Circumnavigate The Globe in 123 days with Bill & Mary Ann - 2011 World Cruise

[WCB]

Report # 71 March 15, 2011 Tuesday Day at Sea

 

We are now heading northwest through the Malacca Strait on our way towards India. The Malacca Strait, situated between Malaysia and Sumatra, is one of the busiest shipping lanes, due to the fact that all European, Persian Gulf countries, and Indian vessels use this path to get to Asia.

 

It would not be a very actice day for us, since Bill's knee needed rest. It had improved quite a bit from yesterday, but still has a long way to go. Using the cane did help when we went to the dining room for breakfast. One really nice couple from our group came over to our table to check on the progress. In a humorous way, Mel said Bill actually looked very distinguished using the cane. And besides, it would open up a world of opportunities for him......like getting the front seat of the bus, and using the handicapped bathrooms. Come to think of it, we could have used that handicap room we had on the 2008 world cruise. We didn't request it at that time, but just got assigned at the last minute as an upgrade. It was spacious with a walk-in shower and no tub like we have now.

 

Life on the ship went on as usual of course. Barbara gave a talk all about Cochin, our first stop in India. A new exploration speaker, Shreeyash Palshikar, delivered a talk about Hindu dieties. At 2pm, Bill Harris spoke about Paramount Studios and the popular actors from the past.

 

A culinary demo was performed in the Wajang Theater where guest chef, Jeffery Elliot, cooked roasted chicken breasts with chilled ratatouille. These are usually well-attended by both the ladies and the men.

 

We relaxed at the back pool, even though no sun was out, it was still warm and humid. It had rained off and on all morning, but the afternoon was fine. Again, we got a little toasted, but didn't feel it until later. We had several visits from friends , who had seen Bill hobble out to the lounge chair. One gal we know, Glenda, came over and said she heard Bill got "caned" in Singapore! Love these people with a wicked sense of humor. Glenda just recovered from a bad experience with her legs swelling for no apparent reason. So she really understood Bill's predicament and wished him well. He also had three offers from friends to borrow knee braces. So far, the ice packs have helped the most.

 

We did make it to dinner tonight, even though it took some time to walk there. Our tablemates couldn't have been nicer with all the advice they gave him for a quicker recovery. The best advice he got was from Joan, who said the best medicine was Dr. Jack Daniels! Well, only when he is finished with the Aleve.

 

We look forward to the next two days of sailing to India. The distance to our next port is 1236 nautical miles, multiplied by 1.15, you get the statute miles. Can't find the calculator at this moment.

 

And we also put the clocks back one more hour this evening. Goodie!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[Kiwi Kruzer]

A map update..

Currently in the middle of The Indian Ocean,

beneath the Bay of Bengal.

 

 

[DFD1]

Kiwi Kruzer: Thanks loads for the map!

 

Mary Ann: Tell Bill to give than knee as much rest as he can. I have bad knees and what he is going thru is NOT fun! Hope he is better soon.

 

Thanks agian for your remarkable log. You have no idea how much we all are enjoying it.

[kazu]

Thanks for the post Mary Ann - I love your optimistic attitude but the cane. For you two, I bet the glass is always half full :) I do hope Bill recovers quickly and easily.

[MACPC]

Mary Ann - what a treat it is to see the world through your experiences. Echoing your many fans and followers, thanks for the time and effort you put into your reporting. Here' hoping that Bill's knee mends quickly during your sea days.

 

MaryAnn in Dallas

[Padraic]

Thanks again for the update on the Egyptian ports. Unfortunately, the HAL website has a different itinerary (it was updated yesterday) than that given by the Captain. It now shows no Egyptian ports (as I would expect), shows an overnight in Muscat rather than a single day, and has a stop in Ashdod, Israel but no stop in Haifa. I had my TA contact HAL for the new itinerary and she was told that the old itinerary is still correct. My wife and I will be heading to London on Friday, stay there until Tuesday and fly to Dubai, then board the Amsterdam on Friday. I guess we don't care where we stop (actually we do care) just so that the cruise ends in Port Everglades because it's the only way we can get home!

