I cant believe there is only a few more weeks to go before I hop on a plane and come home... I miss everyone so much, but this life that I have out here....its just hard to have to walk away. Grit still doesnt know if she is transferring onto the Diamond Princess with me or not either. Ugh.
These last few weeks are going to be spent as best as possible: with my new friends and family. I had some guy whom I only talk to once every few days come up to me in Singapore on Saturday while I was doing embarkation photos, and he asked to have a picture taken with me. When I asked him why, he said in broken english "You are nice to me. I want a photo with my friend." Things like this happen every day, and even though I always take it to heart, it still gets taken granted for. You just simply don't know what you have until its gone. Having said that, I know it doesn't make sense and sounds invalid because I AM feeling it, and I am NOT gone yet...but I think deep down my heart is already starting to break the ties from life out here. I am a cancer, its what I do. I live in my little shell, and I am proud. I just hate having to even think of getting emails from all my friends that I see 50-60 times a day just because I may never see them again. We were in Phuket again yesterday for example, and Szymon and I decided to take some more people back to the Elephant Trekking (photos to be added after I finish this post). So, Szymon, Grit, Nyamh (pronounced 'Neev'), Will, Elise, and myself all marched up and down the hills in two's, with our elephants. I was disappointed I didn't get "Sweetheart" again, but I did ask to see her when we finished. It was like going to visit a distant relative - a quick "HELLO, I miss you, I'm sorry I haven't called..." and then we were gone. She's just an elephant, I only met her once, she doesn't know me. Once we got back to the ship I looked at the photos from the day, and already felt nostalgic.
The bottom line is this:
The next time I crawl back in,
the shell that I live in
I'll see my new photos on the wall,
and all my friends are callin'
and they will come running in
The shell that I live in.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Puppies!
Ok, after that silly webcam picture I finally thought of something to do lol.....upload the puppy pictures!!! Adobe looks so tired but she makes me so proud and looks like such an amazing mum. I cant wait to see them all in May, I hope they are still there and not with their new familes..... who wouldnt love playing with 10 puppies?!??!?!?!?
Oh, the rain has stopped! I will chat with all of you later! Ciao!
Oh, the rain has stopped! I will chat with all of you later! Ciao!
Big Boredom in Little India...
Hey all, its Saturday so its Singapore time again...it is now 4pm and I have decided to spend my few hours off in Singapore's "Little India". Its....pretty big actually lol. There is a massive rainstorm outside at the moment so I thought I would take cover in an internet cafe. This one has webcams lol but unfortunately there is no one online at the moment to talk to....so here is one for when they ARE online lol:
Hello World!
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Elephant Trekking in Phuket..
You want ME to drive?!
This is our elephant, Sweetheart. She was so amazing, she would flap her ears against your legs and if she felt you were falling, she would hold her ears tight to your legs to make sure you would stay on...she really WAS a sweetheart.
A baby male elephant playing with Szymon, tell me that isnt cute.
Sweetheart and I.
I felt a little like Ace Ventura here.... "Come to me Jungle Friends!"
Yet another goofy face from the ride... hey you cant help but feel you are riding into battle when you are sitting bareback on an elephants head lol
No matter what the fun however, when it all boils down to it, this picture still says it all. Sorry to ruin the mood, but it struck a chord with me too.In Port Penang for a few hours...
I have until 4pm off today so i thought i would run ashore and throw some photos online...its so bloody hot here, i got a slight sunburn in Phuket yesterday (yes i FINALLY set foot in Phuket)... we went elephant trekking yesterday and damn what an experience that was.... some of these photos are just random ones that i thought i would share....getting more of a fanbase on the blog so i thought hey....why not show everyone more of what i am doing? :)
This is KohSan Road in Bangkok...this is a giant backpacking area where everyone around the world meets and has a great time... Ray, you were somewhere within a block from me when I took this.... but we never got to meet... so I slept at a prostitutes house with Szymon....long story...but hey, that should shock and awe a few readers hahahah only I know the real story ;)
My feet on Patong Beach in Phuket... where the tsunami hit the hardest on the island....imagine seeing it come in from this view...it hurts the heart. It really does.
I caught this lucky shot as we were doing morning gangway shots in Phuket. I thought it looked pretty neat.
Me sittin on the curb at a 7-11 drinking ChangBeer (bought from 7-11) on the way to Bangkok. I think this was in Laem Chabang...who knows.
Kids in Koh Samui. I thought it would make for a nice pic to get them to make faces at me. They really love seeing themselves on the screen on the camera lol
This is KohSan Road in Bangkok...this is a giant backpacking area where everyone around the world meets and has a great time... Ray, you were somewhere within a block from me when I took this.... but we never got to meet... so I slept at a prostitutes house with Szymon....long story...but hey, that should shock and awe a few readers hahahah only I know the real story ;)
My feet on Patong Beach in Phuket... where the tsunami hit the hardest on the island....imagine seeing it come in from this view...it hurts the heart. It really does.
I caught this lucky shot as we were doing morning gangway shots in Phuket. I thought it looked pretty neat.
Me sittin on the curb at a 7-11 drinking ChangBeer (bought from 7-11) on the way to Bangkok. I think this was in Laem Chabang...who knows.
Kids in Koh Samui. I thought it would make for a nice pic to get them to make faces at me. They really love seeing themselves on the screen on the camera lolWednesday, March 29, 2006
I AM A GRANDPA!!!
Just a quick note to everyone to say Adobe had her puppies!!! I know most of you are thinking "Adobe was pregnant?" well ya she was...lol... and get this: 10 puppies!!!! 8 girls, 2 boys, and aparantly she is doing so well and they are healthy.... i want to see the puppies!!!! Hill, send some pics asap so i can upload them!!! I want pics of Peach with the puppies ok?
Now other news quickly... I have to meet Grit at her Salon in 10 min so we can go for food. I cant remember if i mentioned on here yet or not, but my next ship is NOT Italy. May 8th, when the ship is sold, I come back to Vancouver and have one month off, and then I am continuing on with a new contract and hopping onto the Diamond Princess. Its a Grand Class ship (look at www.princess.com and take a look at it...its so amazing!) and its based out of Vancouver (ironic eh?) and making 2 week cruises to and from Alaska... then in September we go down to the Mexican Riviera. Ah, the ship life :) I just hope Grit can make it to the same ship... being a Steiner (thats the name of the company she works for... hard to explain) its difficult to request a ship. So far our hopes aren't too high, but the universe knows what to do and will make the best for both of us. Szymon, Anna, Will, and maybe even Joel might be heading to Alaska as well, so thats nice. May-August is peak season for the Alaska cruises, and something like 12 out of the 20 ships are there so chances of seeing everyone is pretty good. Not to mention the fact that everytime we stop, there is at least one other ship there, so we can probably visit for a few hours each time if anything.... here's hoping!
ok, more talk later...someone say hi if they can ok? I like getting a few emails every now and then even if its just a hello :)
ciao!
Now other news quickly... I have to meet Grit at her Salon in 10 min so we can go for food. I cant remember if i mentioned on here yet or not, but my next ship is NOT Italy. May 8th, when the ship is sold, I come back to Vancouver and have one month off, and then I am continuing on with a new contract and hopping onto the Diamond Princess. Its a Grand Class ship (look at www.princess.com and take a look at it...its so amazing!) and its based out of Vancouver (ironic eh?) and making 2 week cruises to and from Alaska... then in September we go down to the Mexican Riviera. Ah, the ship life :) I just hope Grit can make it to the same ship... being a Steiner (thats the name of the company she works for... hard to explain) its difficult to request a ship. So far our hopes aren't too high, but the universe knows what to do and will make the best for both of us. Szymon, Anna, Will, and maybe even Joel might be heading to Alaska as well, so thats nice. May-August is peak season for the Alaska cruises, and something like 12 out of the 20 ships are there so chances of seeing everyone is pretty good. Not to mention the fact that everytime we stop, there is at least one other ship there, so we can probably visit for a few hours each time if anything.... here's hoping!
ok, more talk later...someone say hi if they can ok? I like getting a few emails every now and then even if its just a hello :)
ciao!
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Life Moves Funny Sometimes...
I dont even know where to start....um...I am in the Singapore terminal again...eating my cheesy wedges and having a nice cold pint o' Tiger.... I just finished talking to Graham on msn (HEY DUDE!) and after I am done here I am going back onto the ship. Lets see....this morning 8am I was in the Captains Lounge with him, the staff captain, the PSD, and two Singapore officials.... sounds like I murdered someone right? The highest ranks on the ship, two Singapore officials, and ONLY me....I managed to fend them off with my camera... but seriously, all I had to do was photograph them all holding up an envelope saying "We donated $3600 to some place in Singapore".....then Grit, Julia and I grabbed our shite and hitched a taxi to the beach....where the sand looks like bread crumbs and the water tastes like....well....Salt mixed with a tad of Hep A and B....and I swam in it.....so beautiful.......until Grit tossed a handful of sand down the back of my shorts.........and lets just say when I caught her, I learned a few new German words.... After that we came back to the terminal...they had to work and I had to catch a bus to chinatown to meet Szymon...
A word of advice....
in Singapore, Chinatown is just....TOWN...... when a friend says "hey, take the 143 bus to chinatown and i will meet you at the stop between 2:30 and 2:45...." ......get more info.....
So, i walked around, found an american, asked him if he knew where szymon was.... and after laughing by myself, i hit up Burger King (yay), and cabbed it back to the terminal....and this is where I am now...
ok so as far as last week goes.... and the week before (wow i REALLY didnt update this recently lol)... we just did the Mallaca, Port Kelang, Phuket, Port Penang run... in Phuket I was IPM (couldnt get off ship...god dammit).... but we were anchored 1km off shore..and when the big tsunami came a few years ago, we were anchored right in the path it took. Buildings are still blocked off, and even before I knew where we were, I woke up to this certain.....void feeling..... like something was just not right... one side of the ship was land, the other was sea.... and when you look out.....you can just imagine it happening. We were all celebrating Christmas when it happened......and Boxing day over here....and ....you can just see it coming........its just...... its a real mindfuck.... there....first swear on my blog, but there ya go... +100,000 people died that day, and some of them right here....tourists.... like me....10am, ......and the scary thing was, Grit and I were eating out on the back deck when I was explaining (or trying....) this to her....and it was 10:30am....close enough to shake you up.
Do me a favor... if you can, search and find "tsunami sound file" on google.. somewhere out there, there is a recording of the earth splitting open under the sea.....turn all the lights off, turn it up as loud as you can, and just sit there... thats all that went through my mind as Grit and I stood at the railing looking out into the sea in Phuket. Thats all I could think.
......deep breathe.....back to writing updates now: We are doing Laem Chabang this cruise again (BANGGGGGGGGGGGGG-KOK!) and guess what....
my next door neighbor in Calgary...Ray...good buddy from a mutual ...friend...
He and his girl went backpacking to India last November (driven to the airport by yours truly) and this week...they are in Bangkok.....and I am going to meet them.....how crazy is that?! "oh hey guys, have fun on the other side of the planet...oh and by the way....4 months from now, are you free for a cold one in Bangkok? Great! I will pencil you in!"
Life moves funny sometimes....
Like sitting on the beach today and hearing "Sakura, raise the flag.....no no no, the orange one".....signs from past lives....still haunting me...
that last sentence was for me. Dont expect to understand it. Nothing wrong with writing for JUST ME sometimes.
Life moves funny sometimes......
See you all in the next cartoon.
A word of advice....
in Singapore, Chinatown is just....TOWN...... when a friend says "hey, take the 143 bus to chinatown and i will meet you at the stop between 2:30 and 2:45...." ......get more info.....
