World Cruise: March 2026 Singapore to South Africa
Day 72: 03/01/26 Singapore
Lena and Terry invited us to church this morning and we overslept! They picked us up after church and we went for lunch at Terry's private club, Tanglin Club. This club was established in 1865 when Singapore was occupied by the British. It was very fancy and we enjoyed a fabulous meal with many different dishes but made sure to have the Singaporean "favorite" (so I was told by a guide, which not sure if that was true), the chicken rice. We also got to meet their son, Chris' friend Dan.
We dropped Terry back at home for a rest and went to the Flower Dome at the Gardens by the Bay. Everything is decorated celebrating the Chinese New Year...The year of the Horse. It was all very beautiful!
The Botero exhibit was on the Gardens by the Bay. It was a really well-done exhibition of his oil paintings, pencil drawings, a couple of charcoals and his sculptures. Jim was a little disturbed by the wedding painting that the bride and groom looked a little too closely related.
We crossed over to the Marina Bay Sands to go up to the top and have a Singapore Sling which was originally created there. Unfortunately, the top was sold out and we were unable to go up. So we opted for a tea at the TWG Tea Shop.
Back to Lena and Terry's house to pick Terry up. They live in a beautiful home in a really nice neighborhood. We got to meet their son Chris, had a glass of wine and some Chinese New Year cookies before departing. Lena has been able to get orchids to grow on her tree out front. Interesting is that there are also wild orchids that have attached themselves to the tree.
Nighttime Safari at the Mandai Wildlife Preserve. We took the tram ride through the park. Pretty cool! Dinner was Peking Duck and other delicious Singaporean dishes at San Ren Xing in the Thomson Plaza! We bid farewell to our dear friends Terry and Lena! We hope to meet up with them again in the near future!
Jim's vlog: Fantastic lunch at the historic Tanglin club, stroll through the botanical Garden by the Sea, Botero exhibit (the painting of the couple is titled, "Country Wedding". I'm not judging, but they look related...), afternoon teatime, night safari walk, and lastly a nice dinner. Thank you, Lena and Terry, for taking us all around your beautiful city and showing us a great time!!!
Day 73: 03/02/26 Singapore
Sadly, we say goodbye to Singapore and our friends, Lena and Terry. We are sailing the Straight of Malacca on our way to Kuala Lumpur.
Jim's vlog: Goodbye to Singapore. The cargo terminal we passed is being relocated to make way for new government housing. Had fun at the dance party.
Day 74: 03/03/26 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Country #13 (Malaysia). We arrived into Port Klang and took the 1.5 hour bus ride to Kuala Lumpur. First stop was the Petronas Twin Towers that are connected at the 41st and 42nd floors. They were built from 1996 to 2004, 88 floors and 1,483 feet tall. They were the tallest buildings in the world until surpassed by the Taipei 101 building.
Tugu Negara is a national monument that commemorates those who died in Malaysia's struggle for freedom. Primarily against the Japanese occupation during World War 2 and the Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960. The flag is red, white and blue and has a yellow moon and single star with 14 points representing the 14 provinces of Malaysia.
We also toured the Tun Abdul Razak Memorial was the official residence of the Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak. The residence was turned into a museum to commemorate his service. He lived in the building 1962 until his death in 1976.
The National Mosque, Masjid Negara, is a contemporary expression of traditional Islamic art. It is based on the Grand Mosque in Mecca with 48 small domes and the main dome looks like a semi-opened blue umbrella. The roof symbolizes the 5 pillars of Islan and the 13 states of Malaysia. The 73 meters tall minaret is shaped like a closed blue umbrella.
The Old Railway Station was built in 1910 and is still in use today.
The Sultan Abdul Samad Building is from the late 19th century (first picture). It is located along the Jalan Raja in the front of Independence Square (Dataran Merdeka) and the Royal Selangor Club and cricket pitch (green area), (The rest of the pictures show this area and are across the street. The building that looks like it is leaning is not, Jim took the picture in panorama). The building originally housed the offices of the British colonial administration. In 1974 it was renamed after the first Sultan (Abdul Samad), who was the reigning Sultan at the time construction began. Malaysia gained their independence in 1957.
Jim's vlog: You can't say you've been to Kuala Lumpur until you've seen Petronas Towers, the National Memorial, and the Old Railway Station. Meanwhile, a South Korean guided missile frigate decided to tie up next to us while we were gone. Magician Marc Spelmann was pretty good.
Day 75: 03/04/26 Langkawi, Malaysia
Langkawi arriving and leaving! This island has a population of ~100,000 and was developed for tourism in the 1980s. It is 1 of an archipelago of 99 islands separated from mainland Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca.
