Sunday 6/21/09

Sold the satellite phone.
Suggested Reading List for world travelers.

April update

My book, Freighter Odyssey - Around the World in 130 Days, has been published and submitted to the Library of Congress.

The Rickmers Jakarta is in Asia now. Many of us still follow it each day.

As of 4/24/09, 7:45 PM CST, Passenger George is back home in Singapore.

Day 130+3 Home

Tuesday, 2/24/2009, partly cloudy and cold.

I got a much needed haircut before 8 am. Next stop was the Lenox Senior Men's weekly breakfast to see friends.

My truck needed 30,000 mile maintenance and an oil change. The dealer took care of that during the middle of the day.

I have opened my email and updated my main web pages, but have much
more work to do. Started working on the Honey-do list, fixing a pipe leak.

My suitcases are unpacked and stored, and the rest of my laundry is washed and put away.

I have found a low cost vanity publisher to print 100 copies of my
blog, so I need to finish editing.

Need to do the taxes and catch up on the snail mail and everything
else.

The freighter cruise has been a great adventure. I enjoyed the trip
very much. I miss the officers and crew, and the stimulating
mealtime converstions with my fellow passengers Dieter and George.
I will continue to follow George's blog.

Day 130+2 Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota

Monday, 2/23/2009, sunny, cold and clear.

Up at 5:45, I continue north. Sometime during the day, I lost one
of my truck keys. Probably left it on a counter somewhere.

Part of I-35 in Kansas is a tollway. The exit to the non-toll road
is not well marked, and I miss it. This is no accident. Kansas
likes it if people stay on the tollway all the waysto Kansas City.

The roads and country are more familiar. North of Des Moines,
there is snow cover on the ground, but the roads are dry. In
northern Iowa, the windmills are turning in the wind, generating
megawatts. I arrived home at 5 pm.

It is nice be home, and my wife is happy to see me a day earlier
than planned. Before bed, I update my computers with security
patches and 41 Windows patches which have accumulated over the last
4 months.

Day 130+1 Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas

Sunday, 2/22/2009, sunny and clear.

Woke at 5:30 am. Drove toward San Antonio to have breakfast with a
Navy friend from VAP 61 squadron on Guam. Ernie met me halfway
between Austin and San Antonio, and paid for breakfast. We ate at
a Cracker Barrel.

I was headed north toward home on I-35 by 9:15 am. Near mile
marker 300, I noticed a collection of nostalgic, old gasoline
station pumps on the east side, rusting away. Just before I left
Texas, I noticed a horse ranch to the east of the freeway. One
side of the entry gate was a large red brick structure in the shape
of a horse's head.

Even with the low oil prices, I noticed that oil pumps were still
pumping in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. While I was gone, gasoline
in Texas was as low as $1.39 per gallon. On my return trip, I paid
between $1.79 and $1.63 per gallon.

I arrived in Wichita at 6:30 pm and stayed in the same Motel 7.
It is cold here. After dinner, I called home, channel surfed
through all the channels, and went to bed.

Day 130 Houston, TX, USA

Saturday, 2/21/2009, overcast.

After breakfast, I retrieved my passport and vaccination card from
the ship's office and the Captain. I said my goodbyes and finished
packing.

My friend Jack arrived with my truck shortly after noon. I gave
him a tour of some of the parts of the ship which he did not see on
his first visit.

I enjoyed driving again. Back in Austin, we went to downtown where
my truck had been stored so Jack could retrieve his vehicle.

At Jack's house, I packed my truck. Before my departure, I had
left a few items in Jack's house, like my winter coat.

We had an early dinner. I had a 6 oz. steak, a salad, a large
baked potato, and half a bottle of good red wine. Then we went to
see an excellent presentation of 'Les Miserables'.

Day 129 Gulf of Mexico

Friday, 2/20/2009, sunny and clear. Last night: Actual departure from New Orleans was 8 pm. Transit time down the Mississippi River was 7 hours. Since it took 10 hours to go up the river, that means the river current must be about 1-1/2 mph. The stars were bright. After the ship cleared the river, many lights from oil platforms were visible. Today, many more oil platforms were visible. There were white caps earlier. That is a contrast to the many days with no white caps on our Pacific crossing. Early this morning, I did my final load of laundry, until I get home. I made my last trip to the focsl this afternoon. The starboard main deck was full of dunnage, so I walked on the hatch covers for half the distance. It was not a tee shirt day.

I finished the first cut of my photos, selecting 320 out of 1900. Some are duplicates, but I have some more work to do, to get down to the 100 best for a presentation, and the 50 best for prints. Tonight is my last night on the ship. My instant coffee and Ritz crackers ran out today, so I will disembark tomorrow, Day 130. I paid the Captain my Slop Chest charge of $16 for the last month and a half. I thanked him for his kindness. This has been an extraordinary trip. I am reading 'Invisible Prey', by John Sanford. I have reserved 15 minutes before bed time to pack. This is my planned schedule, subject to weather or other events: Arrive Houston City Docks, 0300 Saturday. Disembark 1130. Saturday night - Austin, TX Sunday - San Antonio, TX Monday night - Wichita, KS Tuesday night - home in Minnesota.

Day 128 New Orleans

Thursday, 2/19/2009, sunny and clear, but gusty and chilly. It is a quiet day on the ship. Cargo work continues. It is possible the ship will leave overnight. It is interesting to watch the ships and barges go by on the river. I selected and sorted photo images today. I also created an index to help me associate the image number with the date and location. I will finish reading 'Simple Genius' by Baldacci tonight. I am sipping a glass of Walmart wine called Menage a Trois. It is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and Zinfandel, and is a little sweet for me.

Day 127 New Orleans

Wednesday, 2/18/2009, hotter and humid. It is tee shirt weather temporarily, and there are thunderstorm warnings. The hotel was comfortable and quiet, and convenient to the French Quarter. The complementary breakfast was good. I walked throught the French Quarter again and took more pictures. At Cafe Du Monde, I asked for chicory and French donuts. I'm not sure they use chicory in their coffee anymore. On the levee, I listened to parts of the lectures for 2 tourist groups before returning to the hotel. We took a taxi to the Walmart near the port. I bought a paper and replenished some supplies for my cabin and my drive home next week. After a fastfood lunch, the agent brought us back to the ship. This evening, a few of the crew have been able to get a ride out of the port.

The image today is one of the large cargo holds. We usually can't get close for safety reasons. The cargo has been removed from the upper layer. An adjustable pontoon floor is visible. There is much much more cargo beneath the removable floor.

Day 126 New Orleans

Tuesday, 2/17/2009, started cold and overcast, gradually warming with some sun. The ship arrived around midnight. We had been warned in advance about Homeland Security's new port security policy. It has been implemented in New Orleans, and meant we could no longer leave the ship unless escorted by a person with a special 'TWC' card. So, US citizens were confined to the ship for half a day, in a US port. Homeland Security's suggested solution is to pay a special escort service $100 each way. That cost is a hardship for the crew, after having been at sea for 26days. Fortunately the agents helped us, and fortunately, Houston doesn't implement the new policy until April.

When we arrived in the French Quarter in early afternoon, we walked around looking. There are beads everywhere, on the ground and on traffic lights, with more for sale. We found a restaurant and had a very good lunch. There are not so many book stores in New Orleans. We took the street car to a Borders store. I replenished my dark chocolate supply. Because of the port security hassle, we stayed in New Orleans overnight. Had another good meal. I had a small caesar salad, red beans and rice, and red wine. The image is the Tuesday sunrise. The ship's cranes have been raised and are ready.

