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Day 24, and the morning of Day 25 of 102 Friday 3rd February. Now, I know the inadequacy of the soundproofing  in those lovely single cabins on Deck 2.  I must be careful not to talk to myself like I do back home, especially with the industrial expletives few people hear me come out with! …

Day 23 of 102. Thursday 2nd February 2023 I certainly bit off more than I could chew today with two shore experiences booked almost back to back. 90 minutes should have separated the end of one trip from the beginning of the next. Traffic conditions in Dubai reduced that to around 40 minutes, during which…

Day 22 of 102. Wednesday 3rd February 2023 And there was a question this morning. Jo suggested a mix of hop-on hop off buses and taxis.  It wasn’t long before she was fed up wirh the bus, and we alighted at the Souk Madinat/Burj Al Arab, the latter appearing to be a considerable walk away.…

Day 21 of 102,  Tuesday 31st January.  My brother would have been 81 today. In today’s port, Abu Dhabi, I had an arrangement to meet a now grown woman, Abeba, with three small children whom I had known when she was as a small child, then later as a young adult.  She had grown up…

Day 20 of 102, Monday 30th January This cruise celebrates the Centenary of the first round-the-world voyage of a passenger liner, R.M.S. Laconia, between November 1922 and April 1923 . And, I am pleased that this historic event is remembered today in the form of branded souvenirs, a tasteful special logo, and some onboard events.…

Sunday 29th January 2023. Day 19 of 102. We are now on Day 19 of this voyage of a lifetime.  Today is the first of two sea days between Salalah and our next port, Abu Dhabi.  We are currently four hours ahead of G.M.T., and it’s going to be a long time before we return…

Saturday 28th January, Day 18 of 102. Yes, I did intend to spell M.A.S.K. as in this blog’s title. Current Omani Law dictates that visitors must wear face masks throughout their visit, including on board ship. Seemingly, locals didn’t have to, and as the day progressed, nor did most of the passengers. We are docked…

Day 17 of 102 Despite going to bed late last night and losing yet another hour as we steam ever eastward, I think I still managed some decent sleep. However, I just knew that everything would be more of an effort today.  I have only just achieved my daily steps target (which is rather more than…

Day 16 of 102. Thursday 26th January.  I slept magnificently last night, hitting the hay at a respectable 11 o’clock and surfacing refreshed at 9.30 this morning.  I must have needed the sleep.   This morning, at long last, the manager in charge of the Citizen watch outlet, after some difficulty, succeeded in registering the guarantee…

Days 14 and 15 of 102 24th January I enjoyed my day in Egypt yesterday and am thankful that I put off going to the Valley of the Kings for a future time, maybe during a Nile Cruise. I think it was incumbent for Cunard to offer the classic tour to Luxor and the important…