Jan 2016 World Cruise live report

[Waynetor]

We had a short trip heading up the coast last night. The port here is in the deep water, protected Richards Bay. This is a multipurpose port. The port area is spread out and we are docked in an area away from the commercial ships. They do not get very many cruise ships here.

 

Originally last year we had a tour planed here but that was cancelled and we had difficulty getting a replacement (left it too late). The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park comprises of a river mouth of about 60km (36mi) long, which forms a lagoon parallel to the coast. The tour was to S. Lucia, which is about an hour drive north of Richards Bay.

 

Of all the ports we are visiting on this voyage, this city is the hardest to find out much about. Other than game reserves I did not find much – no mention of museums, botanical gardens, historical buildings etc – hard to even find a detailed city map. At the south end of the bay sits the large “Richards Bay Game Reserve” (lots of hippos, gators and birds) but I did not see anything about access or tours in it.

 

At the port about 10 vendors had set up goods for sale. The goods were mostly crafts type items.

 

There were just a couple taxis available when I got off around 9:15.

 

Once again the ship offered a shuttle to a shopping centre. With no excursion to do and no interest in a shopping centre, wondered around the area near the port for an hour and a half. The area is small but mostly wheelchair accessible. There is a small shopping centre and a hotel plus a couple marinas. The area around the hotel has a small beach – I walked in a bit – the water was nice and warm. The further marina has many nice town homes around it. I walked up a long spit where some people were fishing and some having a picnic. Not a lot special to see – saw some craps, chickens, butterflies and a couple Ibis.

 

The ship was doing a crew emergency drill, I could hear the announcements all the way across the harbor. Once back on the ship on one of the sand banks I could see 10 flamingos.

 

I have found that giving the ‘thumbs up’ signal is very common for saying well done or saying everything is okay, it’s a positive gesture - it is something I like to do but don’t see it much anymore at home.

 

This ends our time in South Africa. It has been a truly wonderful week. Seeing the wildlife the way we have has been a highlight of all the travelling we have done. Doing a land safari in Africa has been a bucket list item for quite some time but I was concerned about Freda getting around plus it is a fair hike from Toronto. It is now clear that someone with mobility issues can do a tour as long as they can get in and out of vehicles although the rough terrain can be tough on some people’s back. We have another safari coming up in Kenya in a few days.

 

Before setting sail we had to go through a quick departure meeting with South Africa officials – another stamp for our passports.

 

We should be setting sail quite soon but in the mean-time trivia beckons. By the time I wake up tomorrow I will be a year older.

 

Goodbye – Totsiens pronounced totseens in Afrikaans to South Africa – would love to see you again.

 

Our nightly entertainment for the last 3 nights have been a pianist, violinist, and a harmonists which passed on all 3, tonight we have the comedian/magician that we had before again.

 

In the US today is Presidents Day and/or Washington's Birthday (actual birthday is the 22nd) and in Canada today is Family Day - observed in Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan on the third Monday of February. For those of you having a winter long weekend, hope it is nice and not too cold. In British Columbia, Family Day falls on the second Monday of February.

 

For about 30 years a group of friends have gone to resort on Rice Lake north-east of Toronto – usually on this weekend – it is a bit sad to miss it this year but being here does take away from the disappointment – can’t do a 6 month vacation and not miss something you would like to do at home.

 

Today’s thought for the day - You can make your world so much larger simply by acknowledging everyone else’s.

[LHT28]

If it makes you feel any better it is -17C today & yesterday was -23C :D

 

Enjoy the cruise

[buggins0402]

Happy Birthday Waynetor!

[boerneDQ]

Happy Birthday! What a wonderful way to celebrate!

Charlotte

[Not landlubbers]

Happy Birthday! Must be one of the best ever...going around the world!!!!

[Mystymom]

Happy Birthday! What a great way to spend your special day!

[jaxw17]

Happy birthday to you hope you have enjoyed it.

