Life on Board – 2/ and on the River Cai.

My second blog “Life on Board” will be illustrated with general views taken around Queen Mary 2 during her current World Voyage. This lower view is of the Britannia Restaurant taken during a midday meal on 2nd April 2018. I chose the Canyon Ranch Spa selections for lunch today. beginning with Tandoori Chicken Kebabs (255 k.cal), followed by Dumplings Bok Choy and Sweet Chilli Sauce (431 k.cal) and for dessert, Vanilla Creme Brule (114 k.cal). That is designed to be the healthy option. Lunch in the Britannia Restaurant usually offers a choice of four starters, sandwich and salad of the day, various entrees and desserts. One generally has the choice of either dining alone or with others at a larger table at this time, or at breakfast when it is open sitting. Tea or coffee is offered at the end of lunch, as are drinks from the bar at the beginning. Looking towards the staircase and main entrance of the Britannia Restaurant. A general view towards the Grand Lobby from stairway C, just in front of the Britannia Restaurant. Grand Lobby. This is often the first area one sees when boarding QM2 at the start of a voyage. The Purser’s Office adjacent to the Grand Lobby on Deck 2. This functions more like hotel reception desk with several personnel available during the day when it is usually busy. There will be more from around the ship in the next few days. This morning, April 2nd, we were anchored close to the city of Nha Trang in Vietnam. Again, it was an attractive port of call. Recently, a cable car was installed to connect the mainland with a nearby island, thus necessitating the need for tenders to be used. Our port lecturer advised NOT using the cable car; it has proved unreliable too many times. My excursion today was “Life on the River Cai”, and was highly recommended by Graham, the Port Lecturer. It was a good choice. About 10 of us boarded a Ford minibus close to where the tenders had dropped us off. We travelled along a coast road, passing the statue of Tran Hung Dao, a Vietnamese hero. 100 steps were required to reach the Po Nagar Cham Tower just above the Cai River. These three towers are dedicated to the Divine Lady, Mother of the Country and date back to the 8th Century. We then walked through narrow and dusty back streets to the place we would board a small motor boat. We were taken to Vinh Thai Island to see traditional farming and other local activities. We visited a private dwelling, and stopped for refreshments of tropical fruit. I discovered I didn’t dislike coconut milk! I took few pictures on my phone. With luck, photos from my main camera can be added later. We covered much in the four hour excursion, but being a fairly early start, I felt tired and returned to the ship where I had the lunch described earlier in this blog. Later in the day, the sun went down and as darkness gathered, three long blasts on the ship’s horn heralded the start of our return to Singapore where we arrive three days from today. And as darkness fell on the now distant Nha Trang, buildings would gradually light up, a distant leisure park would spring to life and once again the sail-away would be magical. Sunset. Sail-away. Thanks for reading. Best wishes, David.

Hong Kong, Good Friday and Easter Saturday 2018

Written up on Easter Sunday.

I awoke early on Good Friday, just in time to observe as our ship, Queen Mary 2 berthed in front of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth at Hong Kong’s spectacular new cruise terminal, creating a rare two Queens event. For the first time, I was looking at Hong Kong’s backdrop of peaks and high-rises. Photo opportunities were aplenty. Friday would be busy; in the morning, a sight seeing coach and boat tour, and in the evening, the much anticipated World Cruise Dinner, this year, held at the Kerry Hotel in Hong Kong.

It was a fairly early start today even ‘though the tour commenced at the respectable hour of 09.15hrs. Our first call was at Victoria Peak. This would be ascended partly by coach, and then escalators through a tourist complex of shops, cafes and other tourist attractions, to an observation deck at the top.

Enough time was allowed for looking around and shopping, before we continued to Stanley Market. I took this opportunity for a spot of lunch at a waterside cafe. I think it was pork in tripe! It had no adverse effects! We continued to a minute temple, and then a brief but pleasant river trip. As on all these Asian trips, we visited, this time, a jade factory and retail outlet. Again, we were enticed with soft drinks. We saw much of the surrounding area including Repulse Bay, now highly developed with top end residential properties, and sporting a fine beach.

