Malaysia

Port Kelang March 25, 2010 for Kula Lumpur

Once again we were docking in a container port but this time we did have a passenger terminal, very modern. We had chosen to take a “Traditional Malaysian” tour. Our first stop was at a traditional Malaysian home. At first site it looked all jungle with palm and banana trees everywhere. However, walking down a pebbled path we came to a very austere looking, wooden building. What a surprise we got as we entered the home. Beautiful tiled floors, nicely decorated walls, good furniture and an upstairs which you approached via a stairway with a beautiful carved balustrade. Tables were set with nice white cloths and small plates, cups and saucers were at the ready. A variety of cakes had been prepared for us containing typical Malaysian fare. Trying to keep our gluten free diet going, we asked if wheat flour was an ingredient in any of the cakes. Eventually we found that we could eat three of the six varieties. One was shaped like the UK battered potato scallop but was made from fermented soy dipped in rice flour then deep fried. It was very tasty. Another was chopped dates and nuts with a rice pastry and a final one was a mixture of sweet fruits also wrapped in rice pastry. Brewed cold tea was the drink of the day which was very welcomed in the hot and very humid weather.

After refreshments we took a walk around the garden which was immense, more like a plantation. Many orchids, ferns, banana plants, mango trees, rubber trees and oil palms. It was more like a market garden. It seemed that all the neighbors had the same deal. The owners of the house were very old and had many children and grandchildren. These helped to tend the garden and sell the wares. One of the daughters in law helped with the tea and would return to her own home nearby. The guide told us that the houses were originally built on stilts for air conditioning purposes. In lower laying areas it was to prevent flooding. As the children of these families grew and found work they brought the money home and it improved the homes and living conditions. As the children married they would move off into their own homes or it could become an extended family home. There was no shortage of land.

The guide told us that the British planters brought the rubber trees from Brazil. The palm oil trees were already there. These two things, together with the tin mines, were the major industries. By the time the British left in 1957 rubber had given way to palm oil production. As we traveled along the road we were able to observe many areas of newly planted palm oil trees.

Leaving the house behind us, we traveled to Klang. This is a major industrial center. Malaya’s cars are built in this district together with many other industries including pharmaceuticals, oil refinery, cement plant, etc. The Blue Mosque is in Klang and it appears to be very beautiful. We could only observe it from a distance and part of the view was obscured by trees. Because of this, we could only photograph it through a space in a hedge.

From here we went to the Sultans Palace. This was a new kettle of fish. We were close in and the surrounding gardens are magnificent. We were not allowed inside the palace gates and there were guards outside to make sure we didn’t, something like the guards at Buck. Pal. There are nine Sultans with similar palaces each governing a state. A king, who serves for five years, is chosen by rote from this group. The tour continued to the town center bus station which was adjacent to little India where there is a market and stores. We stayed here for approx 30 mins. Robert and I took a short walk around the area and decided that we had had enough and retreated to the air conditioned bus.

On our return journey we saw many new high rise apartments being built together with the necessary malls. Along the shore there were resorts and hotels and new building in progress which appears to be new tourist areas.

Kuala Lumpur was a good distance away and others who had made the journey reported that it was a long ride, very hot and humid making us glad that we had taken the tour to Klang.

Singapore
We had to dock at the container terminal as the ship was too large to tie up at the passenger terminal. Visitors wanting to tour Singapore on their own were taken by shuttle bus to the passenger terminal. Those going on tours were able to board coaches already waiting on the dock side. We chose a traditional tour of the city hoping to see as much as possible.
Singapore is the world’s largest port as it handles the distribution of materials for most of Asia. The city was founded in 1819 by a clerk from the East India Company, Sir Stamford Raffles, as he became, a Scotsman who learned the local languages as a way to do business. He was smart and set out the development of the town to cater for the four distinct ethnic groups, probably to avoid conflict at that time, Malay, Chinese, Indian and Arab. These groups were a mixture of traders, merchants, craftsmen and workers.
The areas he designated are still there today. However, governmental policy is to mix them up, due to the day long riot between the Malays and the Chinese. These were so terrible that it gave everyone pause never to let this happen again
Gone are the swampy mangroves and jungle it is now a wonderful mix of high rises and stunning buildings, parks and treasured Sultan palaces and Victorian Government civic buildings, churches, Buddhist and Hindu temples and luxurious mosques. Lots of embassies near the orchid gardens and some very expensive houses.
First stop was the orchid gardens which were spectacular. It covers an area of three hectares which includes tropical foliage and water features such as fountains and small streams. Many rare orchids, over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids in various colours and sizes, plus ferns, magnificent hard wood trees, bamboo and foliage fill the park. There is a Cool House, which I must admit was a delight to enter to escape the heat. There is a constant cool mist for plants that grow in cooler climates like the high elevations of the tropics. The National Flower of Singapore is a Vanda orchid named Miss Joaquim. The orchid was first found in the garden of a Miss Agnes Joaquim in 1893.

We then visited the Sultan’s palace and learned how Raffles and the Malay Sultan made a treaty to allow the area to become a major trading center but allow the Sultan to keep some control. The Sultan’s Palace is now a museum with letters between Raffles and the Sultan together with photographs, sculptures, weapons and models of boats used in that period on display History reports that Singapore worked very well until the Japanese came in 1941 by way of Malaya.
A monument stands in the main park to remember the 50,000 residents killed by the Japanese. Similar monuments record the terrible treatment the captured allied prisoners received under the Japanese. Our Chinese tour guide made the pithy comment that they were from the Empire of the Rising Sun until it set in 1945.
We toured the town’s four districts and purchasing postcards in little India. In Chinatown we were guided through the markets finally visiting a museum created from a tailor’s shop that once housed several businesses and apartments. It had three floors of tiny rooms that housed sometimes as many as ten people to a room without windows. The rooms with windows cost more. The conditions were brutal. The passageways were very narrow and it took some doing for us to pass by each other. How the inhabitants managed to live and work under these conditions in amazing. The guide informed us that most of the people living here came from southern china where conditions were even worse. He had first hand knowledge of this and explained things in great detail. Most of this type of building has been demolished and replaced by government affordable housing. Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore, instituted a rule whereby there was a mixed ethnic community created in every high rise housing development. There were quotas for each race. The official language is Malay but everyone speaks English, learned at school, or Singlish which is a dialect.
Before leaving the city for the ship we visited the largest hill in Singapore at 538ft., where we had a panoramic, bird’s eye view if the city. There are some amazing buildings in Singapore. They are trying to be the first and best at building the most unusual. One of the newest has three towers which has a huge platform overhanging the towers by hundreds of feet. Trees have been planted to give a look of a park in the sky. It also has swimming pools.