So, i walked around, found an american, asked him if he knew where szymon was.... and after laughing by myself, i hit up Burger King (yay), and cabbed it back to the terminal....and this is where I am now...
ok so as far as last week goes.... and the week before (wow i REALLY didnt update this recently lol)... we just did the Mallaca, Port Kelang, Phuket, Port Penang run... in Phuket I was IPM (couldnt get off ship...god dammit).... but we were anchored 1km off shore..and when the big tsunami came a few years ago, we were anchored right in the path it took. Buildings are still blocked off, and even before I knew where we were, I woke up to this certain.....void feeling..... like something was just not right... one side of the ship was land, the other was sea.... and when you look out.....you can just imagine it happening. We were all celebrating Christmas when it happened......and Boxing day over here....and ....you can just see it coming........its just...... its a real mindfuck.... there....first swear on my blog, but there ya go... +100,000 people died that day, and some of them right here....tourists.... like me....10am, ......and the scary thing was, Grit and I were eating out on the back deck when I was explaining (or trying....) this to her....and it was 10:30am....close enough to shake you up.
Do me a favor... if you can, search and find "tsunami sound file" on google.. somewhere out there, there is a recording of the earth splitting open under the sea.....turn all the lights off, turn it up as loud as you can, and just sit there... thats all that went through my mind as Grit and I stood at the railing looking out into the sea in Phuket. Thats all I could think.
......deep breathe.....back to writing updates now: We are doing Laem Chabang this cruise again (BANGGGGGGGGGGGGG-KOK!) and guess what....
my next door neighbor in Calgary...Ray...good buddy from a mutual ...friend...
He and his girl went backpacking to India last November (driven to the airport by yours truly) and this week...they are in Bangkok.....and I am going to meet them.....how crazy is that?! "oh hey guys, have fun on the other side of the planet...oh and by the way....4 months from now, are you free for a cold one in Bangkok? Great! I will pencil you in!"
Life moves funny sometimes....
Like sitting on the beach today and hearing "Sakura, raise the flag.....no no no, the orange one".....signs from past lives....still haunting me...
that last sentence was for me. Dont expect to understand it. Nothing wrong with writing for JUST ME sometimes.
Life moves funny sometimes......
See you all in the next cartoon.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
And yet some more photos! LOL
Watching the Elephant show in Pataya.
How Cute is that?!
Ben the Videographer and myself taking a pic with the Elephants... We are so cool! lol
How is that for a one in a million shot?! One of the coolest moments in my life...
I took them home in my camera bag... they live with me now. And I am not giving them back. Simple as that.More photos!
This guy was just laughing in Singapore for no reason....then when I told him to smile...he stopped. Go Figure.
A Beggar man outside a temple in Port Penang.
A Traditional Thai Show in Pataya, Thailand. Go Elephants Go!!
Grit, Myself, and Julia (Grit's new GERMAN cabinmate). They are just coming back from a day out in Singapore, and I was taking the embark photos. Thank God for Self-Timer :) . Grit is a lot happier with Julia around, she isn't as homesick anymore with a fellow German-speaking female aboard.
My Aussie friends that I mentioned in an earlier post... you guys are amazing!Saturday, March 11, 2006
Singa-Dinga-Dong, my new best friends are gone...
Ok...back in Singapore again...but this time I finally got a chance to get off for the day. I did my morning gallery shift from 7am-10am, and then grabbed Grit and left for downtown in a taxi for a few hours...we got kinda lost...
kinda..
we found a riverside cafe and had some Thai food (aw god yes), and then had to run back to the ship so she could work.... we got back on time (2:45pm) but i still have til 7:30pm tonight off so i am walking around in the terminal (which is actually a giant !$!%^! shopping complex) and i stumbled upon this internet cafe...
I haven't much to write about....all I can think of really are my new friends that just left today. There was a group of 4 passengers from Australia (my age) and they have been on the ship for 2 cruises (14days)...through those 14 days, we grew to be best friends. Everytime i had a camera in my hand they would come and pose for me, everytime i walked by them they would run up to me and give me hugs and high fives....and then island night this last cruise I finally had a chance to go have a few drinks with them and party. We danced in island shirts and leis and hula skirts (and Kat, my favorite chicky of the bunch, even had a REAL coconut bra)....and we danced on the open deck all night....they even gave me a nickname: Mugshot Mike. And then the song came. And we danced.
"Hey Mikey, you're so fine, you take our pictures all the time, hey Mikey! Mugshot Mikey!"
And then last night as I was finishing my shift they all came up to me and handed me a photo. A photo Szymon had taken of the 4 of them with myself. They paid for the photo a few days before, and signed the back of it with emails and song lyrics and 'photograph my wedding, Mugshot!"...I was ....I dont know... I was in shock, i guess that was what I was. I just ...even now i cant think of what i was...my mind goes blank... i dont even know what i feel, although i know it has to be positive...its almost a blissful love feeling...but more shock than i have ever felt...sorta like .... ok, if you are really upset...to the point of hating the world, and then you see one thing, or hear one thing and in one instant....click.....the world just flips over and begs you to rub its belly...and you just sit there....and even though for me i wasnt really in a horrible mood to begin with at all.....that gesture just made it all a whole lot better. It was a "hey mike....you really ARE doing a good job on this planet...." Dont tell anyone but it actually brought a tear to my eye. If i thought of it i would have uploaded the photo of them today...but all in good time.
Kat, Chris, Amelia, Jaiya (sorry dude, i dont know how to spell your name)....in 14 days, you made my entire life. I truly mean that. And I know you will be reading this at some point, probably in the next few weeks...and i couldnt be happier for that.
Guys? *raises glass to the aussies* Cheers.
kinda..
we found a riverside cafe and had some Thai food (aw god yes), and then had to run back to the ship so she could work.... we got back on time (2:45pm) but i still have til 7:30pm tonight off so i am walking around in the terminal (which is actually a giant !$!%^! shopping complex) and i stumbled upon this internet cafe...
I haven't much to write about....all I can think of really are my new friends that just left today. There was a group of 4 passengers from Australia (my age) and they have been on the ship for 2 cruises (14days)...through those 14 days, we grew to be best friends. Everytime i had a camera in my hand they would come and pose for me, everytime i walked by them they would run up to me and give me hugs and high fives....and then island night this last cruise I finally had a chance to go have a few drinks with them and party. We danced in island shirts and leis and hula skirts (and Kat, my favorite chicky of the bunch, even had a REAL coconut bra)....and we danced on the open deck all night....they even gave me a nickname: Mugshot Mike. And then the song came. And we danced.
"Hey Mikey, you're so fine, you take our pictures all the time, hey Mikey! Mugshot Mikey!"
And then last night as I was finishing my shift they all came up to me and handed me a photo. A photo Szymon had taken of the 4 of them with myself. They paid for the photo a few days before, and signed the back of it with emails and song lyrics and 'photograph my wedding, Mugshot!"...I was ....I dont know... I was in shock, i guess that was what I was. I just ...even now i cant think of what i was...my mind goes blank... i dont even know what i feel, although i know it has to be positive...its almost a blissful love feeling...but more shock than i have ever felt...sorta like .... ok, if you are really upset...to the point of hating the world, and then you see one thing, or hear one thing and in one instant....click.....the world just flips over and begs you to rub its belly...and you just sit there....and even though for me i wasnt really in a horrible mood to begin with at all.....that gesture just made it all a whole lot better. It was a "hey mike....you really ARE doing a good job on this planet...." Dont tell anyone but it actually brought a tear to my eye. If i thought of it i would have uploaded the photo of them today...but all in good time.
Kat, Chris, Amelia, Jaiya (sorry dude, i dont know how to spell your name)....in 14 days, you made my entire life. I truly mean that. And I know you will be reading this at some point, probably in the next few weeks...and i couldnt be happier for that.
Guys? *raises glass to the aussies* Cheers.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
IMD March 8th
Just a quick note before I head back to work. I just wanted to wish all the women in my life (past, and present) a very Happy International Women's Day. I don't know much about this day, but I found a site http://www.internationalwomensday.com that looks to have all the information anyone would need. If I had the money and arms over 30,000km long I would hand you each a rose but for now only Anna, Alison, and Grit get that privelage. ;)
Mom, Hill, Kaia, Anne, Heather, Kelly, Dana, Amber, Bev, Angel+Adobe (yes, i'm including female dogs too), Mary (mom's cat...what the hell, eh?) and all the others that I am sure I would have mentioned provided I wasnt being tapped on the shoulder every 20 seconds by someone who wants to use the internet....you all mean so much to me and I think about you more than you really ever will know.
Namaste,
M
Mom, Hill, Kaia, Anne, Heather, Kelly, Dana, Amber, Bev, Angel+Adobe (yes, i'm including female dogs too), Mary (mom's cat...what the hell, eh?) and all the others that I am sure I would have mentioned provided I wasnt being tapped on the shoulder every 20 seconds by someone who wants to use the internet....you all mean so much to me and I think about you more than you really ever will know.
Namaste,
M
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Some random photos Part 3
A beggar woman in Bangkok. I gave her 2 dollars US to take her photo, and when I left she started crying. When I passed her again, we all gave her 20 total. Bless her.
When we set up Formal Nights, we know it can get a little crazy. This is how we look BEFORE we start...imagine AFTER!! sheesh!
This breaks my heart every time I see this.
This is me in Melaka, Malaysia on a Trishaw...so colorful.
Markets in Bangkok. I got a pair of Billabong shorts for 2US dollars....thank god they are made in Thailand lol.Some photos in random order Part 2
This is my dishwasher buddy that I talk about. He is like this every time I see him. He makes so little money and still he smiles. Living proof that there are angels among us.
You can probably tell this photo was the same night as the elephant photo...it just makes me giggle. I wish canada had buns like that.
This is the Natural Bridge in Albany, Australia. this thing is easily one of my personal 7 wonders of the world.
This gives you an idea of how big the natural bridge is.
At the beginning of each cruise we shoot new passengers in front of a background showing the Pacific Sky. This is what we do when there aren't passengers to photograph...Some photos in random order Part 1
Me in bangkok with my new friend...talk about Braving the Elephants!
Me and Matt in the crewbar. He might be sent to Venice with me as well...lets hope we go!
This is Grit and myself in the crewbar...photographing 6 hours on a formal night deserves a drink or two...
Hello world, I'm in Singapore!!
I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts, deedleedee... relaxing at the Singapore Marina with a coconut and Szymon behind the cameraSunday, March 05, 2006
Update to the terror
I'm alive. All is well. No pirates while I slept, however we did stay in the same spot, anchored in the middle of the Mallacca Strait for over 36 hours... we just started moving 2 hours ago, and still nothing is fixed. we are working off one propeller and basically HOBBLING into the closest port, Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur)...should be there around 6pm, its 2pm right now...
Today was supposed to be a day off too...dammit I was going out to see sites and all that, but now I had to work in the gallery...oh well...still not an office job, so can't complain. Plus, I just saw Szymon and Anna's photos of the Singapore Zoo....and I am totally jealous and therefore going there myself or with Grit next week. The Orangutans walk all over you and cuddle you and you can pet Tigers and ride elephants!! Tell me thats not the best place in the world!!!!!! YOU CAN PLAY WITH MONKEYS!!!!!!
Till then, my friends!
M
Today was supposed to be a day off too...dammit I was going out to see sites and all that, but now I had to work in the gallery...oh well...still not an office job, so can't complain. Plus, I just saw Szymon and Anna's photos of the Singapore Zoo....and I am totally jealous and therefore going there myself or with Grit next week. The Orangutans walk all over you and cuddle you and you can pet Tigers and ride elephants!! Tell me thats not the best place in the world!!!!!! YOU CAN PLAY WITH MONKEYS!!!!!!
