Day 109 - Rail Cars

When I was up on the bridge last night watching the sail down the Huangpu River the captain told me we wouldn't be stopping at the anchorage. This would make our arrival into Masan very late in the evening today, or very early in the morning tomorrow. I'm never quite sure how to tell, I suppose it depends if you're up late or getting up early. The morning brought a fog so thick that you could barely see the water. By late afternoon it actually did clear and you could see the sun. Of course that also brought high winds and choppy seas. Just after 4pm I was standing up on the bridge watching the spray from the port side land on the starboard side, over the cargo hatches. The waves weren't that bad, it was just the wind picking up the spray. Anyway, our pilot time has been changed to 6am, so at the moment we're just drifting in the open sea. There is no official anchorage outside Masan and the captain tells us that where we meet the pilot is narrower than he would like. So it makes more sense to kill time out in the middle of the East China Sea. It's also good for the passengers as it means it might be daylight when we're coming into port. I'm not entirely convinced of that as the time changes tonight, but we'll see.

Oh, and the picture today is from Shanghai. I couldn't quite decide if we were loading or unloading these rail cars. I say that because I was sure that in the morning I'd seen the barge come down the river with the four cars in it. They were down in the bottom of the barge so it was difficult to tell that they were rail cars and I couldn't swear that there were four of them. Late afternoon I saw them swinging two of them into the barge. I went downstairs for a shower and after dinner the barge was gone. Usually I would have asked the supercargo, but he's off the ship already. Doesn't matter, since one way or the other we have carried them, or will carry them. Sometimes when in port items will be moved as the load is balanced. We've seen that happen once or twice while loading.

Day 108 - Loading Cargo

As it turns out we did not leave at 7am this morning. We had set the alarm, as we haven't done this passage in daylight yet. It was quite obvious when we got up that we weren't leaving in the morning. Sure enough, we saw the captain at breakfast and he told us that the time had been changed to 7pm. By lunchtime it was changed to 8:30pm. We will only sail to the inner anchorage and drop anchor until the morning. I wasn't sure if this was a safety thing or a tidal thing. If I remember I will ask later on. The sail to Masan is under a day if I remember correctly so we should be in port for Saturday morning. This would be a good thing as the three crewmembers going home have flights in the late afternoon. So we spent the day enjoying the lovely warm sunshine up on the pilot deck, just watching the river and the cargo operations.

Day 107 - Crystal Symphony

We decided that another walk down the port road wasn't in the plans for today. There's really nothing to see and the traffic is busy, the sidewalks aren't even particularly safe as you share them with bicycles and mopeds. The weather was quite pleasant so we both spent some time on the upper deck watching them load cargo. It's fascinating to watch the cargo operations, not just on our ship but also on nearby ships and barges. We also saw the cruise ship Crystal Symphony sail past on its way to the passenger port in the centre of the city. Oh, and this morning the Chief Engineer took us on a tour of the engine room. It was quite different from what we both expected. The many levels below deck are clean, well lit, and today because very little is running, not too hot. I've taken some pictures that I will likely use when crossing the Pacific as a picture of the sea each day won't be very interesting! The pilot is called for 7am tomorrow. The next stop will be Masan, Korea.

Day 106 - Cargo in Shanghai

I was up a couple of times during the night and saw glimpses of the sail into Shanghai. We tied up just before breakfast and the plan is to go ashore after lunch. We haven't made plans to go into the city proper, just to wander around in the port area. There is a city street just outside the port gate so likely we'll just go out the gate and walk around for a bit. I have serious doubts that I'll find internet access this way, however, I will bring the USB drive with me. I took a shot today down the wharf showing how much cargo there is just waiting to be loaded. It's not all going on our ship, but it's all going somewhere.

Day 105 - New Construction in Qingdao

We dropped anchor just after 9am in the morning and spent the day at anchor. The visibility is poor with the ships around cloaked in fog or smog. The weather was reasonably warm though so you could spend time on deck. Later in the day there was some sun, although the visibility didn't improve. It's amazing how much chatter there in on the radio when the ship dropped anchor. I thought the third officer was showing a lot of patience as he continued to call the pilot station, and received no response. We found out at dinner that we will be leaving the anchorage just after midnight. I think we'll skip this transit into Shanghai. Today's picture is of the pedestrian mall being built in Qingdao for the Olympics. It's quite a beautiful building with planter boxes around and lovely wide sidewalks.

