Live from the 2022 Grand Africa

[Scrapnana]

Sailing the Med - October 25

 

Just after 9:30 the repair man knocked on my door to look at the refrigerator.  He played with it awhile and said he would be back later to check it again.

 

My first chore of the day was to make another pitcher of tea so I went to the Lido and poured the hot water and brought some packets of sweetener back to my cabin to let the tea seep.  Since it is herbal tea, I can leave the tea bags in for quite some time.  

 

The next chore was to talk with the travel agency rep about the hat and bag I missed getting while in solitary.  Turns out the new couple were there so I got to meet them.

 

Then I went to Sit and Stitch and met up with the two Judys and discussed their projects.  I worked on the Linus blanket for this cruise (I am only doing one because you really needed to bring your own yarn although the organizer had a few skeins that had been donated).

 

After lunch I headed to the Crow's Nest for 1pm trivia.  My two teammates were there and we did fairly well.

 

I wasn't really planning to go to Crafts today but I needed to upload the pictures from yesterday and it was nicer to sit in the Lido than in my cabin😱.  It took me about 90 minutes to upload all the pictures and write the captions but that was better than the ten minutes per picture that I was getting last night.

 

In crafts we made a little pouch to hold hand sanitizer and she gave us a bottle to put in it.  At the table we were discussing that we were surprised we had not gotten a bottle in our cabins at the start of the cruise (HAL used to do this).

 

Once I finished my pouch, it was back to the Crow's Nest for 4pm trivia.  Once again I had no team and afterwards I walked around to check out the teams.  It looked like the only people who did not have a six person team were those who were not playing, just enjoying happy hour.

 

I am determined to figure out why I cannot get into my HAL account and look at my future cruises.  I went to Guest Services and the man at the desk tried a number of times, both on my iPad and his computer and nothing worked.  He said to come back when nobody was sitting around the phone by the desk and he would dial headquarters and let me talk with them.

 

By then it was 5:00 and I had only walked two miles for the day so a few laps were in order.  I walked five laps and got almost a mile and a half.  I caught the end of a beautiful sunset as I was finishing lap 5.  I have walked more laps of the Promenade deck in the first two weeks of the cruise (even minus the 6 days of solitary) than in all my other cruises combined!  The hat and bag from the travel agency were on my bed when I returned from my walk.

 

Dinner was tasty (I had the "Rustic Lasagna" which is always on the menu) and then went to the show which was another by the duo, Ole!

 

Tomorrow we are in port in Souda, which is on the island of Crete.  I will be taking the bus into Chania and my main focus is on finding an ATM and getting some Euros and then wandering around.

 

We lose another hour tonight.

 

1pm trivia - We had 13 out of 18 and two winning teams had 17

1.  In ancient Greece, throwing an apple at someone was a declaration of what?

2.  What is the only country where the national flag is not  a rectangle?

3.  What building was the first to employ round-the-clock plumbers to tend their 1000 toilets?

4.  What is a group of porcupines called?

5.  What dinosaur's name means "fast thief"?

 

1.  love

2.  Nepal

3.  Empire State Building

4.  prickle

5.  velociraptor

 

4pm trivia - I had 13 out of 17 (much better than a couple of days ago) and the winners had 16

1.  What is the most common letter in the English language?

2.  In what country did bagels originate?

3.  What is the highest mountain in Africa?

4.  What are the bones in the fingers called?

5.  What is a group of cheetahs called?

 

1.  E

2.  Poland

3.  Kilimanjaro

4.  phalanges

5.  coalition

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, Scrapnana said:

The fifth day of the cruise we were each given a test in the morning and we had to report negative results (by way of photo) to our cabin steward.  If you were positive, there was a number to call.

 

There was another test at the third port (Agadir) required by the port authorities in order to go on land.  It was implied that there would be further tests. 

 

After hearing from someone about the cost of the shrimp cocktail, I asked in the dining room and he told me that it was $8.50.  It was on the menu for free on a formal night and a dressy night.

 

Thanks.  Hopefully the rest of the cruise will be free of any additional problems.

[rkacruiser]

13 hours ago, vhoudy said:

I need help from you experienced travelers.  We booked the Valley of the Kings ship excursion in Luxor, but I am worried about the level of difficulty.  It says it is strenuous, but I am wondering what makes it strenuous?  Is it the very long day, a lot of walking, a lot of steps and difficult walking surfaces, all of the above?  I am mobile but I would like to enjoy the tour and not be exhausted and having to be overly vigilent about my footing throughout the tour and not be able to see what I came to see.  Many thanks for your input!  P.S. I asked the Excursion Desk and they had  no idea except what was in the description of the tour.

