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Ali and Jeff Carithers
Ali and Jeff Carithers

Ali and Jeff Carithers

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers

    Devil's Island, French Guiana

    23 april 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    We anchored off of Devil’s Island and were happy to hear that we could tender in even though the seas were fairly rough.
    Devil’s Island is an infamous French penal colony that was well-known for the horrific conditions in which prisoners were kept, in many cases for quite minor infractions.
    The story (movie and book) Papillon tells a very graphic story of a prisoner who spent time on Devil’s Island and eventually escaped. 72,000 prisoners were imprisoned here over the years and almost all died here, their bodies being cast into the sea.
    We visited on an overcast and windy day - the island had a very ominous feel to it. It is very green and jungle-like with agutis (small animals that look like a cross between a large rat and a squirrel, but stand on long skinny legs) and monkeys everywhere. The prison was actually in operation until the 1950’s before word got out about how bad the conditions were and it was eventually abandoned.
    Devil’s Island is an archipelago of 3 small islands surrounded by very rough, shark-infested waters. This is what made escape from the island virtually impossible.
    The first photo is Jeff as "Papillon".
    The second photo is an aguti.
    The third photo is a local monkey.    Meer informatie

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    At sea

    16 april 2015, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    We are in the midst of a 6 day passage across the Atlantic passing over the equator and it seems strange to say that the nearest land is 3 miles away; straight down. One wonders what sea life is below us while we spend some time every day gazing at the mesmerizing splashes and water patterns created by the boat and looking for evidence of marine life.

    We have seen surfacing whales and whale spouts including the distinctive dorsal fins of killer whales, especially in the sea off Cape Town. Porpoise are also relatively common as they like to play in the wake of the boat, using the ship’s wake to help them leap into the air. Two days ago we saw a group of 50 porpoises swimming parallel with the ship for about 10 minutes. Who knows what they were doing.

    We also sometimes see seals. The smaller species slip and twist through the water while we are in port as though showing off for our entertainment. The larger species surprise us in the middle of crossings, looking like floating logs with distorted stumps of branches as they lay on their backs with their fins sticking up in the air.

    Our favorite sea animal is the flying fish since they are most often seen and their enthusiastic flights generate oohs, aahs and cheers much like that of fireworks. There are different species in various locations on our journey and the sizes range from 6” to almost a foot. The colors vary as well and the flying fish we are seeing now remind us of timber swallows with dark blue backs and white bellies.

    Their performance is the real attractant, however. Toward the bow of the ship they shoot out of the water, usually individually but sometimes in schools numbering over a hundred and glide about 1-4 feet above the water surface. The lower fin of their tail is much longer than the upper and this allows them to create fresh propulsion as they vigorously wiggle their tails when they encounter wave tops, all while remaining airborne. Some go 20 yards then disappear into the water but others will go well over 100 yards, assisted by two or three extra pushes while gliding along. Our cabin balcony is relatively close to the water surface (the cheap seats) so we see the tail wiggles of these sprites quite well.    Meer informatie

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    Ascension Island

    15 april 2015, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Ascension Island is one of the most remote islands in the world. There are no permanent indigenous residents here, and everyone who lives here does so with a permit. There are about 200 residents right now, but when there is a political conflict, it can become a busy place due to it’s location. For example, during the conflict with the Falklands, it was one of the busiest airports in the world. It also has one of the longest runways in the world (2 miles) and could accept the space shuttle as a back-up landing site.
    There is a tremendous amount of conservation going on here. There are a tremendous number of sea turtle nests here and the babies have a very high rate of survival since there are no natural predators. These turtles lay their eggs here, then migrate to Brazil before returning to one specific beach here.
    Sadly, the swells were too large for us to tender onto the island. Some of the residents did come on board and gave a presentation about the island and brought some goods on board to sell.
    “The road to nowhere” is theme here, but even though it is quite remote, it seems to be an interesting place to be for a short period of time.
    The first photo is Ascension Island from a distance.
    The second photo is Jeff and I in front of the island.
    The third photo is the settlement at Ascension Island.    Meer informatie

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    St. Helena

    13 april 2015, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F

    As we left Namibia, we set a course for the British territory island of St. Helena. We are truly in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean and we are making several stops as we begin our journey back to the Caribbean and eventually to Ft. Lauderdale.
    St. Helena is home to about 5500 people and is probably best known as the place where Napoleon spent the last 7 years of his life in exile. Granted, he was confined to an island, but the views are pretty spectacular. There were 3000 troops here to make sure he didn’t escape as well as a fleet of military ships that circled the island at all times. I don’t think he was going to get away.
    The island is volcanic and very dramatic with steep mountains/cliffs and lush green valleys. There are 699 stair-steps that go from town in the valley to town up above and many of the people on the ship enjoyed the thigh-burning walk up.
    The town itself was very quaint and charming and it was interesting to look in the grocery stores and gift shops to see what is available in a place that has a ship stop by once a month and no air access. (Lots of canned meat.)
    Interestingly enough, there is no technology for credit cards, ATM’s or cell phones.
    They do have a distillery though!
    The first photo is the countryside in St. Helena.
    The second photo is looking down the 699 steps of Jacob's Ladder.
    The third photo is Napoleon's place of exile.    Meer informatie

