London Wellness Academy – SA Stylist Mervin Arthur Naidoo Cruises the World - Pt 3
SA Stylist Mervin Arthur Naidoo Cruises the World - Pt 3 - Oman, Jordan, the Suez and on to Jerusalem.
This Month’s Adventures in Real Shipboard Spa Life: Cruising the World
Mervin Arthur Naidoo is from Pietermaritzburg, KZN and at 47 years old, has been a qualified hairstylist for 28 years, working in South Africa. He has spent the last year working onboard the magnificent cruise ship ISLAND PRINCESS, on a shipboard spa contract. He is sharing his exciting experiences and photos with us about the onboard life!
This contract is a world adventure – starting from Australia aboard the cruise ship ISLAND PRINCESS and making our way through the ports of the world, one by one, experiencing the most exciting sights and cities, people and food!
In this Part 3, Mervin sails through the Magic of Oman, Jordan, the Suez Canal and experiences Jerusalem!
To start our next exploration, first we get to see Mervin in his element - what does a day in cruise ship salon look like?
This what our busy day looked like.
Every chair is used in the salon, often 2 guests at a time, all with color.
Nails stations busy all day.
ISLAND PRINCESS hair and nails. The busiest part of the ship!
MUSCAT, OMAN, UAE
Muscat, Oman. A beautiful place that is located in the granite mountainside. They have very cleverly built the city in an around the mountains, using it to protect them from the elements as well as a source of major income.
The market is friendly and inviting, with lots of treasures to search for.
We explore the King’s Palace, The amazing incense burner on top of the hill. A vista of mosques, the Sea side, and the Market.
The Palace in Muscat, Oman
AQABA, JORDAN - AND PETRA
We had an amazing tour through the city of Aqaba, Jordan. Jordan is full of intrigue and wonder. We were there at Ramadaan time, so there were a few restrictions in the town of Aqaba. The town has all the modern shops, with many sights to visit in and around.
It is the month of RAMADAN. It’s so amazing to see how they celebrate this auspicious month. All the houses are lit up with colourful lights, the streets are lit from end to end. The city is busy and bustling with people late into the night.
Of course, we had to stop to get the local cuisine.
We followed this with an absolutely magical journey down the winding path, between the mountains, to PETRA.
It’s amazing to walk down the same path that the founders took and to get to the end and see the truly magnificent sight of Petra - One of the Seven Wonders of the World. An incredible creation, carved out of the solid rock of the cliffs. A land of full of amazing ancient ruins that are mindblowing to see and think of how they carved out these stunning monuments, from solid rock - not easily done at a time when there were no modern tools!
Walking through the long passageway that leads up to the first sight, the Treasury, one can only imagine how the very first people who walked through, had felt, and knowing that you are walking in their footsteps.
After all these adventures we made it back to the ship in the nick of time, with 2 mins to spare! Had some worried managers, coz we were the last crew members left to get onboard!
Lol.
An afternoon well spent.
Touring with friends though Aqaba
Touring
AQABA - PETRA – THE ANCIENT CITY
Amazing cliffs of Petra, in the footsteps of the ancients
and to the feet of the ancient city itself….
AND THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL
Going through the Suez Canal, I did not know what to expect. It is nothing like the Panama Canal. There are no locks to lift and lower the ships. This is a canal that is running through Egypt, giving a passageway through instead of around. There is a lot of construction being done on both sides, that will help them to connect with each other easier. Will be great to go back to see the end results!
Waiting our turn to go through the Canal
Going through the Suez Canal – one side….
and the other side
FINALLY - TO JERUSALEM - JOURNEY TO THE HOLY LAND
Jerusalem takes you back to the very ancient times.
Seeing the walled city in the middle of this modern city makes you understand exactly how the people of that time had lived. The walls are extremely high and built solidly.
Inside the walled city however, there is chaos. Way too many vendors in one place, takes away the essence of the holy place. If they had left the walled city to be as it was 2500 or so years ago, we would be able to see exactly how it was back then, when Jesus walked the earth.
We had the most amazing exploration of the Tomb of Jesus, the Jerusalem Market, and the Church of The Holy Sepulchre. A true blessing to be there and experience.
Walking the Marketplace of Jerusalem
The Old City – 2500 years old
Inside the Tomb
and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
What an amazing overhead shot
Mervin’s thoughts on the City of Jerusalem and the Sepulchre
I have been so blessed to travel to countries around the world, and to see the sights and wonders they have to offer.
The chance to go to Jerusalem was a true blessing indeed.
After talking to many of our guests/ passengers on the cruise ship, I feel I had to share my thoughts.
When I first got to the city if Jerusalem, I was so excited to be there, walking through the streets and seeing all those shops around.
Then we got to go inside the church where Jesus was laid after they took Him off the cross, and where He lay in the tomb. A magnificent sight indeed.
However, I felt that the importance of the place was ruined by all the vendors there. Every direction you look there are vendors, selling trinkets. Jewellery, bags, shawls, hats and more - shop after shop.
So many shops selling the same thing, it leaves you in a total disarray, constantly having to say no to the shopkeepers, that it’s so easy to get lost in the walled city. Going to such a holy place, to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, the whole feeling is lost and it just becomes so commercialised.
The story goes that Jesus himself was so angry when he saw the people selling things in the temple, that he started to chase them out, because it was wrong of them to sell things in His father's house. Now they are using Jesus name and doing the same thing.
It just felt so wrong. Many of the guests felt the same way as me. We had no peace after seeing that. It didn't feel right.
I hope this does not upset anyone that has already visited or those who want to visit in the future.
It’s just how I and many others that have been there feel about it.
Thank you all.
God bless
Stay tuned for our next instalment where we explore the Mediterranean with awesome port calls in Turkiye, Sparta, Italy, Malta and beyond!
If you want the experience of a lifetime that will expand your horizons to the limits and make you a sought-after stylist in top salons all over the world, sign up now for your confidential interview with London Wellness Academy and explore the world while making an awesome salary and jumpstarting your career as a stylist!
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