 

1.  It is a long day.

2.  There is a lot of walking.

3,  Walking surfaces vary from being "normal" to not.  Visiting the temples, probably

     is the worst area.  Visiting the tombs, I don't recall that being an issue.

4.  It is hot.

5.  If you visit a temple as part of a tour after dark, it is pitch black.  A small flashlight helped me to illumine where I was walking, but, having to keep looking at my footing detracted from the experience of where I was.  I attended a Sound and Light Show as part of that tour.  The show was worthwhile.  But, the poor lighting when leaving the seating area with the steps caused me to miss a step and I was injured.  I cannot recommend this Sound and Light Show--if it is still offered--because of what I consider to be unsafe conditions.  (This was a tour my cruise oriented travel agency offered.  The next season, it was not offered!)  

 

[mame42]

Scrapnana:  I believe that I read somewhere that on the GA there will be only one formal night a month and one dressy night per week.  Can you confirm this?  Are the formal and dressy nights themed?   Although I realize that much may change in a year, I am booked on the GAUS/NZ in 2024 and the info would be useful for planning purposes.  Thanks.

[Scrapnana]

9 hours ago, mame42 said:

Scrapnana:  I believe that I read somewhere that on the GA there will be only one formal night a month and one dressy night per week.  Can you confirm this?  Are the formal and dressy nights themed?   Although I realize that much may change in a year, I am booked on the GAUS/NZ in 2024 and the info would be useful for planning purposes.  Thanks.

Here is the list we have been given

10/12 formal - Black and Gold Ball

10/22 dressy - masquerade (the masks were only for the Crow's Nest party, not dinner)

10/31 Costume Party for Halloween (not labeled dressy or formal)

11/2  Classic Dressy night

11/7 Under the Sea Dinner -  Dressy night

11/14 Second formal night Captain's Dinner in the Dining Room

11/21 A classic Dressy  night

11/28 A classic dressy night

12/6 A classic dressy night

12/15 Mariner's Appreciation Dinner - final formal night

 

[Scrapnana]

Souda (Chania), Greece - October 26

 

We were supposed to arrive at 11 but we made good time crossing the Mediterranean and we were docked by 9:30. I wasn't sure when I would have lunch (often I wait to have lunch when I return to the ship) so I had a bagel for breakfast - make that half a bagel, it was so dry and tasteless I left the other half.

 

From there my day got much better and I had a wonderful time.  There was a shuttle service to Chania (the C is silent, han rhymes with "con", the i sounds like a long e, then "uh" has in "huh") from the port (Souda) that cost less than 4 Euros round trip.  I was on the bus by 10:30 and it took a maybe 15 minutes to arrive.

 

I was very surprised with Chania.  I was expecting a little fishing village but it was a bustling city (population over 100,000).  I did not have a map and I was worried I would get lost and not find my way back to the bus but within 30 minutes I knew my way around.

 

My first order of business was to find an ATM to get Euros.  I finally found one and after that there seemed to be one everywhere I looked (isn't that always the way?).  Now that there was money in my purse, it was time to explore.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed walking up and down the streets and alley ways and along the harbor.  It was very picturesque and by the time I was done, I had walked over four miles.

 

After looking at the menus at the numerous restaurants and cafes (I love the European way of displaying the menus outside), I finally decided I had to have a Greek meal in Greece.  I decided on a cute little restaurant right on the harbor and had a gyro.  French fries came the gyro, but I took them out and dipped them in the tzatziki sauce (try it, it's really good).  Strangely enough, the choices were pork or chicken (at all the restaurants I saw) but at the Greek restaurants at home it is always lamb.  It was delicious and under 11 Euros with a Coke.

 

Once I had eaten it was time for some more exploring.  I found some streets I had not visited and returned to some I had.  There seemed to be at least two ice cream places on every block and when I stopped at one, they had a "cinnamon biscuit" flavor.  I had to try it and it tasted like a cinnamon bun.  Best ice cream I think I have ever had.

 

It was time to decide what I was going to buy so I went back to some of the stores I had seen before and picked up souvenirs for friends and family and my magnet (which is now decorating the "freezer" in my cabin).

