Friday 5th January
We sped bumpily through the night at about 18 knots but it's rather like being rocked to sleep as a baby. or perhaps even the fluid motion of being in-utero. Whatever the reason I had a wonderful night's sleep. Our clock was put back another hour too which cuts down the pressure of getting to an eight o'clock class on time for both George and me. This means, especially for Jo, (and Chris K) that we are 11 hours ahead of you.
We spent our performance class this morning making each other plaster masks. what a lovely creative mess we made. Sheets were spread under us in the Union, three light chairs set up with a bucket of warm water beside each. Erika cut prepared strips of dry plaster gauze into varying lengths and widths and we took it in turns to either have a mask made of our faces or be the 'applicator'! We had been warned to wear old T shirts. fortunately because we were all soon splattered with white. As we worked we watched a Keith Johnston documentary about working with masks which was intriguing.
It appears that certain masks to which you personally relate, or which turn on some inner you, can reveal a strange character you never suspected when you see your face in it and you will act out that personality/character. We watched as a shy young woman became a raging maniac! One of the professionals did a speech from Hamlet without and then with a mask. The masked performance was far more interesting. Shirley I imagine there is a similarity here to clowning? (I would love to get Keith Johnston to a Community Theatre Workshop ...Rose?....it would be exciting. I'll google him and find out more.) Did that and he hails from Calgary...or did. He has made a DVD called Trance Masks and a documentary has been made about him and his work called "The World According to Keith". His accent is very English.
Because you must first smother your face in vaseline before applying the plaster we are still feeling quite sticky and will probably do so for the rest of the day. James wants to do break dancing whilst wearing his mask...this we must see! I have mine now drying in my cabin and have threatened with a painful death anyone who disturbs or breaks it.
Later: 2.59 pm here.
I have just been asked by a dear confused friend, "what about Japaaaan?!" Well... we haven't yet reached Japan and there are still 4 days to go: this is one of our longest times at sea without a port. It will have been nearly 11 days. When we finally 'hit' Asia the students will have very little time for study believe me.
__________________________________________________________________
Here are our dates:
9th February Arrive Yokohama
10 " Depart "
12th Feb. Arrive Kobe
13th Feb. Dep. Kobe
16th Feb. Arrive Shanghai
18th Feb. Dep. Shanghai
21st Feb. Arrive Hong Kong
23rd Feb Dep Hong Kong
26th Feb. Arrive Ho Chi Min City (Saigon)
3rd March Dep Saigon
11th March Arrive Chennai (Madras) (George, Liz, Audie and I fly to Cochin/Kerala)
12th " Explorer dep. Chennai
15th " Explorer arrives Cochin
16th " Depart Cochin
23rd March Arrive Mauritius
24th " Dep Mauritius
31st March Arrive Cape Town (Have crazy reunuion with Jo, Chris and Jeannie)
4th April Dep Cape Town (Have withdrawal from SA all the way to Accra)
11th April Arrive Accra, Ghana (which John, Sheona and I left in Jan 1964!!)
14th April Depart Accra (have withdrawal from Africa for the next few years!)
21st April Arrive Salvador, Brazil
25thApril Dep Salvador
5th May Arrive Fort Lauderdale, disembark and have lengthy withdrawal from SAS!!
__________________________________________________________________
I have just returned to the cabin from my Sino/Amer. class to find George (having taught two classes) fully dressed sitting on the deck. We are nearing colder temperatures you understand and winter weather in Japan and China. No more warm temperatures until Vietnam where we shall more than make up for it!
Don't worry Jo, I love Japan and especially Kobe so you will be getting full reports. We were fortunate enough to be there in springtime last vooyage and all the cherry blossom was out, clouds of pink everywhere. It will be interesting to see (and feel) the difference. Students are busy planning their independent travel, many were wise enough to buy rail passes in Hawaii. Like Britrail you must buy them outside the country. They are going to be exploring all over the place including Hiroshima. We are being more condervative saving our pennies for India, South Africa and going up the Amazon in Brazil. You can't do everything can you?
Our on board family has grown: last night we 'adopted' Justin Wasser from the University of Western Ontario in London, his best friend whom we haven't met, Katie you know about, and
this morning at breakfast a delightful Chinese student of George's (Ming Ning, I think) who was very happy to find parents! So we have gained four children in 24 hours.....oh that it was usually this painless! We shall have our next get together to compare notes after Japan.
Tonight I have my birthday dinner which I shall describe in nauseating detail tomorrow....I'm so glad my old English teacher isn't around to restrain me. We are meeting in our cabin at 6 pm for drinks and then comes the meal.............