Thailand (used to be Siam)
We made two stops in Thailand, Laem Chabang, the port city for Bangkok, and an island off the mainland called Koh Samui, both very different places.
Laem Chabang a modern port of container handling and a cruise ship terminal and shopping facilities equivalent to any modern port stop. As the Japanese never attacked Thailand (as it had not been colonized by Europeans and it had a king?) the country had a settled look of planned growth and development. None of the frantic look of development and its associated litter and debris of clearing sites and abandoned fields and dwellings. Our tour buses were posh and with the necessary air conditioning the crews well dressed and very well organized.
We chose to take a tour to see a refuge for retired elephants in Pattaya rather than a shopping trip, or more temples. Bangkok was 3 hours away by coach and the ships captain gave out warnings about potential riots. Pattaya was only 20 miles and a good looking town with a beach front, fine hotels and resorts. Thailand is really open for tourist business.
We drove through the countryside past some really good looking new houses of the right size and shape for us to be interested in. Comparable with those we saw in Australia but newer and more modern looking. Some expensive looking temples and good landscaping completed the picture. The bus guide told us that the king was the longest serving monarch, he was 83 years old, had a son and heir and three daughter princesses. The royal family did a lot for their people, especially water projects, and creating business like jewelry making and promoting tourism.
As we approached the village we could see some elephants sheltering under trees. There are wild elephants in Thailand and they are protected. Thailand exports trained elephants to Burma to work in the rain forests, some are captured from this wild population, others are bred from the already trained stock. No-one wants one for a pet as they eat 300 kilos of food a day, including bananas by the bunch, sugar cane and other vegetables. Worse still, they feed at 2 am in the morning and their trainers have to get up to deal with this otherwise they eat everything they can. If the elephants get into a vegetable patch or orchard it is goodbye crop. Elephants will continue eating if they can. and drink 200 liters to wash it down.
We arrived at the elephant village which was very well laid out and the elephants, twenty of them, were there to greet us. We bought 2 kilos of bananas ($2) and started to feed them one at a time to our friendly elephant. We later saw the trainer pop in the whole bunch in one shot, crunch, crunch, swallow and it was gone. The same for a whole coconut.
We saw the elephants carry anyone willing to sit on their backs into the river. They submerged to a point where the riders were truly soaked but stayed on. It was very hot so we suspect that those willing from our tour welcomed the refreshing dip. We both declined.
A demonstration followed showing how strong these working elephants are. The females are preferred. Male elephants have a three month period where they are difficult to handle due to the mating period. Female Asian elephants do not have tusks another reason why they are preferred. The demonstration consisted of pulling very large, heavy logs in tandem, pushing and rolling logs forwards into a pile and various other working abilities. One elephant, small but not young, had been rescued from a circus. She had remembered many of her tricks which she was quite willing to show us. One particular trick impressed us. The translator asked for a member of the audience to hand him a money note. Receiving this, he threw it close to the elephant. The keeper then ordered the elephant to pick it up and hand it back. The elephant sniffed around to find the note, picked it up and then to our surprise handed it back to the person who had produced the note, not the translator or the keeper. The elephant then bowed to the appreciation of the audience. This continued with a large coin and two smaller ones, each time handing them back to the owners of the coins. As the ground was a soft dirt it would have been difficult for us to find the coins ourselves. It was amazing.
After the demonstration anyone wishing to take a ride, whether bareback or in a basket, on any of the elephants could do so. We also had demonstrations of how the elephant lies down on command for medical examination, and how the elephant lifts its front or hind leg to allow the handler to climb on. The elephants are only allowed to lie down for a short period as their huge size would overpower the heart. They sleep stood up.
Towards the end of the show the trainers brought in the large males who had enormous tusks. They were painted and dressed as war elephants as used in previous eras. So the trip became a super photo opportunity. 

Male war elephant dressed in its finery.

Koh Samui
We chose to have a day off from sightseeing here and elected to visit a beach resort. It was a good choice. It was a lovely place next to the beach. Everything had been laid out for the Cunard visitors. There were loungers and towels under very large umbrellas reserved on the beach as they were around the beautifully landscaped pool. A lunch had been arranged which consisted of many dishes of Thai food. It was excellent. Rob and I lazed around, swam in the pool and paddled in the warm sea. In fact for the first time we had ever encountered, the sea was warmer than the pool and the pool was warm. A truly memorable time.


Phuket (pronounced Pooket), Thailand

We had to take tenders from the ship to the town of Patong. Phuket is the largest island and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. The region is approx. 570 sq. miles made up of one large island and 39 smaller ones. The area was struck by the tsunami in 2004. Very little of the damage is obvious except for some isolated beaches where debris remains. More obvious signs of the tsunami we could see from the ship as we passed the island of Nicobar in the Andaman Sea on our way to India. Dead trees lined the shore from end to end killed by the sea water.

Back to Phuket. We landed on the jetty passing the typical low lying fishing punts with long pole motors on the back. These are very popular here as they can travel at speed in shallow water. The propeller enters the water about 10 feet past the end of the boat.

We were met by ten seater vans rather than coaches as the streets were narrow.

We were driven through the town to our resort, very much like the one on Koh Samui except we were not on a beach. The town was busy with many small stores and restaurants. It seems to be a lively and fun place for the young. We spent the morning and afternoon by the pool under an umbrella trying to keep cool in 101F heat and humidity. Lunch was Tia food and very tasty, with a cool Tia beer very good. We both spent and enjoyed time in the pool. The resort was attractive by any standard with great landscaping. There were many of these resorts and hotels along the main road. It would not seem possible for these to have been built in the space of time since Boxing day 2004.

Phuket is lovely but we did not see its main attractions. On the east side, small steep sided islands rise out of the sea like towers with trees on top. The islands are made of lime stone. They are cut through with caves forming sea lagoons in the centre. Local Thailand people, known as sea gypsies, scale the cliffs and collect the birds nests for bird nest soup. This dish is so highly prized the Tia’s get $1000/lb for the nests as they are so hard to find.

It is possible to hire sea going canoes to visit these islands and camp on the beaches. For young people this would make a fantastic holiday. It is a truly beautiful place and apart from Halong bay in Vietnam,, a unique environment. I hope some of you get a chance to see it first hand, but beware it is hot!

We returned to the boat and jumped in the shower to cool down. We watched the sail away from our balcony and were treated to a spectacular lightning storm over the hills of Phuket away on the main land. We had dinner with the Chief Engineer at his request where we had a lively discussion on a range of topics with the other guests.