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    13

    Walvis Bay, Namibia

    9 april 2015, Namibië ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Again, I’m not sure what I expected to see in Namibia, but now that we visited our second port, I am still stunned by how opposite my thoughts were compared to reality.
    Walvis Bay is a jumping off point for a town 25 miles away called Swakopmund which is a surprisingly lively city and has many holiday visitors. There are some homes that look remarkably like something you would find in Albuquerque, New Mexico and miles and miles of desert that stretches out in all directions. We had a pleasant morning with a driver that was informative and even suggested some additional sites along the way such as “Dune 7” (a popular, large dune that everyone loves to try to climb) and a large lagoon with hundreds of flamingos.
    One of the highlights of the day was a dinner that the ship put together for the evening.
    About 100 of us were driven for 1 1/2 hours into the desert in the late afternoon. When we got to our “middle of nowhere” destination, there was a beautiful dinner set up in a canyon complete with camels, a large singing group, linen tablecloths and hundreds of luminaries. Oh, and of course, a rainbow. By the way, it also rained lightly during dinner, which only happens about once a year. It was one of the prettiest and most unusual venues we had ever been to. As the evening wore on, there were fires lit with large comfortable pillows on the sand around them and many other torches and candles. Magic.
    The first photo is the dunes in Namibia.
    The second photo is some women in traditional dress.
    The third photo is a camel imitating Ali.    Meer informatie

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    Luderitz, Namibia

    8 april 2015, Namibië ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    There is a current in the ocean that comes up from Antartica, and when it meets the warm air off the west African coast, a thick fog bank forms. So it was as were sailing towards Luderitz, Namibia. The horn on the ship blew all night long - when we woke up we looked outside and decided we would have a foggy day in port. A little bit later, we looked outside and saw a sparkling jewel of a town looking very crisp in the brilliant sunshine.
    Luderitz, as you can tell by the name, was a German colony for quite a while and only achieved it’s independence from South Africa in 1990. It is a diamond-mining and fishing town that is surrounded by the Namib desert. When diamonds were first discovered here, they were simply laying on the ground ready to be picked up and sifted from the sand. The nearest town/city is about 70 miles away. Because of it’s German influence, there is some beautiful architecture that would convince you that you had stumbled into a little town in Germany - but with streets made of sand!
    This was a short visit, but the weather was cool and we saw some nice sites. The town does not get any tourists, but was welcoming and we left with smiles on our faces.
    The first photo is the view of the harbor from the town.
    The second photo is a row of houses in town.
    The third photo is inside a mansion in town.    Meer informatie

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    32

    Cape Town, South Africa

    4 april 2015, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    You would think we would be a little used to new experiences, but the sheer beauty and drama as we sailed into Cape Town made us feel as excited as ever. Knowing we had 3 full days here was thrilling! Our arrival was even punctuated by a beautiful double rainbow.
    The first day was spent orienting ourselves to the layout of the city. There is a very convenient “hop on, hop off” double-decker bus that has numerous routes available. We visited a “slave lodge” that housed a horrific number of slaves and learned more about the horrors of the slave trade. The ship held an event that featured a high tea at a lovely restored hotel. There was a very unique trio that featured an electric cello and violin as well as a singer and a saxophonist - all women who stood in the center of the room in various poses while performing! Table mountain cleared and was out in it’s full glory(without it’s “tablecloth”) by late afternoon.
    Day 2 started on the “hop on, hop off” bus and took us to the wine region near Cape Town. We stopped at the Eagle’s Nest winery for our Easter brunch of wine, cheese, baguette and various meats. It was a divine morning with sun, a slight breeze and 72 degrees. It could not have been a more beautiful day.
    After touring till mid afternoon, we took a ferry to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held imprisoned for 18 years in shorts, short-sleeved shirt and no shoes - and it was cold and windy. I can’t imagine his experience in their winter. The most intriguing thing about the tour was that it was guided by a former prisoner - he was able to give a viewpoint that was very personal.
    Dinner was at a restaurant that featured many local African dishes and music. Jeff enjoyed the most unusual things he could find on the menu such as fried worms (yes, they were segmented caterpillars that were squishy in the middle), warthog, springbok and ostrich carpaccio, and springbok stew. The rest of us stuck with the vegetarian/pasta options.
    Day 3 was a trip to the Cape of Good Hope where the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet. We were lucky enough to have a beautiful day for our trip - sunny, warm and clear. We visited a penguin preserve and ended the day at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. We could have spent a week there, but only had a short time before needing to get back to the ship. There are a multitude of plants that grow in South Africa, but 68% of them only grow in South Africa.
    It was a truly unique place that it would be nice to spend some additional time in to learn more about what makes it tick.
    The first photo is of Table Mountain with Cape Town in the foreground.
    The second photo is the Cape of Good Hope.
    The third photo is the dinner menu one night - hhmmmm.    Meer informatie

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    East London, South Africa

