This is what I know about the evacuation. I do not know what is wrong with the passenger or any personal information, and perhaps that is just as well.
We were told around noon today that we would have a rendezvous with a helicopter later today, around 7 pm for a medical evacuation. Since we would be going faster during the day so we could get to the rendezvous point by then, we would continue on to Malta and get there about 2 am, instead of the planned 8 am tomorrow.
The rest of the day went smoothly, and I had an appointment at the spa for 4:30. At 5:30, when my appt was done, the attendent told me that the thermal suites and fitness center had been closed due to the medical rendezvous. Once I came out, I saw ropes across the entrance to the salon and the steps upward. I explained to the officer blocking my way that I was going to only pay for the service I just received, and I promised to not try to exercise. He laughed, and I paid and went back to our cabin.
About a half hour later we heard the helicopter, and saw its lights come toward the ship. We turned the TV to the bridge cam station and watched the 2 people lowered to the ship. That's when I wrote the post above. Phil was able to go above and see more; I came a little later, and all doors to the outside were blocked. The pool on the Lido deck had the cover on. Part of this was because it is getting colder and wet, but I am sure that it was also to keep the area clear for medical and emergency personnel.
The helicopter also lowered a gurney/stretcher, and the patient was placed on it. Then one of the helicopter crew went back up. The second one attached himself to the gurney and went up with it, while the first person helped get the patient/gurney get onto the helicopter. Once they were aboard, the helicopter flew off. Soon afterward, the captain announced over the speakers that the evacuation was successful and that the passenger was on the way to a hospital.
Isn't it wonderful that they can make "house calls" with the air ambulance and take the patient to the hospital?
We have witnessed a number of air evacs in our many years of cruising and I can't help but feel for the relative/friend left behind on the ship because they only take the patient in the helicopter.
Char, I don't know which is worse, being left behind on the ship, or watching your sick relative/friend become a human yoyo on a cord from a helicopter! My guess is that the person who is still on the ship right now will get off tomorrow in Malta and join the passenger who was taken away today. But I don't know how s/he will sleep tonight!
I decided today that once we get to the point where this is a real possibility, I would try to cruise ships with helipads.
Char, I don't know which is worse, being left behind on the ship, or watching your sick relative/friend become a human yoyo on a cord from a helicopter! My guess is that the person who is still on the ship right now will get off tomorrow in Malta and join the passenger who was taken away today. But I don't know how s/he will sleep tonight!
I decided today that once we get to the point where this is a real possibility, I would try to cruise ships with helipads.
Mindy, even with helipads they don't land. I have never seen one attempt a landing, anyway. It's always been the way you described.
If it was Bob you better believe I'd be off the ship at the earliest possible opportunity!
Phil is very proud of the fact that we went to Egypt and did not see the pyramids. I am not as pleased, but after looking at the distances involved and the time we had, I agreed that we wouldn’t go. Phil is saying that we will come back and do a two week tour here. I am hoping that it will be safe for us to do that when we have the time to do so. We had only one day, and while the ship stayed in port for at least 17 hours, it is a minimum of 3 hours from the ship to Cairo. The pyramid excursions take you to the museum in Cairo and then to lunch and then the pyramids. It makes for a very long day, and a good part of that is spent on a bus.
Instead, we spent the day on the Mediterranean coast, first at El Alamein and then seeing some of the sights of Alexandria itself. El Alamain, which is how the Egyptians spell it, is the place where a huge battle was fought in the desert during WWII, and the British retained control of Egypt. If you have heard of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, this is where he lost. We started off in the museum there, which had artifacts from all the countries that participated in the battle, and there were quite a few. There was also a huge table with a map of the area, from Algeria to the Suez Canal, and showed where the major battles of north Africa were. They have recordings that play in different languages to explain the advances and retreats of the different armies, with lights on the map to go with the words. What made this map a little cheesier than other battle maps we have seen in the past was the soldier who used a wooden pointer to show where the audiotape was referring to and who manually switched the various sets of lights of the battle lines on and off. The museum also has a static display outside of the large guns and tanks that were used in the battle.
We then went on to British cemetery. They have someone at the entrance who will help go through the records to locate where a specific person has been buried, and they have lists of the other Commonwealth cemeteries in Egypt as well. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, was to visit later in the day, and the area around the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was being readied with chairs, a speaker system, and other things I am sure. There are also cemeteries for Germans and the Italians although we did not visit them. Phil tried to convince our guide to drive out to a ridge where a key part of the battle was fought, but she had never been there, and I think she was scared to go.
