At Sea - 21 October

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Another day, and all we can see is sea!!!!  I did glimpse two small birds following the ship but no whales yet!  Early this morning we entered into the Laccadive Sea which is a body of water bordering India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.  This warm sea has a stable water temperature year round and is very rich in marine life , with the Gulf of Mannar alone hosting about 3,600 species.  Trivandrum, Colombo, Quilon and Male are the major cities on the shore of the Laccadive Sea. 

Went to a port lecture on Phuket then played mahjong before lunch.  After that there was a talk on Prince Charles, Camilla & Diana - we've all heard the story so far but it just reinforced all the issues they had and how complicated Charles's love life was.  Also how fragile Diana was.  

I decided to walk back through the casino just in time to enter in the second last game of a roulette challenge.  You pay $10 and they give you $100 worth of chips and have five spins.  You must place at least $20 on each spin.  Well, at the end of the challenges George was on top of the list & I was third!  So six of us played off and a guy won $250.  We were all given a t-shirt, key chain and a couple of vouchers.  

It was lovely reading on the balcony later this afternoon until George came out and sat there for a while.  Turns out he was there longer than expected as he locked us out again.  😡😹 Fortunately we didn't have to shout too loud as the guy next door came out on his balcony (after the fellow two doors up had called security!!!!!) and G was able to hand over his door key & have him come in our room & open the door!!!!!

This is definitely a seniors cruise. 

Dinner was nice, shared a table with a couple from Caboolture, QLD. 

Back in our room to discover we had a problem with the sink - had to get the plumber here to fix it.  

20 October -At Sea

Today we have been cruising in the Arabian Sea, at noon we were still 1,000 miles from our next port, Cochin, India, with Mumbai on the port side.  The flying 🐟 were in abundance this morning, they were probably churned up in the wake of the ship.  Apparently there are many whales in this area but so far most are still sitting around  poolside!! Went to the lecture on Cochin, India, our next port and we're told it will probably rain on and off as is still the monsoon season.  Cochin is the second largest city in the state of Kerala and is considered to be the Venice of India - I will be able to clarify that after our excursion on a houseboat on the canals!  It is also the main area for pepper and the trade for pepper was brought about by the Jews centuries ago and of course the Dutch more recently.  Kerala State is about the size of Switzerland and has a population of 35 million!!!  

I decided to see a movie this afternoon - Absolutely Fabulous was showing in the Princess theatre.  Was a bit of fun, light entertainment.  

We dined early as had the Captain's Cocktail party at 7.45. We were in the last batch (Platinum & Elite) of three such events as there are so many repeat travellers now.  One  couple from QLD won a prize for having the most cruise days 1,200!!!! Obviously they don't follow AFL or whatever!! The usual fairly weak cocktails were served, some required more than that but we know from experience what the deal is.  We have a new captain on board, a nice Scottish man who resides in Colorado.  One of the ship's officers has his wife and little girl on board - she is 2 1/2 and named Sofia and is nearly as cute as our Chloe!!!!! 

Now back in our room and it is only  8.30 so think I will go to the late show to hear a singer called Sean O'Shea - might get a few rousing Irish numbers!!! 

Later......

Well, I went alone to the show and Sean Michael Patrick O'Shea turned out to be a fantastic entertainer from Canada and didn't sing one Irish song!  He fooled around a lot with impersonations but had a marvellous voice when he sang Dean Martin, FrankSinatra, Pavarotti, Tom Jones, Neil Diamond and Elvis numbers.  

19 October - At Sea

Was good to have a sleep-in this morning, the clocks had been put forward overnight.  It was back to mahjong for me, a lot of chat about what we had all done in Dubai over the last two days.  

 At around 11.15 the captain announced that we had another very sick passenger on board who would need to be airlifted off the ship and a helicopter was being sent from Oman, arriving within the next hour or so. Passengers were instructed to stay off the top decks and not to use balconies on the port side.  We are on the port side. Straight after we finished the game I came back to the cabin to drop off the mahjong tiles before going to lunch - I arrived to see the helicopter within metres of our balcony, the doors and windows were shaking and the deck chairs rattling and the noise was deafening.  It circled again then came back and I was able to video it from inside.  Definitely couldn't have opened a door or would have been blown to bits. Never a dull moment on Princess!!!

So after lunch I joined a line to face the Indian immigration officers, ensuring we all had the correct documentation and visas for our upcoming visit to Cochin in three days.  The visa thing has nearly caused a mutiny on the ship - some passengers have been given the run-around about the need for visas and others have been forced to pay hundreds of dollars - some people don't even want to get off the ship and never intended to and it will be interesting if all those who are going to 'sue' (not us!!!)  will do so.  

Then I met George for a cocktail at happy hour and when I told him I had footage of the helicopter from our cabin he told me I must have been dreaming or in someone else's cabin.  Took quite some time to convince him that we were just there at different times.  Apparently his footage was from the balcony & I can't imagine how he was able to remain safe.  

Enough for today!!!  

18 October - Dubai

Another day in Dubai and we shared a taxi to the Dubai Mall with Dale and John from Bendigo.  We really didn't go there to shop, more to escape the heat as the Malls are so nicely airconditioned.  And it is amazing just people watching!!! Dale & I checked out some shops while the men sorted out their internet (some took all day for that) then we met up for a coffee.  Then it was bliss!!  2 1/2 hours to myself, looking in windows as couldn't afford to go beyond the windows LOL 😂 but I did find another Marks & Spencer so felt quite at home there!!!!  Think in my next life I might go back to my roots and find a rich Arab - I think I would look good in the full regalia and I could hide all the bulges that way and still gather a few jewels!!!