 

The shuttle bus took me back to the ship just after 4 and I talked with my tablemates, Judy and Bob on the way "home".  Judy and I tried to use the free wi-fi in the tiny terminal building but it was not working well and we both finally gave up.

 

Once on board I sorted out my purchases and then went to sit by the Lido pool and knit for a while before getting ready for dinner.

 

Sherry and Pete did not come to dinner, so it was just the three of us.  There is no show tonight only a movie in the theater and one on the stage.  I wasn't interested in either movie so I came back to my cabin to work on the blog until sail-away at 9:30 pm. There was another sail-away party by the Seaview pool.  Maybe 100 people attended (including HAL people) and one couple danced to the music.  The sail-away parties so far haven't been much more than a chance to sell more drinks.

 

We actually gain an hour tonight to put us on Egyptian time.

 

Sea day tomorrow.

[12cruise2]

Thank you so much for the wonderful blog and pictures.  It's a treat to sail along with you.

[mame42]

16 hours ago, Scrapnana said:

Here is the list we have been given

10/12 formal - Black and Gold Ball

10/22 dressy - masquerade (the masks were only for the Crow's Nest party, not dinner)

10/31 Costume Party for Halloween (not labeled dressy or formal)

11/2  Classic Dressy night

11/7 Under the Sea Dinner -  Dressy night

11/14 Second formal night Captain's Dinner in the Dining Room

11/21 A classic Dressy  night

11/28 A classic dressy night

12/6 A classic dressy night

12/15 Mariner's Appreciation Dinner - final formal night

 

Thank you!!!  This is most helpful, and certainly alleviates many packing decisions.

[Scrapnana]

Last day in the Med - October 27

 

This was a very quiet day - nothing bad, nothing really exciting.  I went to Sit and Stitch, then lunch, 1pm trivia, crafts, 4pm trivia.  After trivia I made another pitcher of tea and sat by the Lido pool and read for a while.  Sunset is very early (just after 5) so I took a walk around the deck, watched the sunset, and then walked the rest of four laps.

 

All were present for dinner and then I went to hear Magali Dahan, a vocalist.

 

The Captain told us that we would be joining the queue to transit the Suez Canal at around 10:30 tonight.  We will drop anchor and wait for the morning start which he said could be anytime from 4am to 8am tomorrow morning and the transit will take 10 to 12 hours. 

 

1pm trivia - Played alone with 9/18, winners had 17

1.  What was the name of the boat in "Jaws"?

2.  What is the first year since 1987 to have four different digits?

3.  What is the last letter of the Greek alphabet?

4.  The flag of the European Union has how many stars?

5.  In Greek mythology, who is the father of Zeus?

 

1.  Orca

2.  2013

3.  Omega

4.  12

5.  Kronos (or Cronos)

 

4pm trivia - still alone with 11/17, winners had 15.5

1.  What is the rarest blood type?

2.  What does "doritos" mean?

3.  What is a group of jellyfish called?

4.  What was the first Disney feature film?

5.  What country is the largest producer of vanilla?

 

1.  AB-

2.  little golden things

3.  smack, brood, or bloom

4.  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

5.  Madagascar

[Scrapnana]

Suez Canal - October 28

 

Somewhere around 5:30 am we entered the canal (I was told this - I was still asleep).  I was up by 8am and quickly dressed to go out on deck and get some pictures.  I went out on the bow for a while as we went under the Suez Canal bridge.

 

This was my second trip through the Suez Canal (2014 World Voyage was my first).  Time for another short history lesson (once a teacher, always a teacher).  The building of the canal was spearheaded by a French man, Ferdinand de Lesseps, and was built between 1859 and 1869.  The canal is at sea level so there are no locks (de Lesseps tried to repeat his success by building a canal through Central America but there was no way to do it without locks, though he tried).  The canal reduces the distance between Asia and Europe by about 5000 miles.

 

The west side of the canal is more inhabited and the east side, which is part of the Sinai Peninsula, is mostly desert.  This is actually part of Asia and the Suez Canal Bridge links the two continents.

 

We had commentary from Jeremy (Cruise and Travel Director) and the bow was open to the passengers.   Just like the Panama Canal, it is a place you need to go to different parts of the ship to catch all of the sights.

