13th March 2016

This morning was a struggle to wake up. The abrupt raising of the blackout blinds by Sue practically threw me out of bed; it was as if she did it on purpose to banish the sandman! It wasn’t until the second dark coffee that I started to feel human again. Yoghurt and pastries soon brought the rest of my systems online, and I was ready to face another day.

After checking the ‘Diario di Bordo’, we decided that today would be a day of rest. We wouldn’t subject ourselves to another round of exhausting activities. Instead, we planned to read, play Scrabble, and fully regenerate our “juices” in preparation for tomorrow’s visit to Oman. It’s likely to be hot, and as it’s a strictly Muslim country, we’ll need to cover up. After breakfast, I checked with the English rep to confirm whether, as a member of the dominant and ruling sex, I too would need to cover my arms and legs. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wear a long-sleeved shirt and trousers, but thankfully, socks are optional (yippee!).

The heat was stronger today, and after a walk around the decks, we found a booth in one of the bars next to a window so we could continue our vigilant lookout for Somali pirates. We passed the time playing Scrabble.

Lunch was on Deck 9, where we were joined by Aylo, who seemed a bit more upbeat today. We chatted about Oman and its customs. Afterwards, Sue watched a Frank Sinatra concert on video, and I squeezed in a short nap before heading to the gym for my workout.

We had the opportunity to meet the Captain and his senior staff in the Grand Bar before dinner. It was a hot and humid evening, and given that it was a formal dress night, I found wearing a jacket and tie unbearably stuffy, perhaps a preview of things to come. We sat with the German ladies we’d dined with a couple of nights ago, chatting about families and sharing photos from our phones.

The evening’s show featured a Spanish opera singer. Much of his repertoire was unfamiliar to us, and I found his voice rather overpowering at times, especially since we were seated in the front row, just 2 metres from him. He seemed to be well-received by the audience, so I suppose my lack of enthusiasm is more a matter of personal taste than anything else.

After a sultry and sticky walk around the deck, we decided to call it an early night. The warmth and humidity made it feel like the perfect time to wind down.