Till then, my friends!
M
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Serious Trouble...
Ok, first of all this isn't a joke. Last night at around 4am I was in the crewbar (i was drinking Solo...lemonade) and I was having a chat with Ben (Officer on the Bridge...very important guy). We were all up so late because today was supposed to be a very slack day for most of us: arrive in Mallaca, Malaysia at 8am, take a tender to shore and hang out at the beach or take a trishaw again to see sights, then back on the ship for work at 3pm...this didnt happen and I will tell you why.
As Ben and I were talking, an engineer ran up and pulled Ben aside. When he came back, Ben looked grim.
Mike: "whats up?"
Ben: "Our engine is dead. we aren't moving. its very serious."
Mike: "wow, now that you mention it, I dont feel the ship rocking. we ARE stopped. So when will it be fixed?"
Ben: "maybe never. we could be dry-docked and sent home."
Apparantly the bearings in the only engine we have are messed up. we have one propeller working on a cruise ship with 1700 people aboard. Now, i dont know if its still that serious, but that was 4am, and it is now 2pm and we are still in the same spot as we were then (somewhere in the middle of the Mallaca Strait, which unfortunately has the largest population of pirates in the entire world). Last night, Ian and I wandered the top decks and watched the spotlights pacing frantically around the ship. Its very eerie when you are miles from land, and the water is almost completely still. The best way to describe it would be something similar to the movie "The Princess Bride" where Buttercup jumps into the water with the shrieking eels....the water was that still, and out here its very eerie.
I will keep you all posted as soon as I find out anything, but for now we are safe, and from what I am hearing on passenger decks, the captain says we wont be here much longer. That means absolutely nothing though, so I will find out more. If we dry-dock, we will either stay until its fixed provided its a quickie, or maybe even be trans-shipped or sent home. I pray the White Lady gets a speedy recovery. She is far too amazing to have something like this happen to her.
Ok, its formal night tonight so i gotta go grab my tux from the drycleaners and get ready to set up...
That must just suck for all the passengers that just came onto the ship yesterday only to have the ship break down that very same night. They get well compensated for it but still...
In any case, I am happy doing what I am doing, and its all just one big adventure. This may be a career for me. I could very well be a "Lifer".
OH! Good news before I go (i just remembered it lol). Last night Joel told me what ships I could be on after we leave this ship in May. I could either be going to one of the high end ships in Alaska (I will be home every week for a few hours lol), or.....get this....are you ready?.....
The Crown Princess, one of the two highest end luxury ships in the entire fleet....its brand new and needs people to set it up, so for 6 weeks it is dry docked (out of water), no passengers, all I would do is set up the gallery and basically unpack stuff (God...i hate moving lol)...so it would be hard work but no passengers and its dry docked so I can leave the ship every night and do whatever.... now comes the best part....
Mike, where is it docked?
6 weeks. Venice, Italy.
Close your mouth. :)
As Ben and I were talking, an engineer ran up and pulled Ben aside. When he came back, Ben looked grim.
Mike: "whats up?"
Ben: "Our engine is dead. we aren't moving. its very serious."
Mike: "wow, now that you mention it, I dont feel the ship rocking. we ARE stopped. So when will it be fixed?"
Ben: "maybe never. we could be dry-docked and sent home."
Apparantly the bearings in the only engine we have are messed up. we have one propeller working on a cruise ship with 1700 people aboard. Now, i dont know if its still that serious, but that was 4am, and it is now 2pm and we are still in the same spot as we were then (somewhere in the middle of the Mallaca Strait, which unfortunately has the largest population of pirates in the entire world). Last night, Ian and I wandered the top decks and watched the spotlights pacing frantically around the ship. Its very eerie when you are miles from land, and the water is almost completely still. The best way to describe it would be something similar to the movie "The Princess Bride" where Buttercup jumps into the water with the shrieking eels....the water was that still, and out here its very eerie.
I will keep you all posted as soon as I find out anything, but for now we are safe, and from what I am hearing on passenger decks, the captain says we wont be here much longer. That means absolutely nothing though, so I will find out more. If we dry-dock, we will either stay until its fixed provided its a quickie, or maybe even be trans-shipped or sent home. I pray the White Lady gets a speedy recovery. She is far too amazing to have something like this happen to her.
Ok, its formal night tonight so i gotta go grab my tux from the drycleaners and get ready to set up...
That must just suck for all the passengers that just came onto the ship yesterday only to have the ship break down that very same night. They get well compensated for it but still...
In any case, I am happy doing what I am doing, and its all just one big adventure. This may be a career for me. I could very well be a "Lifer".
OH! Good news before I go (i just remembered it lol). Last night Joel told me what ships I could be on after we leave this ship in May. I could either be going to one of the high end ships in Alaska (I will be home every week for a few hours lol), or.....get this....are you ready?.....
The Crown Princess, one of the two highest end luxury ships in the entire fleet....its brand new and needs people to set it up, so for 6 weeks it is dry docked (out of water), no passengers, all I would do is set up the gallery and basically unpack stuff (God...i hate moving lol)...so it would be hard work but no passengers and its dry docked so I can leave the ship every night and do whatever.... now comes the best part....
Mike, where is it docked?
6 weeks. Venice, Italy.
Close your mouth. :)
Friday, March 03, 2006
Where am I?
Ok...um...I was in Bangkok the other day, and Singapore a few days before that, then today I was in Malaysia, and then tomorrow I am in Singapore again.....I think the captain is lost.
I am just writing quickly before heading down to the cinema (Broken Flowers is playing, gotta see it), and although I really have nothing to say that would excite you.....I am sure I can make up something.
.....nah, I cant.....brain no workie. Things are going good, we were in Kuantan today, but I didnt get a chance to see it because I was shooting Gangway (people coming off the ship to go and play). I finished at noon and worked at 3 again and we set sail at...4 or 5...but for that 3 hours that I had off in the between time, Szymon, Anna and myself took the 40 minute free bus ride into Kuantan, I bought an English/German dictionary (Hey, why not...Grit is helping too lol), and then literally 10 min after I left the bus I got back on. Oh first I stopped into 7-11. Just because I could. In Singapore there is a traditional tea called Tarek Tea, and here in Asia they have "Pepsi Tarek" lol. Its actually kinda good. Mix redrose tea aftertaste with Pepsi....it sounds gross but damn, just try it lol
Ok movie time, I gotta run. I will probably jump off the ship tomorrow in Singapore to write more to you all, but I can't go and see the city again til next week because I have to shoot Embarkation photos (the new people coming on tomorrow)...My third Cruise is almost finished!
Ciao!
I am just writing quickly before heading down to the cinema (Broken Flowers is playing, gotta see it), and although I really have nothing to say that would excite you.....I am sure I can make up something.
.....nah, I cant.....brain no workie. Things are going good, we were in Kuantan today, but I didnt get a chance to see it because I was shooting Gangway (people coming off the ship to go and play). I finished at noon and worked at 3 again and we set sail at...4 or 5...but for that 3 hours that I had off in the between time, Szymon, Anna and myself took the 40 minute free bus ride into Kuantan, I bought an English/German dictionary (Hey, why not...Grit is helping too lol), and then literally 10 min after I left the bus I got back on. Oh first I stopped into 7-11. Just because I could. In Singapore there is a traditional tea called Tarek Tea, and here in Asia they have "Pepsi Tarek" lol. Its actually kinda good. Mix redrose tea aftertaste with Pepsi....it sounds gross but damn, just try it lol
Ok movie time, I gotta run. I will probably jump off the ship tomorrow in Singapore to write more to you all, but I can't go and see the city again til next week because I have to shoot Embarkation photos (the new people coming on tomorrow)...My third Cruise is almost finished!
Ciao!
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
One Night In Bangkok!!!
Hey all!
I am in Bangkok right now, and everything is so cheap! I just bought a high quality Brazil Soccer shirt for 3 bucks american!!!Grit, Szymon (i couldnt find a way to say 'hey man, i wanna go on a date, leave me alone') and myself have been running around getting VERY VERY VERY lost in Bangkok since 2pm and its now 7pm. We shared a van ride into Bangkok from Laem Chabang with some passengers and it took 2 hours to get here. The cool thing was it cost us 10US each lol. We are all going to get a Thai Massage after this entry for one hour for 200 Baht, which is about 6 bucks US....I think I am in paradise! Then at about 10pm we are going to find (hopefully) our shopping center where we got dropped off, and meet back with the cool passengers and then make it back to the ship (even though its cheap, i dont want to blow my money on a hotel to stay here overnight....).... so I am having a blast right now and maybe tomorrow i will spend 4 bucks and go to Pataya, and see some traditional old places...if that makes sense....
OK I should go now, we are gonna run around Bangkok for a bit and take night shots and get our massages and blah blah blah...the life of a photographer ;)
See you all in the next cartoon!
M
I am in Bangkok right now, and everything is so cheap! I just bought a high quality Brazil Soccer shirt for 3 bucks american!!!Grit, Szymon (i couldnt find a way to say 'hey man, i wanna go on a date, leave me alone') and myself have been running around getting VERY VERY VERY lost in Bangkok since 2pm and its now 7pm. We shared a van ride into Bangkok from Laem Chabang with some passengers and it took 2 hours to get here. The cool thing was it cost us 10US each lol. We are all going to get a Thai Massage after this entry for one hour for 200 Baht, which is about 6 bucks US....I think I am in paradise! Then at about 10pm we are going to find (hopefully) our shopping center where we got dropped off, and meet back with the cool passengers and then make it back to the ship (even though its cheap, i dont want to blow my money on a hotel to stay here overnight....).... so I am having a blast right now and maybe tomorrow i will spend 4 bucks and go to Pataya, and see some traditional old places...if that makes sense....
OK I should go now, we are gonna run around Bangkok for a bit and take night shots and get our massages and blah blah blah...the life of a photographer ;)
See you all in the next cartoon!
M
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Some Random thoughts of Nothingness...
Hey all! We are now officially in Thailand! YAYYYYY! Koh Samui looks amazing (at least from the ship it does lol). All my friends are out having fun, and I am walking around the ship looking for things to do. I have 3 hours left until I get ready for my 2nd crusade as a Pirate (yay!) so I thought I would run down here and throw some random thoughts on here. I had a few that I thought of but now...its all a blur (isnt that always the way? lol). Well here goes nothing:
1. "Beetlejuice" was just on in the crewbar. Such a good movie! Everyone sang "Shake Senora: at the end...it was kinda like a big karaoke party.....again....
2. Every single night when you see the sun set from the ship, you are always amazed. I have seen many crew photos but I have only taken a few myself, so you just have to take my word for it. There is a place up on the jogging track (highest place on the ship) that you can sit on this big platform and get yourself in frame with the sunset behind you, its so beautiful.
3. If you are good to crew, they are good to you in return. Its not about what you know in this line of work, its who you know. Be nice to people, and your life will be a whole lot more managable. There is this guy that sits at a table by the gallery once every cruise and has people sign up for wine tasting. We are always nice to him, so every time when he is done, the photog's get the grapes from his display. It sounds weird, but getting 2 bags of fresh grapes every week in a place where you mostly eat fish and rice ....its heaven. Things like that make the world go round.
