India 2011

EI-11 - UK (London), EGYPT, OMAN. UAE (Fujairah, Sharjah), INDIA - cruise Date of travel: Nov 12 - Nov 29, 2011 ITINERARY: On Nov 12, 2011 before noon I leave Vista in a Hertz rented car for Los Angeles airport. At 6PM I board a Virgin Atlantic plane taking off on almost 11 hrs. flight to London. The plane lands in UK on Heathrow airport in London after lunch the following day. A minibus takes me and other 4 to our “Copthome Tara Hotel.” I sleep most of the rest of the day and the night. On Nov 14 by bus to Gatwick airport. There we board a Monarch Air plane for less than 5 hrs. flight to Hurghada on Red Sea. We land in Hurghada, EGYPT in midafternoon. Then by a bus to our ship “Discovery” in Safaga. The following morning, I take a trip to Luxor. This time there are only 2 buses from Safaga and no military escort. With uninterrupted explanation by our guide, we reach Luxor in about 3-hour drive. After crossing Nile, we are soon in “Valley of the Kings.” My 3rd visit of this place. Back in Luxor for lunch. After drive past the “Luxor Temple,” We stop at the “Karnak Temple.” During my previous visits there were some 150 buses parked at its parking area. There are only 8 buses here today. After the recent Egyptian revolution, few tourists come to Egypt. We are sightseeing Karnak almost alone. The a drive back to our ship in Safaga. Between Nov 16 and Nov 19 our ship sails on the sea. First about 2.5 days it is on the Red Sea and later it is on the Gulf of Aden. The second day on the Red Sea we were to make a stop in Massawa, Eritrea. It was the reason I took this cruise. But for security reasons the ship does not land there. A big disappointment for me. Because the danger from the Somali pirates, we get instruction what to do and where to go on ship to stay safe. I have noticed 3 armed guards on board, though nobody talks about them. At night our ship is darkened and so invisible. Many interesting lectures fill the sea days. On Nov 20, our ship “Discovery” is sailing the Arabian Sea. It lands at Salalah, OMAN in midafternoon. A coach sightseeing tour follows the landing. The harbor is 20 km from the city. First stop is at the palace of Sultan Qaboos bin Said. At the next stop, we visit a modern museum with models of ships, buildings, mosques, and forts. Then we browse a souq. For a while the coach goes past sandy beaches. After 2.5 hrs. we are back on our ship. Next day is spent on Arabian Sea following the coast of Oman. In the morning on Nov 22 our ship lands in the capital of Oman, Muscat. The sightseeing tour starts at 1PM. First stop is at impressive “Grand Mosque.” The second stop is at nicely arranged museum. Like in Salalah no photos inside. Then we take pictures of the sultan’s palace from the outside. The houses of the town are mostly white or light colored. There are Mirani and Jalali Forts above the city. We explore the covered souq individually. We are back on our ship at 6PM. On Nov 23, we are to see the emirate Fujairah. A coach takes us through emirate Sharjah to emirate Fujairah. Both are part of UAE (United Arab Emirates). After passing the capital also named Fujairah the coach makes a stop at Fujairah Fort. Next stop is at a museum. Then a visit to “Heritage Village” showing local folklore. Last is a vegetable market. Then back through the emirate of Sharjah to our ship. In the afternoon, the ship leaves Muscat to sail toward India. Overnight on Gulf of Oman then whole day on the Arabian Sea. Both are part of Indian Ocean. After dinner, I have an interesting conversation with a 32 years old Czech. She works on ships in various functions. She is in reception on this ship. On Nov 25, most of the day sailing the Arabian Sea. At last at 4:30PM the ship lands in Porbandar in INDIA. A sightseeing tour starts just after 5PM. Soon we leave our bus near the birthplace house of Mahatma Gandhi. That house is a Gandhi museum now. We visit it individually. Then on foot through narrow streets of Porbandar full of local people. There is a statue of Gandhi on one square and a Hindu Temple on another. Darkness comes very fast and we return to our ship. There is a local Indian Show on the ship in the evening. The following day is on sea again. On Nov 27, we are in Mumbai. There is a sightseeing trip in the morning. The local guide shows us a large laundry area, where hand washes everything. The next stop is at the house where Gandhi lived when he visited Mumbai. It is “Gandhi museum.” Then we visit a “Jain Temple.” A lot of beggars everywhere. It is followed by a stop at “Kamala Nehru Park.” There is a house in shape of a shoe there. From here we see the Black Bay around which Mumbai was built. North of this park there are the “Towers of Silence.” There the Parses (Zoroastrians) leave their diseased. From here back to the city to visit “Prince of Wales Museum.” Our last stop is at “Gateway of India” commemorating the visit of the British king George V. here in 1911. There is a lot of police around due to recent Pakistani terrorist attack costing 160 lives. After that we return to our ship. Here I prepare for my departure from the ship. I must leave my cabin at 8AM and at midafternoon I depart the ship for a hotel near the airport. From here before midnight to the airport. Very early in the morning on Nov 29, I fly on Lufthansa from Mumbai to Frankfurt. There I switch the plane for another Lufthansa flight to LAX. In Los Angeles I rent an AVIS car and drive home to Vista where after 4 PM. Travel office: Voyager of Discovery Who took part: The “Discovery” could accommodate 730 passengers, but there were only 470 on the ship now.