Staying home in Salalah

Today we are docked in Salalah, Oman.

Since we left Aqaba, five days ago, I have been fighting the flu - and feeling miserable and so have hardly left our cabin cause I don't really want to share it with my friends.

So today, after another night of coughing and spluttering, I made the decision to stay behind and not go on the tour - we were in Salalah two years ago, and since it is very hot and dusty today, I don't feel that I am missing out on a great deal - and I really need the time for the antibiotics to kick in and to get better.

It isn't all bad news, I am finally up to date with this blog and I have had visitors bringing medication, magazines and books. In the last two days, I have finished reading 'The Little Coffee Shop in Kabul" and " married to a Bedouin" set in Petra - both books are very relevant since they both are set in this part of the world, and provide an insight into the local culture and values.

Yesterday, I was feeling really miserable when there was a knock at the door and a room steward delivered a beautiful flower arrangement from Arnold - yes, even on the ship, there is a florist! - all the comforts of home - it was a lovely gesture and really cheered me up.

We now have two sea days until our next port - Mumbai on Monday - we have face to face immigration tomorrow because the Indian officials have already boarded here in Salalah.

 The paper work to get into India for a few hours is overwhelming - a visa costing around $100 each - three sets of paperwork on our bed last night to be filled in and a face to face processing tomorrow - whew!

Now we are just waiting for the buses to return from Salalah and then we can throw off the ropes and head back across the Indian Ocean to Mumbai........