Our first sleep on the ship and the alarm was set to attend the dawn ANZAC day service onboard. Out of 2,000 passengers there are possibly 150 Australians on board.

It’s so nice that the cruise line carry out this ceremony. As always, it was very poignant. They even went to the trouble of having a gunfire breakfast for us with rum as well as Anzac biscuits.

By this time the ship had sailed the Malacca Straight and docked at Port Klang, Malaysia. Cruising down this straight was so smooth you’d never have guessed you were on this huge sailing ship.

Port Klang is the largest port in Malaysia serving as a major transportation hub for goods and cargo. Apart from that there wasn’t much to do in the immediate vicinity but many cruisers were catching transport into Kuala Lumpur. We had been there and didn’t need to see another big city. Instead we walked out of the port and mingled with the locals. It was hot and steamy but it felt like we were burning off the previous nights extravagance. A young local was fishing in what looked like a drain. He remarked that he was catching fish. I thought to myself that I wouldn’t be having the catch of the day tonight!

For those cruisers who had joined the Ultimate World Cruise from the beginning, it was the half way mark. 137 days!!!! 137 days to go!!!! They celebrated with a huge party culminating in balloon drop in the centre of the ship. We felt like the newbies having only been aboard 2 days. It was great people watching as you could sense the many different cultures and the new friendships that had been made.

Another day, another port. This time George Town, the capital city of Penang in Malaysia. Its history forged this city into a melting pot of cultures. This is evident today in its architecture, religious sites, and diverse population.

We had previously been here. Although the touting taxi drivers told us it no longer existed, Ruthie had ferreted out that the free city bus tour did still run. On we hopped and toured the city sights. In 2008, George Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique historical and architectural landscape. This recognition reflects the city’s rich heritage and its array of colonial buildings, ancient temples, and unique townhouses.

I treated Ruthie to a no expense spared sauna and facial….. well, actually it was provided by the very hot and humid Penang weather with a “feels like temperature” of 50 degrees. There are extreme heat warnings all over this vicinity at the moment.

The ship’s pool, spa and cocktails were calling.