[Waynetor]

The Republic of Mozambique is in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. The capital and largest city is Maputo (previously called Lourenco Marques before independence from Portugal in June 1975. The only official language of Mozambique is Portuguese, which is spoken mostly as a second language by about half of the population. Common native languages include Swahill, Makhuwa, and Sena. The country's population of around 24 million is composed overwhelmingly of Bantu people.The largest religion in Mozambique is Christianity, with significant minorities following Islam and African traditional religions. Mozambique is a multi-party democracy under the 1990 constitution

Maputo which is located in the far south is the capital. Maputo is located on the west side of Maputo Bay, near theEstuário do Espírito Santo (estuary of the Holy Spirit) where the rivers Tembe, Umbeluzi, Matola and Infulene drain. The bay is 95km (60mi) long and 30km (19 mi) wide.

It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Its economy is centered on the harbour. Cotton, sugar, chromite, sisal, copra and hardwood are the chief exports.

According to the 2007 census, the population was 1,766,184.

Starting shortly after independence, the country was plagued, from 1977 to 1992, by a long and violent civil war. This war halted economic and political stability but since then conditions have been much more stable.

It’s known for its colourful markets and thriving nightlife. It's also the best place to enjoy the country's signature dish: a plate of sizzling peri-peri prawns washed down with ice-cold local beer.

February is near the end of the rainy season and the average high temperature is 29C (86F).

[Waynetor]

I last posted just as we supposed to leave Richard’s Bay but we had an 1 hour delay due to some technical test that were being done and then an additional delay to 7PM while waiting for the pilots to be available.

 

In reviewing my post from yesterday, I just wanted to be clear that I wandered (not wondered) around the port and saw crabs, not craps.

 

We were not able to make up the lost time due to our late departure and did not arrive here and get clearance until around 11AM. We stayed an extra 2 hours and set sail at 5PM which gave time for the tours. We have 2 sea days coming up to make up that time.

 

Today is a hot one – very sunny, little breeze and around 31C (91F) with some humidity.

 

Freda not being a fan of days this hot, decided to stay on board while I got off for about 2 hours to wander around. Oceania again offered a shuttle to a shopping centre. Maputo offered a tourist guide on board with maps. I asked about taking the shuttle and walking back but he recommended against that as some areas are not safe.

 

Instead of the shuttle, I decided to stay in the general area around the port. There is some very nice architecture such as the railway station which was built by Gustav Eiffel. I did not go in, but the Museum of Natural History has a great exhibit of African stuffed animals in natural settings such as attacking each other and other interesting exhibits. Near the port is the Pracade Independecia where there is a very large statue of the country’s first president, SamoraMachel (visible from the ship) and the city hall.

 

The massive Mercado Municipal (Municipal Market) is over 100 years old and is a good place for souvenirs of various quality and types including some local made wooden mask. It is divided into 2 sections; one has produce and the 2nd for other goods. I saw a few of the vendors accepting US$.

 

There are a lot street sellers in Maputo selling sunglasses, wallets, watches, and toys (mostly fake stuff). Bargaining at the market and on the street is normal. Street vendors also sell fruit, fresh meals, soft drinks and beer. Some of the street sellers were on the very aggressive side making it hard to just walk around and enjoy the walk.

 

Many of Maputo's wide, European style boulevardsare lined with lovely avenues of trees but with the heavy traffic and cars parked everywhere they lost their charm.

 

Motorized rickshaws are more common here than standard taxis. Taxi drivers and rickshaws were by the port gate and many other places offering rides and tours. I could see some train cars from the ship – they did not look very modern and from what I hear, they are normally very crowded

 

On the opposite side of the harbour I could see from the ship a nice looking beach. There appeared to be quite a few people on the beach – there are water taxis or small ferries taking people across the harbour.

 

The gap between the rich and the poor is vast, there are many multi-million dollar mansions overlooking the sea while slums areas remain in the city.

 

We were joined in port by a Silversea Cruise ship that arrived about 2:30 – seemed like a weird time but maybe they had an issue also.

 

On a scale of 1 to 10 for wheelchair accessibility this city is way into the negative side. While generally not hilly, only some sidewalks have ramps, some are in poor condition, vendors use up a lot of space, in a few places poor people had built little tents to sleep in but the worst part is the parking – in many places cars park nose in from the road blocking much of the sidewalk.

