“the Big One”! World Cruise on Sojourn

[shark b8]

[shark b8]

‘Night, all.    

 

(oops, duplication.  Sorry)

 

Edited April 20, 2023 by shark b8

[lincslady]

Thanks for the marvellous photos, sharkb8.  I have ever been to southern or eastern Africa, and am now unlikely to, so I really appreciate them.

[ajpeter]

absolutely wonderful report and pictures. Can you tell the name of the Lodge you stayed at, quite sensational. Thank you!

[shark b8]

4 hours ago, ajpeter said:

Can you tell the name of the Lodge you stayed at, quite sensational.

 

It was the Sanctuary Olonana.  https://www.sanctuaryretreats.com/kenya-camps-olonana

[highplanesdrifters]

Amazing power packed side trip!  How many days where you there?  I'd guess 5 based on everything you've shown us.  

[shark b8]

1 hour ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Amazing power packed side trip!  How many days where you there?  I'd guess 5 based on everything you've shown us.  

 

Nope, just overnight.  A 3-hour game drive the first afternoon, then another one the next morning, and…..back to the ship.

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, shark b8 said:

 

Nope, just overnight.  A 3-hour game drive the first afternoon, then another one the next morning, and…..back to the ship.

Crikey!

[shark b8]

Stay tuned….there may or may not be another wildlife adventure in the near future.  😉

 

Meanwhile: ship news.  We have finally left the glassy part of the Indian Ocean and are approaching windy and thus extremely un-glassy waters, as we get nearer the Cape.  Seeing the humorous hallway behavior, with cruisers walking ahead of us and doing the Synchronized Stagger thing.  Lunch at the pool today - water was sloshing and splashing out all over the deck.

 

Also, the rumor on the ship is…..3 Covid cases, in quarantine.  On Deck 8:

 

 

[florisdekort]

11 minutes ago, shark b8 said:

Also, the rumor on the ship is…..3 Covid cases, in quarantine.  On Deck 8:

 

 

I’ve spotted one on deck 6, one on deck 7 and one on deck 8… but then again, I haven’t walked decks 4, 9 and 10 yet 🙂
 

Our neighbors were complaining today that their friends are in quarantine “because they made the mistake of asking for cough medicine in the shop”, got sent to the nurse, tested and after a positive result quarantined. I asked what they meant with “mistake” and was told that they themselves would avoid the doctor to avoid quarantine. When I asked “so you’d just go about your day infecting others?” the answer was “Yes, absolutely, it’s time people get over it”. Speechless. Fortunately they’re leaving in Cape Town. 

[shark b8]

1 hour ago, shark b8 said:

3-hour game drive the first afternoon, then another one the next morning, and…..back to the ship.

 

…and when we re-boarded again that next day, dinner at the Colonnade was…….. (drum roll):        (A pretty darned good 48 hours!)

 

[whystayhome]

Your pictures are helping me relive my safari in Kenya and Tanzania.   Also remembering our fun with Covid. 

 

Seriously, this is a super travelogue. Thank you so much for posting.

 

Linda

[shark b8]

So, at around 9:15p tonight, the first stage alert sounded, we were in the MDR.  The Officer of the Watch (and then CD Ross) announced that there was a problem on Deck 8, near the Colonnade, or at least that’s what I thought I heard - for the initial announcement, there were the usual problems understanding a moderately thick accent on a PA system. Florisdekort, you’re maybe tuned in to onboard things more than I am….what do you hear about it?  For sure the word “altercation” was said, although that could have been a euphemism for most anything.  In any case, it quickly became “no action necessary for any guest”, so everyone pretty much shrugged and went on with their evening, I think.   The band at The Club did not start playing “Nearer my God to Thee”, as far as I know. 😎

[highplanesdrifters]

Altercation? Sounds juicy. Perhaps the Covid spreaders were taken to task.

[florisdekort]

12 hours ago, shark b8 said:

So, at around 9:15p tonight, the first stage alert sounded, we were in the MDR.  The Officer of the Watch (and then CD Ross) announced that there was a problem on Deck 8, near the Colonnade, or at least that’s what I thought I heard - for the initial announcement, there were the usual problems understanding a moderately thick accent on a PA system. Florisdekort, you’re maybe tuned in to onboard things more than I am….what do you hear about it?  For sure the word “altercation” was said, although that could have been a euphemism for most anything.  In any case, it quickly became “no action necessary for any guest”, so everyone pretty much shrugged and went on with their evening, I think.   The band at The Club did not start playing “Nearer my God to Thee”, as far as I know. 😎

An “altercation” would have been juicy! 😃

 

When the alarm went off, the Officer of the Watch commandeered “first stage response teams to deck 8 aft, the Colonnade”. A few minutes later Ross came on to say that a fan malfunctioned as the kitchen was shutting down for the night, triggering an alarm, and that it was all resolved, and that all crew could stand down. And that was it… 

 

[lincslady]

Oh, that is a bit of a letdown.  I was expecting a fist fight, with someone being evicted from the ship at the next port.  Especially as there seem nowadays to be a few less than high class passengers on board, according to some recent reports.

