AIDA Transfer Cruise 2017 · Page 4

As we were in Muscat on a Friday, and Friday is like our Sunday, we unfortunately couldn't enter the mosques because prayers were taking place. Our next stop was the souk of Muscat. This 800-year-old market with its many narrow lanes is really impressive.

Our next stop was the Sultan's official palace, where receptions are held. This palace is the smallest of the Sultan's seven palaces.

After about 4.5 hours we were back at the ship.

The evening was a long one, and luckily we could sleep in the next day, as our next stop was India and AIDAbella needed 2 sea days to get there.

After 2 rough sea days (waves up to 8 metres) we reached Goa, our first destination in India. Before that, all passengers had to go to a face check on the 2nd sea day. That means that at some point your deck was called, and you then had to collect your passport immediately and walk past the Indian customs officers once so they could give their OK. But if you think we got the necessary shore passes straight from the officer, you're mistaken. They were delivered to the cabin at some point – for us that was at 10 p.m., when the steward suddenly appeared in our cabin with the passes. On the sea days Pepper kept us very well entertained. Some women wanted to take him home with them after the trip.

For Goa we had booked an excursion with AIDA: a visit to temples and churches followed by time on the beach with swimming. Our 8-hour excursion started at 10 a.m., and after another check by customs officers we were finally allowed to enter India.

By bus, with a local English-speaking guide, we headed for our first stop: a Christian church somewhere on a hill. Past mountains of rubbish, we reached the church after about 1 hour.

Anyone who had expected or hoped for something special here was unfortunately disappointed. From the outside the building didn't even look like a church.

After 30 minutes – and an interesting observation of a church employee disposing of rubbish (simply tipping it down the hill) – we drove on to our next stop, a temple.