4. I found out last night that the department that makes the most money on the entire ship is the crew bar. Now lets do some math here. I bought a Red Bull drink at the regular lounge...for 5 dollars!!! Thats not a drink, thats drink MIX, and its 5 dollars! I just wanted something to wake me up (its like Jolt if you dont know what it is...just lots of caffiene). In the crew bar, a tequilla sunrise is $2.50AUS. A Corona is $1.50AUS. Cigarettes in 25s (for the smokers) are $2.50AUS a pack. We arent spending a fortune per item here, and yet every single night 600 crew members spend more there than 1300 passengers at FULL price in any other bar on the ship....isnt there some safety regulation here??? And its not like its some big gong show every night. It may sound like it by the way I drag on, but really its just like a pub with casual drinking and music. Its like a BP Lounge. Weird.
5. Climbing 8 stories of stairs takes only 20 seconds or so, and no one is ever out of breath at the top (unless its a passenger). Going downstairs is just gravy. Thats right, I said Gravy.
6. We have a lifeboat #13. I just thought I would mention that.
7. I still hurt from waking up the other day and ramming my head on the roof. That was like...4 days ago! Still a very funny thing when I think about it lol.
8. Szymon, Kristen, Matt, and myself want to buy a helicopter. No reason.
9. I will be in Bangkok tomorrow :). As a matter of fact I might be there at night. One night. In Bangkok. (i will call anyone who wants to sing with me, just let me know haha)
10. Phuket (next cruise) has an island called James Bond Island. It was in a Bond flick (duh), and also if you have seen The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio, the main scene looking off the beach where you see the two big rocks on either side and the big opening into the ocean in the middle.. Thats James Bond Island, and I will walk there with my own two feet next week!
11. I have gone to more countries in 4 days than I have in my entire life :)
12. I keep forgetting there is a New Zealand Ice Cream shop on deck 10...dammit!
13. No one here ever knows what day it is.
14. I am eating healthy but I wonder what I weigh.
15. I want someone to research for me on the internet places I will be going, so i dont have to spend money looking for things to do for free...if that made sense.
16. My boss Joel dropped $2300S in Singapore and bought a Canon 20D and all the trimmings. He lets me play with it. I love Joel.
17. I am trying really hard to nominate the dishwasher for employee of the month. Next time I can upload pics I will show you all a photo of him and you will see why. This guy works 16 hour days every single day and makes about $300 a month, and I NEVER see him without a smile. he literally makes my day.
ok thats it for now. I am sure i will think of one right when I hit "Publish" but if its important it can wait. Love you all, and when you hear from me next I will hopefully have some cool stories about my trip to Bangkok!
Ciao!
M
1. "Beetlejuice" was just on in the crewbar. Such a good movie! Everyone sang "Shake Senora: at the end...it was kinda like a big karaoke party.....again....
2. Every single night when you see the sun set from the ship, you are always amazed. I have seen many crew photos but I have only taken a few myself, so you just have to take my word for it. There is a place up on the jogging track (highest place on the ship) that you can sit on this big platform and get yourself in frame with the sunset behind you, its so beautiful.
3. If you are good to crew, they are good to you in return. Its not about what you know in this line of work, its who you know. Be nice to people, and your life will be a whole lot more managable. There is this guy that sits at a table by the gallery once every cruise and has people sign up for wine tasting. We are always nice to him, so every time when he is done, the photog's get the grapes from his display. It sounds weird, but getting 2 bags of fresh grapes every week in a place where you mostly eat fish and rice ....its heaven. Things like that make the world go round.
4. I found out last night that the department that makes the most money on the entire ship is the crew bar. Now lets do some math here. I bought a Red Bull drink at the regular lounge...for 5 dollars!!! Thats not a drink, thats drink MIX, and its 5 dollars! I just wanted something to wake me up (its like Jolt if you dont know what it is...just lots of caffiene). In the crew bar, a tequilla sunrise is $2.50AUS. A Corona is $1.50AUS. Cigarettes in 25s (for the smokers) are $2.50AUS a pack. We arent spending a fortune per item here, and yet every single night 600 crew members spend more there than 1300 passengers at FULL price in any other bar on the ship....isnt there some safety regulation here??? And its not like its some big gong show every night. It may sound like it by the way I drag on, but really its just like a pub with casual drinking and music. Its like a BP Lounge. Weird.
5. Climbing 8 stories of stairs takes only 20 seconds or so, and no one is ever out of breath at the top (unless its a passenger). Going downstairs is just gravy. Thats right, I said Gravy.
6. We have a lifeboat #13. I just thought I would mention that.
7. I still hurt from waking up the other day and ramming my head on the roof. That was like...4 days ago! Still a very funny thing when I think about it lol.
8. Szymon, Kristen, Matt, and myself want to buy a helicopter. No reason.
9. I will be in Bangkok tomorrow :). As a matter of fact I might be there at night. One night. In Bangkok. (i will call anyone who wants to sing with me, just let me know haha)
10. Phuket (next cruise) has an island called James Bond Island. It was in a Bond flick (duh), and also if you have seen The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio, the main scene looking off the beach where you see the two big rocks on either side and the big opening into the ocean in the middle.. Thats James Bond Island, and I will walk there with my own two feet next week!
11. I have gone to more countries in 4 days than I have in my entire life :)
12. I keep forgetting there is a New Zealand Ice Cream shop on deck 10...dammit!
13. No one here ever knows what day it is.
14. I am eating healthy but I wonder what I weigh.
15. I want someone to research for me on the internet places I will be going, so i dont have to spend money looking for things to do for free...if that made sense.
16. My boss Joel dropped $2300S in Singapore and bought a Canon 20D and all the trimmings. He lets me play with it. I love Joel.
17. I am trying really hard to nominate the dishwasher for employee of the month. Next time I can upload pics I will show you all a photo of him and you will see why. This guy works 16 hour days every single day and makes about $300 a month, and I NEVER see him without a smile. he literally makes my day.
ok thats it for now. I am sure i will think of one right when I hit "Publish" but if its important it can wait. Love you all, and when you hear from me next I will hopefully have some cool stories about my trip to Bangkok!
Ciao!
M
Singapore, getting into trouble, and IPM@KOHSAMUI
Ok...today was a sea day, tommorrow is Koh Samui, and yesterday was Singapore. Thats all I know. Time has flown in the past few days. One minute I am typing in a cafe in Malaysia, the next I am wandering aimlessly around Singapore downtown with Szymon for 6 hours getting lost every ten minutes but loving it, and the next I am stressing out over a Formal night and getting yelled at for the first time. The machines screwed up last night around 2am so I couldnt print off my flyers for the passengers (to let them know about our daily portraits), and so I called Will and he told me to leave it for him in the morning...it was he that was supposed to close the machines down, so when he started getting into sh!t I took the flack (hey, its better to be a new guy and take flack and make strong friends than to watch a guy thats SUPPOSED to know what he is doing get into even worse sh!t). So he got off scott free and I got a beating (they were dangling me over deck 11 and beating me like a pinata)....well not really, I just got told to make sure my flyers were all printed tonight and that was it. BUT, its now 2:30am (actually 330 am but we changed clocks back 1 hour again tonight thank God) and I have to be in the gallery for 7:30am...Ugh. "Will, turn your LOUD alarm on for me ok?!" "3...2...1...wake up!! wake up!! wake up!!" that thing still makes me laugh lol.
So ya, tomorrow we are in Koh Samui, which i THINK is in Thailand, not sure. I am In-Port-Manning so I have to stay on the ship (oh well, its just another beach apparantly) plus I get to see it 10 more times in the next 2 months...no biggie. But the day after we are staying in Laem Chebang for 2 days so I am doing a 12 hour tour with Grit (pronounced Gdit), my new friend. She is this amazing German gal who barely speaks english (which is why i think we get along...she cant understand me lol). Its actually kinda sweet: she stumbles upon sentences to me, i understand her more than anyone on the ship (other than the Germans of course) and she is teaching me German. (for the record, "Lick my ass" is Lech meeham ash....dont ask, its just better that way... its not literal, its how they say Kiss My ass...and I just had to laugh). Anyways, we are spending the day at an Elephant hostpital, and having a traditional Thailand dinner in Bangkok, and then watching a Thailand Dance....Ive seen pics, its amazing!
Ok I gotta go to bed now!
talk to you all later! Oh...actually, Aden left in Singapore and he wont be back for 1.5 months. I miss him, so for Aden's sake, I will once again say:
See you all in the next cartoon!
Oh, and Lech meeham ash! =)
So ya, tomorrow we are in Koh Samui, which i THINK is in Thailand, not sure. I am In-Port-Manning so I have to stay on the ship (oh well, its just another beach apparantly) plus I get to see it 10 more times in the next 2 months...no biggie. But the day after we are staying in Laem Chebang for 2 days so I am doing a 12 hour tour with Grit (pronounced Gdit), my new friend. She is this amazing German gal who barely speaks english (which is why i think we get along...she cant understand me lol). Its actually kinda sweet: she stumbles upon sentences to me, i understand her more than anyone on the ship (other than the Germans of course) and she is teaching me German. (for the record, "Lick my ass" is Lech meeham ash....dont ask, its just better that way... its not literal, its how they say Kiss My ass...and I just had to laugh). Anyways, we are spending the day at an Elephant hostpital, and having a traditional Thailand dinner in Bangkok, and then watching a Thailand Dance....Ive seen pics, its amazing!
Ok I gotta go to bed now!
talk to you all later! Oh...actually, Aden left in Singapore and he wont be back for 1.5 months. I miss him, so for Aden's sake, I will once again say:
See you all in the next cartoon!
Oh, and Lech meeham ash! =)
Friday, February 24, 2006
Yo-ho-ho-ho A Pirate's life for me!
YARRRRRRR!!!!! finally you see what i mean! Don't we look like we just finished our run at the Gay Pride Parade?! This is Matt, Stewart, Morgan (An entertainer, he does Rodney Stewart, and very well too i might add!), Szymon, and some guy we dont know...but he is taking this a little too seriously!K, Ali awaits! See you all in the next cartoon!
In Malaysia!!
hey all, everything is going really well! I have spent the last 2 hours on my own in Melaka, Malaysia trying to find an internet cafe and taking tons of photos and soaking up the local atmosphere.....and i think this time around the photos will work! I will give this a try...but i have to hurry...there is a man on a bike with a sidecar (i forget the name of the bike, but the drivers name is Ali lol)...he is drivin me around the town showing me stuff...all for basically 5 bucks US... it is so hot here but it was raining so much and on my way to the mall here, i had to wait under a canopy with some guy i dont know...but i got his picture lol...
OK the photo works! this is a photo from a few days ago of some of the photogs and shoppies.. from left to right: Szymon, Emma, Anna, Anna, Stewart, Amber (from Vancouver!), Aden (irish guy lol), Kristen (from Vancouver!), Matt, and finally my roomie Will!
Ok I will add another photo here...and then I should run outside. Ali awaits!
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
The Burial of Kelvin and Maud...
Sunday: First of all, why me? Why come up to me and ask this? Is it because I am the new guy? Was I destined to do this? Did the universe know this and then chose me to be the first to do this? The answers are all Yes. I swear to you, as I am sitting here right now, the answers are all Yes.
When my boss Joel came up to me tonight as I stood there in my tuxedo by my backdrop, he asked me "Mike, do you want to photograph something special tomorrow?". Being keen on "First impressions are everything" I said "Yes....but what is it?"...something that has never done before.....then he told me: "There is a request by the family to photograph a burial at sea".
I immediately took an indescribable honor to what I had just heard, although I hate to admit that I still joined in on the jokes at the crewbar later on. "Wait! Squeeze in around the urn folks! now smiiiiiiiiiile!" the laughter stopped (at least for me) when it actually hit me: there is a corpse on this ship. My ship. Less than one month into my first contract and I am acting as if its MY ship, yet I laugh at the jokes. Then something else hit me: Sure, there is a corpse on this ship, but there are people here grieving. This isn't a vacation for them. This is a mission. Thats why they are here, no other reason but to bring a loved ones last wish to truth. And I will be there. And I DO take it to heart. And I am honored. Deeply.