Day 126 New Orleans, LA

No entry tonight, Dale is partying in New Orleans before Marti Gras. He'll be back tomorrow!

Day 125 Mississippi River

Monday, 2/16/2009, partly sunny, turning to sunny and cold. 16 degrees C. Last night, many lighted oil platforms were visible in the dark. Because of their size, the platforms are not usually as close as they appear. There were many more oil platforms today, until 1500 when the ship began the 10 hour trek up the Mississippi River to New Orleans. There are many birds in the river and adjacent salt marshes. I did not dance on the cargo hatch today. It was too cold. Supper was pork kabobs, fries and veggies. A jar of peanut butter appeared at breakfast! Because of schedule requirements and good luck, I am visiting New Orleans a second time, before I disembark in Houston in a few days. The picture today is from my last visit to the French Quarter in October.

Day 124 Galveston, TX

Sunday, overcast until 1400, then sunny. Galveston was a short stop, only for unloading and crane inspection. The ship tied up around 0400 and departed at 1800. The hatch covers are almost bare of cargo. Today was out first time off the ship since day 98 in Japan. We walked through the gate around 0900. We walked about a mile and a half, past 2 cruise ships, to 'The Strand', a historic business area. After coffee at a Starbucks, where George got a connection and updated his blog, we walked to see the 1877 iron barque sailing ship, Elissa. Afterwards, we ate lunch at a restaurant called Fisherman's Wharf, with a view of the barque. While we were eating, a man climbed up a mast and out on an arm, standing on the rat line, like the old sailors did. He was doing some tensioning maintenance work. I had an excellent shrimp caesar salad and a glass of red wine. Two cruise ships arrived after our ship arrived and left before our ship did. There was a passenger turnover. We walked past the long lines of waiting people. When we got back to the Jakarta, there were no long lines. There were no lines at all. There are large birds around with a big beaks. They crash into the water for food. Also saw a single dolphin.

The picture today is a series of historic high water marks here in Galveston. The blue mark is from September 2008. Nine bricks above that is the mark for 1900. Our ship will cross the Gulf of Mexico tonight and begin the 10 hour trip up the Mississippi channel to New Orleans. I expect to dock after dark.

Day 123 Gulf of Mexico

Saturday, 2/14/2009, overcast, partly sunny. Last night the stars were great. Called home early this morning for Valentines Day. As we move furthur north, the days are shorter and the temperature is lower. There was fog at times from the cooler air over the warmer water. Maybe I could have worn Bermudas on my walk today, but long pants were more comfortable. The Bermudas and swimming suit are washed and packed until May. There are more ships around. I have seen 2 oil platforms already.

The picture today is another view of the Centennial Bridge at the Panama Canal. George will have an internet connection in a day or two. Please check his site to see more of his extraordinary images. Our expected arrival in Galveston is early Sunday morning. Could leave late afternoon for New Orleans. Mardi Gras is the week after we will be there.

Day 122 Gulf of Mexico

Friday, 2/13/2009, sunny, warm and smooth. Last night, we signed and finger printed new picture ID cards. At 1015, there was surface fog for a short time. Late this morning, the ship passed from the Caribbean into the Gulf of Mexico, through the choke point between Cuba and the Yucatan. Also late this morning, the ship stopped dead in the water, and more crew members received steering training. I can still wear shorts and a tee shirt on my walks to the focsl.

The image today is 'Taking the plunge in the Panama Canal'. The ship is in the upper chamber of the Miraflores lock. This was before breakfast. The pool is saltwater. The canal is fresh water. Thanks to George Klucsarits, who took this picture on Wednesday. I'm getting shaggy and will need a haircut when I get home. We are scheduled to arrive in Galveston early Sunday, New Orleans after that, and if the schedule holds, I will disembark the following Sunday in Houston.

Day 121 Caribbean Sea

Thursday, 2/12/2009, mostly sunny, gradually smoother. Last night and today have been quiet. I think almost everyone was awake yesterday morning at 3 am for the canal activities. There are white birds around. Just before going below for lunch, I looked out my window and saw 2 fish jumping out of the water. They were about 2 feet long. On my walk forward, the starboard main deck was wet from the swells.

I have been trying to sort my images and get copies to people on the ship who want them. I'm sure I have over 2000 images, plus a few short videos. I need to select the best 50 for hard copies, and the best 100 for 2 presentations. The picture today is 'Cranes at sunset'. It was taken in Hamburg in late November.

Day 120C Panama Canal

Wednesday, 2/11/2009, sunny and tropical haze until we entered the Caribbean Sea midafternoon. After crossing Gatun Lake, the ship descended through the 3 Gatun Locks. The duration was from about 1300 until 1430 EST. Two things surprised me about the Panama Canal. I thought there would be more lift than the actual rise of 26 meters, or 85 feet. Also, I was expecting to see more traffic.

The ship crossed the remaining distance to open sea and cleared the Colon breakwater at 1530. I took an Aleve. My hip was sore from too much standing or climbing. There is moderate roll. I will put things away tonight. Our course is slightly west of north, toward Galveston. The pool was drained this afternoon. I think I was the only person who used it, and I used it twice. Finished reading 'The Christmas Train' by Baldacci. Time retards an hour tonight to CST. This is my last time zone change for the voyage.

Almost Live Pictures

I just sent these pictures, the upper left is the Mira Flores Locks, the first locks we went through. The picture on the right is the Pedro Miguel Locks which are the next in line. The third picture is the ship approaching the Centennial Bridge. The lower right is the Gatun Lock, the last one before entering the Atlantic Ocean.

Day 120B Panama Canal

Wednesday, 2/11/2009. Unlike most of Europe and Asia, Panama uses the same channel marking system as the US. Red, right, returning. 0600-0700 EST Passed through Miraflores double locks. Took pictures from the focsl. I swam in the pool while we were in the second lock. Estimated time for the Pedro Miguel Lock is 0900 EST or so, 0800 CST. Centennial Bridge will be an hour or so after that. Gatun Locks, will be mid or late afternoon. You might even see the ship via this site where the webcams are located:
http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html?cam=CerroLuisa

Day 120A Panama Canal

Wednesday, 2/11/2009, first post 0500. Last night, dropped anchor around 2030. The ship lights were on. Birds were flying all around, picking off the fish attracted by the lights. 0300 Weighed anchor. 0440 Passed beneath the Bridge of the Americas. 0555 17 men boarded. Canal people operate the ship here. The passage has started. Time estimates posted yesterday are probably 2 hours early.

Day 119 Near Balboa, Panama

Tuesday, 2/10/2009, sunny and clear. We went south to about 7 degrees north latitude, before turning northeast toward the canal. Mid-day, the ship felt like it was galloping like a horse because of wind gusts. The present appointment for canal entry is 0300 Wednesday Eastern Standard Time, 0200 (2 am) CST. The canal passage could last until 1600 Wednesday, 2/11/2009. To verify location, check the Rickmers-Linie Purple Finder page, remembering that the data could be up to 6 hours old. The canal web cameras are located in this order. Miraflores Lock about 4 am estimated Pedro Miguel about 5 am, Centennial Bridge noonish or later. If you look for us on the web cam, here's how to recognize the ship: The hull is dark green, with the name Jakarta in white on both sides of the bow, and on the aft. The 4 cranes and the structure above the hull are light yellow. The cargo on deck are large white objects. If it is possible to distinguish people on the ship, I will most likely be in a deck chair or standing on the Pilot Deck, one deck below the Navigation Bridge. I will be wearing Bermudas, a dark green tee shirt, and a white hard hat. I could also be dancing on the hatches to rock music, or swimming in the pool, or eating in the officer's mess. I expect to have a few pictures to post over the next few days.