    2 april 2015, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    East London is a city on the Southeast coast of South Africa. About 175,000 people, it is South Africa’s largest seaport. We skipped the museum with the world’s only surviving egg of the extinct dodo bird and instead went of a tour of several “township’s” on the periphery of East London.
    During Apartheid, many rural South African’s, primarily black, came to settle in the major cities looking for work. In the process, interracial culture was developing and whites, coloreds (mixed race) and blacks were integrating in large sections of the cities. Music, art, literature and food cultures were thriving in these portions of the city.
    The blending of culture ran against the segregation that was key to Apartheid. The Apartheid government dealt with this by forcibly placing different ethnic groups in different locations, even including razing entire sections of cities. Blacks were generally forced to move to hastily and poorly built shanty towns on the outskirts of the cities and coloreds were relocated to other sections. To this day, large areas of the cities have voids and strange development patterns and the blacks, located on the periphery, suffer a very substandard lifestyle because of inadequate water, sanitation, transportation and garbage collection. The township locations well outside of the city present particular problems with transportation and much of the little income they make in their city jobs is used up in transportation costs.
    Despite the elimination of Apartheid 22 years ago, the housing discrepancies and townships persist although some progress is being made to encourage housing integration by the new democratic government.
    The first photo is a "township" which is a shantytown.
    The second photo is a close-up of the shanties that are made from whatever materials can be found.
    The third photo is some of the children we met during the visit.    Meer informatie

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    Durban, South Africa

    2 april 2015, Indian Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    We were warned to be careful in Durban - South Africa is still suffering and enduring some social problems due to segregation and the repercussions of Apartheid. There are whites, coloreds (white and black mixed) and blacks and there is a wide gap between them all. Even the map we carried had warnings about what to do if you are robbed or approached. I am a little jumpy after having my handbag stolen by a passing motorcycle in Ho Chi Minh city so we decided to simply go to a water park located just where the shuttle dropped us off.
    When we got off the shuttle, we strolled a little and were delighted to see a beautiful beach with crashing waves, white sand, a wide walkway that stretched 4 miles and numerous, lively restaurants, bars and cafes. There were also several pools that were free and open to the public and displayed slides, fountains and wading areas. The racial mix along the beach was very integrated. The day was gorgeous and we spent the entire day enjoying the city. Later in the afternoon, we walked up to the street and saw many vendors and locals selling their goods - we felt safe the whole time.
    South Africa is still struggling through the progression from Apartheid to an integrated society. They appear to facing the racism and are working on addressing issues. It is just a little over 20 years since Apartheid was eliminated.
    Our time spent in Durban reflected the rapidly changing social structure. It is a beautiful city that is definitely rising.
    The first photo is the Durban cityscape.
    The second photo is strolling along the beach walkway.
    The third photo Durban looking like South Beach, Miami.    Meer informatie

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    Richards Bay, South Africa

    31 maart 2015, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ 🌙 70 °F

    We arrived in Richards Bay to begin a safari to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve.
    What is remarkable about this game reserve is that they have single-handedly repopulated the white rhino which has now been removed from the endangered list.
    Jeff and I had been on safari before in Tanzania, but the rhino was the only animal that we didn’t see much of - we saw one at a great distance. We saw many white rhinos today! In fact, there were several times that a mother and baby rhino crossed the road in front or back of our vehicle. A couple of times we had a rhino within 20’ of us! We were even close enough to see (and smell) one marking it’s territory. It looks a bit like a the fine spray nozzle from your hose. Yikes. They are remarkable animals and it is wonderful to see their numbers rising again. Poaching is still a horrible problem and poachers are continually coming up with new ways to get their prey (helicopters are one of the latest ways). Some groups of rhinos have a 24 hour guard.
    This is also the homeland of the Zulu tribe. They are a warm and friendly tribe that speaks a language that incorporates “clicks”. I haven’t mastered it, but it’s interesting to try!
    The first photo is a white rhino up close!
    The second photo is a rhino and her baby.
    The third photo is a giraffe that passed in front of us.    Meer informatie

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    Mahajanga, Madagascar

    28 maart 2015, Madagascar ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F

    There is no record of a cruise ship ever having stopped at Mahajanga before, so this piqued our interest as we dropped anchor just off of Mahajanga. Initially, this posed a problem because the tender couldn’t locate a safe place to drop people off. Once resolved, however, we found it refreshing to go into a town with people that were just living their daily lives. They were only mildly interested to see us and didn’t feel compelled to sell us anything!
    All in all, it was a short, sweet stop that left the impression of smiling faces and pleasant interactions with it’s inhabitants.
    The first photo is the Mahajanga library.
    The second photo are the local version of rickshaws - mainly used by local people for transportation and hauling.
    The third photo is a took-tuk rounding a large baubob tree.    Meer informatie