Day 104 - Close Call

The eventual departure time was just after 12 noon, so we took an early lunch and spent the entire transit time on the bridge. It was a lovely day, although a little hazy. There were a number of small fishing vessels in one section of the channel. From previous conversations I don't think they're actually supposed to spread their nets in the marked channels. Our ship kept blowing the horn, the pilot was constantly on the radio, and when we were almost upon them they finally started hauling up their nets and moving out of the way. We came pretty close to one of them. This of course made for a lovely picture for me. Passengers have quite different priorities than the crew. The moment we were past the fishing vessels, of course, they all rushed to come back into the channel.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in dense fog as we sail south towards Shanghai. Today was actually Easter Sunday as well as our steward's birthday. So there was wine with dinner from the captain, and beer and wine later in the crew mess in honour of Alberto's birthday. There was, of course, karaoke - Alberto is quite a good singer. One of the newer crewmembers, Michael, was convinced to bring in his guitar and he sang for a while as well. It was a great evening and it was after midnight before people started to drift away. We should be at the Shanghai anchorage tomorrow morning about 8 or 9am. We will drop anchor and wait for more information.

Day 103 - Tsingtao Beer

We hadn't cleared customs/immigration late last night although the captain was sitting waiting for them. The bureaucracy of each port must be frustrating. Even as passengers we see a big difference in each port in the way we enter and exit the port. Take today for example: We collected our passports on board and showed them to a guard at the bottom of the gangway. We walked out of port gate (let's call it A) and someone looked at it again. I should point out that they only looked at the passport section and not at the visa (although they did look at the visa in the last port). We spent the next seven hours walking around the city and grabbed a taxi back to the port gate (let's call it B). We had actually gone past where we wanted to, but I realised that the driver was likely taking us to the main gate. Well, we didn't get in at gate B, no chance. No real explanation, well, not in English at least. So we walked back out to the road and back to gate A, where the guy barely looked at my passport and didn't look at my mother's. We're pretty sure the fellow at this gate was the same one from the morning, so it's likely he remembered us.

This is because after seven hours in Qingdao we had not seen another non-Asian face. So, you know, we kind of stand out. One of our fellow passengers was even in the city as well, but we didn't run into him. Anyway, we had a good time wandering around Qingdao. Wandering is the best term as it wasn't until perhaps 2pm in the afternoon that I figured out where we had been. I still wasn't entirely sure where we were though. At one point a very nice local man offered to help us, and the map confused him as well! You can see the massive efforts going into preparing the city for the 2008 Olympics. The sailing events will be held in this area. Street signs are in English, although the map I had only had about 5% of the streets marked in English. Some of the newer stores have English signs. The bank teller who exchanged our currency spoke excellent English. When we stopped for lunch the restaurant manager helped us to place our order, although the menu had some pictures and some English on it. And the strangest one was while resting a for few minutes on a bench outside a shopping mall a man came and asked for the time - in English. We suspect this last fellow was practicing his English, but it was funny just the same.

As well, there is a lot of construction going on in preparing shopping malls, apartments and/or rental units. Some of it is quite gorgeous, including a planned pedestrian mall that we walked along. All and all it was an interesting day in the city. We found out today that we'll be sailing tomorrow morning at 10am. So, although we won't get another day in town, we're hoping for some lovely views of the city and shoreline as we sail out. The picture from today is one of a few I'd like to share (and will likely add in more when we're crossing the Pacific). This was taken on Beer Street, near Tsingtao brewery. I mean, who would pass up the chance to have their picture taken beside a giant beer can!

Day 102 - Red Sky

The day today was spent sailing between Xiangang and Qingdao. The overcast sky showed odd colours throughout the day, so that's what the picture for the day is. It's very obvious by now that this consistent haze is pollution in the air. We've really only had one or two very clear days since we came into Chinese waters. The docking was done by about 9:30pm tonight and I would think by now we've cleared customs. The map I have of Qingdao shows where we are, as well as the sights to see. It would be a fantastic map if it just had a scale on it. So tomorrow we'll set off and see if things are within walking distance or not. Hopefully we have more than just a day to explore the area. Our next stop (and last Chinese port) is Shanghai, although I think it's a short stop only to load containers.

Day 101 - More of Port

I meant to mention yesterday that I had quickly looked up our schedule when I was in the internet cafe. It changes here quite a bit and I'd been sending an email to our house sitter (and cat-sitter I guess as well) letting her know we would be later than expected. When I checked Rickmers site I saw that our time had indeed changed again. As well, we will be returning to New Orleans before we go to Houston. This is a big plus for us as we love the city and it will be nice to visit again without the winter jackets.

Times change constantly and you really can't count on getting somewhere by a specific time and/or date. In fact here in Xiangang (or Tianjin) we found out today that we'll actually be leaving earlier than expected. Originally the plan was to be here for three days, however, the pilot will be on board tonight at 7pm. The next port is Qingdao (Tsingtao), which will be the sailing venue for the 2008 Olympics. I actually have a tourist map for the area and it looks like there should be some actual sightseeing to do. All we need is decent weather and a couple of days to do so.

