Apologies for the delays...

Apart from the time factor of trying to get the blog up to date; the fact that the connection keeps dropping out; a severe attack of sinusitis/head-cold, probably caused by the chain-smokers in the adjoining cabin, all is well.  Already, there is talk of plans for 2013, as Princess has just released the itineraries.

When you are addicted, you always need to plan when your next fix is coming along.

I promise I will get the blog up to date but quite when, I am not too sure.  Apart from Gary & Joanne, I am not even sure if anyone is even reading it, as internet access is so fragile I haven’t even bothered checking the stats.

In real time, we have already been to Bali, Darwin, Port Douglas and are currently an hour or so away from leaving Airlie Beach, then the run down to Sydney, where all of our table friends will be getting off.  Sob, sob.

Oh no.  The smokers are back on their balcony next door...

Days 7/8 Dec 1st & 2nd - at sea and Vietnam

Back to a leisurely start to the day and the usual relaxed routine before a swim in the Conservatory pool, which is all under cover and the temperature in the water must have been about 30 degrees plus.  Lovely.

A very nice lunch that was so good, I just had to have a second plateful – a bit of a rarity for me on board.  This was followed by a visit to the tropical fruit buffet where we had the opportunity to try various items we normally wouldn’t see or have the courage to try.  Maintaining 5 portions of fruit/veg per day is so easy.  Jackfruit, lychees, massive guava, chocco, pineapple, dates, paw-paw, oranges and no doubt others I missed.   (Please note Mrs Wallace, 8 fruits on my plate...) Very nice too.

We didn’t win at trivia.

After a dinner that included two mains – prawns and veal rack, (I skipped on the soup) we went to see Maurizio in the Explorer’s Lounge, rather than his usual spot in the atrium where he has a massive following.  This was more  a concert than the usual sing-along /dance-along.  Very enjoyable but ruined for us by some woman of foreign extraction seated just behind us at the rear of the area, who yapped all the way through.  Turning round and glowering had no effect.

With an early start tomorrow for a tour to Ho Chi Min city (Saigon), we crashed early.  We had a 6am alarm set as Paula wanted to see the sail in.

 

Day 8 Vietnam

The sail in wasn’t really very interesting but it did give us time for a quick breakfast before the 2 hour run to Hi Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon.

Until I’d seen the UK’s “Top Gear in Vietnam”, I had no real wish to visit, but for a programme that is based on cars, they did a stellar job of promoting Vietnam.  Although we didn’t get out and about to see the real beauty of the countryside, this was a fascinating stop.  Our guide “Ho”, looked a lot like a slimmed down smiling Buddha, with a round face and he did smile a lot and was also quite gentle with his commentary.   I just love to analyse some of these guides for mannerisms, as they all seem to have them.  Ho’s mannerism was repeating half of the last sentence or phrase at least twice, so the day went something like this.

“In Vietnam we have 85 million people and 70 million motorbikes: - motorbikes. The adults have to wear crash-helmets: - crash-helmets, but not the children: - children.”

The journey in from the port at Phu My was interesting, as for the only time of this trip, we drove on the “wrong” side of the road.  Having said that, watching the kamikaze motorcyclists, you could so easily have been forgiven for thinking that they drove on the left.  Our very skilful coach driver took no prisoners and when making right turns from lane 2, across the motorcyclists, he turned quite slowly and the motorcyclists continued to dive in front as we were turning until we were well through and then they passed behind.  Scary!  Seeing the stuff they carry on the bikes is mind boggling, but it seems that whatever you want delivering to your house, it arrives on the back of a bike.  We passed a couple of bikes carrying not one, but 4 single mattresses.  As most families have just the one bike, seeing mum, dad and one or two kids on at the same time was the norm.  (Families are limited to two children...)  Amazingly, throughout the trip, we saw no accidents so it does make you think.  NZ prices motorbikes off the road, (the registration fee is higher than for a car) yet in many countries we have visited this year, including some in Europe, it is the most efficient means of transport.