 

THANKS VERY MUCH for all the Birthday wishes.

 

An interesting birthday quote I found - “I'd rather have you here today for my sake than have you here for my wake!"(A quote from Stephen Gettuscelebrating his 101st birthday on a 2011 Princess w/c).

 

As I walked around town today I was admiring a nice Porsche that we saw. "I want something that goes from 0 to 200 in a few seconds! Nothing else will do for my birthday!" I later told Freda. When I got out of the shower before dinner I saw she was goggling a brand new bathroom scale.

 

This afternoon one of my trivia team members arranged for the CD to announce my birthday in the middle of the game - that was very nice. We had a wonderful diner in the Polo Grill with 4 other people. At the end I was given a rasberry choclate cake large enough for everyone at the table to have a slice.

 

After dinner I mentioned to Freda it was nice that I did not hear anyone kidding about my age and there was no snide insulting jokes about ‘getting on in years’ or being ‘over the hill’ – she reminded me that hearing is usually the first thing to go. :)

 

A few Mark Twain quotes for today –

“How far we travel in life matters far less than those we meet along the way.”

“have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”

"In Paris they simply stared when I spoke to them in French; I never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language".

[Waynetor]

Today we are sailing through the Mozambique Channel. Day 45 marks the one-quarter mark for those of us doing the full circumnavigation.

 

The weather is quite nice with a good mix of cloud and sun, not too hot and waves that are just gently rocking us.

 

We had a mini pirate drill today – basically the captain came on and explained what to do if there was a threat and the most likely dates it could happen. Although a cruise ship has not been approached in several years they still take precautions. If there is a threat we are to go inside to an area with no windows, or if in cabin close curtains and stay on the floor. The risk dates are Fe 20 to Mr 5 with Fe 22 to 28th being the highest risk area. While in the area, at night Insignia will keep as many lights off as possible and cabin lights should be off if not needed.

 

It has been a verily quite day –team won shuffleboard and 2nd in golf. During shuffleboard we saw a pod of near 30 dolphins making a quick move to get away from the bow of the ship, like we may have split a large pod into 2 groups.

 

Another little story about some of the strange conversations you can have on a ship. We had lunch today with a lady travelling alone. I asked her how she as enjoying it. She replied that cruising was a lot more fun now that her miser husband had passed on. I was taken aback a bit but asked for bit more information. She told us that when he became very ill that he made her promise on her mother’s grave that she would take all his money and put it in his coffin. She told us that once he finally passed, after the funeral ceremony she approached the casket one final time and placed an envelope in it. I asked that surely you did not follow his instructions. She said that she most certainly did. She took all his money, deposited in their joint account and placed a cheque in the envelope. It’s been 10 years she said and he still has not cashed it.

 

Today’s thought for the day - "When I forget how talented God is, I look to the sea." -Whoopi Goldberg

[phxbne]

Thank you for a wonderful report! Love the mixture of humor, travel and cruise details. Makes my breakfast more enjoyable!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

...

Since this will be a slow activity day I thought it would be a good time to give an example of what a sea day is like on Insignia. Today’s activities are:

...

9:30 Coffee Chat and Needlepoint with Social Hostess

...

What is it with this needlepoint thing? They did this on our Riviera crossing too. You'd think on a world cruise they'd expand a little and have knitting and crocheting groups as well. Who does needlepoint any more?

[Mura]

Another little story about some of the strange conversations you can have on a ship. We had lunch today with a lady travelling alone. I asked her how she as enjoying it. She replied that cruising was a lot more fun now that her miser husband had passed on. I was taken aback a bit but asked for bit more information. She told us that when he became very ill that he made her promise on her mother’s grave that she would take all his money and put it in his coffin. She told us that once he finally passed, after the funeral ceremony she approached the casket one final time and placed an envelope in it. I asked that surely you did not follow his instructions. She said that she most certainly did. She took all his money, deposited in their joint account and placed a cheque in the envelope. It’s been 10 years she said and he still has not cashed it.

 

 

A lady after my own heart ....

