Seconds

At the reunion dinner for the land tour to Angkor Wat (bonding happens quickly on cruise excursions), TSH and one of the US men ordered the same pasta starter. They both ate quickly and remarked that they must have has less food than anyone else as they had finished first. Without anyone else being aware, they spoke  quietly to a waiter and asked for more. So the rest of the party had to wait until TSH and his new friend ate large plates of pasta before all the main courses arrived.

A tropical storm

The day started with the rumble of thunder and the flash of lightening. That part of things died down but the torrential rain continued during transfer to the tender, whose driver was not happy because the roof above him was leaking. Only slightly, but there was a tremendous amount of water around and it was not clear how he could see where he was heading to. TSH pointed out that the lightweight disposable ponchos had been left at home because Diva said ‘they were not suitable for Silversea’. Well, everyone else wore some version of them but fortunately the tour guide handed some out.  It was not clear what the people whose tour took them to the beach were going to do.

Ko Samui (still in Thailand) is a small holiday island, where the lives of the inhabitants still seem to be very basic, judging by the condition of most of the houses. But there are over fifty 7-11 convenience stores and a Tesco, so there is some modernity. The main source of external income is tourism, together with coconuts, which grow everywhere. TSH was photographed using a straw to sip the liquid from a coconut which still had the green outer shell covering the more familiar hairy brown.

The tour included temples which were much less grand than the ones seen over the last few days but still very brightly coloured and exotic by British standards. There was also a giant Buddha.

Diva was not impressed with the performing elephants, which seemed to her to be exhibiting obsessive behaviour, although they were very popular with other guests. A couple of people lay down so that the elephant could give a ‘massage’, including resting a foot on the person’s back. Slightly more authentic were the tethered pig-tailed macaque monkeys which were sent up trees to pick the coconuts.

The domestic chickens also look very exotic to British eyes and there were also water buffalo – used for fighting – in several places. The guide said that people also have fighting fish but that was more difficult to visualise.

Diva’s bling heaven

The main event in the Bangkok excursion was the visit to the royal temples and residence. The king is not living there at the moment because he is in his late eighties, frail and needs to be very close to his doctors. He is the longest reigning monarch in the world – slightly longer than the UK’s Queen Elizabeth.  There seems to be a real cult of monarchy in Thailand. The king and queen’s birthdays are both public holidays and there are massive pictures of them strung across the road in many places, Especially the queen. Her picture is from at least forty years ago, so she is ever youthful. Good idea.

The palace and temple complex is large and there are many buildings and structures. Diva likes shine and glitter and bright colours and she was in heaven. Every building is covered in gold or mother of pearl or mosaic made from stones and glass. It is a fantasy idea of what a royal residence should be. The group did not go into many buildings but an impressive one was the temple of the emerald Buddha. The Buddha itself is tiny but it sits on top of a massive edifice of gold carvings. This is as impressive as tourism gets, anywhere in the world. TSH and Diva wondered if the Beijing Forbidden City was like this when it was in use, as it has many similar structures.

The journey back to the ship was on the overhead expressway, giving excellent views of the city, including impressive new buildings (Eastern and Western style) and old buildings, many of which are crowded together and in need of renovation.  

Ayutthaya

Diva and TSH were up at 6am to witness the sail up the river to Bangkok, passing under magnificent bridges and observing many splendid temples in villages surrounded by dense vegetation.

Diva thought that the excursion to Ayutthaya, a World Heritage site, was the best excursion she has been on for ages. Angkor Watt was excellent but this was even better. The tour started at the royal summer palace, which is still used by the Thai royal family. Its splendour matches that of some of the Russian czar’s palaces but it is still in use and immaculately maintained. Travel around the large grounds and water features was by golf buggy, to be self-driven. Fortunately, Diva remembered that the couple from Solihull play golf and they were prepared to take TSH and Diva as passengers.

There was also a visit to a working temple, where local people were praying and taking selfies. This was a truly magnificent place, with a giant Buddha and much red and gold painted wood. A monk threw water over TSH and Diva, presumably in blessing and hopefully clean.

Two old temple compounds were also huge, with many stone towers and structures.

Along the roadside, it was possible to see many traditional stilt houses, in various states of modernisation and repair. Also, there were many modern temples – large and small – covered in gold and shiny decoration. More exotic than anything Diva has ever seen anywhere else.

Diva was very embarrassed when she struck up a conversation with a young man in a white t-shirt and assumed he was a member of the shore concierge staff. He looked too young to be a passenger (but he was) and she missed the fact that there was no Silversea logo on the white top. He took it well. A minor panic at the quayside when TSH couldn’t find his ship entry card. He returned to the bus and found it on the seat. On return to the suite, the butler had arranged scented bubble bath, with candles and rose petals. He really is very good.

