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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Nov 21, 2012 08:00 PM The Suez Canal
Over 1,5 million people worked on the construction of the canal, completed in 1867. The transit through the canal lasts around 15 hours.
Ships follow each other keeping the distance of 1 nautical mile with speed of 9 knots only.
We entered canal in the night. Canal Administration decide when will be your turn because ships go through two one-way segments in convoys.
When I went to the deck in the misty morning I recognized that we are already
anchoring on the Bitter Lake, waiting with other ships for the convoy heading the opposite direction.
It was 11 am when we sailed onward. I took a good pictures of the flat Sinai Desert on the east and green settlements on the west bank.
It was nice experience. After few hours we passed close to Suez... I was surprised that the Suez town is not
on the bank of the canal - like Port Said.
It is visible in the distance, but on the bank of the canal lies Port Tawfiq - a little settlement on the tiny peninsula.
We entered Red Sea. One more dream came true - I sailed the Suez Canal. Who wants to join me on the Panama Canal cruise, dear Friends?
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Nov 20, 2012 08:00 PM Alexandria in the morning, Port Said in the evening
Welcome to Africa! We had a short stop in sunny Alexandria. I have been here before, but I did not know the part of the town around the Western Harbour - I had a chance to walk around and to take pictures. Especially the palace of the king Farouk from this side is very imposing, now it is occupied by Egyptian Navy.
In the evening we reached Port Said and I found the lonely internet cafe at the Ferial Garden - in the middle of the town. The monopolist charge 3 USD per hour - I asked for the discount and I got it!
Port Said in full of 19th century colonial architecture - I took a long walk along Corniche dotted by palms.
Very sad news was waiting in my mailbox: the great Polish globetrotter Remigiusz Mielcarek passed away. His traveller's output was comparable to mine... I respected him very much. See you there on the 8th continent Remi!
You never know when...
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Nov 19, 2012 08:00 PM Cruising the Mediteranean Sea
It was nice to recognize in the morning that the outside temeperature reached 20 deg Celsius
and we have even some blue sky...
I enjoyed some music entertiment. In the evening we had a show.
But the day at sea is for me also a chance to work - I took with me my notebook, I write and select pictures to be publish...
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Nov 18, 2012 08:00 PM Day at sea
I slept well. The Adriatic Sea is not rough, but it is still cloudy. I the the morning we passed the
coast of Albania - hardly visible on the horizon from the observation lounge up on the 14th deck.
Internet connection from the ship is available via satelite. But it is VERY expensive - you have to pay 13 euro
for 1 hour of usage - not for the budget traveller!
They brought me extra table lamp to my cabin - I have more light to read and write.
Captain's coctail party in the evening. Paparazzi will take your picture with the captain (and charge 14 euro for
this service) - if you want. For the budget travellers like me it is the chance to have for free
two glases of wine. :)
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Nov 17, 2012 08:00 PM Italians sleep long on Domenica!
In the morning we entered Italian port Ancona. Misty and wet day. I disembarked as a first person -
just after they opened the gangway. Cruise terminal was located in the big tent on the shore.
At the info desk I got the free map of the city. The old part of Ancona is located around the port,
I passed through the empty Corso Garibaldi to the Piazza Cavour (15 min walk) where the bus hub is located.
I wanted to go to Loreto - to See the famous sanctuary and the Polish war cemetary.
Sorry - the bus to Loreto departs at 11 and takes 75 minutes. Why the buses are so rare?- I asked local guy.
-It is Domenica (Sunday) today he said - and the people sleep long.
My ship departs at 2 pm - no chance to came back from Loreto on time! Bad luck!
I was walking around old town of Ancona instead: Piazza Plebiscito surrounded by the old buildings is
probably the most picturesque. Then I climbed the narrow, cobbled streets to the St Ciriac roman cathedral.
Back in the port the roman Arch of Trajan with part of restored city wall is also worth to see.
At 2pm we said gooybye to the dark, rainy Europe. Next stop will be in Africa!
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Nov 16, 2012 08:00 PM Que c'est triste Venice...
Do you remember this nice song of Charles Aznavour?
Today I reached Venice. Again, after 38 years.
Today's Venice was really "triste": dark and grey.
On the San Marco Square there were still some water after "aqua alta" flooding but not much...
I used the last expensive mode to get from the Marco Polo International airport
to the Piazza Roma - little square near the dock. It was public bus, which costs 3 euro.
(In Gdansk we pay less then 1 euro for the ride on the bus! But this is Venice here...)
