Thursday 6th May 2010
I am sitting writing this on terra firma in the Springhill Suites in Fort Lauderdale, USA. It has been a surprisingly interesting cultural experience after a voyage round the world with the theme of 'sustainability'.
We went out to lunch in a typical American diner yesterday. I asked for a salad. It was absolutely enormous....I would think that anyone who could actually clean the plate would have an eating disorder. It was too much to the point of being gross.
Last night we went with Chris, Audrey and Liz to a sports Ale House. Again I ordered a salad and was once again rewarded with a helping the size of which would have defeated anyone but a giant sized basket ball or baseball player and they might well have left something on the plate. This applied to all the other dishes ordered. I asked why they served so much.
'Our owner wants everyone to be impressed and overwhelmed' I as told. Liz suggested they must throw out bags and bags of unwanted food each day 'No' she was told' Our clients ask for doggy bags'!
Well I for one find that hard to believe. Chris chose ice cream and brownies for dessert; it was HUGE! It was shared by the five of us and we still left at least two normal helpings on the plate! After visiting third world countries where the populations make do happily with so much less than ourselves this trend is disturbing to say the least. Thank goodness Canadians do not appreciate such waste and greed for the most part and I think there is a greater awareness of the wider world.
Our flight to Toronto leaves at noon so we shall be leaving here in the airport shuttle at about ten. Fiona will meet us and we shall drive straight into Toronto to the west rush hour....ah well we shall be home at last. I have so enjoyed sharing my thoughts and news with you all... faithful readers, especially you Sal. Thank you to Sally and Dia for keeping me always in the picture...we look forward to seeing you very soon....Happy Birthday Dia on the 9th. We shall celebrate.
Signing off finally....au revoir!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Wedenesday May 5th:
I'm sitting in our cabin waiting to be told the ship is cleared. George is in the final Faculty meeting, Liz and Audrey are sitting on their beds in their incredibly tidy cabin....waiting...we are all waiting to be let ashore. I think we go forst, before the crowds and crowds of students....i do hope so. Fiding ones luggage is difficult at the best of times. Ours is pink labelled and was collected from outside our cabins yesterday so will be waiting pick up in the terminal. I have just one multi pocketed handbag and an intensely heavy (wasn't supposed to be but is!) back pack.
The sun is shining and it is hot...in the eighties. We are spending one night in the Springhill Suites near the airport and meeting Chris, Liz and Audrey, in different hotels for supper tonight...our 'last supper'.
Lots of wonderful memories and some regrets at not having tried harder to get to know people...I believe it either happens in three and a half months or it doesn't. My special friends from the last voyage have not been replaced, they were irreplaceable! That was such a sparkling experience this one very much 'the second time around'. Will miss Erika, Ann, Chris, Sherry, Bob and a few others. There are so many women I would love to have got to know better however my shyness or something held me back. Monica Karen and Jill particularly. i do know that we might meet again sometime somewhere, life has taught me its surprises....who ever would have thought twent five years ago that George and I would be married and that he, Liz and i would circle the globe together?!!
I'm sitting in our cabin waiting to be told the ship is cleared. George is in the final Faculty meeting, Liz and Audrey are sitting on their beds in their incredibly tidy cabin....waiting...we are all waiting to be let ashore. I think we go forst, before the crowds and crowds of students....i do hope so. Fiding ones luggage is difficult at the best of times. Ours is pink labelled and was collected from outside our cabins yesterday so will be waiting pick up in the terminal. I have just one multi pocketed handbag and an intensely heavy (wasn't supposed to be but is!) back pack.
The sun is shining and it is hot...in the eighties. We are spending one night in the Springhill Suites near the airport and meeting Chris, Liz and Audrey, in different hotels for supper tonight...our 'last supper'.
Lots of wonderful memories and some regrets at not having tried harder to get to know people...I believe it either happens in three and a half months or it doesn't. My special friends from the last voyage have not been replaced, they were irreplaceable! That was such a sparkling experience this one very much 'the second time around'. Will miss Erika, Ann, Chris, Sherry, Bob and a few others. There are so many women I would love to have got to know better however my shyness or something held me back. Monica Karen and Jill particularly. i do know that we might meet again sometime somewhere, life has taught me its surprises....who ever would have thought twent five years ago that George and I would be married and that he, Liz and i would circle the globe together?!!
Monday, May 3, 2010
We're almost home...
Monday 3rd May
Just one more day before we leave the ship....and we may not board it again if we by any chance leave something on board. One exit only....too bad if you left your Grandmother's diamond ring near the hand basin....you've had it!
Tuesday 4th May
I didn't get very far with that one did I? I have just left a faculty lounge full of people to finally end this on ship blog.
David, you must be wondering (if no one else is) how Rockaby went. I think it went well: I had a lot of positive comments afterwards and I think Liz liked it. I was relieved to record it into a really sophisticated system which gave it a good sound. I had our music professor, David Harnish, playing the singing brass bowl for which I was terribly grateful. He is such and instinctive and sensitive musician and he listened and 'stroked' the bowl accordingly which was wonderful for my reactions. Ecce cor meum has such a sad lament and it started and finished the piece beautifully. It was fantastic to be allowed to decide on my own production, all the details were my own. Erika came to rehearse with me and made good suggestions but ultimately it was my own work....and I think she was pleased and that it worked.
Just one more day before we leave the ship....and we may not board it again if we by any chance leave something on board. One exit only....too bad if you left your Grandmother's diamond ring near the hand basin....you've had it!
Tuesday 4th May
I didn't get very far with that one did I? I have just left a faculty lounge full of people to finally end this on ship blog.