 

While all of this was going on I carried on with my normal activities.  With people watching the canal, I was able to find a team that needed one more person for 1pm trivia. 

 

We finished the transit at about 3:30 when we passed the city of Suez and entered the Red Sea.  Jeremy told us that our transit cost $350,589 (which is over $200 per person).

 

Afternoon trivia was music from the 50's.  I played alone and was able to get 17 out of 24 points.  Usually, I do much worse on music trivia. Afterwards I walked 5 laps around the deck since I had done a lot of sitting today.

 

We had to pick up our passports between 7 and 9 because the Egyptian authorities require this.

 

There were only three of us for dinner and I skipped the show because I needed to get things together for tomorrow and finish some items on Cruise Critic. 

 

Sharm El-Sheikh tomorrow and I have a tour that was arranged on our roll call with the company, Across Africa.

 

 

 

1pm trivia - we had 11/18, winners had 13

1.  How many walking legs does a lobster have?

2.  Which two countries have the longest border?

3.  What is a "haboob"?

4.  What is the most popular car color?

5.  What was the first animal to go into space?

6.  How many tentacles does a squid have? 

 

 

1.  8

2.  US - Canada

3.  sandstorm or windstorm

4.  white

5.  dog

6.  10

[dwc13]

5 hours ago, Scrapnana said:

 

Afternoon trivia was music from the 50's.  I played alone and was able to get 17 out of 24 points.  Usually, I do much worse on music trivia. Afterwards I walked 5 laps around the deck since I had done a lot of sitting today.

 

 

Music from the 50s? Yikes, lol. Before my time. If Erika is handling music trivia duties, ask her to get more classic rock songs into the questions. Not a single Pink Floyd song during music trivia on our cruise a few weeks ago. So disappointing, lol. 

 

Glad you are feeling better and able to enjoy the cruise again. 

[AryMay]

Since we have a future cruise booked on the Zaandam, the current menus from your cruise are showing up each day on my Navigator app. I have been looking at the menus regularly and some of the items are quite interesting.  I saw octopus stew was being served today! 
 

Still enjoying your blog and appreciate the time you invest each day to keep it going. 

[Scrapnana]

Sharm el-Sheikh - October 29

 

Sharm el- Sheikh is a holiday destination on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula.  There was nothing much there until 1968 when the tourist trade made it a popular spot.  It is also a place where international conferences often take place.  Next month there is going to be one on climate.

 

We were supposed to get in at 7am and our group (an excursion set up on Cruise Critic) was supposed to meet at 7:30 so I got up at 5:45. I wasn't sure about lunch so I went to the Lido and had an orange juice and a very good pancake.  As it turned out we did not get into port until 7:30 and were not cleared by the Egyptian authorities until 8:30.  

 

We were finally let off the ship and had to put our things through the x-ray machine (binoculars were not allowed) and were patted down.  The vans finally set off at 9:30.  

 

The first stop was at the Ras Mohammad National Park.  The entire area looks like a moonscape but at the park there were some beautiful bodies of water as well ac small plants popular with the wild camels that populate the area.  We had a short stop for tea and a bathroom break at a Bedouin camp.

 

After about two hours at the camp we returned to the city where we visited a Coptic Orthodox Cathedral.  It was built recently and the entire interior was painted with Bible stories by two artists.

Lunch at a seafood restaurant was next and we had a huge meal for $20.

 

We walked by the large Mosque but could not go in because it was prayer time.  Instead, we were given time to shop and then returned to the ship.

 

I went up on deck and read before time for sail-away.

 

At dinner we all talked about our day.  Judy and Bob had gone snorkeling and Pete and Sherry had gone on a glass-bottomed boat.

 

I did not go to the show because I needed to finish the blog, we lose an hour tonight to get on Jordanian time, and my tour meets at 7am!

 

I have only been able to upload about half my pictures and the last one took ten minutes.  I have a 9 hour tour tomorrow, so they may not be up until the day after.

[Scrapnana]

I Survived Petra! - October 30

 

I woke up at 5:30 (alarm was set for 5:45) so I got up to get ready for the day that I had been looking forward to but at the same time, dreading.  

 

After breakfast I headed to the World Stage (our meeting place) at 7:00.  We had yet to be cleared, so we sat and sat until after 7:30 when we were finally able to leave the ship.  We had to present our passports to the Jordanian authorities, left them with the ship staff, and headed to our buses.

