It has been a while since I have updated. I have all the usual reasons: too busy having fun, too tired from having fun, and unreliable internet. I will do a post or two to briefly update daily life on board, and then do a couple about destinations.
The first update is to assure everyone that I and all my fellow travelers are healthy. I dined with the ship’s doctor 2 nights ago. The entire crew is admirably discrete and professional, but he did say that there has been nothing more than the usual illnesses and injuries.
Only in Luanda, Angola on February 4th, did we have any sort of mandated medical screening. Everyone had temperature taken; we were squirted with hand sanitizer, and mosquito repellent was sprayed on exposed skin. A fire truck, police cars, and ambulances were at the port when we disembarked. They escorted our tour of the city for the first few stops. Then the fire trucks and ambulances left us with just police escort. Police escorts have not been uncommon for our tours in west Africa.
Namibia and South Africa routinely require a face to face encounter with immigration authorities upon entering or leaving these countries.
Several sister ships from this cruise line are sailing primarily around Asia. News reports are that they will by pass any Chinese ports including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. My ship is scheduled to visit Hong Kong but there has been no announcement about that port so far. We aren’t due there until April 2nd. I think we are all hoping this will all be over by then and that no other ports will become off limits.
I personally am in very good health. I walked 5 or 6 miles around Capetown yesterday. Back in January I got a mild dust pneumonitis for a day or two after visiting Da Gambia. It cleared once I got away from the air pollution. I still struggle a bit when we hit rough seas. But today it is sunny skies and gently rolling seas as we are just rounding the Cape of Good Hope.
Linda
Before opening up your blog, I ask myself, “where in the world is Linda?”. I enjoy following your travels!
hi linda,
do all the short visits start running together in your mind, or are they each unique enough that they stand out as separate adventures? what are your overall impressions of the passengers now that you have been with them for a while? do some/a lot get out and see the sights, or are they content to spend most of their time in the luxury of the ship? if, at this point, you could go back and visit just a single place you stopped at, where would that be, and what would you like to come away from that visit with?