Middle East and Seychelles Cruise – Nov 2019

Cruise review

Suez Canal

It’s hard to put in words or show on photos what a unique and jaw-dropping experience it was to pass through the Suez Canal.
The passage took almost an entire day and started with us “lining up” to enter the canal at 10 pm one evening and not reaching its end until 4.30 pm the next day.
When you see it with your own eyes - the thin body of water in the middle of desert land you understand the architectural marvel it presents. Waking up to the ship slowly maneuvering itself through the canal, tightly fitted between Egypt and Jordan was an incredible sight. The air was hot, muggy and dusty and there were sandy landscapes as far as the eye could see.
We sailed through the canal in complete and eerie quietness, passing occasional lonely trains and cars transporting goods on train tracks and roads running alongside the canal. We saw tiny boats and even tinier birds for most of the way, as well as passing the largest container ship in the world. We sailed past densely inhabited small towns lined with palm trees and Muslim calls to prayer echoing through the air from their Mosque’s loudspeakers.
By the time early morning had passed,
hundreds of thousands of flies had overtaken the entire ship especially the dining areas. They were an unexpected nuisance that stayed with us until we excited the Canal at the Egyptian Red Sea city of Suez. Yet somehow despite infuriating all passengers alike, even these flies added to the enjoyment of this trip.
I was truly thankful for this journey - it was a one of a kind experience that I will always cherish.