Pandaw River Cruises’ 28-stateroom Bengal Pandaw has arrived for her new life on the Ganges River, after more adventures than her owners had in mind ahead of a career promising “one the greatest river journeys in the world.”Scheduled to leave Burma for Calcutta last month, a tug sent to pick up the luxury vessel in Rangoon ran into a cyclone on the India coast and had to seek refuge until the storm abated; when a second attempt was made to cross to Rangoon, the tug broke down and had to limp home again for repairs.
And after finally making Rangoon on the third attempt, coming back across the Bay of Bengal a monsoonal storm hit tug and Pandaw, and they didn’t reach the safety of India’s Hugli River (a tributary of the Ganges) until May 15.
“The last time a Pandaw river boat crossed the Bay of Bengal was ninety-odd years ago when a number were sent to support allied troops on the Tigris River during the First World War,” a spokesman said. “But several were lost in a monsoonal storm on the Bay, which probably explains why we couldn’t get insurance for our tow this year!”
After storm repairs and a refit, Bengal Pandaw will begin spectacular 14-night sailings in September from Calcutta to Varanasi in the upper reaches of the Ganges, a luxury experience of over 1600 kilometres via a near-dozen ports.
For full details of her itinerary, daily sightseeing and prices for just 28 pampered couples, see travel agents, phone Pandaw Australia (02) 8080 5622, email jlbati@ozemail.com.au or visit www.pandaw.com
-David Ellis
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