“Do you know a cure for me?”

Why yes,” he said, “I know a cure for everything. Salt water.”

Salt water?” I asked him.

Yes,” he said, “in one way or the other. Sweat, or tears, or the salt sea.” 
―    Karen Blixen,    Seven Gothic Tales

Finally a trip on a ship. The nautical wonders have always caught my fancy. The sailor stripes, the navy tweaked with white, the ocean balm, Jack Sparrow and need I say more!

There is something amazing about a vessel that holds good Archimedes principle of Buoyancy that too with an large dose of luxury. The Royal Carribean Legend of the Seas has all the makes of a rather 5-star property and an added advantage of taking you places. In our case, the sleepy (at the risk of sounding obnoxious) town of Penang and the bustling capital city of Malyasia, KL.

Ofcourse, the ship caters to all kinds of activities, of which I’d rather warn about the food spread. From the unlimited buffet to the sit-down dining experience. The formality of the daily dining is so different from the laisser faire attitude everywhere else. But importantly the waistline certainly does take a huge beating, what with all the yummmy spreads, even the salads seem highly calorific!

Nevertheless by enagaging in all things else on board, the rock-climing, the running on the deck, spa sessions, not to forget, swimming and a dip in the Roman Baths that one issue can be dealt with. The casino I steered clear of but otherwise the shows and the dancing offer a good respite too! A show of Russian ballet had most of us keeping our eyes peeled the stage. The flexibility of the Olympic performers was simply spectacular. I must mention that the ship also had a well-stocked library! But my favorite activity on board was to sit on the top most deck engulfed by the balmy ocean air. Add to that chilling under the moonlight, even better!

Destination 1 – Penang is rather charming. Actually the city’s bestest show is the artworks trail done casually on walls. With temperatures melting and wearing out the travellers, the art works provide some comic relief. Must say 8 hours are a lot to cover the city, from the near extinct fort to the well-preserved shop houses, leaving enough time for a coffee break at Old Town Coffee place. Relaxing!

Destination 2 – KL’s charm for me lies in Petrona’s twin towers, the Shopping Centre and ofcourse the Old Market Square. The rosy brick building is a favorite. Since the ship takes a halt at Port Klang, KL is a while away. The drive gives one an impression of how spread out the city is, but its really from the KL tower that one can really see how green the city also is. The King of Malaysia (a rotatory post) has a sprawling new residential estate that could well remind one of the Raisina Hill, giving him a spectacular view of the city. Lesser mortals can only get a glimpse of the gate, the guards and the horses!

The beauty of the Ocean is clearly felt, how it changes at different times and all, besides one is treated to all the shades of blue. I could stand on the deck all day and thankfully not get hit by flying fish or have any encounters with one Mr Richard Parker! 😉

P.s. thats a quote by the author of the book am currently reading, “Out of AFrica”. A book that I read so slowly cause I do not want it to end! 😉