At Sea

Thur, June 6

We have now had four sea days since leaving Langkawi and it is quite scary how one day leads into another when we are not really doing much!

Still keeping to some sort of exercise regime with the excellent gym as well as line dancing and Zumba. Alex is in a trivia team and we try to get the day started with a visit to the pool and walk the stairs as much as possible instead of taking the lift.

Craft activities are on every day which I have enjoyed very much as well. So far I have done origami and have made gift boxes, bags and baskets, a bookmark and dimensional art. I would never have thought of using pistachio shells to make a flower for decoration, so I am getting lots of new ideas.

The lady who does all these wonderful projects is an American lady, Shirley and her husband, Dale. They have been teaching craft on ships for the past 20 years! She had to bring all her own supplies and manages to teach us something new in about an hour or so. A couple of the projects have been carried over to Day 2. A great concept and they do such a wonderful job.

I think I have only had two cocktails and one breakfast of pancakes, maple syrup and bacon so doing well so far. The food is excellent.

Yesterday we had a piracy drill which basically meant that we had to all go to our cabins when we heard the ship’s bell, and wait there with the door propped open and curtains closed until instructed. I have noticed extra security around the decks and the fire hoses and LRAD (long range audio device I think) at the ready in case any unknown craft approaches us.

Last night we passed Cape Comorin on the southern most point of India. Today we continue up the west coast of India and tonight we will pass the coast line of Goa as we make our way to Mumbai.

Langkawi

June 2
Today we visited Langkawi which is one of about 100 islands of which this is the largest of the group. It is about 60 percent jungle and has only been developed since 1987.
We arrived to a tropical downpour which stopped as we reached our first stop about 30 minutes drive from the ship at the Budaya Craft and Cultural Complex, where we were able to browse the traditional Malay handicrafts while craftspeople demonstrated their skills in kite making, silk painting and weaving.
We then moved on to the Galeria Pardana Museum – a really interesting museum created to showcase all the gifts, souvenirs and awards received by the 4th and longest serving Prime Minister of Malaysia, known as “Dr M” and his wife. It was a fascinating mix of porcelain, crystal, silver and textiles and well as weapons, plaques, musical instruments, Islamic art and paintings. The highlight for Alex was the collection of motor vehicles, including a . Unfortunately we could not take photos.
We then moved on to the Oriental Village to take the cable car up to Mt Mat Cincang, one of the island’s highest peaks at over 2,000 ft above sea level. We had great views on the way and could even see Thailand which is only 2 km away. Unfortunately clouds obscured the 360o views from the summit.
We had a great tour guide – very knowledgeable and friendly – who kept us entertained with legends of the island as well as poems and singing. Definitely a place we would love to visit again.

Kuala Lumpur

Sat, June 1

Off to another early start for our excursion to the capital of Malaysia. The ship berthed at Port Kelang and KL was about an hour’s drive away. The roads are excellent and 8 line highways were not unusual along the way.

It is a beautiful and vibrant city with a mix of modern skyscrapers and ancient minarets, sikhs’ turbans, muslim veils and even an English cricket pitch. It is also a garden city and unlike other cities which struggle to keep their lawns green, KL has successfully managed to keep the threatening jungle at bay.

On our City Sights tour we visited the National Museum which was very interesting with its exhibits covering Malaysian history and culture. We also stopped at the massive Blue Mosque but unable to go in as they were at prayer. We then moved on to the National Monument; very impressive bronze at 15.54 metres high. Also marvelled at the Twin Towers – 88 stories high, featuring a Skybridge at the 41^st and 42^nd level.