Saigon

Saigon now Ho Che Min City

The Vietnam war ended in 1975 and the new regime took over using Hanoi in the north as the capital of Vietnam, a nation of some 40 or more ethnic groups. Conquests of Vietnam included Chinese occupation for 1000 years followed by the French, then the Japanese in WW11. A split occurred after the country was liberated from the Japanese and the French returned until 1954 when French forces were soundly beaten at Dien Bien Pu. The country was divided between North and South.

War came tragically again in the 60’s which ended in 1975 after the US pulled out from supporting the South and the Communist forces reunified the country. So what is it like now?

Well surprise, surprise, visitors and trade are very welcome. the Vietnamese people we met were cheerful, polite (even the street sellers) and hospitable. No rancor considering the terrible turmoil the country has been through. They are now in a massive catch up quick race with China.

It is like China in many respects, building is going on everywhere. We rode the highway from Phu Mai, the port where we tied up, to the center of Saigon and saw houses being torn down to make compartment blocks and new roads. Thousands of cranes, bulldozers, earth movers, heavy trucks and all the apparatus for making roads, bridges, civic projects and apartments were parked on dirt lots ready for employment. Occasionally we saw rubber plantations, rice paddies (three crops a year in this location), narrow, tall 3-4 storey houses left by the French. Apparently the price of land is houses were very high for building, so the houses had a frontage of 15-20 feet but were built back 100 -150 feet. Road frontage must have been the issue and that appears to be the case still with the new ones going up.

So after forty miles of bumpy dusty highway we came into the lovely city of Saigon.

Some interesting statistics.

Population of Vietnam 88 million. Population of Saigon, its biggest city, 8+ million. Number of motorcycles on the roads 4 million and counting. The impact is overwhelming. At every city road junction 50 -60 motorcycles are lined up to cross the traffic which does not stop. So the amazing feats of slow weaving of the traffic is a sight to see. Only a special feature of the Asian temperament could allow this to work. It could not happen in Europe. I have seen it done in Rome and it is lethal to pedestrians but it works in Saigon. Most of the motorcycles are 100 cc Hondas, one or two Harleys per 1000.

We took lots of pictures and video as it was so interesting, a mixture of ancient Vietnam, French colonial buildings. The cathedral, Notre Dame, the post office, opera, museums and government buildings and luxurious hotels are examples. Today, the entry of the global enterprises like Mac Donald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken etc. You would be surprised how many 7 elevens we counted. Sheila has deciede the seven wonders of the world today are; MacDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Starbucks, Jack in a Box, Pizza Hut, and 7 eleven. they are everywhere even on the small island resorts like Ko Samui. Back to Saigon, The Gucci’s, Versace and all the high end overpriced stuff are there. The five star hotel chains, French and American are there too. Apart from the Vietnamese road and business signs we could be in any European city looking upwards, but at ground level we see pedestrians in the shallow conical sun hats traditional in this part of Asia and no fat Vietnamese people-----yet! One other thing of note, the young people of Saigon are very good looking, no beggars or pan handlers and everyone seems to have something to do.

The bus stopped in the square opposite Notre Dame, dodging the motorbikes and went into the post office. A magnificent French building great mosaic floors, lovely wood furniture and telephone kiosks, great looking tunnel ceiling. How did this survive? Could it be that the Vietnamese are more civilized than their colonizers? And so it was with all the civic buildings. We saw the presidential palace where the last South Vietnamese president lived and worked behind a park like enclosure. Two Russian tanks were in the grounds, the same tanks that crashed the gates in 1975. The buildings are now a museum and any damage from the war has been repaired.

The written language of Vietnam uses a 24 letter Roman characters, no W and no Z. During the French colonial period the French helped the Vietnamese transcribe their language from Chinese characters to the Roman characters of most of the European languages. Although the Chinese helped the North during the war and the two countries are friendly. The Vietnamese are a little wary of China due to their shared history. They are developing as a nation and like it that way. Vietnam was the only Asian country to liberate itself from the Japanese and yet to suffer the indignity of having the captured Japanese forces used as policemen over them by the Allies until the French returned.

Then with that behind us we went to see the museum of Vietnamese history and culture.

The exhibits were catalogued in both French and Vietnamese. The artifacts varied as they country has 40 or so different ethnic groups from the islands, jungle, hill country, delta and mangrove swamps that make up Vietnam today.

The biggest treat was a show of water puppets held in the museum. This show used water puppets manipulated on long poles hidden under the water and operated from a curtained both. Dragons, crocodiles, mermaids and princesses appeared from behind the curtain and cavorted in the water. Mainly for children, but it got a lot of attention from the granddads and grandmas on the cruise as they videoed the heck out of it to show later at home to their grandchildren.

We moved on to the temples. Religions are very tolerant in this part of the world. Buddhist temples for example have other deities and shrines and marriage between various religious partners is fine as far as they are concerned. All have some feature of ancestor worship. It always seems to involve lots of smoke and burning things so although the temples are splendid to look at we were glad to take a picture or two and get out.

We went to a banquet in one of the fine hotels set up by Cunard The food was great with much more than you could possibly eat and the choices were stunning even by Cunard’s standard. There were all kinds of fish and meat dishes, curries, Chinese dishes, vegetables, fruit, soups, rice dishes, noodles and barbequed everything. To add to these delights we were treated to some traditional Vietnamese music and dancing. The young women dancers were beautiful and graceful and the musicians really good with their instruments in making melodious music. After the show we visited the Rex hotel where all the war correspondents stayed during the Vietnam war. Very lovely cool place undamged apparently unlike the situation in Bagdad I believe.

We were impressed with Saigon and would like to see Halong Bay and Hanoi some day. Vietnam will be a major holiday destination soon if it isn’t already and a country to invest in. Probably more tolerant a society than any we have seen so far.

And so back to the ship by bus. Light dinner for us as we were packed from the banquet and on to a show. Tough life, this.

Laem Chabang and elephants in Thailand coming up next.

Sh

Shanghai

Shanghai is situated on the Yangtze river which the Chinese call Huangpu river about 40 miles from the sea. As the docks lie along the river from the mouth to Shanghai they are the second largest in the world after Singapore.

We docked amongst miles of derricks and stacked shipping containers as far as the eye could see. We took a one hour bus ride into Shanghai passed masses of new high rise apartments and crumbling ‘pigeon houses’. These house were given that name by the Chinese as they were so small and cramped. They originally housed the poor of Shanghai during colonial times. Shanghai has a horrible history and remnants of it still show.

So we approached the city through the network of intertwined roads over passes and tunnels that made LA look like a village. The building buildings became more and more impressive and luxurious. Unfortunately it was misty so the full panorama could not be appreciated as some on our tour were to find out when they went to the top of the tallest building in China at 1500 ft. It is called the Oriental Pearl Tower situated in the down town area.

