Cruising the Suez April 13 2015

After the amazing day in Petra I assumed that every subsequent stop on our journey would pale in comparison, but I am happy to report that cruising through the Suez Canal was another unique and memorable experience.

It was an early start for many on board, based on notification from the Captain of Arcadia of our arrival at the entrance to the Suez Canal at 6 am. Other vessels waiting for permission to transit included general cargo, container, car and oil carriers and cruise ships.

It was close to 11am by the time the pilot was on board and we were on our way, third in a convoy led by a U.S. submarine and a destroyer, with a Russian helicopter circuiting above us all, the whole convoy receiving waves and cheers from the locals as we passed by.

Monuments and sights along the way included war and peace memorials, armed soldiers standing guard on both sides, and the uniquely named Shodada 25 January Bridge. Aida, a German cruise ship travelling behind us was dwarfed when passing underneath but it looked like a tight squeeze for Arcadia.

Arcadia travelled from the Gulf of Suez, Red Sea, to the Mediterranean, a transit which took just over ten hours at a steady 8 knots. For the majority of this time the seating areas inside were largely vacant in preference for all available external vantage points.

At best a cruise can only offer a small taste of life in other lands, necessitating a return visit by air in order to see and do more.

Cruising the Suez, however, is a uniquely maritime experience I feel blessed to have enjoyed.

Chasing the sun

Back at sea for three days after an amazing day in Petra, Jordan. Absolutely awesome and humbling experience to walk the path of a modern world wonder, The Lost City. Truly indescribable and highly recommended to anyone considering the journey.

The biggest surprise was the bitterly cold wind we encountered, and also the circus of activity inside the Lost City. Horses, camels, donkeys, locals and horse drawn carriages competed for space amongst the thousands of tourists traipsing through the well worn path.
Thankfully I was prepared with a woollen hat, gloves and a scarf but the English tourists wearing shorts and thongs would have surely regretted their outfit choices.

Apparently UK residents only receive two weeks annual leave, if true this explains their on board obsession with chasing the sun. Today for example it is very windy but the sun is shining so the sun chasers are steadfastly sunbathing despite the chill factor in the air.
Another lesson learnt for me who shuns the sun as much as I can…

Tomorrow we cruise through the Suez Canal, unfortunately not stopping in Egypt but still likely to be another incredible experience. I wonder how many of the UK vacationers will leave their deck chairs to witness it?

Another point of view

Arcadia is at sea today, the first of four sea days before our next stop, Aquaba. A time for rest and relaxation, along with personal reflection about our experience at our recent destinations.

After three days in the UAE we spent Easter Monday in Muscat, the capital and largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, and encountered a unique blend of Asian, African and Arabic cultures.

Fahed, our shy and gentle young tour guide, led us on a journey of discovery of the heritage of Muscat with stops ranging from the Muttrah Souk (Marketplace), the oldest in Oman,
Al Alam (Flag) Palace, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and the Royal Opera House, the first and only in the Arabian Gulf opened in 2012.

The rocky, mountainous landscape presented a stark contrast to what we encountered in the UAE, with the dry 35 degree heat reminiscent of what we left behind.

Fahed, wearing a traditional white dishdashah (dress) with a kunmah (cap), patiently provided us with extensive information about his homeland and was happy to answer every question thrown at him.

Bordered by UAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, Oman is a Muslim state with Islamic customs strictly observed, but thanks to our ability to receive answers to our questions about Islam I can honestly say I have left with a vastly different point of view from that portrayed in the media.

Just as it was in UAE, Oman is proud of what has been achieved from the wealth generated by it’s natural resources, and tourists are warmly welcomed to it’s shores.

Highly recommended is a visit to the Bait Al Zubair (House of Al Zubair) museum inside a traditional Omani townhouse which provides a unique insight into Omani culture.

Walking amidst the locals inside the Muttrah Souk, inhaling the scent of spices and frankincense also provides an authentic shopping experience.

Who am I to judge or worse still condemn Islamic customs when we have been so warmly welcomed?

Shukran (Thank you) Fahed; Ma’salama (Goodbye) Oman.

Snapshots and snippets

So it was with the best of intentions that I embarked on my journey into the world of blogging, but it seems that of the many lessons I am learning along the way, patience is key. Internet access at sea is painfully slow,and the search for decent wifi on land is all consuming, much to the disgust of my travelling companions.

So much of what I want to share is being restricted, especially the visual record of my physical journey, but instead I have to be content with sharing snapshots and snippets. Kind of appropriate given that a cruise holiday is more about getting a taste of life beyond the everyday than immersing yourself into another way of life.

Knowing that every other person sharing my current journey is literally in the same boat is pretty funny really …

Home away from home

The further I travel away from home the more I want to be in touch. Our last few days at sea have been tinged with the fear of the unknown beyond the horizon, especially last night when a heavy fog set in just before sunset and the ship’s horn was blasting intermittently to let other vessels know we were there.