On the way back to Alexandria, we passed the ruins of Taposiris Magna or the Temple of Isis. It is the one of the few things left from the time of the Pharaohs in this area, along with a small lighthouse that is supposed to have been built to mimic the old lighthouse in Alexandria. It makes sense that people with means would have homes along the coast in those times, since the Mediterranean is beautiful in this area, and the site of many vacation homes today. Taposiris Magna is not open to visitors as it is an open archaeological dig, but our guide talked to us about it at length. She had been at a lecture recently where the man in charge of this dig announced that he believed that he would find the bodies of Cleopatra and Antony here very soon. Whether you believe that or not, it’s up to you!
We were soon back in the city of Alexandria. We drove over a very shallow lake bed to the southwest of it, where they surface mine salt and other minerals. This is done at the Dead Sea as well, but here we were able to get a close view, since the highway ran right through the middle of it. Alexandria is typical of old European cities in some ways, with the mix of old and new everywhere. We had seen some of the sights on our way out of the city and now that we were back, our guide pointed out a few more. We saw where the old lighthouse of Alexandria probably once stood, but anything that would be left of it would be on the bottom of the harbor. The Pharos lighthouse was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, and could be seen from the sea from pretty far away, by their standards. It’s believed that in addition to using a large flame, they had some kind of mirror or lens that magnified the light. The second thing that ancient Alexandria was known for was its library. Both the lighthouse and library were destroyed by earthquakes and battles. Today though there is a new library, that the Egyptians are very proud of. It is right next to the University of Alexandria, and is very busy. We took a tour and got to see some of the temporary exhibits there.
Our next stop was the Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark, and on our way we drove by the synagogue. It is behind a gate, and appears to be very well maintained. The Jewish community here is very small, but they still manage to maintain both the synagogue and the cemetery here. At St. Mark’s there is also a gate, and inside is not only the cathedral, but also the Coptic Pope’s residence, a school and other related buildings. Copt is from the old word for Egyptian, and the Coptic church dominated Egypt until the Arabs and Islam arrived in the 7th century. About 20 percent of the people are still Christian, and the area around the Cathedral was quite busy. People were preparing for a wedding that night, and so there was a lot of scurrying around. The body of St. Mark used to reside in the cathedral, until the Venetians decided they needed a saint for their city. Their military came, and took the body, but for some reason left the head behind. (The Egyptians say that the head stuck to the tomb, and they couldn‘t remove it.) This is why the main church in Venice is named St. Mark’s. Venice recently returned the remains they had, as a gesture of good will.
We talked to our guide about her training. She had studied at the university in the hotel and tourism college. When she was there, they did not have a department for guide training, so she described how she had to invent her own program. Today there is a program for these studies there. We were very impressed with the breadth of her knowledge, especially since there is an incredible amount of history here.
When we got back to the ship, we traded stories with others. There were 2 themes repeated - the trash we saw everywhere, and the drivers! We didn’t see this as much, since we were out at El-Alamein for half the day, but we certainly noticed it in Alexandria. Apparently both problems were worse in Cairo. I have to say I have never seen driving this crazy before - not even in Istanbul or Athens, where the skinny streets make people do crazy things. Traffic lights, signs, signals, lane markings, nothing is followed there!
After Alexandria, we had two days at sea, and we needed them! We got to see a show from the Indonesian crew of songs and dances from their country. I have no idea when these people had a chance to practice, but we really liked it. I got to take a cooking class from the head chef of the special restaurant on board. We also saw a passenger lifted from the ship to be taken by helicopter to shore.
Since you didn't see the pyramids in Egypt you will have to go back! Hopefully, the political climate will be right when the time is right for you and Phil to do a land tour.
Yesterday, due to an increase in GI illnesses on the ship, the captain instituted the following (these are my words, not his):
Lido (the buffet) restaurant: No more self-service at the salad bar or grill. No salt or pepper shakers on tables; you can request packets like the kind you get at McDonalds
Bars: no large bowls of snacks at tables. Only small individual bowls will be served, on request
Magazines and paperback books have been taken out of circulation.
Spa appointments have to be rescheduled if you have been ill in the last 72 hours.
Plastic gloves will be available in the casino if you would like them.
I am really enjoying your report. Maria and I will stay on the ship in Alexandria and after reading your report I think that is smart. I have found a wonderful house to rent outside of Alexandria complete with pool and driver. We will visit there with the entire family in a couple of years.
I am looking to cooking classes and hope they pick me to assist. Lee
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