The life of a seaman...
Today we had half the day off. Whoopee - and it was needed too. The morning was windy and cloudy, almost cold (relatively speaking) when we went across the marina to bunker. Sometimes I wonder about this part of the world - 20'000liters of fuel and the only card they took was AmEx, or cash. Or maybe they were just greedy and made life difficult for us to get a bit of extra and loads of cash... It's a bit like my quest for stamps. I've got a pile of postcards to send off, but can't find any stamps to put on - maybe they'll just have to get a special, in person, delivery when I go back home... I asked at the resort hotel close to us, (hotels normally have stamps) but they sent me off to the marina village. There, when I finally found the tourist shop, the woman didn't speak one word of English! I would think that when you're working at a pretty flash resort, and in the tourist shop especially, you would know another widely spoken language (since most ppl speak Eng...) But nooooooo. (I do feel that I can be annoyed about this since I speak three languages myself, thus making my glass house pretty roomy). *sighs and mutters under my breath*
The marina here in La Paz, (MEXICO, not Bolivia - can't believe how many ppl think Bolivia since it doesn't even have a coast) is very nice. Clean, well built, good security and enthusiastic dayworkers (maybe a bit too quick-working sometimes, it's hard to keep up and point out all the spots they've missed), and pretty close to a nice hotel pool with internet (can't take my computer there since my battery is F***ed and only lasts for about 20min tops, plus it's the only one onboard that goes online at the moment, even if you do have to sit in the bridge and use a cable (vista actually works for once)) and very nice Strawberry Daiquiris (my new favourite drink, virgin, of course;) I guess the big bad thing with this spot (apart from the faulty internet) is that our neighbours are currently forced to be on generators, and every morning when they change their gennie, they spit out soot. So for the past few days I've been washing down more or less every day, just to wake up and find that we've got the black dog again (or black measles or something for the non-Swenglish speaking). I'm getting slightly fed up with this tradition.... Especially since I definitively won't have time for it when guests are coming/are onboard... and it stains the paint. I get most of it off, but you still see the shadows of the marks everywhere....
I'm sooo happy I've got my holidays coming up (15th of August arriving in Stockholm, leaving morning 12th of September to Brussels, leaving Brussels to chase the boat down on the 15th of September). It's been a long time since I've been home, (beginning of January) and I miss my family and friends. This time I'm combining my weeks from this year with some time from next, so I'll have time to fly by Belgium on the way back... Been too long since I went past there, but with so little time at home, it's hard to take more off to go visiting around the world... Oh, and the Swedish food. Poor Mr T is sooo unhappy with me right now. When we went out for lunch the other day, what I thought was an innocent filet of beef with mushroom and cheese, was stuffed with really, really spicy jalapeños... Mr T got cramps and I started to cry and was _not_ amused. The rest of the crew was, though... Even by just burping later that evening my throat started burning. *poor me* At least the local beer is pretty nice.
I know, I know, I haven't written anything since Norfolk, but it's been really busy since then. Going from Norfolk to NW coast of Mexico is a pretty long way on a slow boat like this... Stowing for sea, bumping along, unstowing, preparing for guests, guests, stowing for sea, bouncing along, etc... Busy busy...
I went up to Baltimore for another weekend to see Andrew and Kathy, had loads of fun, getting hooked on Munchkin the games. Hopefully I'll be able to find it later on and someone who wants to play with me... No fun being hooked on a game when noone wants to play with me...
From Norfolk (or rather Portsmouth) we went to Ft Lauderdale in Florida a few days to bunker and re-stock supplies. I was lucky to get some precious time with my friend Eric there, which was very good, especially since I don't know when I'll get to see him again.
