Salalah, Oman

May 5, 2008

After four days at sea we arrived at the desert port of Salalah, Oman. Beautiful and exotic, Salalah is rich in biblical history. The area in and around Salalah boasts the ruins of a palace believed to belong to the Queen of Sheba, the resting place of the prophet Job as well as the resting place of Nabi Imran, the father of the virgin Mary.

Getting to Oman was an adventure itself. The Indian Ocean has been ripe with modern-day pirates lately...yes! Pirates! These pirates apparently use numbers of fast speed boats and surround unsuspecting vessels, firing on them until they “surrender”, the pirates board and steal all the valuables on board and then hold the ship and it’s passengers for ransom. Sounds like a Hollywood movie doesn’t it? But apparently it is very real.

As we left Mombassa, we were escorted for the next three days by a Dutch Naval vessel equipped with huge guns armed and ready. This ship stayed within eyesight of our ship day and night. In addition, our ship closed all draperies, turned off all deck lights....flooded the ocean level with tons of light, posted 24 guards on all decks and instructed us to stay inside for most of the time. They meant business. The captain further explained that our ship had special sound transmitters mounted just under the bridge extensions that, if necessary, could send pinpointed high frequency blasts strong enough to permanently damage anyone in ear-sight of that blast. He told us that should he have to use these that he would make an announcement and that we were to all go as far to the center of the ship as we could. So, I guess all this pirate stuff was really serious.

During the three days the Dutch Navy used the time to do practice maneuvers. For instance, one day there was a simulated medical emergency air-lift. The naval ship came close to our ship....it’s helicopter hovered above, cabled dropped “medical” assistance and then air-lifted our “emergency” off. Unfortunately I didn’t see any of this as I was in bed with my feet elevated and packed in ice!!! I can imagine how it must have been for on last year’s cruise we had an actual medical emergency and one of our fellow passengers had to be lifted off the ship some twelve hours off the coast of Australia. It was very exciting.

The Dutch also practiced an at sea re-fueling operation. One day they came very close to our ship...some 30 meters....sailed along side for a while. If they had indeed been re-fueling us, they would have been at 15 meters....very close!!! I did get a glimpse of that operation as my draperies were open and they were along side just outside my cabin. It was close...and exciting to see.

But since we have not been high-jacked or robbed I assume that all these precautions worked. The ship has now left us as we are traveling in the Red Sea. Apparently there is not the danger of the pirates in these waters...and, the captain explained, there are US and British ships all around!

My day in Oman was not what I had planned. Last year when I visited here I went deep into the “no-man’s” part of the desert and didn’t really get to see any of Salalah...so this year I decided to take an excursion exploring the city itself. Well I explored it...but not quiet like I had expected. No, I was “transported” by the local ship’s agent to a local private hospital for a special consultation with an orthopedist.

The ship’s doctor, an emergency room specialist and the team physician for the Jacksonville Jaguars, had determined that my left ankle was badly sprained and that my right one had a broken fibula, the small bone of the ankle. He told me that it was “fractured” and undisplaced.... not too serious, if painful!

For a second opinion, he emailed my X-ray to some specialist in Texas who responded that he thought I needed a screw in my right foot. UGH! So, instead of waiting until we arrived in Alexandria to have me see a specialist, the doctor on board decided to send me to someone in Oman.

I met with a doctor Gupta....a very nice Indian man who is indeed an orthopedic specialist. I was driven there by the ship’s agent, along with another passenger who had broken her finger on the same safari I was on.

We arrived at this hospital complex. The driver went to an office to pay for our visit ahead of time. Apparently, all Omanians have no medical expenses and therefore the office was not equipped to take our credit cards...the agent paid in cash and then posted the charges to our ship’s account. (As it turned out, the total bill was $175.00....$100. for the transportation and $75 for the doctor’s visit and drugs....a deal!)

It was funny....the orthopedic department shared offices with the psycho therapy department. The waiting room....rooms!...one for men and the other for women....were filled with young and old...some needing to see Dr. Gupta and others, I assume needing to see the shrink!

