Image 1:
After 10 days Singapore my lady arrived. 1,5 h late the Hanjin Amsterdam came in. It is run under the NSB Freighter Travel agency back home in North Germany. They gave me half price so I could afford the journey.
Image 2:
280 metres long, about 50 broad and need up to 230.000 l crude oil per day. That makes a million every 4,5 days. But if you face that ship is carrying 5600 containers and otherwise you engage 5600 trucks for that job you can imagine again, that it is more reasonable to take a ship.
Image 3:
There a certain rules to keep on. Wearing helmet when you enter certain areas at certain times e.g.. In general you should keep on the captain’s recommendations otherwise you limit your own freedom to a minimum since the captain is the boss on board.
Image 4:
The crew of course changes from time to time. But usually the relation is that there are a lot more Filipino people than German or say European on board. That’s because they work for less money but still are happy to have that job. In my case I had a good time with 18 people from the Filipinos
Image 5:
The 5 Germans are 3 officers (one Captain of course) and 2 crew staff.
Here the BBQ party is on going. There are at least two people that are supposed to miss always. Because it is **strongly recommended** that anybody takes care of the steering and the machine (-;
Image 6:
The men are up to nine months on board of this vessel not able to really leave it, because these days there is rarely time to leave on a stop because there is so less time each harbour. So it is obviously that some pinup-girls are more than legitimate on their walls.
Image 7:
The whole travel takes 17 days to Hamburg and until Rotterdam (day 15) it is totally non-stop. Here we just don’t move in order to "queue" in front of the Suez channel.
Image 8:
Personally I wouldn’t get bored not even on the whole world tour, that takes 55 days ("one journey" in seamen’s terms).
The people on board of course don’t get bored either, because there is always something to do like cleaning the cancer causing grimes away, painting parts (for nice looking and against rust or like here: Testing the emergency equipment.
Image 9:
The electrician is replacing a bulb in my bathroom.
My bathroom was very nice by the way: all very clean, light and functional: shower, basin, toilet - everything quite luxurious for a container ship (I thought)...
Image 10:
The "second" (officer) was mainly in charge of the maps. Daily news was coming in where and what things are swimming in the ocean which are neither supposed to swim there nor are supposed to be driven against by us.
Image 11:
The same officer in his room which equals mine.
Most seamen nowadays own notebooks in order to watch dvds, play "solitary" or work something. This fellow e.g. is giving services every sunday to his comrades or everybody that wants to join a catholic service.
Image 12:
Another one, "Oiler" in this case (working in the engine) is doing some embroidery in his spare time. Very nice thing to do I think!
Image 13:
And the very last photo of the BlindCycle Tour is: me being happy in my cabin.
I can really recommend a freight ship travel to everybody who can finance, has the necessary time and something to do or think of. It’s such a say "careless" time you spend floating on the ocean, only pressing "B" in the elevator to get to the mess and eat. Very nice thing to do!!!
So now it’s time to say good bye and thanks again for all the Emails during the tour encouraging and pushing us.