Monday: How exactly do you photograph a funeral again? I figured I wasnt really supposed to get amazing angles or anything like that, they just wanted someone to document it, and so I did. Plain and simple. Oh, I also had a feeling the funeral was for a man. Well its not. I soon saw the photo of a woman that could have easily been my grandma's twin. And now, there this woman was, her ashes divided up into three little blue boxes, one for each of her children. The captain of the ship, Stefano Rivera, gave a few words and spoke from the bible, and then stood at attention while the ashes were emptied into the sea.
At the Gallery a few hours later, I was feeling kinda empty, almost like I knew this woman and was grieving as well. I am not afraid to admit that when the ashes were spread, and some people started to cry, I was among them crying too. One of the gentlemen looked up at me and smiled through his own tears. These are people that I have only known a week, and have seen them many times on the ship, but now I almost felt like family. Having said that, when one of the gentlemen came into the gallery later on, I had to ask for the woman's name. "Maud Nielson". I told him that the service was lovely, but I was under the impression that it was for a man until I saw Maud's photo.
"It was, Michael. Her Husband, Kelvin, died twenty years prior and was cremated. Maud and Kelvin had promised each other to be buried at sea together, and so she held onto his ashes for twenty years so that they could forever be together"
Life is a fragile thing, but True Love always holds it together.
When my boss Joel came up to me tonight as I stood there in my tuxedo by my backdrop, he asked me "Mike, do you want to photograph something special tomorrow?". Being keen on "First impressions are everything" I said "Yes....but what is it?"...something that has never done before.....then he told me: "There is a request by the family to photograph a burial at sea".
I immediately took an indescribable honor to what I had just heard, although I hate to admit that I still joined in on the jokes at the crewbar later on. "Wait! Squeeze in around the urn folks! now smiiiiiiiiiile!" the laughter stopped (at least for me) when it actually hit me: there is a corpse on this ship. My ship. Less than one month into my first contract and I am acting as if its MY ship, yet I laugh at the jokes. Then something else hit me: Sure, there is a corpse on this ship, but there are people here grieving. This isn't a vacation for them. This is a mission. Thats why they are here, no other reason but to bring a loved ones last wish to truth. And I will be there. And I DO take it to heart. And I am honored. Deeply.
Monday: How exactly do you photograph a funeral again? I figured I wasnt really supposed to get amazing angles or anything like that, they just wanted someone to document it, and so I did. Plain and simple. Oh, I also had a feeling the funeral was for a man. Well its not. I soon saw the photo of a woman that could have easily been my grandma's twin. And now, there this woman was, her ashes divided up into three little blue boxes, one for each of her children. The captain of the ship, Stefano Rivera, gave a few words and spoke from the bible, and then stood at attention while the ashes were emptied into the sea.
At the Gallery a few hours later, I was feeling kinda empty, almost like I knew this woman and was grieving as well. I am not afraid to admit that when the ashes were spread, and some people started to cry, I was among them crying too. One of the gentlemen looked up at me and smiled through his own tears. These are people that I have only known a week, and have seen them many times on the ship, but now I almost felt like family. Having said that, when one of the gentlemen came into the gallery later on, I had to ask for the woman's name. "Maud Nielson". I told him that the service was lovely, but I was under the impression that it was for a man until I saw Maud's photo.
"It was, Michael. Her Husband, Kelvin, died twenty years prior and was cremated. Maud and Kelvin had promised each other to be buried at sea together, and so she held onto his ashes for twenty years so that they could forever be together"
Life is a fragile thing, but True Love always holds it together.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Pirates, and then PIRATES
Hey everyone! Just a quick recap on the past few days here on the mighty "Pacific Sky - my Home away from Home"... the night before last night was "fright night", so everyone (passengers and crew) dress up as ghosts and ghouls etc... (yes, 1 Halloween every cruise...just no candy...). Having said that, there are also photos taken as well, but this time around, we dress up as Pirates and jump into the photos with the passengers....guess who was a pirate this time?! YARRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! We're talkin a full blown pirate costume: triangular hat with a skull and crossbones, a black curly "I'm Rick James, Bitch!" wig, a red and black and gold jacket that would make Elton beam with jealousy, white tights (a Freddy Mercury joke should go here), and even a sword, parrot on the shoulder, and golden earrings to match.....but the icing on the cake: the beard....we take a cork from a wine bottle and light it on fire. Then we blow it out and smear it on our faces... I will update everyone with a photo soon (seeing as now there are about 500 photos of me as a pirate on this ship)....Picture Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook in "Hook" and that was me....hell ya :)
Stewart, Matt, Szymon, and myself had a total blast that night, by the end of the photos, we were hoisting up grannys on our shoulders and making the guys wear our hats....and the funny thing? They loved it. I am proud to say that I was even in a swordfight with an 80 year old man with a cane. Boy, did he surprise the hell outta me! A wooden sword versus a titanium cane? And the reach on that thing, my God! We all felt like kids again, it was such an experience. The biggest Gong Show on this ship yet. I mean, c'mon.....how many people can say "hey, I work as a Pirate sailing through the Indian Ocean"....
Now for the other part....of the real Pirates... The next few days we are approaching Asia, and there are threats of Real Pirates boarding the cruise ships. See, what they do is this: they tie two of their ships together with a long rope that floats on the water.....then our ship goes in between them, undetecting the rope, and as we keep going, we basically pull the two boats right alongside us....sounds kinda cool, but really....I dont want to be here if they come around.
However, having seen how that man and his cane fight...I feel pretty safe ;)
Finally, in closing...I will leave you all with a little something Aden (irish guy) says to all of us at the end of every night...
"See you all in the next cartoon!"
Stewart, Matt, Szymon, and myself had a total blast that night, by the end of the photos, we were hoisting up grannys on our shoulders and making the guys wear our hats....and the funny thing? They loved it. I am proud to say that I was even in a swordfight with an 80 year old man with a cane. Boy, did he surprise the hell outta me! A wooden sword versus a titanium cane? And the reach on that thing, my God! We all felt like kids again, it was such an experience. The biggest Gong Show on this ship yet. I mean, c'mon.....how many people can say "hey, I work as a Pirate sailing through the Indian Ocean"....
Now for the other part....of the real Pirates... The next few days we are approaching Asia, and there are threats of Real Pirates boarding the cruise ships. See, what they do is this: they tie two of their ships together with a long rope that floats on the water.....then our ship goes in between them, undetecting the rope, and as we keep going, we basically pull the two boats right alongside us....sounds kinda cool, but really....I dont want to be here if they come around.
However, having seen how that man and his cane fight...I feel pretty safe ;)
Finally, in closing...I will leave you all with a little something Aden (irish guy) says to all of us at the end of every night...
"See you all in the next cartoon!"
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Happy Valentine Day!
So today, I was in Albany. I did my first tour (for free). Valentine's Day, and I was on a tour bus with 80+ old people and my camera. Didnt bother me any, I kinda liked it. For the record, Google "Albany Natural Bridge" and see if you can find pictures. I consider it now, my 2nd wonder of MY world. 1st being a tie with the fact that there is 1km or so of water under me and I am finally doing what I wanted to do my whole life, and the fact that my sunburn (and peeling) is finally gone.
So once I got back to the ship, I started thinking a lot about Valentine's Day. Typical "i am alone and no one loves me in that way and blah blah blah blah"..... so I thought "hey, I cant do anything about that right now, so what can I do to make me happy?". Then it occured to me... what should I be in love with today? not who, but what should be my valentine today? I took pictures all night of other people in love.... then it hit me (many things hit me out here...):
I am in love with....love.
Every single couple I took photos of today were easily pushing 70...and every single one just as much in love with each other than the next. No bickering (well, very little), and everyone had a smile (well, most). I over heard a couple saying this was their 27th cruise, and another couple said it was their 19th. They are still goofing around and flirting as if they were 16 years old. It was such a warm feeling to see everyone smiling and in love through my viewfinder, that I didnt even care that I was alone or yadda yadda yadda.... to hell with it. I dont need it. I want love, but I have it, its all around me. Its all around everyone, and if you dont see it, you are being selfish. If its not the love you are lookign for, its still love. Love is love. There are folks on this ship, sleeping right now, and when they wake up, I imagine them kissing each other, one maybe walking slowly to the door and getting breakfast for the other, and then bringing it back to bed to share it with the ones they love. Valentines day doesnt even matter. Love for these folks (and most I hope, eventually) is every day.
Happy February 14th everyone. To hell with Valentine's Day. Spread it throughout the year, and if you cant for some reason, just listen and watch it around you. Its there.
So once I got back to the ship, I started thinking a lot about Valentine's Day. Typical "i am alone and no one loves me in that way and blah blah blah blah"..... so I thought "hey, I cant do anything about that right now, so what can I do to make me happy?". Then it occured to me... what should I be in love with today? not who, but what should be my valentine today? I took pictures all night of other people in love.... then it hit me (many things hit me out here...):
I am in love with....love.
Every single couple I took photos of today were easily pushing 70...and every single one just as much in love with each other than the next. No bickering (well, very little), and everyone had a smile (well, most). I over heard a couple saying this was their 27th cruise, and another couple said it was their 19th. They are still goofing around and flirting as if they were 16 years old. It was such a warm feeling to see everyone smiling and in love through my viewfinder, that I didnt even care that I was alone or yadda yadda yadda.... to hell with it. I dont need it. I want love, but I have it, its all around me. Its all around everyone, and if you dont see it, you are being selfish. If its not the love you are lookign for, its still love. Love is love. There are folks on this ship, sleeping right now, and when they wake up, I imagine them kissing each other, one maybe walking slowly to the door and getting breakfast for the other, and then bringing it back to bed to share it with the ones they love. Valentines day doesnt even matter. Love for these folks (and most I hope, eventually) is every day.
Happy February 14th everyone. To hell with Valentine's Day. Spread it throughout the year, and if you cant for some reason, just listen and watch it around you. Its there.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Glowsticks, a fellow Canuck, an Irishman, and a Drum
You know those moments in life that are so amazing and surreal that you are in complete disbelief even as its happening? Therefore, you can almost be nostalgic about it while its still going on? Last night I had one of those moments.
I was finishing up some developing in the lab by myself around 1:30am or so (casually, on my own time, its really not like work at all...lots of music playing), and after I was done, I thought I would jump down to the crew bar to see who was there. I knew I didnt want to drink anything but I thought I'd take a looksee before bed. Just a few people, Aden (a cocky Irish man, who really is an amazingly nice man at heart), Amber (new giftshop girl from canada...amazing gal, free spirit...vancouver lol), Ben (One of the head guys from the bridge..29 scottish, great funny guy), and myself (hi.). We got to talking about tons of things, but nothing fantastic. After 30 min or so Aden suggests to go to deck 6 aft and play the drums. I stared at him blankly, but then we all followed. We arrive in the back of deck 6: wide open balcony at the very back of the ship, roughly 20 feet above water....noisy, cold, slight wind, but a 'crew only' area and there is a picnic bench for sitting. Aden has a drum case and when he opens it up I am brought quick memories of Great Big Sea concerts in Canada. its a Barron (sp?). An Irish drum that you hold sideways in one hand and twiddle a little stick on it to get those celtic jig type sounds. (The only person I know that plays it is Shawn McHahn from Great Big Sea...sounds amazing). Then he plays us a tune, and as he does Amber starts a little groove to it on her own (like i said, free spirit). I made a comment to her earlier about dancing like a Rave girl, and so when she came up to the dck 6 with us she must have stopped off at her room and got these two glow balls on chains that you swing around your body like firesticks....my guess was right....Rave Girl. She smiled. Canadians are always right. Unless they are wrong. Then, they might as well be called "Americans". Anyways, she starts to pull them out and swing them around to the beat. So there we are, three guys drinkin beer, one with a Barron hammering out a very earthly beat, and watching this girl paint these movements in the air as if she were creating life itself. She summed up the moment shortly after by saying "when you dance to a drum in moments like these, its Intoxicating". Then ben grabbed the sticks, and I grabbed the barron. We looked like two retards in the middle of a mating ritual. After about 30 min or so of playing around, Aden said "In the 5 years I have been on this ship, no one has EVER come as close to playing the Barron as well as you do, Michael. Good on ya. You make me proud."
