11.36N 43.08E

JENNY
Alan Franklin/ Lynne Gane
Mon 23 Feb 2009 10:05
Hello everybody
 
You can tell from our position that we have moved a long way since the last Blog from Asia to Africa or to be precise Phuket to Djibouti.
 
In the last Blog we were on our way to Galle in Sri Lanka our passage started with virtually no wind,nothing new there,and then becoming quite exciting with 30knts of breeze and then the last 80nm motoring.
 
None of us new what to expect from the country originally known as Ceylon and famous for its Tea.When we arrived after 7 days on passage we had very specific instructions as to anchoring and to the formalities to be observed from the security forces,immigration and customs before we would be allowed to enter the inner harbour,these formalities have plagued us all round the world.The difference here was that this was a country at war with the Tamil Tigers as you will have seen on the news at home.
What we did not expect was the blatant demand of bribes from all three groups of officials that came aboard our boat mainly Whiskey and Cigarettes several bottles and cartons.
 
Having been forewarned of the demands by radio before we were boarded I had decided to give only a token gesture of a packet of 20 cigs to each official and after a few words they accepted that.When we finally entered the inner port via a heavily reinforced curtain we were due a visit from customs.Having had enough I told the official that we were giving no "gifts"to anyone else so don't expect any.
I did relent and let them have one packet of cigs between them but we ended off giving the least to any of them.I don't mind bribing,its a way of life in many of these countries,in fact its the way they get paid but I just objected to their blatant demands.
The day after we arrived several naval personal were court marshalled for taking bribes.Seeing it from there eyes,there are few visitors by boat because of the war and we arrive seemingly rich to them so they felt we could afford to give them something when they had nothing.
 
Remember in Indonesia the people had nothing but they were willing to share with us,not steal and we in turn gave sometimes over the odds for services received.
 
Anyway fortunately the ordinary people of Sri Lanka were very much like the Indonesians in manner but slightly better off.The country is absolutely beautiful with elephants rice fields tea plantations and turtles.The roads are possessed by manic drivers who at times seem quite suicidal in there attempts to get from AtoB at the speed of light despite all of the roads being crowded with trucks and cars.
 
On our first visit outside the port and having been subject to these forced bribes we did not know what to expect but we were quickly adopted by Andrew (Adura) a "tuc-tuc" driver who owned the most dilapidated taxi we had ever seen but he proved to be a little gem.
From the outset he had decided that he would be our personal "do it all" man from train tickets to vegetables,clothing to precious gems he had a friend and this wasn't an expensive friend like some we got some excellent deals on everything.
 
It fact when we went on a 6hr train journey (it stopped at every station) to Colombo he gave us toasted sandwiches from his wife ,we were jolly glad of them on that trip.We saw his his house and family,he gave us an insight to the normal world of the Sir and he was respected by everyone we met even the other "tuc-tuc" drivers respected him.
We spent 5 days travelling round the island from the tea plantations of the highlands to the religious temples of the lowlands,most people are Buddhists and we went to the "Temple of the Sacred Tooth" which is the Buddhist equivalent of Mecca.I think most of us were impressed with the teachings and application of Buddhism.
We also managed to see many examples of local life in the rural communities and the part played by the tea plantations and the elephants of the forest and evidence everywhere of the three main religions of Buddhism,Hinduism and Islam.
 
On our arrival in the tea planting area we stayed in the original "Planters Club" which is like a relic from the 1930's with his and hers bars and service to match,dinner was a really 1930's British affair and during the day, walks,afternoon tea and cucumber sandwiches.
 
In all whilst our first impressions of Sri Lanka were somewhat soured by our treatment on arrival by the time we left we were all impressed by the country and people.
 
While some of the yachts decided to go to the Maldives we decided to be more adventurous and go to Cochin in India.We arrived in Cochin after a very enjoyable 3 day sail only 400nm (we use to think a 100nm sea voyage in the UK was adventurous)Asyou would imagine an Indian port to be with its mass of population that was how it was together with a massive building program which put the whole town in the state of a huge building site unfortunately I only spent 22hrs in Cochin having arrived at 0500 leaving for the Uk at 0300 the following morning.Mind you in between time I say part of the town plus the immigration ,customs and persuaded the Harbour Master to let us move the boat to a better anchorage in 24hrs instead of waiting 3 days plus book Jenny and myself into a hotel for the night and arrange dinner for us all that night before I left
 
Everybody on board then had a week or more to savour the delights of  Cochin and experience the sights and sounds of India whilst I came back at in the later part of January to -4 deg wearing sandals because I had torn the nail out of one of my toes on the quayside in Siri Lanka.I did say OUCH as I left a trail of blood over the decks of several yachts getting back to ours.
 
I returned to the boat in Salalah which is in Oman.From what Jenny and Alan have said the 1300nm trip was very pleasant and great sailing.Most of our time in Salalah was spent preparing the boat for our trip across to Djibouti bearing in mind the obvious dangers relating to Pirate attacks.But we did mange one day out to visit a few of the sites which are not many,we did see something of the desert and lots of camels in their proper environment as ships of the desert.
 
Our 700nm through the shipping zone policed by the coalition forces although it produced a few anxious moments we took all the precautions that we could and arrived safetly in Djiboutly,however one merchant ship about 40nm behind us were not so lucky as they were captured by pirates and the forces could not help fo fear of having the hostages injured.I must say it was pretty difficult to keep the 6 boats in formation and in order as we were the lead boat.
 
Well Djibouti so far is very expensive and not good value for money but that is only the first impression,with a lot of Somalian and Ethiopians around and everywhere beggars and dirt.But it may get better ,it normally does.
 
From here we will bo proceeding up the Red Sea and into the Suez Canal some 1300nm against wind and tide most of the time. What fun we shall see.
That's all for now.