and so it begins.....RTW16

[Aussie Gal]

cbb,

 

I have been following your Blog as well as receiving wonderful emails from Emma Chisit and Cathi and have only found these posts today. You have such a wonderful attitude to life which I hope that those of us who travel and cruise the world also have as we are the lucky ones. Being able to see the world, including the poorer areas does help to bring home how fortunate we are to live where we do and not have to worry about where our next meal is coming etc.

 

Enjoy your time in Agra. We did it with Oceania back in 2008 and it was a wonderful experience. We left from Goa and returned to the ship in Mumbai and we thoroughly enjoyed each day that we were there. It is for sure the "real" India with the cows on the streets, the girls collecting the pats of manure and the dry, dusty heat plus of course all the tourists!

 

Please pass on my best wishes to Cathi and Bruce and Deanne and David. They too seem to be having a wonderful cruise.

 

Jennie

Edited February 28, 2016 by Aussie Gal

[cbb]

osandomir;

 

good choice of going to Addo Elephant Reserve. We opted for the 4x4 and loved it. It was one of the great highlights of our cruise.

 

There are tons of elephants to be seen there and their preservation of the herds has been really successful...YAY!!!

 

Phinda/Thanda...we loved Phinda but that we had a terrific guide, Matt,

and spotter Josi, who found all of the Big 5, was a plus, plus, plus!

 

I don't think you can make a bad choice between Phinda & Thanda. Both fill quickly so don't tarry too long.

[cbb]

Today is another sea day as we sail towards the Maldives.

 

As I walked Deck 10 this morning, the side doors suddenly opened and guys came out carrying strings of banners. Yep....crossing the equator ceremony is today! Kiss that Big Belly!!!

 

I talked to one of the Terrace servers this morning and asked him how sad he would be when he would no longer have to disinfect the tables after every use. In the driest possible voice he replied "Madam, I will be devastated." I had just taken a sip of coffee, and I swear, some came out my nose!!!

 

So, on that note I decided to mention what I've seen crew do in the last 24 hours and write a public thank you.

 

To the servers who listen intently to all of the requirements for a person's coffee....milk, no milk, low fat, latte, cappuccino, americano ....thanks!

 

To the servers who literally count the number of raspberries, or olives, or pieces of bacon as the cruiser requests....thanks!

 

To the servers who clean and disinfect the tables and put up with the complainers who say "isn't that table ready yet" (they have begun to pencil in the time the table was sprayed and when it will be ready)...thanks!

 

to the men who wipe down the railings, mop the decks, put the cushions and terry covers on the chaises on the pool deck....thanks!

 

to the men who walk around with small mops and clean bolts and other hardware....thanks!

 

to the men who walk around with paint brushes and rollers and spot paint...thanks!

 

to our beloved Bayu and all of the rest of the room attendants who care for us in so many ways, always with a smile and try so hard no matter how exhausted they must be sometimes......thanks!

 

to the staff and crew who tries their best to care for us medically, entertain us socially, cooks, bakes, stir fries, grills, listens to our problems and complaints at destination services, reception, concierges, and the stores.....thanks!

 

to the band and string quartet, thanks for sharing your talents....

 

And finally to Victor (thanks for the glass of wine last night) and to the Captain for taking us from port to port safely and still has time to throw cocktail parties, hand out pins, mingle and listen....thank you!

[smoothsailors]

And thank YOU for posting those beautiful pictures of the wonderful doors you saw in Stone Town...for those of us who may never be able to visit Zanzibar they were a true treat! Enjoy Agra!

[cbb]

smoothsailors

 

weren't those Stone Town doors cool?

 

We'd come around a corner of a tiny little alley street, and boom, there would be 2...right across from each other.

[jo-b]

CBB

 

what a lovely post to say thanks, and what an observer you are, so many people don't even seem to see the staff! Or I assume they don't, as they ignore them and never say thank you!

[LHT28]

Cynthia

Thank you for taking time from you fabulous vacation to post updates here

 

Some people just think of themselves ...counting olives :eek:

 

Thanks

Loving the photos also

 

Lyn

[cbb]

yep, counting olives....she asked for 6 and so one had to be removed from the tongs....sigh.

 

had the equator crossing ceremony today and i took pictures of andy and tammy heath. Not as many seemed out on the pool deck or participated in it as did the previous segment. A different vibe on board now than was earlier in the cruise...

 

Not looking forward to docking in Singapore....a bunch of wonderful people are getting off including emma chisit and her sweetie.

 

(of course there could be some that could leave and I wouldn't shed tears)

[Not landlubbers]

I absolutely love reading your blog! My partner and I decided that we would try to maintain a positive attitude while we travel! We have managed to do this for 39 years of adventures! We count our blessings everyday! Whether you see the glass as half full or half empty doesn't matter! It means there is always room for more wine!! Continue to enjoy this journey !

[Mura]

yep, counting olives....she asked for 6 and so one had to be removed from the tongs....sigh.

 

 

Isn't that a tad too anal for belief? Would a 7th olive have blown her diet?