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    Nosy Be, Madagascar

    27 maart 2015, Madagascar ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    Nosy Be means “big island” in the Malagasy language. That gives you a taste of the overwhelming things we have been experiencing! Nosy Be is best known for it’s ylang-ylang trees which are the basis for a perfume. The main town that we tendered into is named “Hellville”. Now, that brings many images to mind, but the name really refers to the town being named for Admiral Hell. It is a busy little city that is a bit more civilized than our recent ports of Mombasa and Zanzibar. Jeff and I took a tuk-tuk (I love tuk-tuks - they are a small covered seat that is driven by a motorcycle that has a front on it). I know, bad description, but they are everywhere and a cheap way to get around. We paid $5 for about a 20 minute tour of the town and it’s outskirts. I could ride a tuk-tuk every day!
    We took 2 boats to the island of Nosy Komba to visit a local village and a lemur reserve.
    It was interesting to see the local village which was quite poor, but have a profitable source of income from the lemur reserve. We had a taste of the homes, cooking facilities and crafts of the people who live here. They have many opportunities of natural resources, but no real way to capitalize on them.
    The lemurs are about as sweet as you can imagine. All you have to do is hold a banana and smile at them and they are on your shoulder. They are incredibly soft, fairly heavy and have velvety hands. As I gave one of them a tiny piece of banana, the gentleness of their demeanor was remarkable. They have no real predators and have lived protected in this area for thousands of years.
    This was another surprising port that yielded wonders that we’d never imagined. We approach these unusual ports with very low expectations and are always amazed at the offerings, if one is prepared to look beyond our standards.
    The first photo is a wild lemur on Jeff's shoulder enjoying a banana from his hand.
    The second photo is an unbelievably colored chameleon.
    The third photo is a beach where the locals are displaying their wares, in this case, beautiful embroidered cutwork tablecloths and runners.    Meer informatie

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    Dzaoudzi, Mayotte

    26 maart 2015, Mozambique Channel ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    So.... has anyone ever heard of Mayotte in the Comoros archipelago? I never did until today. We are 300 miles north of the tip of Madagascar and about the same distance from the coast of Africa. In other words, we are about as remote as a person can get - it is a third world country that has myriad opportunities, but no real way to capitalize on them. Mayotte is a “collectivite territoriale” of France which means they have many of the French-based standards, such as surfaced roads and minimum wage, which is 6 times the average minimum wage established by the adjacent non-French Cormoros Islands. This means they also have baguettes and croissants! We had the good luck to be on a zodiac boat which took us to an area near the reef that had dolphins and spinner dolphins that were very interested in our boats and the small wake that they created.
    We then went to a small, deserted beach to snorkel. We saw some incredible living coral in colors of blue, purple, pink and lime green. There were fish that were different than any we had ever seen before. Schools of iridescent fish were pink initially, then turned turquoise as the school changed directions. Below were another group of fish that were just slightly bigger and more turquoise, and below that were larger brown fish with a cobalt blue saddle. One could simply hang in the water and experience a different underwater world that was completely captivating. My last swim in revealed a starfish that was about 24” in diameter and brilliant blue. Nancy reported seeing a similar one that was hot pink. Who knew that this world existed?
    The guys who were leading our group called us all out of the water to go back to the ship with all of us saying “just 5 more minutes!”.
    The geographical beauty of this area is astounding and we find ourselves looking at the numbers of islands and the crystalline water and feeling mesmerized.
    The first photo is the spinner dolphins playing by our zodiac.
    The second photo is one of the bays we went by.
    The third photo is the women in town who wear a paste-like covering on their face to prevent wrinkles - kind of like wearing hair rollers out to dinner!    Meer informatie

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    Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania (Jeff)

    25 maart 2015, Indian Ocean ⋅ 🌧 79 °F

    Zanzibar is known as the Spice Island and is part of Tanzania, located 22 miles off the mainland coast. I have unsuccessfully attempted to use this exotic island as a lure to get Ali to accompany me on some Tanzania trips in the past, so it was good to finally see it. I had tried to tempt her with the Zanzibar beaches and resorts but this visit involved exploring Stone Town, the cultural center of this mystical island.

    The Arab and African blend creating the Swahili culture is much present in the narrow streets lined with decaying buildings, balconies and Swahili doors. The old town is known for its many hand-carved Swahili doors that are ornately studded with iron or brass spikes to prevent destruction by attacking axes or military elephants. The door frames and doors were the first thing put up when these buildings were constructed.

    The island is heavily touristed leading to many hawkers trying to sell identical items. At first they were a plague to us but a monsoon scale rainstorm disbursed even them. We sought refuge in a market but the smells, blood and leaky roof flushed us back outside. We crossed ankle deep water flowing through the narrow streets, found our way to the dock and boarded our ship’s tender, which ferried us home.
    The first photo is the monsoon-like rainstorm we experienced.
    The second photo is Zanzibar's waterfront.
    The third photo is the Swahili doors that were built in Zanzibar.    Meer informatie

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    Mombasa, Kenya (from Jeff)

    23 maart 2015, Kenia ⋅ ⛅ 90 °F

    Mombasa is Kenya’s most important port and is situated on an island just on the coast. Arab sea traders influenced the city’s early history as did the Portuguese, who also controlled the city at times. It was ruled by Omanis for extended periods and the result is an African city with heavy influences of Muslim and European colonial architecture and culture.

