That's It!

Yes, it has certainly been an Incredible Voyage! From Manila, to Borneo, Brunei, Singapore, Kuala Lampur, Penang, Phuket, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Richard's Bay, Durban, Port Elizabeth and finally, Cape Town. This blog was actually for us, so we could remember all the things we've done and places we've been. Thankfully, the seas were calm – except for a couple of days, no pirates, no illnesses, no mishaps... Today we're off the ship early for our last look at Cape Town, and then a shuttle to the airport for our flights this evening – first to Frankfurt and then back to Houston.

We'll definitely be happy to get back to our great family and friends, and thanks for coming along with us!

Cape Town, SA

Our sail into to Cape Town this morning was magical. The air was crisp and the sky bright blue. There was Table Mountain in the background, with the city down below. The harbor had quaint restaurants, a clock tower, and shops. The only movement on shore was the sun coming up and the seabirds flying overhead. Our first stop was Robben Island. After a short ferry ride over, we boarded a tour bus and drove around the island with our guide. We saw the guard barracks, the solitary cells (Nelson Mandela's in particular), the rock quarry, and the dog kennels. Our guide was a former political prisoner himself who had spent 7 years on the island and recounted personal horrific stories. It was hard to believe that freedom had just come within the last 20 years. Mandela's message of a country with equality for all people, was a message repeated many times during our tour. On our return to the mainland we took the “hop on, hop off” tour bus and our first stop was a craft market in the center of the city. From there we went to the Jewish Museum and learned about the Jews and where they came from, worked, lived, vacationed – and their life here in general. Very interesting, given that so many of our friends came from SA! Our next stop was Table Mountain. Wow! a cable car ride (that rotated – so cool!) sheer up the face of the mountain. From the top we could see Cape Town below, as well as distant beaches, mountain ranges, the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans, and other towns. The weather was ideal – bright blue skies and no wind! Back down and back on the bus for a tour of the ocean road and Camps Bay beach. Incredibly beautiful avenues, homes, public areas, and beaches. Truly the most picturesque city we have ever visited!

Port Elizabeth, SA

Our ship's tour to the townships had been canceled, so we decided to venture out on our own. We found a taxi driver who would take us out to the Addo Elephant National Park. Little did we know, we would find such a great guide. He had lived in the bush in Namibia, was a hunter and had ran a game reserve of his own. We drove through the city and past the townships. They were huge areas of small block houses, tightly packed and crowded. Despite the changes that have taken place in the last 15 years, we were told most blacks still live under these conditions. Our driver gave us more insight into the local situation and ongoing and growing problems in South Africa. The Park, 60 miles from the city, is a sanctuary to many game species – and we were able to see loads of elephants, kudus, warthogs, ostrich and the “flightless” dung beetle! Our driver had a keen eye and could spot animals hidden from (our) view. We even saw carcasses of animals who had been recently devoured by lions. The game park was huge and we really only covered a small part of it in the 5 hours we were there! Beautiful day!

Durban, SA & The Kingdom of Lesotho

Our early departure from the ship took us through the busy central business district of this big modern city of Durban into the hilly and beautiful suburbs. The landscape was lush, the homes beautiful and the terrain mountainous. As we got further from the city, we could see many small Zulu villages on the hilltops – with traditional round houses and small vegetable gardens. It was incredibly beautiful with large cattle farms, planted pine trees, corn fields and rural life. After 2.5 hrs we arrived at the Sani Pass Hotel, where we transferred into 4 x 4's for our journey farther inland into Lesotho. Our first impressions where that the road was rough, but we had no idea what was to follow. At the South African border we had to present our passports for inspection. From there we traveled only 8 km in one hour through “no man's land”. And then, another “pinch me” experience of climbing the rocky, windy, steep road up to the top of the Sani Pass! The whole area was just gorgeous – high mountains, rugged vegetation. No one lives on this land as it's been designated a World Heritage site. After another hour's drive up, we arrived at the Lesotho border (which we were not permitted to photograph). We entered into a small village of some 10 stone huts and a handful of people. The men were all shepherds who had come down from the mountains to see the “tourists” who had arrived. They wore little else but wool blankets and hats and rubber boots. The women welcomed us into their hut where we could see their meager living style. The vegetation was alpine, the weather much cooler, and the views incredible. We spent a couple of hours at the top of the mountain, taking it all in. Many of us shared our box lunches with the villagers, which they welcomed. Our journey down was slow and cautious, and we even passed a few people who were walking up, carrying their supply of wood. We were back at the ship almost 13 hours later. After the many stories our guides and others have told us about South Africa, we're beginning to realize the complexities of this vast country.

