It’s quite crazy that yesterday we were sitting on a ship off Maputo and today we are home. In yesterday’s blog I said I would be tucked up in bed in my jimmy ‘jamas. I am! But I’m soon going to get up and go and watch cricket.
Last night after I posted the blog we went to the evening show. It was quite entertaining. They have such talented artists, singers and performers.
After the performance I needed to try sort out my account with MSC. I knew I was going to be billed for $33 that needed to be reimbursed. There are 2000 passengers on board. The account has to be settled for all of them. Usually what happens is you get the account on your door, check it, sign it and leave it in your room. If there is an issue, it needs to be dealt with face to face. Every time I went to the customer services counter, there was a queue a mile long. Last night I gave it one last shot and I just couldn’t see my way to waiting in the queue. I was so tired. It was so late. I had such a throbbing headache. I gave up. But lay tossing and turning, not being able to sleep. I was like a bear with a sore head. Eventually, close to midnight I fell asleep, only to wake up to Julian knocking on our door. It was 5am and we were had arrived in Durban.
All systems go from then on. We needed to get to the airport so Julian could catch his 8-45am flight. I hurriedly got dressed and rushed down to the customer service to sort out the bill. I was second in the queue. Excited at this, I enthusiastically waited. The lady who was dealing with the person in front of me suddenly disappeared into the back office. More and more people joined the queue. The clock ticked by. Now there were about 10 of us waiting. I wanted to have a quick breakfast. We had to be out of our cabins by 6am. The customer service lady did not return. I gave up. I went to the 13th floor and had breakfast with Julian and Mike. Julian had a pen. I had the invoice. I wrote them a message on the invoice.
Who knows if that will work. At least I took a photo of the letter.
If you are ever to do an MSC local SA cruise, the ship usually arrives back in Durban around 5 or 5-30am, but it’s probably wise to book a flight, if required, for after 12. Then there’s a bit of a buffer. Julian had pondered changing his flight from 8-45am which was really early. One of the disembarkation options for the ship is Self-Assist where you keep your luggage with you and leave the ship ahead of everyone else. We had never done this before. They said to meet in one of the lounges at 6-10am. Thinking we would get in first, we got down there at about 5-55am. So did 100 other people! We asked one of the staff which exit we would be using. She said, “either that one or that one, depending on my boss!” Mike was in the queue one side of the lounge. I told him what the lady had said. He said, “wait here, I’m going to see what’s going on.” He disappeared to the front of the queue and a few minutes later returned. “Come!” he said, “We’re going down two flights to the exit. There are already people there.” So leaving the queue, we took our suitcases and went down two flights of stairs to the bowels of the ship. Indeed, there were a handful of people there. They knew something we didn’t. Every now and again, an official would pop their head in and say they were just waiting for immigration to open. At 6-15am, we walked through the door, clocked out of the ship and were on the berth heading for immigration. *Just a side note: as you leave the ship, they scan your cruise card to get you out. Don’t go anywhere without your cruise card. It’s your official ID and you must have it with you. Julian left his in his cabin! Fortunately, as this was the last departure from the ship, the security man said, “no problem, I’ll do it manually” and he did.
We swiftly got passport control behind us. I phoned Sizwe the taxi man and by 6-35am we were on our way to the airport. We arrived, had coffee with Julian and then he made his way through security and went to catch his flight. We had to wait for our luggage drop to open. It soon did. We got our luggage checked, went through security and had breakfast. I did some work and it was soon time for our flight.
We took off at 10-26am and touched down in Cape Town at 12-30pm – two hours and 4 minutes. David arrived at about 1-10pm and bought us home.
One thing I love about Cape Town is its weather. We arrived home to a warm windy day. Now it’s much cooler and the wind is pumping. Yet tomorrow rain is forecast. All was well at home. Truffles is fine. The house is fine. It feels like we have been away a month, yet it’s not even a week.
So grateful for the ship arriving earlier than scheduled, for the self-assist working, for the taxi arriving and for the plane being on time. As our luggage came out on the carousel I committed even that to the Lord, not wanting to be late for David. The Lord knew of course, that David would be a few minutes late!
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
What a blessing.
These are the days.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂
Gym:
Pass!
Braces:
Day 80!