 

The drive to Petra took about two hours and we had a short break on the way.  Somehow I never realized Petra was in the middle of a city - I envisioned it being out in the middle of nowhere.  The city actually grew around Petra because of the tourist trade.

 

We followed our guide as we walked about a half mile (although it seemed longer) from the entrance to the beginning of the Siq.  This walk was in the sun so we were lucky that the temperature was only in the high 70s.  

 

The Siq is where you enter the cleft in the rocks on the way to the remains of the buildings.  The guide stopped periodically to tell us about the different things we were passing.  Unfortunately, I missed much of what he was saying because I was usually the last one.  The walk sloped slightly downward as we went and the ground was very uneven - in most places it was either loose gravel or large uneven stones.  I had to walk slowly so I didn't twist an ankle and fall.  I would finally catch up and hear the last bit of what he was saying.

 

Briefly, Petra was the home of group of Bedouins called Nabataeans.  They were traders and the buildings in Petra reflect some of their trading partners, such as the Greeks.  Eventually, the Nabataeans were conquered by Rome and with changing trade routes, after the Crusades the city was forgotten until discovered by a Swiss traveler in 1812.  Since that time there have been numerous conservation and restoration programs.  In 1985 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now considered one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

 

At the end of the Siq (which is about 3/4 of a mile long), you come upon the most famous building in the complex, known as the Treasury.  Although actually a mausoleum, it was thought to hold treasure so it became known as the Treasury.  You may have seen it in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  Much of the city is carved from stone which is a reddish color, so it is often called the "Rose City".  

 

We were starting to run out of time but the guide took us a little further in to the Street of Facades.  From there he left us to walk back on our own.  We were supposed to reach the hotel where we were having lunch in under 40 minutes - it took me an hour but at least I made it safely.  I didn't realize how much of a downward slant we had gone until I started back up!

 

I was very late to lunch (many were already finished) so I ate very quickly so I could be back on the bus in time.  The food was served buffet style and was very good, so I wish I'd had the time to enjoy it more.

 

We made one rest stop on the way back and got back after 5 pm.  I stopped for a cold drink to take to my cabin before a shower and a bit of a rest.

 

It was a tiring day but I was glad I did it.  I certainly never would have made it when I was here before in 2014.  If I were ever to go to Petra again, I would take one of the golf carts to the Treasury and back so I could spend time seeing more of the parts we did not have time for today.

 

Pete and Sherry had gone on a dinner cruise so it was only the three of us for dinner.  There was no show.  We are overnighting here and I plan to sleep late and take the shuttle into Aqaba tomorrow.

[Sea42]

Hurray for you, it sounds like it was a challenge!

It is one of those bucket list places for me that I hope to see one day.

[WriterOnDeck]

So glad you got to Petra -- it's a must see!

 

Kathi, I don't know if you are trying to upload your full-size photos. My iphone photos are a couple of MBs each, and it would take forever for them to upload. I use an app called Compress to compress my photos before uploading them to my blog or email. I arbitrarily use these photo settings: Quality good (60%) and dimensions 1008x756 (25%). That makes a 2 MB photo a 35.9 KB photo. I think the quality is just fine for my blog. If a photo starts out smaller, I may compress less. You have the option of keeping the original and the compressed photo, so it isn't "permanent."

 

I don't post videos much, but I do have an app called Video Slimmer that does a similar compression.

 

You may already be doing this, but if not I suggest it. It also greaty reduces the size of my blog's photo library, and it only contains compressed photos. Let me know if you have questions. Good luck!

[Scrapnana]

On 10/30/2022 at 8:57 PM, WriterOnDeck said:

So glad you got to Petra -- it's a must see!

 

Kathi, I don't know if you are trying to upload your full-size photos. My iphone photos are a couple of MBs each, and it would take forever for them to upload. I use an app called Compress to compress my photos before uploading them to my blog or email. I arbitrarily use these photo settings: Quality good (60%) and dimensions 1008x756 (25%). That makes a 2 MB photo a 35.9 KB photo. I think the quality is just fine for my blog. If a photo starts out smaller, I may compress less. You have the option of keeping the original and the compressed photo, so it isn't "permanent."

 

I don't post videos much, but I do have an app called Video Slimmer that does a similar compression.

 

You may already be doing this, but if not I suggest it. It also greaty reduces the size of my blog's photo library, and it only contains compressed photos. Let me know if you have questions. Good luck!