David, you must be wondering (if no one else is) how Rockaby went. I think it went well: I had a lot of positive comments afterwards and I think Liz liked it. I was relieved to record it into a really sophisticated system which gave it a good sound. I had our music professor, David Harnish, playing the singing brass bowl for which I was terribly grateful. He is such and instinctive and sensitive musician and he listened and 'stroked' the bowl accordingly which was wonderful for my reactions. Ecce cor meum has such a sad lament and it started and finished the piece beautifully. It was fantastic to be allowed to decide on my own production, all the details were my own. Erika came to rehearse with me and made good suggestions but ultimately it was my own work....and I think she was pleased and that it worked.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Passing St Lucia and the Grenadines
Saturday 1st May
Another early morning for me. I awoke at 5 am and again looked out to a moonlit sea. I have butterflies this morning thinking about Rockaby tonight. At least I can't fluff my lines as it is pre-recorded but I am still working on the expression on my face and in my eyes as the words are said. Beckett is no easy ride for actor or audience.
Last night in the same venue, the faculty lounge, we listened to our "string band". This is a group of talented musicians: faculty and students and two 'family', a boy aged twelve and a sixteen year old girl. Both of the latter are superb fiddle players. There were 7 players in all (two of them excellent singers) and they made amazing music. Mostly blue grass and some jazz. There is an enormous pool of talent on board. They had a wildly appreciative audience but I felt very un-American as I listened; I know nothing of this style of music. Chris Hill had encouraged me to listen though and I'm happy I did. George chose to correct papers in the cabin!
We had our 'last supper' with Heather, Kristen, Meng Neng and Katie last night and of course I forgot to take my camera. What a truly beautiful and delightful quartet they are. Kristen, tall and blond and very fair skinned has been the object of intense curiosity in many of the countries we've visited and says she's looking forward to being home where she doesn't stand out as being different. It was so interesting to listen to their thoughts about Ghana and Brazil. I didn't get the feeling that any one of them was devastated to be going home. That they have become friends and have done things together ashore has made their shared thoughts even more pleasurable to listen to. They had won in auction an evening of hors d'oeuvres with the Executive Dean and his wife so had been to their cabin, just along from ours, prior to having (soft) drinks on our balcony. They were, to put it bluntly, very 'full' before we went down to supper. George and I ate alone as they watched until the arrival of the delicious chocolate ice cream cake which we all enjoyed and were able to share with some of their friends. We were sad to say goodbye....although we shall be bumping in to each other around the ship before Wednesday. I hope they will keep in touch and let us know about life after Semester at Sea.
As I read on the BBC newsletter about the opening of the 2010 World Expo today in Shanghai: the BP oil spill off the Louisiana coast: the British Election (promises to be interesting with Gordon Brown's gaffes, the Lib Dems in the field and Cameron of the Conservatives 'winning' the TV debate) I realise that we shall soon be back to real life.....are we really ready for it?!
Another early morning for me. I awoke at 5 am and again looked out to a moonlit sea. I have butterflies this morning thinking about Rockaby tonight. At least I can't fluff my lines as it is pre-recorded but I am still working on the expression on my face and in my eyes as the words are said. Beckett is no easy ride for actor or audience.
Last night in the same venue, the faculty lounge, we listened to our "string band". This is a group of talented musicians: faculty and students and two 'family', a boy aged twelve and a sixteen year old girl. Both of the latter are superb fiddle players. There were 7 players in all (two of them excellent singers) and they made amazing music. Mostly blue grass and some jazz. There is an enormous pool of talent on board. They had a wildly appreciative audience but I felt very un-American as I listened; I know nothing of this style of music. Chris Hill had encouraged me to listen though and I'm happy I did. George chose to correct papers in the cabin!
We had our 'last supper' with Heather, Kristen, Meng Neng and Katie last night and of course I forgot to take my camera. What a truly beautiful and delightful quartet they are. Kristen, tall and blond and very fair skinned has been the object of intense curiosity in many of the countries we've visited and says she's looking forward to being home where she doesn't stand out as being different. It was so interesting to listen to their thoughts about Ghana and Brazil. I didn't get the feeling that any one of them was devastated to be going home. That they have become friends and have done things together ashore has made their shared thoughts even more pleasurable to listen to. They had won in auction an evening of hors d'oeuvres with the Executive Dean and his wife so had been to their cabin, just along from ours, prior to having (soft) drinks on our balcony. They were, to put it bluntly, very 'full' before we went down to supper. George and I ate alone as they watched until the arrival of the delicious chocolate ice cream cake which we all enjoyed and were able to share with some of their friends. We were sad to say goodbye....although we shall be bumping in to each other around the ship before Wednesday. I hope they will keep in touch and let us know about life after Semester at Sea.
As I read on the BBC newsletter about the opening of the 2010 World Expo today in Shanghai: the BP oil spill off the Louisiana coast: the British Election (promises to be interesting with Gordon Brown's gaffes, the Lib Dems in the field and Cameron of the Conservatives 'winning' the TV debate) I realise that we shall soon be back to real life.....are we really ready for it?!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Still blethering on...
Friday 30th April....4 days to go!
We awoke early this morning, about 4 am, both of us. Strange we thought. George got up and wandered on to the balcony, 'Come and have a look' he called and I followed him. There hanging above the ocean was a huge, bright, full moon throwing a shimmering path on to the sea. What a breathtaking sight! We stood there in a slight, warm breeze drinking it in and knowing that these sudden 'gifts' of marine nature will soon be memories. I wish we lived nearer to the sea: I think we must make more effort to visit the two Canadian coasts, BC and the Maritimes. Sea sounds are soothing and therapeutic and, to repeat myself (endlessly!) are what I shall miss most.
Erika and I made a final recording this morning of Rockaby on a more sophisticated recording system. It didn't sound too bad. Perhaps with all my sound effects: beautifully sad music and a soft singing brass bowl, we might make something of it.....with many. many apologies to Samuel Beckett. I feel a little more confident.
Lisbie has been in my thoughts these last two days....in South Africa and Swaziland representing our Hamilton Grandmothers of Steel group for the Stephen Lewis Foundation and meeting the African Grandmothers. Kwenda msuri Lisbie rafiki yango! (Go well Lisbie my friend!!)
