That coughing noise is still causing a bit of a problem so back on the Coldral when I got up... We’d docked at Mina Qaboos, the port for Muscat but as with many places, as an industrial port, official transport out was a requirement. It was still pretty warm but not quite the searing heat of Dubai. Our revised plan was the BigBus HoHo although we had originally booked a Princess tour.
We docked on the port side again and there was a Vodafone signal.
First of all, we had to queue in the dining room for a bus transfer ticket and there were a fair few ahead of us at 9:30am. We were also issued with a credit card sized landing card and this is where it sinks into farce. These were just handed out willy-nilly to all passengers. That means that they weren’t numbered, issued and logged, yet if you failed to hand in your card on your final return to the ship, there was a $5 penalty… Think about it.
We eventually managed to get on one of the 20 seater coaches and travelled all of 100 metres, before being asked to disembark, “Immigration Check”; walk through the immigration building; put our packs etc. on the scanner; walk out the other side and back onto the coach again! At least one or two people had left their packs on the coach.
The coach dropped us in the middle of the sea front, outside the entrance to the souk. This was a bit chaotic as we had to double park and although there was a roadside sign saying “tourist buses”, it was a bit of a free for all. We soon found ourselves along with several hundred other cruisers in the covered souk (market) area. We rather enjoyed this. Large, but not too large, with many small shops having very welcome air-conditioning. The shopkeepers were friendly and not at all pushy (as were the taxi drivers outside on the street). There was very little food of any sort available and that means no vegetables, meats, fish and very few spices on offer, but plenty of clothing, fabrics, souvenir items, sandals, bags etc.
Why no HoHo bus this time? Well, as there is only one company operating (the BigBus company), $60USD a head for a two hour run - which didn’t even include the famous Grand Mosque - didn’t seem good value. Talking to another passenger later, they took a taxi for a negotiated $50 for two hours and managed to get to the Mosque before the gates closed at 11am. They also got as far as the Opera House, but unfortunately, that closed at 11am too, for rehearsals. (Nat King Cole’s daughter was performing there.) Oh, there is also a Costa Coffee at the opera house.
We enjoyed the souk and prices seemed reasonable, so we bought a souvenir for our travel collection ($25USD) and Paula bought another of those lightweight shift dresses. In some respects, not as overwhelming as Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar but a similar range of goods.
Although the port lecturer tried to tell us that they would only accept local currency, every trader we spoke to was more than happy to accept US dollars. Those left with local currency – and there were a few, have been told that it will be accepted in Aqaba, our next stop.
Queuing for the (free) shuttle back was chaotic, as the buses just seemed to stop anywhere, so at any one time, there might be two or three bunches of cruisers gambling on where the next shuttle would stop. We were number 23 and 24 in our queue, standing out in the sun, so we didn’t get on the first bus. So when the next bus arrived, we just ‘merged’ with another queue and managed to get on.
Coming back on board, there was no immigration check and the surrendering of the landing card was basically, ‘chuck it in the bin provided if you are not going ashore again’.
First stop on board was deck 5 for a coffee – and pineapple juice for Paula.
My newly acquired UV 30 shirt was somewhat damp so a wash and change before afternoon trivia with Laura and John. John is better at UK history than we are, so he gained us a couple of points but not enough to win. Alex was a bit off colour so we presume he was in his cabin, swotting.
The early show was UK singer, Philip Browne – an act we hadn’t seen before. He put on what was probably one of the best shows by a singer we have ever seen. Born in Birmingham (UK) of Jamaican parents, one of 9 in the family and no exposure to pop music, no piano, just church three or four times a week. He must have moved to London at some point and became a London bus driver. He auditioned for the UK stage version of the Lion King and after a long drawn out process, landed a part in it and he has been a stage and film performer ever since.
His show ranged from Michael Buble, Nat King Cole, unaccompanied Gospel, a touching self-written, composed and self- accompanied (on piano) song, dedicated to those who have lost someone to cancer, to a deep bass rendition of the famous Paul Robeson classic, “Old Man River”. A tremendous, well produced performance that had a thoroughly deserved standing ovation. Easily a 9.5/10.
Dinner menu was a repeat (already?) and was fine. Afterwards, just a chat or three including one with new Cruise Director, Peter Tredgett. He confirmed what I had already suspected and that is the makeup of nationalities on board is based totally on passports, not country of residence, so some of the 169 Kiwis may be living in Australia and we know that most of the 89 on UK passports don’t live there!
Another natter to Rob and Anne Kenney in the Wheelhouse Bar before turning the clocks back another hour (which may mean that it stays set until Santorini).
We got back to the cabin to find that the excursion dept had indeed been in touch with Head Office and our pre-booked tours have magically been restored.
There has been some very, very poor (written) misinformation circulated, regarding the tour(s) to Petra, which has freaked out a lot of passengers. Something was put out that it was between a 5 and 7 mile walk! That is absolute nonsense, but people were queuing up to cancel. We believe it is less than 2kms from the top to the treasury and maybe just a bit further the amphitheatre. There is a lot more walking for those so inclined of course, inspecting the various steps and caves.
A five sea day run again now ahead of us and we’ll be getting another choppy ride for a day or so, as we track back again.
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