    Quite gritty, there were warnings on our ship about how best to safely visit the city. We had done a safari the first day of the stay, but wanted to explore the city itself on the second. We therefore took a ship shuttle bus into downtown and hired a local street guide to show us around for two hours for $10.

    Our guide looked official at first glance with his patches, badges, epaulets and military boots but the “Revolucion” patch above his pocket and “Che Guevara” on his back revealed otherwise. His commanding, definitive presence led us through street traffic where he boldly crossed using only his outstretched hand to stop the taxis and tuk-tuks. We scurried to keep close to him and avoid being stranded in a no-man’s-land of vehicles.

    He took us through spice markets where we bought several spices, not because we can bring them into the US, but just to be able to enjoy the colors and smells for awhile. He described historical sites and led us into a particularly bloody meat market where Ali almost threw up when a vendor pulled out a camel leg and hoof from under a table. It was a very dramatic moment!

    The Arab/Africa blend that makes up Swahili culture was evident in the ornate balconies and doors of many of the buildings. The influence of the Omanis will also be seen in Zanzibar, our next stop.
    The first photo is some of the architecture in Mombasa.
    The second photo is Ali and our guide.
    The third photo is the spice market we visited.    Meer informatie

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    Mombasa, Tsavo East, Africa

    22 maart 2015, Kenia ⋅ ⛅ 90 °F

    Having made it through most of the high-risk piracy zone, we arrived in Mombasa, Africa this morning. We had set up a private safari through the internet (yikes) and were planning to meet the driver as soon as we got off the ship. I had been communicating with the owner of the company and had felt some distrust through our emails and it wasn’t until we met that he realized I (Ali) was not a Muslim terrorist.
    In any case, our trip lasted about 11 hours which included about 4 hours total driving on the 2 lane road that serves as the major artery between Mombasa and Nairobi, primarily for trucking. We quickly learned that lanes, center lines and speed limits are merely suggestions.
    The 4 of us had all been on safari before, but none of us had been to this particular park. We had a wonderful day seeing dozens of African elephants, giraffe, ostrich (with babies!), cape buffalo, zebra, and lions. There was one point when the guide stopped the vehicle for us to see a lion - Nancy and I had the binoculars saying “where are they?”. It turns our they were lying about 6’ from our vehicle.
    We had lunch at an open-air lodge that looked over a large watering hole that about 50 elephants were enjoying. There was a small stairwell that went down to an enclosure that was at the same level as the watering hole so we could see the elephants at close range.
    The safari came to a close with an incredible dust storm that became a rain storm as it swept across the park.
    The first photo is the road through the safari park as the dust blew on the right and the rain started on the left.
    The second photo is a baby elephant - Mom was a little unhappy and trumpeted at us when we paid too much attention to the baby.
    The third photo is the lion that was lying just little way away from our vehicle.    Meer informatie

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    Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles

    19 maart 2015, Indian Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 46 °F

    25 years ago I picked up a copy of “Islands”magazine and became entranced with the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. Since then, I have tried many times to concoct a way of getting there. There were always a couple of things standing in the way; 1-it is a bit pricey to get there from just about any starting point and 2-it is about as far from home as you can possibly get. So, I have built this visit up in my mind for a very long time and, as we got closer to our stop there, I worried that I was setting myself up for disappointment. Could it possibly be as good as I had imagined for all these years?
    It was.
    It was simply the most beautiful island with the prettiest water and plant life that I have ever seen. Swimming in the lovely waters of the Indian Ocean while gazing at a distant island and seeing brightly-colored boats bobbing nearby was a moment I will remember always. The beaches are lined with huge, granite boulders that add to the drama and mystique of the island.
    Our first stop to snorkel was fraught with drama since I had managed to step on a sea urchin. It hurt a lot and we all pondered how to handle the situation.
    Several local guys on the beach offered to pee on it and that would take care of it. Hmmmmm - big decision, but no, I don't think so. We got back in the taxi and I could hear the brains of all three doctors whirring trying to decide the best next step. The decision was to stop at a pharmacy and get a needle to pick out the spines. The pharmacist assured Jeff I would be fine about the time I decided it really didn't hurt anymore. A good soak in the Indian Ocean would do the trick.
    Now the next quest is to find a way to go back there someday!
    The first photo is off the beach on the Seychelles
    The second photo is some of the gorgeous granite boulders long the beach.
    The third photo is of me happily swimming in the Indian Ocean.
    The last photo is Jeff and I heading to dinner to dinner to celebrate our anniversary with me in my custom made dress from Bangkok.    Meer informatie