We had a “Happy Room” stop about 1 hour in, and as I hadn’t packed enough leisure shirts, I was happy to buy 3 genuine Ralp Lauren polos for $20.  (Yes, I have spelt the label name correctly!)  I didn’t bother bargaining but others managed 3 for $10!  Needless to say, on the return to the ship, there were quite a few passengers supporting Ralp Lauren.

Our first stop on the tour was a 45 minute stop at a lacquer factory, where just for the tourists, there were about 10 operatives showing the different processes including some intricate work using mother of pearl and even egg shells!  I have to say that this was one of the better of these showroom stops.  We duly got back on the coach and waited; and waited; and waited.  Twenty minutes after our due time, two passengers who are from world’s third largest continent, finally made it to the coach, which was parked at the showroom exit.  They received the slow handclap from the rest of the passengers.  They couldn’t understand why they were given the treatment until someone told them in no uncertain terms how selfish they were.  Our next stop was the Post Office for 20 minutes – but they didn’t get off the coach...   It was left to a further two of their countrymen to be a further 10 minutes late...

On then to the market.  As with all indoor markets, hot and steamy with in this instance, the outer ring of stalls manned by government employees and everything at fixed prices, so no bargaining.  Once past them, the bargaining started in earnest  - it is almost a national sport.  NOT bargaining they find quite disappointing.  Paula did well here and bought a few more items to add to the Ralp shirts and also a couple of coolie hats we’d bought at the stall inside the post office.

Thankfully, no one was late this time and the coach dropped us off at Duong St in the city.   We led the rush to a “Gloria Jeans” coffee shop, where they took US dollars and provided a superb coffee.  Just what we need before strolling up and down the street, marvelling once again at the motorbikes travelling on whatever side of the road took their fancy.  We walked as far as the river, but wisely I think, elected to not cross over the road.  The general rule here seems to be, amble across the road at a steady pace and whatever you, do, don’t run.  The traffic should (repeat, should) flow around you.  If you stop or run, the oncoming gaggle of bikes has no idea whether to go in front or behind.  

A quick photo stop at the palace where we were allowed inside the gate, but not more than about ten metres from it.

Almost the whole journey back to the port, the road was lined with small businesses.  Far more interesting than passing large modern factory buildings.  In Vietnam and Thailand, I think I could have cheerfully taken my time passing through and taken enough interesting photographs to fill a book or two.  There was just so much of human interest and the people are very likeable.

Very noticeable was that in NZ and most western countries, there are always car sale yards, here there were a lot of yards selling second-hand construction equipment such as cranes, rollers, diggers etc. There are many road side eating establishments as the food is so cheap and with people working long hours, it is easier to eat out rather than cook.  Many of these road side establishments had hammocks for the use of clients. Now that is something that the west could offer!  On the outskirts of Saigon is an amusement park that looked quite large but I have no idea what it was called, though there was a massive rock structure, not quite as big as Disney’s Matterhorn, but pretty impressive. We were back the ship at 5:10pm with once again, our driver skilfully using any of the three lanes available, but the run was noticeable by the number of broken down trucks in the ‘slow’ lane.

A visit to the buffet then to an 8:15pm comedy show by Don Ware.  Don was for six years, a script writer on the Cosby show - and at times he even spoke like Bill Cosby!  His recall of his Bangkok hotel with free massage was hilarious.  Totally non PC – thank goodness - and with a fair bit of picking on the audience.  He challenged one guy, who was escaping for a cigarette, “ Who cut your hair? Stevie Wonder?”.  My kind of humour.

A coffee in the atrium – virtually the only place you can get one.

Now we have three days at sea to look forward to, when I may give our comparisons of the Diamond and Dawn Princes ships - if I can find the time of course - and if there is internet available.  With 2700 passengers, compared to the 1950 of the Dawn, the pressure on the internet is so much greater, so getting connected and getting anything done, such as viewing emails on line, sending them or posting blogs, is not that easy.  We may now have to wait for Darwin before we can upload, so what you are reading today may have been written days ago.

