LIVE - An Epic Journey - Rhapsody - Singapore to Istanbul

[AussieVisi2r]

Lovely Sea day today.

 

I had a very relaxed time.

 

Caught up on internet, swim etc.

 

Formal night.

 

Tomorrow is 4 days in India. Should be great.

 

There are 188 people on board who didn't get visas for India. 4 of them flew from Sri Lanka to Cochin and are getting a special visa - at great expense.

 

Raina

[h20cruzer]

This is fabulous I am enjoying every word. Thanks for taking your time to let us join you on your adventure.

Norma

PS Just returned form a TA on Celebrity Silhouette and 2 days in Amsterdam, doesn't hold a candle to your trip.:):):)

[Melkaracam]

Loving your trip report Raina !

 

Looking forward to the next update :)

 

It feels like I'm on holiday with you!

[JamesEM]

Enjoying your posts, looking forward to photos of your next port of call.

[aggietd]

Hi, my name is Nancy and I live in the UK , I hope you don't mind me popping in on your blog, just found it when I was looking for something else, reason I am interested is that two of my dearest friends are on board Victor and Keith, although the they joined in Sydney and I believe there is not that many of you going all the way through. I have been following them (and the ship) on tracker, but your blog has made me feel as if I am there with them, thank you.

Nancy

[little britain]

Following along too - planning this trip for 2017 so really appreciate seeing what you do in port (and how much it costs!)

Cheers!:D

[Bimmer09]

Raina, I am really enjoying your reports from these amazing exotic locations.

The photos and narrative make me feel like I am there-without the humidity and zany drivers!

 

Thanks for being so generous with your time.

 

Norris

[AussieVisi2r]

Guys,

 

Thank you so much for your lovely comments.

 

i'm so glad you are enjoying it.

 

Raina

[AussieVisi2r]

India

 

Cochin, 10th May

 

We always knew today was going to be very slow getting off the ship. The Indian visa were difficult to get and we had been warned that it would take a few hours to disembark.

 

The morning started with meeting in the CL at 8am. At around 8.30 the Concierge Lounge were taken to the front of the line at the main dinning room to collect our 'papers'.

 

 

At this stage the line went from the dinning room, around centrum and into the Casino. That was quick - for us.

 

We then had to wait a bit and it was our turn to leave the ship. Down the lifts to a football scrum of people wanting off. We waited for about 15 minutes and off we went. We had to show our papers a few more times.

 

 

Lots of people were not so happy to wait.

 

 

Let me point out here that this was not RCCL's fault. they were doing everything they could. It was just a very tedious task and how the Indian govt wanted it done.

 

But here we were in India. Hot and steamy.

 

We tried to negotiate with the Tuk Tuk drivers but as they had a monopoly inside the port they wouldn't budge. $20 US for two people for a three or four hour tour.

 

Off we went. Two Tuk Tuk's as we had George the Scotsman with us.

 

 

I can usually work out the road 'rules' after an hour or two. Here it was simple! There were no rules. You drove on the left most of the time. But only when it suited.

 

 

My Tuk Tuk went around almost every roundabout on the right.

The horn blowing is insane, the passing is insane. All fairly insane.

 

It was then into four hours of amazing sites and sounds. It was amazing. Awesome and fabulous.

 

The next part will mainly let the photos talk.....

[AussieVisi2r]

Cochin continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

The open air butcher shop. Guess the meat was half cooked - we sure were in the heat.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Cochin continued

 

 

My first Indain cows.

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Cochin continued

 

 

 

 

Each temple of a certain size needs an elephant. We were taken to see this one. For $5US each we got to see this one. Really big for an Indian Elephant.

 

 

Then we went to the laundry. Amazing. Two rows of cubicles. Each cubical has a channel of water flowing through it, a place to stand and a cement shelf that the clothes were beaten against.

 

 

 

 

I really don't know how long the clothes must last. Between the sweating and the beating, they cannot last to long.

[AussieVisi2r]

Cochin continued

 

We then went inside to the ironing room.

 

The iron this lady is using weighs 9 kg (18 pound) and is fuelled with burning coconut husk.

 

 

 

This guy gets to use the electric iron. It's only about 5kg (10 pounds).

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Cochin continued

 

The Chinese Fishing nets date back to the 1840's.

These massive fixed nets are lowered into the ocean and left for a short period of time. They are about 20 metres across and about 10 metres high. They take 6 people to operate them. To put them in a man walks along the top beam. Each one is set to a certain depth. When they are raised up they have many fish in them - hopefully.

 

Stunning looking and great to watch going in and out of the water.

 

 

 

Cost a tip to go out and chat with the guys, get photos etc. $2US

 

 

 

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The Tuk Tuk drivers have a list of places they want to take you. Shops that is! Why? Because they get a kick back. When we said "No, No shops", he said "I get a litre of oil if we go there". So we went in......and we bought things...........

