Join Pete and Judy on their FIRST World Cruise on the Amsterdam

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I don't know your date in Agra but it is full moon March 23. You can go to the taj at night on full moon, 2 days before and 2 days after. You should do it. You need to pay again but it is a unique experience. When we went on our 3 month trip to India we planed I'd backwards and forwards from full moon date in Agra.

Also dinner at the Oberoi hotel in Agra is wonderful. No idea where your staying in Agra but if you in the clarks the restaurant there is very good.

 

 

We are already scheduled for the full moon viewing. We are staying at the Doubletree in Agra

[jig]

That's good. Not sure where that is but other then the taj, at night the air quality can be very bad. Lots of burning on cow patties.

[bcnvcanada]

Try the early morning sun rise view, not as much pollution. We

stayed three days and never saw it after morning. If you do

the cross the river view, you can see the Taj, at night, but we never saw

with the moon. Hopefully, the air the air will be purer for you.

It is a wonderful site.

[jig]

Yes, the time to go is just when they open. That was you get to see the changing color of the marble. Hopefully the reflecting pools will be filled. They are not always. Agra fort is stunning. Things not to miss in Delhi are the red fort, the old Delhi, the Friday mosque, I know your on a tour but near the mosque is a famous restaurant called nizams I think. Good food. Qutab minar. Largest minaret in Asia. Be careful in New Delhi. Very safe but someone will always be outside your hotel. As you leave they will very friendly as you where you are going. No matter what you say they will tell you it closed. Blocked. There are riots that way. Street is closed. Etc. much better to go to their cousins emporium. They will only follow you about 200m. Then a new group take over. Kinda funny.

[jig]

Karims is the correct name. Really good nan and butter chicken.

[scluvsrain]

You mention you are taking an overland tour to Agra via private tour. Is the info on that private tour on the roll call so I could go check it out? I'm on the 2017 WC and want to do a private tour to the Taj from Colombo too and then rejoin in Mumbai where we will dock for an overnight.

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

You mention you are taking an overland tour to Agra via private tour. Is the info on that private tour on the roll call so I could go check it out? I'm on the 2017 WC and want to do a private tour to the Taj from Colombo too and then rejoin in Mumbai where we will dock for an overnight.

 

 

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If you look at our roll call you can find details on old spreadsheet. I put together trip myself. Booked own air, hotels etc. Hired driver and guide for Dehli Agra portion only. I will put details on my blog under world cruise reference soon.

 

 

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[cl.klink]

Sorry if I've missed this, but on a trip this long how do you take care of any prescription medications (if you have any)? Probably can't leave home with a nearly 4 month supply.

- Joel

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

Sorry if I've missed this, but on a trip this long how do you take care of any prescription medications (if you have any)? Probably can't leave home with a nearly 4 month supply.

- Joel

 

 

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Most insurance providers will authorize a "vacation override" Worst case is for your DR to write extra prescriptions and then you pay out of pocket. Check with your company early about vacation override. Tricare/express scripts was no problem

 

 

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[cl.klink]

Most insurance providers will authorize a "vacation override" Worst case is for your DR to write extra prescriptions and then you pay out of pocket. Check with your company early about vacation override. Tricare/express scripts was no problem

 

 

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Excellent. Thanks.

- Joel

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

Good morning Hambantota!

 

Pilot boat

 

 

Inside the harbor

 

 

Location

 

 

 

 

 

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[erewhon]

Appreciate you continuing your reports, thank you.

[teamflames]

Recommend visiting fatephur sigri near Agra. Amazing site, the mosque side there is free entry, some of the locals may push you for donations but no need.

As mentioned above if walking around Delhi by yourself don't believe anyone who tries to approach you, one of the worst cities in the world for scammers.

We were there recently and met dozens (not exaggerating) who had been fleeced.

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

Day 74, Sailing toward Hambantota, Sri Lanka

 

The days where we have experienced any deck motion are long gone as we continue west across the Indian Ocean through smooth seas. We continue to take it easy in the comfort of our air-conditioned cabin getting rested before our overland trip to India.

 

I always make it to the live presentation of Good Morning Amsterdam. Even though the show is taped, Gene usually offers some additional insight to the goings on around the ship before the show starts. This is also a good place to meet guest entertainers if you are interested in inviting them to dinner. They are usually lingering outside the door before show time and are generally very friendly and open to invitations.

 

This morning the guests were Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, aka The Wine Guys. They are here as Guest Sommeliers and have written several books on wine and food in addition to being writers for Wine Enthusiast Magazine. I’m not a wine enthusiast and don’t plan to attend any of their events. Zaid, the Guest Jeweler, was also on this show. He will be holding several presentations, discussing jewelry buying opportunities in upcoming ports, until he gets off in Dubai.