Tanjung Rhu Beach on the Andaman Sea.
Langkawi means island of the reddish-brown eagle. We saw several brown eagles flying around. This 12-meter-tall statue commemorates the eagle.
We learned all about how they used to hand farm rice. This Rice padi is farmed in the traditional method including the water buffalo for plowing just for tourists. Jim participated in the thrashing of the rice for a photo op.
Jim's vlog: Underwhelming beach, 12-meter-tall brown eagle, rice padi, Singaporean piano player, and a little music and dancing to end the day.
Day 76: 03/05/26 George Town, Malaysia
Arriving into George Town, Penang. The town was developed as a trading post in the 18th century and Malaysia's oldest city. The pink lit building is City Hall, the local government headquarters of George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. It was built by the British in 1903 and now serves as the seat of the Penang Island City Council.
We walked to the Chew Jetty a historic waterfront settlement. It is one of the six clan jetties that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town, Penang. The stilt structures were built in the 19th century Chinese migration by the Chew clan so that they could maintain their culture and way of life.
We walked through "Armenia town" and and saw several murals with the most famous and most photographed are the, "Children on a Bicycle".
We walked through "Little India" and saw many more of the street art.
Jim's vlog: Explored a rickety 170+ year old jetty, saw cool street art, numerous temples and a fort build in 1810. Did I mention it was hot outside?
Day 77: 03/06/26 Phuket, Thailand
Country #14 (Thailand). Phuket is referred to as the "Pearl of the Andaman Sea" and is an island developed as a trade route between India and China. We tendered in using the local tenders for the short ride to the pier. It is very hazy and hard to get a clear picture.
We took a bus ride to Promthep Cape on the southernmost tip of the island looking out over the Andaman Sea. It also has a shrine depicting Brahma as a "four face Budha" with lots of elephant statues.
Thailand still has a monarchy with Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) replacing his father after his death in 2016. He assumed full control over the royal assets, making him the richest reigning monarch with a net worth of ~$43 billion. During our drive, we could see the white Budha on the hill that is about 100 meters tall.
We toured Wat Chalong, Phuket's most sacred temple. 95% of Phuket's population is Buddhist. At this temple, the splinter of a bone believed to belong to the Buddha is kept.
The Sriburapa Cashew Nut Factory was very interesting. We now know why cashews are so expensive. They grow on a tree with one fruit producing 1 nut. The nut is removed from the fruit and boiled, then extracted from the shell by hand, then roasted. They had many flavors and we bought 3 cans (wasabi, tom yum and BBQ). They will not make it home with us I am sure!
Jim's vlog: Phrom Thep Cape, Wat Chai Theraram, and cashew nut factory. Magician Marc Spelmann shows why that if you're asked to volunteer to be part of the show, you should just say NO!!!
Day 78: 03/07/26 Sailing the Bay of Bengal
We got to do a bridge tour with Captain Frederik. While on the bridge, we saw a huge pod of dolphins jumping and playing in the bow wave. It was hard to catch them on camera, but it was quite the show!
Jim's vlog: Had an enjoyable Zoom with the Akiyama clan, Ina's team won Baggo, did a bridge tour with Captain Frederik, and listened to Sueli Tang on the piano. Only 60 days left!!!
Day 79: 03/08/26 Sailing the Bay of Bengal to the Indian Ocean
Jim's vlog: International Woman's Day, Footloose dance class, and music and dancing in the Torshaven Lounge. We will be in Colombo, Sri Lanka tomorrow!
Day 80: 03/09/26 Colombo, Sri Lanka
Country #15 (Sri Lanka). We will be overnighting here in Sri Lanka then tomorrow we go off ship to a land tour in India. I will not be posting anything after today until we get back from India. Lots to do today with packing and preparing for our big adventure!
Sri Lanka gained their independence from Britain in 1948. They were named Ceylon until a name change in 1972 from Ceylon to Sri Lanka meaning Free Island.
We took a tuk tuk ride for about 2 hours around the city. We saw the old Parliament building, Colombo National Museum, Buddhist temple, Buddha statue in Vihara Maha Devi Park, Victoria Gardens, Town Hall, and Independence Square.
We weaved in and out of traffic barely missing pedestrians and carts similar to Viet Nam and Cambodia! The carbon monoxide was a bit overwhelming but a fun terrorizing ride.
The Colombo Lotus tower lights up after dark. It stands 1153 feet tall and is a symbolic landmark for the country. It serves various purposes, including communications, observation and leisure facility.