Day 100 - Port of Tianjin

About 10am this morning the captain mentioned that taxis were not allowed into the port and that the port gate was 2 or 3 km from the ship. Based on that we decided to start our explorations after lunch. We took a little money, the camera, and the USB drive with us. The plan was to walk outside the port gate and see what was around. Usually there are a few small shops that cater to the seamen, although not always. As we left the ship we had not one, but two offers of cars from people on the dock. The first fellow we put off, however, the second one (which was actually a couple) we struck a deal with. We would be taken to somewhere that I could get onto the internet and see a little bit of the city. This would cost us $5 to get in and the same to get back. I made sure that they would agree to meet us for the return trip and they agreed. This was important as we hadn't talked to the port agent and didn't have the address / berth of the ship.

So off we went into what I think is a typical Chinese port city. There are lots of businesses grouped around the port, tons of trucks, and then a lot of apartment buildings with small stores / businesses around. The one thing that was interesting here is that it really didn't seem that busy. Of course the major city, Tianjin, is at least an hour's drive away. Technically I suppose these are the suburbs. There really isn't much to see in the area, as most of what's here is quite new. Even when reading up about Tianjin I got the impression that most of the historic buildings were destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion. The main draw for passengers to this port would be a trip into Beijing and a trip to see the Great Wall. We're about 160km from Beijing as the crow flies. The couple that drove us around today would have been quite happy I think to take us there. They would have been a great choice as the car was comfortable, the wife very friendly, and the husband's English was quite good. As it happens we've been to these places and weren't interested in returning. I understand that the parts of the wall we had visited are now complete with cable cars and even a McDonalds. I'm not sure these are improvements.

The internet cafe was somewhere I would never have found on my own. It was in a second floor of a row of shops, which we got to by following a young guy the driver found for me once we were in town. He made sure I got a working computer and made sure they gave me the proper change for the time I'd paid for. The only unfortunate thing was that none of the machines had USB ports enabled. Later, when he came back for me I found out that this was done for virus protection. I caught up on some email and just put a quick note up on the blog. The only problem now is I'm collecting more and more entries so when I finally get access I'm going to need a couple of hours to do everything at once. I was amazed at the number of computers and people in this place during the middle of the day. Generally most of the places we've used are not so busy during the day, and then quite busy at night. Here there were at least a couple of dozen guys on and offline playing games mainly.

After a small amount of shopping we headed back to the ship. The driver's wife had actually spent the time we were in town with my mother. I have to admit I was glad about this as getting back is sometimes the toughest part. We paid our fare upon return to the ship and the driver's wife gave me a gift of a CD as we were leaving. I was hoping it was Chinese, but it was Britney Spears! As we went up the gangplank she came over with another one for my mother - Shania Twain. I think this one was because she's Canadian. So we can add another 'first' to our trip - our first probably bootleg CDs. If they are bootleg CDs they look pretty professional.

Day 99 - Heading to Xiangang

The captain gave us a time today for the pilot ?5pm. Okay, it's a little later in the day than we'd hope for, but it's good to know we actually have a time set. The actual time was closer to 6pm. In fact, by about 5:45 we had decided that we'd go early for dinner so we could be on the bridge when we came alongside. This was a good plan as we made our final approach to the pier just before 8pm. I took a few shots of the sunset after dinner, including this one of a channel marker we could see last night from the anchorage. It's just after 9pm and the captain is down dealing with customs and immigration. So far in China we only had to make an appearance in the first port of Huangpu. Even here in China they are inconsistent with people coming and going. In Huangpu and Shanghai you just got off the ship and went on your way. In Dalian there was a guard at the bottom of the gangplank who recorded everyone coming on and off the ship. So far the best ports to get in and out of were in Camden, New Jersey and in Hamburg, Germany. There was security, which I don't object to, however they seem to have their act together. Anyway, we'll see in the morning how long we'll be here and see what plans we'll make.

Day 98 - Xiangang Anchorage

Today brings no news of when we will be able to berth. The captain thought he would hear something in the afternoon but didn't mention it at dinner. I think this is the only time during the trip that you feel a little out of sorts. When you're sailing you feel like you're going somewhere. In port, even if there isn't much you want to do, you can always watch the unloading / loading which is always interesting. Sitting at anchor is just sitting at anchor. You can see from the picture here that there are a lot of ships all waiting like us. Good thing we're not all waiting for one spot. I found more sun today even though it was a bit colder. The weather cleared up beautifully though and you could actually see blue sky. The delay in a couple of the ports probably means we won't be back until mid-May. A while back the posted list showed Houston dates of May 10th - May 15th. I'm pretty sure those will have changed by now. Oh well, such is the life on a cargo ship. This means likely a late April crossing of the Pacific, so I'm hoping this means good weather.

Day 97 - Catching a Few Rays

We arrived at Xiangang about 9am, which was our new time for the pilot. I was in the cabin taking a look out the window and I noticed something odd. Whenever we pick up a pilot there are 3 or 4 guys who help open the gate and bring the pilot on board. One of them will then escort him/them up to the bridge. Sometimes they come on the starboard side, other times the port side. Well, because we have little cargo on board at the moment I had a clear view of both stations. As the ship started to slow down just before 9 I couldn't see any of the guys at either station. Sure enough, we dropped anchor and will wait to find out when we will proceed.