Ft L to Colón, Panama went pretty quickly. So far not too bad weather, but not really a smooth ride either. I might have found some kind of sea legs, but I'm keeping my seasickness pills close by even so... We had a couple of very very busy days to get the boat ready for guests, and then had a few days around the San Blas Islands. Which are the kind you think about when you picture the paradise islands, but not really on my pictures since it was more or less constantly overcast. Not that I'm really complaining, the thorough showers helped me get the salt off, I didn't have to mess around too much with chamois and cushions in the mornings and it kept the weather relatively cool. The local indians always come around to boats at anchor; paddling out in their canoes and trying to sell you stuff or beg freebies (drinks, candy, fresh water, charge my telephone, etc). One afternoon we put the gazebo up for a late lunch for our guests. That was the kind of thing you see in the magazines. Because of sand flies we put the table and chairs and gazebo in the shallow water. I don't know what was wrong with the sand flies. It didn't matter which bug spray, or how much, they didn't care at all. And they were hungry. The next day I was completely _covered_ in itching bites on my arms and legs. I even managed to scratch enough to scar... No fun the week or so it took for the bites to go away. Some of the guests wanted to do some water sports, and have the crew with them playing. I got put upon a sea biscuit and towed behind the tender. I managed to stay on for all the heats, until we went two against two. It's nigh near impossible to stay on when your partner goes off and upsets the balance... But it was fun, and I got to try my wakeboarding skill again as well. And yep, they're still on the same level as when I tried last time a couple of years ago. I can stand up until I almost cramp, and as soon as I try to change leg, I go nose-diving... But hey, better than nothing;)
The Panama Canal wasn't too exciting, really. The locks in the Great Lakes were much more fun. Since we went through at night there wasn't too much of a view. We had ten linehandlers onboard, and me running around trying to get them to understand that everything onboarda a yacht is expensive and FRAGILE. I’m so happy I didn’t varnish the cap rails before the canal. Because they are now badly scratched in a few places… The men down here are so chauvinistic. Panama City was pretty big and dirty. Had a day there after the guests left to look around. I found my beloved Lancaster sunscreen. Finally. Just because I want just that brand, it’s impossible to find… but it is GOOD sunscreen…We stopped in Costa Rica, Los Suenos for a few days. I went zip lining. So much fun, that. I even got to make a couple of runs upside down… And I’ve got that on my camera… Proof! Nearly chewed of a line in the marina – constantly a big swell in there.Next stop was Acapulco for a few hours for bunkering. Had a quick look in town. Dirty, and touristy. Not too much to see, really… Got inspected by the military whilst bunkering; they almost brought a drug dog onboard. Exciting… And now, La Paz. Loads of cactus everywhere, and dry. The town itself is small, not too much in there. Except the skin series of Lancaster, which I’m now trying=)The sea life here is crazy. I though that Mexico was famous for its hopping peas or beans, but maybe the fish ate them all because I can’t find any jumping plants, only fish, dolphins and rays. There was this one evening when we say about six or seven flocks or groups or schools or pods or whatever the name is of jumping rays. Looked pretty funny with them jumping high in the air, flapping their wings and trying to fly… Must be mating season for the turtles. We’ve passed a lot of turtles, big ones mostly, and quite a few of them were cuddling… Time for me to pack up and walk back to the boat. Internet is so not on today, but I wanted to get this up, so I packed up and went to the hotel. Shall be good with an early night tonight. Hope all is well with you, my friends. Keep in touch!
Kiss kiss
The marina here in La Paz, (MEXICO, not Bolivia - can't believe how many ppl think Bolivia since it doesn't even have a coast) is very nice. Clean, well built, good security and enthusiastic dayworkers (maybe a bit too quick-working sometimes, it's hard to keep up and point out all the spots they've missed), and pretty close to a nice hotel pool with internet (can't take my computer there since my battery is F***ed and only lasts for about 20min tops, plus it's the only one onboard that goes online at the moment, even if you do have to sit in the bridge and use a cable (vista actually works for once)) and very nice Strawberry Daiquiris (my new favourite drink, virgin, of course;) I guess the big bad thing with this spot (apart from the faulty internet) is that our neighbours are currently forced to be on generators, and every morning when they change their gennie, they spit out soot. So for the past few days I've been washing down more or less every day, just to wake up and find that we've got the black dog again (or black measles or something for the non-Swenglish speaking). I'm getting slightly fed up with this tradition.... Especially since I definitively won't have time for it when guests are coming/are onboard... and it stains the paint. I get most of it off, but you still see the shadows of the marks everywhere....
I'm sooo happy I've got my holidays coming up (15th of August arriving in Stockholm, leaving morning 12th of September to Brussels, leaving Brussels to chase the boat down on the 15th of September). It's been a long time since I've been home, (beginning of January) and I miss my family and friends. This time I'm combining my weeks from this year with some time from next, so I'll have time to fly by Belgium on the way back... Been too long since I went past there, but with so little time at home, it's hard to take more off to go visiting around the world... Oh, and the Swedish food. Poor Mr T is sooo unhappy with me right now. When we went out for lunch the other day, what I thought was an innocent filet of beef with mushroom and cheese, was stuffed with really, really spicy jalapeños... Mr T got cramps and I started to cry and was _not_ amused. The rest of the crew was, though... Even by just burping later that evening my throat started burning. *poor me* At least the local beer is pretty nice.
