Delay

Slight delay in the voyage.... two more ports to go here before we are ready to go. The company wanna load us up fully. Therefore it might be another more 4-5days here. Bad news is these two ports cant go out. Anyway to go out here actually cost quite abit and also abit troublesome due to the security. Firstly have to notify the security officer at the gate to send transport to meet us at the gangway. Then we walked down the gangway, hop on to the transport... about 3-5mins ride to the security gate. Show all ids... upon completing, call for a cab... wait again for the cab (wait in the cold ok... no vip lounge) to take us to the mall. Cab ride takes about 15-20mins and return journey cost about 30-60usd. Expensive and troublesome right?

Most of the malls here are single storey and they covered a large area due to abundant land. Usually all the different kinds of stores (Like walmart, target, some eateries... etc) are all cluster around the same area. The area space is something like our two MRT station eg: Orchard and Sommerset. Therefore the other day when Mao and I went out... we did our fair share of walk in the cold too. I would said 99.9% of the families here have their own vehicles and they commute these distance by driving. So while Mao and I strolled along to the malls, some nice drivers tends to slow down their vehicles for us to cross to the other side of the road. Jokingly i told Mao.... these drivers must be thinking. See the poor man bringing his wife out to do Christmas shopping on foot in the cold, dont horn or bang them... let them pass :p

Believed that we will be here in Mississippi for Christmas.... onboard with all of them busy working. The SRC (Ship Recreation Club) bought food, presents and all thinking that a small party will take place since during the voyage, all will have a little free time. Seems like they forgot to write to Santa to wish for it.... So party, turkey please stay hot while the boys work... they will come to you in time.

People at home.... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Enjoy yourselves and have fun!!!

All set for voyage

Last port here in this country now. After this stopover... we are all set for the long voyage back. Am also set for the journey... see... all my stuff are here. Mao had ordered everything that we can think of. All sorts of snacks, drinks, rubbish.... etc. By the time i come home, i will be fat and round. Haha

Dont think i eat so much rubbish back home too. Even him... someone who dont take so much sweet stuff. He is also having his fair share of it these days. Havent been hitting the gym for days... we only went there once. After that... hes busy and am lazy. Especially with the cold weather... i just wanna keep warm in the cabin and not move a muscle. I know.... all excuses :p

Hopefully once we start the journey and life gets more routine, we will be able to spend some time at the gym. By then the weather should also get warmer as we come East. Have to put in some effort to stay in shape after all the snacks and rubbish. Dont wish to be fat and round too. On top of that dont wanna give my husband a chance to have roving eyes... Eyes should be on me and heart must be with me only... Hor Mao? You reading this.... roger huh. Hamisha Chinki only!

Coming Home

Guess what.... Miracle had happened! Am coming home! New voyage order received confirmed that we are heading East. Never have we imagine that we are going to head East and best of all is we are heading back to Singapore! As this vessel is always in the waters here or neighbouring countries... suddenly we are going to sail two oceans back home!

After poor me flying for 26hrs to get here. Now have to slowly sail for one and a half month to get back home. What a joke! Like i was telling Mao..... he cant escape from SIN. Come so far oreadi and to have chosen a vessel that remains in the waters here only. End up we still have to go back home! God's wishes......

But huh.... got to go home oreadi??? I havent manage one decent shopping trip yet man!!! What is this! Come so far on the damn flight... struck on the ship due weather... blah blah blah... then tamade... one and a half month sailing back home oreadi??? Cant believe it siaz.

Everyone onboard are busy making sure that the vessel is ready to embark on her long voyage now. Keeping machinery oiled and working... engines running... food ordered... etc. Me am busy dreaming of the food back home by now. As theres one hell of a lousy cook here on board. You wouldnt believe it... but the dishes he cooked... one word to describe only.... SUCK

For your info... he proclaimed himself a 5star cook.... (laugh)

Kind of feel like cell food or food meant for swine only. Not appealing in all sense... Mao called him up to the cabin and have a talk the other day. With immediate effect the food take a turn for the better the next day.... we have roast chicken, jacket potatoes, tomato soup and even chicken rice for lunch. Didnt know he is capable of cooking such stuff as from day one till now that am here. All i had from him was cell food. Keeping my fingers crossed that these heavenly food will remain during the long journey home and his cell food is a thing of the past.

Reveal of the 5Star cook (the one on the left) and 2nd cook (also the steward who come and clean our cabin everyday)

Ancient Elevator

Theres an ancient elevator here that services the seven decks. With dual doors... exterior door looking like any normal door and an interior grille. Seldom see such elevator around anymore... they are phased out long ago. They might belongs to the 60-70s.