Jim's Vlog: Over 2 hour wild and crazy tuk tuk ride through the streets of Colombo. The Colombo Lotus tower lights up nicely after dark. The Viking Band put on a great show. Now you see why we like going to the Torshaven lounge to listen to them!
Day 81: 03/10/26 India
Country #16 (India). Blog/Vlog is found in a separate file called "Land Tour to India". Day 81 to 87 (March 10-16, 2026)
Day 87: 03/16/26 Mahe (Victoria), Seychelles
Country #17 (Seychelles). Originally settled by the French and called L'Etablissement and in the 19th century it became a British Colony and renamed. The country is made up of 100+ islands and the capital city on the island of Mahe is called Victoria after Queen Victoria.
We rejoined our Viking Ship this morning and were welcomed by the officers and crew! So glad to be back home!
Jim decided to head out and explore the island while Ina took a nap! He saw the landmarks that include the Clock Tower from 1903 to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, the Sir Selwyn-Clarke Market and the original stone carving from the French declaration to mark possession of the island at the Seychelles National Museum of History.
Jim's vlog: It's back on board the Viking Sky. Jim explores the city of Victoria while Ina stays on board to catch up with her blog (and take a nap).
Day 88: 03/17/26 Sailing the Indian Ocean
We finally won trivia today #6. We had a perfect score!
Jim's vlog: Saint Patrick's Day at sea. Forgot to mention we also had "Footloose" dance class.
Day 89: 03/18/26 Sailing the Indian Ocean
Jim's vlog: The usual sea day of Baggo, trivia, gourmet dinner, and a show.
Day 90: 03/19/26 Mombasa, Kenya
Country #18 (Kenya), Continent #5 (Africa). We had traditional music and dancing upon our arrival.
First stop was the historic and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fort Jesus. This is a 16th century fortress built by the Portuguese. It was built between 1593 and 1596 by order of King Felipe II of Spain (also reigned as King Filipe I of Portugal and the Algarves), to guard the Old Port of Mombasa to control the Indian Ocean Trade.
The symbolic metal elephant tusk sculptures cross Moi Avenue. They were built in 1952 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's visit and form the letter "M" for Mombasa. The second picture is Jim standing in front of his "wanted" poster above his head. You will have to click on the picture to see the poster.
We toured a wood carving cooperative call Akamba Handicraft for 2785 artists. They have a showroom with all the carvings available. The artist gets 80% and the co-op takes 20% for administrative overhead. I saw a man carving an elephant drinking from a bowl. The picture is a little blurry. I was able to find one very similar in the showroom and paid about $11.50. It is carved from a single piece of "Ros wood".
Jim's vlog: The craft center employs 2785 artisans that carve each piece out of a single block of wood only using hand tools. Ina bought the finished product of the bowl with the elephant.
Day 91: 03/20/26 Tsavo East National Park, Kenya
We got up at 3:30am for our very first safari to Tsavo National Park in East Kenya. It was a bit of a wait to get started; however, it was an epic 3 1/2-hour jeep drive with 7 passengers and our guide/driver. We passed through several small villages along the way. It was a 12-hour journey through Kenya! We learned some Swahili words: karabu means welcome, asante sana means thank you, jambo means hello, hakuna matata means no worries (everyone knows that one) and pole pole (pronounced poley poley) means slowly slowly.
We made it to the park! They raised the roof of the jeep, and we are ready to go!
We saw several antelope species (oryx, gazelle, impala, hartebeest).
We saw African elephants that look red like the color of the soil. They are actually grey if you wash them off. We also saw giraffes, zebras, baboons, and bat-eared fox.
The best find was a pride of lionesses.
We saw this blue agama lizard at our lunch stop. Many interesting bird species including this eagle and the vulturine guinea fowl.
Jim's vlog: Fun time looking for animals at Tsavo National Park.
Day 92: 03/21/26 Mombasa, Kenya
The Maasai tribe continue to wear their traditional clothing, and we could see them tending their goats and cows or planting their gardens on our drive to Tsavo National Park. These young men and women performed for hours on the pier for tips. The Maasai music traditionally consists of rhythms provided by a chorus of vocalists singing harmonies while a song leader, or olaranyani, sings the melody. The male warriors perform a dance called adumu or aigus which is referred to as the "jumping dance" by non-Maasai. Note that 2 are jumping in the picture.
Jim's vlog: Slow day for us in Mombasa. We were going to mail postcards from the post office, but it looked a little sketchy, so we're having the ship mail them for us.
Day 93: 03/22/26 Sailing the Indian Ocean
Tonight Jim and I dressed for dinner. My dress matched the entertainer, Sam's jacket perfectly.
Jim's vlog: Usual at-sea stuff. Posed with Sam, one of the Viking vocalists after the show because his jacket matched Ina's dress (although it doesn't look it in the picture).