Boat trip.

On the river.

After returning to the ship, I caught up on some sleep before preparing for the Gala Dinner. Needless to say, the dress code was “formal”.

I am told that around 1,000 attended this grand event. The dinner was preceded by a reception which spilled out onto a terrace and garden which overlooked the water and a magnificent backdrop of hills and high rises which would gradually become illuminated as the sun went down.

Queen Mary 2 in front of Queen Elizabeth as seen from the terrace of the Kerry Hotel.

These photographs do not quite capture the magnificent setting for the World Cruise Dinner!

I have to say, this has to be the most lavish event I have ever had the privilege of being a guest at. The dining room was more the size of a football pitch, or so it seemed. At the opposite end of the wide entrance, a stage and screen which spanned most of the room’s width. Sophisticated lighting filled the entire space like that of a rock concert. Screens down one side of the room relayed what was taking place on stage. Local style entertainment enthralled all attendees of this gala banquet. There were dancers, acrobats etc. The drink flowed; addresses were delivered. And the guests, all those deemed to be taking the full world cruise were accommodated at round tables of around 8. I chose to start with a tomato and beetroot salad, continue with one of the finest beef-steaks I can ever recall and a parsimonious portion of vegetables and finally, a tropical fruit salad. The two salads were to cater for my dietary requirements….I would have much preferred the rich creamy dessert everybody else enjoyed. This was a splendid occasion to say the least. However, I was very tired at the end of the day and awoke at a later hour on Easter Saturday.

Determined to do at least something the following day before an early evening departure, after failing to get on to a helicopter trip & tea at the Peninsula Hotel (That would have been nice), I took the shuttle bus to the waterfront opposite the Shangri La Hotel. From there, I walked along the waterfront, taking a few photographs along the way. Eventually, I found a cheap eatery in a shopping mall and enjoyed, again, pork, this time with boiled rice and some green stuff. I returned to the ship and joined table companions Nick and Geraldine in the Atlantic Room, for the exclusive use of those taking the full world cruise. At dinner, all seven of us shared our day’s experiences. I then went with one of our group to see the film “Secret Scripture”, about a young woman being detained against her will in a mental institution. All very thought provoking and very well filmed. I then made the mistake of going to bed very late after getting talking to a dance host in the Kings Court, and then writing texts until almost 2am. I overslept this morning, missing the Easter worship. For that, I am not at all pleased!

Cunard World Cruise Dinner 2018 Captain Peter Philpot calls for a chat towards the end of the evening.

Yesterday evening, the departure from Hong Kong, as the sun set, and the light gradually faded, was magical. At the stern on deck 8, the band played and some people danced. I had seen nothing like it, and was thrilled, particularly with the crescendo of lighting from the forests of high-rises as darkness fell.

Today is beautiful as we now steam South West to our next destination, Nha Trang in Vietnam. No over sleeping tomorrow; I have booked a river trip.

All the best, David.

Life on board.

Frequently, I read my blogs to remind me of the numerous places visited, and some events of this voyage. It would seem that I have written very little about travelling in a vast ocean liner. In fact, I do find this difficult to portray.

From the moment of paying the deposit, thus securing my stateroom reservation, each following day was one of gradual excitement about a major unprecedented journey, the like of which I found hard to imagine. I did experience doubts and misgivings, but these were more than equally matched by excitement and anticipation as the day of departure approached. That day arrived; I would be away from home 120 days, 91 days longer than the previous longest time away from home in 2000. Was that QE2 voyage to Cape Town really 17 and a bit years ago? I remember feeling that, that 29 night voyage was more than adequate in duration and I was ready to come home. Between then and now, QE2 has been withdrawn and it still languishes in Dubai. In December 2003, I visited the ship yard in St. Nazaire to see, from a car park and outside the shipyard, QM2 almost ready for delivery to Cunard a mere 2-3 weeks later. I would be on its maiden voyage.

