One adventure ends and another begins

 Our seven day  Catamaran trip has come to a close. The last three days were especially wonderful.  I got my sea legs and began to enjoy climbing in and out of the nooks and cranies of the boat. I no longer needed to force myself inch by inch into the somewhat chilly sea, I just went in and fully embraced being one with the ocean. 

We both enjoyed the whole group of people we met aboard and by the end we all wished the experience wouldn't end. The crew were impressive.  Kung, our cook was a genius in the tiny galley-kitchen turning out several courses, three meals a day. Do, our captain took us to nearly deserted coves to snorkel and we were grateful. Chai, the shipmate filled several roles each day from handling repairs, helping in the kitchen, to stearing the boat. 

But most of all Nolte, our wonderful leader, who calls South Africa his home, was incredible.  He is warm and generous with his time telling us stories, filling us in about the places we traveled, the fish, the environment, and his life outside of Intrepid Tours. We all became family and it was sad to leave to all go our separate ways.

One more night in a hotel in Phuket near the airport and then an early flight off to a place we've never been...India. we will land in New Delhi and spend two days exploring the city. Our ten day adventure will be with another Intrepid group. I am excited explore parts unknown and embrace a whole new family.  

















Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Asia: first stop Bangkok

Image
 It's been a few years since my last visit to Asia. Annalisa and I left town January 2020 and visited Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Bangkok, and Vietnam while a unseen foe chased us through each country. We are glad that we had no idea the scope of this thing called Covid until our trip was over. It was a fantastic trip even with a menace in hot pursuit.  After about nine months of planning, we have taken to the air once again to explore islands in the Andaman sea, get a taste of India, and then head to the Maldives for more sun and beautiful beaches.  Our transportation from LAX was on Cathay Pacific which reminds me (looking at the schematic) of a large, long metal tube that defies gravity. The "tube was cold but, since we were seated in business class, we were able to snuggle under a nice comforter and rest our heads on a down pillow. Annalisa managed several hours of sleep but, as usual, I only caught a couple hours which seemed sufficient.  I didn't watch any movies ...
Read more

All is not well in the Madives

Image
 There's just ONE  direct flight, leaving from Delhi to Maldives at 8am. So we're up at 3:30.am, 4 am taxi, 30 min taxi ride to airport (normally takes an hour) with rare morning horns answering each other it is a smooth and relatively quiet ride. Unfortunately, I'm too sick to care. Head congestion, zero energy, concentrating on getting through the various check-in lines (3) each one too long. Nose running like a faucet. Wearing a mask to protect others, removing and replacing every 3-5 minutes to stem the flow of water. No hands free for passport or luggage. Miserable! Dreaming of the hotel in Madives and hoping the bed is comfortable.  We make through ticketing, security, and x-ray machines only to find out our gate is at the other side of the airport. We walk for a few feet and I give up and flag down a golf cart, my first ever in all my travels.  It was a life saver, 10 minute, ride to gate 14-A. Even Annalisa is relieved as her cough begins to get the best of h...
Read more

Sailing to Railey beach

Image
  A mild cool breeze greets us each morning on our sweet Catamaran home for a week. Breakfast is being prepared by a lovely Thai woman , Kong, who works the hardest on this boat. No sooner is a meal finished and the dishes done than she starts to prepare the next multi-course meal in her tiny galley. Annalisa and I  scored a beautiful 4 person suite with a private bathroom with a door. Others were not so lucky. One room, a double, has a toilet in the middle of their tiny space, privacy be damed!. The water is a beautiful turquoise blue. Not a bath water warm as I remember from my previous trips here but refreshingly warm. Also there are lovely dinner plate size pink jelly fish pulsating through the water. They look like disgarded pink tu tus after a ballet performance.  We are told that if you "Just touch the top of it and push it aside it won't hurt you" Today we traveled for about an hour to our first snorkel site. Large limestone karsks just up several stories into ...
Read more