Dave informed me that the bird image yesterday was a Brown Boobie. The image today is what they left behind on the focsl. I walked 3 laps today, being very careful where I stepped. The pool was filled today, and I jumped in this afternoon.

Day 118 North Pacific Ocean

Monday, 2/9/2009, sunny and clear. The sea is very smooth and glassy today. In the afternoon, the temperature was 33 degrees C. (91 F) For the time change last night, I did not even bother to change my watch. I just left it on CST. The ship was off the coast of Nicaragua this morning, but has been stopped since 1300. We are ahead of schedule, and marking time. Tonight, the ship will travel the rest of the way to Balboa, Panama, arriving late in the day. 1100 Land Ho! We could actually see land for a while, late this morning. Other than lights at night, it is the first land I have seen since Japan. Also saw another ship today. Did a load of colored laundry this morning. Seems like every time I dry my socks, they get a little smaller. I'm afraid they will be the size of baby booties by the time I get home. I finished reading "Pathfinders". I listed the author in an earlier post. Also finished reading "Stone Cold" by Baldacci. I have 2 more Baldacci books to read, "The Christmas Train", and "Simple Genius". They will stay behind. Tonight I will watch more of "Into the Wild". The instant decaf coffee and the dark chocolate are finished.

The image today is a sea bird. There have been scores of these birds today. When they are not fishing, they rest on the Focsl rails or fore thwart. They left plenty of work for the deck crew. They fly over the water, looking for food, sometimes very low, riding the surface effect. Flying fish are the food. When the flying fish soar, the birds can catch them without getting wet, but will dive in if necessary. Sometimes the fish all jump at once, as if they are also being hunted from below. I'm very surprised that the birds aren't too fat to fly, because they were busy all day.

Day 117 North Pacific Ocean

Sunday, 2/8/2009, sunny and clear. There were white caps most of the day. At 0800 we were off El Salvador. Our speed is slower today because of wind and area currents. The days are getting noticeably longer and warmer as we continue southward. I wore Bermuda shorts and a tee-shirt. I noticed the fill hose is out for the pool. Today was more relaxed. It was a rest day for many of the crew. I phoned home. When I went to the Focsl today, I walked 5 laps around the main deck. The port side was wet today from the swells, but not awash like it was yesterday.

Today, I had all 6 food groups, the toast group, the half-a-steak group, the broccoli group, the pizza group, the dark chocolate group, and the red wine group. The image today is a small wooden boat in Viet Nam. Our time advances one hour to Eastern Standard Time, for a few days, until we are on the other side of the Canal. We will then retard an hour, back to CST.

Day 116 North Pacific Ocean

Saturday, 2/7/2009, sunny and clear, but not smooth. Last night, the stars were more difficult to see as the moon waxes. The moon will probably be full when we pass through the Canal. There have been no birds yesterday or today. That makes the deck crew happy. I saw another ship this morning. For the last few days, we have been moving parallel to the west coast of Mexico. Now we begin the final phase of our trans-pacific crossing, past Guatamala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, to the Canal. Today, the ship passed through an area, which the officers tell us is windy and rough 8 times out of 10. We had moderate swells and roll, and the wind was blowing off the tops of the white caps. I walked to and from the Focsl on the starboard side, because the port side was awash from the swells. I surprised by slight seasickness mid-morning, after such a smooth Pacific crossing. The image today shows the spray blowing off the swells. In combination with the swells, I think this is Beaufort Scale 7. Saturday is often drill day. We had a General Alarm at 1530, followed by life boat drill. The crew had more drill and training after that.

Day 115 North Pacific Ocean

Friday, 2/6/2009, sunny and clear all day. The seas are smooth with no white caps and little roll. Today and the next week are tee shirt weather again. After lunch, when I reached the Focsl here at 17 degrees north latitude, I saw flying fish again for the first time since the Indian Ocean. Saw a large multi-colored fish with a blue tail. I believe it is a dorada. Also saw two turtles. George saw more dolphins, both from the Focsl and a pod of 100 at sunset. Few ships are visible. I saw one today. Some appear on radar or the GPS receiver, but I have only seen 3 since we left Japan. It's a big ocean.

The image today is from Hiroshima again. Hiroshima is an old sea port. As you can see, the sea serpents like to climb up the street lamps. Our time advances another hour tonight to Central Standard Time.

Day 114 North Pacific Ocean

Thursday, 1/5/2009, sunny and clear until dark. After lunch, I recorded another walk to the Focsl. The camera movement reflects my walking from side to side. I also recorded the diving sea eagles, white birds with black trim on their wings. Their bodies, wings and beaks are extremely streamlined. They soar almost effortlessly, riding the air currents and pressure ridges around the ship. When they spot food, they bend a wingtip and dive, making a splash like an Olympic diver. Starting at 1500, there are a few tiny white caps.

Breakfast was cornflakes with muscli, toast, apple juice, and coffee. For lunch I added rice to my chicken soup. I also had salad, declining the main course, Chicken Cordon Bleu. Supper was hamburger steak, rice, and peas. The image today is a sidewalk utility cover from Hiroshima, Japan.

Day 113 North Pacific Ocean

Wednesday, 2/4/2009, overcast. Last night there were stars. I saw Orion again. I saw dolphins from the Bridge before 0800 this morning. We are west of Baja all day today, bearing southeast toward Panama. The sea is still glassy and smooth. For a while at noon, the water beside the ship was very glassy. After lunch, my walk to the Focsl was pleasant. The wind is very mild. Today, the deck crew greased the cables on 3 of the 4 cargo cranes, moving down the cables, all the way to the ends of the booms. Peach Melba was offered at breakfast. I had duck at lunch, and beef stroganoff for supper.

The picture today was taken in October 2008, on departure from New Orleans, sailing down the Mississippi River. The French Quarter is on the right. The ship is moving at 5 knots, and the wake is barely visible. We expect to visit New Orleans again in about 2 weeks, before returning to my starting point, Houston, Texas. Tonight, the time advances another hour to Mountain Standard Time, one hour behind CST.

Day 112 North Pacific Ocean

Tuesday, 2/3/2009, overcast am, sunny and smooth pm. The sea has been glassy again today. It is not perfectly flat like a piece of glass, but smooth and reflecting the sky. There are no wind ripples and no white caps. The ship's wake is visible to the horizon. Swells and roll are very minor at 1800. The afternoon particularly was very pleasant.

Supper was liver and onions. I had a sandwich and salad. Cabin snack inventory status: This might sound more interesting if you imagine someone in a lifeboat. The dark chocolate will run out before Panama. Ann's reconstituted trail mix probably won't last until Houston. I ate the last cracker from home today. I have some crackers and snacks which I bought in Japan. My personal supply of Nescafe Instant Decaf and Regular Coffee will run out in a few days. I still have plenty of black and green tea bags. More regular instant coffee is available, and my bottled water supply is adequate, even after providing a gallon for the new coffee set-up in the library. The Slop Chest has been out of red wine since December. I bought 4 bottles of red wine in Japan. Rationed at 1/8 bottle per day, it might last, or not. The shampoo I bought in New Orleans ran out this morning, but I have some from the Park Hotel.