George has been relentlessly correcting exam papers and is beginning to look bleary eyed with fatigue. So much so that we have just realised that we missed lunch in the dining room and will have to wander along to the pool deck for a hamburger or pizza. Such hardship!
We have a final dinner with our shipboard family tonight....I have ordered an ice cream cake with Good Luck! on it. Whatever the rest of the meal is like (and we are all getting rather stale!) we know that will slide down easily. Must remember to take photos.....
We awoke early this morning, about 4 am, both of us. Strange we thought. George got up and wandered on to the balcony, 'Come and have a look' he called and I followed him. There hanging above the ocean was a huge, bright, full moon throwing a shimmering path on to the sea. What a breathtaking sight! We stood there in a slight, warm breeze drinking it in and knowing that these sudden 'gifts' of marine nature will soon be memories. I wish we lived nearer to the sea: I think we must make more effort to visit the two Canadian coasts, BC and the Maritimes. Sea sounds are soothing and therapeutic and, to repeat myself (endlessly!) are what I shall miss most.
Erika and I made a final recording this morning of Rockaby on a more sophisticated recording system. It didn't sound too bad. Perhaps with all my sound effects: beautifully sad music and a soft singing brass bowl, we might make something of it.....with many. many apologies to Samuel Beckett. I feel a little more confident.
Lisbie has been in my thoughts these last two days....in South Africa and Swaziland representing our Hamilton Grandmothers of Steel group for the Stephen Lewis Foundation and meeting the African Grandmothers. Kwenda msuri Lisbie rafiki yango! (Go well Lisbie my friend!!)
George has been relentlessly correcting exam papers and is beginning to look bleary eyed with fatigue. So much so that we have just realised that we missed lunch in the dining room and will have to wander along to the pool deck for a hamburger or pizza. Such hardship!
We have a final dinner with our shipboard family tonight....I have ordered an ice cream cake with Good Luck! on it. Whatever the rest of the meal is like (and we are all getting rather stale!) we know that will slide down easily. Must remember to take photos.....
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Pen-Penultimate last words...maybe
Thursday April 29th
Wet decks again and it is warm and humid outside. I remember last year that Fort Lauderdale was as hot as anywhere we'd been! I know I must start to clear up and pack but feel too lethargic to make the effort. George is busy correcting exams as are most of the faculty. Students are studious and surprisingle muted.
We did a strange performance of Shakespeare in masks in the faculty lounge last night. I felt that our performance was wild and uncontrolled....which in some ways it was meant to be. Liz certainly thought so, George and others were much kinder. However, all that said, people actually seemed to get something from it so who am I to judge? I am not really comfortable with improvisational theatre....too much potential for disaster perhaps and my own insecurity.
The night before we had listened to music students playing Gamalong (Bali music) and it was wonderful. I loved the sounds and it was brilliantly performed to my untutored ear. Alot of work had gone into it and it showed. Great entertainment.
I am very apprehensive about my own solo performance of Beckett's Rockaby....what will anyone make of it I wonder? (Why do we do this to ourselves?!) It will be on Saturday eveing at 9.30 pm...perhaps as The Constant Wife has sadly had to be cancelled for this weekend you will have time to think about me and send positive thoughts!
I am so sad for all of the cast and crew of The Constant Wife...and especially for Rose. Sometimes amazing things come out of disaster and hopefully it will all turn out brilliantly in part because of the delay and the resulting pent up energy and desire to perform.
George has appeared and is now lying reading on our balcony with a chilled white wine in his hand....looks tempting. 'Bye.........
Wet decks again and it is warm and humid outside. I remember last year that Fort Lauderdale was as hot as anywhere we'd been! I know I must start to clear up and pack but feel too lethargic to make the effort. George is busy correcting exams as are most of the faculty. Students are studious and surprisingle muted.
We did a strange performance of Shakespeare in masks in the faculty lounge last night. I felt that our performance was wild and uncontrolled....which in some ways it was meant to be. Liz certainly thought so, George and others were much kinder. However, all that said, people actually seemed to get something from it so who am I to judge? I am not really comfortable with improvisational theatre....too much potential for disaster perhaps and my own insecurity.
The night before we had listened to music students playing Gamalong (Bali music) and it was wonderful. I loved the sounds and it was brilliantly performed to my untutored ear. Alot of work had gone into it and it showed. Great entertainment.
I am very apprehensive about my own solo performance of Beckett's Rockaby....what will anyone make of it I wonder? (Why do we do this to ourselves?!) It will be on Saturday eveing at 9.30 pm...perhaps as The Constant Wife has sadly had to be cancelled for this weekend you will have time to think about me and send positive thoughts!
I am so sad for all of the cast and crew of The Constant Wife...and especially for Rose. Sometimes amazing things come out of disaster and hopefully it will all turn out brilliantly in part because of the delay and the resulting pent up energy and desire to perform.
George has appeared and is now lying reading on our balcony with a chilled white wine in his hand....looks tempting. 'Bye.........
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Towards the Finale
Wed 28th April.
It's dark and wet outside 7.45 am. The ship sails inexorably on towards Florida and the end of our voyage. The weather matches our mood somewhat. What George and I will miss most is the ever present sea and the sea noises....there is no chance of claustrophobia when one is at sea, the wide blue yonder is just the opening of a door away. We shall both miss that enormously.
All talk on board is about endings: of relationships new and intense among many of the students, anxiety for the future, the sudden loss of community and the inevitable jolt back to reality and real life. There is a sense of sadness and nostalgia for all we have seen and done in the last three and a half months. For George and me there is the knowledge that during the last 15-16 months we have been away from home for seven of them. This trip was possibly too much, too soon. Although we shall be sorry to lose friends we have made I look forward so much to getting back to our own lives again. To being part of our 'community'. Mine is made up of so many parts: friends, theatre, McMaster, M.U.M.C. standardised patients, Bess our dog and of course most important of all our family. I am rarely given the chance to be bored and there is the great luxury at times of being truly alone....it's hard to capture that lovely isolation on board ship.
