Above and beyond

I haven’t seen Jane Austen in a while but have become very familiar with Virginia.  Woolf, that is.

Those of you who know me will be familiar with my inability to go anywhere without the full range of anti-boredom gizmos, which now includes my Kindle.  So, imagine the horror of arriving at Heathrow at the start of a four week adventure and finding my Kindle had decided to behave badly.

The symptoms were odd and inconsistent but the principal problem was that after just five or ten minutes, the “Critical Battery Warning” would appear and that was that.  No more reading.

I used my Hero’s Kindle to open up the help files and discovered how to reboot it, plugging it in for the eleven and a half hours to Bangkok (bless you, British Airways, for providing a power source at my feet!)

But still, it wasn’t right and from time to time it would spontaneously shut down or freeze and eventually I gave up and went to sleep.

 

Once on board the ship, I was able to access the Amazon site and seek help which was readily available but not that easy to access, because the advice was always “give us a ring” – and though we had some free telephone time, clearly we didn’t want to use that to listen to Vivaldi for hours on end.

 

Though it was frustrating, I survived the four weeks only using my Kindle whilst plugged into a power source and even then, when it “went to sleep”, it would reboot or freeze on the picture of Virginia Woolf.

Always Virginia.

Fortunately the ship had an excellent library and because so many people now use ereaders, there were plenty of books available.  So I wasn’t lost for something to read.

But I missed my lovely Kindle and couldn’t wait to get it back.

As soon as I arrived home I went online and opened the Amazon Kindle Support website.  Here’s what happened then:

Wednesday 5.00pm – I complete my contact details and offer a brief resume of what’s happened to my Kindle.  I click “call me” and as I do, the phone rings.  My hero gasps in amazement!

Wednesday 5.01pm – I speak to David, who clarifies the problem and immediately responds with the offer of a replacement.  He will email me with a confirmation but in the meantime explains that a new Kindle will be sent to me “by express delivery” and that it will be with me within 24 hours.  I’ll need to return my broken Kindle within 30 days and should arrange collection from home at my convenience with DHL on their website.

Wednesday 5.10pm – The email arrives with printable pre-paid return labels, details of how to contact DHL and reassurance that none of my books will be lost.  A second, confirmation email arrives within minutes.

Thursday 10.30am – A courier arrives with a package – my new Kindle, registered as “Gill’s 2nd Kindle”.  I load the DHL website and arrange to have the broken one collected on Friday morning and use the packaging from the replacement to pack up the original.

Thursday 11am – I receive an email containing details of how to transfer all my books to my second Kindle and within minutes have everything back, less than 24 hours from having reported a problem. I am one happy bunny.

Jane, you never looked so good.

The DHL courier arrived on Friday morning as requested and collected the broken one leaving a receipt with me.  I didn’t even need to go to the Post Office.

Amazon’s Customer Service has never let me down but on this occasion, I felt that they went above and beyond their obligations to resolve the problem and for that I think they deserve recognition.   I don’t normally play cheerleader but on this occasion, I’m there with a hearty “Bravo and Thank You!!

A few Good Things

We’re pleased to be home.  For sure, it was a marvellous trip to fascinating places in the best of company (with all my friends along too – how lovely to read your comments and to know that you too were enjoying the ride!)

But fortunate as we are to travel in such style, we’re still more fortunate to have a lovely place to call home.

• Somewhere where I didn’t have to queue to use the washing machine this morning.
• To hear the phone ring and to hear the voice of a dear friend.
• Where I could open the door and potter into the garden, smelling the fresh air and the lovely scent of the lilac tree.  OK, it wasn’t quite 5am, but who minds a bit of jet lag at times like that?

• To cut some of that lilac and bring it into a clean and fresh house, thanks to the “fairies”.
• Putting on some different clothes this morning and not wear the same old-same old.
• To hear the doorbell this morning and see another good friend standing outside, pleased to welcome us back.
• Sitting sharing news and gossip over a cup of tea.

 

• Enjoying wearing my new, comfortable 900rp sandals because my feet are back to their usual, temperate-climate size.
• Picking up the phone yesterday afternoon to  report my Kindle as broken and to find a new, replacement had arrived less than 24 hours later.
• Hearing the soft “plop” of a packet falling onto the doormat this morning

• Opening it to find my batik scarf, fixed and finished and posted from Penang.