At lunch the Captain tried to play an April Fool's Day joke on us. He tried to tell us that the schedule had changed and we would be heading back to Europe. It was a nice try, but we had already been discussing the date and didn't fall for it. I figure that a dry-dock / repair story, or a long time at the anchorage might have been an easier sell, however, I suppose he didn't want to tempt fate with one of those.

So after lunch I found a section of the upper deck that had sun, combined with very little wind. Combining those two things with a deck chair (and a coat) made for a nice afternoon on deck. Hopefully tomorrow will bring news of when we will be heading into Xiangang.

Day 96 - Port of Dalian

Last night's trip into the town was very interesting. It was a lot of fun as we went out during the worst thunderstorm we've seen since we started the trip. We gathered in the crew mess (7 crew and 3 passengers) and realised that the one car coming wasn't going to do it. We went down to the main deck, retrieved our passports, and went down the gangway. After the Chinese security guy checked our credentials the three passengers piled into the first car along with one of the crew. He made sure that another two cars were coming and off we went. We ended up at a bar beside the seamen's centre. The whole street really catered to them with a number of stores, an international phone centre and hotel. I suspect the hotel was of the type that rents by the hour, most specifically to the girls hanging around the entrance hall of the bar we were heading into. Having said all that we had a great time drinking Tsingtao beer and consuming lots of snacks. I've noticed this before when the guys go out. As much as they like a drink or two they are more likely to buy peanuts, potato chips, whatever. So while we were in the bar the crew took trips to the local store buying snacks, running shoes, DVDs, and one even came back with a DVD player. I think the girls were pretty disappointed. I don't think any of the guys partook of the extra services (who knows, that's their business).

Just after 11pm (that's late when you're back on duty at 6am) we headed back to the ship. Again, there were four of us in the one car - and I'm pretty sure the other 5 ended up in a second car. By now the streets were puddles of dirty brown/black water, which you just couldn't avoid. I'm not sure my white running shoes will ever be white again. We slept in this morning as we had a planned departure of noon. As it turned out we're still sitting here at 9pm awaiting departure. The pilot was on board at 6pm but announced there was a problem and left. We're feeling sorry for the captain who has to be the most patient man as this isn't unusual (delays, not the pilot getting off the ship). It's a short trip to our next port of Xiangang. I'm starting to feel that I should put internet cafe up to the top of the list! It's been 22 days since I updated anything. I don't want to have to spend hours doing the next update. Sadly I'm getting wireless signals here in Dalian, however, both are private networks.

No matter - I will try to get at least one update done before crossing the Pacific. We have 6 ports before that becomes a problem. I might even go ashore in Shanghai just to do that if I can't find one before that!

Day 95 - Dalian

We docked in Dalian this morning at 10am. The weather really wasn't any better and you could barely see the city. I wasn't feeling particularly well so my mother set off on her own, primarily to have a walk around the port. However, there was a driver from a seaman's club and she and my mother reached an agreement on a short trip to the city. This area is quite new, the city actually being called Dalian 1, and there doesn't seem to be any hope of an internet caf? The afternoon brought rain and this actually cleared up skyline a bit so I took a few pictures. This evening we're planning on joining some of the crew on a trip into town. Well, at least I think it's into town. Traditionally it's usually the closest bar, usually within walking distance. If nothing else it will be interesting.

Day 94 - Fog or Smog

Today's picture pretty much gives an idea of what it has been like since we reached China. I can't decide if it's fog or smog. When we're in the heavily industrial ports such as Huangpu or Shanghai I always assume that it's smog. However, even when sailing between ports the visibility is poor. It may also be the time of year with the air warming up and the sea still cold. It just gives the impression that you're not moving. When you look down close to the ship you see that you are, but there's nothing to mark progress against. Also you don't see the sun so there's no concept of what direction you're heading. Today from the bridge I could see that there were at least a dozen ships within 4 to 6 miles away, however, I know it's unlikely I'll ever see them. We're going to be in Dalian tomorrow morning, although we found out that we're going to be in a newer port, one that they haven't been in before.

Day 93 - Unloading

Sailing out of Shanghai was only just a little more chaotic than coming in. I was a little surprised when we came away from the wharf that we came stern first, although it was probably easier to make our getaway that way. I'm actually surprised that that constant river traffic slowed down enough to let us out. We both had the impression it's a lot like the QEW highway during rush hour. So using that analogy it's like trying to get a transport truck turned around to face the other way! We're just over a day's sail from pilot station to pilot station so that should get us into Dalian by Friday morning. I hear there's not much to see in Dalian so I'm hoping perhaps a seaman's mission might prove the best plan.