[florisdekort]

57 minutes ago, lincslady said:

Oh, that is a bit of a letdown.  I was expecting a fist fight, with someone being evicted from the ship at the next port.  Especially as there seem nowadays to be a few less than high class passengers on board, according to some recent reports.

That did happen to me once, but it was on Azamara, when a drunk, angry woman grabbed a pile of plates from the buffet and started flinging them one by one towards her husband’s head… until the crew managed to restrain her. They were both marched off the same day. 
 

[Mr Luxury]

9 hours ago, florisdekort said:

That did happen to me once, but it was on Azamara, when a drunk, angry woman grabbed a pile of plates from the buffet and started flinging them one by one towards her husband’s head… until the crew managed to restrain her. They were both marched off the same day. 
 

Yes and the entertainment has gone downhill ever since.

[shark b8]

So, yesterday morning we disembarked in Durban, South Africa.  We flew (out of descriptively named King Shaka airport) to Johannesburg, and spent an afternoon sightseeing.  Then this morning we flew to Kasane, Botswana, had a brief rest, and did an afternoon game drive in Chobe National Park. Likely Wi-Fi issues again at this new place, if I’m able to post pix I will, but right now struggling to get this message online.

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, shark b8 said:

So, yesterday morning we disembarked in Durban, South Africa.  We flew (out of descriptively named King Shaka airport) to Johannesburg, and spent an afternoon sightseeing.  Then this morning we flew to Kasane, Botswana, had a brief rest, and did an afternoon game drive in Chobe National Park. Likely Wi-Fi issues again at this new place, if I’m able to post pix I will, but right now struggling to get this message online.

I've always loved the idea of a King Shaka Airport.  I've enjoyed your tale of your experiences and all the photos.  

 

Please give us an update on the Covid situation when you return to the ship.  I am taking some colored pencils and supplies to do artwork when we cruise in June--just in case we are stricken with the dreaded Covid.  Surely taking diversions along with us will mean that it will not happen.  I'm counting on that!  

 

[tv24]

On 4/22/2023 at 11:23 AM, lincslady said:

Oh, that is a bit of a letdown.  I was expecting a fist fight, with someone being evicted from the ship at the next port.  Especially as there seem nowadays to be a few less than high class passengers on board, according to some recent reports.

That happened to us once as well.  On Cunard QM2 there was a huge fight in the laundry room, fists and irons flying.  Both couples were confined to their rooms until then next port where they were ejected.  Danger in the laundry room!

[florisdekort]

As someone posted in a separate topic, a Seabourn tour group on a walking tour of Port Elizabeth, South Africa was robbed at gunpoint today. Phones, money/cards, passports - everything taken. (We’re obliged to carry our passports on shore in South Africa for reasons I don’t understand.) Everyone is alright, fortunately, just very shaken. 
 

 

[SLSD]

20 minutes ago, florisdekort said:

As someone posted in a separate topic, a Seabourn tour group on a walking tour of Port Elizabeth, South Africa was robbed at gunpoint today. Phones, money/cards, passports - everything taken. (We’re obliged to carry our passports on shore in South Africa for reasons I don’t understand.) Everyone is alright, fortunately, just very shaken. 
 

 

That is horrific. So glad to hear they are ok physically.  They will not soon recover from the experience I am sure.    There is also the hassle of replacing everything.  A reminder take ashore only the money you might need that day.  We're discussing this now.  

 

[florisdekort]

18 minutes ago, SLSD said:

That is horrific. So glad to hear they are ok physically.  They will not soon recover from the experience I am sure.    There is also the hassle of replacing everything.  A reminder take ashore only the money you might need that day.  We're discussing this now.  

 

 

South Africa has mandated that passengers carry their passports. 

 

[Bethcb]

2 hours ago, florisdekort said:

 

South Africa has mandated that passengers carry their passports. 

 

Can we carry a US passport card instead and leave passport book in safe on ship?