[WCB]

Report # 72 March 16, 2011 Wednesday Day at Sea

 

The Amsterdam entered the Indian Ocean at one point late yesterday. This body of water is the third largest of the world's oceans, covering about 20% of the water on the surface of the earth. That's pretty big. What we remember most about this ocean, was back in 2001, while on our way to India, we saw a display of dozens of large spinner dolphins launching themselves out of the ship's waves, and hitting the water with a really loud splash. Of course, we did not have our cameras with us at the time, and if we had, they never would have appeared. It's just a special moment that will remain imprinted on our brains for a lifetime. Ever since then, we have made it a point to look for these dolphins while sailing in this area. So far, we have seen nothing, but there is always tomorrow. Who knows?

 

After breakfast, we had a short walk on the promenade deck. The weather seemed nicer today, even though it was still hot. The sun had appeared earlier today, and we hoped it would stay nice all day. The knee was slightly better, so the cane got left behind. There are so many railings inside and outside the ship, that it made it easy to get from one end of the ship to the other. In our short walk, we had the offer of three more knee braces from friends, new and old. So far, the ace bandage seems to give the knee just the right amount of support, so we'll stick to that.

 

Ellen, bless her heart, had come across a cold and heat pack in her drawer that actually could be frozen and velcroed around the leg. Since we have a refrigerator with a tiny freezer, we took her up on her offer to borrow it. Later in the afternoon, Bill gave it a try, and it really helped.

 

We have noticed that the past two days it has been unusually warm and sticky on the public decks. It was not uncommon to see passengers and staff fanning themselves. Something has obviously gone wrong with the air-conditioning. Lucky for us, deck one has remained the most comfortable place on the ship. The minus part of having a veranda, is that it doesn't help to open your door to cool things off. The air outside is more hot and humid, which takes away whatever cooling the room has. This was always a major problem with air-conditioning on the Prinsendam last year. We decided that it was the nature of the beast to be too warm inside while we were sailing in a hot area, or too cold when we were in Antarctica. We could swear that during the dinnertimes, the air was directed to the dining room, taking it away from the staterooms. In a warm area, the hot water in the bathroom was scalding, or too cold in cooler areas of the world.

 

We had a special luncheon in the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant, thanks to our travel agency. At noon, we joined our excellent hosts, Tom and Ellen, and several of our group members. The tables hold around 5 or 6 people, and we sat with our favorite friends Bill and Leta, and a Canadian couple by the names of Gina and Chris. Within 5 minutes, we knew that the six of us would get along fine.

 

White and red wines were served, although I had Coke. Bill even tried the white wine, believing that it would help his knee. It did, which was a good thing, because we ended up staying in the restaurant until after 2:30pm. Long time to sit for both of us, but the company was to good to leave.

 

The menu was fixed, except for the entree. We had a choice of a crab pattie or beef tenderloin. We all chose the sterling silver beef and we were happy with our choice. We began with bruschetta with butterflied shrimp, followed by a creamy soup. Our entrees were served with a potato/cheese cassarole and grilled white asparagus. Three little fancy rolls rounded out the meal. Dessert was a scoop of strawberry sherbet over a butter cookie, surrounded with thinly sliced fresh strawberries. Coffee was served to the few that wanted it. Also the wines were topped off when Tom and Ellen pulled up seats to join our group. That was how we ended up staying until everyone else had left. We were having such a good time, we didn't want to leave.

 

Speaking of the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant, this is the first world cruise that we remember so many special dinner venues being offered for a price. Some of the dinners run from $39 to $99 per person. When these affairs are happening, the restaurant is closed to other guests. Between these dinners and the Captain's dinners, which happen on most formal evenings, there are few days left for the rest of us to book a regular dinner in there. As four star members, the cost of dinner is $10, a really good deal for the wonderful meal they serve in here. We have a hunch that in the future, there will be charges for a steak or lobster dinner in the La Fontaine dining room. It is already happening on Carnival cruises. For that matter, HAL could charge for entertainment in the showlounge, as well as arts and crafts or watercolor classes. Or perhaps they could put a fee on learning to dance or play bridge. Sounds bizarre, but it could happen.

 

We didn't make it to the back pool until 3pm. The weather was perfect, warm, but a nice breeze blowing across the deck. When it blew the right way, we got spritzed by poolwater, keeping us cool. Around 4pm, most folks had gone back to their rooms or whatever, and Henk, our hotel manager, arrived to enter the water and swim his "laps" while tied onto the pole. He wears us out just watching him. With all of his responsibilities, it must be nice to swim his stress away every chance he gets.