 

Mura

[Waynetor]

Today has been a mostly quiet day – Too hot to do very much. The sea was quiet calm. It started off very sunny but slowly got more cloudy with some rain after 4PM.

 

Overnight we had a time change – the first in awhile.

 

This morning we had a social coffee meeting in the lounge for all those doing the full voyage. About half attended. They plan to do similar events about once a month. The purpose is a chance to get to know your fellow travelers more. It was at 8:30 which with the time change was really like 7:30. They provided some light breakfast items. The 180 day social hostess and the 180 day concierge both did a brief talk. Two ladies were introduced that are working on a study and future article. Their study is on "understanding the impacts of an historic trip around the world" - they study if and how a 6 month world voyage differentially impacts a traveler's sense of health and well being over the coarse of the trip and to access the aspects and experiences that have the greatest impacts on a traveler's sense of fulfillment, personal growth and adaptability. Those volunteering to participate fill out a questionnaire at points along the cruise.

 

The CD also had people give a brief talk about their experience leading up to this voyage or something special about it - one lady had sponsored a child in Kenya since he was 14 - he has now become a doctor and she will meet him for the first time in a few days.

 

We arrive in Madagascar tomorrow around noon.

 

Today’s thought for the day - “When you can’t change the direction of the wind, adjust your sails.”- H. Jackson Brown

[Waynetor]

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean, 400km (250mi) off the eastern coast of Africa across the Mozambique Channel, just south of the equator. Over 1,600km (1,000mi) long and570km (350mi) wide, it is the 4th largest island in the world.

France gained full colonial rule in 1883 and remained in power until 1958, when the country peacefully gained its independence. Today, Malay-Polynesians, Arabs, Indians, Portuguese and French add to the ethnic mix of the people. French and Malagasy are Madagascar's official languages. The mainstay of Madagascar's economy is agriculture, with an emphasis on vanilla, rice, sugarcane, cloves and fishing. Despite the richness of the land, the country is plagued by poverty, and nearly three-quarters of the population live on US $1 per day or less. Poor health and chronic malnutrition are commonplace with an average life expectancy of only 53 years. Compounding Madagascar's social plights are its environmental problems. Madagascar features some of the world's most unique flora and fauna. The island is home to 90% of all known lemur species, half of the world's chameleons and more than 3,000 species of butterfly. At the same time, deforestation has wiped out nearly 85% of the island's original forests, leading to massive soil erosion. The water is contaminated by sewage and much of Madagascar's precious wildlife is in danger of extinction.

Nosy Be is an island located 8 km (5mi) off the northwest coast. Nosy Be is Madagascar's largest and busiest tourist resort. It has an area of 312sq km (120sq mi) and its population was officially estimated at 36,636 in 2001. Nosy Be means "big island" in the Malagasy language.

It’s tropical climate and superb location makes it Madagascar’s beach-resort destination. Though Nosy Be’s clear inclination towards mass tourism, it is yet a largely sleepy place with sugar cane plantations, rum distilleries, ylang ylang bushes, lounging lemurs, and little air of expectation

[Waynetor]

With a late arrival, the afternoon trivia was moved up to 9:30AM but not much else changed. For a few hours in the morning we slowly glided past some islands. The sea was very calm and the weather very sunny except for a dark rain cloud over our destination.

 

We anchored off shore about noon but it took about an hour to get clearance and to take the 2nd tender to shore (the tender part was only about 5 minutes). I was part of a group of 15 in a bus (air-conditioned) that would hold 22. With 85% humidity and a temperature of 29C (85F) the a/c was very welcome. The tour cost 40 euro or 45US.

 

The architecture is primarily French but it looked like nothing had been built new or seen a paint job for over 30 years. Motorized Tuk Tuk was the common taxi used around the island. For others cars vs motorcycles were about equal use with the odd ox driven cart.

 

Our first stop was the large local market building. Most of the items were fresh local produce but some meat and crabs were also available. Some items had been packaged or bottled but most were just available for picking – no extra charge for the healthy dose of flies that were everywhere. Very few homes have refrigeration so most items are bought fresh each day.

