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Late yesterday, it became clear that disembarkation had been badly publicised. We are scheduled for a mid-day flight out of Dubai, based on an expectation that we could have a leisurely breakfast and taxi 20 mins to the airport 90 mins before take-off - the Emirates recommendation. Turns out we have to be packed the day before we leave and hand over our big bags to be off-loaded. We humans with our overnight + flight bag must be out of the cabin by 7am, yes 7am. This means that Jan and I will be hanging around for ages. When challenged, the desk staff said 'it is not a hotel, we are going to Australia and have to board 3000+ new passengers, so you lot have to leave !' I got on-line to Emirates Airlines and for AED 400 (about £70) moved our flight to the 0720 Airbus. Then emailed our friendly taxi service for the Manchester Airport ride to be re-scheduled. All good ! Jan had ordered a Tesco delivery to provide us milk, bread and things when we got home. I have altered the delivery point on-line to be in the afternoon not the evening - we are going to be tired ! MSC has shuttle buses to the airport dedicated to each flight. They have decided that we need to be at the airport soon after 2am, but I still can't find out why. O2 and Oman have colluded to make Jan's phone work - a bit. She has downloaded my daily updates and tells me that I am far too negative. Jan must be BETTER ! Although she does seem a bit woozy still, we went ashore this morning and bussed around Muscat and shopped in a souk. Muscat is a vibrant, attractive city and after Salalah seems very busy. No building over 8 storeys is permitted and all must be white or cream. The street lights are decorative. Statues abound - so do Range Rovers ! The city is awash with large swathes of perfectly manicured green grass and multi coloured flower beds. It is VERY clean, boys on scooters pick up street rubbish. I expected to feel the effect of crowds, but the people are helpful and it is more comfortable than shopping in Oxford Street. So here is a list of things that are distinctly positive about the last couple of weeks: Family hookup - we are seeing a lot of Jan's Antipodean-based siblings - always a pleasure. We have also been enjoying the company of Vonny, Jandy and Dave from Australia and my first meeting with Lorraine from S Africa has also been a delight. There have been lots of card games, some ping-pong and of course the AmDram event of the decade - Murder Mystery. Jan has thoroughly enjoyed being pampered, having had several massages and a skin scrub, what ever that is. Our trips ashore have mostly been successful with highlights: lunch in Bari, museum in Rhodes, lunch in Heraklion, the Mosque in Muscat. The boat staff are generally competent and in the main very helpful. My cabin steward Arsen has been especially helpful, he maintains my cabin without my hardly ever seeing him. Bar staff and the waiters are all a pleasure, with some shining examples, Yosef, Allesandro and Jambo Grace. The L'Ibiscus restaurant (not our usual eating place - which is the cafeteria) managed to find me a large red wine glass AGAIN! and AGAIN ! and AGAIN ! The boat is quite clean, with work going on all the time to keep it that way. Jan and Sylvia are in a better cabin (than mine) with less noise and a bigger balcony. John and Vonny have a bath and a cabin twice the size of everyone else - because they booked early I guess. My shower although miniscule keeps a constant temperature and has a a flexible tube which I prefer. The in-cabin safe is big enough for my laptop and a few other things. The 13th floor cafeteria is very adequate and makes an effort at variety although subtle. The chinese yoyo man in evening entertainment is superb The girls think the pickpocket was great even if it is an old act Jan and Sylvia love their 'good morning Mrs Cave' tea lady on the telephone The Movenpick Hotel after the Petra walk was a terrific lunch The arab guide (Sis says he was 15) at Salalah was great also The guide at Petra worked really hard but told his side of the story only We all think that the going ashore and returning process works quite well That is a good list !! Tomorrow at Khor Al Fakken |
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