Hi there! I already feel very guilty for waiting such a long time with my diary. But sorry, I was
hardly ever near a computer and as you can imagine it takes time to write such a story. So please forgive me for letting you
in the dark for such a long time.
I would like to apologize also to those who wrote to me and did not get an answer from me yet. I
will respond as soon as possible!
Lets start with Barcelona then. First I almost went crazy with the taxi driver because he would not
find my boat. So eventually we started arguing, I had enough, paid and got off the taxi and straight to the office where I
was told that the ship was late again. So they sent me off for a walk in the Ramblas again. There I met a very nice "camarero"
who told me so many terrible stories about Argentina at the moment that I did not want to leave anymore....... Eventually
on the boat everything was fine. The philipino steward guided me into my very nice cabine (living room, sleeping room, wc
and shower, all quite spacious) and showed me around the ship and came for a walk with me amongst the containers in the darkness
of the night. Fascinating start.
As the whole loading was delayed we stayed in Barcelona that night as well. The next morning after
the full moon night we left the harbour. After passing Gibraltar the ship finally went out into the wide open and it was totally
fantastic. I do not have enough words to discribe how wonderful it felt, to be on this ship, only the sky above us, the far
horizon somewhere and all around nothing but water. I could look at the sea and the waves for hours, days, decades. One never
really gets tired. I did not get seasick either and so could truely enjoy this wonderful trip. It was never boring either.
We enjoyed the party with the officers the second night and the huge party with the whole crew ont the "basketball field"
the third night. I had the advantage of being the one of 2 women and you could possibly imagine how much I enjoyed dancing
and joking with the people. It's been a long time since I hat so much fun at a party.
The crew also played basket ball every now and then which is good as a work out and fun to watch.
Twice they lost a ball in the sea :-). The net had a hole somewhere.
We once had an emergency rehersal with the "freefall boat". Thank god we never really had to use
it! The captain always threatened me with the freefall boat when I did something he did not like again. Oh my go he really
was a very special person! Was probably most happy when I got off the boat.
Actually, there were 6 officers (polish, russian. ukrainean) and the 14 other people from the crew
were philipinos. We had some very interestig conversations with a few of them.
I also spent a lot of time on the bridge which was facinating as well. I am a true seawoman now,
capable of navigating a ship on my own no problem :-))). Unfortunately we were not allowed in the engine room. The chief engineer
decided that women in the engine room causes bad luck and trouble and so we had to stay off! No joking! One was also not supposed
to whistle because that would call the hurricaine. Well, since in Buenos Aires I am a very happy whistler again :-).
One of the very best surprises was Edith, the Swiss passenger from Lucerne. It was a great pleasure
meeting her and I enjoyed the time with her very much. We both got off the boat in Buenos Aires.
I was very lucky to see dolphins at night and wonderful whales very closely during the day. It's
the picture you'r always looking for. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me. A very special, awsome experience.
In Rio we did not get off the boat. No time. In Santos we could leave the ship for a few hours to
go shopping. Tropical feeling was welcome.
Actually, the night we left Santos was very stormy and windy with lightning. Extaordinary. I know
that the seamen don't like it like that but for me it was the first time, the ship was rolling, it was loud and I was just
totally excited. The house high waves were truely amazing, it was like being on a funfare.
For the ones who would worry about my curves. We had a very nice cook on board and the food was very
light but delicious. I enjoyed it.
There was also a swimmingpool on board which I used only once and a sauna.
The people on the boat work a lot and have very long contracts. If I remember well the officers have
contracts from 4-6 months and then 3 months off and the crew usually have about 9 or 10 months contracts and ca. 2 months
off. This is a very long time they don't get to see their families. Almost all of the officers and crew members are married
and have families.
In Buenos Aires Edith and I took a room together and started discovering the city and preparing our
trip to an Estancia. All this and the various things we had to do took quite a while.
On Wednesday very early in the morning we left for the Estancia ca. 120 km from Buenos Aires, totally
in the green, a few footsteps away from a serene lagoon, surrounded by horses cows and lots of birds.
these days (Wednesday-Sunday) were extremely relaxig. We totally forgot the time and dates and felt
as if we had stayed there for ages already. It was a wonderful time with lots of horse riding every day and watching gauchos
doing their work, reading, rowing on a very! little boat on the lagoon, going for walks, enjoying picturepostcard sunsets.
The couple who took care of the visitors invited us to see their home in the city near by and we met their children and went
out with them to an event. This was all really nice. From Wednesday to Friday Edith and I were the only guest and so it was
totally peaceful and we got all the caring attention.
Back in Buenos Aires on Sunday I accompanied Edith to the bus station where she got on a bus to Salta
(north). After waving good bye I also went to the ticket counter and bought a ticket to Puerto Maryn (Peninsula Valdes) for
tomorrow evening (Tuesday, 23rd November) at 7.30PM. I am very much looking forward to this trip which means a 17 hour bus
ride :-). No, really, I am looking forward to being on the move again. I need to get away from the city. The Peninsula Valdes
is supposed to be an excellent place for whale watching, even though I doubt that it could be any better than what I had on
the boat, and lots of other animals like pinguins :-). It is supposed to be a beautiful reserve. I intend to stay there a
couple of days and to then move on to Barriloche at the Chilenan border.
Today I also booked a boat trip form Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales (chilen coast) for the 6th of
December. The trip will be on some sort of a cargo boat aswell with 8 people dormitories, fully booked. Wow! I wonder how
that is going to be! It will take 4 days sailing down the coast and into the fijordes and is supposed to be absolutely awsome.
So I am looking forward to this aswell. The sea seems to be something special for me during this trip because it seems to
attract me again and again.
The days inbetween I do not exactly know where I will be yet. It is wonderful to be travelling
and I do not regret one single minute of this trip so far even though it was not always easy either.
My health is fine apart from a terrible cough which accompanies me since at least 2 weeks. But it
seems to get better slowly.
Well, I hope you got a little impression of the trip I had so far. The cross atlantic trip I can
only warmly recommend. It's a very special experience and very well worth while.
No longer want to hold you up from working now :-) Get back now :-).
I will be happy to welcome you again in the web for the following stories, as soon as available :-)
un beso
sorry, no pictures available yet