Today’s cruise of 120 nights is my 16th voyage on R.M.S. Queen Mary 2. To most, this might seem extravagant and excessive; in fact, it does to me also. But on board, at a Captain’s reception, one learns that the most frequent travellers on the top sailors list have accrued towards around 2000 nights on board Cunard ships. The green eyed monster in me may dismiss these achievements as frivolous. However, far better to spend one’s autumnal years on a nice ship than in a land-based institution. Perhaps I may, too, confess to my Maker, 3,000 days on Cunard ships, decades from now!

Once again, towering above the terminal buildings of Southampton harbour, that unmistakable shape of the biggest ocean liner of all time, Queen Mary 2. Familiar, with its red and black funnel atop a white superstructure, it may be, but that excitement and anticipation never fades. Especially now. It is my home until May. Its already familiar surroundings will accompany me to the other side of the World. Childhood curiosities will, at last, be satisfied. The run to Cape Town will be a pleasurable re-run of my QE2 voyage, except, we call at Walvis Bay instead of St. Helena. For many, Cape Town is the end of their 17 night cruise. A similar number will start their journey of a lifetime. The weather gradually has warmed as we crossed the Equator, and cooled slightly as we steamed south.

On board, if there is little or no movement, the ship seems more like an hotel than something transporting one to far away places. Sleeping accommodation ranges from inside windowless cabins, just about adequate for two passengers (“guests”) to staterooms with windows, many with balconies and even some on two levels with large areas of private deck space. Pay more for your accommodation and one dines in the more up-scale Grills restaurants. Single outside cabins are a welcome addition on decks 2 and 3, affording spectacular views of the ocean.

Cruising is synonymous with food. The choice is endless and of excellent all round quality, whatever the level of accommodation booked. Strangely, those in the cheap seats get to dine in what on earlier liners, would have been the first class restaurant. The Britannia Restaurant is loosely based on that of a French liner of the 1920s with rectangular dome ceiling lighting. This cavernous restaurant is three decks in height. Alternatively, one can dine in the Kings Court, a self service modern style eatery along much of both sides of deck 7. For some reason, it is often chaotic and complicated to navigate. Nevertheless, the food on offer is varied, plentiful imaginative and most importantly, hot. That was not always the case in the past. When it is not blowing a gail on the open deck 12, the Boardwalk Cafe offers salad, burgers, fries, and a limited selection of desserts, drinks and beverages. Venture down to the Golden Lion on deck 2, pub grub and afternoon tea is on offer for much of the afternoon. Excellent it is too. There are numerous other bars and areas in which to eat and relax. My favourite is the Carinthia Lounge, adjacent to the Kings Court on deck 7. Lavishly furnished in shades of brown, beige and bits of blue, this is a most comfortable venue for coffee and light snacks. This area was once the Winter Garden, my least favourite part of the ship.

Queen Mary 2 houses a comprehensive gym and a spa club for all the pampering one could ever want. Walk three times around the promenade deck and one has covered 1.1 miles. There are enough flights of stairs both inside and outside to contribute to a decent work-out. More often than not, I manage my modest target of 7,500 steps with little difficulty. In the afternoon and evening, a major film is screened in the cinema (“Illuminations”), another cavernous venue on board QM2. This is so much like a large town movie palace. Immediately behind Illuminations, is the Royal Court Theatre. Lectures and concerts take place most days, lectures take place in Illuminations as well.

QM2 offers the largest ballroom at sea, another cavernous space, very Art Deco in style and to my mind, extremely elegant. Behind that, right at the back, the G32 nightclub where the resident pop group and disco cater for the many who enjoy revelling into the early hours. G32 was the “yard number” allocated to QM2 during construction at St Nazaire.

I still feel my description of life on board only partly describes travelling by ship. Perhaps the images I eventually post will go some way to completing this picture.

What is interesting, the great variety of passengers, who, irritatingly, Cunard insists on referring to as guests….and UK railways as “customers…!” I imagined a ship full of wealthy retirees. I knew that few would be taking the whole world cruise. As QM2 progressed on its journey, passengers would disembark at major ports, being replaced by a similar number starting their vacation. Temporary friendships would be established.