We took a different tour in the Yu Yuan district of Shanghai, or old town as it is known. In the midst of markets, malls, arcades, peep shows and much crowded and jostling space we were taken to the Gem of Shanghai in my opinion.

Yu Yuan the park was begun in 1559 (Queen Elizabeth the first to put it perspective) by a Ming dynasty official called Pan Yunduan. He build it to honour his parents, the wealthy Pans. After WW11 the government turned the palatial estate into a park and restored the buildings and landscaping into a real gem we can see today. We took lots of pictures and listened to the legends and stood in awe at bridges and pools full of Koi, the temples, libraries, and art galleries and other treasures. If you visit Shanghai this is a must see.

Next we visited the Jade Buddha Temple. famous for its white Jade reclining Buddha it was built in 1882 when a Chinese monk brought the figure from Burma. It was made from a single piece of highly prized pure white Jade and weighs a ton. We were allowed to photograph this as it was not the original but a copy made in cheaper material. The original was destroyed by the People’s Revolutionary Guards. Save us from the zealots!

The other venerated Buddha images in this complex were to sacred to photograph as they were original. Weird isn’t it?

Back to boat by bus it was getting colder and fog seemed to creep in along the river. After dinner we still hadn’t sailed away. No news from the bridge. After the show we were still tied up, the customs officials had departed, the gangplank withdrawn and the ship was in port but locked down. The captain explained that the pilot station was closed on the river due to fog and we would sail as soon as the pilot station reopened.

So all Sunday we sat in a miserable foggy dock while the chances of visiting Halong Bay and Hanoi receded. Early Monday morning we cautiously sailed along the Yangtze river joking about the Amethyst a British warship that had to fight its way out of the Yangtze in the 50’s over a cheerful breakfast. It turned out the Chinese did their best for us and we were the first of many ships to clear the channel.

And so to sea for four days as the weather changed from a force 8 gale to force 4 and then to warmer and calmer water as we made our way to Saigon. Interestingly the force 8 gale was coming at us from the stern so the pitch of the ship was minimal but the slow role did get to some people. We managed to go to five shows, three balls where we danced more than any time in the last five years, three dance classes and a 12 trips round the deck walk. I think Sheila is better! So life on or off the ship suits us well. Buy a ship?

　

　

Shanghai

Shanghai is situated on the Yangtze river which the Chinese call Huangpu river about 40 miles from the sea. As the docks lie along the river from the mouth to Shanghai they are the second largest in the world after Singapore.

We docked amongst miles of derricks and stacked shipping containers as far as the eye could see. We took a one hour bus ride into Shanghai passed masses of new high rise apartments and crumbling ‘pigeon houses’. These house were given that name by the Chinese as they were so small and cramped. They originally housed the poor of Shanghai during colonial times. Shanghai has a horrible history and remnants of it still show.

So we approached the city through the network of intertwined roads over passes and tunnels that made LA look like a village. The building buildings became more and more impressive and luxurious. Unfortunately it was misty so the full panorama could not be appreciated as some on our tour were to find out when they went to the top of the tallest building in China at 1500 ft. It is called the Oriental Pearl Tower situated in the down town area.

We took a different tour in the Yu Yuan district of Shanghai, or old town as it is known. In the midst of markets, malls, arcades, peep shows and much crowded and jostling space we were taken to the Gem of Shanghai in my opinion.

Yu Yuan the park was begun in 1559 (Queen Elizabeth the first to put it perspective) by a Ming dynasty official called Pan Yunduan. He build it to honour his parents, the wealthy Pans. After WW11 the government turned the palatial estate into a park and restored the buildings and landscaping into a real gem we can see today. We took lots of pictures and listened to the legends and stood in awe at bridges and pools full of Koi, the temples, libraries, and art galleries and other treasures. If you visit Shanghai this is a must see.

Next we visited the Jade Buddha Temple. famous for its white Jade reclining Buddha it was built in 1882 when a Chinese monk brought the figure from Burma. It was made from a single piece of highly prized pure white Jade and weighs a ton. We were allowed to photograph this as it was not the original but a copy made in cheaper material. The original was destroyed by the People’s Revolutionary Guards. Save us from the zealots!

The other venerated Buddha images in this complex were to sacred to photograph as they were original. Weird isn’t it?

Back to boat by bus it was getting colder and fog seemed to creep in along the river. After dinner we still hadn’t sailed away. No news from the bridge. After the show we were still tied up, the customs officials had departed, the gangplank withdrawn and the ship was in port but locked down. The captain explained that the pilot station was closed on the river due to fog and we would sail as soon as the pilot station reopened.

So all Sunday we sat in a miserable foggy dock while the chances of visiting Halong Bay and Hanoi receded. Early Monday morning we cautiously sailed along the Yangtze river joking about the Amethyst a British warship that had to fight its way out of the Yangtze in the 50’s over a cheerful breakfast. It turned out the Chinese did their best for us and we were the first of many ships to clear the channel.

And so to sea for four days as the weather changed from a force 8 gale to force 4 and then to warmer and calmer water as we made our way to Saigon. Interestingly the force 8 gale was coming at us from the stern so the pitch of the ship was minimal but the slow role did get to some people. We managed to go to five shows, three balls where we danced more than any time in the last five years, three dance classes and a 12 trips round the deck walk. I think Sheila is better! So life on or off the ship suits us well. Buy a ship?

　

　

Sea Crossing to Australia

Traversing the sea from Australia to Borneo

It takes five days to cross from Exmouth to Kota Kinabalu in northern Borneo on the island of Kalimantan. We passed Bali on our port side as we ran through the channel on our second day out. The sea was an amazing mix of flat calm and swift currents as the water crossed the shoals and forced the currents to pass at much higher rates. The ship moved cautiously through the sea. Islands emerged on either side of the ship. Little outrigger boats were fishing from the villages on the shore.

The sea was warm and the air temperature about 85F with a humid ambience. Some passengers sought relief in the pool, others in the shade, reading. The life on the ship hummed along; food, entertainment, line dancing, gym, painting school, lectures and so on. Everyone should experience this at some time in their lives. Sheer relaxation.

So the days went on. Get up, shower, have what ever you liked for breakfast, play trivia with your new friends, wander round the ship, do a little dancing class, stop and talk to all sorts of interesting people or, if you are like me, spend some time people watching. And so to lunch, more of what you fancy; the pub, the Britannia restaurant, the Lido (help your self) or one of the outside bars on the various decks. If you want to go upscale then it’s the Todd English restaurant (if you remembered to book).

We crossed the equator again this morning, this time moving north. A party was thrown for the pollywogs (first time crossers of the equator) This involves humiliation for king Neptune’s pleasure in the form or kissing a dead fish and being thrown into the pool after slathering in some objectionable fluid. Time honored, so they say but in older times the ceremony was much more severe. Our friend Harry (80+) took part and came to no harm. This time the captain’s wife took part and pulled the captain into the pool after her, much to the delight of the passengers. We actually crossed the equator at 4.0 pm with a salutary blast on the ship’s whistle followed by some tricky playing of the whistle by the navigator or staff captain.