By 4:30 am i was in bed, drunk with pride, freedom, and intoxicated by the moment. As I fell asleep I moved up and down with the ship, and remembered how we talked about how certain beats can be summed up as Earthly, and how they make you feel part of the Earth. Then I thought about how the entire ship and everyone on it, is moving the same with me right now. Then I though of how the ocean was dancing with us as well, followed by the rest of the world. Soon, I drifted off to dreams of home and old friends whom I have lost contact thru the years. We are still moving as one.
I was finishing up some developing in the lab by myself around 1:30am or so (casually, on my own time, its really not like work at all...lots of music playing), and after I was done, I thought I would jump down to the crew bar to see who was there. I knew I didnt want to drink anything but I thought I'd take a looksee before bed. Just a few people, Aden (a cocky Irish man, who really is an amazingly nice man at heart), Amber (new giftshop girl from canada...amazing gal, free spirit...vancouver lol), Ben (One of the head guys from the bridge..29 scottish, great funny guy), and myself (hi.). We got to talking about tons of things, but nothing fantastic. After 30 min or so Aden suggests to go to deck 6 aft and play the drums. I stared at him blankly, but then we all followed. We arrive in the back of deck 6: wide open balcony at the very back of the ship, roughly 20 feet above water....noisy, cold, slight wind, but a 'crew only' area and there is a picnic bench for sitting. Aden has a drum case and when he opens it up I am brought quick memories of Great Big Sea concerts in Canada. its a Barron (sp?). An Irish drum that you hold sideways in one hand and twiddle a little stick on it to get those celtic jig type sounds. (The only person I know that plays it is Shawn McHahn from Great Big Sea...sounds amazing). Then he plays us a tune, and as he does Amber starts a little groove to it on her own (like i said, free spirit). I made a comment to her earlier about dancing like a Rave girl, and so when she came up to the dck 6 with us she must have stopped off at her room and got these two glow balls on chains that you swing around your body like firesticks....my guess was right....Rave Girl. She smiled. Canadians are always right. Unless they are wrong. Then, they might as well be called "Americans". Anyways, she starts to pull them out and swing them around to the beat. So there we are, three guys drinkin beer, one with a Barron hammering out a very earthly beat, and watching this girl paint these movements in the air as if she were creating life itself. She summed up the moment shortly after by saying "when you dance to a drum in moments like these, its Intoxicating". Then ben grabbed the sticks, and I grabbed the barron. We looked like two retards in the middle of a mating ritual. After about 30 min or so of playing around, Aden said "In the 5 years I have been on this ship, no one has EVER come as close to playing the Barron as well as you do, Michael. Good on ya. You make me proud."
By 4:30 am i was in bed, drunk with pride, freedom, and intoxicated by the moment. As I fell asleep I moved up and down with the ship, and remembered how we talked about how certain beats can be summed up as Earthly, and how they make you feel part of the Earth. Then I thought about how the entire ship and everyone on it, is moving the same with me right now. Then I though of how the ocean was dancing with us as well, followed by the rest of the world. Soon, I drifted off to dreams of home and old friends whom I have lost contact thru the years. We are still moving as one.
Adelaide!
So, we went to Adelaide yesterday. Before this cruise I had never even heard of the place, so I had very low expectations. When I got there, though, my opinion changed. I fell in love with the place. Nothing fantastic about it really, (other than the fact that its in Australia, and everything is new to me), I just loved absolutely everything about it. The trees are different, the birds are different, there are amazing buildings and parks and everything just...fit. Its somewhere where I would be proud to call home. (dont get ideas, I am just making a happy observation).
I found an internet cafe while travelling (and knew I would, so i brought a CD with photos to email), and when I got there, my blog was down for maintenance, and my photo site wouldnt recognize my password....BUT all was not lost, for I emailed myself the photos, so if anyone wants the ones I had at the time (Lifou, Ouvea, Isles of Pines, etc) let me know in the comments here, or email me and I will be more than happy to send them to you.
Today is a sea day, and tomorrow as well, and then we arrive in Albany. Then its another sea day followed by (i think) Fremantle or Exmouth. Then the latter, and then 4 sea days til Asia. This will be an amazing chapter. In the next 3 months, I see Singapore 10 times....ask me a year ago if i would have ever been to Singapore in my entire life and I bet I would have said no. Now I can build a time machine and show myself the photos I will take :)
I found an internet cafe while travelling (and knew I would, so i brought a CD with photos to email), and when I got there, my blog was down for maintenance, and my photo site wouldnt recognize my password....BUT all was not lost, for I emailed myself the photos, so if anyone wants the ones I had at the time (Lifou, Ouvea, Isles of Pines, etc) let me know in the comments here, or email me and I will be more than happy to send them to you.
Today is a sea day, and tomorrow as well, and then we arrive in Albany. Then its another sea day followed by (i think) Fremantle or Exmouth. Then the latter, and then 4 sea days til Asia. This will be an amazing chapter. In the next 3 months, I see Singapore 10 times....ask me a year ago if i would have ever been to Singapore in my entire life and I bet I would have said no. Now I can build a time machine and show myself the photos I will take :)
Thursday, February 09, 2006
On to Cruise 2! Singapore here we come!
Hey everyone! My first cruise ended yesterday in Melbourne at around Noon! It was a blast! This next one is a 16 day cruise going the other way now (west) to Adelaide, Albany, Freemantle, Exmouth (i think), Perth, and then finally crossing the equator up into South East Asia (Malacca, Thailand, Singapore...etc). Its going to be amazing, there are a few reports that since we have a few days overnight at certain ports (check P&O cruises' website for the Pacific Sky's itinerary...I have no idea, I just take pictures lol), some of us are taking the train and heading into Bangkok (it costs like $2US dollars to take the train there....um....ya). Oh, and yes...I will be singing that 80's Bangkok song. I still sing. Lots. The boat rocks continuously, and everytime I run up stairs I feel like I need to act out the ending of Grease (Olivia and John singing "you're the one that I want" in the fun house)....seems like only I get the point....wasted jokes... lol
So, yesterday I shot the embark photos (people walking onto the ship stop for a photo).... Oh, and seeing as how I was the first person to see the passengers, it was NOT surprising to have a male crew member come up to me every 5 minutes asking "hey mike, any hotties this cruise?"
The answer: no.
Last time: over 800 hot people (guys and girls) were 19-29 years old. This time: well, lets just say over 95% of the passengers are...um....great great great great grandparents. Nice though, dont get me wrong, its just more fun with people your own age.
Anyways, had fun last night, brought in the new inventory with the gang and Joel bought us a case of Corona (which was polished off in about 3 hours....thats 6 each by the way). Then we hit the crew bar (15 steps away from the lab....convenient?). Then when the crew bar closed at 1:30am, Joel thew us his cabin keys and said "grab anything you can drink, take it up to my room, throw on some tunes, I am going to get us all pizzas and I will meet you all there".
Guess who woke up at 8am with zero hangover? *insert applause here*
If it wasnt for the fact that we all walk up and down stairs all day (we're talking 8 flights continuously), we'd all be some seriously fat photogs.
Tomorrow is Adelaide, and I am shooting gangway shots at 7:45am, and then I have until 8pm to run around. I am going for a run on the beach (somewhere) and also going to find an internet cafe. I have some banking to do, and I want to upload the www.michaelwachniak.com site with photos (cant do it here on board).
Also, getting lonely here. I have more contact with my friend Julie from Citi Financial (car loan) than most of you. You know exactly who you are. A simple "mike i miss you" or "mike, Adobe (my dog) is or isnt pregnant" or "hey, um....hi....well...bye" would do lol.
ok folks talk to you soon! Wam-bam-ala-kazam! ;)
So, yesterday I shot the embark photos (people walking onto the ship stop for a photo).... Oh, and seeing as how I was the first person to see the passengers, it was NOT surprising to have a male crew member come up to me every 5 minutes asking "hey mike, any hotties this cruise?"
The answer: no.
Last time: over 800 hot people (guys and girls) were 19-29 years old. This time: well, lets just say over 95% of the passengers are...um....great great great great grandparents. Nice though, dont get me wrong, its just more fun with people your own age.
Anyways, had fun last night, brought in the new inventory with the gang and Joel bought us a case of Corona (which was polished off in about 3 hours....thats 6 each by the way). Then we hit the crew bar (15 steps away from the lab....convenient?). Then when the crew bar closed at 1:30am, Joel thew us his cabin keys and said "grab anything you can drink, take it up to my room, throw on some tunes, I am going to get us all pizzas and I will meet you all there".
Guess who woke up at 8am with zero hangover? *insert applause here*
If it wasnt for the fact that we all walk up and down stairs all day (we're talking 8 flights continuously), we'd all be some seriously fat photogs.
Tomorrow is Adelaide, and I am shooting gangway shots at 7:45am, and then I have until 8pm to run around. I am going for a run on the beach (somewhere) and also going to find an internet cafe. I have some banking to do, and I want to upload the www.michaelwachniak.com site with photos (cant do it here on board).
Also, getting lonely here. I have more contact with my friend Julie from Citi Financial (car loan) than most of you. You know exactly who you are. A simple "mike i miss you" or "mike, Adobe (my dog) is or isnt pregnant" or "hey, um....hi....well...bye" would do lol.
ok folks talk to you soon! Wam-bam-ala-kazam! ;)
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Almost in Melbourne
I am waiting for my pizza to be made so I thought I would run down to deck 2 to check my email. The bar is crazy tonight, last night on the ship and everyone is awake. There's even a hundred or so old people running around the ship and its 2:30am lol. Will's beside me checking his email, he gets to see his woman tomorrow in Melbourne (translation: Mike....dont come back to the room for a few hours). Good thing I am shooting embarkation photos tomorrow (everyone coming on the ship for the next cruise. I dont have to do anything until 3:45pm tomorrow so I can hang out all night, but there is a rumor going around that there will be random breathalizer tests tomorrow morning, so I cut myself off after 3 drinks (not taking chances on this....its just too good of a lifestyle to !$#& up on something as silly as that).
I miss everyone. I'm not homesick yet, but I miss everyone. Its a good life out here, so much to do, so much to see, but I sometimes I just want to go out and hang at BP's with a coffee and the gang and see how many people I can make choke by making them laugh lol. I also miss my family. A day doesn't go by where I don't wonder what Kaia (my niece) is doing that very moment. My watch has two time modes, and I have set one mode up as Vancouver time... I am always thinking of everyone, so never feel alone ok?
Happier times now lol... my pizza is almost done (meat lovers....and its greasier than anything I have ever had...its not even that good, but it makes me feel at home (I bet no one has referred to pizza as home before lol)..
Well I think thats it, I just wanted to say hi. There is about 85 phillapino people behind me singing karaoke and its beginning to get on my nerves (at first its cute how much they get into it, but now its just.....wrong.)