The world cruise incorporated a number of voyages within, for example, Melbourne to Melbourne (calling at Kangaroo Island), Sydney to Sydney (circumnavigating New Zealand), Singapore to Singapore as well as other options involving flying. One couple I got to know, opted to travel by rail and sea to Australia before joining QM2. This took several weeks! In the Antipodes, the vast majority of the guests were Australian, many young with small children. Most would travel to Singapore or Hong Kong. Thus, the ambience was far from boring. A few would be negative about the ship and more than happy to voice their “qualified” opinion. This is always irritating given the vast organisation that goes into such a major, complicated and lengthy event.

A middle-of-the-night stroll around the promenade deck reveals teams of personnel, presumably on night shifts preparing the ship for the day ahead, restaurants being laid up, carpets vacuumed and even windows cleaned and handrails polished. All has to be immaculate by the early hours, and it is. During the day, some part of the outside is receives attention, whether it be varnishing the handrails, painting the superstructure, or maintenance of the deck. Bits are cordoned off daily. And there is always a toilet out of action, usually the one you choose to race to in times of desperation!

There are, of course, shops on board, a library and numerous swimming pools. What more can I say.

I hope this account gives at least, a slightly better account of life on board. More news in a couple of days.

David.

Yesterday in Ho Chi Minh City.

This voyage never ceases to amaze. Having spent time recently in Singapore and Bangkok, after a further welcome day at sea, we docked at around 7am yesterday at Phu My in South Vietnam. Along with seemingly a few hundred others, I had opted for the “Highlights of Ho Chi Minh” excursion. The formula was similar to trips to cities and other places a long way from the port. Usually, this involves a couple of hours’ drive along a recently built highway to our destination, guided tours of various sights, and perhaps a sumptuous buffet at a 5 star hotel.

Ho Chi Minh City can accommodate cruise ships, but not one the size and dimensions of Queen Mary 2.

We were welcomed aboard coach 15, thankfully air conditioned, and with the now familiar fancy curtains and pelmets of tourist buses in this part of Asia.

Taking part in this “day out in Vietnam”, involved an early start; up at 6am! However, I felt the journey would be worth the effort; and it was. Along the way, we saw glimpses of “ordinary life on both sides of the highway, little shops and businesses in cluttered shacks, the occasional house, place of worship, many open fields and some jungle area, nearer to the city. If I was not so far from home, I might have found this journey a little on the dull side. But, I was seeing a glimpse of a country I had only heard of so much, but would never have dreamed of actually travelling to. Thus, apart from the effects of morning fatigue and the ever present humidity, every moment was fascinating.

Each tour seems to begin or end with a visit to a store, an arrangement between the proprietors and the coach company with the aim of generating business from those on the trip. Today, we called at an establishment manufacturing & marketing lacquer products. We saw workers at their benches making what would become lovely items, such as jewellery boxes, pictures, and other fine pieces. This time, I was intrigued and impressed. So was everybody else; business was brisk!

We continued to the Natural History Museum. We were guided through exhibitions of ancient ceramics and many displays relating to the history of South Vietnam. As with all such visits, the limited time and the sheer number of people doing the same thing makes it hard to really appreciate what is on display. I usually purchase a guide to read at a later date. Unfortunately, none was available. But there was a leaflet with a plan of the Museum, which is helpful. In the Museum complex, there was a small theatre where visitors can watch a water puppetry show. This bit of culture, while entertaining, was lost on me! However, I do have video……

Buffet lunch was on the 7th floor of the 5 star Windsor Plaza Hotel, another massive windowless ballroom, but beautifully colourful, and lavishly decorated and furnished. The buffet, like that at the Sheraton in Bangkok, was “in duplicate”, along both sides of the room. Our party was allocated at least three large circular tables, all beautifully laid and inviting. There was ample choice, including excellent local cuisine. Around four “acts” provided mainly local entertainment, closing with “Auld Lang Syne”….a Vietnamese version! This was all extremely pleasant.