Richard's Bay, South Africa

We arrived after two days at sea – one of which was rainy, rocky and really windy, and the second which was beautiful, sunny and calm!
Richard's Bay is one of South Africa's largest harbors, and is situated on the northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The terminal here is the largest coal export facility in the world. Our ship's tour took us through the newly built town of Richard's Bay into the outlying countryside. We saw field after field of planted Eucalyptus trees for miles around. The farther we got from the city, the more traditionally the countryside became – round homes with thatched and metal roofs. We visited Dumazulu Village, which is home to over 50 Zulu residents forming part of a 'living museum'. We were first welcomed by the locals by teaching us some native chants. Our guide invited us to meet the medicine man, learn about basket weaving, spear and shield making, bead work, pot making and traditional Zulu dancing. As is custom, the unmarried women go topless,. We learned that a groom must bring 11 cows to the bride's parents before marriage – a (costly) custom still held to today. It was really an amazing cultural experience! We returned to the ship and hoped a shuttle bus back to a shopping center in the city. It was a busy and huge place. A couple of white women we spoke to expressed their fears about South Africa and it's future – extremely high crime, no jobs and poor education. I know we'll learn more in the next few days about this fascinating country!

Tulear, Madagascar

Our first introduction to Africa was definitely an “eye opener”. Tulear, situated on the southwest coast of Madagascar, is home to some 100,000 people. As a port town, it is said to be hub for commodities such as soap, hemp, cotton, rice and peanuts (according to the guidebook). When we arrived, we certainly didn't feel it was a hub for any organized industry at all. Very few, if any, cruise ships ever come to this part of the island. After our long dusty hot ride into town, we entered an open street market. Young women were carrying live chickens for sale and stalls with nothing but sticks for sale of all sizes lined the streets. The mode of transportation was the rickshaw pulled by young men, and bicycles. Very few cars, if any, were on the roads. The roads were lined with many walkers carrying their firewood sticks to market. We drove out to the countryside for about 35 miles. Along the way we passed tiny villages of nothing but grass huts and red earth, with young children playing unattended in spots of shade. The terrain was dry and barren, with little areas of agriculture or brick factories along the way. Other than vans filled to the brim with passengers, and luggage piled high on top, we never passed a single private vehicle at all. We stopped at a small quiet village, but within a few minutes were surrounded by about 25 children and adults. Of course they wanted “un cadeaux” (a gift). They were looking for sweets, pens, lipstick, a T-shirt, or anything we could offer. Stephen let them take pictures of each other with his camera, and they were excited to be able to view the photos right away. Their homes were extremely primitive- made of straw and mud, and it looked like their main “industry” was selling charcoal. The average wage, we were told, was $1.25 per day, but we weren't sure if that was even possible there. The taxi we were in kept stalling, and we had to get out and push a few times. These vehicles were driven many hours from the capital so they could accommodate our ship. Needless to say, we were worried we might not make it back to the ship on time! At one point we thought the car kept squeaking, and then realized our taxi driver had bought a basket of chicks and they had escaped and were wandering around the taxi! We stopped to visit a grotto by the sea, and a baobab tree grove. The trees have fat trunks that store hundreds of gallons of water. A terrific day, once again, and very different from anything we've seen yet!

Just a note...

Sorry no pictures - just not possible from the ship, and shore internet places are few and far between. So, just use your imagination.... miss you and love you all.

Miriam's Birthday at Sea

Beautiful balloons and ribbons decorated our door and a wonderful message, as follows, from all the kids...

M – is for Mom , what you are to me!
I – is for incredible, as you continue to be.
R – is for radiant, as your smile glows
I – is for impressive, as your talent shows
A – is for adoring, as you always are.
M – is for marvelous, like a one of a kind star!

Wanted to wish you Happy Birthday from all points of the World.
We're thinking about you.