2017 is booked. HK in the spring followed by Japan (cherry blossom), the Bering Sea and Alaska.

White storks, large fish. turtles

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.

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.

In which TSH and Diva are hot and tired

An early departure as soon as Silver Shadow docked in Chan Mai. During the drive to Da Trang, TSH and Diva saw large new western-style developments as well as small traditional shacks. The stops included an embroidery workshop, a traditional market, a museum of Indian style sculptures and China Beach, where a lot of people died during the war in the 1960s and 1970s. The flight to Siem Reap was smooth – on a fairly new plane – and both airports were very modern. The hotel at Siem Reap is the Sokha Angkor resort – quite magnificent. The arrival at 19:00 was later than expected, so everyone was very tired, as well as hot and sticky. Time for a quick shower before dinner.

Embarking Silver Shadow

The taxi driver did not know how to get into the cruise terminal. He turned into the multi-storey car park, could not operate the barrier and sat there shouting at the ‘help’ panel whilst a queue of beeping motorists built up behind. Eventually he paid to be let in, there was a quick tour of the car park, and the unloading point was located.

In contrast with some recent cruises, the butler is experienced and seems efficient. The late afternoon sail away was accompanied by a dramatic red sunset. So all is well and the chocolates are excellent as ever. But the layout of the menu has changed and the New York strip steak has gone. Perhaps you can still ask for it.

Getting around Hong Kong

For those who have not been there, this is what it is like. A strip of water no wider than the Mersey between Pier Head and Birkenhead. The water is sea – one side is mainland China and the other is Hong Kong Island. A mile or two back from the water on each side are steep mountains. So all the development is crammed into the narrow coastal strips. Which is why they build up and up and up, with little space between the skyscrapers. After dark, all this is lit and some buildings have spectacular light shows on their sides and tops.

Diva and TSH are staying on the mainland and today went onto the island to visit the ‘Peak’, from where there is an excellent view across HK. The first part of the trip was along the extensive subway network which extends around most MTR (underground mass transit) stations. Then the MTR itself. Then the high level walkways which keep pedestrians and vehicles separate on the Island. Then some pavement. Then the Peak tramway, which is steep and, for Diva, white knuckle. Then the many escalators inside the Peak building, which is full of tourist shops, to arrive on its roof and survey the view.

All the above then happened again in reverse, except this time it was via Causeway Bay, a huge shopping area. Unlike in parts of the mainland, the international designer outlets are interspersed with traditional Chinese shops. A fascinating mix.

Special note: Even Diva cannot imagine why there are so many shops. She has lost count of Dior and Prada outlets. Who buys all this stuff? Way beyond any budget for these two travellers.

Bird and animal viewings: Black kites over the water, large butterflies, insects which look like UK dragonflies, a squirrel (pretty much like the ones in the garden at home but hey, this is a holiday, so this is a remarkable event).

Getting there

Getting there

The flight with Cathay Pacific went well, as the entertainment system, including the films, was easy and fairly intuitive. Is Diva the first person to watch American Sniper immediately followed by Frozen and enjoy both of them?  The only slight problem was that Diva caught a jacket button in the food tray and the button was smashed.

Hong Kong is as spectacular as ever and the waterfront is even more developed.  The temperature is high 20s C – warmer than experienced all summer in the UK this year. The room at the InterContinental has a harbour view. 

Getting ready

So the first drama has occurred. Cathay Pacific, chosen because they fly to Hong Kong direct from Manchester, have a baggage allowance by weight. BA, the normal carrier, and Virgin, who supplied the flight to Barbados for the Amazon cruise, do it by pieces. So on that last cruise there were three bags, amounting to about 65 Kg, with no excess baggage payment required. The Cathay Pacific allowance on the website said 25 Kg each. A significant reduction, especially when this is a very long cruise and many clothes and much toothpaste and mascara will be required. Diva announced airily that an extra bag (or two) could be taken and paid for. But the excess baggage charge is 60 USD per Kg. About £1000 each way for a suitcase. Even Diva does not want clothes and shoes that much.

Much research went into checking where toiletries and other heavy items could be bought in HK. TSH weighed lots of items and a spreadsheet was started. A tub of E45 weighs the same as Diva's white evening sandals. Slightly less than a pair of TSH's linen trousers. Trading positions were established.

And then the tickets arrived and there was great joy. The allowance is 30 Kg each. So not as much as last year but TSH and Diva can cope!!!