Afterwards, we made brief stops at the Post Office (designed by Eiffel of Tower fame) and still functioning as such, but also a major attraction, Notre Dame Cathedral (in the process of major renovation and boarded up around the outside), Reunification Hall, and the Thien Hau Temple dedicated to the Sea Goddess. Again, this shore excursion provided the best opportunity to see as much as possible in a day visit. I got to experience the sultry heat, the apparent chaos of the traffic, the noise, the persistence of persuasive & pestiferous street vendors, and for a while, just being in a place many will only read or hear about.

I would welcome the opportunity to go back there, as well as most of the other ports of call on this voyage.

I am afraid this is just the briefest of descriptions of a remarkable visit to Ho Chi Minh City. There are a few pictures to follow shortly.

Many thanks for reading.

David.

25th March 2018, Bangkok.

At around 8 O’clock this morning, RMS Queen Mary 2 docked at Laem Chabang, Thailand. I have heard a great deal about this country, but I usually favoured travelling west to North America rather than east to the Orient. There are so many “firsts” on this World Voyage. Only from Dubai to Southampton will I be on vaguely familiar ground, having travelled from there to Southampton in 2007. Even so, most ports of call in that last three weeks will be new to me.

Today, I set foot on Thailand soil for, again, the first time. I had booked a nine hour “Bangkok in a Day” excursion, which I did wonder how I would cope with, given the year round hot and humid climate. Thirty seven of us met at 08.45hrs in the Royal Court Theatre. We were soon escorted via the usual immigration procedures, to our air conditioned coach. Already, outside, it was very warm. I brought a large bottle of chilled water to last me the day.

The journey to Bangkok mostly by motorway was around two and a half hours. Apart from a few minor hills near the beginning of the journey, the scenery was unremarkable. During the day, we visited the Emerald Buddha Temple, the Grand Palace, and the Golden Buddha as well as the inevitable call at a jewellery store where a complimentary soft drink might entice one to do spectacular business. Lunch took the form of a buffet at a leading five star hotel. The hotel was fabulous, but the catering did not thrill likewise, and to allow time for the jewellery store visit, we were allowed a mere forty minutes for lunch. The tour guide worked very hard and conscientiously and was very caring. Two small children were brought by their parents on what for everybody was a long and hard day out. Our guide was brilliant with this young family. It was hot, and very slightly overcast. The city pollution did not seem bad, but it was a Sunday. Perhaps the place wasn’t as busy as it might be, but the temples and Palace was. We arrived back well after 7pm after a day which I enjoyed much more than I was expecting to.

I joined my table companions for dinner in the Britannia Restaurant at just after 8.30. For once, I wasn’t the last to arrive; I usually am. We discussed our various days; while I enthused about my brief glimpse of Bangkok, the rest exchanged their shopping and beach experiences. I joined the two ladies and Martin in the theatre for an entertaining magic and comedy show. This was a slick, fluent and confident performance which raised more than a few laughs and eyebrows! The days are passing at an alarming rate; today was number 75, as well as being Palm Sunday.

Many thanks for reading; pictures to follow.

All the best, David.

23rd March. Singapore.

It ain’t half hot here! Yesterday morning at approximately 02.51 hrs, we crossed the Equator back into the northern hemisphere. I stayed awake with hope of capturing the ship’s position broadcast on channel 45, of 0 degrees. This didn’t quite work out, but I did get the first reading in the northern hemisphere. For some reason, I had difficulty getting off to sleep after that. Later that day, we would approach Singapore via one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and see a continuous procession of all kinds of vessels. We docked eventually somewhere around 18.45 hrs. I chose not to disembark guessing disembarkation may involve much queuing and much waiting around. I was not wrong! Today, our Singapore Scenic Tour was an efficient way of seeing much in little time. We ascended the Sands Skypark to the observation deck which afforded splendid panoramic views including the much photographed QM2. Below, are scenes from high up, taken this morning. There was ample time to take all the pictures I wanted to. We continued to the river for a cruise around the city, and then to China Town where I bought postcards, a hat and replacement reading glasses. It was now becoming very hot, a foretaste of days to come in the Far East. I shall write again soon. Many thanks for reading, David.