Much Love
Nancy, Zach, Adam, Sera, Naz, the Bump, Jo, Nava and Raziela

Day at Sea – March 5th

Whoa, the waters are really rough today. In fact, we spent almost all day in the cabin, in bed – watching TV, reading and trying to hang on! Drawers are opening and shutting, things are swaying – a rocky day on the waters with 15ft swells, and word is, it will be the same all the way to Madagascar. Yuck – dread it so much. Most of the ship's passengers have “stayed home” today, and not ventured into the halls or attended activities. Since the room steward mistakenly gave me my birthday balloons and card from the kids one day early, he apologized by bringing me a bottle of champagne and huge bouquet of flowers. Really not necessary – I can see it being a problem acknowledging a birthday one day late, but one day early – really!? I was very touched... We did venture out for dinner tonight, and was greeting with birthday songs by the crew and a beautiful cake. Great birthday afterall!

And, another day at sea!

Swells have subside somewhat – although windier and a little cooler temperatures. Folks have emerged from their cabins with stories of queasiness and unsettled stomachs yesterday. Either we're all getting our “sea legs” or things are truly better. In any event, a good day to take it all in. Stephen's started water color classes, and becoming a little artist.

Reunion Island, French Territory

Yes, believe it or not, this is an island, still under France. Little provincial towns and tiny French cars everywhere made us think we were in France! Creole and French are spoken, so we quickly had to practice our French. The terrain is volcanic and we headed to the Piton de la Fournaise volcano that is still active. It fortunately hasn't spewed lava in five years. The ascent up followed a zig zag skinny road, and as we entered the center of the volcano, the road eventually became a rough lava trail. The vegetation went from tropical on the coast, to evergreens, to small brush and then a moon-like terrain. At one point on the way up, the scenery almost looked like Vermont – with cows crazing, rolling hills, and small forests. It was a six hour round trip journey that took us past canyons and sugar cane fields. Homes appeared along the narrow flat coast, and then villages were scattered up the sides of mountains. It started raining, so we never visited the beach front.

Accustomed to cheap prices at other former British colonies we've visited on this journey, Reunion uses Euros and is expensive, just like France. A great day on this surprisingly large island, only a speck on the map in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa.

Port Louis, Mauritius

The island has a population of some 1,250,000 people – and is 85 km long and 50 km wide. When we pulled up this morning we could see high peaks in the center of the island – all irregularly shaped and stunningly beautiful. Again we hired a taxi for the day with another couple. We made many stops with beautiful viewpoints of the valleys, waterfalls, sugar plantations, and seashores below. You could tell that the place is very well run – good roads, nice housing, and lots of business everywhere. The main industries are tourism, sugarcane, rum and textiles. Many American clothing labels are manufactured right here. One small town we visited in the center of the island had many shops selling familiar brands at discount prices. We stopped into a factory that made models of ships – we could see how they were intricately hand made. Also visited an old sugar plantation home with it's original furniture. An enormous statue of Shiva sits atop a mountain where hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims visited just a few days ago for a festival. A nearby lake was also a holy sight where many families came to give offerings. Today was a holiday where Hindus splash colorful paints on their faces and bodies. We stopped for lunch in a typical Mauritius family restaurant (just across the street from a fancy place our taxi driver really wanted us to eat at). Our last stop (after a road “made like a serpent”, with 52 hairpin turns) was at Flic en Flac beach – a welcome dip in the warm blue waters.

Port Louis, Mauritius, Day Two

We decided not to take the water taxi, but walk the 2 miles into the center of Port Louis. The city was busy with rush hour traffic and stores were not quite open yet. A new waterfront complex, with palm trees, and plazas, had some great craft shops and high end souvenir stands. Not really much appealing to buy, but fun to browse around. We wandered into the market areas – mostly clothes, kitchen utensils, cosmetic items and shoes for everyday use. The central park had huge banyan trees and comforting shade from the daytime hot sun. Back at the ship, there was much going on, since half the passengers were leaving the ship, and new passengers were arriving. It was sad to say goodbye, and anxious to see who would arrive. We'll definitely miss our new friends Mike & Cathy from Salisbury, England. We sure enjoyed some great times together since we all boarded a month ago in Hong Kong.

At Sea for two more days

Have to say that our sea days are welcome, although very busy! There's much going on – lectures (on health, nature, history, computers -whatever you can imagine), craft classes, choir practice, bridge lessons, exercise classes, trivia contests, dance classes, movies, etc. etc. It's starting to feel a lot like summer camp! We're both off to our respective activities all day long and meet up for lunch and dinner. Today I made my second beaded necklace and love it. We do try to get our time out on deck, to read and for a swim in the pool. Definitely an interesting group on board – all big world travelers. Today about 30 fellow passengers performed a medley of songs led by a choir master – it was truly incredible. More than half the passengers will be getting off in Mauritius (including our captain), so we had a “farewell” party last night for everyone. We sit at dinner at a table of 6, of which 4 of us will be staying on. We're interviewing for our next table guests for the last leg of the trip!

