AT SEA - NOW ANTWERP

26th Jan 2011

Boarded ´Tanzania´ at 23.45 on 25th after 'sharpener'  in Queen Elizabeth Hotel in rainy Felixstowe. Climbed 100 ft up gangway like north face of the Eiger plus heavy bag. Cabin up another 4 decks, but quite comfortable with twin bedroom, bathroom and largish sitting-room. DVD, CD player, radio etc. No internet. Several windows with delightful views over grey sea, cranes and hundreds of picturesque containers. Early to bed.

Woken next morning at 07.00 by telephone call; reveille and fruhstuck in 30 mins. Met fellow passenger over ´ei und brot´. He is called Dennis from Massachusetts en route to Le Havre. He had very shaky hands. Ship´s officers are a mixture of German and Russian and the crew are mainly Phillipinos. The Kapitan is called Hans Willbrusch, or Wishbull or something similar ( not Steiger, as I was hoping ). After breakfast first major disaster struck. I discovered that THERE IS NO BAR ON BOARD ( also just discovered that there is no exclamation mark on this poxy Belgian computer ). I don´t believe it. Someone was joking that this might be the case a few days ago. Left wondering whether to put out a mayday call, jump ship or plan a mutiny. Incredible: this should have been flagged up on the agent´s info in big red letters ´NO BAR ON BOARD´. It is simply unthinkable to travel for 12 days, stranded mid-Atlantic, without a bloody drink. No wonder Dennis´s hands were shaking. OK, it might be possible to get ashore at Antwerp to aquire suitable victuals but I will need a ´ container´ of my own to house them. Morale has taken a big dive and it´s only day 2.

Intend to sleep this afternoon to forget. At least the sea is still calm ( but then they only ´cast off´10 mins ago ).

Supper at 17.30. Dry. Due in Antwerp sometime tomorrow.

27th Jan. Woke up in Antwerp port. Dennis has disappeared. I am told we have until tomorrow 06.00 in port. Apparently the French dock-hands in Le Havre may be on strike ( now there´s a surprise ) so this might be the last stop-over/missive until Noo Yark. OK, left ship and taxi ( 35 Euros - bandit Belgian taxi driver ) to Antwerp city. The old city in Antwerp is rather nice. Writing this and then off to buy emergency fuel from the first supermarket that I can find. Hope I manage to carry it all up The Eiger Gangway to get back on board. Troi Oi, as they so tactfully say in Vietnam. More to follow spater......................