 

Today was another stir fry on the Lido deck. We enjoy these very much and always look forward to them. As I was getting my meal stir fried, Presty, one of the Assistant Dining Room Managers, who is in charge of our area on deck 5, stopped by to prepare his own lunch. He was his usual smiling self as he prepared a very good looking lunch.

 

 

Judy attended crafts and made an Easter themed wreath with strips of fabric tied around the wreath.

 

I went to the Texas Hold’em game where they held two consecutive tournaments again due to high demand. I was able to finish in the money on the first tournament doing a little better than breaking even for the day.

 

We met our tablemates in the Crow’s Nest at 7pm to celebrate Linda’s birthday with pre-dinner drinks. Margaret gave Linda the wreath she made in crafts today. It looked great as a crown and was perfect to help set a festive mood. The Oasis Band sang Happy Birthday and we all had a great time.

 

Dinner was wonderful as the menu had all of our favorites making it very difficult to choose. I had the Gourmet Burger which stacked up pretty high with onion rings, BBQ Pork and a fried egg on top of the normal beef patty. A popular choice was the simple Spaghetti and Meatballs which a few people ordered as a side in addition to something else. I resisted the temptation to order one of everything, but I am sure they would have brought them all on request and made a little Lido Buffet right on our table. The complete menu, as always, is posted on the blog at http://www.theinsidecabin.com

 

Earlier today we received a survey in our mail slots requesting our input for the 2018 World Cruise Itinerary. A copy of the survey is posted on the blog. Many people are hoping that we will go around Africa rather than thru the Suez and the Mediterranean Sea. I think Africa will be too risky as all it takes is another Ebola incident or terrorist attack and Africa could be instantly very unpopular. While similar incidents can happen anywhere, most other ports, if cancelled have other options nearby that can be added on the fly. However if you are committed to Africa and something happens during prime booking season or enroute, trying to adjust back to the Med could be very hard. We will find out soon enough about the 2018 WC schedule.

 

Michel Bell and pianist Catherine Matejka were on the main stage tonight and put on a masterful performance. He has performed on Broadway as well as in the Fifth Dimension and we greatly enjoyed his incredible range and musical ability. One of the many highlights of the show was a medley of songs by the Fifth Dimension, including the monster hit “Up Up and Away”. He closed with his moving rendition of “Old Man River” which showcased his wonderful baritone voice. His show was terrific from start to finish and he will be putting on a new show tomorrow night along with Joe West.

 

 

More pictures on the blog at http://www.theinsidecabin.com

Edited March 20, 2016 by The-Inside-Cabin

[jig]

The hustlers really only work the fancy hotels and the area around Connaught. Once they know you they are not so bad. We stayed at the ShangriLa for 5 nights. By the third morning they knew us and just said hi.

[jig]

A hamburger on the dinner menu. Well over 400 days on ships and never saw that on a dinner menu. Not that at time I would have wanted one. I have been tempted to order one.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

A hamburger on the dinner menu. Well over 400 days on ships and never saw that on a dinner menu. Not that at time I would have wanted one. I have been tempted to order one.

 

This was the second time. Once before we had an Australian Burger. This was one was billed as the Gourmet Burger (smile).

 

 

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[jig]

I asked once but was told no. Did the Australian have a slice of beet in it?

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I asked once but was told no. Did the Australian have a slice of beet in it?

 

 

It did have a beet.

 

 

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[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Has the next selection for the book club been released - last one was Peony in Love. Thanks.

[teamflames]

It did have a beet.

 

 

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Aussie burgers famous for having beet and pineapple (amongst a lot more, but they are the differentiating ingredients).

 

But as an Aussie always say no to the pineapple, beetroot i can take it or leave it. Fried egg an absolute must

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

Has the next selection for the book club been released - last one was Peony in Love. Thanks.

 

 

The Sand Fish, by Maha Gargash is the current book. I missed the announcement.

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

Day 75, Hambantota, Sri Lanka

 

The port of Hambantota was new and far more modern than expected. This area was devastated by the 2004 Tsunami, many structures were completely destroyed and their replacements are now about 12 years old. There is a huge double crane right behind where we were moored, but there wasn’t much evidence of this port being very busy. A fleet of new cars were parked nearby, neatly in rows, waiting for further shipment inland, but there weren’t any other ships being loaded or unloaded or any other activity in the port.

 

 

Our welcoming party consisted of a small squad of dancers and musicians who entertained the small crowd lining the railing on promenade deck, starboard side. Two signs welcomed us to Hambantota and highlighted some of the activities that were available here.

 

I watched the efficient deck department slide out the gangway from Deck 1, fold out the railings, assemble the pop up tent, place the Purell Handwashing Stations, roll out the Grand World Voyage mat and get everything ready for the passengers to go ashore.