For instance as I sat here typing in lonely splendour the phone rang....it always sounds urgent...and I was being asked to hand out exam papers tonight. We also have a masked performance of Shakespeare tonight and tomorrow evening I have my solo performance of Beckett's Rockaby which I have already recorded. I have simply now to sit, react and rock. Sound effects will be a singing brass bowl from India (which will be done 'live' by one of the Music students) and I hope the ending will fade into Paul McCartney's beautiful Lament from Ecce Cor Meum.
Off to rehearsal.....the story of my life!
It's dark and wet outside 7.45 am. The ship sails inexorably on towards Florida and the end of our voyage. The weather matches our mood somewhat. What George and I will miss most is the ever present sea and the sea noises....there is no chance of claustrophobia when one is at sea, the wide blue yonder is just the opening of a door away. We shall both miss that enormously.
All talk on board is about endings: of relationships new and intense among many of the students, anxiety for the future, the sudden loss of community and the inevitable jolt back to reality and real life. There is a sense of sadness and nostalgia for all we have seen and done in the last three and a half months. For George and me there is the knowledge that during the last 15-16 months we have been away from home for seven of them. This trip was possibly too much, too soon. Although we shall be sorry to lose friends we have made I look forward so much to getting back to our own lives again. To being part of our 'community'. Mine is made up of so many parts: friends, theatre, McMaster, M.U.M.C. standardised patients, Bess our dog and of course most important of all our family. I am rarely given the chance to be bored and there is the great luxury at times of being truly alone....it's hard to capture that lovely isolation on board ship.
For instance as I sat here typing in lonely splendour the phone rang....it always sounds urgent...and I was being asked to hand out exam papers tonight. We also have a masked performance of Shakespeare tonight and tomorrow evening I have my solo performance of Beckett's Rockaby which I have already recorded. I have simply now to sit, react and rock. Sound effects will be a singing brass bowl from India (which will be done 'live' by one of the Music students) and I hope the ending will fade into Paul McCartney's beautiful Lament from Ecce Cor Meum.
Off to rehearsal.....the story of my life!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Brazil and the Amazon
Monday 26th April
Well Sally my friend we survived to return to the ship, thank you for your concern! I have to confess I was a little anxious myself. I never imagined that at my ripe old age I would be part of such an adventure.
We spent our first day in Brazil doing a tour of the old city of San Salvador. There is a lower and upper part of the city and the oldest part is in the upper level. Poverty and wealth, as in so many of the countries we have visited, exist side by side which of course emphasises both. As in Zanzibar the very high humidity blackens the buildings and there were many grey and black church towers and mildewed walls of buldings. Others are maintained to a high level and are painted different colours and very attractive. Trees and small parks dot most areas and the narrow winding streets are cobbled with tiny shops along them selling brightly coloured clothes and crafts. I didn't see any of the large expensive stores we are used to seeing in most places these days but we may have missed them as we spent most of our time in the historic parts of the city. I should add that at least 5 students were mugged or had items stolen from their persons. It was dangerous to walk beteen the two city levels and an elevator, of all things, takes one from one level to the other. There is also the possibility of theft or mugging if one walks anywhere alone....male or female. George chose to do so on the morning before we leftfor the Amazon and when I told our steward Crispen where he was he shook his head and said 'I would not walk alone in San Salvador'. of course I then felt guilty for not going and was restless until he returned unscathed.
'I only carried enough money for beer' said George 'Why would you worry?'
'They wouldn't have known that' I replied....men!
Tuesday April 27th.
We left the ship by bus for the airport at 2.30 pm, our flight was due to leave at 4.30 pm. There were 21 of us, George, 19 students and me. A guide took us to the airport by air conditioned bus and accompanied us into the building, handed out our two boarding passes each, directed us to Security and left.
We went through security easily....none of the officials spoke English, but that was OK. We went next 'en masse' to stare at the departures board to find out which gate we should head towards. No sign of our flight to Sao Pauo (where we would change planes for the flight to Manaus) on it. Perhaps too early? We'd wait. No one to ask, we tried but no one spoke English. We waited longer and then decided to act....but everyone we spoke to spoke only Portuguese. Finally we found a small bearded friendly American...who spoke Portuguese! He spoke to an official who confidently told him 'No problem, they should go to Gate 6'. We did. No flight number but hey there was still half an hour. HALF AN HOUR?! George went one way and I another. I knocked on the glass door 'protecting' uniformed flight staff from wild women like me. 'Excuse me!' I shputed as I banged . Someone slid it open and in English aaid "Yes?'
I explained the situation as calmly as I could. 'That flight is cancelled' he told me cheerfully,
'WHAT!?'
'That flight is cancelled madam'.
I gulped "OK....right then....what would you suggest? There are 21 of us who have to get to Manaus tonight.'
'I will find you other flights'.....he was still quite calm. I thought to myself this will be a miracle two separate flight for 21 individuals?
During this time the students bunched together in a group a few feet away on the other side of the door had no idea what was happening and George had not returned. I handed the official my boarding pass so that he could see where we had to arrive and at what time. He started punching at the computer without a word. At no point did he disclose to me what he was discovering....or not. There was a very tense silence in our small space.
George came back and I gave him and the students the bad news.... we waited and waited. The official was still punching the computer and then quite suddenly he walked away and disappeared.....oh no you don't I thought and approached the glass doors again. Another official said, in English, 'he is just changing your boarding cards.....there are two of you right?' No, No, I said, No there are 21 of us! 'Ah' he replied. The Amazon was flowing away from us rapidly.
'He will be back' he said reassuringly....I was not convinced.
Finally my first friend reappeared 'Here are your boarding cards' he said handing me two. 'NO!' I almost shouted 'there are 21 of us!' No problem apparently. We collected the other boarding cards and he disappeared again reappearing in a few minutes with 38 more new boarding cards.