 

Other happenings today included a talk from the new explorations speaker. Ambassador Howard K. Walker. His subject was 20th century international order, and from the looks of the situation of the volatile areas we will be traveling to, they sure could use his advice. During lunch today, Captain Olaf came on the ship's speakers to announce that our itinerary still may be changed in the next couple of weeks. Jordan's port had been moved back to the original day, so somethig had to change on our way to get there. Except, the Captain did not elaborate. The really confusing thing he said was that Egypt may still be in the picture. Where did that come from??? We know for a fact that Egypt is still in turmoil, and most of us do not wish to go there now. And since all of our tours have been credited back to our accounts, we would opt to stay on the ship if we stop in those ports. Now we don't know where we are going.

 

On our way out of the Pinnacle Grill, we stopped by the shore excursion desk to talk to Leslie. We've known Leslie and Irene, the managers, for many years now, and they have always been on the up and up with us. Jokingly, when Leslie saw us approaching his desk, he quickly got the sign on the counter so we could read it. It stated that they knew nothing......no new tours have been announced as of yet, so, don't ask. We could see that this indecision has been driving them nuts. Perhaps it would be better to wait until the corporate office in Seattle sets the itinerary in stone before anything is announced. Many of the guests have prebooked tours on their own, and are really not happy with any changes at this point. Without insuring your independant excursions, a lot of money can be lost to tour operators who have ther own rules about last minute cancellations.

 

Dinner was good tonight, even though we were not starving. We had entrees of a stuffed mushroom and cheese chicken breast, and slices of tenderloin with jasmine rice. Both were good, but what we enjoyed the most, was the bowl of fresh blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries we get each night for dessert. Putting them on top of a scoop of chocolate ice cream was even better.

 

By the way, in has come to our attention that some private parties have happened in the Crow's Nest for the British and Aussie group, and for the Canadians tonight. We are happy to see that more people have been recognized that way.

 

One more day at sea, and hopefully, we will be ready for Cochin, India.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[DeepWaterMariner]

We're off for the Noordam and some first hand cruise experience. We'll have lots of reading to do when we come home catching up on your adventures.

[aussieoz]

Mary Ann & Bill ....

First thanks so much for your postings!

Second we hope Bill is much better soon!

We'll be trying our hand at getting around Singapore thanks to your post!

Jean & Doug :)

[WCB]

Report # 73 March 17, 2011 Thursday Day at Sea

 

To begin with, Happy St. Patrick's Day!! From the looks of the dining room, it is going to be a very "green " day. And hopefully, some of that "luck of the Irish" will rub off on all of the Amsterdam crew and passengers.

 

We have crossed the Bay of Bengal and will approach the southern tip of India, where the island of Sri Lanka is situated. It's been several years since we have visited this island, formerly called Ceylon. Political unrest has kept many cruise ships away, but we do hope to have a stop here perhaps next year. At this point, the Amsterdam will head northwest towards Kochi, India.

 

A few things were happening today, such as talks given by Barbara on Mumbai, and speaker Bill Harris sharing stories behind the scenes of Hollywood. Ambassador Walker continued his series on the 21st century international order.

 

Captain Olaf had another important announcement today at his usual 1pm talk time. The "final" itinerary for our replacement ports for Egypt will be an extra night in Dubai, a stop in Salalah, Oman, and one day in Ashdod, Israel. As expected, Egypt remained unsafe for passengers to take excursions, and we are glad about that decision. The Captain did stop and have a chat with us while we were on the aft deck this afternoon. He was asking guests he knew how they felt about the substitute ports. Of course, we are happy to be stopping at other places, since HAL could have chosen to stop nowhere. It is in our cruise contract. At least they have been able to arrange berths and tours at these last minute ports.

 

We inquired further about our missed stop in Palau. The Captain mentioned that up-to-date navigational charts had not been supplied for this area, so it was not possible to take a ship this large into the waters around the island. Money also was a factor....meaning they wanted more than what was agreed. Islands this small and elite, call their own shots, so that was why we pulled the plug and headed out. C'est la vie!

 

Finally with Bill's knee feeling half way better, we made it to the Crows Nest for cocktails tonight. It was decorated to the nines with green shamrocks, tinsel, and green balloons. So much so, that you could not see from one end of the room to the other. To top it off, it was happy hour, with "select" beverages two-for-one. Now that's the first time we noticed that exception. Some people have been taking advantage of a good deal we think.