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    Male, Maldives

    15 maart 2015, Indian Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    The Maldives is a chain of more than a thousand low-lying coral islands. In fact, the highest point in the entire chain is only 9’ above sea level. The fear is that the whole archipelago could be submerged within the next 30 years due to climate change.
    We docked in the city of Male, which is not terribly interesting - the city covers only 1 square mile, but is populated by over 60,000 people. Definitely not conducive to strolling peacefully and enjoying the outdoors. It is a Muslim country under Sharia law and there are many rules for foreigners that are seemingly only tolerated. There are often protests that pop-up within the city without warning so we watched out for that.
    We were a little frustrated to learn that there did not seem to be any information about snorkeling since we were in one of the prime coral reefs in the world(?). Everything we pursued through the ship and on the internet seemed extremely pricey and not very satisfying. So, relying on our good-naturedness, we decided that our day would be walking around the city.
    As Jeff got a map before we left, the local concierge told us that we could go to a nearby island on a ferry (it cost a whopping 50 cents) and walk to a beach for some snorkeling. This all seemed very strange since everything we had researched was to the contrary.
    We got our snorkel gear and suits and long pants and shirts to swim in (there was a question about how much could be exposed while on the beach - turned out it was just no bikinis and no indecent behavior). As we got off the tender, we started following some of the ship’s staff since they seem to always know where to find the beaches. We did get to a nice beach and did some good snorkeling with lots of diversity of coral and sea life. The bonus was that the water was quite clear and very warm so the trip was very worthwhile.
    The morning announcement on the ship was that no pork or alcohol was to be taken into town. We all agreed that we would not tell on Jim who had bacon for breakfast.
    The second photo is of the city of Male as we approached.
    The first photo is of the ferry ride - not the plastic chair backs that are bolted to the benches - we think this was an upgrade from just benches at some point. The ferry was comfortable and crowded.    Meer informatie

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers

    At sea in the Indian Ocean (from Jeff)

    15 maart 2015, Laccadive Sea ⋅ 🌧 79 °F

    Pirate on board!

    This title is false and true as you will soon see. We are now in the midst of a High Risk Area for piracy that encompasses a large part of the Indian Ocean. Shortly after we left Sri Lanka we entered the zone, which is so large because the pirates have taken to using hijacked “mother ships” from which to launch their small attack boats with boarding ladders. The use of mother ships allows them to go over 1000 miles from their old haunts along the Somalia coast.

    We were briefed by our captain before entering the zone and a number of precautions are being taken. Our ships crew now includes some French security guards to assist our security crew with the 24/7 watches, we are prohibited from certain decks at night and we have been informed about alarms, procedures, etc.

    Our ship can generate quite a speed (21 knots) so we can actually outrun some of the mother ships, but if they get close they can launch the fast boarding craft. If the situation arises we will do a zig zag route, not to evade but to create large waves to disrupt the boarding craft.

    One advantage of our ship is we have a high freeboard, meaning that the ship sides have no balconies or other means of boarding for about 18 feet above the water line. A defensively weak area is the aft section where working decks are closer to the waterline. This is addressed with about 16 fire hose nozzles spraying continuously to hinder boarding in this area. The amount of water they put out doesn’t seem to be very intimidating, however, as you can see from the photo.

    At night we try to be less conspicuous by keeping heavy drapes in our rooms drawn and dousing all deck lighting to run almost dark. We do use running lights although there were times in the past when ships were completely dark in transit.

    Pirate activity has dropped considerably in the last two years with increasing military patrols. The pirates typically board freighters and average about $10 million in ransom per ship, which is higher yield than the fishing activities they used to do before they were displaced by large commercial fishing companies. One trick the pirates use is to threaten to blow up tankers with rocket propelled grenades unless the tanker allows them to board. I suppose all the alcohol on this ship could be quite explosive as well.

    We say that any pirate would rapidly give up holding us for ransom due to the demands for specialty cocktails, menu requests and insistence on that particular sunny spot on the pool deck for our steamer chair. It turns out that we are already captives in a way since our Captain Corsaro’s name, when translated, is “pirate”!
    The photo is of the fire hoses that run recycled water constantly to keep the water pressure up, so if they are needed to ward off a boarding pirate, they will be ready for a full pressure spray.    Meer informatie

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers

    Colombo, Sri Lanka

    13 maart 2015, Gulf of Mannar ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    We knew that our day in Colombo would be a busy one - we had a trip planned to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Now, the fact that it was Friday, the 13th and we were put on bus #4 (we have learned that the number 4 is unlucky in Hong Kong) didn’t bother us too much. We decided that the 2 bad numbers cancelled each other out and it really meant good luck - that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
    We took a train ride out of Colombo heading for the mountains. We had been warned that there were would be a lot of additional security around since the prime minister of India was visiting Colombo that day - something that hasn’t happened in over 30 years. There have been quite a few changes in Sri Lanka politics recently, but we really didn’t notice too much of anything.
    The train did come to a jolting stop at one point and we were informed that there had been a “little derailment” of the train ahead of us, but they thought it would be “mended” quickly. Hmmm... Indeed, we were on our way fairly soon.
    The elephant orphanage has been in operation for 40 years and cares for orphaned and abandoned baby elephants. They started with a small number of elephants and are now caring for about 60 through breeding. Most of the elephants are there for life since they are unable to survive in the wild without learning from their parents. We were able to see some feeding, but the highlight was when they brought 34 elephants down to the river that we were overlooking and turned them loose to play and bathe. They were having a great time splashing and interacting. A couple of them just laid down in the water and lounged.
    A highlight for Jeff was the train ride back in a 1930’s vintage train. It was hard to keep him contained and he roamed the cars enjoying the decor.
    We spent the night docked in Colombo and left at 6am for the Maldives. We will be sailing in the Indian Ocean in the high-risk piracy zone for the next 7 days. Jeff will provide his briefing on that next post. Stay tuned.
    The first photo in the interior of the train.
    The second photo is the elephants.
    The third photo is the dancers and singers as we walked in. When we walked inside, Jeff asked Nancy and I what we thought of the elephant. We didn't see any elephant. When we went back outside, we realized we had walked within 2' of said elephant. That's how overwhelming everything is!    Meer informatie

