Passion for Cruising

We recieved the following email from Richard & Irene and replied by advising him to avoid large whales at all costs

Yes we are back...

Got friendly with the Chief of Police after they demanded our presence at the Police station when we tried to book into hotel on Havelock Island without green immigration form.

Thought we were going to spend our first night in prison but after explaining our story several times poker faces were eventually replaced with smiles. Turns out the CoP had taken the tel call from Port Blair in the early hours and 'organised his men for an emergency response' so after much praising of his fantastic efforts and management ability ;-) we were on first name terms and could call him personally if the were any further problems.

Booked into Symphony Palms, which was the best of the hotels apart from the Barefoot resort which was megabucks. The accommodation was good but the mossies were a major hazard. One night despite being covered in anti-moz my hand slipped outside the bed sheet (which we pulled over our heads) and I woke to 6 bites on my left hand, next night it was my forehead with 8 bites. Walked along the beach all the way to the Havelock jetty one day (rubbish everywhere) and swam for an hour on the beach outside our hotel another day. Also booked private ferry (blue cat) after discovering that the gov ferry's advance booking system was less than reliable (OK it didn't exist).

The day we left the only ATM on the island broke down just as I was about to withdraw money to pay hotel. Oh dear this is going to get interesting I thought.. but Irene remember we had Sterling with us and after calls, discussions and negotiations we got an exchange rate only 20% less than the bank rate. Whoopee we were not going to have to speak to CoP again.

OK spoke too early, we still had to get past harbour/immigration but after threatening to call CoP and holding up the ferry queue (we were 1st in line) we got on to the ferry and immediately donned life jackets and headed for the rail (just in case). Ravi met us at the jetty in Port Blair, but at the 'other' jetty. Eventually we found him and went to the Fortune Bay Island hotel and after more negotiations (OK I just conceded, I was a broken man) we agreed a price that could be paid by credit card.

We turned up at the airport early the next morning in case there was more immigration problems and in joyous moods because at last we could go home and put all the grief behind us...but no, as soon as we arrived and presented ourselves Police redirected us to the Kingfisher kiosk outside the airport building. The flight from Port Blair to Chennai was cancelled.

The queue at Kingfisher desk outside the airport degraded to a riotous mob within 10 minutes. I was 2nd in queue but trying to fight off a plane load of Indians also trying to do the same thing (but who did not feel the need to use the queue). Another European and I bravely swatted them off but like flies they get coming back at us from every angle even between my legs at one point. Had the airline folded, is the flight coming in later, will the sun go down but nothing was forth coming from the Kingfisher staff who just concentrated on their old PC screens and studiously ignored us and everyone else's efforts at communicating. Scuffles started to break out and the police arrived, I glanced over to Irene who I'd sent away from the fray with our bags with visions of the Indian police tactics of using riot battens going through my head but things settled down.

After waiting over an hour I was told that I had to rebook by phone because I had booked over the internet, I was dumbfounded, they might as well have hit me over the head. This was not looking good.

Went back to hotel and spent rest of Sat trying to phone Kingfisher but kept getting the run-around and being asked to call international numbers which just stacked your call and didn't put you through (but kept charging us at the usual vast hotel rate) . Turned out Kingfishers booking system had gone down in Deli and somewhere else so their tel call centres then collapsed under the strain. We were desperate and tried to find seats with the other airlines but there were no other seats left on any airline for days. Got through eventually and persuaded them over a tel line that went round the sun and back to reschedule us next day but that they would phone us back to confirm... aarrrgghhhh. No they didn't phone back and I spent more time phoning.... Did eventually get out on Sun but of course all our subsequent connecting flights were missed and we had to find new flights at the airports after we arrive at horrendous prices just to get back home. didn't bother pre booking next flights which was just as well as we were delayed again and again. Obviously the Raison d'être for Deli belly is so that they can recycle the airline schedules.

I really hope the insurance pays out as we are seriously out of pocket. I will be reading the fine print on our insurance policy over the next few days with a few to starting our claim from the moment we hit the reef as our 'transport' failed. Will discuss with you in more detail before doing anything further.

Glad to hear you got back OK as well, we could see the wind had swung round and died out as it was very uncomfortable on Havelock Island for a few days. Make sure you and PC get a good few days proper break before you start working. You aren't as young as you used to be and one of you will just end up collapsing. What happened to Sea Bunny ?

Love Richard & Irene

PS I'm sporting a new pan handle out the side of my head after only casually mentioning next years sailing holiday...