7th - 9th Oct 2019
Days 8 to 10
Sea State: Nothing special. Heading 260˚ then 240˚. Weather. Mostly o'cast.
As previously mentioned the casino has ranks of very elaborate hi-tech slot machines. They are beyond my understanding, but I took an interest in a couple who were playing them. This 'Sid and Doris' (for those who read the old 'Private Eye') couple were here at the same, relatively simple, machines every day as I passed on my way to inspect the gym. On one occasion I watched with interest. These machines are clever. Sid and Doris (S&D), probably bored out of their minds, each put $10 credit into the machine. It offers enormous 'jackpot' prizes. Instead of just taking their money straight away (to save time) it made sure they won a bit, lost a bit and just as their last credit was about to run out they won a helpful bonus. It gave them enormous 'highs and lows' plus hope and disappointment and great amusement before finally, eventually, taking all their money. They would have been here all day, every day, I suspect....and happily lose loads of $ chasing that illusory 'big prize'.
Right: Also in the casino is such a thing as a 'craps' table. This is a curiously American invention of which I had heard but never played, or even seen played. As there were no players around I asked the croupier, or whatever he's called (crap collector?), to explain the rules. I got as far as understanding you throw two dice from one end of this large table to the other which had to hit the barrier to qualify as a valid throw. After that if became completely unintelligible in its complexity. I am no wiser.
Happy Hours! The bars operate a Happy Hour system between 4-5.00pm and 10-11.00pm whereby if you buy a drink at the normal price you get a second for $2. Better than a slap in the face with a wet fish I suppose.
I went to a talk on 'What to Expect in Yokohama' given by the 'Entertainments Manager', Jeremy Hales (an Australian) on the main stage. It was quite useful but somewhat confusing concerning the rail/underground and general transport system around Yokohama and Tokyo. Japan prides itself on its rail system but looking at the diagram (left) he showed on the screen it seems incredibly complicated. At first glance it would probably take a Bletchley Park code breaking team a few weeks to make sense of it.
I have booked absolutely nothing in Yokohama and beyond. I intend to 'wing it' as normal. I may come to regret this rather cavalier approach...we shall see.
Right: A simplified version? I would be interested, if no less confused, to see the unsimplified one!
We are due to arrive in the port of Kushiro tomorrow morning for a run ashore. I have already sussed out an Irish Pub which might be worth a visit. We have also been made aware of the 'Super Typhoon' Hagibis developing off the south-east coast of Japan. That might prove interesting.
Days 8 to 10
Sea State: Nothing special. Heading 260˚ then 240˚. Weather. Mostly o'cast.
Right: Routing down the Kuril Islands.
As mentioned in previous, Sunday 6th October did not exist as far as we were concerned. We moved straight from Saturday 5th to Monday 7th across the IDL. We tracked west, south of the Aleutian Islands, and on towards the Bering Sea. Then to the south of the Kamchatka Peninsular before hanging a left down the eastern side of the Kuril Island archipelago towards our next port of call, Kushiro, on the northern Jap Island of Hokkaido. Kuril Islands? Didn't know much about them, but there are 56 of them apparently, mostly uninhabited, stretching 810 miles from Kamchatka (Russia) to Hokkaido (Japan). I believe there is an ongoing (diplomatic) dispute between Russia and Japan as to who owns some of the southerly ones.
I lump these three days together because a) I have no new 'on board' interesting photos or things to report b) The internet on board, even though one pays for access, is slow and erratic and takes ages to do things like write this journal c) the daily routine becomes, well, routine: Breakfast, either in cabin or dining room, wander around the ship in shorts and T-shirt passing the gym, snack lunch in the Dive-In restaurant, perhaps go to an 'activity' ('Relieve Pain and Digestion with Chinese Herbs' was one such exciting offer) but I did go to a 'Today's Trivia General Knowledge' which was quite amusing, the occasional music performance, drink in the Gallery bar, dinner in the Dining Room, back to cabin and maybe watch a film from a large but fairly lamentable selection. Kip.
I have yet to find any passenger on this ship, apart from the remarkable 92yr old Ed, remotely interesting or amusing. Maybe the ex-RAF Padre/Gorbals vicar is another exception, but I haven't seen him for a bit. They are all perfectly polite and decent folk I am sure, but amongst the old Hiram T Birdbath IVs and their skinny/fat wives, elderly Orientals, retired Canooks or Aussies and the occasional dour ex-Glaswegian emigrant (seen and heard a few of those, curiously) plus the contingent of 'wheelie Zimmer-frame drivers', there just appear to be no kindred (ie slightly bonkers?) spirits. I'm sure the feeling is mutual.
I occasionally pass the Spa Centre where the ladies on guard now regard me with great suspicion and tend to melt away on my approach.
As previously mentioned the casino has ranks of very elaborate hi-tech slot machines. They are beyond my understanding, but I took an interest in a couple who were playing them. This 'Sid and Doris' (for those who read the old 'Private Eye') couple were here at the same, relatively simple, machines every day as I passed on my way to inspect the gym. On one occasion I watched with interest. These machines are clever. Sid and Doris (S&D), probably bored out of their minds, each put $10 credit into the machine. It offers enormous 'jackpot' prizes. Instead of just taking their money straight away (to save time) it made sure they won a bit, lost a bit and just as their last credit was about to run out they won a helpful bonus. It gave them enormous 'highs and lows' plus hope and disappointment and great amusement before finally, eventually, taking all their money. They would have been here all day, every day, I suspect....and happily lose loads of $ chasing that illusory 'big prize'.
Right: Also in the casino is such a thing as a 'craps' table. This is a curiously American invention of which I had heard but never played, or even seen played. As there were no players around I asked the croupier, or whatever he's called (crap collector?), to explain the rules. I got as far as understanding you throw two dice from one end of this large table to the other which had to hit the barrier to qualify as a valid throw. After that if became completely unintelligible in its complexity. I am no wiser.
Happy Hours! The bars operate a Happy Hour system between 4-5.00pm and 10-11.00pm whereby if you buy a drink at the normal price you get a second for $2. Better than a slap in the face with a wet fish I suppose.
I went to a talk on 'What to Expect in Yokohama' given by the 'Entertainments Manager', Jeremy Hales (an Australian) on the main stage. It was quite useful but somewhat confusing concerning the rail/underground and general transport system around Yokohama and Tokyo. Japan prides itself on its rail system but looking at the diagram (left) he showed on the screen it seems incredibly complicated. At first glance it would probably take a Bletchley Park code breaking team a few weeks to make sense of it.
I have booked absolutely nothing in Yokohama and beyond. I intend to 'wing it' as normal. I may come to regret this rather cavalier approach...we shall see.
Right: A simplified version? I would be interested, if no less confused, to see the unsimplified one!
We are due to arrive in the port of Kushiro tomorrow morning for a run ashore. I have already sussed out an Irish Pub which might be worth a visit. We have also been made aware of the 'Super Typhoon' Hagibis developing off the south-east coast of Japan. That might prove interesting.
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