 

Dinner was just as festive as we thought it would be. The waiters were decked out wearing gold vests and derbies. And almost everyone was wearing something green, including us. We also had company. Explorations speaker Bill Harris and his friend joined us for this formal evening. We would have loved hearing his stories about Hollywood, but since he was sitting at the opposite end of the table, we could not hear him. Today his talk in the Queens Lounge was about the classic movie, Wizard of Oz. We grew up with that wonderful movie, and have watched it many, many times over the years.

 

We will be in Cochin, India tomorrow around 10pm. That's nice, because we do not have to get up really early to go on a tour. And we did have a time change this evening, but only 1/2 hour back. Strange, isn't it? But we'll take it.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

 

PS Oh yes, presents tonight.......two pouches of puzzles. Specifically, they are 500 piece puzzles with 2 different paintings from Steven Card, a former HAL Captain, who took up oil painting when he retired. Many of his works are on already on this ship, and now we have small copies of two of them. These gifts were the first puzzles we have ever received as gifts.

[Aussie Gal]

Mary Ann,

 

I beg to differ but Captain Stephen Card was never a Captain of a HAL ship. He was the Queen's Harbour Master in Bermuda. We know Stephen personally, he is a lovely person and we have had the privilege of having lunch with him on board the Statendam when it was in Melbourne a few years ago.

 

Here is his story: http://www.beyondships.com/Cruise-people-card.html

 

Jennie

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Mary Ann,I beg to differ but Captain Stephen Card was never a Captain of a HAL ship. He was the Queen's Harbour Master in Bermuda. We know Stephen personally, he is a lovely person and we have had the privilege of having lunch with him on board the Statendam when it was in Melbourne a few years ago.Here is his story:

http://www.beyondships.com/Cruise-people-card.html

Jennie

 

And his great paintings adorn many ships.

[kazu]

so glad to hear that Bill's knee is feeling better.:):) Great report as always. thankyou.

[bcummin]

“I just didn’t know any better. I figured if I could make enough to live on - -

comparable wages to what I had been earning at sea as a captain - - ” (Captain Stephen Card)

 

I really thought that Capt. Card had been Captain of the ms Prinsendam. Maybe I am wrong?

Barbara

[Aussie Gal]

Barbara,

 

Captain Halle Thor Gundersen has been Captain since the Prinsendam was first launched way back in 1988 as the Royal Viking Sun. Captain Albert Schoonderbeek has joined him and they alternate every 3 months.

 

Jennie

[innlady1]

Thanks, Jennie, for the "history lesson." I've enjoyed seeing Stephen Card's paintings on the Noordam...and am glad to know a bit of his history!

[harrodsfan]

Barbara,

 

Captain Halle Thor Gundersen has been Captain since the Prinsendam was first launched way back in 1988 as the Royal Viking Sun. Captain Albert Schoonderbeek has joined him and they alternate every 3 months.

 

Jennie

 

Actually I beg to differ. Captain Ole Harshiem was the Captain of the Royal Viking Sun from its launch in 1991 to the time it hit the reef on the STraits of Tiran. I was on the ship when it happened.

 

Love your review and hope your knee is getting better.

[Aussie Gal]

harrodsfan,

 

I think you must have had a relieving Captain whilst Captain Gundersen was on leave.

I have cruised on the Prinsendam a few times and it has always been known that he was the original Captain and watched the ship being built. Here are some websites which back up my claim.

 

http://www.cruiseoptions.co.za/Reviews/HollandAmericaLinePrinsendam/tabid/1164/Default.aspx http://www.peacham.com/nordic/ship.html

 

It went to Cunard in the 90's and Captain Gundersen went with her, and again when she became Seabourn Sun he was at the helm.

 

http://www.chriscunard.com/royal_viking_sun.php

 

Jennie

[erewhon]

AussieGal,

 

Thank you for the link to the story of Captain Card.

We greatly admire his artwork.

You are privileged to personally know such a talented artist.

[WCB]

Report # 74 March 18, 2011 Friday Cochin, India

 

The port of call for today was Cochin (Kochi), our first stop in the amazingly diverse country of India. It happens to be our third time here, although we have not seen all that we could have. In 2007, we drove to the Cochin airport for a 4 day, 3 night excursion to the Taj Mahal. And in 2009, we took a boat tour in the city's harbor. So today, we a booked a trip with our travel agency for a panaramic Kochi tour.