We're still under pirate watch – 24 hr surveillance on decks, port holes closed, internet down. Barbed wire is still around the lower decks and water hoses are hitched up and facing out. People have pretty much forgotten about it all and discussion about it all is over. I think after Mauritius, we'll be out of the “trouble” zone...

Mahe, Seychelles

A town of some 24,000, it was certainly a big change here than on the “out” islands, yesterday. A busy place – loads of cars, commerce, shoppers and markets. The island is a mass of huge mountains, with homes perched on the slopes and the town down below. We walked into town from the port, and just looked around. There were still remnants of British rule (I would say most places we've visited have been under British control as some point in history). Again – creole is the main language. Yet you do see a mixture of people – African, Indian and European. The rain was heavy and sporadic all day – just enough to keep us extremely hot, sticky and humid (kind of like a Houston summer!). The vegetable and fish markets were busy and colorful.

Praslin and La Digue, Seychelle Islands

Well, I think we've truly found a piece of paradise here in the Seychelle islands! Wow – stunning blue and turquoise waters, white sugary sandy beaches, green lush hillsides, and quiet lifestyle. We arrived in Praislin early this morning and tendered ashore with a few friends. We hired a taxi driver who took us across the island to the most beautiful beach. Only 8,000 people live here – one of only five of the 200 Seychelle Islands that is inhabited. The languages are Creole, French and English. There's a single lane, hilly road that winds itself along the coast past coconut and vanilla plantations and cute simple (yet super expensive) resorts. The island government won't allow foreigners to own land nor build homes, so the integrity of the island remains simple and quaint. We then visited another spectacular beach known as Cote D'or and had the chance to walk along – although no time for a swim here.

We returned to the island jetty and boarded a ferry boat over to La Digue, a neighboring island. It was only a 15 minute ride over – and wow – another “pinch yourself” destination. The island of 3,000 people has no cars. Cobblestone streets only have bicycle riders and wagons pulled by bulls. The main square had the bank, post office, general store and souvenir stand – that's it! We stopped for lunch near the tiny jetty of fishing boats overlooking the bright blue waters. After renting bicycles, we rode a little over a mile along the quiet streets into plantation grounds, past rows of coconut trees. On the grounds we came across a holding area of giant (and I mean giant) tortoises. They were so tame that you could feed them by hand and pet their heads. When standing they were probably two feet tall – amazing. Further on we came across the most stunning and beautiful beach called L'Anse Source D'argent. The sandy path took us around enormous granite boulders and rock formations. They were smooth, obscure shapes perched one on another. Here we swam and snorkeled for a couple of hours, before riding our bikes back to the tender. On our way back we had to slow down and follow a funeral procession, with mourners riding their bikes behind the casket.

That night we sailed to Mahe, Seychelles, and we'll go ashore tomorrow. A local dance troupe boarded the ship to perform native (Creole) dances for the passengers.

Day at sea and Pirate drill

We're on our way to the Seychelle Islands and will arrive in 3 days. Today the ship prepared itself, and us, against the risk of a pirate attack. We did the requisite drill - where all the passengers assembled in the lower reception area to await further instruction. Barbed wire, water canons and cameras surrounded the lower decks, with certain sections cordened off. A scary thought, but hopefully the crew knows what they are doing and will get us there safe and sound! Of course, all the passengers are making light of it! Yikes!

Male and Kudo Bandas, Maldives

The Maldives consist of hundreds of islands, all atols surrounded in turquoise blue
- just stunning. As you may know, there's talk that the islands are sinking with the rise of the world's oceans. We arrived into Male - an island of some 100,000 people all crammed into an island that only takes a half hour to walk across. It's "sea to sea" buildings, people, bikes and cars. Stephen was feeling a bit under the weather today, so I tendered ashore for a quick walk around the island. Visited the fish market with the day's catch all laid out on the stone floor for merchants to sell. (Appeared to be only men out on this Islamic island - I guess the women were at home...). Passed through a vege market as well. Narrow streets with barely enough room to pass. We tendered back to the ship and sailed to a secluded and remote island an hour away. The sail there was amazing - passing huge circular atols so incredibly blue in color. We tendered out to the island and spent the afternoon there snorkeling and swimming in the warm waters. Felt like "Giligan's Island" or a scene from Survivor! Really beautiful and could see why it's such an attractive spot for honeymooners to visit.