Goodnight Neverland. (or good morning, its 7:30am in Vancouver)
I miss everyone. I'm not homesick yet, but I miss everyone. Its a good life out here, so much to do, so much to see, but I sometimes I just want to go out and hang at BP's with a coffee and the gang and see how many people I can make choke by making them laugh lol. I also miss my family. A day doesn't go by where I don't wonder what Kaia (my niece) is doing that very moment. My watch has two time modes, and I have set one mode up as Vancouver time... I am always thinking of everyone, so never feel alone ok?
Happier times now lol... my pizza is almost done (meat lovers....and its greasier than anything I have ever had...its not even that good, but it makes me feel at home (I bet no one has referred to pizza as home before lol)..
Well I think thats it, I just wanted to say hi. There is about 85 phillapino people behind me singing karaoke and its beginning to get on my nerves (at first its cute how much they get into it, but now its just.....wrong.)
Goodnight Neverland. (or good morning, its 7:30am in Vancouver)
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Ouvea, Lifou, Isle of Pines...
Hey everyone! I have to be brief (I have $1.03 left on my internet card lol)... We were at the isle of pines today which is amazing (look it up...i wandered around it all day with Anna and Szymon..feet hurt).. we did Lifou yesterday, Port Vila the day before (I was IPM - In Port Manning - meaning I had ot stay on the ship for Port Vila so I couldnt see it), and Ouvea the day before that.... all of these: picture the typical "post card" sandy beaches with palm trees and coconuts and clear blue waters.....and then picture me..with my camera...lol..
Thats my office. I work there.
And now we are starting a 3 day trek back to Melbourne where we will start our 3 month run around Asia :)
I will update you all further...when I have more internet money.... and when I can update with photos too! email me @ ike1@hotmail.com everyone ok?!
now if you will excuse me, I am gonna go run and grab some food, then head up to watch us wander around the islands..ciao!
Thats my office. I work there.
And now we are starting a 3 day trek back to Melbourne where we will start our 3 month run around Asia :)
I will update you all further...when I have more internet money.... and when I can update with photos too! email me @ ike1@hotmail.com everyone ok?!
now if you will excuse me, I am gonna go run and grab some food, then head up to watch us wander around the islands..ciao!
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Day 5, and I found the internet room!!!
I am drunk....well sort of. This is the end of day 4 totally at sea and before I go to bed I will try to recap the past few days. I will write in point form because the internet sucks when you are in the middle of the ocean lol...
Saturday Day 1:
- Arrived at the dock in Melbourne to embark the Pacific Sky @ 7am. I seemed to have a TINY bit more luggage than most people....jeez.
- Met my employees: my boss Joel (crazy aussie surfer type) great guy, Will (my roomate) from England...thick accent but awesome bloke, Anna (representing the Hungarians lol) I work with her the most she is awesome, Alison (south african I think) I dont know her much but she is pretty neat too, Szymon (shammon...lol ya...like how Michael Jackson says it) represents Poland..he is cool but hard to understand sometimes, and finally Ben (there always has to be a Ben...life just wouldn't seem right without one!)
- Joel shows me my room....bunk beds, a shoebox that passes for a closet (trust me its small), and a bathroom (3'x5' tops)...yippie...
- 2pm we set sail. 2:15pm I am nausius. 3pm I vomit. 4pm I work in the gallery selling prints. 5pm I vomit. 5:15pm I go to the medical centre and get a shot of "phenegran" in the ass. I pass out and sleep til morning.
Sunday (day 2):
- I wake up groggy but ok. I go to work and skip breakfast.
- "Formal Night"...Mike wears a Tux and takes "Sears" type portraits of everyone. It was fun, had softboxes and backdrops...and hot Aussie women....
- Got to bed @ 11pm
Monday (day 3):
- Feeling fantastic!
- work the gallery (basically in a store selling the prints that are displayed....prints are of passengers)
- I have heard 6 times on this cruise so far that I have an Irish accent....that makes me laugh. hard. (by the way I am typing this now on wednesday, and the talley is now up to 8. serious.)
- As everyone heads to the bars at night, I head to the passengers library and read "Tuesdays with Morris"....not a party pooper, I just didnt feel like partying....and you are right, Jenny, this book is amazing!
Tuesday (day 4):
- hit snooze button on alarm like 40 times and still made it to work on time (thats the wonderful part of living at work lol)
- worked at gallery, then decided to go up to the 11th floor and head to the gym....its iron pumping time! Then I went out to the deck and sunbathed for an hour or so with the passengers. Its amazing how you can look on any side of the ship and see nothing but ocean. I love how blue it is....(for crayon references, look up Ultramarine Blue...thats the color)
- bought an internet card and a phone card....scratched the back of the phone card to get my PIN number....and the number came off with it....!##%^@!!! not happy....they are fixing it now though so i will call people soon.
- it was Pajama night on the ship....(a note to the guys: 1500 passengers...approx. 700 are Aussie women ages 20-35.....now....picture them drunk in lingerie......and i get to photograph them!! envy me... envy me i say!!)
- I head to the Starlight Bar on 9th floor and its basically a giant rave....loud rave/house/trance/top40-remix hits....and everyone is a fool....it was so fun...and I drank...(by the way.....drinks are $1.00AUS for crew....I drank my fill for under 10 bucks)
- OLD PEOPLE were raving....I mean 70 year old guys were dressed in womens undergarments and dancing around with 20 year old women....I was so happy for them lol
- went to bed @ 2am, wrote all this stuff in my journal so i could type it later today.
We are heading into Ouvea tomorrow (Thursday, Australian time. I am a day ahead.) I will be spending 5 hours walking around sandy beaches and taking pics.... I dont know how I will be able to show you guys photos, but I will try... Talk to you all soon! please email me @ ike1@hotmail.com because I dont know how to check my other account yet ok? ciao!
Saturday Day 1:
- Arrived at the dock in Melbourne to embark the Pacific Sky @ 7am. I seemed to have a TINY bit more luggage than most people....jeez.
- Met my employees: my boss Joel (crazy aussie surfer type) great guy, Will (my roomate) from England...thick accent but awesome bloke, Anna (representing the Hungarians lol) I work with her the most she is awesome, Alison (south african I think) I dont know her much but she is pretty neat too, Szymon (shammon...lol ya...like how Michael Jackson says it) represents Poland..he is cool but hard to understand sometimes, and finally Ben (there always has to be a Ben...life just wouldn't seem right without one!)
- Joel shows me my room....bunk beds, a shoebox that passes for a closet (trust me its small), and a bathroom (3'x5' tops)...yippie...
- 2pm we set sail. 2:15pm I am nausius. 3pm I vomit. 4pm I work in the gallery selling prints. 5pm I vomit. 5:15pm I go to the medical centre and get a shot of "phenegran" in the ass. I pass out and sleep til morning.
Sunday (day 2):
- I wake up groggy but ok. I go to work and skip breakfast.
- "Formal Night"...Mike wears a Tux and takes "Sears" type portraits of everyone. It was fun, had softboxes and backdrops...and hot Aussie women....
- Got to bed @ 11pm
Monday (day 3):
- Feeling fantastic!
- work the gallery (basically in a store selling the prints that are displayed....prints are of passengers)
- I have heard 6 times on this cruise so far that I have an Irish accent....that makes me laugh. hard. (by the way I am typing this now on wednesday, and the talley is now up to 8. serious.)
- As everyone heads to the bars at night, I head to the passengers library and read "Tuesdays with Morris"....not a party pooper, I just didnt feel like partying....and you are right, Jenny, this book is amazing!
Tuesday (day 4):
- hit snooze button on alarm like 40 times and still made it to work on time (thats the wonderful part of living at work lol)
- worked at gallery, then decided to go up to the 11th floor and head to the gym....its iron pumping time! Then I went out to the deck and sunbathed for an hour or so with the passengers. Its amazing how you can look on any side of the ship and see nothing but ocean. I love how blue it is....(for crayon references, look up Ultramarine Blue...thats the color)
- bought an internet card and a phone card....scratched the back of the phone card to get my PIN number....and the number came off with it....!##%^@!!! not happy....they are fixing it now though so i will call people soon.
- it was Pajama night on the ship....(a note to the guys: 1500 passengers...approx. 700 are Aussie women ages 20-35.....now....picture them drunk in lingerie......and i get to photograph them!! envy me... envy me i say!!)
- I head to the Starlight Bar on 9th floor and its basically a giant rave....loud rave/house/trance/top40-remix hits....and everyone is a fool....it was so fun...and I drank...(by the way.....drinks are $1.00AUS for crew....I drank my fill for under 10 bucks)
- OLD PEOPLE were raving....I mean 70 year old guys were dressed in womens undergarments and dancing around with 20 year old women....I was so happy for them lol
- went to bed @ 2am, wrote all this stuff in my journal so i could type it later today.
We are heading into Ouvea tomorrow (Thursday, Australian time. I am a day ahead.) I will be spending 5 hours walking around sandy beaches and taking pics.... I dont know how I will be able to show you guys photos, but I will try... Talk to you all soon! please email me @ ike1@hotmail.com because I dont know how to check my other account yet ok? ciao!
Friday, January 27, 2006
Update to previous post...
This will be quick, my laptop is almost dead (no way of charging it until i get to the ship tomorrow). I wandered around taking pictures today, and had a total blast. Then I came back to the room, slept til 8:45pm, got a phone call saying I will be picked up at 6am tomorrow. I laughed. They were serious. i stopped laughing. Then I went to the restaurant and had supper (tortelini with red pepper sauce...damn that was good). Then I walked around the city for a while again. Tons of people out, its Friday night, so everyone is partying it up. Streets are
like Stephen Ave in Calgary, but add about 300 more people to it lol. Now I am back writing this, and then I will have a bath maybe and then hit the hay. I will keep everyone posted as to what is happening later on ok!? Goodnight people!
Melbourne, Australia!!
Hello world, I'm in Australia! Right now I am sitting in the hotel restaurant on the 2nd floor, drinking lemon water and looking at the busy street below. I am sitting here wearing shorts, flipflops (yes its january 27th and I am wearing flipflops) and I am waiting for my "Chicken Skewers in Peanut sauce over steamed ice with a mixed leaf salad". The street looks very busy with people running about, and everyone looks like a tourist haha. Oh, my food is here now. WOW, that IS peanutty, AND those leaves really ARE mixed! Damn that tastes good! Ok, so to fill you in on "how the trip was"-Left vancouver @ 5pm Wed (jan 25th)- Arrived in LA @ 7:40pm, proceeded direrctly to the new gate.- Saw a woman running around looking lost and frantic, and this other woman came up to her and said "excuse me, was that Ludacris that you were with earlier?". she replied with a "yes". Now I can see why she was frantic. If you were
'rolling' with one of the most famous rappers around and you LOST him? ya, panic. - Got through customs and had 3 hours to kill so I thought I would sit down and have a pint of the good stuff :)- the guy that I sat next to was Nathan. Nathan from Halifax, and going to
Melbourne on the same plane as I am to meet friends. Nathan has been sitting here
6 or 7 hours. Nathan is drunk. Nathan insisted on buying his new friend Michael
drinks.
Michael is drunk.
- Finally it was time to go to the gate, and after a few short....rather LONG minutes we were on the plane. - I sat between 2 guys, one of which looked like a criminal, and the other I found out later LOVES to cuddle strangers while he sleeps..- Many movie choices up in the plane, but I ended up switching between "wallace and grommit" and "the exorcism of emily rose" endlessly playing for about 6 of the 14 hours aboard the plane. The rest of the time consisted of eating,
sleeping, and "wow this guy likes to cuddle".