Thanks for the information.  I used to have an app that I used but it is no longer in existence.  I will check out Compress.

[Scrapnana]

Aqaba, Jordan - October 31

 

After two early mornings, I slept until I was slept out - about 9:15 (I'd gone to bed around 12:30).  I puttered around my cabin and left for the shuttle at 10:15. The ride into the city was only about 10 minutes.  

 

Aqaba is on the Gulf of Aqaba (unless you are Israeli and then it is the Gulf of Eilat).  It is an ancient city and is strategic because it is Jordan's only seaport and it is a gateway to the major tourist attractions of Petra and Wadi Rum.  It also has the southernmost border crossing with Israel.

 

I wasn't certain how comfortable I would feel walking around on my own but it was fine.  I walked about two miles and looked at all the interesting shops.  Virtually all of them put their merchandise out on the street to view.  Not sure why, but it could be because of the normal heat here - it's cooler on the street than in a closed in shop with no a/c.

 

After about an hour I took the shuttle back to the ship and gathered my things together to go to the Lido for lunch and to work on uploading pictures for the blog.

 

After finishing the pictures, I walked out on the back deck and realized it was the perfect day for a swim and some sun.  I hustled to my cabin, changed, and was in the pool within 15 minutes.  I swam for a half hour and did the equivalent of 20 lengths of the pool at home and then sat in the sun for an hour.

 

I made another pitcher of tea and changed again to go out to watch us sail from Aqaba.

 

I've been on the ship for three weeks and I finally met my next-door neighbor, Paul.

 

All five of us were at dinner but four of them are going to Luxor tomorrow which is a 13-14 hour excursion.  Since I will be the only one left, I plan to eat in the Lido.  There was a Halloween Costume Party on the World Stage after dinner.  I looked in, took some pictures, and left.  Quite a few people had costumes on.

 

We gain the hour we lost Saturday night since we are returning to Egyptian time.  Safaga, Egypt tomorrow.

[Scrapnana]

Safaga, Egypt - November 1

Today was an interesting day.  I had an excursion so I had my usual pancakes for breakfast but they were disappointing - the edges were crusty - I think they had sat for too long.  Judy (Lee) came by and talked to me for a bit and then I left early for my excursion.

 

The excursion was called "Safaga Ghost Village" and was set up on the roll call on Cruise Critic.  The vans were supposed to leave at 9:30 but there was a mix-up as to where we were supposed to meet - on the dock or at the port gate.  When they hadn't shown by 9:25, we all hopped on the shuttle to the gate where we did find them.  Well, sort of.

 

The description said we would have three air-conditioned vans until the last stop which was supposed to be a Bedouin village (you will see the word "supposed" frequently) which we would get to after transferring to 4x4 vehicles.  Instead, there were four 4x4 vehicles waiting for us and to get into the back of them you had to step up on to the back which was 17 inches off the ground (yes, I measured).  My knees couldn't do it and I knew if I could get in (I was offered help from some on the tour) I could not get down and then have to repeat the process at each stop.  

 

I was telling the lady that organized the excursion that I was not going to go, when the guide told me to ride in the passenger seat in one of the vehicles.  It was still high off the ground but it had places to hold on to rather than one strap.  So, I went after all.

 

We drove for some time on mostly dirt roads so I could see the need for the 4x4 vehicles - the vans could not have done it.  We made a bathroom break at an interesting building in the middle of nowhere - literally.  They gave us a glass of cool hibiscus tea while we waited for everyone to use the facilities and then a bottle of water as we left.

 

Then it was off on more dirt tracks with, in some places, sheer drop-offs on both sides.  I held my breath a number of times.  I don't think the people in the back (who sat facing each other) noticed.  We finally went up an especially steep and windy path to the owner's villa that overlooked the village and were told the story of the place.

 

The village's actual name was Umm El Huetat and was built about 1902 by a mining company that was removing phosphate from the surrounding mountains.  It was used until 1996 (according to the guide although information I found online said 1988) when the company could not make enough profit and closed it down.  It was a typical company owned town - they owned all the buildings and ran the stores, hospital, and schools.  One of our guides lived there and took us to the house where he was born and lived and the high school he went to.  At one time, 16,000 people lived in the town.