This morning we arrived at the first of three stops over the Easter weekend, Abu Dhabi, and received a warm welcome, albeit with swords and guns. The ‘boys’ have raced off, literally, to Yas to visit the Ferrari museum and apparently the fastest roller coaster on the planet. Meanwhile I’m sitting in a local Starbucks, catching up on what’s been happening at home over the past few days, surrounded by fellow passengers from the cruise all studying their phones.

Of course I’m planning to explore beyond the obligatory shopping malls on an excursion later, but for now it’s comforting to be in familiar surroundings away from home.

Life at sea

Friends who have never cruised before always ask me the same question: what do you do all day?

If it’s a sea day the planning starts the night before when the daily newsletter is delivered to our cabin, aka stateroom. Out comes the trusty highlighter once its read from front to back. Zumba at midday? Yes please. Afternoon tea in the dining room? Absolutely! Weather looks good so that means some pool time, and planning what to wear for dinner depending on the dress code.

Then it’s a matter of filling in the blanks. A walk before breakfast in bed or the buffet or dining room? Maybe try learning a new craft or skill or better still drag hubby to a dancing lesson.

For him there’s table tennis, cricket or gym time before beer-o-clock, or maybe a new release movie in the cinema.

Days at Port depend on location and familiarity; booking an excursion versus heading off to explore a new horizon on our own. A day bag with essentials is all that’s needed in either case, and the all important cruise card.

At the end of the day, at sea or in port, nothing beats the feeling of returning ‘home’ to a freshly made bed, clean towels and a beverage of choice, and knowing that tomorrow I can do as much or little as I decide.

The Gateway of India

‘If the heat doesn’t get to you, the traffic will’ we were informed by our tour guide, Arun, on our Mumbai Highlights tour this afternoon.

Honestly the day was a pleasant surprise, the heat was dry and the traffic was noisy but not chaotic and I would be happy to return for more of India beyond Mumbai.

It was the little things that made it so attractive, the unexpected row of Art Deco homes along Marine Drive, the children wishing us a good afternoon as we walked by, the way the traffic flowed despite the wide variety of vehicles competing for space, and being made to feel so welcome.

Just don’t mention the World Cup …

Troublesome Waters

Dear Passenger,

You may be aware in the last few years that there has been increased piracy activity in certain areas of the world, mainly the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. On the 29th of March we will start our transit of these sea areas..

So began a letter from our captain delivered to our staterooms the evening of our first formal night, March 27.

The following morning we all participated in a compulsory piracy drill which in our case involved sitting in the corridor outside our cabin away from the door, and since the evening of the 28th the promenade deck has been closed from sunset until sunrise.

Most alarming has been the black out of all windows, apparently reminiscent of childhood war experiences for the elderly English passengers on board.

Heading into the hazy horizon recalls scenes from Apocalypse Now, and despite the omnipresent watchmen I kept expecting to see something sinister appear.

In spite of all this it has been an enjoyable transit from Malaysia, but I can only imagine how it would feel to travel this journey on a much smaller vessel.

A touching scene

The advantage of staying at a hotel away from the main strip is being able to see a side of life not shown on the glossy travel brochures.

The streets surrounding our hotel were litter strewn and generally unkempt, but amongst the mess were little pockets of serenity like the Buddhist temple.

Walking to the local mall in search of breakfast we came across this touching scene, an elderly gentleman hand feeding the local stray cats and kittens. Who knows how long for and why he was there, but it was so humbling to witness what appeared to be a daily ritual for him and the cats.

Respectful Serenity

The night before we last arrived in Singapore, December 2013, there had been an historic riot in Little India, and this morning we woke to the news that Lee Kuan Yew had passed away.

Both events highly significant to the local community, but the reverence and respect shown to Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister and the brains behind what is so appealing about Singapore, has been truly inspiring.

Calming classical music has been broadcast on every radio station in every taxi and shop we have been in today, and will continue until the official mourning period commences March 28 to 29 when he will be cremated. Even Chinatown, normally a noisy busy bustling hub was eerily calm thanks to the piano concerto broadcast over loud speakers.

What is so attractive about Singapore is the wonderful blend of contemporary creativity alongside recognition of and value for tradition. Our hotel for example, so new that most taxi drivers don’t know where it is, is a block away from a Buddhist meditation centre where anyone is free to light incense, take their shoes off and kneel in front of a shrine. Every taxi ride reveals another spectacular scene, from the iconic Raffles Hotel to the truly amazing Marina Bay Sands.

‘Make sure that we do not forgot our past as we build for the future’…
If only that philosophy was embraced and valued as much as success in all forms seems to be.