Day 92 - Port of Shanghai

Well, after lots of discussion we ended up staying on board today. We came in late last night and it was dark, raining and miserable. This morning dawned with some actual sun, which was nice. The day was spent watching the unloading and the unbelievable traffic on the Huangpu River. Tomorrow's sail time has changed a couple of times. Originally it was early afternoon. At lunch the captain was told he could get a pilot at 9am tomorrow or 10pm. From the looks of the traffic this may have something to do with the flow of the other ships. Tonight at dinner he confirmed that we would leave tomorrow at 10pm. The plans for tomorrow are to just walk out to the outer gate and take a quick look around. The supercargo says there is pretty much nothing of interest, but if nothing else this will get us off the ship for a little bit. I'll take the website updates just in case.

Day 91 - Yangtze River

We started into Shanghai in the early afternoon. The number of ships increased until you start to think it's amazing we got in at all. After dinner, as we made our final approach, it wasn't unusual to see ships coming extremely close (at apparently high rates of speed). I think in the end about the closest any of them came was one meter ?but that's pretty close. We're now tied up at Shanghai, although in the dark it's really impossible to see where we are. The captain is downstairs at the moment with customs (and possibly immigration). Even though we went through all the formalities in Huangpu it's likely we'll have to do them again. Once the sun is up in the morning, or at least when it's daylight, we'll decide what we will do. At the moment it's not only dark but it's raining. This fact may delay our unloading and loading.

Day 90 - Shanghai Anchorage

The weather just doesn't seem to want to clear. In the evening it's actually easier to see other ships around with their lights. Yesterday it rained about 5pm, however, a tarpaulin was found and hung over the back deck. By the time the barbecue started it was cool, but we were kept dry. This wasn't a problem as we all had warm clothing and dinner was excellent. As darkness fell you again could see the other ships around us. In honour of being in between Chinese ports we drank Tsingtao beer. Okay, it was an international night starting with Spanish wine (picked up in Aviles) and ending with pannatone (picked up in Genoa). In the late afternoon today you could actually see the sun itself for a little while so I took a few snapshots.

Day 89 - Current Location

We found out from the captain last night that we'll be here at the anchorage until either Sunday or Monday. I can pretty much tell it's going to be Monday. For tonight they are preparing a barbecue complete with another roast pig. As Sunday is generally the only day the crew get some time off I do kind of hope we don't sail in tomorrow. It's only some of the crew that get time off. The bridge officers do their shifts regardless of what day of the week it is. It's actually kind of odd as they do 4 hours on, 8 hours off. So if you work 4am - 8am you are back on the bridge from 4pm to 8pm. After dark there is a second sailor with them helping with the watch. On top of that they have paperwork and reports, especially the Chief Officer. In port they help with the loading and unloading as well as being on call as needed. A few of them are going to be leaving the ship in Masan, Korea and they are looking forward to that. Who wouldn't after 9 months on board!

Today seemed as good a day to show our position as the fog / smog at the anchorage makes it almost impossible to see anything. There have been times you cannot see the bow of the ship from the pilot deck.

Day 88 - Fishing on the Pearl River

Well, it's another dull grey day, however, we're closer to Shanghai. It's just after lunchtime and we're slowing down as we approach the anchorage location. The captain is waiting to hear from the port agent to see how long we'll be at anchor. We're still very unsure of what we'll do in Shanghai. We've run the gamut from doing nothing (i.e. staying on the ship) to going into Shanghai and checking into a hotel (if we're there more than a day). Like other ports, I suppose we'll make the final decision once we're tied up and have a better idea of where we've docked. I've got one last picture from the Pearl River near Huangpu to use for today. It's of a small fishing boat pulling in their net. It was surprising to see, as I'm not sure I believe that fish could survive in the water!

Day 87 - New Bridge

I checked today and found out our arrival with be tomorrow in the early afternoon. That's the arrival at the pilot station. It turns out that we will have to drop anchor and await instructions. The captain relies a great deal on the local agents and they seem to be a mixed bunch. The other person we take on board at each stop is the supercargo. He's the person responsible for how the cargo is loaded (i.e. the balancing plan). The agent is usually a different person in each port, whereas the supercargo will often be the same person for a specific area.

There's not much to see outside today. From time to time we pass a fishing boat, however, the skies are grey so visibility is poor. We spent some time down in the crew mess after dinner. The movie of the evening was Mission Impossible, followed by some karaoke and a concert video (Gloria Estefan). There was no real rush to go to sleep, as it's unlikely we'll be in port tomorrow.

The picture for today is of a bridge in progress over the Pearl River. I think it's the first time I've ever seen a suspension bridge being built. One of the crew was telling me that Huangpu had a population of 3 million and even had a McDonalds. I haven't quite decided if that's a sign of civilization or of its decline.