 

It was then back to the rest stop from before and this time we were given a cold can of Coke (which really tasted good after being out in the sun).  We stayed, and stayed, and stayed.  Finally, the guide told us that the vans were going to pick us up and we would not have to ride in the 4x4s anymore.  More time passed and then we were told to get back in the 4x4s and the vans would meet us where the paved road began.  He also said the company was going to pay for our lunches instead of the $20-25 that was supposed to be on us.  All in all, we spent well over an hour at the rest stop which put us way behind schedule since we were supposed to have lunch at 1pm and did not leave the rest stop until after 2.

 

We met the vans but there were only two so we were crammed into them like sardines but they were air conditioned.  At that point we were supposed to have lunch and five more stops - a bit too ambitious for what was supposed to be a six-hour excursion.

 

The drive to the restaurant seemed to go on forever and I even started to nod off a few times.  The restaurant was changed also (likely less expensive than the one we were going to pay for).  The guide didn't seem to know where the restaurant was, so we drove around for some time.  Finally, at 3:30 we arrived.  The food was delicious and there was plenty of it.  First, we had plates of rice, hummus, and salad and a bowl of very tasty soup, as well as two bowls of mystery ingredients which we assumed were for dipping the bread in (at least, that is what we did).  Then we were given a plate with three types of meat which we decided were beef, lamb, and chicken (that one was easy) that all had been grilled.

 

So now it was 4:30 and we were supposed to be back on the ship at 5pm with five stops still on the list.  The Bedouin village was scrapped first (the rest stop was kind of like what we would have seen).  I had brought along a head scarf for the second time to visit a mosque and, just like the first time, the mosque was eliminated.  We were given a half hour to visit the fort (on our own) and/or do some shopping at the souk.  Since it was getting late, many of the shops had reopened (they usually close in the middle of the day) so the city was coming alive.

 

Our last stop (and it was getting dark) was at the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Martyr Barbara Church.  We had time to walk around the church (which is Coptic Orthodox) and then into the vans on the way home.  I was in the very back and it was very bumpy even though we were on a newish divided highway.  My Fitbit must have thought all the movement was me jogging (as if) and I got almost two miles on the 45-minute drive home.

 

Just before 7pm we got back to the port gate where we had to wait about 15 minutes for the port shuttle which took us back to the building where we had our bags screened and walked through a metal detector (we had to do this leaving the port this morning, also), back on the shuttle bus to go about 200 yards to get on the ship.  It's good the ship was in port until midnight (many had taken the 13-14 hour excursion to Luxor) since the tour ran two hours longer than it was supposed to (my last "supposed").

 

Once on board I grabbed my computer and went up to the Lido to get some ice cream and work on my pictures.  The pictures load much faster up there, so I think some of my late-night issues are because the signal is not good in my cabin.

 

I am finishing this up at 12:25 am and we are just leaving port.  We have eight relaxing sea days coming up.

[Sea42]

Wow, that does not sound like fun. I know that some things don't always turn out the way they should but this just sounds like poor planning on the tour company's part. I like that you were able to find some good out of the situation though.

[rkacruiser]

33 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

Wow, that does not sound like fun. I know that some things don't always turn out the way they should but this just sounds like poor planning on the tour company's part. I like that you were able to find some good out of the situation though.

 

This is a port and my tour to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings that I would never endure again.  The tour was scenic; the experiences memorable; but, once was clearly enough for me.  If I ever am on a cruise when the ship docks at Safaga, I will remain on the ship and enjoy its amenities.  

[Scrapnana]

20 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

This is a port and my tour to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings that I would never endure again.  The tour was scenic; the experiences memorable; but, once was clearly enough for me.  If I ever am on a cruise when the ship docks at Safaga, I will remain on the ship and enjoy its amenities.  

I would do the same!

[rafinmd]

I visited Safaga on the Silver Whisper many years ago and among their many failures Silversea got me the tour information too late to book it.  I did get curious and a couple years later got to the Valley of the Kings on a river cruise, and that is the way I would recommend to see it, although that was before Arab Spring and between that and my older age now I doubt I would do it again.

 

Roy

[Scrapnana]

Finally, a sea day - November 2

 

It was nice to have a relaxing sea day after four days in port.  I did my usual routine - Sit and Stitch, lunch, trivia, crafts, trivia, 4 laps around the deck, dinner, and show with a few extras thrown in.

 

I stopped by Shore Excursions to change an excursion I booked.  You can book excursions on HAL's Navigator app, but you can't cancel them.  I also got on a waiting list for another excursion I want.  

