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.

It's all over

Silversea have informed TSH and Diva (and the other passengers) that this cruise will terminate in the next few days in a port in Cambodia or Vietnam, which are the only countries which will take the Silver Spirit. Compensation is generous but still not seen as enough by some. TSH and Diva are OK with it if a few details can be ironed out.

An enjoyable evening at the Captain's table. One of the other guests at the table has been a physicist at Cern and was there when they found the Higgs bosun. Diva was overwhelmed!! There was also discussion about International Women's Day and Diva combined the two by proposing a toast to Lise Meitner. A first on Silversea perhaps.

The mood on the ship is low but guests are trying hard and the crew are trying harder to provide exceptional service. It was perhaps not such a good idea to schedule a lecture 'Introduction to Myanmar', as this was to be a cruise highlight for many people.

As far as is known, everyone on the Silver Spirit is healthy (or at least, as healthy as the age group was when everyone embarked).

Cambodia

The people were very pleasant and eager to please and it is easy to forget that until the late 1990s they had experienced many years of war and difficulty. The local guide, probably in his late 30s or early 40s remembered as a child seeing dead bodies left by the side of the road after the fighting. He also had malaria twice.

The evening dance performance (private for Silversea), which took place in the hotel garden, was excellent. It was different from most others in that each dance had a narrative, which was explained to the audience. One of them was quite dark – the monkey ran off with the princess.

Angkor

The World Heritage site covers a vast acreage and there are hundreds of temples in various states of preservation and decay. Archaeological teams from many countries are working on the restorations, which will take tens, maybe hundreds, of years. It is impressive because of its vastness but also because of its intricacy. Wall carvings which looked like Egyptian ones. Wall carvings with battle narratives like the Assyrian ones in the British Museum.

TSH managed to stay on the paths. Under orders from Diva, who has heard of the unexploded land mines which are said to be still present around the site.

The temples are located in forest and some of the trees are growing straight through some of the temples. When the group was getting tired and hot and wanted to go back to the hotel, all agreed that they weren’t leaving until they’d seen ‘the temple with the tree’. Well, there are several of them and all were photographed, especially by TSH. There seems to be a connection with Angelina Jolie and Tomb Raiders. TSH thought he’d seen it but then admitted he meant ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’.

The museum contains many artefacts from historic sites in Cambodia. Perhaps the most impressive gallery was ‘the room of 1000 buddhas’. All shapes and sizes. Metal and wood. Different positions.

The Silversea group is small, only about 12, and all except TSH and Diva are from the USA. At lunch time, there was a lot of interest in an upturned glass, resting on a small plate, with a flower and a clear liquid inside it. TSH immediately realised that this was an accident waiting to happen and warned the people down his end of the table that it was to be left alone. But during the course of an excellent buffet lunch, not one but two people upended a glass to see what would happen. Well, water all over the table is what happened. Mortification on the part of the meddlers and amused tolerance from the waiting staff.

Monkeys, hens, cows, horses and many large  butterflies were seen and parrots or owls heard.