• Watching as my hero picked up the phone to book another fantastic voyage for 2012 and looking forward to discovering more new and exciting places in the company of some very good friends!

How lucky am I?

Collecting Emirates

Four out of seven in two days.

The unmistakeable skyline of Dubai was shimmering in the mist this morning.  Having been here before and not being enthusiastic purchasers of designer-goods, we opted for a short ride to Sharjah this morning.

Apart from this rather grand roundabout with several official buildings around it (and the Quran on a large pedestal in the centre), Sharjah seemed to us to be a rather shabbier version of Dubai.  A little soulless, with huge apartment blocks and none of the sparkle and confidence associated with its neighbour, we were unsure how our morning would be filled.

Half an hour at the heritage centre was quite interesting, with some nicely laid out room settings.  First question from me was, what’s the “hat” doing there?  Answer: it’s a food cover.

A gentleman’s trunk with his wardrobe laid out inside

and that of a lady, beautifully decorated inside and out.

But we hadn’t been there long before our guide was shooing us right along to the souk next door.  Of course, we’ve spent so long in Thailand, Sri Lanka and India, these things don’t really hold much interest for us and we were soon champing at the bit, tired of saying “no thank you” and ready to move right along.

There was, however, some delicious aromas coming from this sweet factory!

Rather less sweet than those coming from our next stop – the fish market. 

Actually the fish was very fresh and smelled good.  There was a huge quantity of every fish imaginable too and our first query was, will it all be sold?  Who knows?

Some wonderful colours and I’m snapping away, much to the amusement of one of our friends, who is curious to know what on earth I’ll do with so many fishy photos!

Leaving the fish market behind, we can’t quite believe that we’re to spend an hour in another souk – a gold souk this time.  We wander up and down aimlessly, hoping that a Starbucks will appear miraculously but sadly, it doesn’t.

Our favourite memory to take away with us from Sharjah will be the glorious scent of this Neem tree.  Something akin to the scent of lilac, it was a lovely fresh note on a hot and sticky morning.

This afternoon, I took advantage of the shuttle bus to the Dubai Mall and found it quite an interesting experience.  I was happy just to stroll around in the cool air, to watch families and children enjoy the attractions

This huge aquarium was provoking a lot of attention – sorry about the reflections from the sweet shop on the opposite side.

But how strange, to suddenly find myself in Waitrose!!  Weird.

Though it was glitzy and full of everything one might dream about, I’d had enough really and decided I’d return to the ship on the next shuttle.

As I did, I spotted this shop along there with all the other designer storefronts.  UK friends will understand why it made me smile!

Writing this, I can sense a weariness which may be because we’ve just packed our suitcases for our flight home tomorrow morning.  27 days and more than 2000 photographs later, we’re really more than ready for home.  It’s been a truly fantastic trip; most certainly one of the best, we both agree.  But, as always, we’ll settle for an elegant sufficiency!

To Oman and back

Today’s early morning picture is of Fujairah, which was there in the mist as we drew our curtains this morning.

The tugs were getting into position to manage our safe arrival as we were enjoying our breakfast, preparing for the day ahead and getting ready to meet our friends for an 8.15am start on our “mountain 4WD safari”.

Just as we were about to leave, however, we heard that we were going to need our passports and that before we could leave the ship, they needed stamping by the UAE authorities.  That was going to take two hours, so we settled back into our suite and I finished my book (The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar – brilliant novel set in Mumbai)

In the meantime, a buzz was going round…had we heard the news?  Well, we hadn’t, but soon did.

At around 11 am, we met our driver Nishan, who was going to drive us up into the mountains, leading the convoy of ten vehicles.  A charming fellow, he did his best to manage the tricky balance of chatting with us and answering our many questions with concentrating on what was quite a challenging drive.  When he produced the map and explained where we were headed, all became clear – we were to drive up into Oman, over the border and of course, the customs would be inspecting our passports.

We drove through the northern coastal suburbs of Fujairah, into the next Emirate of Sharjah and then on through the small and less well known Emirate of Ras-al-Khaimah, back into Sharjah again and finally, crossing the border into Oman.