 

For there we headed out of town past Ylang-Ylang plantations into the country side and up 1 of the highest peaks where there was a sacred Banyan tree that was nearly 300 years old. If you have seen the one in Lahina, Hawaii, this one did not have the same spread but was taller. Ylang ylang (pronounced "lang lang") is a tall tree, often called the perfume tree with its sweet, soft, flowery fragrance. Most of the trees have their tops cut off forcing the growth to stay low for easier picking.

 

Tourism has become the biggest industry on the island, followed by fishing. They also export Cloves, vanilla, coffee, crabs, and shrimp. The cruise ship season is Nov – Feb (there is 1 more next week and that ends the season) while other tourist come at other times when it is drier. Italian and French tourists are the 2 most frequent at the hotels. The island is blessed with about 300 days of sunshine a year.

 

The road around the island was most nicely paved but there were areas that had very bad pot holes that appeared to have been there for some time. At one time when we had to slow down our guide noticed a bright green chameleon in the bushes by the road which we were able to get some photos of it. There was not a lot but we also saw some termite nest in some trees. Any rivers we passed, even thou a dirty brown colour, would have people washing their clothes.

.

We passed through 2 areas with a lot of hotels. We stopped at a hotel in the 2nd area that had a bit of a garden area that included a giant tortoise from Seychelles in an enclosure, a local crocodile in an enclosure plus 3 different species of lemur in a cage about the size of our cabin. The fruit in the Mango trees are ripe in other parts of the island and that is where most of the wild lemur was so we did not get to see them.

 

All the lakes on the island are in volcanic calderas that have no outlet for the rain water that has created the lake. Each lake is inhabited by crocodiles.

 

Eventually we made our way up a winding road to the top of Mt. Passot which is 2,876m (7,250ft) high. From here you get a 360 degree view of the whole island. There are viewing platforms there with photo and descriptions of what you see. The whole coastline is punctuated by a great number of gorgeous bays and deserted beaches lined by palm trees. While there our guide gave us a sample of a very nice local rum (vanilla flavoured) mixed with Coke. They also had fresh bananas for us.

 

From there it was about an hour drive back to the tender dock. This included passing through the old town of Hell-Ville, the central place of the French colonial empire. There were some souvenir shops there but we decided to keep going as we were past our time. There was a bit of a line for tenders but I got on the 2nd one and was back on board by 6:10PM

 

Wherever we went we found the people very friendly. The children and some adults often waved at our bus. At the market and other places we stopped there were no aggressive sales pitches.

 

The Oceania shuttle took passenger to the market that was our first stop. One could walk back to the tender dock from there if wanting to.

 

For the most part, it looked like someone could get around the town of Nosy Be in a wheelchair if one was willing to use the road – some sidewalks were usable but many not. If you are able to get in and out of a chair without too much problem the town would offer something to see.

 

For today I will end with a few thoughts about ‘life’ –

“The hardest thing in life to learn is which bridge to cross and which to burn.” - David Russel

“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” ― Elbert Hubbard

“Enjoy life, it has an expiry date.”

“There is no cure for birth or for death, save to enjoy the interval.” - George Santayana

“Life is like riding a bicycle, you don’t fall off unless you stop pedaling.” Claude Pepper

“Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds a man down or polishes him up, depends on the stuff he’s made of” – Josh Billings

"Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but only spend it once." - Lillian Dickson

“It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project.” - Napoleon Hill

Life is what happens when you are busy making plans – Allen Saunders

[Waynetor]

Today we are sailing in the Indian Ocean heading back towards mainland Africa. The weather is near perfect – lots of sunshine, slight breeze, and just hot enough. The seas started off quite smooth, but as the day wore on it got a bit bumpy.

 

I had not heard of this being done before, but on this voyage various staff have been having dinner in the main dining room with invited guest. Some people have been invited more than once, but tonight we had our first invitation. We were supposed to eat with the Environmental Officer but he was not feeling well so we ate with one of the Navigational officers. Not sure how they usually do the invites.

