Return booked

The return flights are booked. Ho Chi Minh to Manchester via Doha. Arrive Manchester Saturday morning. Assuming Vietnam, Qatar airlines and Manchester will accept cruise passengers. No known illnesses so far.

Ganging aft agley

The plan last night was to head for Sihanoukville in Cambodia (where Diva does absolutely not want to get off - nothing there, four hours by bus over bumpy roads to an international airport) to disembark two guests who are not acceptable to Vietnam (no idea). Then Silver Spirit will head to Ho Chi Minh City, where a berth is available on Friday 13th for everyone to disembark and go to the international airport, where flights will have been arranged. TSH and Diva think this is a good option under the circumstances - a few relaxing days on the ship and then the best possible journey home.

The morning announcement from the captain was that Cambodia have also closed their ports, even for just two guests. So the Silver Spirit will proceed very slowly towards HCMC, leaving the Malacca straits for the first time in days. No idea what will happen to the two guests. No flight details yet.

The crew are very concerned about the cancelled cruises and what will happen to their jobs. But they are working hard and being extra attentive.

TSH and Diva have had their lunch-time burger by the pool and TSH has had a filet mignon. Diva has had the lemon meringue 3 times and TSH has increased his consumption of the best Danish pastries in the world. They were pacing themselves for 6 weeks but there is now no need.

It is a Silversea convention that announcements start with  'This is the Captain speaking from the bridge'. Given the uncertain nature of the cruise, at the dinner table a few nights ago he accepted a dare to say 'This is the Captain speaking from the spa'. And indeed he did start one announcement that way.

Ho Chi Minh city

Shuttle bus into the centre of the city, after which Diva was terrified by the traffic. The traffic consists of vans, cars, many motor bikes and many scooters. The riders of the latter two often wear full face masks and goggles because of the smog. They do not stop at red lights, they drive around people on zebra crossings and the bikes and scooters sometimes avoid the jams by riding fast along the pavements. The Vietnamese people are trying to solve the problem by building a metro, apparently with help and assistance from Japan. This is an example of the foreign assistance which seems prevalent in South East Asia.

The city has many smart hotels but also many poorer looking areas. The whole region seems to be thriving, with a lot of building work going on everywhere. Many of the materials are transported along the Saigon river, which there was plenty of time to observe during the four hour sail out.

Although the menus on board have been changed, perhaps for the first time in several years, the quality has probably improved.

TSH had a beer at 11:30. AM.

Two firsts

On arrival at Siem Reap airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh city, the guides presented the Silversea rep with a birthday cake and all sang ‘Happy Birthday’. Then exquisitely decorated small cakes for each member of the party were produced. Nobody wanted them immediately and they were packed in a large cake box. There was talk during the queuing that they could be taken back to the ship for the crew. But Diva pointed out that this was a package given to us by others and that for everybody’s safety it was not going on the plane. People looked puzzled, then the penny dropped. So after going through security (with the cake box), the group occupied an unused security table. This is the first time TSH and Diva have eaten beautiful cake from disposable plates with plastic forks in the security area of an airport. Probably not allowed at Manchester or Heathrow. Surplus cakes were handed to a passing group of Australians but forks had run out. They coped.

On arrival at HCM city, the immigration official was not satisfied with the visa situation. This is definitely the first time that TSH and Diva have been refused entry to a country and turned back from the immigration barrier. The Silversea rep was summoned, officials were called and everybody frowned. Eventually someone senior escorted them through. Presumably TSH and Diva did not look likely to cause trouble or try to stay indefinitely. The root of the problem was the visa rules. US citizens need to pay for visas and are issued with multi-entry ones. UK citizens receive a single entry visa free of charge. But TSH and Diva had used that one and had paid for an additional one. But the paperwork for that one was not quite right – or maybe the officials didn’t understand it. This was not a nice experience.

The plan for the afternoon was to take a short trip into HCM city but the stair rod rain caused a change of mind. Dinner at La Terrazza with new US friends.