Of course, all the women that passed through were completely covered in black...most with veils completely covering their eyes. I was so interested in these robes. Although each was black...most had some “decoration”. The hems were scalloped...the veils had cut-outs in them....sequins abounded. One very fashionable woman had small rosettes of black veiling covering her veil...each was different....and each woman checked out the others as they passed by on the way to their waiting room.

Dr. Gupta was not able to read the CD X-ray that the ship had sent with me so he needed to make one of his own. Since we were in the orthopedic department one would think that they would have had an X-ray machine there....wrong!.....we had to get back in the car and drive across the campus to get to the machine. Sounds easy....but I can hardly walk....hobble on the crutches to get in and out of the wheel chair...there were no ramps...high curbs....and it was 120°s in the shade! Phew....wore me out!

Once X-rayed and back in the car and back in Dr. Gupta’s office he agreed with the ship’s doctor’s notes....but he decided that I should be in a cast...saying that I would heal better and quicker.

So, soon, I was whisked off to a large room with numerous smaller curtained cubicles surrounding it. The room was buzzing with various people, young and old...all waiting for casts. Soon I was in a room, along side another young man getting a full leg cast.

A young woman draped in all white...her face exposed to reveal a major uni-brow!....she quickly and efficiently wrapped my leg in a very professional looking and very secure cast.

I must admit that I was dreading the cast thinking it would be uncomfortable and “itchy”. But so far, it has been a real relief. I am not as afraid to use the crutches and therefore am not as fearful that I will fall again.

I have had to be careful in showering. I have a large plastic bag that I tape very securely and then gingerly use my crutches to get in and out of the tub for a very quick but relaxing shower every morning....I certainly look forward to the day when I can lay back in a long hot and relaxing bath!

My left foot, the sprained one....is healing...slowly...but healing. The multi-colors have begun to fade and it is not as touchy as it has been. It still hurts more than the broken one but someone reminded me that most people use crutches with a sprained foot....and I am using the sprained one to maneuver in and out of my wheel chair.

My arms ache. I have muscles there that I didn’t know I had. The smallest ramp...and this ship is full of them!....is difficult. Luckily, most crew and passengers are very willing and ready to give me a push when I need it.

All have been wonderful to me...if something like this had to happen, I can’t think of a better place. I have room service whenever I need it...or I go to the buffet and one of the guys walks the line for me...or I go to the dining room.

My room is full of flowers from passengers and the various departments on the ship...including a big arrangement from the casino...wonder why????

So, this is a long-winded way to say that I am doing fine....and experiencing a new way of existence. I will continue on the cruise, but will leave directly from the ship to fly home in Lisbon instead of staying there for three or so days as I had originally planned. My doctor in Atlanta is already arranging for me to see someone there soon after I get home...and hopefully by then I will be well on the mend!

So that’s that....we arrive in Safaga, Egypt in a day or so. I am going to stay on board and continue to mend in hopes that when we get to Alexandria I will be able to go about my business. So, stay tuned!

Safari Photos.....

Here, hopefully, are some more photos of my safari....sometimes they are not easy to post...but here goes! Enjoy!

Mombasa, Kenya

April 28-30, 2008

All my life I have spent hours in front of the television watching nature specials like Wild Kingdom and National Geographic, dreaming of one day being there in person. And so it came as no surprise to me that once we left the ship and boarded our chartered plane and flew to the Masai Mara National Park and landed on the private dirt landing strip of Kichwa Tembo that I was truly overwhelmed with emotion. I was here. I was in Africa! This is what I had always thought about when I had thought about Africa and I was finally here.

As we left the plane we were greeted by a slew of smiling guides who extended warm hand shakes and greetings. Jambo! Jambo! They all kept saying...Hello! Welcome! My guide, Francis, was particularly friendly and seemed genuinely pleased that we would be with him for the next three days.

No sooner had we all left the plane did it immediately fly away and we boarded beautiful range rovers and set out across the grasslands to begin our first “drive”.

It was as though Disney had been there in the wings waiting for our flight. We saw Zebras, Giraffes, Wart Hogs, Topi, Cape Buffalo, Ostrich, Antelope, Gazelles and a Snake Eagle....and that was all in the first five minutes! I just couldn’t believe my eyes. Vast plans of grasses blowing in the gentle breezes spotted with an occasional tree (most are stumped in growth because the Giraffe eat the upper leaves) were bounded on one edge by a low range of hills and on the other by a meandering river, green with dense vegetation. It was absolutely magical. I commented to Francis that it looked exactly like the scenes in the famous movie, “Out of Africa”. He laughed and quietly replied...”well, it should”, he said, “Out of Africa was filmed just here” pointing to the ridge in the distance. So beautiful!