 

As anyone reading the main Oceania board will now realize that Don Horner passed away this afternoon in his cabin. He has been a very active cc member as well as on our roll call. Before boarding I was looking forward to meeting him. We toured with Betsy and him yesterday. They both were on our afternoon trivia team. I am sure he will be greatly missed by many people.

 

Appropriatly for today I will again end with a few thoughts about ‘life’

“The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.” – Anna Quindlen

"Your life is your message to the world. Make it inspiring." - Lorrin Lee

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body. Rather to slide in sideways, Champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, totally worn out, body thoroughly used up and screaming Woo Hoo, What a ride!!!”

OR

"Life shouldn't be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly shouting, "Wow! What a ride! Thank You, Lord!"--Beth Moore

[Paulchili]

Waynetor,

After being away from home for some time, I am now catching up with your journey and enjoying it immensely. It is a style of reporting that is refreshing on these boards - educational, entertaining and truly unique. I particularly enjoy all the facts about the places you visit and the quotes at the end of your posts.

Over the years we have visited all the places you have described (and are still to visit) - it is nice to revisit them again vicariously and see them through someone else's eyes.

Please keep it up and I will enjoy traveling along with you.

PS Happy belated birthday.

Paul

[jo-b]

Love the quotes, thank you. I will take the penultimate one as the best advice so far!!

[Waynetor]

The United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north; Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The Indian Ocean forms the eastern border. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, is in north-eastern Tanzania. The name "Tanzania" derives from the names of the two states, Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which united on 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Three days later the country was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania. Swahili and English are the official languages

Dar Es Salaam literally "The residence of peace", formerly Mzizima is Tanzania's largest and richest city, as well as the largest city in eastern Africa by population.

This multicultural city is Tanzania's most prominent city in arts, fashion, media, music, film and television. The city boasts international cuisine ranging from traditional Tanzanian barbecue and Zanzibari food to Thai, Chinese, German and American restaurants. It is Tanzania's leading financial center with the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange being the country's first and most important stock exchange market. Dar es Salaam is the largest and most populous Swahili speaking city in the world.

Though not a popular tourist destination the city is the leading arriving and leaving point for most tourists who visit tourism areas in Tanzania like the national parks for safaris and the islands of Zanzibar. The region’s population was 4,364,541 as of the official 2012 census. (growing rapidly)

Dar es Salaam continued to serve as its capital after the formation of Tanzania. In 1973, however, provisions were made to relocate the capital to Dodoma, a more centrally located city in the interior. The relocation process has not yet been completed, and Dar es Salaam remains Tanzania's primary city.

Dar es Salaam has a problem with slums. According to a United Nations estimate, 70 percent of the city's population lives in informal settlements. The poorer residents crowd into downtown areas or large slums, many without running water or basic services. The wealthier live in beachside mansions in the city's northern districts.

Dar es Salaam is located at 6°48' South, on a natural harbour. The average high in Feb is 31C (88F) with 66mm (2.6 in) of rain.

[Waynetor]

Greetings are important in East Africa and you don't launch into a conversation or even ask a question without first saying "hello, how are you?" Swahili - Hello = Jambo, How are you? = Habari gani

 

Our original arrival time was change to 11AM and when we got near the harbor entrance we had to stop to let other traffic move around in the harbor so that made us a bit late. The late arrival gave us lots of time to enjoy seeing the islands off shore as we approached the port. As we entered the harbor there is a fish market that was packed. Two ferries were dropping off passengers and vehicles right by the market adding to the crowds.

 

In preparation for this port I decided we would just walk around but it was hard to get a feel for where the ship would dock and how far it would be to get to where we wanted to go. Once docked, I realized it would be a fair distance into town. In the port there were lots of buses and a few vans for those with booked tours but I did not see any taxis waiting for passengers. You could walk out of the port but it would be about a half hour walk to the start of the downtown area. (I did see some people doing it.)

 

Freda has a bit of a sore throat so decided again to stay on the ship while I went to town. I had good maps of the tourist area. Oceania again provided a shuttle to a shopping area. I asked the local tourist guide they brought on board where on my map we would be dropped off. He just gave me a copy of his map showing the shuttle drop off and could not point out where the highlights I wanted to go to were. Well as has been the tradition on this cruise, the shuttle went to a small market a half hour from the port. It was next to a Double Tree hotel and there were some very nice gated homes in the area but nothing else to see except a bit of a bay with lots of sailboats anchored.

