March 2010
Monday 1 st
of March 2010
and only a few days to go before it's time to go home. Now I'm only waiting for my reliever, maybe he will be onboard in the next discharge port.
We left Swinoujsce at 2 o'clock in the morning after several hours of waiting for the cargo documents. Some problem with the quality and quantity. We have loaded from 3 shore tanks and 140 railway tankers from Russia. So I understand if there had been problem with the quantity.
Well, anyway, it was nice to go to bed and I slept until 11 o'clock when I went to my office for my good morning DIET DRINK. I skipped my morning tea because it was soon time for lunch.
No time to waste and I got right down to my paperwork. A discharge plan has to be done before arrival. We still don't know where to go, but I like to be ONE STEP AHEAD. And maybe we're
running in to bad weather on the other side of the Kiel Canal and then it might be
impossible to sit down in my office. So better to do it while I can sit down without holding on to something if it's rolling.
Captain brought nothing but bad news for lunch. Me reliever is not coming and it looks like they have to find a new one. But when will I be able to go home? Well, the good thing is that I have a few extra days for the “Best looking guy in town '10” diet. So far it has been nothing but a disappointment. But things have picked up a bit the last few days, ever since Captain took an interest in my diet.
At 3 o'clock they called and they have found a reliever for me. He will be onboard next week and I will stay with him for a few days before I go home. Well, now I can see the end of it. And I will join Ek-Star in the middle of May.2 months at home and I will be busy.
We left Swinoujsce at 2 o'clock in the morning after several hours of waiting for the cargo documents. Some problem with the quality and quantity. We have loaded from 3 shore tanks and 140 railway tankers from Russia. So I understand if there had been problem with the quantity.
Well, anyway, it was nice to go to bed and I slept until 11 o'clock when I went to my office for my good morning DIET DRINK. I skipped my morning tea because it was soon time for lunch.
No time to waste and I got right down to my paperwork. A discharge plan has to be done before arrival. We still don't know where to go, but I like to be ONE STEP AHEAD. And maybe we're
running in to bad weather on the other side of the Kiel Canal and then it might beimpossible to sit down in my office. So better to do it while I can sit down without holding on to something if it's rolling.Captain brought nothing but bad news for lunch. Me reliever is not coming and it looks like they have to find a new one. But when will I be able to go home? Well, the good thing is that I have a few extra days for the “Best looking guy in town '10” diet. So far it has been nothing but a disappointment. But things have picked up a bit the last few days, ever since Captain took an interest in my diet.
At 3 o'clock they called and they have found a reliever for me. He will be onboard next week and I will stay with him for a few days before I go home. Well, now I can see the end of it. And I will join Ek-Star in the middle of May.2 months at home and I will be busy.
We entered the Holtenau locks just before 7 o'clock in the evening and we expect to be out in Elbe early tomorrow morning. But by then I hope I'm asleep after a full night on the bridge.
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Tuesday 2 nd
of March 2010
and we were approaching the locks in Brunsbuttel just before 5 o�clock in the morning and I could go to bed. I was dead tired, I didn't manage to get to sleep yesterday
evening so I really looked forward to getting down to my bed for some sleep.
Well, dead tired, but it was impossible to fall asleep.
Tossing and turning and the time was soon 7 o'clock. But I managed to get a few hours of sleep before I woke up at 12 o'clock.It was windy and water spray over deck so I had the crew to wash the ship during the afternoon. Our OS was washing tank deck and 2 guys were washing the superstructure.
And after lunch our Captain dragged me on deck for a constitutional/ Inspection of deck. Yeah, he still in to getting me from XXXXXXL to S.
Well, I'm more than happy if I get to XXXXXL before it's time to sign off.
- We're going to have an hour of kick arse walking every day.
- Sound's like a plan, I said.- We bring a pen and a paper and we can inspect deck at the same time. IT'S A WIN WIN, Captain said.
- Yeah, and a bit of socializing at the same time. Maybe the most important, I said.
- That's a triple WIN!
Constitutional and the kilos disappear while you're in a good mood. So you understand my disappointment when I'm coming in to Captain's cabin just to discover him with his hand in the biggest bag of chips I ever seen.
We got confirmation to proceed to Rotterdam for discharging in the afternoon. Arrival tomorrow morning and then I hope my reliever will come onboard in the next loading port.