We eventually made our way to “hotel”...the elegant tented camp of Kichwa Tembo (elephant head). The reception and dining room, all open and comfortable became a great gathering place when we were not on our drives. Meals were served both inside and out and each meal was better than the next all served by more handsome and smiling men....most of Masai background.

My tent itself was very comfortable. A large bedroom with oversized beds and a full bath attached....very comfortable indeed.

After a wonderful lunch we once again set out for another drive for another chance to spot more wildlife....Thompson Gazelles, many birds: pair after pair of crowned crested cranes, the beautiful lilac breasted roller with his brilliant lilac breast and brilliant blue wings. We found a pair of cheetah...apparently very rare. Jackals abounded. We were surrounded by hyenas...including a mother with two cute cute cubs. It just didn’t stop...more and more animals. Huge herds of Elephants surrounding their young to protect them. We laughed at so many large male Topi standing atop ant hills on the watch for prey. They looked almost like statues in a public square. We were voyeuristic as we watched two pairs of Giraffes “necking” with one another and then one pair doing the deed! We spotted hundreds of Cape Buffalo...one of the BIG FIVE.

Every where we went and every conversation centered around spotting the BIG FIVE! Cape Buffalo, Elephant, Black Rhino, Leopards, and Lions....given their distinction because they head the pyramid of animals. We had been warned over and over again that it would be very difficult to see the big five on any safari....we saw them all in one day! The last being a leopard that lunged at the Range Rover as we got too close to his “kill” that he had stashed high in the branches of a stubby tree.

Between one of our drives, we went upward into the hills to visit a traditional Masai village. What an experience. The tented camp has an arrangement with various villages around the area that will allow outside visitors...for a small fee...to come. We went unannounced. I liked that factor as it made it seem really authentic...the people didn’t go and change their clothes and “clean up” for company...no, they were just going about their everyday existence. We were met at the outside fence of the village by the chief...a distinguished man of about 55. With him were two of his 8 sons....four sons each by his two wives. (Masai men can have as many wifes as they can afford....a wife “cost” 8-12 cows and a few goats!)

Joseph, the 23 year old son was “assigned” to be our guide through the village. He was amazing. Very tall, very thin, and very articulate...if you changed his clothes you would have thought you were speaking to a wall-street broker. He was poised, cheerful and every so proud of his village and so very willing and happy to share it with us. He explained that our “fee” would go directly to their local school which teaches the smaller children. The older kids have to walk 4 KM each way to attend school...which is seemingly a high priority of the chief that all be as educated as possible.

Joseph went on to explain how their village was made up of 8 or 10 brothers of his father with their various wives and children...some 200 total people. Each family has it own “complex” of small twig and dung houses all circling a central stockyard.

Cattle and goats are the main livelihood of this small village. The men herd in the day while the women tend to building houses, washing, cooking, beading and all the daily functions. At night all the cattle are herded into the central stockyard for protection from the wildlife....it doesn’t always work. The village was grieving the loss of three goats that fell prey to leopards that very morning.

The women of the village soon gathered bedecked in their colorful robes of red with their necks all covered with tons of stands of colorful beads and large beaded breast plates. Their ears were stretches beyond belief from the heavy ear ornaments that they lavished upon themselves. They danced for us...invited us into their tiny homes....showed off their cute young children and then eventually invited us to come to the outside of the camp where they had hastily set up their “shop”. Here we could bargain for all manner of beaded work, carved wooden giraffes and other animals and all manner of trinkets and bobbles. It was fun. We ended our visit by visiting the school that we were supporting by being there. The children had left, but it was nice to see what looked like a “normal” school setting.