The elevator is so said to be able to carry 5 persons. The space in there... i dont think so. 5 persons to be squeezing in there?? The scenerio will be like 5 persons hugging tightly together praying that the ancient thing dont plunge.... haha

So far i only travel in that antique with Mao... just the two of us. The 'Bulldogs' family :p (Both dogs as i always bite Mao... and he is also dog cos everyone avoid him like hes one mad dog that bites. Hahaha) Mao doesnt like to use the elevator as he said its for the lazy. So he uses the stairs mostly. The only times he can be spotted in the elevator is when he is travelling with lazy me.

The seven decks on the ship... i only frequent 4 decks. There are Upp Dk (where the laundry room is), A deck (the mess rm we go for food), D dk (where our cabin is) and Nav Bri Dk (where Mao work on the bridge). The rest of the decks i dont go unless my bulldog is with me.

Medical Chest

The cold that i caught seems to like me quite alot. Thou am oreadi sick and tired of it by now. It is still not willing to leave me. Giving me blocked nose every night when i sleep and causing lots of phlegm in the throat as well. Disgusting thick yellow ones... haha

Therefore no choice have to let Mao play witch doctor. Theres a Medical Locker down at the Upper deck. Went there for an excursion with Mao the other day. A whole chest of medicines!

Mao got me a Nasal Spray to reject my present from the Cold. Kind of works wonder... but hate the moment when the medicated solution went down the throat from the nose. Yucky!!! However its worth the 3secs of discomfort as it offer 12hours of relief for blocked nose. Cant use it for more than 3days thou.

Have you people noticed that everywhere on the ship, they label all their surrounding... Like we have all the cabins label. Eg: Ours will be Captain Room... the medical chest is called the Medical LKR.. short form for Locker. Its like going to Nursery school where labels are on everything and everywhere.

Lucky hour for laundry session

Washing clothes onboard is a real challenge. Theres a laundry room downstair with three washers (two for normal wear and one for dirty boiler suits) and a dryer. Three washing machines sounds like alot right? But the fact is the washers are ever so busy. Theres always a load in the washer. One have to be guarding the machine to earn a chance to dump your clothes in there. To complicate matter, one can only do laundry at sea. Laundry room is closed when in port. (One of the country regulation so as not to dirty their water)

Those dirty clothes are not mine ->

Therefore after all these time... i have decided to do my laundry in the early morning (4-6am). During that time most people are still fast asleep. As the room is near all the engine room..etc. Theres always human traffic around. I dont like to hang around or guard the machine for my chance. And of cos i forbid Mao to send a cadet there to guard the machine on my behalf. Imagine if am that cadet.... what guarding the washing machines so that mdm can use it? What crap right? So at the lucky hour i chosen, all i have to do is a quick visit to the washer downstair... dump all (only clothes... socks, panties, bras, handkies all *handwash) in then bring it up to the dryer on our own deck. My exclusive dryer :) Too bad cant have the washer on our deck too.

*Handwashing clothes... something i havent been doing for donkey years. At home the washer is mine and mine alone... i can dump all and what i want in them

Under the weather

No i am not lazy. Just been feeling under the weather for 3days. Must have been standing out in the wind after my shower with my hair still wet that caused the rise in temperature. First time to be running a temperature in cold weather. Suck siaz! Fingers and feet are cold while body is hot...breathe also hot... feeling like a dragon breathing out air.

The internet connection also have been feeling under the weather. As we are further out at sea again.. and fog have set in. So internet connection decided to stop work and hid in the fog for awhile. When the fog cleared after two days... the wind picked up. Once again lazy internet sneaked off with the wind. As a result.. another day passed. Finally when clear weather came... (tamade) we are too far away to have any connection!

Clarification: Internet connection is always like a dying snail pace here (But still one have to be thankful that it is still alive and kicking) All of you at home with internet connection, you have no idea how fortunate you are.

Sugar is a good gal

Sugar, my sugar.... i misses her! My furry kid that follows me everywhere in the house. Who comes to me and rest her paws on my lap whenever i sits at the com. That pair of big round eyes that speaks volume when she looks at you. Goosh... i misses her!

Asked Mao to hold his sleep at 6am this morning. So that we can go up to the bridge and give mama a call (SIN time 8pm). This way am able to catch mama at home and talk to sugar too.