 

 

Day 6 - Thailand 2 - Nov 30th

Laem Chabang

Having been to Bangkok before, we had opted for a shorter tour than the whole day tour to that major city.  Several people from the “Diamond Cats” were just getting  a coach to Pattaya beach and we weren’t sure when we got up (at 6am) whether or not we’d be joining them.  After a quick snack, we managed to buttonhole the tour staff and they cheerfully checked that there was space on the tour we wanted and simply altered our incorrect tickets.  Phew!  We are so glad they did as Paula had done us proud and selected a tour that is probably going to be one of the trip highlights.

We set off promptly at about 7:45am with our guide “Moo” and we passed through Pattaya and hooked a left, straight into the Nongnooch Gardens, a 500 acre privately owned resort site that is obviously very popular and also well organised. We arrived early and had 20 minutes to wander around an area that was totally dominated by various sculptures made out of small terra-cotta plant-pots. Then it came alive... For 50 Baht (about $US) you could have your photo taken with a monkey, bottle feeding a baby tiger, sitting on a pair of elephant’s trunks, with a macaw or three and so on.  Some great photo opportunities if you weren’t paying either. This was just in a tiny compact  area of the 500 acre site and even though we weren’t hungry, we would have liked to have wandered around the food area just across the way.

Back on the coach for a two minute drive through to the next area which was a mass of stalls but we didn’t get much time before we were ushered into the large tin shed with tiered seating and fans blowing a cool mist.  This was for the cultural show.

Over the years we have obviously seen a few cultural shows but this has to be one of the very best.  With local dancing and movement with a cast of over 30, this was no tin pot little tableau.  The back-drop changed at least 5 times with different aspects of Thai culture with references to Hindu as well as local traditions.

The front stage then was suddenly taken over by a small gang of workers who quickly erected a boxing ring and we were treated to a demonstration of kick boxing of two rounds.  This was not without humour as one of the ringside worker/supporters got whacked at the end of round one and the referee at the end of round 2.  An exhibition of sword fighting, then stick dancing then a display of fighting whilst sitting on decorated elephants followed by smaller elephants effectively dancing, made this a fast moving show and it was over all too quickly.

We were then shepherded through to the outdoor arena for the elephant display.  The Princess tours had VIP seating at the head of the arena and we were encouraged to buy small bunches of bananas to feed the elephants.

The display was just wonderful, with elephants doing everything from throwing darts at balloon targets, kicking large soccer balls, riding tricycles, playing basket ball, to a very impressive display of tee shirt painting! One managed to draw a picture of a tree, another a bunch of flowers. 

Several members of the audience were invited to participate by lying on mats, and the elephants walked up and stepped over them.  Two audience members then laid down on their backs, the elephants tapping them on their stomachs with trunks, then with a front foot!!!

We just loved the display.  Paula held out two bananas from the bunch.  An elephant took the offered bananas and before Paula could reach to the floor to peel off another couple, the elephant beat her to it and took the whole bunch!

Just five minutes to check out the stalls and back onto the coach to Pattaya and the “factory shop” stop.

This turned out to be a jewellery factory.  Oh dear.  Forty five minutes here in a large modern air-conditioned building with dozens of ‘helpers’ always means the same thing. They want you to buy their expensive jewellery.  At this point, all the guys went off the idea as did most of the women.  If it had been a local market or even 45 minutes to wander up and down a street, no problem.

Princess, their tour companies, coach operators, taxi drivers etc  tend to spoil a lot of these trips by taking you to places like this.  I have never yet met a man who enjoyed them and the 45 mins would have been far better spent back at the gardens where there was much to see.

Nevertheless, the factory selling aside, this was a great trip. The journey through the area was fascinating as the towns seem to spread for ages with hundreds of small businesses lining the roadside.

I love the Thai people.  They seem kind, somewhat relaxed and smile a lot. They encompass various religions quite happily and when the name was changed from Siam to Thailand, the word means “Free Land” and this could just as easily be “Peaceful Land”.

There was a little bit of shopping at the terminal and I bought a belt – with an MG buckle!