 

The Amsterdam was docked about 20 minutes late, around 10:30 am, which led to delays for many tours, since Indian officials still had to clear the ship. In the meantime, a very loud group of Indian musicians entertained us on the pier. Dressed in the customary white-wrapped saris for men, some fellows played drums while others played instruments made of bells. They danced as they played in the heat of the morning. More guys joined them, packing colorful decorative foil-like trees on their shoulders. They also danced for 1/2 hour in the hot sun. There would be no way anyone on the starboard side of the ship was going to sleep late this morning!

 

We wondered where the elephants were? On both occassions in the past, at least one or three decorated elephants were on the pier for people to pay to sit on and have their picture taken. Also there were absolutely no vendors to be seen. We heard later that these people were not allowed to enter the pier area, including the elephants for the last 2 years now. Security had become much tighter, as we would see when we left the ship later. Disappointing.

 

Our 5 hour tour did not begin until noon, so we had plenty of time to dine in La Fontaine for breakfast. Since there was no lunch on our tour, we had a hearty rib-sticking meal. Healthy, but ample.

 

The special landing cards and copies of our passports were checked twice when passengers were getting off of the ship. A large group was on their way for the 3 or 4 day overlands to the Taj Mahal and the Pink City of Jaipur. They will not return until the first or second day in Mumbai.

 

Bill went off of the ship ahead of me, so I could get our stickers from Ellen in the Ocean Bar, then meet him down there. To my surprise, the group had been dispatched by Ellen already, and she was the only one left. It was funny when I came off of the gangplank to see Bill slowly walking to the bus, while the other CS members were running past him to get the good seats. We were next to last, and had to go to the back of the bus. That worked better, since we had five seats between the two of us. And Bill could stretch that leg out into the aisle. Since he insisted that I did not wrap the knee with the ace bandage, we knew that we could take our time getting off of the bus since we would be last.

 

Wouldn't you know it......this bus had the highest step to get into the bus compared to all of the coaches we have used so far on this cruise! And the guide did not have that extra step for us to use. Good thing we all had enough upper body strength to pull ourselves up those steep stairs. Oh well, this tour looked like mostly a sight-seeing excursion, so we expected that there would be few stops. As it turned out, there were four stops.

 

Suresh, our Indian guide was excellent on Ellen's bus. Tom escorted the other bus. He talked continuously on the five hour tour, although it took us a while to figure out what he was saying at some times. It confused us when he referred to the turtles that came to India every year. We've never seen turtles here. He was really saying "tourists", which made more sense. We just had to listen more carefully.

 

The first things we noticed immediately, were the bus and the roads. Riding in those back seats was not comfortable, especially when the driver hit those potholes in the road every couple of minutes. Was he aiming for these holes, or what? It was apparent to all of us back there that the bus had no shocks and/or flat tires. We levitated off of the seats every time he hit a speed bump, which he did at a higher rate of speed we were sure. The louder we yelled in pain, the faster he went. Go figure. Guess there is no money to repair roads in this state, since it never got much better the further we drove.

 

Anyway, we headed out of the pier area towards the older part of town, on our way to Hill Palace, the headquarters of the Maharaja of Kochi. However, we were not allowed to get off the bus to tour the grounds. So we had to take photos through a fence, surrounded by trees. The only thing we could see of this palace was the central gardens and the red flight of stairs leading to the palace. Our guide said it would take 1/2 a day to see this complex, which included haram quarters, Dutch bungalows, a reception hall, and a museum with the King's treasures. As well as a fee to get inside, there were camera and video charges too. On well, maybe next time.

 

It was equally as interesting driving through the shopping streets which housed several fancy stores among the many stalls selling fruit, veggies, and local treasures. The store windows were full of strikingly colorful saris and deep gold 24 karat jewelry. The streets were crawling with tuk-tuks, motor scooters, and buses full to the brim with locals. Most ladies were dressed in saris, not any one alike. Men were either dressed in the traditional skirts with a long sleeve shirt, or jeans and t-shirts. It was easy to see that this total area in and around of Cochin has a population of 1.5 million people.

 

Our guide explained that we are visiting Cochin in the tropical season, when the temperatures are in the high 90's and humidity 80%. The months of May through August are the monsoon season, when the temperatures are near the same, but they get a total of 12 feet of rain. Sometimes, more.

 

We passed by numerous mosques, Hindu temples, and Catholic churches. Because this area was populated by the Portuguese in the 1500's, Christianity is prevalent here, followed by Hindu, and Islam.

