A hectic journey it has been.
Having a 9hr layover in Hong Kong it seemed obvious that I should have a look around. While gliding through HK airport, a westerner, like myself, immediately notices the out of place smells of simmering oriental spices wafting over the shining floors between electronics and lights. As if new age industry and technology have taken over the place but the heart has remained the same.
The MTR train ride into Hong Kong Central left me in awe of the punctuality, cleanliness and overall quality but yet again I couldn't help wondering why Israel hasn't gotten its act together tackling this elementary subject. Surrounded by hi-tech and every imaginable bank logo, it is easy to see why Hong Kong is regarded as one of the finance and trade centers of the world. So many people in such a bustle made me instinctively walk fast but none of them seemed in a hurry. Again the west is in the east but the heart has remained the same.
From then on though, it was a different story. Reflecting now, I am reminded of a lecture I heard regarding the disproportionate influence some negative memories can have over an overall good experience. Granted, 9 hours is barely enough to get your bearings in HK, but still – the in-situ development of mild epilepsy and visual disorientation syndromes was a bit much. Everywhere I looked someone was selling something, and I wasn't buying. Even though I had a short shopping list, the sheer atmosphere of around the clock commerce put me off. I got barely half way down my list before I just had to get out. I found my refuge in a large mug of ice-cold Chrysanthemum Honey Juice – highly recommended.
The quiet colonial coastal port town of Freemantle, with its wide streets, a cool sea breeze and unfamiliar bird songs coming down from the tall alpine trees is Hong Kong's exact opposite. Not a single building is over 3 stories and the sky is clear and blue. Just what I needed. We arrived at the Research Vessel Southern Surveyor berth and boarded, only to find that most of the scientific team hadn't arrived yet. Just as well, because I could grab the bottom bunk in my assigned cabin "scientists 4 & 5". No worries – my top bunk partner Jack Healy has a safety net in case of high seas.
It's funny how the olfactory system is the most effective way of bringing dusty memory neuron passageways back to life. The "aroma" of a ship is not one to be forgotten. Between barging in southern France, yachting in the Mediterranean and cruising in the Galapagos archipelago – the Southern Surveyor is no smelly exception. It's hard to describe the damp woody smell mixed with a bit of grease, salt and PVC floors – but I just tried.
There's a certain camaraderie immediately formed between shipmates, perhaps due to the close quarters they are forced to inhabit. The crew seems to be awake at all hours hauling something this way or that in their orange jumpsuits, but always stop to say g'day and see if you're OK. I started my first morning with a run on the treadmill followed by bacon and eggs an soy milk sultana bran… ahhh the good life! Too bad I had a look at the shift roster and found out I'm on from 0200 to 1400.
Well, my last minutes on land are over. Luckily the Freemantle Library offers free WiFi to the whole city so I can send this out while sitting on the park lawn. Back to the ship for the safety drill after which we cast off and immediately lower down the magnetometer.
No comments:
Post a Comment