I know, I know, I haven't written anything since Norfolk, but it's been really busy since then. Going from Norfolk to NW coast of Mexico is a pretty long way on a slow boat like this... Stowing for sea, bumping along, unstowing, preparing for guests, guests, stowing for sea, bouncing along, etc... Busy busy...
I went up to Baltimore for another weekend to see Andrew and Kathy, had loads of fun, getting hooked on Munchkin the games. Hopefully I'll be able to find it later on and someone who wants to play with me... No fun being hooked on a game when noone wants to play with me...
From Norfolk (or rather Portsmouth) we went to Ft Lauderdale in Florida a few days to bunker and re-stock supplies. I was lucky to get some precious time with my friend Eric there, which was very good, especially since I don't know when I'll get to see him again.
Ft L to Colón, Panama went pretty quickly. So far not too bad weather, but not really a smooth ride either. I might have found some kind of sea legs, but I'm keeping my seasickness pills close by even so... We had a couple of very very busy days to get the boat ready for guests, and then had a few days around the San Blas Islands. Which are the kind you think about when you picture the paradise islands, but not really on my pictures since it was more or less constantly overcast. Not that I'm really complaining, the thorough showers helped me get the salt off, I didn't have to mess around too much with chamois and cushions in the mornings and it kept the weather relatively cool. The local indians always come around to boats at anchor; paddling out in their canoes and trying to sell you stuff or beg freebies (drinks, candy, fresh water, charge my telephone, etc). One afternoon we put the gazebo up for a late lunch for our guests. That was the kind of thing you see in the magazines. Because of sand flies we put the table and chairs and gazebo in the shallow water. I don't know what was wrong with the sand flies. It didn't matter which bug spray, or how much, they didn't care at all. And they were hungry. The next day I was completely _covered_ in itching bites on my arms and legs. I even managed to scratch enough to scar... No fun the week or so it took for the bites to go away. Some of the guests wanted to do some water sports, and have the crew with them playing. I got put upon a sea biscuit and towed behind the tender. I managed to stay on for all the heats, until we went two against two. It's nigh near impossible to stay on when your partner goes off and upsets the balance... But it was fun, and I got to try my wakeboarding skill again as well. And yep, they're still on the same level as when I tried last time a couple of years ago. I can stand up until I almost cramp, and as soon as I try to change leg, I go nose-diving... But hey, better than nothing;)
The Panama Canal wasn't too exciting, really. The locks in the Great Lakes were much more fun. Since we went through at night there wasn't too much of a view. We had ten linehandlers onboard, and me running around trying to get them to understand that everything onboarda a yacht is expensive and FRAGILE. I’m so happy I didn’t varnish the cap rails before the canal. Because they are now badly scratched in a few places… The men down here are so chauvinistic. Panama City was pretty big and dirty. Had a day there after the guests left to look around. I found my beloved Lancaster sunscreen. Finally. Just because I want just that brand, it’s impossible to find… but it is GOOD sunscreen…We stopped in Costa Rica, Los Suenos for a few days. I went zip lining. So much fun, that. I even got to make a couple of runs upside down… And I’ve got that on my camera… Proof! Nearly chewed of a line in the marina – constantly a big swell in there.Next stop was Acapulco for a few hours for bunkering. Had a quick look in town. Dirty, and touristy. Not too much to see, really… Got inspected by the military whilst bunkering; they almost brought a drug dog onboard. Exciting… And now, La Paz. Loads of cactus everywhere, and dry. The town itself is small, not too much in there. Except the skin series of Lancaster, which I’m now trying=)The sea life here is crazy. I though that Mexico was famous for its hopping peas or beans, but maybe the fish ate them all because I can’t find any jumping plants, only fish, dolphins and rays. There was this one evening when we say about six or seven flocks or groups or schools or pods or whatever the name is of jumping rays. Looked pretty funny with them jumping high in the air, flapping their wings and trying to fly… Must be mating season for the turtles. We’ve passed a lot of turtles, big ones mostly, and quite a few of them were cuddling… Time for me to pack up and walk back to the boat. Internet is so not on today, but I wanted to get this up, so I packed up and went to the hotel. Shall be good with an early night tonight. Hope all is well with you, my friends. Keep in touch!
Kiss kiss
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