Pics: Having a jol on the Sinfonia

Published Feb 1, 2016

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Durban - Being born and bred in Durban, the thought of sailing the seas for the first time was exhilarating yet overwhelming at the same time.

Prior to the MSC Sinfonia cruise from Durban to the Portuguese Island in Mozambique, I desperately tried to mentally prepare for the adventure. But I could not possibly have anticipated what the next five days and four nights in the middle of the ocean during strong winds and moderate rain would hold.

Despite this, spending the night on a ship with close to 5 000 strangers in an unknown territory was one of the best experiences of my young life.

The embarkation process at Durban harbour involved standing in a fairly long queue alongside thousands of others.

The MSC crew tried to quell tensions by guiding the crowds and serving refreshments while a professional photographer captured the memorable moments.

Eventually, the frustration was replaced by amazement as we finally caught sight of the ship on which we would spend the week.

All the problems you tend to drag along seem small as you see the enormous ship dominating the sea of blue.

The interior can be equated to a 5-star hotel with gold-plated furniture that shines, thanks to the impeccable services of the cleaning crew.

After the morning rush, I considered taking a moment to rest in my room. However, I then realised that I would miss the start of the boat’s voyage.

There, I was joined by hundreds of others making themselves at home, enjoying the large variety of alcoholic beverages and appetising meals.

Others changed into swimwear and took a dip in the Olympic-size pool.

Those aboard the ship, including myself, hardly noticed that we had set sail. We all congregated around the deck to photograph the soft turquoise waves that rippled from the ship’s bow.

As the sun set on this extraordinary day, I prepared for supper, having worked up quite an appetite during the commotion.

At the restaurant, our Indonesian waiter Ksemawan greeted us with a warm smile and politely giggled as I changed my mind several times due to the variety of the menu. He kept my wine glass full as my palate celebrated the delectable flavours of the 3-course meal.

A club on the 13th floor of the ship overlooking the ocean kept me up to the early hours of the next morning. I was awoken by the announcement that we had arrived at the Portuguese Island in Mozambique.

I decided to book an excursion to the island in an effort to meet the locals, see the sights and, of course, indulge in the seafood that Mozambique is acclaimed for.

During the exhilarating ride from the ship to the island, the large crowd was near-silent as we watched the clear skies and crystal-clear blue seas meeting in perfect symmetry. The golden sands caressed the soft waves as we arrived at this piece of African paradise.

Once there, I dashed past the multitude of starfish in the shallow water, unused to the eclectic side of the ocean, and climbed on the back of a bakkie with a local guide and two couples to travel through the village of Inhaca.

Despite the limited resources and infrastructure, the locals at least live among lush trees and bushes and have the ocean as their frontyard.

When we arrived at our destination, a lighthouse, the agony of climbing 18 flights was worth the pain when we reached the top and looked out over the view.

The rest of the week seemed to fly by with a blur of fun, food and festivities. I drank cocktails on the beach, danced the days and nights away and met people from across the country and world.

But one of the other major highlights of the trip was the party at the pool deck on the second last night of the cruise. Everyone, including youngsters, families, the elderly and even the crew came together to dance the night away.

The DJ tried his best to play a mix of music, but it seemed like hits from local artists like Mandoza, Mafikizolo and Mi Casa were the greatest crowd-pleasers as those from different ages, racial groups and even nationalities battled it out on the dance floor until the early hours of the morning. It was an emotional experience to witness hundreds of people put their problems and daily struggles aside for a night, just to celebrate life.

Needless to say, we were all quite late for breakfast the next morning.

Karishma Uipa, Weekend Argus

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