Day 24

Day 24 – Dubai – Salalah. Friday 8/6/12

Weather – Fine and Sunny/Dust Haze 29C - 34C

Sunrise – 5.21am

Sunset – 6.44 pm

Time difference - minus 6 hours ex Sydney.

This morning at about 7am we passed the island of Masirah 13 miles to starboard. We continued on a south westerly course passing the Gulf of Masirah. At around 9.30pm this evening we passed the island of Al Hallaniyah on our starboard side at a distance of 12 miles. Al Hallaniyah is the largest of the Khuriya Muriya islands belonging to Oman. The island has many granite chimney peaks, the largest of which stands at 495 metres, just over half the height of the Burj Khalifa, Dubai.

It was noticeably cooler today, as we headed south west, which is a pleasant change, and a short respite from what we have had, and what we will have in the next couple of weeks.

Today, another sea day, was a very relaxing day, with not a lot of interesting things to report, so it will be a brief one today.

The port lecturer has been providing her information sessions for upcoming ports a few days prior to arrival at each one. However she has started to give her sessions for the European ports already as once there are so many ports on consecutive days that it would not be possible to do them closer to arrival. So today she did the sessions on Roma and Florence/Pisa. I go along with my iPad and compare what she tells us, and shows us with what I have downloaded on our Triposo app, so we get a bit familiar with it prior to arrival in each port. The sessions are recorded and played back through the stateroom TV.

We spent a lot the day just lounging about, reading and socialising. I popped up to top deck to watch the AFL Friday Night game Carlton – Geelong. It is odd watching a night game live in the afternoon.

After a couple of nights off from the restaurant, it was nice to have dinner down in the Regency again. Carl – Grand Marnier soufflé on the menu tonight !!

Showtime performer tonight was Violinist Jacob Konvisor, who from all reports is very good, but we passed for an early night in.

Told you it would be brief