On To Africa

We sailed away from Freemantle/Perth with a longing to return once more to the Great  Southern Land of Australia, but with great anticipation toward our next destination.

Africa  is nick-named the “Mother Continent”,  since it is he oldest inhabited continent on earth and is home to 54 countries, more than any other continent on earth.

 

 

The time was filled with lazy days, punctuated with wonderful food and service, new found friends, great entertainment, special events, cruise surprises and glorious relaxation and gaining four hours by setting the clock back every couple of days.

The entertainment included a tribute to Franki Valli and the Four Seasons which brought me back to the night I first saw them perform on Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1963. Oh, “What a Night!”

 

Princess aimed to please with a variety of novel Enrichment Presentations including a series of informative events from Grant Harrold, the Royal Butler to King Charles. Grant also conducted special sessions on social graces, proper decorum at tea, including proper napkin placement and use, as well as, the polite way to stir your hot beverage. 

The cruisers, including myself, especially enjoyed presentations by Leo Rossi the former rock ‘n’ roll tour manager, who’s worked with such legendary bands as The Who, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, ELO, Billy Idol, and most notably Fleetwood Mac. Over several days Leo regaled us with exclusive stories and photos from Rossi’s life on the road as he was living out his own rock ‘n’ roll fantasy.

The next day, Day 39, brought 8 to 10 feet seas, the most active  yet, but still comfortable. It certainly did not curtail any of the ship’s activities.

The afternoon wine tasting event was delightful and included special pairings of 5 chosen wines and canapés .

It featured carefully selected vintages with delectable complimentary bites. Basically, it was a cultured and informative event to allow afternoon intoxication, as I said. . .delightful!

Early that evening came a surprise, the Captain elected to inform us via special notice, the slight possibility of encountering Space Debris from two decommissioned satellites.

At least it wasn’t the Houthis this time! It turned out to be no problem at all and we sailed on with no problem.

I believe it was on Day 40 that I got an anxious feeling that the trip was going to end before I was ready to leave it. We have settled into the cruising routine and really enjoying it. Only 57 days to go!

We continued to enjoy the ship and were delighted with the daily pool towel whimsy of the Deck Staff at the Lido Pool:

On Day 42, we arrived at Mauritius at 7:am. We prepared for our excursion in the 82º, sunny conditions.

Mauritius is an island country in the Indian Ocean about (1,100 nautical miles) off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius),and three other islands. Along with nearby Réunion, they are part of the Mascarene Islands.

The main island of Mauritius (population 1.3 million) spans 790 sq. mi which is  smaller than the smallest state of the US, Rhode Island (1200 sq. miles). Port Louis with 150,000 is  the capital and largest city.

As we disembarked, we were greeted by local performers who lifted our spirits as we began our tour with a scenic drive through Port Louis, past sugarcane fields en route to one of the island’s most popular destination, Sugar World.

This former sugar factory turned museum gives the history 0f the island island and details the process of sugar manufacturing.

The weather was magnificent as the temperature climbed and the allowed for a wonderful tour of the nearby Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens. Encompassing 92 acres and first established in 1767 it is the oldest Botanical Garden in the Southern Hemisphere.

 

 

Exiting the Gardens ,we drove up steep narrow streets with densely packed housing to reach the Citadel.

La Citadel or Fort Adelaide  offered wonderful views of the city, harbor and dormant volcanos.

On the way back to the ship we fought traffic to view government buildings, houses of worship and other points of interest. Finally on our way back to the ship we encountered a welcome sight. . . Super Mario!!

Back on board, we departed Mauritius and began our next leg of the trip encompassing  5.5 sea days and  2,300 nautical miles until we reached Cape Town, South Africa.

We settled into the Sea Day routine and in addition to the usual enjoyment of  the ship’s amenities, I took advantage of an iphoto class that was led by one our cruise mates, Dennis Baker. His background as a gifted  teacher and a professional photographer were evident as he helped us all understand the power and nuances of the incredible mobile device we that we hold in our hands. Thank you Dennis.

As Princess often does, they included a special show with gifted entertainers such as Dan Middleditch. Many of us have seen “Elvis” shows before, but few can match Dan’s high energy performance.

As we made our way in the Indian Ocean in what seemed like an endless empty sea, I pulled up a Marine Traffic App. Here it’s plain to see that with over 50,000 to 60,000 merchant vessels and ocean going passenger ships, you are not alone . . . amazing!

Filling our days with Enrichment Lectures, Bobamala research and relaxation, I continued to trade Equity Options. As we traveled westward, it was becoming easier to trade since I no longer had to get up in the middle of the night for the Stock Market open at Eastern Standard Time.

After we rounded Madagascar, the sea picked up to the heaviest yet at about 12 to 15′. Some noticed the enhanced movement, others took it in stride. As Spike Milligan, comedian and writer said, “The best cure for Sea Sickness is to sit under a tree.”

The Production Staff, with their talented dancers and incomparable band, displayed their talents with an evening of “Latin Rhythms” displaying high energy and provocative dancing.

We arrived at Cape Town on  Day 48  where it was 66º and overcast. Regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful cities, Cape Town offers museums, lush parks and international shopping. It’s famous for its towering mountains, magnificent beaches, award winning wineries and impressive sea life including Great White Sharks, Whales, Cape Fur Seals and African Penguins.

Table Mountain is synonymous with Cape Town and is one of the most iconic mountains on earth.

We met Nabil, our tour guide, who would escort us via  Motorcoach for the 3 hour jaunt with 80 of our closest friends to the Aquila Game Reserve, home to the Big Five .

This Reserve is ideal for those who want to see African wildlife without venturing too far from Cape Town. Once there, we enjoyed a buffet and time to relax and enjoy the grounds before embarking on our game drive.

 

Our Guide “IQoQodo” drove and led us on our 1.5 hr game drive with David, Pattie, Don and Gail.

We travelled the dusty roads and riverbeds experiencing some bone crushing moments which brought back memories of a similar excursion in Sanbona last year. It didn’t take long for encounters with all types of animals.

Our search for  giraffes, rhinos, zebras, lions, hippos, elan and elephants were met with resounding success.

 

 

So with a feeling of accomplishment after a long, dusty, but beautiful day, we said thanked Aquila for an unforgettable experience.

The Island Princess spent the night at the Dock in the center of Cape Town, just adjacent to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. The V & A Waterfront is South Africa’s most popular shopping destination.

It boasts over 450 retail outlets selling everything from fashion, homeware and curios, jewelry, leather goods and audio visual equipment.

Restaurants, museums, boat trips, helicopter rides and all types of activities can be enjoyed. We spent a few days here last year at the nearby Table Bay Hotel and loved it.

We strolled for a couple of hours around the waterfront enjoying the weather, the sights and the shops.

 

 

And just like that, it was time to return to the ship and enjoy cocktails and dinner before heading off to our next port of call on the west coast of Africa . . . Namibia.

We’ll see you soon at our next ports of Walvis Bay, Namibia, Mindelo in Cabo Verde, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Arrecife in Lanzarote and Agadir, Morocco. 

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Bob