I want that job – the ship after 6 hours
I understand entirely if people are bored with reading this already – feel free to skip to an interactive bit about flooding Welsh towns, if you wish. However, this is pretty much my diary for this trip, so there’s bound to be some dull bits.
Anyway, tea was veg soup, aubergine curry (proper) and some weird sweet dough balls for pudding. Seating plans will need some work, however, as I currently sit in regal, but solitary, splendour on a round table surveying all beyond me. The captain and some head honcho have the table next to me, while the slightly less important officers sit at an oblong table for 6. While the captain seemed happy to chat, the Danish/American lot on the other table seemed to regard me with some disdain. And they were having beer and I wasn’t. I’ll see what tomorrow brings before trying to address matters – including getting the booze issue sorted with the steward. Mind you a period without booze is exactly what the doctor ordered after 4 nights with my cousin and her mates.
Anyway, I was naturally concerned I was going to be bored tonight, what with us not being on the move, but I’ve surveyed the entertainment centre in the lounge. Aside from 1000 piece puzzles there are a number of videos and a DVD player, but no DVDs. There’s also a pretty good library, although a number of the titles are in German and French. Also there’s an October 2004 issue of the Man Utd magazine! Most intriguing is a set of Teach Yourself Irish cassettes and an English/Irish dictionary. Some later posts may be in Irish, therefore. Oh, and there’s obviously an Argos catalogue.
Anyway, I’ve not been bored, because I’ve been watching those blokes load the containers onto the ship. What a brilliant job! It’s like playing massive 3D Tetris. We’ve currently got 3 servicing the ship. I suppose by the time 5am comes they will have loaded us, meaning the view from the 4th poop deck lounge could be highly restricted. (My cabin is on the 5th poop deck, detail fans.)
Just realised how good the steward is, by the way. It’s heading for bedtime and I thought I might make use of that half bottle of Stoli I brought onto the ship for a nightcap. I had to declare it to the captain and Antonio was there at the time. Just realised he’s put some tomato juice in the fridge and Tabasco on the side! The trip might not be as sober as I thought.
Nicotine watchers – I have some bad news. I did succumb to the weed at the end of that massive session in San Fran. But it seems to have been a genuine blip – no relapse today and no cravings (ie I didn’t buy any). Think it was probably a ritual thing. Best thing one can do in the circumstances is hitch onto a freighter with no shop for the best part of a fortnight.
Right off to bed. Need to try to be up at 5 for cast off…
Container Drivers by The Fall
Tags: Travel
JohnnyBoy