I finished reading 'The Collectors', by David Baldacci. After donating it to the library, I started 'Stone Cold' by the same author. I am also reading 'Pathfinders, A Global History of Exploration', by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, a book George loaned to me. I also wrote a little today. The image today is a sunset behind the downtown skyline of Philadelphia.

Day 111 North Pacific Ocean

Monday, 2/2/2009, overcast with only a little sun. At 1630, the sea was glassy. Swells are moderate, with a little roll. We have 19 fairly repetitive days in a row crossing the Pacific.
.Another day at sea.
..Another day at sea.
...Another day at sea.
....Another day at sea.
.....Another day at sea.
......Another day at sea.
.......Another day at sea.
You get the picture. Aside from my usual daily routine, what set today apart was that I wrote a short story, did 2 loads of laundry, and clipped my toe nails. Our time advances one hour tonight to Pacific Standard Time, 2 hours ahead of CST. We will advance all the way to Eastern Standard Time in a few days, because that is the time zone for Panama. Today's picture was taken in the dining room of the Park Hotel in Shanghai. This jar of preserved fruit is one of several on display at the breakfast buffet.

Day 110 North Pacific Ocean

Sunday, 2/1/2009, overcast turned to sunny in the afternoon. Sundays are quieter on the ship. The 3rd Mate sighted a whale this morning. Breakfast was apple pancakes, lunch was steak, broccoli, and fries, and supper was salad, a sausage roll, and a lemon muffin. Walked to the Focsl after lunch. It was windy in front. The Slop Chest is open. I ordered a case of water. The image today is a street scene, Antwerp architecture.

Day 109 North Pacific Ocean

Saturday, 1/31/2009, nice and sunny. The sea is fairly smooth. Early last night, a sliver of moon was visible. A few stars were visible. Early this morning, many more stars were visible. Today we are halfway between Japan and Panama. Drills began at 1300. General alarm requires reporting ,to the A Deck muster station, we did the escape-pod life boat drill, followed by training on engine starting and release from the ship. After that, we had more training on the smaller man-over-board rescue boat, starting its motor, hoisting it into the water, and releasing it. Next we were trained on life raft release, and hoisting the life raft into the water. Received instruction on jumping. Finally, we learned three different ways to start the ship's emergency generator, a large diesel. The crew also did a fire fighting drill.

In the first picture, I am decked out in my drill gear. The second picture shows me buckled up in the escape pod and ready for the drop. I would be uncomfortable if I had to stay in this position for a long time. I'd be more uncomfortable if I had to be in the North Pacific Ocean for a long time. Tonight, our time advances to the time zone of Alaska, and we are down to 3 hours behind CST.

Day 108 North Pacific Ocean

Friday, 1/30/2009, partly sunny. We continue to have swells from the front, with pitch, but no roll. Pitch is easier than roll. Finished reading the 'Protege' by Stephen Frey last night. I was outside in the dark at 0600. Saw Polaris and the Big Dipper for the first time in a while. Saw Scorpio. Orion was over the horizon. The Focsl was wet today. About every 40th swell splashed over the bow. I stayed out of the paint today.

The jobs of the crew fall into several groupings: Line officers include the Master, Chief Officer, 2nd Mate, 3rd Mate. Engineering officers include the Chief Engineer, 2nd Engineer, 3rd Engineer, and Electrician. Petty Officers include the Bosun and Fitter. Ratings include Able Bodied Seaman(3), Ordinary Seaman(3), Deck Cadet(3), Oiler(2), Cook, Steward, Carpenter(2).

Today's image is the pool with water. It was taken when we were in a warmer place. Perhaps it will be filled once more near Panama. Wouldn't it be a trip to be swimming in the pool while we are going through the Panama Canal! Our Canal appointment is for 2/11/2009. There is a Canal web cam. Maybe you can watch us go through. Right now, our course is changing to a great circle route to the south. It is actually a straight line, but looks like a curve on most maps. It is time to watch part of a movie and to read.

Day 107 North Pacific Ocean

Thursday, 1/29/2009, partly sunny. Woke at 0445. Looked out my south window. With no moon visible, it is very dark. Many stars were visible. Some stars near the horizon are not familiar. My curiousity was not great enough to dig out the star charts and dress for a look outside. I went back to bed.

I am glad to have a starboard cabin on days like this. As I watch the ocean roll by, the sun feels good as it warms my face. There are no white caps. After lunch, when I walk to the Focsl, the wind from the starboard fore quarter (right front) is brisk. Later in the day, the roll picked up. The image today is Krakatoa, which is south of Sumatra. It erupted in 1883 spewing more than 5 cubic miles of debris into the air. The outer islands are all that remain of the crater rim. The inner island is still venting steam, which is visible. Our time advances again tonight to the time zone of Hawaii. Our time will be only 4 hours behind CST.

Day 106 Western Hemisphere, No Pacific

Wednesday, 1/28/2009, cool and pleasant. The sky turned blue and sunny this afternoon. My tropical tan has been fading for the last month. I sat on the Pilot Deck and enjoyed the sun on my face for a few minutes. There is some roll and wind, but the sea is almost glassy, with no white caps. Clouds rolled in at sunset. Last night, there were stars overhead and to the north! The south was hazy. Again, this is our second Wednesday because of crossing the International Date Line. I upload my posts after supper, so they will appear after 11 pm CST, gradually getting earlier.

Hawaiian toast was offered this morning for breakfast. It reminded me of a Hawaiian hamburger. It was a thin slice of ham on toast with a pineapple ring, and a piece of cheese melted over the top. I had only one and it was tasty. I suspect in Hawaii, they would use that canned meat product from Minnesota. All the gadgets went dead at the same time. Had to recharge the iPod overnight, then the satellite phone, and finally the laptop. Walked to the Focsl after lunch. I'm probably in trouble with the deck crew. I didn't notice until too late that one spot of deck paint was still tacky. I finished the big sudoku book. Tonight, I'm going to watch the 2nd half of 'Cowboys' with John Wayne. I hope tomorrow is Thursday. Today's picture is of the chains on the ship used to secure the cargo to the deck. Sometimes nylon straps are used depending on the size and weight of the cargo needing securing.

Day 105 International Date Line

Wednesday, 1-28-2009, bits of sunlight. At 10 am the sea was
nearly glassy. It is foggy at 1700. Sailing has been very smooth thus far, for the North Pacific. Later this day, we cross the International Date Line. Day 105, Wednesday, 1-28-2009, today. Day 106, Wednesday, 1-28-2009, tomorrow. This is like the movie 'Ground Hog Day'. We have another chance to make Wednesday an even better day. I hope the menu changes, not that there was anything wrong with the menu today. I just don't want to eat the same food two days in a row. What will change is our time difference, relative to home. Today, we are 18 hours ahead of CST. Tomorrow, we will be 5 hours behind CST.

Saw a pod of dolphins late this morning. I didn't have my camera, but as usual, George took excellent pictures. Had light drizzle as I walked to the focsl after lunch. Today's image is a cow cruise ship in Jakarta. It reminds me of how I feel on a regular cruise ship. MOOO!

Day 104 North Pacific

Tuesday, sunny until midday, then overcast. The improvement in mood of people is noticable. I did a load of laundry this morning. I walked to the focsl this morning, in the sun. I tried making another video, this time round trip. The image I am sending today is the overhead speed indicator for the Maglev train in Shanghai, 424 kilometers per hour. I wasn't fast enough with my camera to catch the maximum of 431 kph. That is about 259 miles per hour.