We did have a fun day though, and picked up some bits and pieces on our way home.  It was lovely to facetime with Jane and Chloe and with Caroline and to touch base with and reply to some friends via email.  I did try to speak to Diana, knocked but no-one home!! 

Now back at the ship enjoying a G & T in our room.  We should be sailing soon.  Then I guess the next thing will be dinner....!

By the way, we ran into Dot in the terminal and guess what!!! Their luggage has been delivered to Perth.  She apparently was, however, lucky enough to find some knickers in Dubai!  I hope British Airways offer them a first class round the world ticket as compensation for all this.  

I think only two passengers were late back to the ship - the Cruise Director had a dig at them after the late show but I doubt they were even in the audience.  The guest artist was Claude Eric - an old crooner from Montreal and very sleep inducing!  After departure we'll  be retracing our track in the Strait of Hormuz.   

Below are pics of beautiful arrangements - 1. How they celebrate a baby boy, 2. A baby girl, 3 an arrangement of chocolates, and 4 a Japanese biscuit extravaganza!!!!

17 October - Dubai

Woke at 6.15 this morning, decided to iron some shirts etc then went for my walk as we were approaching Dubai. (We could send to the laundry but it takes 72 hours for the complimentary service!) As usual the city was hazy but the outline of all the tall buildings was lovely.  Breakfast as usual in the buffet & one of the senior waiters came up to George & commented that his plate looked like the Burg Al Arab!  And it did. 

After going through passport control we were met by a friend Michael Malbourne who has been working in Dubai on and off for the past year.  We went straight to the Dubai Mall which was in the early stages of being built when we were here about 10 years ago.  There is a beautiful aquarium in the mall and we sat opposite for coffee while catching up with Michael's news and connecting to the internet.  Of course next door is the Khalifa Tower, the world's tallest, which we just viewed from below.  Not that we wanted to go to the top on a hazy day but it is booked out every day unless you pre-book. 

Off then to lunch - sitting in the heavy traffic was pretty tedious but well worth the wait to arrive at this fantastic restaurant called Kabab Erbil Iraqi.  Wow!  As we walked in the door we could see huge fish being barbequed (vertically) on a circular fire - Michael recommended we order half a fish (Iraqi Maskouf) and some chargrilled chicken. With that order we were also served soup, a huge flat bread, mixed salad, then afterwards watermelon, dates, petit fours and tea.

As he had a business appointment in the afternoon we took the train to the Mall of the Emirates and stayed there a few hours. I wandered, George propped and we left there around 7.15, arriving back at the ship in time to see the show. This show was in the Princess Theatre and was the Dubai Folkloric Show, featuring the culture of Dubai by way of song and dance.  Plenty of lovely costumes and belly dancing! 

We have some new passengers now as about 500 disembarked this morning.  

Not sure how many but quite a few passengers flew to Delhi this morning and will meet the ship again in Cochin, India.  This side trip is to see the Taj Mahal in Agra.  Thank God been there, done that!!!!

16 October - At Sea

Started the day at 6.30 with four circuits of the ship then had my breakfast on the way back to our suite.  Decided to sit on the balcony reading for a while when George came back from the gym & had his shower.  Popped his head out the door to say he would see me later & half an hour later I went to go back inside but the door was locked!!!!  I'm sure it wasn't deliberate but we'll never know LOL!!!!!  So, I put my head around adjoining balconies, no-one there & looked up & there was a man two levels up and along a bit but he couldn't hear me, obviously a bit deaf! Then a lady from three floors above called out, asked what the problem was, I shouted my room number to her, she called security and five mins later the most handsome security officer in pristine whites let me into my room!!!! We laughed, he thought it was so funny, &  I said my husband would pay for it, but at the jewellery shop!!! 

Bingo is not really my scene on this ship but I did play today for a big jackpot of over 

$2000.  Sadly, I am still looking for those final 4 numbers!

Delicious cocktails again for happy hour and tonight we are dining with Patti & Gaylord.  

During last night the ship transitted the Strait of Hormuz which is a strait between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.  It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world's most strategically important choke   points.  On the north coast is Iran and on the south the UAE and Musandam, an exclave of Oman.  The strait is very narrow, about 54 kms, and approximately 35% of the petroleum traded by sea passes through this strait making it a highly important strategic location for international trade.  

We passed Muscat on the port side during the day. 

The forecast for tomorrow in Dubai is 36C - 😡

14th & 15th October - At Sea

14th & 15th October - At Sea

Well, two days into one - not much has happened in the last 48 hours. The usual routine - eat, sleep, drink!!!!!  Last night I went to the show in the theatre with Margaret & Richard and we were entertained by Katai, a violinist from Melbourne.  He is Japanese, lived in Japan 5 years before going to Brisbane with his parents.  He played violin with the QLD Youth Orchestra and ended up in the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra. Not sure how he  spent the next few years but more recently he has been living and busking  in Melbourne until his life turned around, he met his wife and is now entertaining full time on Princess ships.  

Today we've been sailing off the coast of Oman, could see land earlier but now in the open sea. After breakfast I went to a lecture on the background to the Middle East.  It was about the origins of the peoples and Mahommed and the rise of Islam and was most interesting.  It appears the DNA of almost every person on earth can be traced back to the people of Yemen!!! 

Margaret and Richard came back to our room after happy hour and we enjoyed some wine which we had bought in Civitavecchia. Then after dinner I donated another $20 to the casino cause!!! before seeing the show at 10.30.  It was David Copperfield (not the one you've all known from years ago) and he was excellent with his singing, jokes, etc. George went off to bed, couldn't stand the pace!!!  I reckon I'll be dead long enough and may as well make the most of every opportunity!!!