Colombo & Kandy, Sri Lanka

We arrived in Sri Lanka with much anticipation and excitement - when Stephen was just ten he had a penpal from the island and had sent him a small mask. We still have that mask. Also, Adam & Sera were here five years ago to help with tsunami relief and we were anxious to see it for ourselves. Again hard to believe that 48,000 people in Sri Lanka lost their lives in such a horrific disaster.
We took the road to Kandy - a 60 mile trip that took us over four hours to travel. It was a horrendous drive - dodging oncoming cars, trucks, buses, and trishaws - not to mention people criss crossing the streets without even looking! The countryside was amazing - filled with shops selling pineapples, crafts, cashews and daily goods - busy busy.
We stopped first at the Temple that housed Buddha's tooth - a relic of great importance. It was a magical place filled with worshippers and families bringing offerings. Monks were out as well chanting and playing instruments.
We overnighted in Kandy - a beautiful city high in the lush mountains. Our hotel was first class - imbedded into the side of the mountain overlooking the lakes below. Our dinner was a Sri Lankan delicacy and we were entertained by a cultural show of dancers and firewalkers. (Stephen had originally booked this night away from the ship just in case Miriam was sick of being on a ship, and/or terribly sea sick - but luckily neither is true).
The next morning we headed to an elephant orphanage - definitely a "can't believe I'm here" experience! There were hundreds of elephants in their natural setting - and we were able to get close to them eating, drinking, bathing and throwing dirt on their backs. They even paraded them up the road right where we were walking. We spend a few hours there and was just incredible to watch them at play. (This would never be allowed in America - where you could get that close and not be absolutely terrified!).
We headed back to Colombo and were given a city tour. A very busy busy chaotic city - with some remnants of it's British past. It was a delight to see the school children all dressed in their crisp white uniforms - how did they look so cool when we were sooooo hot and sticky?!
Our sail out was beautiful - amid the harbor and busy port. We'll be a day at sea again before our next stop, the Maldives.

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket is Thailand's largest island - 30 miles long and 10 miles across. A popular vacation spot for people from around the world, we were anxious to see it for ourselves. We negotiated a taxi ride around the island for four of us, for four hours, at a super rate (or so we thought!). We zoomed around the windy streets past loads of cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops. Our first stop was a pier on the southern tip of the island, where many small boats take folks out to yet smaller outlying islands and secluded beaches. It was such a picturesque stop. We then drove to a view point, and worship site surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of elephants made out of wood, porcelain, pewter, or whatever you could imagine. The view down to the beach below was gorgeous. At Ko Man Beach we could see the impact the tourists have made - a town not resembling Thailand at all anymore - just loads of shops, hotels, etc. The beach itself was stunning though, and we stopped to cool off and take it all in. We had to be back on board by 1:30 pm and we've now set sail for Sri Lanka. As we sailed out, we could see the bay where the Tsunami had come in and resulted in so much death and devastation. Hard to believe it could have happened in such a tranquil setting.
It will be nice to have a few days at sea after six days of touring! Time to relax, read and digest everything we've seen. We're crossing the Andaman Sea, and so far the water has been incredibly smooth.

Penang, Malaysia

Our last stop in Malaysia took us to the Island of Penang. We were greeted on arrival by colorfully dressed entertainers, as we were in most ports. Today each of us received New Years bags of a shirt and souvenirs. With a population of 1.6 million people, Penang is connected to the mainland via a 5 mile long bridge (with a newer one under construction farther south from Georgetown, the capital – it will be 15 miles long at completion). We hopped into a taxi and the driver took us first to the vernacular tram – an hour journey up the side of the mountain. (Our young driver told us he was married to his wife, who he didn't know prior to their wedding. The groom at the wedding didn't show and he was asked if he would be the groom to save her the embarrassment!) The vernacular was jam packed because of the Chinese New Year – filled with families, young and old. The trip up was half an hour, with a wait half way up for the continuation of the trip. We were so hot (and crammed), we decided to just cross over the track and take the train back down the mountain again. Pretty spectacular view. Our driver also told us the main industries were now an Intel and Dell plant on the other side of the island and an Apple plant across the bridge. Our next stop was the 150 year old temple of Kek Lok Si, the Monastery of Supreme Bliss. The giant Buddhist goddess towered over us, and we had another wonderful view of the city below. After lunch we ventured out again with a tour of the Pinang Peranakan Mansion. It was the former opulent and ornate home of a Chinese businessman some 100 years ago. (Although, a couple of Chinese girls wanted their picture taken with us, and we later found out they were descendants of the rich owner!). From there we wandered through Little India to China town. There were massive street festivities celebrating CNW- as people poured in and out of a temple with lit incense sticks, torches and lots of smoke. Large cauldrons of fire and smoke sticks provided an ethereal mystical event. The 100 plus temps finally had us finish our full day back at the port nearby - exhausted!

Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur) Malaysia

We sailed in early this morning and boarded a shuttle bus (just over an hour) into the city. Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaya and a large modern bustling city. It's made up of mostly Malay people and Islam is the major religion. Other groups include Chinese, Indians and Indonesians and it truly looked like a kaleidescope of peoples and cultures. We were dropped off at a mega mall and walked over to the Petronas Towers, the world's largest twin towers and pride of the city. These were quite impressive with the walkway between the buildings from which visitors can get a great view of the city. Unfortunately when we arrived it had already sold out for the day! Only 1,000 tickets are given per day and we would have had to be there by 7 am to be in line – shame! We made our way over the the Central Market, a busy place to see traditional arts and crafts. Chinatown surrounded the market, where again it was crazy with people buying for the upcoming new year. The bus station nearby was also insane with travelers heading out of the city for the holiday! A few shopkeepers had warned us about pick- pocketers and people who might snatch my purse or camera from passing motorcycles, but we had absolutely no problem, thank goodness. Just happy, smiley, friendly people!

Singapore Day 2

“Amazing Singapore” is the tourism office description. Our second day here leaves us in awe, that they have it figured out. This tiny city state gained independence from Malaysia 30 years ago and rewrote the rules on building a people based city. Ultra clean, virtually no crime and a pristine subway system that weave the old with the new. We returned to old Chinatown where the frenzy of thick crowds frantically are around us. Everyone is buying gifts of chocolate, flowers and delicacies to accompany their holiday visiting. The traditional streets were highly decorated in red, yellow and florals for the New Year. We wandered into an enormously ornate temple, where Buddhist monks were chanting and clanging their bells. We are told that there is box to drop coins in for the church down the street. This is either a symbol of a community supporting each other or givers trying to cover their bases.

Then entering another world we caught the 7 minute monorail over to Sentosa; a giant man-made island in it's final completion stages. Sentosa is a fantasy wrapped spectacular botanical garden with an observation tower with a view that brings it all together- a cityscape out of the future, hundreds of cargo ships out in the bay readying to unload, and views out beyond the city itself. Opening in a few days is the Universal Studios park, Hard Rock Hotel, casino and beautiful man made pocket beaches. We get a sense that this little island will become a major destination for Asians. The Night Safari is our last adventure of the day. The Zoo has taken it's thinking into fast forward by creating separate natural habitats. People movers and hiking takes us into dense rain forests, jungles and plains. We “secretly” view animals in their nocturnal natural environment; many within feet of us. A wow adventure of elephants, zebras, tigers and hundreds of animals not realizing we were there.

On our return at midnight, there is another Asian gambling ship next to Discovery, awaiting a morning departure on a three day cruise. Despite the giant dragon painted on the side, I recognize it as the Royal Caribbean Song of Norway, we sailed on in the 70's. Interesting to see what happens to old ships.

Our third and last day in Singapore now has us thinking we're locals. We walk the shops and people watch. It's amazing that smaller foreign stores are also here; Max Brenner Chocolate (Israel), Sensa, Aldo and Bata (Canada). The internet cafe/general store on the docks is now our second home.

Sunny Singapore

Arrived early into port. Singapore is what we had expected - modern, clean, beautiful landscaped parks and high modern buildings and shopping centers. We took the subway across town and began in China Town. Since the New Year is around the corner, the streets were filled with flowers, candy, red lanterns and colorful decorations. You could sense a panic in the air to get everything that was needed for the holiday. We then took the "hop on, hop off" bus system around town, past the botanical gardens, into Little India. It felt like we had arrived in India! the smells, the people, the shops were really authentic. We wandered thru the streets again onto Orchard Street - again filled with modern shops. Into a department store to watch demonstrations of kitchen gadgets, and a sampling of Asian foods. From there thru a flea market to Waterloo Street. It was so great to see a Hindu Temple, a Chinese Shrine, Catholic Churches and the synagogue all within a few blocks. We managed to get through tight security to go inside the Jewish Center - a magnificent building with apartments, kosher store, restaurant, synagogue and children's playschool. We decided to have a kosher dinner there which was delicious. From there we walked over to the Raffles Hotel and saw the famous Long Bar! A full night and we're exhausted!