Back at camp I showered and changed for dinner. As I offered heartfelt thanks to the man that had come to “turn-down” my bed for the evening I stepped off the small porch of my tent headed to the lodge for dinner. It was very dark...and, as fate would have it, I didn’t see the step...and FELL hard on the ground. Luckily the attendant was there and was very helpful in getting me up. I was stunned and bleeding from a scrapped knee...my feet hurt. Somehow, I hobbled to the lodge. I had been assigned the furthest tent as I was one of the younger and most “able” people. I was concerned about getting blood all over my clothes so rolled my pants leg up. Of course when I got there my knee was soon bandaged. It was then that I realized that my feet really hurt....and were swelling...like a small grapefruit. Ice packs soon appeared. I ate my dinner in slight pain and eventually, somehow, made my way back to my tent.

The next morning came early. I had elected to take a hot-air balloon ride and was determined to not miss it! I was awaken at 4 AM with hot chocolate that my attendant so kindly brought me....got dressed and was the first to arrive at the lodge....hobbling all the way. We rode for an hour or so to get to the launch site of the balloon...so very exciting...something I had never done before!

Several strong natives hoisted me into the basket of the balloon....what a ride! As the sun rose around us, we spent an hour in silent hovering above the grass...sometime only a few feet above it...and others some 150 feet or so....so beautiful! I was particularly impressed with the shadow of the balloon on the waving grasses below as we sailed across those blue skies. The pain in my feet disappeared.

After a very easy and soft landing, I was able to hoist myself to the edge of the basket and our driver brought the car right to the edge of the balloon basket and I was able to gently let myself down and be driven to the “breakfast site” where a beautiful champagne breakfast with beautiful table settings and dramatic high-hatted chefs at our command...oh what a life!

I knew that I was hurt...my feet hurt and it was very difficult to walk. But eventually we made our way back to the landing strip and after an hour and a half I was back on the ship....and in the medical center.

X-rays confirmed that one ankle was badly sprained and the other was BROKEN....I broke my ankle! Can you believe it???? It is the small bone...not the larger one.

The doctor on board is an emergency room doctor in Jacksonville, Fla in his real life and serves as the team physician for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was very kind and gentle with me....and very encouraging...saying that he sees hundreds of breaks like mine. He predicted a 99% recovery. Phew.

In the meantime, I am on crutches and in a wheel chair. I have spent the past two days packed in ice with my feet elevated above my heart. I am trying to let the sprained foot heal quickly to make my walking on the crutches easier.

Apparently the doctor has made arrangements, as a precaution, for me to see a doctor in Alexandria, Egypt. I have also changed my plans and will not stay in Lisbon for three days as I had planned but will fly home to Atlanta on May 23 instead. I am not sure what happens from there...but will just have to make the best of it.

So...what a memorable experience on my African Safari....the big five...the Masai village, Out of Africa, a hot-air balloon ride...and a broken foot! What more could you want! And now it’s on to Oman and then to Egypt...stay tuned!

Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles

April 25, 2008

We arrived early in Victoria, Seychelles to find a stormy rainy morning. We certainly have been lucky with good weather...but of all the places to have rain, it is too bad that it was here.

I have always heard how beautiful the Seychelles Islands (some say 155, others 115!?) are....and even in the rain they looked lovely. But, obviously not as majestic and inviting as they would have been if it had been clear.

I had scheduled a glass bottom boat ride that included snorkeling. The rain didn’t stop either...after all, we were going to get wet anyway....so off we went.

The glass bottom boat turned out to be a glass ”sided” boat that was semi-submersed submarine. We sat two by two in this cigar shaped boat with almost full glass sides. If the water had been clear, there is no doubt that what we would have seen would have been magnificent. Unfortunately, because of the weather, it was very murky and difficult to see much at all. Apparently the coral is changing...dying. Every thing seems to be blamed on global warming and here is a prime example. It seems that the water temperature rising a degree or two makes for an adverse living condition for the coral and thus it is dying. We certainly say plenty of it...and plenty of fish, but I have certainly seen “better” in other water.

The snorkeling was equally disappointing. I soon realized that I would not see anything in these waters and just decided to lay back and enjoy the experience. The salt water was beautiful....after an hour or so of floating, when I got out it was as if I had been in a spa with a salt treatment. My skin was so nice.

I think it would be great to go back to the Seychelles some day and have a few days at one of the many resorts there...it certainly looks like a beautiful tropical place.

Now, its off to Kenya and my Safari....stay tuned!