Now' he told us 'You will fly to Brazilia and then from there to Munaus'
''What is our ETA in Manaus?' asked George
'10.36 pm'....one full hour earlier than out cancelled flight! We flew TAM Airlines in great comfort on both flights and arrived early, after all that. 'My' official (I happily claimed him now) had performed the required miracle!
We were met in Manaus and driven soon after by air conditioned (I mention this each time because such luxuries were soon to cease) bus. We saw our 'boat' (not ship!) in the dark. Lights were strung all round two wrap around decks and blue red and white baloons festooned the boat. There was music and there were welcoming smiles as we climbed aboard....but it seemed awfully small. There were soon to be 30 of us on board as we were joining up with another small group....would we fit? I kept that thought to myself. We were met by Maria Louise (Lulu) who with her American husband Adam had organised the whole trip. She of course spoke English!
She led us upstairs to the upper deck where 30 hammocks were slung, cheek by jowl like sardines. The one women's toilet was down a short, steep flight of wooden steps. I instinctively knew I would break my leg or neck the first time I managed to weave my way through neighbouring hammocks in the middle of the night on my way to the loo.
'Lulu' I explained 'I'll happily sleep on the benches down stairs as I'll never accomplish my nightly pee break (leg break? neck break? otherwise'
No problem she said, George, Gail (leader of the small group joining us) Lulu herself and myself would have hammocks slung for us on the lower deck. I said a prayer of thanks and made my way down to the lower deck, the toilet and food! No sooner said than done: four beautifully spaced hammocks were slung for us four there....looked very good. However I had of course forgotten the kitchen staff and crew who shortly thereafter slung up their hammocks beside ours and we were once again lost in a maze of hammocks! never mind they handed me a large flashlight and I felt secure. The ship sailed for about half an hour before docking beside one of the other SAS groups who had arrived on earlier flights and Gail and her small group joined us....with our medikit...important information that as you will see. It was both hot and humid.
Lulu showed me how to lie in a hammock. You must be horizontal and stretched out to start. The sides will fold nicely over you and you really do feel wrapped in a cocoon....it is wonderfully secure and comfortable. I'd take one home if only there were anywhere to hang it safely without bringing down the upstairs apartment. There was a lovely breeze as the night went on and we slept surprisingly well but woke early as the crew started to prepare the ship to sail further up the Rio Negro and eventually to lay out breakfast on two centre tables. It was about 5 am!
After breakfast the other boat (Group B, we were D and E) left us and we followed our schedule for the day. After breakfast we sailed away from the main boat in motorised long boats for about 40 minutes before landing to start a trek through the rain forest or jungle. We trekked in considerable heat and humidity for nearly two hours. We did not see snakes (although I found myself perpetually on the look out for them and tarantulas!). We learned a great deal from our guides about how to survive in the jungle, what to eat what not to eat ('Or you will die!' was a constant refrain). Also how to climb a tree hurriedly if attacked by a jaguar. Had this happened it would have been an all win situation for the jaguar as NONE of us could climb the trees! Some really physically fit and sporty students did try, unsuccessfully, and as my beloved friends know I am neither of those things! We returned to our boat after a fantastic hour swimming in the clear but dark brown river for lunch and a well earned rest in our hammocks.
Later in the afternoon we visited a village on the river banks. We met the children of the small school, the community craft shop, an expert long boat builder and our students (and George) played soccer with the local teams! The girls beat the unbeatable locaL women's team! needless to say there was great excitement all round. Others within our groups played volley ball. I must stress here that it was still very hot and humid. I remained a spectator as did some of the students and we had marvellous conversation covering all the isms....racism, ageism, homophobia, classism.....the whole shebang.
We left the village in the late afternoon and didn't rejoin our boat, which had moved, for some time...perhaps an hour and a half sailing up river in the dark. We finally landed on a beach on which 60 or so white plastic chairs were lined up opposite each other and a nearby table groaned with huge plate of colourful food. At that point I decided to stay on the beach and not climb the home made gang plank on to our boat which with one other was anchored just a little out in the water.
The message came down that someone was feeling very ill so I offered then to climb ob board to see her.
'You'll find it's not easy' said George, 'you'll have to take your shoes off'
'So?" I said offended. Hadn't I just trekked through the Amazon jungle and been swimming in the Rio Negro? What was he implying? 'Pshaw!' I spat at him....
Yes well...to cut a long story short it was hell getting up the ruddy 'gang plank'. It was set at a steep angle, it was slippery and consisted of a plank of wood with narrow strats for foot holds which really hurt your feet. And there was no one around to help. I thought 'Oh God I'm never going to make it to the top without falling off....injured so near the end of our voyage...what a shame, what a disaster!' I gingerly edged my way up putting my shoes a little ahead of me and often slipping backwards....I finally made it and there was no one to pull me on to the deck when I got there. A lone student appeared 'Grab my hand!' I shouted at him and, bless his cotton socks, he hauled me to safety.
My encounter with the sick student led to my decision to phone the ship and get hold of our Doctor who was on call. Two factors made it important: the student was vomiting and had diarrhoea but she also had a vicious headache. Classic heat stroke? Or could be a bug of some sort....but top priotity she was fast becoming dehydrated and the headache concerned me. Phoebe the leader of our neighbouring boat has better eyesight than i do and helped me read our 'green sheet' (which has all the information you could possibly need about what to do in emergencies, phone numbers etc) in the dim light provided on the boat. The student was afraid and said repeatedly "I wish I was on the ship and could speak to Dr Mort" so that was what we did and she did. I was so grateful for his reassuring tones and the fact that he took the situation very seriously.....one always wonders, am I overreacting? He gave me explicit instructions on which drugs to use out of our Medikit, to keep her hydrated and obviously to keep an eye on her progress. He spoke to her and when she said "I won't die will I?" (such an understandable thought when you're miles from anyhere) he said firmly 'No you will not die...but make sure you take lots of sips of water even when you don't feeli like it and Maggie will give you the drugs four hourly'. He reiterated the doseage to me after speaking to her....increasing the initial dose.