Sugar seems to be having a ball at mama place now. Mom said that sugar kept pestering to play the moment they wake up. She is also happy when mom came home from work. Cos once again that means play time for her! Normally she will be at the door greeting you. Standing on her hind, resting her front paws on your thighs she trys to lick your hands while shaking her bushy tail vigorously. Thereafter she will follows you everywhere in the house till you are ready to play with her.

My precious is getting a little fussy with the food these days too. She knows that law and order is not around and she could push her luck here and there. According to mama... she isnt feeding well on her pellets of dog food. Told mom to leave the feed schedule and food the same, no changes and definately no special treats permitted. Wouldnt wish her to accquire new eating habits and food liking during these period. Or else by the time she comes home with me... its gonna be tough for her as well as me.

During the call to mama earlier... i got exposed. Mama said that she knew i wouldnt be calling her as much if Sugar isnt with her. Its the dog that i misses and not her :p

I misses my mom too of cos... but sugar is different. As this furry gal is the one that keep me within her sight, following me everywhere and coming to me whenever am feeling down. She is the one whos 24/7 available. No matter what kind of mood you are in... she will be there. How do you not pin for her???

Basket or Bird Cage???

Front of our vessel











The operation that was delayed for 3days due to bad weather is finally going to take place today. When completed we are going to steam for 16hrs and hopefully getting to dock.

Saw how they picked up they mooring master today. In a basket with the crane as what Mao always say. In a basket hmm.... i always visualise the basket is something like those of a hot air balloon. What would you visualise? (Take a look at the picture on the left for the so called basket. See the the man in blue with a white safety helmet, standing in something that look like a big cage) Not as per we think right? Basket??? Look more like a bird cage.


Mr Mao said that at times of joining... we might have a go in the basket. Hmm.... a go in that bird cage supported by that crane? Sounds fun right? Imagine having to balance yourself in that bird cage in the chilling wind with only the ropes to hold onto as they crane you up. Hey dont forget about the luggages which mostly have wheels? As the bird cage is rise... acrobatic me will have to balance, hold tight and squeeze my luggage between my legs??? Haha.. think i can do better to have my luggage flat in that bird cage and i lay on top of it with my full body weight. Got to be joking right? I rather wait for the vessel to come into port and WALK up the gangway.


My only excitement now is to walk down that gangway in 2days (i hope) and go to the supermarket. Just love the supermarket in the states... they are so huge. Unlike our pathetic NTUC at home. 5mins only all grounds covered and completed. I want to buy chocolates, chocolates and more chocolates. Ohh, dont worry about being fat. The weather is so cold... can afford to put on some more fats and slowly burn. :p heehee

Here in Houston

Got in to Houston for 3days by now. Have survived the 26hours flight with an hour stopover in Moscow airport. Managed to get an aisle seat at the emergency exit when i checked in, thus plenty of leg space. Not that i have very long legs but its wonderful to be able to stretch your legs on such long flight.

Got to come directly from the airport to my 'new home' for the next 3-4 months. Didnt get the intended one night hotel stay as 'home' was already in and waiting. Therefore shopping malls please wait for me.

First night here was a blur due to time difference. Adjustment is require for the timing as well as food. My first meal in my new home was dinner and am deeply demoralised when i saw it. First thought was the never achieve diet plan is finally going to take place now. However after 3days, i dont think that i will turn into that super model with this new diet after all. As all 3 meals (food that i have to eat) are regular here, unlike back home i only take one or two meals a day (food that i choose to eat).

Mao kept telling me that our new bed here is a queen bed. Alamak queen bed indeed... for the midgets! I would say that it is slightly bigger than a super single bed. Thank God back in SIN we used to squeeze in my single bed before we got our greatly missed queen bed now. Since the weather is cold here now, its sure is nice to cuddle close to my husband. Sleeping in my new home is like going to sleep in a power operated cradle. Rocking slightly all the while. Kind of soothing for the moment (keeping my fingers cross for bad weather).

Anyway i slept well on the first night due to the cold weather. Its with reluctance that i had to wake up to visit the loo in the early morning. Filled with sleep i got out of bed and make my way to the door in the dark. Fiddling at the door for a full one minute trying to open it, i cant find the door handle! Trying to keep my eyes open and shaking the sleep away, i feel for the door handle again. Suddenly i heard Mao said 'Be careful baby... i switch on the lights for you'. Upon hearing the direction that his voice coming, i knew i must be real groggy with sleep. As all this time am actually standing at the cupboard door feeling for the bedroom door handle. Wonder if Mao dont speak, how long more will i be standing there trying to open that impossible door. Hahaha