 

We received the letter about pirates although it was phrased differently.  It talked about us entering the "High Risk" area and what preventions will be taken.  On his noon update, the Captain let us know that this designation was ending on January 1 because the issue is not the problem it once was. 

 

Before dinner I went to the "Ultimate Mind Game" but had to leave before the answers.  The questions were like the classic, "Some months have 30 days and some have 31.  How many have 28?"  Of course, the answer is all of them.

 

Tonight was another "Dressy" night with a special menu.  We talked about what we all did yesterday and found out we were all going our separate ways tomorrow night.  I went to the show after dinner.  It was called "Your Song" and was a tribute to Elton John by the Singers and Dancers.

 

Another week of sea days lie ahead so it is relaxation time.

1pm trivia - I had 9.5/18 and the winners had 16.5

1.  How many fingers does Mickey Mouse have in total not counting his thumbs?

2.  What do you have to pick to win the "daily double" at the track?

3.  What two months are named after men?

4.  What do the initial J.K. stand for in the author's name?

5.  What color is the $20 bill in the original Monopoly?

 

 

1.  6

2.  first place in races one and two

3.  July and August

4.  Joanne Kathleen (1/2 point for each)

5.  green

 

4pm trivia - I had only 5/18 and the winners had 12

1.  How many Oscar nominations did Marilyn Monroe receive?

2.  On the periodic table, which element has the shortest name?

3.  Who was Time's Man of the Year in 1939 and 1942?

4.  What is pogonophobia?

5.  How many teeth does an aardvark have?

 

 

1.  none

2.  tin

3.  Stalin

4.  fear of beards

5.  none

[Scrapnana]

Between Saudi Arabia and Sudan - November 3

 

It was a hot, humid day as we sailed our last full day in the Red Sea.  Two more of the machines, which I believe are the ones that make a very loud noise should pirates decide we look tempting, arrived on deck 3 today.

 

Sit and Stitch, lunch, trivia, but then I veered away from my normal routine.  I had decided not to go to crafts today.  They were making aluminum earrings and they didn't sound like something I really wanted.  Instead, I decided to spend my afternoon at the Sea View Pool.  I swam for a half hour and was able to get the equivalent of 20 lengths of the 25-meter pool at home.  It takes me about six lengths in the Sea View pool to equal one from home.  I read for a time and then came in to get ready for afternoon trivia (still no team).

 

At 6:30 there was a trivia pitting the Zaandam Officers against the guests.  There were three tables of five officers each.  The guests won in a tie-breaker.

 

I was invited to join a different Judy and Bob (the ones from the 2018 and 2020 World Voyages) at their table for dinner.  It was a lot of fun and we were one of the last tables to leave the dining room.

 

After dinner the show was an impressionist, Robbie Howard, that I am sure I have seen before. Walked out on the Promenade deck on my way back and it was still hot and humid.  The Ship Information channel is showing the temperature at 88F.

 

 

1pm trivia - About Egypt - I had 9 out of 17 and the winning team had 14

1.  The Valley of the Kings was built near the ancient city of Thebes.  What is Thebes called today?

2.  How old was Tut when he became pharaoh?

3.  If you unwrapped a mummy, how long would the bandages be?

4.  What was the most sacred animal to the ancient Egyptians?

5.  Ancient Egyptians invented what famous commodity that is used extensively today?

 

1.  Luxor

2.  9

3.  1.6 km or just under a mile

4.  cats (smart people!)

5.  toothpaste

 

4pm trivia - I had 8 out of 18 and the winners had 15

1.  What color is absinthe?

2.  How many African countries are there?

3.  What mammals name is derived from a Native American word meaning, "he who squirts"?

4.  In what country would you find the world's highest waterfall?

5.  What is the largest species of parrot by wingspan?

 

 

1.  green

2.  54

3.  skunk

4.  Venezuela

5.  macaw

 

Officers v. Guests trivia - I had 16 out of 23 and the winning teams tied at 18

1.  What country would you be in if you were on James Bond Beach?

2.  What is the world's busiest cruise port?

3.  Who was the Greek Goddess of love?

4.  What color are the lights on the starboard side of the ship?

5.  What is the only fish that can blink with both eyes?

 

 

1.  Jamaica

2.  Miami

3.  Aphrodite

4.  green

5.  shark