Day 115, Port Blair, India

nansknits19
May 11, 2023
3 min read

Across the harbor in Port Blair.

India Naval Vessels awaiting the typhoon.

What? But we left India four days ago! No matter, with the revisions to ports of call for this voyage due to political unrest, we once again find ourselves docked in the major port of the Indian Islands some two to three hour flight from mainland India. Our voyage to Port Blair consisted of more than two full days cruising the Bay of Bengal. Quiet, peaceful, wonderful sea days filled with delicious food, trivia, Dr. Sherry's stories, cocktail parties, crafts and for me three trips to the medical facility for minor ailments. I had booked three separate excursions while in the different ports of India which I did not take due to the aforementioned ailments. As the ship was due to exit India at Cochin, I along with all my shipmates and crew were required to go through a "face to face" exit interview with Indian immigration. In all other ports where this has been a requirement, this procedure has been executed like clockwork. Easy-peasy. Not so for me in Cochin. I dutifully accumulated all the required documents, put on my hat as it was extremely warm, and headed to the terminal. Found the appropriate cue, waited my turn, surrendered requested documents, received a nod, advanced to the next station, answered a couple of questions, removed my hat so that I would more closely resemble my passport picture, retrieved my passport, was told to advance to the next station where I encountered my first snag in immigrations - ever! Though the immigration officials - all four of them at this station - and I were all speaking English, I remain clueless as to their cause for concern. After a good 20 minutes, the nice young man who initially shook his head and frowned seriously at my documents, succeeded in finding a superior who finally threw up his hands and said, "Oh, just let her go." This I understood! He returned to his station where I was waiting, stamped about three pages in my passport, returned it to me and I quickly retreated to the ship. This trip is about new experiences. Okay, been there, done that, do not wish to do so again. Therefore when I found myself once again in India, I decided to not tempt fate a second time and stayed safely tucked away in my cabin. I did surface for meals, however, and that is when I noticed this armada securely anchored to the docks in back of our ship. Seems this is a big Indian Naval Base.

Those who went ashore had lovely experiences and great things to say about the island. One interesting fact/myth I heard last evening was that though all these many islands are a part of India, some have indigenous inhabitants who have not been familiarized with modern day culture/civilization. Live and let live. Give them their space, beliefs, culture, way of life.

We were to have stayed docked in Port Blair until 7 pm last evening but it was strongly suggested by the various officials that we might wish to get ahead of the typhoon headed our direction. Yet another unexpected experience. Outrun a typhoon. Check. Not necessary to repeat. Right up there with the pirate evasion techniques. Might consider a redo of that if the pirate protector with the eye patch came back on board. He was cute!

We lost another hour last evening so that we are now eleven and one/half hours ahead of Texas time. No worries, when it comes June 28th, we get a Mulligan. As we entered a restaurant today, our temperature was taken for the Indonesian immigration officials. I asked the nice crewman who was taking the temps, what happens if we don't pass? He laughed and professed not to know.

Lunch today was a special treat, Solo Traveler's Luncheon in the Grand Dining Room hosted by our Social Hostess, Casey. Very enjoyable! Good company, good food, smooth seas. Monday night at the Captain's Cocktail Party, I learned that on this segment we have 550 passengers, 401 crewmembers, who hale from some thirty odd different countries. I also learned that four hundred and seventy-five of those passengers are younger than I. Better late than never, right? The oldest outdoing me by a decade, our Grande Dame from San Francisco. What an inspiration!

Basically lacking any pictures from the last few days, I shall throw in some of my favs from .

Sri Lanka.