We brought her hammock down on to the main floor beside mine where she had easy access to the toilet and I believe there was a better air flow. We were then told that there was another student being brought across to our boat from Phoebe's with the Brazilian nurse (who spoke no English) and he was to sleep on the floor beside her and Lulu. Yet another student, this time one of Gail's group, had her hammock brought downstairs so we eneded up with a veritable sick ward!
I had to get up during the night to give 'my' patient her 4 hourly medication. She was sleeping very heavily and paying fewer loo visits and I was pushing the water sips whenever I woke her.
(Thank you Dr Mort!!). However I noticed that the student transferred from the other boat was up and down alot and groaning . I asked him what he felt and he said simply 'terrible!' so I woke the Brazilian nurse who brought over a similar medication to one she had given previously. The student said 'That stuff is doing no good at all'. Lulu had woken up and interjected "I am going to get the small boat and take him to hospital...he needs medical treatment" and I thought 'Thank God for Lulu!'....and that she happened to be on our boat. So into the darkness they chugged to the Manaus hospital. I later discovered that an IV was put up and after 3 hours Lulu took him to a comfortable hotel room where he remained until an hour before his flight was due to leave the following night.
I chose the next day to stay on board with our two patients, both much better by this time, whilst the rest went off to another village and to do some piranha fishing. George caught a 4 pounder to everyone's delight. (See proud photo). I on the other hand swung gently in my hammock reading my book and sleeping on and off to catch up on the night. The students were almost recovered.
After the return of the adventurers we had a magnificent lunch prepared in a very small kitchen by our amazing cook. There was always so much fruit gorged myself on it....my body had missed it so much. We get watermelon and canned fruit for breakfast each day and occasionally a tangerine or apple but on our boat we ate mangoes, bananas and paw paw...scrumptious.
We rested until evening when we sailed for about an hour to the meeting of the two rivers, the Amazon proper and the Rio Negro, its tributary. Each river has different contents in the water: the former has high phosphates and looks a muddy brown whilst the Rio Negro (Black river) is clear and dark brown in colour and is full of tannin and minerals. It was quite artistic the way they flowed and swirled into and around each other.
As the evening drew to a close we played a game of giving a gift to someone who we had enjoyed or been significant on the trip. the guides had brought chocolates in packets to hand out, I was chosen by 'my' patient, Gail by her's and George for being a fun leader and catching the piranha!
When you received a gift you in turn had to choose someone and on and on until everyone had received their chocolate.
Our last sail was a two hour one down the river again towards Manaus where we disembarked and went to a show with all the other participants from the exp;lorer (there had been 4 boats) of Amazonian dancing in a huge, characterless arena. The costumes were brilliant but the show lasted too long and we were all anxious to get on our way on the airport and back to the ship. George and I to make sure our flight was on the departure board!!
Eventually our buses came (air conditioning at last!) and we arrived at the airport to check ourselves throughsecurity ad have a last coffee and snack. Our flight via Sao Paulo this time was on the board and we departed Manaus at about half past midnight. (We all wondered, were these red-eye flights designed to save money? If so it was a horrible idea and very hard on some groups who had to travel even later and had a four hour stop over in Brazilia!) George and I were surrounded by ill students from another boat who were rushing back and forth to the toilets,...poor, poor souls! Sickness in Brazil, especially on the Amazon, has exceded any other country we have visited. We are still not sure of the cause, only that it seemed to be contagious. heat stroke? Dehydration or a bacteria? Or all three! A later group was forced to leave 4 students behind in the Rio airport medical clinic to be hydrate with IVs. They were put on a later flight.
We arrived back at the Explorer in San Salvador at about 11.30 am, it had been a long night. We went out for a last lunch ashore before Fort Lauderdale in a restaurant and market overlooking the harbour. We both collapsed on the bed afterwards and slept until about 7 pm!
But we have sailed down the Amazon and we have been swimming in its waters and George caught the biggest Piranha of these trips....and we have survived!
Well Sally my friend we survived to return to the ship, thank you for your concern! I have to confess I was a little anxious myself. I never imagined that at my ripe old age I would be part of such an adventure.
We spent our first day in Brazil doing a tour of the old city of San Salvador. There is a lower and upper part of the city and the oldest part is in the upper level. Poverty and wealth, as in so many of the countries we have visited, exist side by side which of course emphasises both. As in Zanzibar the very high humidity blackens the buildings and there were many grey and black church towers and mildewed walls of buldings. Others are maintained to a high level and are painted different colours and very attractive. Trees and small parks dot most areas and the narrow winding streets are cobbled with tiny shops along them selling brightly coloured clothes and crafts. I didn't see any of the large expensive stores we are used to seeing in most places these days but we may have missed them as we spent most of our time in the historic parts of the city. I should add that at least 5 students were mugged or had items stolen from their persons. It was dangerous to walk beteen the two city levels and an elevator, of all things, takes one from one level to the other. There is also the possibility of theft or mugging if one walks anywhere alone....male or female. George chose to do so on the morning before we leftfor the Amazon and when I told our steward Crispen where he was he shook his head and said 'I would not walk alone in San Salvador'. of course I then felt guilty for not going and was restless until he returned unscathed.
'I only carried enough money for beer' said George 'Why would you worry?'
'They wouldn't have known that' I replied....men!
Tuesday April 27th.
We left the ship by bus for the airport at 2.30 pm, our flight was due to leave at 4.30 pm. There were 21 of us, George, 19 students and me. A guide took us to the airport by air conditioned bus and accompanied us into the building, handed out our two boarding passes each, directed us to Security and left.