We followed the coast road along the Gulf of Oman, where the fishermen were bringing in today’s catch of sardines.  We stopped to take a closer look

The nets had been our there for a couple of days and they were now being hauled in and emptied into the back of several pickup trucks, to be driven to a place where they could be laid out in the sun to dry.

The small silver fish glistened in the sunshine

The fishermen brought in one net after another.

We carried on northwards, eventually turning off the metalled road and onto a gravel track through bleak and desolate countryside.  With the temperature reaching the mid-thirties, the acacia trees were about the only living thing we could see.

Apart from goats.  These little creatures were to be seen everywhere in this, the most inhospitable terrain.

Eventually, we began the climb up a dry river bed, following the route uphill amidst a changing landscape which was a geologist’s dream.

Higher we climbed, eventually taking a steeper and more precipitous track to the summit of a mountain whose name I didn’t get.  All around us were the most fantastic geological formations and patterns of strata.  We stood drinking ice cold water, admiring this amazing landscape and wondering if we could hope to capture it with our little digital cameras. 

I’m not sure we did, really.  But the pictures in our mind’s eye will be more    representative of this, the fascinating remains of thousands of years of wear and tear by wind and a bit of water – and once we’re home we will investigate more about this strange area of Oman.

We continued to take photos

if only to try to capture the experience of getting up here.

because sooner rather than later, it was time to return and make our way steadily back down the same precarious route.

This hot, dry place was altogether different from anywhere we’d been before and captured our imagination completely.

Even so, it was good to return to civilisation again, via this old mosque – the oldest in the Emirates.  It was nearly 5pm when we finally got back to the ship, saying our farewells to Nishan, who had to return to Dubai – another two hours drive – making it an exceptionally long day for him.

Of course, that meant we missed our Trivia today.  Ho hum!

For my textile-y friends

The best bit about buying goods in Fabindia, is that their provenance is explained.  Though the fabrics and some of the techniques are familiar, the details are so clearly explained that I thought I’d share.

First of all, the (in)famous indigo Kurta.  The main body of the garment has a resist pattern of dots, the neckline has stripes with handstitched accents in red cotton.

It’s really well constructed with french seams and all neatened edges, but has no shaping whatsoever.  The fact that it fits very comfortably suggests the same might be true for moi!

The two dupatta are specific techniques, though, and are labelled as such.  The white one is an example of Chikankari “a fine and intricate embroidery traditionally done using white untwisted yarn on white muslin fabric.  The word chikan comes from the Persian word chakeen meaning the renderings of delicate pattern on fabric. These patterns and motifs are generally floral or geometric with exquisite delicacy of detail, lending it a light gossamer-like quality.  The stitches are unique and of three categories: Flat stitches which are delicate, subtle and lie close to the surface of the fabric; Embossed stitches highlighted from the fabric surface, lending it a characteristically grainy texture and Jali work, which creates a delicate net effect.”

My piece is sprinkled with small twinkly silver beads – applied regularly throughout the whole dupatta, including through the embroidery.

On closer inspection, these aren’t beads at all, but small metal pieces, bent into place almost like paperclips through the fabric.

I’m hoping that, once home and able to wash it properly, it will soften up a little more.  But it is really beautiful and looks great with the indigo blue.

The other dupatta is altogether different in character and, for me, sums up the colours of Mumbai.

It’s a piece of Chanderi fabric, printed in hot pinks, oranges and corals with a hint of gold woven into it.

“Chanderi is a small town situated on the flats of the Vindhyachal and has been a well known centre for beautiful woven saris.  Chanderi fabric is renowned for its gossamer quality, placement of motifs and design intricacy and has been the chosen fabric for saris produced for royalty.  The fabric’s unique qualities result from the traditional method of sizing and handweaving developed over centuries”

Finally, a close up of the shawl I bought in Cochin.  It’s a fine wool covered completely with this tight pattern of chain stitching.  Beautiful.

We’re at sea today enjoying a chance to catch up with things,to try to repeat our Trivia triumph from yesterday and generally enjoy the warm journey through the Arabian Sea.