Day 86 - Portable Crane

Well, the trip back down the Pearl River was just a little more interesting than the one coming in. No, the sky wasn't any clearer. The river just seemed a little busier than on the way in. This made for closer inspection of the other traffic on the river. I think this was a little too close for the pilot and the captain as not one, but two, ships came a little too close for comfort. They were both smaller ships that would have perhaps been in trouble if our crew weren't on top of their form. I heard later from the Chief Officer that this isn't uncommon in busy Chinese ports, especially in Shanghai. The picture for today is one of the huge floating cranes that they move out to the ships that don't come to the wharf.

So we're on our way to Shanghai. I think it's only a couple of days travel, but will check tomorrow when we're closer. Late in the evening we started seeing lots of lights and reflections in front of our cabin so I went up to the bridge to see what they were. It turns out that they are squid fisherman, using extremely bright lights to attract the squid. I stayed up on the bridge for a while and watched the numerous fishing boats pass by.

Day 85 - Huangpu

This morning we found out that we'll probably be here all day. The captain is waiting for the agent to confirm our departure. I actually think it's a combination of when cargo operations will be complete, combined with the availability of a pilot. I was up on the bridge this morning talking to him about the city. His opinion is that there is nothing to see in Huangpu. I think he's right. The city is a very drab looking industrial town with probably everything geared to the port. I did manage to take a nice shot of the city just before we docked yesterday so I've used it for today's picture. You can see the massive building partly constructed in the background. That seems to be very common in this area. The crew were out last night at one the local bars and I suspect plans are being made for tonight as well. I suppose if I really wanted to see Huangpu this would be an option, however, I'm not sure if a bar near the port is actually seeing Huangpu.

China was the only country on this trip I wasn't really looking forward to visiting. I'd have to check to know what year we were here before, however, it was 12 or 13 years ago. We spent about 10 days here and visited the typical tourist spots. I'm always glad we came to China, but I had never planned to return. From what I hear it's probably best not to return to them. The section of the Great Wall we visited back then now has a cable car and a McDonalds. I seriously doubt either of these has added to the majesty of the Great Wall itself. In a way it's probably better to remember the sights as they were. Also, for a Canadian, China is pretty crowded. The encyclopaedia I've been using shows Canada's total population in 2005 estimated just under 33 million. Shanghai, our next stop, had a municipal population of 16.7 million in 2000. For myself it was culture shock. Even some of the smaller northern ports have populations greater than 2 million. Shanghai is probably the obvious city to get off the ship and explore, except, we've seen the more obvious tourist stops. In the end I suppose it will have more to do with either the port agent or how stir crazy we get.

Day 84 - Pearl River

The Pilot came aboard this morning and we were off at 8am as planned. The early part of the voyage was mainly passing through channel markers, as the land at this point is too far away to see. Just before lunch we came into the narrower part of the delta and started passing numerous docks and industrial areas. You get the impression that the river here spawned the industry, which it probably did. The conditions are hazy and I don't think it has to do with the recent rain. The river is quite dirty, something we had noticed while at the anchorage. Don't get me wrong; most of the ports we've come into have been polluted. In Houston you get a scum line that follows the tide. So far though I think this has been the worst. It's also probably the busiest area we've come through. Even with all the wharves we've come past, some ships still anchor out and are loaded mid-river. I took this picture just before coming into Huangpu.

We docked about 2pm and went through the usual customs and immigration procedures. Well, with two exceptions. We had our temperature taken using a laser thermometer and later had to come down again to have someone compare our pictures again to our passports. After dinner we decided that we really weren't interested in exploring Huangpu. The supercargo had said there were a few bars and shops that catered to the seamen just outside the gate, however, we really weren't interested. Our sailing should be tomorrow morning so it's unlikely we'll do any sightseeing either.

Day 83 - Free Time on Deck

We both looked outside this morning and decided to go back to bed for a bit. The sun has actually come out, although it's still pretty hazy. I had taken pictures yesterday but today I took a few more and replaced yesterday's picture. The camera is starting to give me real problems, so I really think I'll have to look at getting a new one in China. I'm kind of sorry I didn't do so in Vietnam. I'd been killing time waiting for our guide to buy show tickets and saw one that would have been a good purchase. It's better to purchase something when you don't think you actually need it. Now I suppose I'll end up having to buy something or have no camera at all. The captain hadn't confirmed out pilot time for tomorrow - hopefully it is still tomorrow. I put together a few pictures of our sun deck (pilot deck or cofferdam depending on what you're reading). They were taken sailing up the coast of Vietnam. We're just close enough to Hong Kong at the moment to see planes coming to and from the airport. We're just not close enough to get there! Oh well, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Day 82 - Huangpu Anchorage

We arrived at the anchorage early in the morning. It's a very hazy day, not the type that the sun burns off the haze. The wind picked up later in the day and it's just not pleasant weather even though the actual temperature is mid 20s. We heard from the captain that the pilot would be aboard tomorrow at 8am. The actual transit to the wharf will take about 7 hours. It's nice that it will be in daylight, even if the weather is poor. In the evening things changed with the captain pausing at our door to tell me that the pilot is cancelled for the morning. It seems as though it's raining in Huangpu, which may be delaying the ship currently tied up in our place. He hopes to know more tomorrow. For now we just wait.