 

A few more facts to add are that 12 cruise ships have already visited Cochin this year, with the Queen Mary due to arrive in a few days from now. The main industries in this part of southern India are fishing, rice production, and tourism. Spices, particularly cardomom, and fruits and vegetables are also a huge export.

 

We did see some cows here and there along the roadsides or eating by garbage dumps. Unfortunately, there was a lot of garbage everywhere you looked. Anyway, our guide said that cows are not sacred in this part of India. They use them for their milk and labor, but also enjoy their meat. Since there is so much for these cows to eat, their meat is good.

 

The next stop was a good one. We arrived at a beautiful hotel called Le Meridien, built on the banks of a river. Here we were invited to snacks and drinks. It turned out that a huge ballroom had been set for our use (HAL's too). We had small bottles of water and an array of tea sandwiches which consisted of cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce, skewered with a small sweet grape. Trays were filled with slices of banana and pound cakes, as well as trays of butter cookies. They also had bottles of soda, coffee, and tea. And this doubled for a rest stop too. Clean and well stocked, the bathrooms had attendants. The only problem, was that there were temporary power outages, caused by some work being done in the hotel. It was spooky when the lights in the restrooms went out, putting us in total darkness. As long as someone held the door open, it worked out OK.

 

The hotel grounds were so lovely, we took some time to wander through the lobby and outside onto the massive patio. We found it odd that absolutely no one was making use of the expansive azure blue pool beyond the patio. Of course, there was no shade out there, and it was mighty hot today. We never had time to find the giftshop, but there would be time for that later.

 

At this point of the tour, we believe that we had left the city limits of Cochin, and were in the state's (Kerala) network of lakes, canals, estuaries, and deltas. Forty-four rivers drain into the Arabian Sea from the mountains here, creating the perfect site for shrimp and fish farms. A number of water birds could be spotted on the many posts surrounding these man-made ponds. We don't think that the buses are allowed to stop on these narrow canal roads, so taking good pictures was next to impossible. We could see that this area was also excellent for growing rice, since it grows under water most of the season.

 

We crossed a long toll bridge that took us to the Mattancherry district, built by the Portuguese, who had arrived from Brazil. Many churches were in this peninsula, including the most famous one called St. Francis Church. It is the oldest European church in India. The explorer, Vasco da Gama, was buried here in 1524 until 1538, when his remains were returned to Portugal. We had 15 minutes to view the church and do a little street shopping. The vendors knew they had to bargain hard and fast,since we had little time there. We came away with a few useful souveniers, such as scarves, silk purses, and a wooden puzzle box.

 

A bit further up the road, we drove through Fort Kochi to the Chinese fishing nets, which reportedly were brought to India from the court of Kublai Khan. They are built using a cantilevered system, which lowers the nets to scoop the fish. We do not think they are commercially used now, but are operated for the tourists to see. They are fascinating to watch, and actually attract the dolphins to feed near them.

 

And wouldn't you know it? There was more shopping here on the seawall. We bargained for four colorful Chinese lanterns to add to our collection at home. And we couldn't turn down the offer of a necklace and earrings from one man's special treasure chest. We made it back to the bus by the skin of our teeth.

 

Even though it felt like we had driven miles and miles, we were surprisingly close to the pier. Passing the lumber holding area, the parked painted lumber trucks, and the rice sheds, we were back to the working pier by 5:15pm.

 

Our special landing cards were checked, and we turned them in once onboard. Security here has been elevated a lot in the last two years. From here onto the Mediterranean, security will be top priority as we sail in dangerous waters.

 

Dinner was especially tasty this evening. Since the ship left after 8pm, there had been no sailaway party with their tempting treats. Therefore, we were finally hungry, and our entrees of swiss steak with mashed potatoes and veggies were most appreciated. So were the bowls of chocolate fudge ice cream. Gotta have something cold in this warm weather!

 

We have a lazy day at sea tomorrow, then we will be in the busy, bustling city of Mumbai.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

 

PS Thank all of you for your continuing encouraging words.....they mean a lot

[GmaPajama]

I don't post on your thread here very often, but sometimes just HAVE to pop in and say how very much I appreciate that you write all this up for us. I savor every word, and feel privileged to be following this fabulous cruise. Thank you!

[FoghornLeghorn]

I believe I was sent a link to Bill and Mary's world cruise a year or so ago.. at least I'm pretty sure it's the same couple.

 

If so, I'd like to watch it again and see any other trips they've taken.