We went through security easily....none of the officials spoke English, but that was OK. We went next 'en masse' to stare at the departures board to find out which gate we should head towards. No sign of our flight to Sao Pauo (where we would change planes for the flight to Manaus) on it. Perhaps too early? We'd wait. No one to ask, we tried but no one spoke English. We waited longer and then decided to act....but everyone we spoke to spoke only Portuguese. Finally we found a small bearded friendly American...who spoke Portuguese! He spoke to an official who confidently told him 'No problem, they should go to Gate 6'. We did. No flight number but hey there was still half an hour. HALF AN HOUR?! George went one way and I another. I knocked on the glass door 'protecting' uniformed flight staff from wild women like me. 'Excuse me!' I shputed as I banged . Someone slid it open and in English aaid "Yes?'
I explained the situation as calmly as I could. 'That flight is cancelled' he told me cheerfully,
'WHAT!?'
'That flight is cancelled madam'.
I gulped "OK....right then....what would you suggest? There are 21 of us who have to get to Manaus tonight.'
'I will find you other flights'.....he was still quite calm. I thought to myself this will be a miracle two separate flight for 21 individuals?
During this time the students bunched together in a group a few feet away on the other side of the door had no idea what was happening and George had not returned. I handed the official my boarding pass so that he could see where we had to arrive and at what time. He started punching at the computer without a word. At no point did he disclose to me what he was discovering....or not. There was a very tense silence in our small space.
George came back and I gave him and the students the bad news.... we waited and waited. The official was still punching the computer and then quite suddenly he walked away and disappeared.....oh no you don't I thought and approached the glass doors again. Another official said, in English, 'he is just changing your boarding cards.....there are two of you right?' No, No, I said, No there are 21 of us! 'Ah' he replied. The Amazon was flowing away from us rapidly.
'He will be back' he said reassuringly....I was not convinced.
Finally my first friend reappeared 'Here are your boarding cards' he said handing me two. 'NO!' I almost shouted 'there are 21 of us!' No problem apparently. We collected the other boarding cards and he disappeared again reappearing in a few minutes with 38 more new boarding cards.
Now' he told us 'You will fly to Brazilia and then from there to Munaus'
''What is our ETA in Manaus?' asked George
'10.36 pm'....one full hour earlier than out cancelled flight! We flew TAM Airlines in great comfort on both flights and arrived early, after all that. 'My' official (I happily claimed him now) had performed the required miracle!
We were met in Manaus and driven soon after by air conditioned (I mention this each time because such luxuries were soon to cease) bus. We saw our 'boat' (not ship!) in the dark. Lights were strung all round two wrap around decks and blue red and white baloons festooned the boat. There was music and there were welcoming smiles as we climbed aboard....but it seemed awfully small. There were soon to be 30 of us on board as we were joining up with another small group....would we fit? I kept that thought to myself. We were met by Maria Louise (Lulu) who with her American husband Adam had organised the whole trip. She of course spoke English!
She led us upstairs to the upper deck where 30 hammocks were slung, cheek by jowl like sardines. The one women's toilet was down a short, steep flight of wooden steps. I instinctively knew I would break my leg or neck the first time I managed to weave my way through neighbouring hammocks in the middle of the night on my way to the loo.
'Lulu' I explained 'I'll happily sleep on the benches down stairs as I'll never accomplish my nightly pee break (leg break? neck break? otherwise'
No problem she said, George, Gail (leader of the small group joining us) Lulu herself and myself would have hammocks slung for us on the lower deck. I said a prayer of thanks and made my way down to the lower deck, the toilet and food! No sooner said than done: four beautifully spaced hammocks were slung for us four there....looked very good. However I had of course forgotten the kitchen staff and crew who shortly thereafter slung up their hammocks beside ours and we were once again lost in a maze of hammocks! never mind they handed me a large flashlight and I felt secure. The ship sailed for about half an hour before docking beside one of the other SAS groups who had arrived on earlier flights and Gail and her small group joined us....with our medikit...important information that as you will see. It was both hot and humid.
Lulu showed me how to lie in a hammock. You must be horizontal and stretched out to start. The sides will fold nicely over you and you really do feel wrapped in a cocoon....it is wonderfully secure and comfortable. I'd take one home if only there were anywhere to hang it safely without bringing down the upstairs apartment. There was a lovely breeze as the night went on and we slept surprisingly well but woke early as the crew started to prepare the ship to sail further up the Rio Negro and eventually to lay out breakfast on two centre tables. It was about 5 am!
After breakfast the other boat (Group B, we were D and E) left us and we followed our schedule for the day. After breakfast we sailed away from the main boat in motorised long boats for about 40 minutes before landing to start a trek through the rain forest or jungle. We trekked in considerable heat and humidity for nearly two hours. We did not see snakes (although I found myself perpetually on the look out for them and tarantulas!). We learned a great deal from our guides about how to survive in the jungle, what to eat what not to eat ('Or you will die!' was a constant refrain). Also how to climb a tree hurriedly if attacked by a jaguar. Had this happened it would have been an all win situation for the jaguar as NONE of us could climb the trees! Some really physically fit and sporty students did try, unsuccessfully, and as my beloved friends know I am neither of those things! We returned to our boat after a fantastic hour swimming in the clear but dark brown river for lunch and a well earned rest in our hammocks.
Later in the afternoon we visited a village on the river banks. We met the children of the small school, the community craft shop, an expert long boat builder and our students (and George) played soccer with the local teams! The girls beat the unbeatable locaL women's team! needless to say there was great excitement all round. Others within our groups played volley ball. I must stress here that it was still very hot and humid. I remained a spectator as did some of the students and we had marvellous conversation covering all the isms....racism, ageism, homophobia, classism.....the whole shebang.
We left the village in the late afternoon and didn't rejoin our boat, which had moved, for some time...perhaps an hour and a half sailing up river in the dark. We finally landed on a beach on which 60 or so white plastic chairs were lined up opposite each other and a nearby table groaned with huge plate of colourful food. At that point I decided to stay on the beach and not climb the home made gang plank on to our boat which with one other was anchored just a little out in the water.