We sped bumpily through the night at about 18 knots but it's rather like being rocked to sleep as a baby. or perhaps even the fluid motion of being in-utero. Whatever the reason I had a wonderful night's sleep. Our clock was put back another hour too which cuts down the pressure of getting to an eight o'clock class on time for both George and me. This means, especially for Jo, (and Chris K) that we are 11 hours ahead of you.
We spent our performance class this morning making each other plaster masks. what a lovely creative mess we made. Sheets were spread under us in the Union, three light chairs set up with a bucket of warm water beside each. Erika cut prepared strips of dry plaster gauze into varying lengths and widths and we took it in turns to either have a mask made of our faces or be the 'applicator'! We had been warned to wear old T shirts. fortunately because we were all soon splattered with white. As we worked we watched a Keith Johnston documentary about working with masks which was intriguing.
It appears that certain masks to which you personally relate, or which turn on some inner you, can reveal a strange character you never suspected when you see your face in it and you will act out that personality/character. We watched as a shy young woman became a raging maniac! One of the professionals did a speech from Hamlet without and then with a mask. The masked performance was far more interesting. Shirley I imagine there is a similarity here to clowning? (I would love to get Keith Johnston to a Community Theatre Workshop ...Rose?....it would be exciting. I'll google him and find out more.) Did that and he hails from Calgary...or did. He has made a DVD called Trance Masks and a documentary has been made about him and his work called "The World According to Keith". His accent is very English.
Because you must first smother your face in vaseline before applying the plaster we are still feeling quite sticky and will probably do so for the rest of the day. James wants to do break dancing whilst wearing his mask...this we must see! I have mine now drying in my cabin and have threatened with a painful death anyone who disturbs or breaks it.
Later: 2.59 pm here.
I have just been asked by a dear confused friend, "what about Japaaaan?!" Well... we haven't yet reached Japan and there are still 4 days to go: this is one of our longest times at sea without a port. It will have been nearly 11 days. When we finally 'hit' Asia the students will have very little time for study believe me.
__________________________________________________________________
Here are our dates:
9th February Arrive Yokohama
10 " Depart "
12th Feb. Arrive Kobe
13th Feb. Dep. Kobe
16th Feb. Arrive Shanghai
18th Feb. Dep. Shanghai
21st Feb. Arrive Hong Kong
23rd Feb Dep Hong Kong
26th Feb. Arrive Ho Chi Min City (Saigon)
3rd March Dep Saigon
11th March Arrive Chennai (Madras) (George, Liz, Audie and I fly to Cochin/Kerala)
12th " Explorer dep. Chennai
15th " Explorer arrives Cochin
16th " Depart Cochin
23rd March Arrive Mauritius
24th " Dep Mauritius
31st March Arrive Cape Town (Have crazy reunuion with Jo, Chris and Jeannie)
4th April Dep Cape Town (Have withdrawal from SA all the way to Accra)
11th April Arrive Accra, Ghana (which John, Sheona and I left in Jan 1964!!)
14th April Depart Accra (have withdrawal from Africa for the next few years!)
21st April Arrive Salvador, Brazil
25thApril Dep Salvador
5th May Arrive Fort Lauderdale, disembark and have lengthy withdrawal from SAS!!
__________________________________________________________________
I have just returned to the cabin from my Sino/Amer. class to find George (having taught two classes) fully dressed sitting on the deck. We are nearing colder temperatures you understand and winter weather in Japan and China. No more warm temperatures until Vietnam where we shall more than make up for it!
Don't worry Jo, I love Japan and especially Kobe so you will be getting full reports. We were fortunate enough to be there in springtime last vooyage and all the cherry blossom was out, clouds of pink everywhere. It will be interesting to see (and feel) the difference. Students are busy planning their independent travel, many were wise enough to buy rail passes in Hawaii. Like Britrail you must buy them outside the country. They are going to be exploring all over the place including Hiroshima. We are being more condervative saving our pennies for India, South Africa and going up the Amazon in Brazil. You can't do everything can you?
Our on board family has grown: last night we 'adopted' Justin Wasser from the University of Western Ontario in London, his best friend whom we haven't met, Katie you know about, and
this morning at breakfast a delightful Chinese student of George's (Ming Ning, I think) who was very happy to find parents! So we have gained four children in 24 hours.....oh that it was usually this painless! We shall have our next get together to compare notes after Japan.
Tonight I have my birthday dinner which I shall describe in nauseating detail tomorrow....I'm so glad my old English teacher isn't around to restrain me. We are meeting in our cabin at 6 pm for drinks and then comes the meal.............
OK - GOT IT. nO LONGER CONFUSED! THANK YOU! THAT FOOD IS TO DIE FOR. LUCKY THINGS. I'VE JUST HAD A MUFFIN! AREN'T I LUCKY! GREAT PICS. GOING NOW. ROLL ON JAPAN. PS - YOUR BLOG IS DEFINITELY FOOD ORIENTED AT PRESENT!!
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