Bandar Seri Bangawan, Brunei

An amazingly modern city with big highways, beautiful homes, and majestic gold domed mosques, office towers, and modern buildings. Oil finds which lasts only another 20 years fuels the country. The Sultan is a generous man who makes sure his 400,000 people share in the rewards of the oil revenue. In 1991, they celebrated the billionth barrel of crude oil-you do the number$. That means no taxes, free healthcare and higher education, free land to build a home and then financing to cover construction.
On arrival, we hired a small motorboat and went to the water village. Five thousand houses on the water house 30,000 people. Large homes, schools and fire stations are all on the water. The boat owner took us to his house. With 16 family members, 8-14 children in each family are common. We drank tea with them and gave us a tour of their rather opulent home. Wide screen TV's, beautiful furniture etc. We continued on up river into a small mangrove swamp tributary and sighted probiscus large nose monkeys in the jungle.
Later in the day we were resting at a food court in town and a couple sitting next to us arrived with lunch for us. Taking us to their large home, we got a better understanding of middle class Brunei. Four of their six children welcomed us. Each has their own computer and the dad has six cars ranging from a Beetle to a Mercedes. They then insisted on taking us on a several hour tour that including the Royal Mosque, Sultan's Palace (drive-by), large American style mall and then to the beach and then back to our ship. The teenage daughters who spoke perfect english joined us for the drive. These hospitable people gave a real sense of this oil rich sultanate where everyone has it all. We left them as good friends; hopefully to see them again.

Kota Kinabalu, Borneo

Our sail into the second stop on this large island was beautiful. KK is an inlet surrounded by a bay with the majestic Mt. Kinabalu on the horizon. The town appeared well developed, with a beautiful highway, manicured lawns and new development everywhere. Local Chinese entrepreneurs are the engine that is building the economy based on palm oil production and the return of higher valued rubber. Our tour drove us through town and into the Filipino craft market near the fishing boat landing on the shoreline. We visited an opulent mosque with giant gold domes. While the majority of the population is Christian, it appeared that mosques were definitely more dominant. We ate at the top of the largest (government) building and then headed out of town to a tribal village on the outskirts of town. The village was built by the tribes descendants to portray the daily lives of the various Borneo tribal people and headhunter origins! As we climbed between longhouses, we glimpsed into their daily lives. Some of us tried blowpipe shooting. Miriam gathered ingredients and stuffed a bamboo stick, which after cooking in a fire, we shared. Too spicy and way too much ginger but an afternoon wake-up in the sticky 95 degree plus heat. Our shipboard lectures on each destination ranging from history, the people today and destination highlights have been great preparation for each landing.

Sandakan, Borneo

We land on the northeast coast of Borneo, passing the poor stilt over water villages as we dock. Our first destination is the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center; only one of three in the world. Devastated by the vast cutting of palm trees for palm oil export which have eliminated their habitat, many injured and orphaned orangutans are evacuated to this 650 acre virgin jungle site. They are prepared for a return to the jungle elsewhere. We walk on slat wood boardwalks over the jungle swamp floor to where the animals congregate for feeding. Perhaps a hundred or more, many clinging to babies, swing from vines and alight near us. Later, we continue a 45 minute drive passing palm plantations to seek out the proboscis monkey. The paved road becomes a dirt jungle road that leads us to Labuk Bay Sanctuary. Here these unusual large monkeys gather for a banana lunch. The males have hilarious large droopy noses, reddish flat top hair and pot bellies; while females have smaller upturned noses. Our ship leaves early as the entrance to port is over a sand bar. The high tide allows for a surprisingly minimal 2 foot clearance below the hull of the ship. Just enough to get us out to open waters. An end to a spectacular jungle experience in wild Borneo.

Manila

Thought we were on for a long time, until we met passengers some from Elder Hostel(now known as Exploritas) who are on the ship for 4 months!
Lecturers have been excellent with lots of destination detail and some talks on history, art, etc. We're already up to date on Borneo and Brunei, our next stops.