At noon precisely each day, the ship’s whistle is blown to set time on the ship. This is followed by a report from the bridge on our exact location, plus the weather forecast and interesting stuff like how deep the water is under the keel. Highest numbers so far are around 6000m meters or 4+ miles.

More fish appear as the water depth decreases near the coast lines. Flying fish streak from the ship’s shadow. Some, looking for all the world like swallows, fly with fins shaped like wings. They flap at enormous speed over the tops of the waves for about 150 yards, then sink quickly below the surface.

The sea changes its mood very quickly. Mornings in the tropics start with a bright sunrise and calm seas with hardly a ripple. The rising sun makes the long path of reflected light on the calm sea look like a wide ribbon of molten metal while the rest of the sea looks deep and dark with occasional fluorescence from the wavelet crests. By afternoon the breeze usually picks up blowing any small clouds away and the sea mood changes. The ship is so big that any wave action makes little difference. We did experience some heavier weather at one point, even to gale strength and we did have a little rocking and rolling.

　

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Victoria docked in the commercial area of Kowloon because she is too long for the passenger terminal. We were shocked at the size of this terminal and the number of containers awaiting dispatch. The cranes were huge and many in numbers and dwarfed

the Victoria. While we were waiting for the sail away in the evening, we were fascinated and entertained by port activity and the constant stream of container trucks coming and going. You began to realize how much China is exporting, considering it is only the second port, in size, in China

Out first trip ashore was to Lantau Island which is the largest of the islands surrounding Hong Kong and where the new airport is located. To get to Lantau you cross a very long bridge that has supports looking like sails from a ship. There are two of these bridges, close together, forming the link to Lantau which makes it very dramatic and photogenic.

We walked through a fishing village that stood on stilts at the water’s edge. In the market, the stalls were full of dried fish and other items. We saw a full size dried shark on one stall and a dried shark’s skin on another. Many sharks’ fins were displayed together with highly coloured fish we did not recognize. As this was a working village, many locals were buying the items. We were fascinated with the idea of dried puffer fish which were puffed up and looking very aggressive. Further along there were vegetables and flowers, meat and live fish in tanks. Very surprising to us was the total absence of flies, which was good, and refrigeration which we felt bad.

At the end of the village was a temple to Buddha. 8o% of the Chinese follow Buddha. In this percentage, a number also follow Taoism. The temple was very decorative and people were offering incense and prayers. If they desired their dead ancestors to enjoy after life, paper replicas were made, or purchased, and burnt as an offering. These replicas are made of brightly coloured paper and can represent any item you wished, from a hamburger to a Rolls Royce.

At this point it was time to visit a Buddhist monastery and an 80ft tall, bronze, sitting Buddha which was situated on the top of a 4,000ft mountain . We had to change buses with a driver that was certified to drive in this area. It was very hilly with narrow roads. After winding up to the top of the mountain we were able to go inside the base of the bronze Buddha. Because of its size, it was able to house a museum which was very interesting. It also housed a massive bell which is only rung on ceremonial occasions. It used to be rung each day but had to cease when visitors were allowed. The noise of the ring would have deafened them. The Buddha is very beautiful and, as it was a sunny day, it looked magnificent. Surrounding the outside of the base were several large bronze statues of guardian princesses . To reach this area there are 276 steps which worshipers climbed. some on their knees, in homage. We were fortunate that the bus was allowed to drive up.

In the park at the bottom of the steps is the monastery but we only visited the large dining hall which is vegetarian only and open to the public. The meal consisted of spring rolls, corn and broccoli, fried lemon Tofu, corn and tofu soup, mixed vegetables, rice, sweet bread rolls and tea. After the meal we were allowed free time to visit local stores. We were surprised to see a 7 Eleven store and a Starbucks. Tiny but nevertheless there.

Housed in this area is the terminal for the gondola This saves the drive down. Each car seats eight people. The 25mins. drop from 4,000ft in a gondola was not very appealing to Sheila but she enjoyed the ride and the spectacular views. We ended our trip back to the

ship by bus.

The following day we visited the New Territories which is the area between Hong Kong and China. The British originally had control of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories which were eventually handed over to the Chinese in 1997. We visited a, now abandoned, village which is being preserved for the future. It was surrounded by a high wall. Inside the walled area were many small houses. The houses were used for domestic and industry. There were displays of how they would have lived which appeared to be very sparse. The industry was cotton and its products all done on wooden looms, etc. It was very interesting.

We traveled onwards to the Wishing Tree. The tree has stood on this spot for 200 years. People have used it for presenting their wishes and hoping they come true. The wish is performed by tying your written message on paper and tying it to an orange that is then thrown into the tree. If the orange and its message stays in the tree, the wish is granted. Unfortunately, the tree is dying and there is great concern. No-one is allowed to use the tradition any more in this way. Message boards have been erected and you have to pin your wish on that. A fake plastic tree, which looks very authentic, has been erected close by and you can use that with a plastic orange for the same purpose. Robert decided to plant his wish on the board, but others tried their luck with the plastic oranges.

Continuing our trip we made a short stop at a temple and small street market. The usual wares were for sale, flowers, meat, fish, vegetables, etc. Then on to the next stop. This was another very old walled village but this time occupied. Most of these villages have been demolished as the new towns are built and people move into the apartments. The high rise buildings can reach 30-40 floors. One of these new towns already has a population of over 5million. There are several of these towns in this area. The occupied old town was very dilapidated. However, we could see the pride the original people had in the place and it history. In a little hallway there were pictures of people, of some significance, on the walls. Underneath each picture was the date of birth and death. The original founder of the tribe, living in this village, was a man of wealth and employed as a government official. His wife’s picture hung alongside. Some of the houses had signs of upgrading. The old windows had been removed and replaced with modern frames and dual paned glass. The cars in the car park were new and in very clean and good condition. This made us think that inside these old looking houses could be a very nice interior. It looked very strange to see electric meters and gas and electric lines pinned to the outside walls. On the way back to the ship we passed new highways and many landscaped areas underneath. There were also many pedestrian walkways over, under and around these highways. This definitely gives the impression that people matter.

Australia

Australia

Arrived Sydney and tied up opposite the Opera House on a bright sunny day that got better as the day progressed. Took a tour from the pier head up the Paramatta river. The boat was a swift low streamlined catamaran. First stop was in Macquarrie Square where the National Marine Museum was we later found out. In the river was a replica of the boat used by Cook on his expeditions to the South Seas. Went to see this later and took some pics.