Day 94: 03/23/26 Sailing the Indian Ocean
Jim's vlog: Slight improvement in learning our "Footloose" routine in dance class. Comedian Steve Stevens was pretty funny.
Day 95: 03/24/26 Nosy Be (Andoany), Madagascar
Country #19 (Madagascar). Nosy Be means "Little Island" and is an island off the NW coast of Madagascar. The Mahatsingo Sacred Tree (pagoda banyan), was planted in 1836. In Sakalava culture, this sacred tree holds symbolic significance and is a place of pilgrimage where people seek blessings or wish fulfillment.
Jim always has to have selfies! Why would today not be any different as he posed with a chameleon, lemur and tortoise.
We went to and saw so many different lemurs! bamboo, ringed tail, black, black and white, common brown and the smallest of all...the mouse lemur.
Sunset leaving Madagascar!
Jim's vlog: Visited a sacred banyan tree planted in 1836, chameleons, tortoises, and lemurs oh my!
Day 96: 03/25/26 Sailing the Mozambique Channel
Jim doing his morning vlog to family and friends!
Jim's Vlog: Dance class is coming along...slowly. We lose another hour tonight, so now we-re only 6 hours ahead of the East Coast.
Day 97: 03/26/26 Sailing the Mozambique Channel
Jim's vlog: At sea in the Mozambique Channel. One more to go.
Day 98: 03/27/26 Sailing the Mozambique Channel
Jim's vlog: Only 40 days left on our cruise. FYI Lindsey Hamilton played both Fantine in Les Mis and Evita on the West End in London.
Day 99: 03/28/26 Maputo, Mozambique
Country #20 (Mozambique)
The Portuguese ruled Mozambique until 1975 when they gained their independence. We toured the railway station and museum. Jim was being silly on the train we were allowed on, and I had to rescue him from one he was NOT supposed to get on after the door locked him inside. The bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world and was built by the Chinese in 2018. Selfie at the Maputo Fortress (Fortaleza de Maputo).
Jim's vlog: Moored behind an Indian frigate possibly on its way to the Strait of Hormuz. Visited the CFM Railway Museum, Maputo Central Market, Maputo Fortress and Maputo Cathedral. Fun fact, the Mozambique flag is the only flag in the world that has a modern weapon on it (an AK-47).
Day 100: 03/29/26 Richards Bay, South Africa
Country #21 (South Africa)
We arrived in Richards Bay, South Africa. We traveled to the St. Lucia Estuary that is part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We took a 2-hour boat ride to see the hippos, >2000 crocodiles and ~526 different bird species. We did see some hippos, Ina saw 1 small crocodile in the reeds and several different birds.
Jim's vlog: Day 100! Before we could enter the port, we had to complete the Starfleet Academy training exercise. Saw hippos and birds but no crocodiles in the St. Lucia Estuary.
Day 101: 03/30/26 Durban, South Africa
We arrived into Durban, South Africa. 70% of this fancy cruise terminal is owned by MSC.
We went to Tala Private Game Preserve in the hills of KwaZulu-Natal Province. They boast >350 different bird species and big game. We saw up close and personal...hippo, white rhino, giraffe, wildebeest, impala, zebra, bontebock, and ostrich. The rhino's horns have been removed in a humane way. This is being practiced now as a way to save the rhinos due to an incident in 2014 when poachers came into the reserve and killed 2 and injured 1 rhino for their horns.
The hippos gave us quite a show. They have 5 adults and 1 that is 24 days old.
Jim's vlog: Day 101. We also saw hippos at Tala Game reserve where they try to keep animals from being poached. Harry the Piano could mash up any requested songs and style (Piano man normal and like Jerry Lee Lewis). He played for Queen Elizabeth among others.
Day 102: 03/31/26 East London, South Africa
Very interesting tour today. We went to the East London Museum, where the world's only known dodo egg is kept. The museum is also famous for its coelacanth specimen-a fish species previously known only from fossil records, thought to have become extinct 80 million years ago (recently found a few still in existence) and a hominin child's footprints estimated to be 124,000 years old. The museum scientist, Kevin Cole, gave a great presentation.
We also went to Nahoon Point Nature Reserve where the first fossil prints were discovered. Saw one of the rock hyrax (dassie, cape hyrax, rock rabbit) which is a small mammal native to Africa and lives in the rocks. It's closest relative is the elephant!
Jim's vlog: Extinct early humanoid footprints, extinct prehistoric fish found alive, and extinct bird and its egg (both replicas). Harry the Piano sits in for an impromptu jazz session with the band.