 

Going to the shopping market (mostly paintings and clothes that scream out “I am a tourist”) the shuttle went up one road in town and then along the beach area north of the city. We passed quite a few embassies. We were warned on the ship and on the shuttle not to take photos of any government building. We were also asked not to photograph women. The US embassy gate was heavily fortified.

 

While I did not get to see what I had originally planned, some notes from my planning are:

Dar es Salaam has two of the five museums comprising the National Museum of Tanzania consortium, namely the National Museum proper and the Village Museum. The National Museum is dedicated to the history of Tanzania taking visitors on a journey through Tanzania's colourful past. The museum displays important fossils of some of the earliest human ancestors unearthed during the Leakey digs at Olduvai Gorge. Visitors can learn about Tanzania's tribal heritage and the impact of the slave trade and colonial periods. Other highlights of the museum include ethnographic displays on traditional crafts, customs, ornaments, and musical instruments. There are 4 steps at front to get in but there is also a wheelchair ramp to the side. Close to the National Museum are also the botanical gardens. There are beaches on the Msasani peninsula north of Dar es Salaam and in Kigamboni to the south where residents and tourists alike frequently visit. Trips to the nearby islands of the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve are a popular daytrip from the city and a favourite spot for snorkeling, swimming and sunbathing.

 

I only got to see a part of the downtown but it seemed there aren't many sidewalks and combined with potholes on the street and heavy traffic it would have been hard for Freda to cover the whole area. The good point is the city is quite flat so that would make getting around easier.

 

Taxi fares are not fixed. A price must be negotiated before you begin traveling. Bajaj (aka Tuk-Tuk) are often used in place of taxis as they cost approximately half the equivalent taxi fare.

 

Tanzania has cornered the market with the exquisite blue gemstone that is only be found (mined) in Tanzania, hence the name tanzanite. Another popular item here is ebony carvings. Naturally they come in all sizes and quality depending on the artist. The artist can be seen working at some markets.

 

Insignia was docked in the industrial port, a very protected part of the inner harbor. Near the entrance to the harbor, right by the large fish market is where the small Arab dhows, delivering local goods and ferries going to local beaches and local islands. There is no dedicated cruise terminal. There were 3 cruise ships here last December but now there will not be another until December this year.

 

Some extra trivia about languages in Africa: Depending on to what level of differences the count is made, there are at least 2,100 and by some counts over 3,000 languages spoken natively in Africa. About 17% speak one of the Arabic dialects and about 10% speak Swahili making Swahili the most common language in Africa. Swahili is an official language in Tanzania, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

 

For dinner tonight in the Terrace Café there is an Arabic themed buffet.

 

Tonight will be one of those nights where we can turn off the engines and get out the oars. It is only about 40 nautical miles to our next port;Zanzibar.

 

Today’s thoughts for the day - Decide how you want to feel, and go wherever it takes to feel that way. -Andy Hayes

Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart – Confucius

[excited cruise traveler]

I am enjoying your postings and will go back to them for info and inspiration after we return from our segment (4/3/16 to 5/9/16), to use when we will cruise from Dubai to Capetown in Nov. 2016. I also hope to meet you on the ship during our cruise from Shanghai to Sydney in April.

Thanks also f. the cute jokes. Carol C.

[jaxw17]

Been wet and windy here in Morecambe Lancashire UK. Never mind had my daily dose of life on the ocean from you so okay.

Thanks a lot and keep going

[KirkNC]

So sorry to hear about your friend Don. That's very sad.

[Waynetor]

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania. It is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50km (16–31mi) off the mainland coast, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguija (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar), and Pemba. The island of Zanzibar is a major holiday destination known for its beautiful white sandy beaches,its diving, dolphins and many exotic spices and fruits, including clove, lemon grass, jackfruit and mango.

The average high temperature in February is 33C (91F) but there is a cooling ocean breeze.