The message came down that someone was feeling very ill so I offered then to climb ob board to see her.
'You'll find it's not easy' said George, 'you'll have to take your shoes off'
'So?" I said offended. Hadn't I just trekked through the Amazon jungle and been swimming in the Rio Negro? What was he implying? 'Pshaw!' I spat at him....
Yes well...to cut a long story short it was hell getting up the ruddy 'gang plank'. It was set at a steep angle, it was slippery and consisted of a plank of wood with narrow strats for foot holds which really hurt your feet. And there was no one around to help. I thought 'Oh God I'm never going to make it to the top without falling off....injured so near the end of our voyage...what a shame, what a disaster!' I gingerly edged my way up putting my shoes a little ahead of me and often slipping backwards....I finally made it and there was no one to pull me on to the deck when I got there. A lone student appeared 'Grab my hand!' I shouted at him and, bless his cotton socks, he hauled me to safety.
My encounter with the sick student led to my decision to phone the ship and get hold of our Doctor who was on call. Two factors made it important: the student was vomiting and had diarrhoea but she also had a vicious headache. Classic heat stroke? Or could be a bug of some sort....but top priotity she was fast becoming dehydrated and the headache concerned me. Phoebe the leader of our neighbouring boat has better eyesight than i do and helped me read our 'green sheet' (which has all the information you could possibly need about what to do in emergencies, phone numbers etc) in the dim light provided on the boat. The student was afraid and said repeatedly "I wish I was on the ship and could speak to Dr Mort" so that was what we did and she did. I was so grateful for his reassuring tones and the fact that he took the situation very seriously.....one always wonders, am I overreacting? He gave me explicit instructions on which drugs to use out of our Medikit, to keep her hydrated and obviously to keep an eye on her progress. He spoke to her and when she said "I won't die will I?" (such an understandable thought when you're miles from anyhere) he said firmly 'No you will not die...but make sure you take lots of sips of water even when you don't feeli like it and Maggie will give you the drugs four hourly'. He reiterated the doseage to me after speaking to her....increasing the initial dose.
We brought her hammock down on to the main floor beside mine where she had easy access to the toilet and I believe there was a better air flow. We were then told that there was another student being brought across to our boat from Phoebe's with the Brazilian nurse (who spoke no English) and he was to sleep on the floor beside her and Lulu. Yet another student, this time one of Gail's group, had her hammock brought downstairs so we eneded up with a veritable sick ward!
I had to get up during the night to give 'my' patient her 4 hourly medication. She was sleeping very heavily and paying fewer loo visits and I was pushing the water sips whenever I woke her.
(Thank you Dr Mort!!). However I noticed that the student transferred from the other boat was up and down alot and groaning . I asked him what he felt and he said simply 'terrible!' so I woke the Brazilian nurse who brought over a similar medication to one she had given previously. The student said 'That stuff is doing no good at all'. Lulu had woken up and interjected "I am going to get the small boat and take him to hospital...he needs medical treatment" and I thought 'Thank God for Lulu!'....and that she happened to be on our boat. So into the darkness they chugged to the Manaus hospital. I later discovered that an IV was put up and after 3 hours Lulu took him to a comfortable hotel room where he remained until an hour before his flight was due to leave the following night.
I chose the next day to stay on board with our two patients, both much better by this time, whilst the rest went off to another village and to do some piranha fishing. George caught a 4 pounder to everyone's delight. (See proud photo). I on the other hand swung gently in my hammock reading my book and sleeping on and off to catch up on the night. The students were almost recovered.
After the return of the adventurers we had a magnificent lunch prepared in a very small kitchen by our amazing cook. There was always so much fruit gorged myself on it....my body had missed it so much. We get watermelon and canned fruit for breakfast each day and occasionally a tangerine or apple but on our boat we ate mangoes, bananas and paw paw...scrumptious.
We rested until evening when we sailed for about an hour to the meeting of the two rivers, the Amazon proper and the Rio Negro, its tributary. Each river has different contents in the water: the former has high phosphates and looks a muddy brown whilst the Rio Negro (Black river) is clear and dark brown in colour and is full of tannin and minerals. It was quite artistic the way they flowed and swirled into and around each other.
As the evening drew to a close we played a game of giving a gift to someone who we had enjoyed or been significant on the trip. the guides had brought chocolates in packets to hand out, I was chosen by 'my' patient, Gail by her's and George for being a fun leader and catching the piranha!
When you received a gift you in turn had to choose someone and on and on until everyone had received their chocolate.
Our last sail was a two hour one down the river again towards Manaus where we disembarked and went to a show with all the other participants from the exp;lorer (there had been 4 boats) of Amazonian dancing in a huge, characterless arena. The costumes were brilliant but the show lasted too long and we were all anxious to get on our way on the airport and back to the ship. George and I to make sure our flight was on the departure board!!
Eventually our buses came (air conditioning at last!) and we arrived at the airport to check ourselves throughsecurity ad have a last coffee and snack. Our flight via Sao Paulo this time was on the board and we departed Manaus at about half past midnight. (We all wondered, were these red-eye flights designed to save money? If so it was a horrible idea and very hard on some groups who had to travel even later and had a four hour stop over in Brazilia!) George and I were surrounded by ill students from another boat who were rushing back and forth to the toilets,...poor, poor souls! Sickness in Brazil, especially on the Amazon, has exceded any other country we have visited. We are still not sure of the cause, only that it seemed to be contagious. heat stroke? Dehydration or a bacteria? Or all three! A later group was forced to leave 4 students behind in the Rio airport medical clinic to be hydrate with IVs. They were put on a later flight.
We arrived back at the Explorer in San Salvador at about 11.30 am, it had been a long night. We went out for a last lunch ashore before Fort Lauderdale in a restaurant and market overlooking the harbour. We both collapsed on the bed afterwards and slept until about 7 pm!
But we have sailed down the Amazon and we have been swimming in its waters and George caught the biggest Piranha of these trips....and we have survived!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
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