Time advances another hour tonight, making our time 18 hours ahead of CST at home. This is the time zone of New Zealand, Fiji Island, Kamchatka, and Marshall Islands. I will have some more interesting specifics about our crossing of the International Date Line in the next post. I think Day 105 and Day 106 will both be Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 for us.

Day 103 North Pacific

Monday, very foggy at first light, with light rain. The sun brokethrough the clouds for about a minute in the early afternoon. The ride is still relatively smooth. I phoned home after midnight and talked to my bride. She is happy that less than a month remains of my odyssey. The total time at sea is almost double my time at sea in the Navy plus time on 3 cruise ships. I walked to the focsl after lunch. Wore my rain gear, but probably didn't need the rain pants today. The wind was brisk at 30 knots from the SSE.

We had a discussion at the noon meal about the helpfulness of the various Rickmers agents. It is important to remember that this is not a cruise ship, and passengers must be fairly self sufficient. Many agents provided no help, or offered some assistance at a steep price. The following, more or less in order, were very helpful to us. Japan, Nagoya; After whining about being stranded on the ship because Immigration is closed on the weekend, the Nagoya agent's assistant did an extraordinary job of helping us through Immigration and Customs on Monday, getting us to the train station and helping with translation. This was all at no cost to us.
Thailand; The agent drove us into Bangkok and guided us all day. There was a cost, but it was reasonable, and he was just a good guy. He even bought us Christmas puffed rice snacks that I finished only yesterday. China; The agents at all three ports were very helpful; Shanghai, Dalian, and Xingang. Viet Nam; Only George went ashore, but was happy with the agent's assistance.

The image I forwarded today is from the Fine Arts Museum of Antwerp. I like white marble sculpture. This is my all time favorite. Notice the smile. How alive! See her in Antwerpen.

Day 102 North Pacific

Sunday, 1/25/2009, rainy and overcast all day, with fog on the horizon. The sea water is warm and the air moving above it is cooler. The party last night was to recognize the new Captain. The food was plentiful and tasty. Stars were not visible. Afterwards, I finished watching the movie 'The Queen'. Lunch today was steak, fries, and broccoli. For me, that was half a steak. I skipped the soup, but had the dessert of ice cream and fruit. After lunch, I walked to the focsl. The wind from the north was brisk on the focsl. The deck crew was not working today, so I walked 5 laps, about a mile and a quarter. Be prepared! I wore my full rain gear and stayed dry. The ship is making good time. As the ship moves further into the Pacific, the swells are increasing, but still not bad. There are a few white caps now, and the tops are being blown off by the wind. Saw a bird at 16:30, a sea eagle, I think. Because the Pacific is so large, there are often small swells from more than one direction, from storms far away. Supper tonight was pizza with red and green peppers and black olives. My dreams tonight will be interesting.

Time advances another hour tonight to the time of the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia. We are 17 hours ahead of CST now. Many of the coming days will be similar on this journey across the North Pacific. I'm going to start attaching more images. Today's image is the ship's escape-pod life boat. A drill was scheduled yesterday afternoon, but was cancelled because of the weather. Capacity is 36. The crew totals 26 and there are 3 passengers, so we all get a seat.

Day 101 Pacific Ocean

Saturday, overcast and warmer. The horizon is foggy. The sun broke through the clouds once today. Rained in the pm. The North Pacific has a great, clockwise circulating gyre, which the salmon ride. We are following a more constant latitude to avoid the rougher seas to the north. With the ship more fully loaded, the sailing is still smooth. It is a quiet day, well suited for reading and writing. Today is special for several reasons. The Captain forwarded a nice email from a Rickmers reader. The slop chest is open today for the first time in nearly a month. We had barbeque on the Pilot Deck tonight!

Day 100 Pacific Ocean, east of Japan

Friday, 1/23/2008, started sunny and mild. There were whitecaps. Turned overcast and cooler, with rain late in the day. The sea turned battleship gray. Midday, we began to have more roll. Last night, there were stars. The sailing was smooth.

For the next 15 days, the ship will move across the North Pacific an average of 8 degrees longitude per day, through another 7 time zones. We will also repeat a whole day after we cross the International Date Line, like in the movie, 'Around the World in 80 Days'. Tonight, the ship's clocks will be advanced 1 hour, putting us in the time zone of Guam, Sydney, and Vladivostok. I have manually adjusted my watch and computer. At 13:00, I made a second trip to the Engine Room. This amazing engine has a verticle height of 4 decks, and has 7 cylinders. It is a 2 cycle marine engine with a displacement of 4750 liters, by my calculation. I wore my noise cancellation headphones.

Afterwards, I walked to my favorite spot on the focsl and listened to humor on the Ipod. I could see no other ships. Including the Engine Room trip, the focsl, meals and other trips, I went up and down 35 flights of stairs. At 17:00, the duty officer called to report 20 dolphins. Missed them again.

Day 99 Nagasaki

Thursday, overcast with light rain until mid-afternoon. Today was a quiet day on the ship. Watched cargo loading operations on this ship and another. The deck is quite full now. I'm reading 'Critical Mass, how one thing leads to another' by Philip Ball. It is about the application of math and science to human behavior.
17:00 Cranes are secured. 18:45 Lines are cast off. 18:50 The ship is underway.

Note: Fellow passenger George has a blog as well and this is a reminder that his link is just to the right.

Day 97 Nagoya to Nagasaki

Tuesday, 1/20/09, partly sunny. Checked out of the Nagoya hotel at 0800. Had kind of a continental breakfast and coffee, before boarding the Shinkansen, at 0915. The Shinkansen is the bullet train. The first train took us to Hakata on the island of Kyushu, passing through Kyoto and Hiroshima on the way. That trip segment took almost 4 hours. After 15 minutes to find the right track, the second train took us from Hakata to Nagasaki in 2 hours. We took a tram for 100 Yen to our hotel.

After checking in, we walked through part of China Town. Later, we found a covered retail area, the Spectacles Bridge, and 2 shrines. The Spectacles Bridge is an old double arch bridge, built in 1634 by a Zen Buddhist priest. We returned to the retail area and selected a Japanese restaurant for dinner. I had a beer and a sliced beef set, which included miso soup, a lettuce and tomato salad, a spinach mystery, thinly sliced spicy beef, green beans and carrots, rice and green tea. Walked back to the hotel and settled in for the night.

Day 98 Nagasaki

Wednesday, overcast. The temperature is comfortable. For breakfast, we walked to McDonalds for a fat fix. Dr. Dieter always sets a good example for us, and ate healthy anyway. I checked out of the hotel. Dieter and I caught the 100 Yen tram. I wasn't paying enough attention, and we visited a neighborhood we hadn't planned to see. Fortunately, we made a quick recovery, and in the process rode by Dejima, the Dutch settlement from 1600s.