- Finally arrived in Melbourne @ 935am Friday, went through MORE customs (in 35C
heat by the way). No sign of Nathan. Nathan is probably still sleeping on the
plane. Poor Nathan.
(I have to pause the story for a second...a cop HERSE just drove by...is that what police cars look like here?..anyways, on with the story) Finally got my Luggage and this next part made me smile: There actually was a man waiting there for me, Holding up a sign with my name on it...well kinda. The sign seriously said "Mitchell Wachenann". We stared in silence at each other for a while, then I showed him my passport.
his reply: "Close enough...ok we're off then"and away we went.
This guy (already forget his name) was like a walking encyclopedia!!! Every block we drove past had a story! About 15 minutes later we arrived at the "Mecure Welcome Hotel". I said goodbye
to him and went to my room (816...great view...of a back alley). Took a few pictures of the amazing view and hopped online to email the family telling them I am alive and well. - Had a shower, shaved, called front desk to see what is included in my room (the cruise line paid for the room, had to see what else they paid for!). Turns out I have a $20 credit for lunch and a $30 credit for supper, which is why I am here...its lunch time (actually its almost bedtime now....I wrote this all during the day but only now am I typing it into my computer heehee). Now its back to the room, drop off the journal, grab the camera, and wander around aimlessly through the streets of Melbourne taking pictures. After that,back to the room to nap.
'rolling' with one of the most famous rappers around and you LOST him? ya, panic. - Got through customs and had 3 hours to kill so I thought I would sit down and have a pint of the good stuff :)- the guy that I sat next to was Nathan. Nathan from Halifax, and going to
Melbourne on the same plane as I am to meet friends. Nathan has been sitting here
6 or 7 hours. Nathan is drunk. Nathan insisted on buying his new friend Michael
drinks.
Michael is drunk.
- Finally it was time to go to the gate, and after a few short....rather LONG minutes we were on the plane. - I sat between 2 guys, one of which looked like a criminal, and the other I found out later LOVES to cuddle strangers while he sleeps..- Many movie choices up in the plane, but I ended up switching between "wallace and grommit" and "the exorcism of emily rose" endlessly playing for about 6 of the 14 hours aboard the plane. The rest of the time consisted of eating,
sleeping, and "wow this guy likes to cuddle".
- Finally arrived in Melbourne @ 935am Friday, went through MORE customs (in 35C
heat by the way). No sign of Nathan. Nathan is probably still sleeping on the
plane. Poor Nathan.
(I have to pause the story for a second...a cop HERSE just drove by...is that what police cars look like here?..anyways, on with the story) Finally got my Luggage and this next part made me smile: There actually was a man waiting there for me, Holding up a sign with my name on it...well kinda. The sign seriously said "Mitchell Wachenann". We stared in silence at each other for a while, then I showed him my passport.
his reply: "Close enough...ok we're off then"and away we went.
This guy (already forget his name) was like a walking encyclopedia!!! Every block we drove past had a story! About 15 minutes later we arrived at the "Mecure Welcome Hotel". I said goodbye
to him and went to my room (816...great view...of a back alley). Took a few pictures of the amazing view and hopped online to email the family telling them I am alive and well. - Had a shower, shaved, called front desk to see what is included in my room (the cruise line paid for the room, had to see what else they paid for!). Turns out I have a $20 credit for lunch and a $30 credit for supper, which is why I am here...its lunch time (actually its almost bedtime now....I wrote this all during the day but only now am I typing it into my computer heehee). Now its back to the room, drop off the journal, grab the camera, and wander around aimlessly through the streets of Melbourne taking pictures. After that,back to the room to nap.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Aussie-bound!
Hey all, just filling everyone in quickly, and then I will write something meaningful later tonight. Tomorrow (Wednesday Jan 25th) I will be leaving Vancouver airport @ 5pm PST and arriving in Los Angeles @ 8pm PST. There, I will wander around until I find the appropriate gate for my next flight (and longest I have ever taken to date). At 11:15pm PST I will hop onto a big birdie and fly on its back for 15h10m and safely (knock on wood) arrive in Melbourne, Australia. With the time zone changes and what not, I will arrive @ 9:25am local time. I will then meet strangers (with a "Mr. Wachniak" sign no doubt lol) that will take me to my hotel. I am sure I will NEED to sleep the entire day away, but by a show of hands, who thinks I will barely make it to my room before I am running around the city taking pictures? :)
The next day (Saturday) I will be picked up early in the am and taken to my cruise ship "The Pacific Sky" and I will start my training and blah blah blah (ha ha)....
more later!
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Fat baby face!!!
Ok so I looked through the family photos today...and I came across this....The photo was very faded and discolored so I decided to snap a photo of it and do my best to restore it in photoshop for my mom (before shot on the left, after shot on the right). I think I did a pretty good job, it only took me a few minutes. Man oh man, would I make a sexy fat guy, eh?! Look at me! I think while I am gone for the next 6 months I am going to adhere to a strict diet of donuts and twinkies, and maybe when I get back and women see what I have transformed into....hee hee.
The story parallels that of a caterpillar. Nothing wrong with him at all, but just knows he can be better so he shells himself up inside a cocoon and the transformation begins. Time passes (in this case 4-6 months) and alas, as he is ready to return to civilization, the cocoon breaks apart and out emerges the most breathtaking, most beautiful butterfly anyone has ever seen!
Actually, this story more resembles that fat blob of a caterpillar on bug's life, but hey! Everyone loved him too lol.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
The afterbath :)
So I'm out of the bath now....and no, nothing cool was thought. In fact, all I remember thinking was:
"Why the hell am I playing with toys in the tub?"
The good guys won by the way....they always do. I was never really a troubled child. Good always overcame the bad when it came to toys. Sometimes it was a tie, but the bad never won. Not that I remember. Maybe its surpressed, who knows? Oh well, I guess thats something I can discuss with my therapist when I am 50.
"Why the hell am I playing with toys in the tub?"
The good guys won by the way....they always do. I was never really a troubled child. Good always overcame the bad when it came to toys. Sometimes it was a tie, but the bad never won. Not that I remember. Maybe its surpressed, who knows? Oh well, I guess thats something I can discuss with my therapist when I am 50.
I giggled til the cops came...
Hey all, I haven't posted in a while so I thought I would post a link for all comedy-fans out there. I have been meaning to try out a few new podcasts for a while now, but as usual I forget or get distracted and go onto something else. I can usually blame the distraction on something shiny or springy. Anyways, I found a podcast called "Keith and the Girl", and I must say I have never laughed so hard by myself since.....well since I found that third nipple on my shoulderblade. These guys basically talk about whats in the news, and who's hot vs. who's not...a typical newscast. Having said that.....a word of advice: Kids should not be in the listening vicinity. When you download each 1-hour episode, you get this nice little "explicit" logo that pops up to warn you of what lurks ahead. What it should say is: "if dirty language was medicine, we could heal the world in a single episode".
The link to get the episodes and find out more is: http://www.keithandthegirl.com
There, now that I have shared with you guys, I feel better. I am going to have a bath, and maybe think of something else to write. Maybe something cool, but probably not.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Thanks for everything, Calgary
I just wanted to say Goodbye for now to all friends and foes in Calgary. 6 months may not seem like a long time to be gone, but it is the longest I have ever been away from home at one time plus I get very nostalgic, so I am really overdoing this.
I would really like to keep in contact with you all, so please drop a line to me now and then @ ike1@hotmail.com and I will try to do the same ok?
Be safe, be strong, and be free.
cheers,
Michael
I would really like to keep in contact with you all, so please drop a line to me now and then @ ike1@hotmail.com and I will try to do the same ok?
Be safe, be strong, and be free.
cheers,
Michael
Thursday, January 05, 2006
'Deciphering Me' at a later date
As I wheel around the bend into the final stretch of my last days in Calgary (at least for a while), my mind seems to have lost grip of all day-to-day "mind-banter"....and all that is left for the moment are remnants of random song quotes... over and over as I walk through my day, songs pop into my head for no reason apparent to me...I thought I would write some down, to share, but more importantly to decipher myself at a later date. The world is nothing without at least an attempt at inner-analysis:
"I need a photo-opportunity I want a shot at redemption Don't want to end up a cartoon In a cartoon graveyard" - Paul Simon
"Janie sings on the corner, what keeps her from dying? Let 'em say what they want, but she won't stop tryin', oh you know. She might stumble, if they push her around. She might fall, but she'll never lie down ... it's not so bad.." - Great Big Sea
"I need a photo-opportunity I want a shot at redemption Don't want to end up a cartoon In a cartoon graveyard" - Paul Simon
"Janie sings on the corner, what keeps her from dying? Let 'em say what they want, but she won't stop tryin', oh you know. She might stumble, if they push her around. She might fall, but she'll never lie down ... it's not so bad.." - Great Big Sea
"Driftwood floats, after years of erosion. Incoming tide touches roots to expose them, Quicksand steals my shoe, Clouds bring the f-stop blues" - Jack Johnson
"There are nine million bicycles in Beijing. That's a fact. It's a thing we can't deny, Like the fact that I will love you till I die" - Katie Melua
"Smiled and said 'yes I think we've met before'. In that instant it started to pour, Captured a taxi despite all the rain We drove in silence across pont champlain And all of the time you thought I was sad I was trying to remember your name..." - Stars
"I'm a coward I'm neurotic I'm just tired of living in here I'm depressive I'm obsessive I'm just tired of living in fear " - Holly McNarland
"If you don’t need it every day But sometimes don’t you just crave To disappear within your mind You never know what you might find So come and spend some time with me And we will spend it all at sea" - Jamie Cullum
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Another year over, and a new one just begun...
A bunch of random thoughts in lieu of another year gone by. It doesn't have to make sense. At least not now...
Its funny how much one changes, when nothing seems to have changed at all. The second bottle of champagne that I kept unopened in my fridge for 5 months before finally letting go of the past. The "Employment", the "I hate my job", the "Unemployment" stages, never seemed to be getting me anywhere. The friends I thought I would lose, the friends I thought I would never lose, and the friends that were right under my nose the entire time, not going anywhere. Never.
The hard parts are there to just make sure you're ready. Its all one big test. Preparation.
"Are you finally ready? Its hard out there, man. Here, take this. If you ever need anything, don't worry. We'll know. We always do. The signs are always out there, some just need the right light to see them. Are you sure you can paddle on your own? We'll be here if you need us. We're not going anywhere. Be strong. Try not to let the fire burn out. If it does though, don't worry. Its not your eyes that should be guiding you anyways. It your heart. When they are ready to show up, they will. And they will know. They will know everything you did. They will know everything about everything. And they will know that you are still here. Like I said about the hard parts, all they do is make sure you're ready."
Its funny how much one changes, when nothing seems to have changed at all. The second bottle of champagne that I kept unopened in my fridge for 5 months before finally letting go of the past. The "Employment", the "I hate my job", the "Unemployment" stages, never seemed to be getting me anywhere. The friends I thought I would lose, the friends I thought I would never lose, and the friends that were right under my nose the entire time, not going anywhere. Never.
The hard parts are there to just make sure you're ready. Its all one big test. Preparation.
"Are you finally ready? Its hard out there, man. Here, take this. If you ever need anything, don't worry. We'll know. We always do. The signs are always out there, some just need the right light to see them. Are you sure you can paddle on your own? We'll be here if you need us. We're not going anywhere. Be strong. Try not to let the fire burn out. If it does though, don't worry. Its not your eyes that should be guiding you anyways. It your heart. When they are ready to show up, they will. And they will know. They will know everything you did. They will know everything about everything. And they will know that you are still here. Like I said about the hard parts, all they do is make sure you're ready."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