Day 81 - Karaoke

We're on our way from Vietnam to China. Turns out that we have another birthday to be celebrated, so it's off to the crew mess to have a few drinks and sing a little karaoke. I didn't actually take the camera with me; however, this was taken during a similar evening (although that time we were out on the back deck). The Chief Officer, pictured here, is the only one that the picture turned out halfway decent. I had one of my mother but I think she would disown me if I posted it. We should be in China tomorrow, however, we've learned that we'll have to anchor slightly offshore to await a pilot. There is no specific time and date for the pilot although we're hoping it will be the 18th.

Day 80 - City Temple

The day dawned very grey. In fact, I was up about 6am and looked outside, deciding that maybe it wasn't sunrise yet. Hours later it's still pretty miserable looking. We'll likely still walk outside the gate after lunch to a duty free store we saw yesterday. The camera is acting up and I think I'll probably break down and buy a new one if I can. It can also wait until our next port in necessary. I'm getting this ready to post; however, I don't think I'll get internet access until we go into HaLong Bay. I'm not sure we will, but I'd rather be prepared. Our next stop will be China, specifically Huangpu. It's a city of under 100,000 within perhaps 50km of Canton. I suspect that Huangpu itself is simply a port city. I'm not sure what we will do there. I suppose we'll find out.

Well, we did go out to the duty free store. They really just had alcohol and cigarettes, so we just came back. We briefly talked about getting a taxi into town, however, the weather is dismal. It's not quite raining, but just misty enough you feel you should have an umbrella up. It would be a perfect day for a nap but I just didn't get around to one. Oh well, here's hoping we sail out of this weather once we leave tonight. The last thing we heard was the pilot was called for 10pm. If it's raining/foggy like it was when we came in I might not bother going up on the bridge. It's a shame because the view of HaLong Bay was quite lovely even in the dark. I don't think it would have mattered even if we sailed out during the day today with the weather being so poor.

Day 79 - Hanoi Streets

We did eventually decide on a trip to Hanoi. There was a lot of confusion over the cost and if it was going to be an overnight trip or not. This was because the captain didn't have a definite departure time for the next day. We ended up taking an overnight bag and promising to call the agent in the afternoon. The drive to Hanoi is about 2-3 hours and gave us a chance to see a good deal of the countryside. It really is a country of contrasts. We saw a combination of more traditional practices, such as the rice paddies and the traditional triangular hats. We also saw a number of more modern structures being build, both commercial and residential. As well, the little narrow shops we passed en route to the capital almost always had a large television in them somewhere (more evident in the evening when heading home).

Hanoi was, for us at least, a reminder of what busy Asian cities are like. I suppose we would have seen the same in Bangkok if we had headed there when in Thailand. The streets are crowded, the stores full of anything you could possibly want to buy. This includes a large number of CDs and DVDs likely to cheap to be legitimate. Crossing streets is like taking your life into your own hands, although the guide with us was good at helping. We saw a good deal of the city including a very good water puppet show. That doesn't sound as impressive as it was.

Even though we found out we likely could have stayed overnight we decided we would rather head back to the ship. As busy as the streets were during the day we figured it would be worse during the evening. As well, the weather had started to darken. It had rained the days before we had arrived and in fact started raining again on the way home. It seemed a better idea to head home. The ship really has that feel to it, and we spent the late evening with some of the crew in the mess. A few of the crew will be leaving in Masan, Korea - more notably the first officer Jesse, and the carpenter Bobby who has made us feel very welcome and occasionally tries to teach me Tagalog. I think both of them will be missed.

Day 78 - Fishing Boats

Sailing between Thailand and our next port (Cai Lan, Vietnam) takes just over three days, so we're again enjoying the warm weather. We've pretty settled into a routine for the days at sea. Originally we started by not setting the alarm at all. When the time was changing quite a bit between Suez and Singapore this was a bad idea. Our bodies weren't used to the time changes and we would end up sleeping almost to lunchtime. Then in the evening we couldn't sleep at all. After Singapore we decided to split the difference and set the alarm for 9:30. Most mornings we get up at this time and have an orange and mother has coffee made down the hall in the lounge. The rest of the morning can be spent reading, walking on deck, laundry, whatever catches your fancy. After lunch usually I take a chair and spend a little time in the sun, then pull the chair back into the shade. My mother either reads or takes a nap. Later in the afternoon it's time for a swim before dinner. After dinner usually we watch a few of the television episodes (currently watching Season 3 of Stargate SG-1) before bed. It's a nice way to spend the slow days between ports. It's likely that as we head further north that it won't be as nice on deck and as the ocean temperature drops they won't be filling the pool. It's a shame, although you can usually find a nice spot on one of the decks somewhere. Today we passed a large number of fishing boats, close enough to take a few pictures.

