Lion dancers in Singapore
Good Lord! Is that the date. It has been a while since my last update. Thank you for the emails prodding me into action to update the blog. Thank you to the kind lady who wrote asking if I was still alive due to the inactivity on the blog. I can confirm madam that the last time I looked in my mirror there was some semblance of life although at 4am getting up for an early arrival I use the term life loosely. I am not a morning person.
Anyway I digress. Since my last update we perambulated on down the West coast of India visiting New Mangalore and Cochin and continued the sensual assault that is India. Old mangalore must really be a sight to behold. The crossing of the Bay of Bengal was benign for which I give thanks to the person in charge of weather for the bay can be a beast of a place at times. On this occasion it was not. Granted we had a few celestial sprinklings but not the vertical stair rods of rain I have experienced in the past.
We visited Langkawi in Malaysia where we met the Seabourn Sojourn and ended up alongside the rather swish cruise terminal in Singapore. We met the Seabourn Sojourn again. Here our Godmother, Sarah Brightman named our good vessel Seabourn Encore and bestowed the Good Lords blessings upon myself and the good crew and all others who sail in her. I was on stage with her. I was very proud.I was very nervous. I did not stuff it up despite my inner voice telling me that on no account should I do so in front of the worlds travel media.
The bottle of bubbly dangles neath the boom to facilitate the splattering of its contents on my shiny paint.
We sailed, following the Seabourn Sojourn out of Singapore bay and headed for the Indonesian archipelago.Whats more, my good wife Debbie was along for the ride. Happy am I. It is monsoon season. Then again when is it not in this neck of the woods. The word Monsoon to me conjures up a feeling of some exotic far off land.
We visited the ports of Semarang, Surabaya, Probolinggo, Celukan Bawang and Komodo before finishing the voyage in Bali.
On the way to Semarang we crossed the Equator and traditions were upheld. Members of the ships Company who had not crossed the line before were subjected to the ritual summoning before the judge and a trip to the barber, surgeon or both. Ships Doctor Tim was promoted to surgeon although some of his diagnoses were a little inaccurate. His medicine of copious amounts of sickly coloured goo seemed to do the trick though.
MC Handre showing that even in pantomime costume he looks suave.
King Neptune, his mermaids surrounding myself ( it was tough but its theatre) the Judge and Queen.
The surgeon admires his handiwork.
The barbour got carried away with the goo.
Kiss the Fish!
Handre was caught. The fish ended up inside his T shirt. Look closely! I got covered in the melee.
and ended up in the pool with the Doc.
It was another great day at sea.
Whilst I remained onboard to carry on the ships business Debbie escorted tours and met the guests on the way. She will have seen more of Indonesia than I have already.
Debbie trying her hand at local arts.
Komodo dragon.
Today we are lying at anchor at Komodo island home of the dragon. Actually a rather large lizard. In fact a huge lizard.The guests go ashore with a ranger as this whole area is a protected natural marine reserve. Whilst at anchor we are surrounded by noisy people in colourful canoes coming for a look at us.
We leave in a few hours for Darwin Australia. The sun is setting over a real life Jurassic park.
Evening comes to Komodo Island.