely no unnecessary airs and graces, but with good conversation and senses of humour.[unquote]

 

Ask them about donkey-riding in Petra...

Your descriptive prose is fantastic. Thanks, Flamin June! I look forward to reading more.

Great reads,

I suggest she may get a full fumigation before she is allowed to dock in either NZ or Aus. (or it may happen while she is docked)

We all know how strict our AQIS guys are and if there is any indication..

Docked in Porto Malai: according to the schedule we were supposed to be at anchor, but there is a newish looking quay and the Captain performed some tricky manouevers in the light swell to get us alongside, the ship ‘dancing’ and eventualy subdued with dozens of ropes lashing her to the pier. It’s stunningly beautiful, panoramic views from the aft decks looking out onto a bright blue bay, almost encircled by verdant shadowed hills in the mid and far distance. The bay itself is studded with brown rocky outcrops and small islands draped with thick green vegetation. A few dolphins are playing lazily along the port side. It is by far the most beautiful port I have ever seen.

We rose early, watched the sail-in and docking in the cool, breeze-blessed grey light of early morning, before the fierce heat had laid claim to the day, cancelled our tour and went back to bed to sleep until 11.00. Our long day in Phuket ( of which more in a later post) had left us exhausted and the unexpected clocks forward had robbed us of much needed sleep. A light lunch at 12.00 in a near desserted Colonnade with the aforementioned views (possibly the best view in Lankgawi) seemed ample compensation.

The deckcrew have been working for two days, taking up the teak decking in the verandas, washing down and applying insecticide. The chirping on our balcony has sadly ceased, but at dinner last night at the patio grill we were entertained by the cricket chorus and dozens of leaping grasshoppers.

Yangon: As you sail up the Irrawaddy you know you have entered a land that is emerging from a time-warp. Even the morning breeze is laden with humidity. The flat paddy-fields, scrub- and marsh-lands flanking both sides of this thick brown muddy river are sparsely scattered with wooden dwellings, roofs thatched with palm leaves. The air is thick with earthy scents: last night’s or this morning’s wood cooking-fires intermingled with the scent of food, punctuated with fishy notes and whiffs of diesel. Scores of two-man fishing canoes, propelled by small slender standing figures clutching long poles, float guard over their nets. The Odyssey picks her way through this almost motionless traffic, sliding past a few rusting hulks of container vessels at anchor, carefully tryng to avoid the nets. After three days at sea with the swoosh, swirl and slap of waves and the thrum of the Odyssey’s engines, the chatter of birdsong is startling and unexpected, almost the only sound in the morning’s silence, save for a long echoing blast of the ship’s horn. Until, that is, a couple of scruffy old tugs and a pilot’s vessel chug and sputter into view.

Flamin June, you should write a book. Your posts are so descriptive and evocative. Am thoroughly enjoying them and eagerly opening my iPad in the morning to look for another. Will be sorry when you disembark.

Flamin June, you should write a book. Your posts are so descriptive and evocative. Am thoroughly enjoying them and eagerly opening my iPad in the morning to look for another. Will be sorry when you disembark.

So totally agree, I feel like, I am standing, watching this happen, the wording just draws you in...

Thank you Flamin-June

Flamin, your prose reminds me of Conrad and Maugham. Love it, keep it up!

Flamin June, have enjoyed reading your posts. Re Yangon - we'll be on the Sojourn in Feb 2015, interested as to whether you did the ship or private tours? Any advice would be much appreciated. regards Maria

Thanks for the entertaining and informative travelogue. I will be on a very similar itinerary next year. As it appears you enjoy booking a day room from time to time at a resort in some ports I wonder if you (or anyone reading this) has a suggestion in Phuket. I'd love to spend a day at the Amanpuri but not sure they offer that option. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

To stay at Amanpuri is a wonderful treat as the rooms are beautiful & and the service excellent. I can't answer your question re: day guests. However I wanted to mention that the cuisine was underwhelming and there are many, many steps down to the beach [if that matters]. You also will want to check the distance from your dock/anchorage to the property.

We got back a few days ago - still struggling to shake off the jet-lag and I had to get straight back to work so have not had time nor energy to post more.

But I will do shortly as there is still quite a bit to say. Many thanks to all those who have said they have enjoyed reading these scribblings.