 

That was the best trip video I had ever seen. It was like a Hollywood production - fantastic!

 

I am thoroughly enjoying this continuing trip report. Feels like I'm along for the ride :D

[Kween Karen]

Hi Bill and Mary Ann,

I am finally home from my Grand South America....it was wonderful except for needing to be home instead of on a ship. I will now be following along with you on the rest of you journey......and catching up on what I missed.

I hope Bill is better soon.

Karen

[WCB]

Report # 75 March 19, 2011 Saturday Day at Sea

 

We are now heading northwest towards the city of Mumbai. The fishing boats could be seen for many miles last night after we left Cochin. We could identify them by their bright lights, which are used in the dark to attract fish. For a change, we never really felt all alone, since these waters are also filled with many container ships.

 

Three speakers were on the agenda today.. First, Barbara spoke about Dubai at 10am. Ambassador Walker continued his series on the 21st century and international conflict and cooperation. Finally, Shreeyash Palshikar gave a talk about Jadoo, a cultural history of Indian magic.

 

We noticed that since we left Hong Kong, there have been no public announcements during the early morning hours by our cruise director. Usually these announcements are made on shorter cruises, but not on a long world cruise. The "Explorer" daily newsletter spells the day out for us, and we can read. Thanks go to those who finally brought it to the staff's attention.

 

Another positive thing happened, which we forgot to mention. The music at the aft pool has been updated by at least 50 years! There had been a comment made to Stein Kruse when he was onboard about the outdated music. So someone must have purchased new CD's or whatever, and we are much happier. Now we listen to a little bit of country, rock and roll, and even classical tunes.

 

After breakfast, we walked a mile slowly around the promenade deck. It was really hot outside, but there was a good breeze blowing. Bill's injured knee seems to be improving, but he keeps in mind that it would not take much to set him back. We are hoping that we will be able to walk in Mumbai tomorrow, so he kept moving most of the day to keep limber.

 

And it was nice enough to sit at the back pool for a few hours. At his usual talk time, Captain Olaf mentioned that the ship's air-conditioning system has been working overtime to keep the interior cool. We have noticed for the last few days, it has gotten very warm on the public decks and rooms. We are still on the coolest deck on the ship, although our room has heated up to 78 degrees. What makes the heat tolerable is the rotating fan. we could not live without it. Anyway, the Captain requested that we all keep the outside doors closed, including the veranda doors, while we are sailing in this part of the world.

 

We had received another landing pass and passport copies for Mumbai. It is also necessary for each of us to appear for a face-to-face passport check with the Indian officials early tomorrow morning. We will once again do this in the King's Room next to the upper dinig room starting at 6:30am. It is a mandatory immigration inspection for ALL guests, regardless if you leave the ship or not. Once this inspection is completed for the entire ship population, the passengers will be free to disembark. We'll need to carry this landing pass and passport copy with us until the ship leaves on Monday.

 

We arrived early to our table, to find two strangers sitting there by themselves. Figuring that Ellen had invited them, we introduced ourselves, and realized they had been sitting at a table for two right near us. Since they are on for a short time, Ellen thought it would be nice to meet them. They did seem to enjoy themselves once all of us were present.

 

The entrees were good this evening. We ordered the turkey cordon bleu, even though prime rib was being offered again. Sometimes, you just have to try something different, and we were glad we did. We are enjoying their soups too, despite the warm conditions in the dining room. Using a small fan from Malaysia helped immensely.

 

We're not sure how many went to the show tonight. It was a variety showtime, featuring the last three entertainers. Yesterday, the show was delivered by the HAL dancers and singers. It was reported to be good, but the usual routines. One of these days, we will have to attend some of these to judge them ourselves.

 

Tomorrow, Mumbai. Tonight we found out that tomorrow is the holiday "Feast of the Colors", which coincides with the first day of Spring. The first time we were in Mumbai, the same holiday was happening. We witnessed many of the locals covered with many colors of powdered paint. They put it in their hair and clothes. Some of the rowdy teenagers thought it funny to throw balloons filled with wet paint at the tourists. One fellow on our cruise at the time (Seabourn Sun) was nailed with a balloon filled with blue indigo paint while he and his wife sat in the back of a taxi. Boy, was he angry, because the paint stained his clothes. So we intend to be careful tomorrow, and if it looks bad, we will stay on the ship.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[kazu]

Very interesting report again! Hope you feel that you can get off the ship and the teenagers are at bay :)