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers

    Hambantota, Sri Lanka

    12 maart 2015, Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 90 °F

    This was a huge port that opened 2 years ago with the thought of expansion in Sri Lanka. We learned that we were only the 2nd cruise ship to have docked there since it opened. There is not much of a town here so we used it primarily to go out into the other areas of Sri Lanka that had a little more to offer.
    We took a safari into Yala National Park with the hope of seeing some wild animals.
    After visiting many large cities the past couple of weeks, we were especially appreciative of being out in a natural setting. We didn’t realize how much we had missed birdsong until we stopped bouncing along in our safari jeep and listened to the glorious sounds of nature. This is one park that you can be just about 10’ away from a small herd of water buffalo lounging in a pond and grunting, and they barely notice you.
    We saw 4 elephants - Sri Lankan elephants are smaller in overall size than African elephants and have smaller ears. Also, most of them do not have tusks. We saw many different types of birds, including a painted stork, as well as wild boar, jackals, spotted deer and a relatively rare siting of a leopard. The leopard was lying in a tree yawning the afternoon away as we excitedly took dozens of photos.
    The bus ride home was lots of chattering about the great things everyone had seen. All in all, a fabulous day.
    The photos are of some of the things we saw in Yala National Park.    Meer informatie

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers

    Phuket, Thailand

    9 maart 2015, Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 90 °F

    March 9th.
    We sailed into Phuket on a very hot morning. We had been in ports for the past 4 days, did not have a specific excursion planned and did not feel very adventuresome. Occasionally there is a very strong taxi union in a particular area so the ship is unable to run a shuttle into town (in this case, town was about 8 miles away). The taxi drivers/hawkers were standing at the exit to the port yelling and trying to get everyone’s attention. They were also quoting very high prices and very different prices to various people. The locals had set up a very nice market at the port so we called it our last shopping day in southeast Asia and had a little relaxing time.
    The sail away was particularly beautiful - late afternoon sunshine with myriad mystical islands all around us.
    I have added some photos from past days just for fun    Meer informatie

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers

    Penang, Malaysia

    8 maart 2015, Maleisië ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    This was another surprising port. Penang is Malaysia’s oldest British settlement. Captain Francis Light took possession of Penang in 1786 when it was a dense jungle and mainly uninhabited. It was declared a free port status and the island quickly became a cultural melting pot with an eclectic mix of races and religions. The main town of Georgetown is noted for the largest collection of pre-war houses in all of southeast Asia. The many colonial buildings were virtually unscathed through history and have been declared a World Heritage Site.
    There is a thriving Chinatown and Little India here which give visitors an eyeful of ornament, street food, temples and every nationality of people you can imagine. The market was interesting until we walked by the area where chickens went from cage to table within just a few minutes. There are some things that give a little too much information. At times like this, Nancy and I become even more interested in vegetarian options. Talk about too much information, the olfactory impact is sometimes good, but when it’s bad, it can almost stop your forward momentum.
    The amazing sights of southeast Asia continue to enthrall us and it often takes us an evening to talk through some of the things we have seen and are trying to process.
    If nothing else, we are getting an incredible geography lesson of this area.
    After a stop in Phuket tomorrow, we will sail across the the Bay of Bengal to Sri Lanka for some non-urban wildlife adventures.
    The first photo is a shore scene showing local fishing boats.
    The second photo is a street scene.
    The third photo is showing the colonial architecture next to a temple.    Meer informatie

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    7 maart 2015, Maleisië ⋅ ⛅ 90 °F

    Kuala Lumpur was one of the ports that stands out as a surprise. There are times we go into a port with no expectations and discover a rich and diverse city such as this one. I’m not sure what I had in my mind about what I thought Kuala Lumpur (it is referred to as KL) would be, but I was definitely wrong. It is a cosmopolitan city that has a mix of skyscrapers, colonial architecture and extensive green space throughout the city.
    Kuala Lumpur means “muddy estuary” and was begun in 1857 when Chinese traders set up shop here. KL gained it’s independence in 1957 and became Malaysia’s capital.
    It is home to the Petronis Towers which are quite magnificent.
    We got a taxi from the port into KL, which was about 1 hour away. Our taxi driver was also our tour guide and took us to some of the best sights in the city while also providing lots of information about the healthcare and education system (both free), the religious mode of the city(diverse and tolerant) and what his daily life is like.
    We are slightly north of the Equator in KL so it is very hot and humid. We have not experienced the rain showers that generally occur each day and the seas remain extremely calm.
    We have also been enjoying the vast array of boats that are in both the harbors and out at sea in Southeast Asia. They have more character than you can imagine and are colorful and stout. There are some that we refer to as low-riders whose decks are barely above the water line. Jeff told me the other day that I wouldn’t believe how many photos of boats he had taken.
    As we came out of Singapore harbor on our way to KL, there were literally hundreds of ships parked outside the entrance to Singapore harbor. It was a surreal sight to see all these ships awaiting their turn in this incredibly busy port.
    The first photo is the palace in KL. The prime ministers from each region rotate living here.
    The second photo is a street scene.
    The third photo in the Petronis Towers    Meer informatie

