2011 - H & A WORLD CRUISE - DUBAI

WE HAD THREE STOPS IN EGYPT PLANNED BUT THE REVOLUTION HAS CANCELLED THEM.

HOLLAND AMERICA HAVE SUBSTITUTED AN EXTRA DAY IN DUBAI, AN EXTRA STOP IN OMAN & A STOP IN ISRAEL.

A FEW PASSENGERS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE ISRAEL STOP, BUT IT IS A BONUS FOR ME.

WITH HINDSIGHT, I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TWO EXTRA DAYS IN OMAN TO THE EXTRA DAY IN DUBAI.

I AM GLAD I GOT TO DUBAI BUT HAVE NO NEED TO GO BACK. A LOT OF CONCRETE & BIG BUILDINGS & WAY TOO CLEAN.

THE CAMEL MARKET WAS GOOD FUN THOUGH.

BUT FIRST WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS .... WHICH IS A BIT OF A SURPRISE ...

SOMEONE ON BOARD TOLD THE STORY ABOUT LOOKING AT THE SKYLINE OF BUILDINGS OF DUBAI & BEING ASKED WHICH ONE WAS THE TALLEST IN THE WORLD.

TRICKY QUESTION!

ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET .... MUST BE SOME VIPS GETTING OFF . . US, OF COURSE ...

HEADING OUT INTO THE DESERT TOWARDS AL AIN - THE SPRING - AN OASIS APPARENTLY, BUT NOT MUCH COMPARED TO THE ONE I WAS AT IN TUNISIA ....

RIGHT ON THE BORDER WITH OMAN.

THERE WAS AN OVERNIGHT FROM DUBAI TO OMAN & I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT.

WE STOP AT A MUSEUM...

AND INTO THE CAMEL MARKET. NOT WHAT I EXPECTED.

JUST A FEW PENS.

NO 'MARKET' ACTIVITY.

I HAD MENTIONED TO A LADY ON BOARD THAT I WAS COMING HERE & MIGHT BUY A CAMEL BUT WONDERED HOW I WOULD GET IT IN MY SUITCASE.

WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT SHE SAID ' JUST REMEMBER, A CAMEL'S LEGS FOLD BACKWARDS'.

VERY SHARP.

HEADING BACK TO DUBAI, ONE OF HUNDREDS OF BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES...

A SHORT BOAT RIDE ACROSS THE SMALL CANAL & A WALK ALONGSIDE IT..

SOME PRETTY FANCY BOATS HERE. .

PERHAPS TIGER WOODS OWNS IT.

THE FAMOUS SAIL OF BURJ AL ARAB .. LOOKING VERY NICE. THERE WAS AN EXCURSION HERE FOR TEA BUT I DECLINED.

I DECLINED THE HOOKAH TOO.

THE SOUK - BRAND NEW..

ON TO THE 'PALMS' BUT THERE IS NO SENSE OF BEING ON A 'PALM' UNLESS FLYING OVER IT. A LOT OF UNOCCUPIED PROPERTY HERE.

A LOT OF THAT I DID ON THE HOHO & NOW I AM REPEATING IT AT NIGHT...

OUR ESCORT OUT OF DUBAI ... AUSTRALIAN NAVY I THINK..

THESE CAUSED THE SHIPS CREW TO JUMP TO ATTENTION. THEY CAME UP VERY FAST ON THE STARBOARD AND CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE BOW AND STOPPED ON THE PORT SIDE BEFORE SPEEDING AWAY.

OUR SHIP IS GETTING READY FOR PIRATES, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE GOING AS FAST AS WE CAN FROM HERE THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HUMUZ & ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE RED SEA TO JORDAN