 

Once everything was secure and safe, the Sri Lanka Immigration officials came aboard to review the paperwork and clear the ship. After a few minutes, Barbara, the location guide, and members from Shore Excursions went ashore to verify that everything was in place for the scheduled tours. A few minutes later, the ship was cleared and a steady stream of guests began to flow off the ship toward the tour busses waiting about 150 yards down the quay. During a break in the flow off the ship, Henk escorted a couple of officials carrying large, secure looking drawers, which I presumed were the local money changers, back onto the ship.

 

We had not arranged any tours and there wasn’t much going on in town, our plan was to relax on the ship until afternoon and then take a taxi to the tourist area to shop for some souvenirs and take in the local sights and sounds along the way. Around 1:30 PM we left the ship and walked to the waiting shuttle bus that would take us the one mile or less to the main gate for the port. The weather was warm with a gentle breeze, but not blistering hot as was forecast.

 

At the gate to the port there were at least a dozen Tuk Tuk’s waiting for riders, but since it was so late in the day, there were very few passengers looking for rides. We wanted to find an English speaking driver who had an air-conditioned car. There was only one person who approached us that spoke English well enough for us to agree to hire him for 3 hours to drive us around town. Price $40, but I didn’t haggle very much. You could probably get a better price earlier in the day when there were more drivers looking for work.

 

We headed off toward town to find a place that sold souvenir T shirts, but there weren’t any shops that sold tourist stuff in Hambantota. I had noticed a town nearby called Tangalle that had a nice beach and several tourist type hotels. It was 25 miles away and 45 minutes – so for another $30 he would take us there and back. We agreed and were on our way. After we returned to the ship, we learned people paid anywhere from $70-$100 for a taxi/driver for the entire day. We weren’t sure how far they may have driven. I was at a disadvantage starting so late in the day because I had fewer available drivers and less time to haggle. It always pays to research well in advance where you want to go so you can have a firm plan in mind when you start to talk to a driver. Researching TripAdvisor an hour before you get on the shuttle bus will not produce the best result

 

Along the way to Tangalle, the driver discussed how he had survived the 2004 Tsunami because his house was located on a small knoll behind a larger rise in the land that diverted the waves around his neighborhood, leaving it undamaged. He recalled that at 7:30 am on that terrible day, the ocean receded 2KM for about 15 minutes before the Tsunami returned with catastrophic results. In those final 15 minutes he said many fisherman were out retrieving fish that were stranded by the extreme low tide. It is hard to imagine the devastation that ensued. Everything we saw had been rebuilt, and all appeared normal, but after you thought about it, you realized that all the buildings were about the same age – 12 years. There wasn’t anything older still standing.

 

Tangalle is a bustling seaside tourist town with a lot more going on than Hambantota. I would recommend to future travelers that unless you want to visit the National Parks, that you plan on going to Tangalle instead of Hambantota. Hambantota is a small Sri Lankan town without much going on. After doing some shopping in Tangalle we stopped by a café overlooking the Indian Ocean where we enjoyed some drinks and took a few pictures. The weather was quite pleasant here and the view was spectacular.

 

 

Another tip from our discussion of people coming back from tours where they hoped to see wildlife. People on earlier tours saw a lot of animals while people on the later tours saw nothing. So if you want to see animals, take the earliest tour possible, but even then, the number of animal sightings we heard about were limited. Keep in mind my small unscientific survey, but if you have your heart set on seeing animals, do a lot of research first to set your expectations and avoid disappointment.

 

On our way back to the ship, we came across a dozen water buffalo trotting down the center of the road, it looked like they were being herded, but we were speeding by in the opposite direction so it was hard to tell.

 

Our driver wanted us to sample the local watermelon, so he pulled over at a roadside market and picked out one volleyball sized water melon that he had the vendor slice open and we ate on the spot. It was fresh and very good.

 

We arrived back at the entrance to the port around 5:30 with an all aboard of 6:30. There were some guards at the entrance to the port, but they weren’t interesting in seeing our cruise cards, or any other ID. We walked on by them and boarded the shuttle bus.

 

The Sail Away party at the Seaview pool was lightly attended despite the very pleasant weather as it was right in the middle of first seating dinner.

 

We were by ourselves for dinner tonight as all our tablemates were on long tours and pretty worn out. We enjoyed another fine meal. I had the Linguine with Clams and Tomato , which was especially good and Judy liked the Scarlet Snapper Fillet with Lime Aioli.

 

There was only one show tonight in the Queens lounge at 9:30 pm. Joe West and Michel Bell performed new material for about 25 minutes each. They both put on outstanding shows and received standing ovations. We particularly enjoyed Michel Bells performance of the Lou Rawls classic “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine”.

 

 

More on the blog at http://www.theinsidecabin.com

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

The Sand Fish, by Maha Gargash is the current book. I missed the announcement.

 

 

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Thank you.

[travelbug615]

Still loving your blog and posts here on CC.

 

I wonder if you brought items that you haven't used at all with you on the cruise and if there are items that you wish you had brought with you.