Dinner was a full table but so far, we feel that maybe the food on the Dawn was a little better.  After, we went to the full Bobby Borgia magic show and enjoyed it, but an excess of ice cold water at dinner probably didn’t agree with Paula’s internals...

Another day at sea ahead before Vietnam, so after an early start to the day, fairly early to bed.  

Days 5 - Thailand 1 - Nov 29th

Koh Samui

We woke before the alarm and the ship was still on the move for our first of two stops in Thailand. This was the first tender port and that meant first of all, a queue at the Wheelhouse Bar for our bus tickets for a Princess tour, then a wait in the theatre before our group was called.  When we got to the top of the gangplank, with Col & Jude and two others, there wasn’t enough room on that tender for us.  We heard on the two way radio that the tour was six passengers short.  What we didn’t realise was that it was us!  We were then shuffled to the other gangplank for the next shuttle, so by the time we arrived at the pier, the rest of the coach had been sitting waiting about 15-20 minutes. Not our fault.

Col & Jude managed to score a seat at the front, which was great for Colin as he isn’t the best of travellers.  We were at the very back, with the washroom to the left so we could only look out to the right through a window that was less than clean.  Thailand, like Singapore, drives on the left, the same as Australia/NZ and the UK.

From a dodgy start, this turned into a good half day tour, with the first stop at “Big Buddha”.  We checked our attire just to make sure we conformed to the notice (see pic).  Our guide explained the significance of the Thai colours, hand positions, days of the week of your birth etc., and at the top of the steps, we were invited to pray to Buddha, then strike the bell(s) for our wish to come true. I was sorely tempted to do my best Hunchback of Notre Dame impression, but I do respect the various religions, particularly Buddhism.  On the water’s edge were 3 colourful statues.  

On then to another temple complex, which seemed to encompass 3 different religions on the same site.  Very photogenic and colourful.   Stop 3 was a quick drink stop at the Beverly Hills resort on the cliff top, at the south eastern end of the island.

The last stop was to see the trained monkey (or two) harvesting cocoanuts.  Not a very thrilling stop, but the picture should show why we were advised to use the “Happy Room” at the Beverly Hills! (Thai terminology was quite quaint. If the “Tide is In” or “You are at High Tide” you’ll need to visit the “Happy Room”.)

On our return to the pier at about 1:15, we deemed it too warm to walk into town, so it was straight onto the colourful local tender boat, rather than a ship’s lifeboat, back to the air-conditioned sanctuary of the ship.

Dinner at 6pm was our first official fixed dining with waiter Freddie (Mexico) and Oscar (Peru) as our waiters. We raised a glass to our much loved absent friends.  Sad that they weren’t with us to continue the previous table experience.

We expected great things from the Thai chicken curry, but we all agreed that it was not very good at all... Shame.

The evening show we chose was the full Tom Briscoe (comedian) and we enjoyed it.  I hopped into bed about 10:25 just as Paula checked our Princess tour tickets for tomorrow and found that they had supplied Vietnam tickets by mistake.  So, out of bed; got dressed again; down from floor 11 to the front desk on deck 6 - where of course, they know nothing whatever about the tours.  I did manage to get a meet time and we vowed to get up early tomorrow morning to see the tour staff, to try and get them changed.  We shall just have to wait and see.  Maybe there will be nothing interesting to report tomorrow.   Some may well say that that the way I write, there is nothing interesting any day...  

Day 4 - All at sea Nov 28th

A good night’s sleep meant a slightly late join up with the buffet queue.  Those obviously new to buffet dining seem to wander around in a bit of a daze, probably overcome with the sheer variety of food available and queues were evident at most stations.  People were often going against the flow and then dilly dallying over selecting the exact piece of frizzled bacon out of the 100 or so identical pieces available.  Something you get used to.  The Dawn Princess carries just under 2,000 passengers and the Diamond some 700 more – a high percentage of whom are going to use the two buffets, so it is inevitable that it is going to be busier, particularly at the busy times.