We caught the correct tram and went to the Peace Park to see the Peace Statue. Took pictures. We walked to the ground zero marker and the Peace Museum. Admission is still 200 Yen. No pictures are allowed inside. Like Hiroshima, it is a somber experience. You cannot tole the bell for peace here, because the bell rope has been removed. We walked to Nishizaka Hill, where in 1597, the shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi crucified 26 sainted Christians. There is a stone bas relief monument, and a very interesting church, with ceramic encrusted towers. Met George at the train station at noon for a continental breakfast-lunch. George shopped books, and I bought some special double-sided tape for the second mate for map updates. Our last stop was the supermarket, our final opportunity for treats before the Pacific crossing. I bought tooth paste, deodorant, 2 kinds of Japanese snacks, dark chocolate cookies, Ritz crackers, and 4 kinds of red wine. As I write this, I'm tasting something from Argentina called Malbec. While it has a screw top bottle, corks don't do any good for 2 buck chuck. My opinion. It is passable.

With help from the Fiedler web site, the tourist info ladies, and the local agent, we were able to communicate to the taxi driver where to take us. The tourist info ladies wrote out instructions in kanji characters. We were back on the ship by midafternoon. I had time to do some laundry before supper. In-port is a good time to do laundry, because the machines are very busy the first few days out of port. Met the new captain tonight in the stairwell. The previous captain leaves us tomorrow. Schedule changes are continuous. Now it is possible that we will stop in Vancouver, Canada. It is also possible that we will stop in New Orleans before we dock in Houston. Be sure to also look at George's BLOG. I have never seen it, but I have seen his phenominal photos.

Day 96 Nagoya

Monday, 1/19/09, overcast. We were packed and waiting for the agent after breakfast, at 0800. The agent kindly drove us and assisted us through Immigration and then Customs. Afterwards, he drove us into Nagoya, and helped us make hotel reservations at JR Travel. JR is Japanese Rail. I've been to Japan 14 times before, and this Immigration and Customs experience was unique, and very different from Narita. We were apparently a great exception. After the agent brought us to the facility, we waited for 3 Immigration officials to arrive from another facility. They were very courteous and polite and formal and thorough. We were instructed to only fill out the right side of the Immigration card, pending successful individual interviews. After we each explained that we were passengers on the freighter, George opened his computer and showed the Rickmers web page for freighter travel. We were then invited to fill out the rest of the Immigration card. Next, they took our pictures and recorded finger prints from both index fingers. Next, the agent drove us to Customs and agents there searched our overnight packs.

At JR travel, my Visa card wouldn't work, for hotel reservations or train tickets, despite 3 month advance notice to Visa. My credit line is adequate and my account is current. The merchant's charge request came back with a request to call a local Visa number. The merchant tried to call the number 8 or 9 times, but it was always busy. Later, when I got through on the number, I got a recording in Japanese. When I called Visa in the US, they claimed they blocked travel agents in Japan until they called for the recording, supposedly requiring merchants to check IDs. This happened to me a few years ago with a Visa card from another company. My opinion is that if you are travelling to Japan, don't rely on Visa, because they have left me hanging twice. Fortunately for me, George was kind enough to pay my expenses, and I repaid him in USD. So, after that, we checked into one of the station hotels, and did a little exploring and looking at the stores. We went to this amazing store called BIC Camera. Finally, we had a delightful Japanese dinner, of beer, miso soup, sushi, sashimi and other goodies, before retiring.

Day 95 Nagoya, Japan

Sunday, overcast with rain starting at noon. Yesterday and last night: The unloading of the adjacent ship was completed after dark. The ship's crane unloaded 16 pallets at a time. A choreography of 8 forklift drivers moved a pallet at a time onto waiting semi truck-trailers, without getting in each other's way. Large I-beams were washed before being loaded into the deep holds of this ship. Today, loading of the I-beams and other cargo continues, even after the rain starts. There is a barge along side the ship with more cargo. Dock workers wear color coded helmets and shoulder straps. Sometimes they use whistle signals to coordinate activities. I have not seen cargo operations go this smoothly at any of the other ports.

I will be off the air again until 1/22/09. In the morning, we are going to bust out of this place and escape on the bullet train to Nagasaki. Hopefully, we will rejoin the ship there, and I will retroactively post the missing days.

Day 94 Nagoya, Japan

Saturday, partly sunny. Yesterday, while we were still in the Pacific, George saw a large group of dolphins, around 50. I missed seeing them. Last evening: As we were coming up the bay to Nagoya, the sky was clear, and I saw stars for the first time in days. Must be an airport nearby, because air traffic was heavy. Dropped anchor outside the port entrance. At dawn today, the anchor was raised, and the pilot brought the ship to dock around 0730. Loading operations are proceeding. Unlike the docks I saw in the US and Europe, the docks in Asia have been new and clean. The officer's mess was full today with guests. I ate in the crew's mess. Passengers are cooling our jets until Immigration opens Monday morning. I read and wrote and did a sudoku puzzle.

Day 93 Pacific Ocean

Friday, cool, but sunny. 12 degrees C. The water was very calm this afternoon. We are on the Pacific side of Japan today, headed for Nagoya. The ship will wait until morning to dock, because pilots don't work at night here. While the crew can go ashore, we are told that the passengers cannot, because Immigration is closed on weekends. I guess we won't be spending any money in this port to help the Japanese recession.

The ship was buzzed by a fighter jet this morning, a little after 1030. I walked to the focsl for the first time in days. Didn't stay long. I recorded a video on the way forward. On the return trip, I walked on the port side. There was a lot of water running on the deck, to wash it. Had another general alarm drill and lifeboat drill mid-afternoon, at 1520. The sunset was red tonight. It was the first I have seen or noticed in nearly 2 weeks. Supper was called Minute Meat. It was a stir fry, and was quite good.

Day 92 East China Sea

Thursday, overcast and cool, 6 degrees C. Most of the day, there are some swells and roll, but no white caps. In the afternoon, the sea looks cold and battleship gray. Yesterday and today, I have caught up on my posts for the 10 days I was away from the ship in China. I am back on schedule with this post. The new steward is Ronald. We are becoming familiar with the food of the new cook. He does eggs ok. Had deep fried calamari for supper. I look forward to some reading and music and a movie tonight. The time advances an hour tonight. Tomorrow, we will be 15 hours ahead of CST.

Day 91 Shanghai to the ship

Wednesday, 1/14/09, still sunny and cold. I am packed, fed and checked out when Sam arrives at 1000. We take the red line north to where his car is parked. Sam brings me inside the port gate, where I must ride the shuttle bus to the ship. We say goodby, and I thank him for his kind assistance. The crew seemed pleased and surprised that I was able to feed myself and get back to the ship on time. The time window was tight, much less than the published schedule. Originally scheduled to depart on 1/16/09, we depart today at 1800. Because I have been away from the ship, the agent takes me to Immigration. They wanted to verify that I matched my passport.

It is comfortable to return to my temporary and familiar home on the ship. I look forward to the bed and the roll I will experience tonight. A few summary thoughts: It was nice to have a 10 day break from the ship. Because my ship space and meals were paid for, the total cost per day for those 10 days more than doubled.

The changes in China are incredible! Ann and I were in Beijing in 2004. Shanghai and Beijing are certainly showcase cities with high air quality standards and cleaner power plants. The news is full of stories about green topics and conservation. I saw tree planting continuing. There is so much new construction. A few sites were standing still, perhaps because of the cold or the economic slowdown. In the park areas, I saw retired people active and exercising every day, even in the cold of January. There is now a retirement plan somewhat like Social Security. Health insurance and unemployment insurance is available. I enjoyed my visit.

Day 90 Shanghai

Tuesday, sunny, cold, and hazy. After another great breakfast, I take a taxi to the Taikang Road art area. After walking around and looking for a while, I began the hour and a half walk back to hotel. I follow my shadow north, sometimes stair stepping the blocks to the east to get through. When I am tired at Shanghai Times Square, I look up and see a Starbucks. It is time for another Chinese cranberry muffin.