 

Thy took us to so many places......."No. No shopping! At one place another guy with better English came up and said "If you go in he gets a petrol voucher". So of course we went in......but we were strong, we didn't buy anything. But he got his voucher and everyone was happy.

 

They then said we were going to the Spice Markets. Yay. Love spice markets.

 

Twice! Just a shop...twice...but still pretty.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Cochin continued

 

 

Just a few electrical cables - down low.

 

 

 

 

 

Just a bit of rust. This is an open ocean fishing boat.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Cochin continued

 

Then back to the ship. A great day. Five hours in a Tuk Tuk.

 

Sailaway was great. Got to see the fishing nets going in and out. Lots of rusty boats and a huge crowd to see us off.

 

 

 

 

 

Fascinating. Wonderful. Amazing. Such a great day. But also wonderful to go bak onto a lovely ship - with air conditioning, luxury and things you can eat and drink without thinking about hygiene.

 

The Show tonight. A Russian violinist playing a violin made in 1745.

 

 

 

 

[heatherb1958]

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Enjoying your report.

Know George very well, recognised him in the pic before you even confirmed it was him!:)

Please say "Hi" to him from Heather and John.

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

[cinnamon]

Loving reading this thread.

Please also say Hi to George from Corinne and John. We first met him and his lovely late partner, Alan, on a Repo to Alaska on Serenade, then again subsequently on his own. Can just imagine him in his kilt. :)

 

Our son and his family have recently moved to Delhi from Manchester. We know all about Indian visa hassle and huge expense. :(

We spoke to them on FaceTime yesterday. It is 44 C there and they have 3 young children. :(. I think being on a cruise ship in aircon with hygienic food would be preferable.

[Setting sail for fun]

Your photos and text are so interesting! My son was just in India for two weeks on a business trip. I think he was very lucky to be in a 4 or 5 star hotel while there.

 

We have so many things here at home that we take for granted every day. Just looking at your photos reminds me of my blessings! Thanks again for sharing your adventures!

[laurieal]

It's a pleasure to follow along on this trip! Your pictures are amazing and it sounds like you're having an awesome time. Thank you for sharing!

[AussieVisi2r]

Mangalore

 

Last night there was a massive thunderstorm. I mean huge. So much lightning and big thunder claps. Windows were rattling.

 

 

 

Today was to be a hire a taxi day and travel in comfort. We got of the ship very easily. Only had to collect out pass then show it a few times.

We were greeted by the usual pack of taxi drivers. We eventually got one to agree to $40 US for about 4 hours and YES the car was air conditioned.

 

So over we went to his very small, very scratched up 1980’s car. As we hopped in Raina started bleating about no real air conditioning as Caroline started bleating about no seat belts!

 

No thanks. So off we went. We walked off the port and found a guy near the gate who agreed to our price and had a brand new, lovely car. Yay.

 

Of we went in comfort and safety.

Of course the traffic was chaos. But this was more of an organised chaos.

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Mangalore,

Stop one.

 

A stunning Hindi Temple - Maha Shivratri. The bottom levels were stations where people prayed and made offerings. Much of it was in smoke and looked amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

Then we climbed up the steepest, hugest and straightest staircase to the bathing area where men did a ritual bathing.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Mangalore Continued.

Maha Shivratri

 

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Mangalore continued

 

More driving around seeing amazing things then a visit to St Aloysiou College Chapel. A Portugese chapel built in 1880. The whole inside is covered in amazing murals. They were done by one artist in under 2 years.

 

 

 

 

 

There was a wedding happening and we were told to come in. It was very beautiful The clothing of the wedding party and the guests was fantastic. So rich and bright. And when they were declared married (I guess) there was huge cheers then the rice throwing. How special for me!

 

 

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Edited May 11, 2015 by AussieVisi2r

[AussieVisi2r]

Mangalore continued

 

Lunch was amazing.

 

 

Three serves of bread and dippings, multi cups of chai, some sweet stuff to take away! Brilliant food. With a large tip it cost $10 Aussie dollars!!!!!!!

 

The only lunch problem was that the curry dip was fairly hot. The chai was hot and my mouth was on fire.....and the only drink was tap water......which of course you (read we) cannot drink!!!!!!!!

 

 

More looking around.

 

 

 

We were on the way to The Sultan's Palace and come onto a huge traffic jam. A Ship tour bus was doing a 93 point turn in a narrow street. Then we saw why!

 

there was a few tons of soil and waste dumped onto the only road in. Oh well. No Sultan's Palace.

 

 

Then we went up a goat track to a museum. Like really a goat track. But on reaching the top of this narrow goat track the museum was closed. Back down we went. Reversing much of the way.

 

 

So back to the ship. Very Happy!