Took a walk around the” Rocks“, which is situated under the bridge and is the place where the first settlement started. The houses were tiny and crammed together but the rocky area was very interesting. We had a Guiness in an Irish pub and then repeated this as it was so good.

In the evening we left the ship once again. We were delighted to see that the ship had been lit up in pink glow to raise funds for breast cancer research. The Opera House was also lit up the same way. We walked around the harbor to the Opera House and took some good pictures. It was a Friday night and the café frontage was thronged with people. A very lively scene with lots of music and a party atmosphere reminiscent of Friday nights in England but without the Lager louts.

Next morning after a hearty breakfast we took a hop on - hop off tour of the city. At Kings Cross and passed the hotel we stayed in on our first visit here 18 years ago. Australia seems to have had a continuing boom compared to Europe and the US. It seemed to have many more high rises than we remembered.

We hopped off the bus and joined a sister bus to Bondi Beach a very famous surfing area. The weather was very sunny and the beach looked very crowded but very spectacular. We continued the tour around Rose bay and Double bay. Here we saw some very expensive property and very inviting sheltered bays for boating. Back in the city we hopped off to see the Australian Museum spending an hour there and had a cup of tea. Jumping back on the bus we completed the city circuit until we arrived at the Maritime museum in Murray street.

The Maritime Museum was spectacular, a must see next time we are here. It has many interesting boats and ships outside in the Museum Harbour. Inside the building are some really interesting exhibits that tell the story from a marine perspective. The replica of Cook’s ship in full rig and full size was moored on the key. A couple of modern warships including a submarine were tied up close-by giving a contrast of how unbelievably small Cook’s ship was for such a journey but how rugged it had been built.

The sail-a-way was a big success. we were on an upper deck to take pictures of the harbor and heads as we set sail for Melbourne. We had champagne and watched some of the entertainment crew dance to the swing band. We watched the ship pass the heads in the twilight and then retired to the Lido for dinner.

The show that night was Des O’Conner who much to our surprise was excellent and played to a packed house. The other night while in transit we watched a group from Liverpool play Beatles, they filled the theatre also and were well received by all. Next night they played to the dancers in the Queens room.

Melbourne

We arrived in Melbourne and tied up next to another cruise ship that had raced us in to port during the night. We could see it from the window all lit up as it sailed past us.

We took a tour to the Dandenong hills. It was a forest covered area with lots of wild life. We stoped in a little town called Olinda. On the way back to the ship we stopped in the city and took some pictures.

In the evening we were invited to a dinner arranged for passengers who were going round the world, a real posh do. It was a grand affair in the main art centre. We were treated to a recital by a boys choir and an address by the CEO of Cunard etc. Dinner was excellent.

Back at the ship there was a sail-a-way dance in full swing. We decided to go up to the Commodore Lounge and watch the ship negotiate the channel as we set sail for Adelaide.

Sheila and I sat by the front window, pretending to steer the ship through the navigation buoys, while drinking champagne. It is a good job we are not in charge, is all I can say.

Adelaide.

We left the ship for a Cunard organized land tour to Ayers Rock and Alice Springs. We stayed overnight in the center of Adelaide after a tour of the city. We were treated to a dinner at the original Penfold winery. The evening was very balmy and as the winery was situated high above the city, we were able to have a wonderful view of Adelaide and surrounding area.

The following day, we were driven to the airport for our flight to Alice Springs. This is known as the Red Center of Australia and it certainly is. However, we were treated to a rare occasion; it RAINED. The usually dry river bed was flowing. Because it is rare, there is only one bridge over the river into town. There are only causeways and the river was flowing over them. We found ourselves in a traffic jam trying to reach the bridge to get to our hotel. After freshening up, the group went to an authentic Australian Outback dinner. This consisted of a sampler of emu, crocodile, camel and kangaroo. When we had decided which of these samples we preferred we could choose to have a larger portion plus a serving of Baramundi fish for our main course. The meats all tasted like beef but had not been cooked, in my opinion, properly They had been overcooked and were dry and chewy. Searing the meat would have been a better choice than barbecue. However, I did choose Camel and in a larger portion it cooked better. It has a mild taste, very lean and very little cholesterol. The Australians export this meat to Arabia, together with live animals, as Australia has too many and they are ruining the vegetation in certain areas.

Before going to dinner we were given a guided tour of the first telegraph station in Alice Springs then on to the Flying Doctor headquarters and a School of the Air. The school communicates with the outlaying cattle stations so that the children have a means of education.

The following day we visited the Alice Springs Desert Park. This covered a large area and one could spend many hours looking at the various animals, etc. We had a very good ranger explaining the plans and trees and what the aborigines used them for. They were able to sustain themselves for thousand of years by using these natural resources. The ground in this area is a very red sandy soil. We also visited a rocky range named the McDonald Range. There are several narrow gorges through the range and one of them is called Simpson’s gap. This is a narrow gap in the rocks where a small river flowed through. The walk from the car park to the gap was very rocky and uneven with small bridges along the way to cross the river. As it was raining, we were able to see the area in its full glory rather than a dry river bed. We returned to the coach and drove off to the airport and Ayer’s Rock.

Arriving at Ayers Rock we were taken to our hotel named Sails in the Desert. It was a very nice hotel in the middle of the desert. Robert and I had a nice swim before getting ready for the evening meal. This meal was a delight. The venue was under the stars, no roof or walls, just on top of a sand dune in the open air. The weather was kind to us and it did not rain. However, the sky was cloudy so we did not see the stars as was planned. The setting was delightful though and the meal was excellent. It was a great experience watching the sun set on Ayers Rock and listening to the small strange sounds of an otherwise silent desert.

The following day we were driven to the base of the rock. When seen from afar it looks like a smooth round rock. However, on close inspection it has many cracks and crevices, caves and holes. Because of the rain it also had run offs down the sides and we visited a large watering hole that fills with these runoffs. There are many walks around the base which because of the time frame we could not do. If one had the time and ability they could also climb to the top. The aborigines are discouraging this as the rock has significance to them. There were hotels, at one time, quite close to the rock. These have been closed and new ones built further away. This happened when the area was returned to the aborigines in recent times. Two of the caves we did visit had ancient rock art. We took many pictures of everything. We all wished we could stay longer to see more but it was time to leave and catch our plane to Perth.

On our arrival in Perth we were treated to a nice tour of the city and then on to Freemantle for the night while we waited for the Queen Victoria to arrive the following morning. This ended our overland trip which we would not have missed for the world.