Part of the next trek takes me up a pedestrian overpass. The north wind is biting. I see a man playing an instrument that makes a sound like a violin. It is a long stick with strings stretched from top to bottom, which he plays with a bow. The cross street which bisects People's Square has a pedestrian underpass, which connects to the large subway station beneath People's Square. I come out across from the hotel. I exchange my remaining Yuan for 40 dollars.

After dinner, I call fellow passenger George on the ship, who confirms that the ship has docked. I am saddened to learn that one of our passengers is flying home tonight because of a medical problem. Also, a crewman with pneumonia will be sent home tomorrow. The upcoming passage across the North Pacific without hospital support would be too much risk for either of them.

Day 89 Shanghai

Monday, still sunny and cold, but hazy. Sam spends part of the day with me. We take the subway to the financial district. We go up the Pearl of the Orient TV tower. I believe this is the 3rd tallest building in China. The first and second tallest buildings are visible nearby. There are many school children on the second level, about 8 years old. Many ask how old I am, convinced I must be ancient because of my hair color. Afterwards, there is a museum on the lower level. We enjoy refreshments afterwards. We take the subway halfway back, stopping to make a purchase for Dave. Late afternoon, when I am back in my room, there is some kind of an event across the street. Two police cars, an ambulance, and a van with bars on the windows, appear and then leave after a few minutes.

Day 88 Shanghai

Sunday, sunny, clear and cold. I walk to the other side of People's Square and find the Shanghai Museum. I must walk to the other side to enter. I think this is a feng shue thing. Two more young couples try to do the tea ceremony scam. Perhaps this is like a parttime job on weekends. Typical questions are, 'Are you traveling alone?' and 'How long will you be here?'

The Shanghai Museum is excellent, and heated! Today, admission is free. I spend 3 hours there. I take the escalators to the 4th floor and work my way down. I did not see the audio guide rental, but wasn't looking very hard. Most sections have 1 sheet guides, written in Chinese, English, and Japanese. A serious young art student expresses surprise at seeing me, a foreigner, interested in Chinese art. He tells me most young Chinese are not very interested in Chinese art or history. I walk past the Shanghai Grand Theatre on the way back. The Chicago Symphony is playing tonight.

Day 87 Shanghai

Saturday, sunny, clear, and cold. I am glad to have my ski gloves. After breakfast, I take a taxi further west on Nanjing Road to a mall and shopping area. I take a picture of the Prada store for my daughter-in-law. I think that makes 3 locations now. There are not many shoppers in the upscale retail stores, neither foreigners nor locals. There is a Gold's Gym nearby. I stop for a McCoffee. As I am walking back to the hotel, I see a Subway sandwich shop. I see no customers in the Porsche and other high-end auto stores.

Day 86 Xi'an back to Shanghai

Friday, 1/9/09, hazy, sunny, and cold. The rest of my stay is Shanghai is sunny, but cold. The driver is a little early, and tries to renegotiate the price again. At the airport, I discover I am in the first class line, but the lady helps me anyway. I misread the seat number for the gate number and walk to the opposite end of the airport from where I am supposed to be. I am early, so it is not a problem. After take off, we climb out of the darker air and into clear sunlight at about 10,000 feet. The meal and beverage are free again. I choose fish-rice. Another difference is that the airline food actually tastes good here.

At Shanghai, I ride the new Maglev train (magnetic levitation), which takes me 2/3 of the way back to the city center in 8 minutes. Max speed is 430 kilometers per hour. Except for one bump, the ride is smooth, with even acceleration the first half, and even deceleration on the second half. I had wondered if there would be any unusual sensation, like all the iron in my blood moving to the top of my head, but it felt just like a regular train. Lonely Planet says the cars on the road look like they are going backwards. They really do. I take the subway the rest of the way to People's Square and the Park Hotel. The cost and the time of the train and the subway are less than half of the cost and time of a taxi. I watch and enjoy the evening view from my room above the park. After dark, there are moving light effects on the Capitaland Building. Pizza Hut delivers in China.

Day 85 Xi'an Terracotta Warriors

Thursday 1/8/09, very hazy, sunny and cold. Xi'an is pronounced kind of like SHEE-ANN. My driver was waiting for me at 0900, the appointed time. On the way, he stops to refill the vehicle with LNG. The fill cap is in the engine compartment. Negotiated the same price all over again, with help from the driver's English speaking friend, by cell phone. I confirm that I do not want to visit the other sites, only the Terracotta Warriors and the city Bell Tower, before returning to the hotel. The side trip for fuel and the drive to the Terracotta site take about an hour. It is cold. I am wearing a layer of thermal underwear, and wished I had also worn the second layer. After a cell phone call, an English speaking guide arrives. We run through the whole taxi price and return schedule again. Her fee is 100 Yuan, about 13 USD, and very well worth the cost. She is tall and bright, and enjoys her job.

The winter admission price is 65 Yuan. There are 4 pits. The 4th is empty, and unexcavated. Pit 1 is the largest and best known. I take a series of pictures, which I think I can join together into a panorama. Pit 3 contains high ranking officers. Pit 2 is only partially excavated. The contents are known and mapped, but scholars and researchers are waiting until better excavation techniques are developed, so that the color may be preserved. There are some excellent statues in glass display cases, which ordinary people can get close to. Dignitaries are sometimes permitted into the pits, close up to the actual statues. Made a short visit to the gift shop, where jade and stone carvings may be purchased. Replicas of the warriors carved from the same material can be purchased. The cost of a life-size replica including shipping, and before winter discount, is 13,000 Yuan, about 2000 USD. I settle for a packet of post cards. On the return trip, the driver proceeds into the old walled city, which has been restored. He parks south of the Bell Tower so I may take pictures.

Back at the hotel, I try to get my air ticket confirmed for the next day, but that apparently is not done. I enjoyed this part of China very much. If I had more time, and it was warmer, I would have visited the provincial fine art museum, which was only a few blocks away. Technology is amazing. After midnight, I am able to watch the President-elect's speech live on CNN. I watch about 20 minutes before going to sleep.

Day 84 Shanghai to Xi'an

Wednesday, rainy and gray. After an early breakfast, I stored my suitcase at the hotel and took a taxi to the Pudang Airport. Fantastic self-check in: Didn't matter what airline, just entered passport number. Coffee was expensive, but good. RT airfare to Xi'an, 40% of the way across China, was 140 USD, and that included a meal and FREE beverages. YOU HEAR THAT DELTA-NW?

The taxi experience was memorable. There is almost no English here, except for the hospitality people. The taxi driver and I invented a way to communicate. A sleeping head meant the hotel. 'Beijing Olympics' wasn't understandable, but Beijing and a drawn Olympic symbol, and a thumbs up brought a smile. Numbers seem to be universally understood. We agreed to a half day contract for a trip to the Terracotta Warriors the next day. Hotel check-in was no problem. Visa is universally understood. The hotel is a 5 star, and is nice. I ate in the 'western restaurant'. Ordered a garden salad and salami pizza. Salami was no longer available, so I settled for a cheese pizza, and took half of it to my room for the second night.

The air standards here are lower than in Shanghai. The air is yellow-brown now in the winter, and the visibility is low. I have not used an inhailer since I was a child, but I was wishing I had one here. Took antihistamine and decongestant. I start reading Thunder Bay, a story from my home state.