The pilot will be on board for our approach to Cai Lan tonight. We still haven't found out what the tour includes (or even if we're confirmed). So we'll see what happens when we get there.

Day 77 - Reception Room

There has been no more information about the tour in Cai Lan. Our fellow passengers have decided not to go, although we have. Unless the price changes radically we will head into Hanoi. It seems pointless to come all this way and not go ashore. One of the passengers will likely do what she did in Spain - go down the gangplank and back up again. She's an odd person. I can understand not wanting to visit a port, I myself feel that way about Shanghai. I just don't understand the point of simply setting your feet on the ground so you can go home and say you visited Spain. Oh well, I'm sure we're just as odd to her.

The picture today is another one from the Thai temple that we visited. The temple was built to showcase the many forms of religion that they practice. It was built by a local man and brought all kinds of artifacts and exhibits together in one place. Towards the back there was a reception room, used when important visitors came. Seems like there's a visitor today, I'll let you decide if she's important.

Day 76 - Thai Temple

We're having another quiet day at sea, sailing in the South China Sea. It's funny, but the heat of the other day is now welcome as we have the cooling wind accompanying it. The captain told us that the port agent could arrange a tour in Vietnam. Being a little paranoid after the mix-up in Thailand we tentatively agreed but asked for more information. It sounds like it's a two-day trip with an overnight stay. I suspect in the end it will just be the two of us on the tour, which would be okay. An email has been sent to the agent, so hopefully we'll get more information. Just spent the day enjoying the lovely weather. Today's picture is from a temple we visited during our trip to Thailand.

Day 75 - Elephant Show

This morning we found out that we would be leaving about 5pm. The captain asked us to be back on board for 3pm. We talked about it and decided that it left us with too little time to do any real sightseeing. So we decided that we would just take a bit of a walk around the port. Since often they discourage random wandering, for safety reasons, we just walked over to the cantina I was at last night. This would have been a good idea except for the heat. It seemed to be much hotter than it had been yesterday. After we had reached the cantina (in which the air conditioning wasn't keeping up) we decided to just walk back to the ship. It was a nice little stroll, perhaps 45 minutes in all, but it was enough. We were back up on the bridge for sailing out of the harbour, although sailing out was far less complicated than sailing in. When we first came in it was a pretty tight fit and they turned us around before tying up. So for leaving they just had to pull us away from the wharf and after that we sailed out under our own steam.

I couldn't decide between all the pictures I had taken in Thailand, so I'm using one from the elephant show today and will use one from the temple tomorrow.

Day 74 - Tropical Garden

Well, the agent came aboard later last night and we agreed to a tour. The price quoted was far too low as we found out as we approached the first stop. I realised when I saw the entrance fee that the amount quoted couldn't have been correct. I was right, as the agent gave us a different price when we got out of the car. So, we've learned a lesson - make sure what the tour includes. We would still have agreed to the price ($60 total), however, one of the passengers had wavered a lot on coming. Her main priority was to shop, so I doubt she would have come with the higher price.

Anyway, we had a great day. We went to the Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens, which were incredible. During our time there we also saw an elephant show. I know they are probably questionable, however, the elephants really did seem to enjoy themselves. One in particular was quite the character. After a stop in the orchid garden we headed to a temple that actually combined Thai and Chinese religions to showcase all. A late lunch in an open-air Pattaya restaurant gave us a quick look at the beach town everyone said we should visit. I'm glad it was only a part of the tour as it was a typical tourist beach town. Then we made a shopping stop in a mall. This gave me a chance to use the internet and also let us buy some mix for our Jack Daniels!

We made it back to the ship just before dinnertime. After dinner I went out to a local cantina with one of the other passengers and some of the crew. It was more like a small variety store with a couple of tables and a television playing music videos. Although having said that the staff pulled a few tables together and brought glasses for the beer we bought. The guys added some snacks - handy in the store, and we had a fun evening. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but the karaoke microphone was broken!

Day 73 - More of Singapore

Somewhere in the Indian Ocean I dropped a day! So I need to add a placeholder and will likely fix it once I get home (or while travelling through the US on my way home). I took one more shot of Singapore to use for this 'found' day.

Quick Note

Hello from Xiangang.

Unless I find a machine here with a working USB port I won't be able to update anything today. I just thought I'd put up a post saying that we're still around and both doing well. We have another stop in Qingdao and then back to Shanghai. That's followed by Masan in Korea and two stops in Japan. Right now we're showing as being back in Houston as late as May 17th (for those keeping track).