MSC Poesia World Cruise 2024: Durban, South Africa 28 Jan, 2024

After many sea days we finally arrived in Durban, South Africa. They really cautioned us against going off on our own so I booked a ship's shore excursion DUR15: A Cultural Experience at Indlondlo Village for which I paid 114 Euros (which I applied a 65 euro credit for since this was a port with an included excursion- net 49 euros).  We met as a group in the theater before heading en masse off of the ship and through the terminal to a waiting tour bus. There were 3 busses (all with different numbers) going on the same excursion. One of them overheated and had to stop and wait to cool off a bit. I heard the other bus didn't have air conditioning the entire time. As for me, my bus was great! the bus had a bathroom but no one ever used it so I don't know if it worked. I sat directly across from the exit in the middle as I always try to do.

The guide did a great job narrating the tour all the way to the village.  We stopped somewhere along the way to have a security escort the final few miles to the village. Apparently there was some sort of political rally going on at the same time.

The village was great. They performed some sort of marriage ceremony down by the river while we stood under the shade of the trees. Then we all crowded into a small thatched roof theater place for a show. The show was really loud as they chanted, danced, banged drums, and blew whistles. Their costumes were great and included ankle shaker instruments made of soda can tops.

I enjoyed the show. After the show they sold jewelry and we had a bathroom break before heading back to the busses. We were the first bus to leave up the winding small dirt driveway. I really got the feeling this cultural center was brand new. I have not really looked into it but it was very uneventful for me and I enjoyed it. Apparently, another tour bus got stuck on the way out of the driveway but they were eventually able to get it moving. 

I was amazed that cows would stand in the middle of the road and that the locals called them traffic control.

My bus arrived back at the ship early enough for me to have lunch and a long nap before dinner and a show. Note that they collected our passports again as soon as we boarded the ship.

As we exited the harbor, the captain announced that the pilot boat operator would be airlifted off the deck  and the deck around the pool would be closed. I was able to get close enough to watch the exercise as he was pulled up into the helicopter and it was amazing!

The show in the ship was ABBA tribute and there were ABBA tribute parties all over the ship. Also, at 10PM they showed Indiana Jones: The Dial of Destiny. 

Unfortunately, they didn't have popcorn and the movie was in the theater instead of the pool deck. 

I managed to get some corn chips from the bar and munched on them while watching the movie for a while before going to bed.

Watching the movie on the ship reminded me how much I loved "Princess Movies under the Stars" every night.