Day 83 Shanghai

Tuesday, rainy, gray, and cold. After a leisurely breakfast, I walk down Nanjing Road to the Bund, the historic raised river bank of the Huangpu River. While there are many skyscrapers on my side, the 3 tallest buildings in Shanghai are across the river in the financial district. I see ocean-going ships coming up the river. The Huangpu River runs into the Yangzi River, below where the Rickmers Jakarta was docked.

After taking a picture of a mulitiple kite on the Bund, the seller tries to make a sale. I make the mistake of asking how much. He offers a kite for 100 Yuan. I really don't want a kite. He follows me for a long time, eventually offering 5 kites for 100 Yuan. My hip is getting sore. I tell him 'no' in Mandarin, and he finally gives up. So, just don't ask. There are boat trips on the Huangpu, which I am told are spectacular at night, but it is too cold. Many doors push-in here. It is necessary to pull these doors to exit. McDonalds does doors the western way. Driving is on the right. In Hong kong, driving is on the other side.

Day 82 Shanghai

Monday, rainy and gray. Prior to arrival, I had contracted to have a translator today, to help me with art translation. In Hong Kong, artist's names were only in Chinese characters. Here, however, artist's names are also in English. Kevin arrived at 9 am. We discussed Chinese history, culture, and logic system for an hour, before moving on to other topics. I asked for written instructions, in Chinese, that I could give the taxi driver in Xi'an. That proved to be a good precaution. I also asked Kevin to make some phone calls and get some information for me. After that, we explored Shanghai, visiting several areas, including the area and bazaar of the Yuyuan Garden. After lunch, we take a taxi to visit several private art galleries. Women taxi drivers are common here. One artist that I remember was Wu Guanzhong. This time of year, many galleries are unheated and cold. From the taxi, I see live chickens at a street market. Another person dies of bird flu in Beijing. I stop eating chicken.

Day 81 Shanghai

Sunday, rainy and gray, with a few minutes of sun in the afternoon. Shanghai is an incredible city. Like Beijing, it is a showcase city. The people of Shanghai like to compare it to NYC. I think that is a good comparison. Like NYC, there are some older and shabbier neighborhoods. The Pudong financial district and the Puxi area where I stayed were clean and bright, inspite of continuing construction. The subway system is new and modern. I had 3 main objectives on this visit to China. I wanted to see the Terracotta Warriors. I wanted a break from the ship. I wanted to see some more Chinese art.

Connected with Samuel using George's phone. Sam brought the other 3 passengers to the subway station, and me to the Park Hotel. Sam also helped me to buy air tickets for my side trip to Xi'an. After I checked in and exchanged some cash, I took a walk, finding a Starbucks on the corner of People's Park. Had a great Chinese cranberry muffin and coffee, a frequent lunch during my stay. Afterwards, while walking through the park, I encountered some friendly college age 'students', who asked to practice English, and invited me to a 'folk cultural event' tea ceremony. In Shanghai, I was approached over and over with this scam, sometimes after I was asked to take a picture. Also, 'Want to buy a watch?' Sunday was a work day for many people, because of the western New Year holiday earlier in the week.

The Park Hotel is a historic building. I stayed there before and after my trip to Xi'an. With its brownstone color, it stands out in contrast to the newer buildings around it. I found it to be secure and comfortable. My first room was on a side street and more modern. On my second stay, the room was older and needed work, but the view of the park was a 5 star view. I registered for the daily buffet breakfast, at 15 USD, which had western, Japanese, and Chinese selections. It was the best breakfast of this whole trip. I usually had a glass of grapefruit juice, 2 heavy whole grain toasts with butter, 4 kinds of cereal in a bowl with yogurt, a small piece of bacon, 2 kinds of fried vegetables, a potato cake, and 2 coffees. George asked me to pass along that he has not been able to update
his Blog from China, but will when we reach Japan.

Day 80 Shanghai

Saturday, smooth and sunny. Overcast after 1500. Washed 2 loads of clothes early today. I'm ready for China! After rhe pilot arrives, we start the 6 hour journey up the Yangzi River. The water carries sediment and has a characteristic brown color. Both the Yangzi and the Mekong of Viet Nam originate in the Himalayas. The traffic is heavy and multidirectional. Horn is a major mode of communication. It is easy to think in terms of car horn. Ship horn is an order of magnitude different. Tied up at 1645. Cleared Immigration, and transportation is confirmed for tomorrow.

Thank you David and Samuel for making this special excursion possible. I'll be booking air travel to the west tomorrow. I will be off the air for email and postings for the next 10 days, but will post retroactivly starting on January 14th. The other 3 passengers will return to the ship tomorrow night, and continue on to the ports of Dalian and Xingang. I have other things in mind, and will skip the cold and snow of northern China.

Day 79 East China Sea

Friday, overcast and cold. Temperature is 7 degrees C. I put on the wool blanket last night. I did not go to the focsl today. Duty officer confirmed that the storm yesterday was Beaufort scale 9. The roll meter incorrectly registered 30 degrees overnight, perhaps because of some of the hard swell impacts at the bow. There continues to be little roll because the swells are from the front. In the morning, the swells are still 5 to 6 meters. Today, the ship passed from the Taiwan Strait into the East China Sea. During late afternoon, we pass through scores of fishing boats. As the swells moderate, the ship resumes speed.

My corner cabin has 2 outside walls and the space above the ceiling is unheated. Midmorning, the temp was down to 18C. I tried turning on the heater in the bathroom, and it works now. Also, the air coming out of the ceiling vent is no longer cold. ETA for Shanghai is 1300 1/3/09, depending on the ship's speed. Starting 1/4/09, I will be off the ship for 10 days. Please check back on 1/14/09, when I will begin filling in the missing days with my mainland adventures. I will not be with the ship when it visits Dalian or Xingang. I will rejoin the ship, when it makes its final stop in Shanghai before leaving China.

Finished reading Fiddlers by McBain today. Tonight, I opened the first bottle of Chile cabernet that I bought in Hong Kong. It is ok. Chocolate supply may be enough for the duration. Finished the soynuts from home today.

Day 78 South China Sea

Thursday, New Years Day, started sunny with blue sky. Last night, we were not able to see the fireworks from the ship. The clouds above the island reflected a little light twice, but that was it. Another passenger bought a bottle of champaign in Hong Kong and shared. The four of us had interesting conversation until 0130. Weighed anchor around 0345. I woke to an intermittent banging noise after 0430. Knew what it was, but I went up to the pilot deck with my flashlight to make sure before reporting it. The aft crane was stowed, but the hook was loose, so it was moving and banging with the rolls. Reported it to the duty officer, who got it properly secured right away.

The ship is bearing north toward Shanghai. I went to the focsl before lunch today. I wore my blue rain shell. The hood worked really well at keeping my hard hat from being blown away. Because of the strong wind from the port fore quarter, I walk on the starboard side both ways. It feels cold. I do not stay long. Chef Roger has prepared another feast. I probably ate too much. It is a good day for a nap. I skip supper. As the day progresses, the seas become rougher. From mid-afternoon, there are heavy swells from the direction we are headed. The good news is that the roll is not bad, but we get regular vertical movement, and occasional abrupt shifts. The sun turns Japanese red as it sets through the horizon haze layer. This is Beaufort scale 7 at least, maybe 8 or 9. I read about China. I am excited. I also read fiction, which goes so fast compared to some of the non-fiction I have been reading.