 

My goodness.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

yep, counting olives....she asked for 6 and so one had to be removed from the tongs....sigh.

 

 

Maybe a bit OCD ;)

[Cornish Surfer]

Well said. Something we should all think about more often when we have the pleasure of being looked after in this way.

[hypercafe]

I would love to see your pictures, where do post them? Thanks again

[2552phxcrzr]

I would love to see your pictures, where do post them? Thanks again

 

Here's the link to their blog: http://drdavebradley.blogspot.com/

[cbb]

please, let's not use the word "anal" ............

 

we're trying to recover from noro !!!!!!

[Emma Chisit]

yep, counting olives....she asked for 6 and so one had to be removed from the tongs....sigh.

 

had the equator crossing ceremony today and i took pictures of andy and tammy heath. Not as many seemed out on the pool deck or participated in it as did the previous segment. A different vibe on board now than was earlier in the cruise...

 

Not looking forward to docking in Singapore....a bunch of wonderful people are getting off including emma chisit and her sweetie.

 

(of course there could be some that could leave and I wouldn't shed tears)

 

Teehee, glad we made the cut for inclusion in the former group....never mind - I will haunt this blog once we return. My bet is that....Once you see the wonders awaiting you after Singapore you will forget all about us Singapore departees!

By the way that was a tanned cane toad pouch that Andy was wearing round his neck in his capacity as King Neptune. Had a demo later on, and apparently it comes equipped with a zipper. So handy for the cruise card. But obtained in Manila - not Oz, where such artifacts are also to be found.

[cbb]

emma.....

 

are we sure that the tanned cane toad pouch wasn't something that Tammy made? She's very good at the needlepoint; I actually went up and got one of the little kits myself, complete with pre-installed zipper.

 

As I showed you, I will put travel earrings in it and line it so that the wires don't get caught in the canvas. Some of the little kits are quite good for travel.

 

Dahling......are you sure you don't want to continue on with us? You know we'd love having you....and of course, you made the cut....but then considering your competition...........(I'm just saying!)

[Emma Chisit]

Ahhhh....no...the siren sound of Australia is calling me home....indeed I can almost see it now from the balcony as we sail across the Indian Ocean.

Maybe I am just homesick after seeing Andy's cane toad pouch yesterday, such a familiar fashion accessory Down Under....:D

[cbb]

who knew a cane toad pouch would make a woman homesick?

 

next time you see me, please tell me what it is, where it came from, why it is used.....ok? I need to know these things!!!!

 

Just think what i'm missing from home; primaries, speeches, castigating opponents, making promises, TV coverage, more speeches....etc.....

ain't life on board great!!!!

 

(yes, family & friends....i adore and miss you!)

[Hunding]

who knew a cane toad pouch would make a woman homesick?

 

next time you see me, please tell me what it is, where it came from, why it is used.....ok? I need to know these things!!!!

 

Just think what i'm missing from home; primaries, speeches, castigating opponents, making promises, TV coverage, more speeches....etc.....

ain't life on board great!!!!

 

(yes, family & friends....i adore and miss you!)

 

Oh, no, no, no, no! I assure you, you are emphatically not missing anything except your family and friends. The daily onslaught is too much -- like being constantly bludgeoned by mindlessness. Well, actually, now that I think on it, it isn't like being bludgeoned…it is!

[no fuss travel]

Thank you for your postings. I have now read all of February as I just got home from a river cruise to Myanmar. You will enjoy Yangon. The temples are quite interesting, the traffic horrendous but quite entertaining at the same time, the market huge, but full of jewelry shops and the Burmese people are lovely. You are starting to tempt me more and more to do a world cruise, but I don't think I could leave my cat for that length of time. If they offer a trip to Inle Lake, do it as it was fascinating.

[cbb]

might be a while until i can post again....

 

we're heading out in just a few minutes to get the water taxi to take us to the Male, Maldives airport to fly to Sri Lanka, then to Delhi, for 4 days/3 nights overland to Taj Mahal.

 

We think about 60 of us are taking the shorex overland. We're all pretty excited about this. We see a sunset and a sunrise at the Taj, see the Fort, see things in Delhi and rejoin the ship at Cochin.

 

I'll see what the internet is like at the hotels, but pretty much every waking moment (and some of the moments begin at 4:30am) will be spent traveling.

 

Same with the blog....we'll just have to see what we can do.

 

Off we go......cool water taxi! c

[cwn]

Safe Travels cbb. You are in for a great experience! Can't wait to here about it!

[Paulchili]

cbb,

Bon voyage and enjoy! It will be a memorable journey.

[Emma Chisit]

cbb,

Bon voyage and enjoy! It will be a memorable journey.

 

Yes indeed - and I am betting that after you experience "Incredible India" you will start planning how to go back again. Just getting ready to get on a tender and go explore Male on our own. Male looks interesting, and we have been enjoying watching the activity on the water. We didn't see much of it when we were here before as we spent a week at a resort (Conrad Rangali & V nice too). Hope you enjoyed your little boat to the airport this morning....

May the skies be clear for you at the Taj...