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers
    22

    Singapore, Singapore

    5 maart 2015, Natuna Sea ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    March 5th and 6th.
    Some of you probably know that the 5th was my birthday (I love birthday’s). First of all, our suite was decorated beautifully by our team that takes care of our room - champagne, balloons, rose petals spelling “happy b-day” on the bed. Then the 4 of us had freshly made hummus that Jeff had ordered and champagne on our balcony while we sailed in to the harbor at Singapore.
    We have been planning for months to meet our friend Mark Zimmerman during our visit; Mark has lived in Singapore for 5 years and seemd willing to take the 4 of us on for 24 hours. Mark is the son of some dear friends of ours from home (Maurertown), Zip and Phyllis Zimmerman. He had supplied us with a wonderful itinerary before we arrived so we were very excited to see him as we came out of customs to begin our adventure. We were also very happy to turn ourselves over to Mark as our guide after some of the cities we have been trying to get through on our own the last couple of weeks.
    We proceeded in the maxi-taxi to one of Mark’s special restaurants called “Jumbo’s” for pepper and chili crabs. We sat at our reserved table and were waiting for Mark’s friends Barry and Laura from Canada to join us. We were settling in with our drinks when I heard Jeff say “oh my, oh my” and Nancy say “holy crap”! I turned around to see Zip and Phyllis walk up to the table. They had been visiting Mark in Singapore for several weeks and planned it so it would coincide with our stop in Singapore. This was one of the biggest surprises we have ever had! They even kept their trip a secret from people back home for fear that someone would slip and give us a clue that they were going to be there. When Mark, Zip and Phyllis set their minds to a project like this, they are unstoppable. In any case, there were hugs all around and it meant a great deal to us to have a touch of home in the middle of our trip.
    Our “tour guide” Mark arrived the next morning to take us to some of the popular sites in Singapore. We viewed the city state from the top of the Marina Bay Tower and sampled a special breakfast dish and, of course, a Singapore Sling. The best part of the day was a visit to Mark’s home “Bliss” where Zip and Phyllis were waiting. It felt like a calm oasis in the city, especially when we went up to the roof to see the infinity pool that looked over the city. Singapore is a very clean and organized city which was an enormous change from what we have experienced recently.
    All too soon, it was time to go back to the ship. We did manage 45 minutes of power shopping before reboarding to be on our way to Kuala Lumpur.
    The first photo is my birthday dinner.
    The second photo is the Marina Bay Sands Tower.
    The third photo is Mark's Bliss rooftop.    Meer informatie

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  • Ali and Jeff CarithersAround the WorldAli and Jeff Carithers
    1

    Bangkok, Thailand

    2 maart 2015, Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    March 2nd and 3rd.
    Bangkok is a bustling city of 19 million people who all seemed to be making street food at the same time. From fairly elaborate cooking set-ups to a small bowl with a couple of coals and a makeshift grate, you could get almost anything imaginable to eat, mostly in a skewered or ball delivery.
    We enjoyed a very long day of walking and seeing much of the local culture through the street life, the shops and the apartment buildings and homes. We even delved into getting some clothing custom made (completed and delivered to the ship within 24 hours!). The surprise about that adventure was the wonderful people we met at the tailor shop including one young man who picked us up for a fitting in the afternoon; he managed to get us from the meeting point and back to the shop by using the sky train during rush hour and a tuk-tuk (see photo below). Another surprise was several young, professionally dressed women who approached us if we were studying a map saying “can I help?”. (As Caucasians, we do tend to stick out like sore thumbs.) In any case, the whole experience was a feast for both the senses and the eyes.
    We have begun to have a true appreciation for this part of the world. It is such a different lifestyle than any we have ever seen. We have been lucky even to have had several guides who have been very sharing as far as what life is like for them. We have been comparing gun control, education, religion, and health care among many other topics.
    This part of the trip has been quite overwhelming with one big city after another, but it is interesting to sample the flavor of each as each has such a different and rich culture.
    Also, it has been a real challenge to get around Bangkok since the map and all the street signs are in Thai characters. Hmmmmm........
    The first photo is a tuk-tuk amongst the motorcycles on the street.
    The second photo is an outdoor street food vendor with various cauldrons of things cooking.
    The third photo is a street scene in Bangkok - not easy to tell what the
    signs say, bu the managed to find our way around.    Meer informatie

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