In Freemantle we spent the afternoon visiting the town. It is quite small but retains its old world beauty. The stores are modern inside. The houses and stores are only two storey high and most of them retain their wrought iron balconies. We were shopping for a hat for Robert. Somewhere between the coach and the ship the hat went missing. As a hat is essential we needed to buy one. This proved to be more difficult than expected as the summer season was at an end here. After visiting several stores, including a Target, we found a small store named The Red Dot Store which had just what we wanted. Feeling triumphant we walked back to the ship which proved to be a longer walk than expected. We had taken the ship’s shuttle bus into the town. This had one stop only and, by the time we had made our purchase, we were a long way from the stop, hence the decision to walk back. Many others were doing the same thing. It was an interesting walk. We saw a fishing fleet in the docks which Robert recognized as shrimp boats. Many others were moored alongside. The walk was alongside the rail line to Perth and we used the footbridge to reach the portside and passenger terminal. That evening the ship sailed for Exmouth our last port of call in Australia.

One day at sea and we were in Exmouth. The temperature was 41c or 104F. It was a clear blue sky and very dry. We had booked a trip in the afternoon to a place named Yardie Creek. This entailed a fifty mile drive there and the same back. We had a good driver and he put his foot down hard to get us to our destination quickly. We saw Emus by the side of the road and many termite columns. A couple of kangaroos hopped off into the dunes now and again. At Yardie Creek we boarded a small flat bottom boat with a nice screen above to shade us from the sun. It was piloted by a female ranger who was very informative about the area and wild life. Floating along the creek the vegetation was rock, bush and mangrove trees. Mangrove trees have their roots in the water and as the bush gave way to high rocky terraces the roots were hanging down like vines or pony tails into the water. On the terraces there were eagle and osprey nests. It had been recorded that these nests have been in use for one hundred and fifty years. Our ranger was very keen that we should see rock wallabies. These are quite small, about the size of a large rabbit and the same color as the rocks. It took some looking for but we did eventually manage to pick them out amongst the rocks. We saw two eagles flying over the creek which disturbed some white parrots nesting amongst the rocks and they flew up, squawking, hoping to scare the eagles away. Our trip over, we returned to the ship and onwards to Borneo.

New Zealand

Saturday 13^th February Auckland

Arrived at the dock in the city of sails tied up next to a posh hotel shaped like a cruise ship. In the bay we could see some expensive yachts but the prize goes to the square rigger that was used in the making of the Onedin Line a BBC series in the 70’s.

We went on a tour up the Mount Eden volcano with an extinct caldera. Auckland is built on about thirty volcano cones, mount Eden is the largest. Great views of the area which is extensive bays all around. Some very expensive real estate, nice parks and schools. Being Saturday lots of cricket matches with boys and girl teams.

We spent the afternoon in a modern museum looking at the natural history of New Zealand and the first settlers, their contributions to the wars. A complete working Spitfire was on display plus a cut out Merlin engine The world’s largest war canoe was a major attraction on the ground floor in the Maori display.

We sailed away sat in the upper Commodores lounge watching the ship navigate the buoys in the moonlight while sipping drinks with our new friends. So ended another good day.

Lyttleton Sunday

The ship anchored in a huge bay surrounded by mountains. Ve and Brian were on their way to meet us so we were anxious to get off quickly and meet them. We took a drive in their car to Ataroa a small seaside village in a huge bay. This village had previously been settled by the French so the houses looked like Brittany. The Maoris sold the land to a French settler and when the Frenchman returned to France to pick up more settlers the Maoris sold it again to the British. So ended the French connection so legend has it! Apparently reselling land again and again was a common occurrence.

We had a great day with Ve and Brian who looked surprisingly well. It felt like old times again with Sheila not requiring a stick or frequent pit stops.

We were delivered back o the ship in time, something of a worry for we were fifty miles away in the New Zealand country side at our furthest point and navigation was a bit dodgy to say the least as the roads and road signs were tiny. I phone was no use here as we could not get a signal.

Monday 16^th in Welligton

We sailed into another great bay with mountains created by extinct volcanoes around us but this time we tied up in a modern city. We toured the town independently of the ships tours. First order of business was to purchase a new electric razor. This was not easy as the object was too mundane for the fancy city shops but we persisted. After visiting several shops a friendly cab driver took us to one of the stores suggested and waited until we emerged triumphantly with one. More about this later.

The cab driver, in his Prius took us to the new city museum called Te Papa, something like our DeYoung, a great museum. One rare event touring the Pacific was a display of artifacts from Pompeii. Having seen the site of Pompeii without all the recovered furniture and statues etc. This was just what we wanted to see. The museum was huge and we could not see all of it but it was excellent,

When we got back, we found the razor only had an Australian plug which would not work in the cabin. Our steward fixed this for us. And so to dinner in formal dress up followed by a variety show. The bill was excellent with the Cunard dancers and singers followed by a singing pianist in the idiom of Billy Joel and a virtuoso guitarist playing some complex rock and roll numbers. The theatre on board is fantastic and the orchestra is brilliant. Another good day.

We are now on our way to Sydney in roughish weather.

Fiji Lautoka

We arrived in Fiji to be greeted by a warm sunny day. After breakfast we boarded a catamaran for a fast trip to a tiny island called Beachcomber island. Looked great from the moment we came in sight of it.

On the beach leading up to the guest facility a group of welcoming singers greeted us. Bula Bula is the cry of welcome in Fiji. The boat crew on the catamaran and the small flat bottomed boats that ferried us ashore are highly skilled and very pleasant, big strong brown men with flashing smiles of white teeth.

The large facility of tropical palm leaved halls, kitchen, bars, shops and dinning rooms are already set up with a band playing music and food being set out on tables as we settle down in our chosen spots. A happy looking lady announces that we can buy beer, wine or soft drinks with our tour tickets, hire snorkel equipment or both.

All afternoon we were continually entertained by music and dancing with a break for a lavish lunch, a mixture of curry dishes, cooked meats, fish, tropical fruit and pastries.

We walked around the island which took fifteen minutes. We discovered small as it was there were holiday villas with beach access all around the shore.

I went out on one of the tenders for a snorkel session around the reef. Clouds of small fish and a turtle were the main creatures that I spotted.

We packed up after a great day and sailed back to the ship. As we rounded the corner the Fijian Police band were lined up and playing the ship off. They looked very smart in buttoned up tunics and traditional native white skirts with spear pointed edges. There must have been fifty musicians and the music was excellent. The Brits left some good skills here when it was a British colony. We were left with a very good impression of Fiji.

　

　

Saw a great show on the ship to top off a really pleasing day.

Fiji

Borneo 7^th March 2010

We awoke to a bright sunny morning in Borneo. The third largest island in the world, shared by three countries, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. The northern part, which we reached by sailing around from the eastern side is part of Malaysia. We tied up in Kota Kinabalu originally port which was developed by the British and destroyed in WW2.