Today we are in Manila (first of two days.). The ship has been very kind to their 175 Filipino crew on board. It is the first visit of the ship and each crew member is allowed to host 5 guests with tours of the ship including a meal. In total 600 guests will be visiting! The crew was crazy with anticipation. The morning as we hopped off, girlfriends, wives, children etc were gathering to board. We talked to a grandmother who was standing with two little kids; soon to visit their parents who are both working on board.

We took a horse drawn carriage for one hour around the old enclosed city. Much damage from WW2 still and a lot of recognition of what the Americans (General MacArthur) did to recapture the country from the Japanese. Dropped off in the market area and walked through 50+ plus blocks of packed street activity, the palace (although they wouldn't let us in) China town, etc. No tourists at all! Very busy dusty bustling smokey city with horse drawn buggies, bicycle taxis, jeepneys, etc. People are incredibly nice, smiley and friendly and English is spoken everywhere.

We stopped at a mobile sidewalk school and feeding center for street kids run by the Virlanie Foundation (virlanie.org). Each day they care for about 70 little kids picking them up from a nearby shopping center where they spend nights on the sidewalk. So darling. Gave them the equivalent of $8, for which they were grateful; apparently half of what is needed to feed the 70 kids their main meal daily.

Sunday, January 31st Hong Kong harbor is magnificent.

Tall skyscrapers, multiple apartment buildings standing one behind the other soaring in the sky. We walk along the shopping centers to catch the Star Ferry over the bay. Walkways connect one building to another without having to come down to street level. Most shops are closed until 10 a.m., but people are already filling the streets. We notice there are mostly young women congregating around the shopping areas. They set up corrugated cardboard enclosures along the sidewalks, where they are sitting and eating together.; the weekend escape from their apartments to sit with their friends in a makeshift sidewalk cardboard cabana. Talking to a Toyota salesman (who lived in Regina for many years) we learn that the biggest customers for extremely high end shopping items are the Chinese from the mainland! They earn big money and never pay tax – so they purchase items as a way to hide their income. We finally sail away in the early afternoon, watching Hong Kong disappear in the mist. Incredibly built up, high density, and ultra modern city. Time to relax, read a book, learn about our next stop and explore the ship.

Saturday, January 30th We arrived!

Trip over was uneventful – a full 15 hours from Chicago with bad food, bad movies and cramped seats – but quiet, efficient and smooth. Met off the plane and brought straight to the ship. Hong Kong is unbelievable – gorgeous suspension bridges, mile-high apartment complexes, “space-age” looking shopping centers. We walked the streets surrounding the ship – with gorgeous huge high end shops – Prada, Louis Vitton, Chanel, Gucci, Rolex, etc. Streets crowded with young, fashionable enthusiastic shoppers bustling along.
Travel is strange – it's a small world... first you're here, then you're there!
Cabin is great – largest on the floor – plenty of room to store our goodies. This will be our home for the next 6 weeks!

We're on our way!

Yup, after a 2:30 a.m. wakeup, and a 3:00 pick up, we're now sitting in Chicago awaiting the longest leg of the trip - the flight to Hong Kong. Expect a 5:50 p.m. arrival, January 30th. Oy, that's a long time from now.... "Talk" with you from the other side of the globe.

About the MV Discovery

Discovery features an ability to access small world ports and as an exploration ship carries a large number of lecturers providing insight on the destinations. This segment of the itinerary and begins in Hong Kong and ends in Cape Town, South Africa, 47 days later.

Following its launch in 1972, she was one of two initial Princess Cruise ships sailing from 1974 as the Island Princess. Both ships appeared in the 1970's television sitcom The Love Boat. The Island Princess operated as part of the Princess fleet until 1999.

The ship went through a major refit between 2001-2003 and continues with yearly refurishment. Since 2003, the vessel has been sailing as MV Discovery under the care of the cruise company Voyages of Discovery of England. Voyages of Discovery passengers are predominately British, American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and South African.

The ship is 168.8 m (554 ft) long and 24.7 m (81 ft) beam, measures 20,186 gross registered tons and carries 646, and has a top speed of 18 knots (33 km/h).

Map of the Voyage

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Still packing!

Just preparing, anticipating, planning and getting ready for the trip! Leaving in just 3 days, and still things to do. Gotta buy water shoes, book excursions, pack and repack to fit it all in. Boy, this will be a trip of a lifetime. Still more to come. Hope you'll enjoy the "voyage" with us.