The food options are slightly more in number and I was pleased to see that the corned beef hash and baked beans were on.  I could never understand the Dawn as whenever the hash was on, the beans were not! The scrambled eggs were livened up with mushrooms and Swiss cheese and I suppose it was appropriate that we sat at a table with two Swiss ladies. Oscar would have been pleased, as there are about 100 Swiss on board.

We had another wander around the ship but it was quite warm outside and we eventually ended up at Skywalker’s Nightclub at the rear of the ship, for the first official “Diamond Cats” meeting.  What a great venue. I am not too sure how many were there but I do know there are 95 on the list for the first lunch in a few days time.

Our first Trivia was late afternoon and we had enough for two teams, but we still didn’t win even if we’d combined our scores...   A swim in a rear pool (30 degrees?) then Tom Briscoe’s comedy half show with Bobby Borgia’s magic for the other half, before drinks at Ros and Arnold’s suite and then to dinner together with Col & Jude plus Ken and Barb. Ros had organised a table for fixed dining as getting a table organised for “Anytime” was so much of a hassle.  In fact, it was far from “Anytime” with so much messing about, that a fixed dining time was easier.

This was our first formal night but as I had forgotten my black trousers, a bow tie seemed inappropriate with pale slacks.  It might have helped if I had consulted my packing list and checked off the items, rather than relying on memory.

The clocks are back 1 hour again tonight, but tomorrow is our first stop – Thailand, so an 11pm bedtime (old time) should make up for an early start.

Day 3 - We're away cruising! Sept 27th

After a fairly erratic night as the bodies tried to get used to the 5 hour difference, we went down to the buffet a bit later than intended, so it was a bit busier.  Spotting potential cruisers wasn’t too difficult, as there is always that glow of anticipation prevalent! Back to the room to shower and pack and to the lobby to check out. Oh dear. From a very slick check in, with no queue, check out was just the opposite. A slow queue then as an honest soul, I declared that we hadn’t signed for our breakfast that morning, so had to wait whilst the receptionist rang through to the buffet and confirmed we had been clocked in for breakfast, so that meant the final bill had to be reprinted...  It took just over half an hour in total.

A taxi to the Marina Bay Sands convention centre to check in, where the there was a constant stream of taxis, slowing up the arrival area. Another total fare of $10.  We thought that maybe we’d be able to go up to the hotel (it’s the one with the massive surfboard structure as its top level – hopefully, a photo attached) but the Convention centre is across the road and we opted to check in instead.  We handed over our luggage and there was no queue for the “Preferred Check In”.  That is us...  To the desk, sign a form and we were given a shuttle bus ticket.

We only had to wait 5 minutes and the bus took about 30 minutes to transport us to the pier, at one of the many container terminals.

Most people know that Singapore is the largest container terminal in the world.  When it takes a further 10 minutes driving AFTER arriving at the port gates to get to the ship, and you can traverse the average NZ town in less than 5 minutes, you’ll get some idea of the size.  Incidentally, from our Singapore hotel window, even though I could only catch a glimpse of the water between the various tall buildings, I counted 76 ships in the harbour.

Embarkation was a breeze, getting our cards issued and official card photo’s taken at the foot of the gang-plank, then straight up to deck 11 to dump our carry on stuff in the cabin, before heading for the Horizon Court buffet.  Similar to the Dawn Princess as far as food is concerned, but with an extra dining room tacked on at the rear, extending outside to the rear  deck.

We then wandered through the ship, trying to get our bearings before the lifeboat drill, but I’ll leave the ship observations for later.

Singapore did its usual trick with a shower at sailaway time and we met up with just a few “Diamond Cats” before the evening buffet.

After unpacking and realising that I’d left my black (semi formal) trousers in Auckland plus a couple of polo shirts, we just relaxed before the theatre’s introductory show 9:30pm to 10:15pm.  Our cruise Director – Warren Smith, who was also our director on the World Cruise, compered the short show, featuring the dancers and a comedian, Tommy Briscoe.

No Alana and Alana nor a suitable spot on deck 7 for a late night coffee and dance, so early to bed – 11pm is not exactly early though. The first full day at sea tomorrow.