Our expectations were based on what we had seen in ports in Fiji and Samoa. How wrong could we have been. On the port side of the ship we were tied up to a modern container port with a city complete with high rise buildings in the back ground. High mountains emerging through a warm moist haze made the backdrop. Across the bay on the starboard side of the ship an expanse a water with islands and a shore lined with small dwellings on stilts in the water. The shiny gold dome of a mosque appeared amongst the muddle of houses on the shore to remind us that the official religion was Muslim in Malaysia. We were in newly rich Malaysia. As was took a tour of the city later in the afternoon we came across two huge new mosques. When was the last time a huge cathedral was built in the west? Is this a sign of what’s to come as the Asian tigers China, India and other Asian economies overtake us? The new government buildings and universities had a distinctive Arabic influence and were built to a high standard of excellence in well laid out space. So the Borneo of my imagination, the land with the one of the most diverse species on the planet, indigenous hunter gatherers and wild tribes of headhunters was going to be lost. Apparently yes, the tropical forest was being replaced by palm oil plantations, a non sustainable mono culture.

Worse still, there were massive building projects for high end housing and expensive condos, expensive hotels, restaurants and boutiques surrounded by shanty towns. Kids could leave school at twelve and nobody cares! It was obvious that there was a huge gap between rich and poor, there ere no obvious plans to change this. The rich were definitely in power here and planned to keep it that way. The country switched kings every four years among the four states that make up Malaysia making it difficult to mount any opposition or move towards democracy.

Poor Borneo, a victim of colonialism for centuries, Indians, Chinese, Arabs, Dutch, British and finally Indonesia and Malaysia have tried to settle and strip the area of its natural resources in successive waves. It is now tourism that will change it forever just like it happened to Hawaii.

In the afternoon we took a tour bus to see the ‘Headhunters’ This involved riding through the city out past the shanties and slums to the rural area where we came upon the Monosopiad Cultural Village of the Kadazan tribe of Dayaks. Monosopiad was a famous headhunter three hundred years ago, a leading member of a tribe of which there are over 300 in Borneo. His descendants created the cultural centre to commemorate his skill (?) and keep the traditions alive.

Firstly, headhunters are not cannibals but believed that taking an enemies head and preserving it gave the hunter special powers. The more heads you collected the higher your status. Women and children’s heads were not acceptable as trophy heads. It is believed there was some cheating with dire consequences. The Monosopiad descendents we saw were very attractive looking people, brown skinned, slim and athletic looking. They were wearing native costumes and danced and played their instruments, mainly tuned gongs and drums. We saw examples of there farming implements and weapons. The houses, some long houses were important and substantial, were made from bamboo, hardwood logs and reed matting roofs . These people were not nomadic but farmed as well as hunted with blow pipes.

We had a good talk from an Australian anthropologist who now lives amongst them and understands their various customs, history and languages.

One of their staples was sago. Sago is a food made from tree trunks! A special palm tree where the outer covering is discarded and the trunks ground up with a saw made from a board with lots of nails in it. This fearsome looking saw is drawn across the trunks making lots of large saw dust bits which are soaked in water. The wood floats and the sugars sink to the bottomed along with some natural gelling agent. This is collected and makes little glutinous balls which make a good pudding. As children we used to get it for desert. We called it frog spawn but ate it anyway. The guide said ‘Oh the British loved sago pudding but without he grubs’! It turned out that the natives used to leave the tree trunk to become infested with wood eating grubs which they ate with relish. We refused to try one but we were assured they tasted like cheese and cream. The grubs were huge and an important source of protein when hunting was bad. No they did not eat the head.

We had a try with a blow pipe. A tube about four feet long with a spear head tied at the end. The dart was a thin stick with a bit of cotton wool like head instead of flights. When given a sharp blow they fly straight and quick but not very far. However in the hands of a stalker and with a poisoned tip they are deadly.

We left feeling that these tribal people were very likeable and attractive. and had lived in this way for twenty thousand years in a sustainable way in what appeared to us to be beautiful island treasure gradually being converted to be just like anywhere else such as the Philippines or Hawaii.

We sailed into the port of Pago Pago, pronounced Pango Pango for some reason, at 7:OOam. The weather was humid, hot and overcast. However, the captain made his usual announcement and promised it would improve as the day went on. After breakfast we left the ship for a walk before a scheduled bus trip around the island at 1:00pm. An open air street market had been set up with local people selling their wares. Unusual, for this type of thing, the prices were very good and the merchandise good quality. The town is very clean but sparse, typical of an island community. There is a two-way road around the island with off shoots up the mountains. The mountains are lush with rainforest type vegetation interspersed with coconut palms and banana plants.

Families live in groups of up to 30 people, almost like a tribe. They don’t live in the same house. Each has is own abode. They are arranged in a quadrangles with, what they call, an open house at the front. These are houses that just have columns rather than walls and they are used for meetings, etc. (they look like miniature Greek Amphitheatres) Each family has to have an open house. Samoans don’t have to buy their land, it is left to them by their ancestors. They bury their dead in front of the houses. This ensures continuous occupation of the land. I must admit it seemed rather strange to see headstones or crypts in a front garden. These family groups live on large areas of property which also includes plantations. They grow bananas, mangoes and coconuts mainly. Other members of the group, young men mainly, go fishing or work in the fields growing their staple root crop. Every child has to attend school from the age of five until 18. There is a two year college but they would have to leave Pago Pago and go abroad for a four year degree. However, the drop out rates at high school are high.

We were invited to a greeting ceremony, fierce looking men and demure looking girls. They performed various dances which we recorded on our video camera. The head man (talking chief) is actually the second in command. He was a giant of a man, did all the talking for everyone. It was a very good ceremony and everyone was paying attention. In the days, as the Samoans say meaning old times, the chief would accept a drink of Kava during this ceremony. It is a drink of a fermented root plant, we think. At this ceremony a chief and his queen were selected from the crowd and dressed in a sarong and lei, a flower garland, He had to take a drink of Kava. It was offered to the rest of us but most declined. We did not fancy drinking from a cup that everyone else had used.

We returned to the bus to resume the island tour. The bus was rather strange. It was wooden throughout except for the chassis. It was also windowless, which was great as it allowed the breeze to blow through. The part of the island we visited was very tropical as described previously. The two female guides were in their late teens and wore traditional dress consisting of a long skirt and short sleeved wrap-around tops in pretty colors. They each wore a lovely flower in their hair to denote that they were single. They were very funny and joked and laughed all the time. It is a very religious island, mostly Christian of every denomination. The females are not allowed to show their ankles or shoulders, hence the long skirts and sleeved tops. As it was Sunday, many were dressed in white.

It was a good day out.