In front of the airport there is a bus stop. You have to jump on no. 5 bus. But before you have
to buy the ticket in the vending machine, have euro in coins ready! The machine is a bit
complicated - make a choice of "city (urban) 75' (minutes) one-way ticket. Otherwise the machine will ask for more :)
My ship was waiting. I checked-in and went to my last-expensive inside cabin, to recognize
that it is very dark. Inside cabins has no window, but the lighting could be adequate to the dalight.
I complained to the guest services. No result so far.
At 10 pm we sailed along the Giudecca Island, the mouth of Canale Grande and San Marco.
I enjoyed the great views of the Venice by night.
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Nov 15, 2012 08:00 PM Lets go South!
We have cold and short days of November in Poland. It is a good time to leave to the south. The main target of my voyage is another Yemeni island in the Indian Ocean: Socotra. This island has unique wildlife and stunning scenery.
I've been to Yemen twice already, but I never managed to get to Socotra - there are no ferries and tickets for limited flights are sold weeks ahead. They are pretty well disorganized ... The situation in Yemen is still not stable, but they say that it is quiet on Socotra. I'm going to get there from the United Arab Emirates. And at the beginning to sail from Europe to the Emirates by Costa ship. Costa, after the crash of one of their cruisers greatly reduced prices. We will sail through the Suez Canal, which I always wanted to see. I will also visit several unknown ports. It will be still a risky journey - not only because of the unclear situation in Yemen, but also due to the fact that I leave Poland without a Yemeni visa. I hope to receive it in the Emirates. Please keep your fingers crossed. :) If there will be cheap access to the Internet on the way I will publish a short messages from the route, as always, in my travel travel log.
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Oct 30, 2012 08:00 PM One more interesting expedition is over...
It was sunny in my Gdansk when I landed...
I saw first snow on the fields around the airport...
One more interesting expedition is over!
I brought to Poland great memories, pictures, hours of video recording.
People of India are very nice and helpful.
Sometimes it is hard to comunicate with them.
Surprisely in this former British colony only the
upper class people speak English...
Others usually know separate words only...
But smile and gestures helps a lot. Just let them know
So mhat you do not feel you are from the those better world.
Now it is the time to meet my dear friends,
to prepare my presentations for the
Annual Meeting of Polish Globies and...
to work on the new project: November/December voyage to the Middle East, much warmer at those season then Poland.
My backpack will be busy again before the end of the year! Somebody of my friends said: -You were born to travel! I think he was right...
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Oct 29, 2012 08:00 PM Delhi - Moscow - Warsaw
Smyle Inn in Delhi where I stay is a clean place and has free internet access, but you can feel a little of claustruphobia in their crampy rooms. Can you imagine my: bed in the corner, 40 cm passage on one side of the bed and 60 cm on the other... Attached bathroom is 120 cm by 120 cm...
But they are reliable: they knocked on my door at 1.30 am and at 2 am the taxi driver said he is ready to go with me to the airport. It took us only 30 min throuth the empty streets...
Do not believe airlines suggesting that you have to be in the Delhi airport 3 hours before the flight. Yes - in the past this was horribe - once I spent there more then 3 hours going through check-in, security etc. Now there is modern Terminal 3 - I took me 40 minutes...
Aeroflot flight was 30 min delayed. I was running in Sheremetyevo airport from Terminal F to D. I caught the flight to Warsaw, but... In Warsaw I recognized that they did not transfer my backpack to Warsaw plane...
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Oct 28, 2012 08:00 PM Around Delhi on my own...
For the first time I was here in 1975 - can you believe?
I had today enough time to refresh my memories and to see the places I missed before.
Hot, but hazy weather.
The central Connaught Place looks the same except that they are digging there in many places. The monumental India Gate is still surrounded by the crowd of tourists. Then I was walkimg to the Purana Quila fort (only the huge gate impressed me) and to Humayoun Tomb (they charge from fereigners hefty 250 rs of entry fee).
Then city bus 405 for 15 rs took me north - to the Red Fort. Sorry - on Mondays Fort is closed but I managed to enter the Big Mosque nearby - one of the biggest I saw in my life.
Metro yellow line (19 rs) took me far south to Qutab Minar - impressive 73m high tower...
Just let you know that from the station it is still 40 min walk to the minar, or ride on the bus 715 -5rs.
Nice and interesting day.
As you can see - you can do Delhi on your own - without car and the driver.
But sorry -this is my last day in India. It is time to prepare warm clothes - tomorrow I will fly home. Domage!...
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