Hopefully we will go to Göteborg. +++++++++++++++
Wednesday 3 rd
of March 2010
and I woke up to a gorgeous day. OK, it was only +3°C, but the
sea was like a windmill pond and the sun was shining. SPRING IN THE AIR!!We got a new voyage orders during the morning. Proceed to Svetly to load Dirty Gas
Condensate after discharging in Rotterdam. Well, looks like I know what to do my last few days onboard.Approaching Pilot Maas and we were ordered to proceed to the Pilot station. We had expected to drop anchor waiting for the 4 barges that we were going to discharge to. Obviously they have showed up and we had to proceed to VOPAK Terminal without dropping the anchor.
We arrived to Rotterdam on a beautiful day and when we approached VOPAK jetty #4 we passed M/T Swan Fionia. They were taking onboard stores and I could see our previous 1st Engineer on their deck. When he saw us he started to jump up and down waving at us.
He wasn't all that happy when he signed off from Ek-River.
- I would like to stay with you!
But life is life. Ektank had borrowed him for a few weeks from UNI Tankers and he had to go back to that company. I'M SORRY VICTOR!! BUT THAT'S LIFE!!
discharge 10 minutes after 5 o'clock. Of course, in the middle of the dinner so I had to eat my bowl of salad in the CCR. Yeah, soon time to go home and I really need to look good.I had time for a little night snacks before we finished the first barge. A plate of salad, 3 apples and 1 orange. And of course, 5 diet drinks. I should give up the diet drinks, well, that was my plan. But I stopped at the slop chest and I got myself a new case of diet drinks.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 4 th
of March 2010
and we started to discharge to the 2nd barge at 2 o'clock and I was in bed around 3. Of course, it didn't take long before they called again and then again, it was time
for a new call just after 10 o'clock.
- Surveyor is onboard for the third barge.
- OK, I'm coming.Well, I hope that my reliever comes onboard when we pass Simrishamn roads on our way to Svetly. Then I will go home next time in Rotterdam and that
would be nice. Next weekend
in FUNKY TOWN? I really hope so.Well, I'm ready to leave. My socks went down an
empty L&M carton, and the darn thing was brimmed so I had to step in to the carton in order to pres my socks down so I could close the lid. And snus, I have another box of snus that I will try to get home. TRY! NO, I must have it, I will stay home for 8 weeks and I need the whole box or I will run dry.Well, again, soon time to sign off and it's the same every
time it's time to get on the airplane to go back home. I'm afraid that I will not fit in the chair so I'm kicking arse with my by now well known failure the “Best looking guy in town '10”
diet.- Have a pancake!
- No thanks!
- It's so good together with whipped cream and blueberry jam!
- No thanks�, but I take an apple.
No matter what they throw at me. I'm the real SUPER FATSO. Yeah, bring it on! Pancakes, Semlor, Kålpudding, Korv Stroganoff, Cake or whatever they try to put on my plate.
- No thanks, but maybe a Kiwi. Plenty of C vitamins.
And things are piling up. I have had a terrible head ache all day long and it might be the “MAGIC
HAIR STUFF”. Yeah, the idea to come home with a V-shaped torso and hair like Bob Marley went sideways a long time ago. “MAGIC HAIR STUFF”, for sure, I have not seen any difference.But Captain had another theory about the head ache.
- You have been up every night the last week or two.
- Yeah, we have been a little unlucky since last time in Rotterdam
- So it might be a nerve that�s inflamed and now you feel the pain.
- I think it might be the “MAGIC HAIR STUFF”!
- Yeah, maybe!
OK, I must admit that I liked the HARD WORK
theory better than my “MAGIC HAIR STUFF” theory. I tried to pop a pain killer but that didn't work. We have the last barge to load and I planned to go
for a quick POWER NAP when we have started to load her.So when the last barge Milano arrived in the afternoon (In the middle of my dinner, a bowl of salad only) I was quick to finish the paper work and as soon as the discharging was up and running I took off to my bed.
We expect to leave in the middle of the night so it
will be yet another full night in my office. But, we're paid handsomely so I can't complain.My “Go to sleep” plan turned out to be the only one of my latest plans to be working.
- Hmm, unless I'm losing 10kg/ day this last week.Then it's 2 of my plans that have worked out as I wanted. Well, my “Go to sleep” plan turned out to be a failure. When I was called for at 11 o'clock my head ache was almost gone. So I was in a good mood, until about 10 minutes after coming out of the shower when my head ache started again.
- Is it due to the diet drinks??!! I hope not!But I would not be surprised if it is cancer. This is just what I need and my “ getting out of bed ” good mood were soon turned in to fear. Is this how it is going to end? DARN HEAD ACHE!
+++++++++++++++
Friday 5 th
of March 2010
and this day started in the CCR. My last Friday onboard M/T Ek-River?We completed discharging at 00:35 and we were ready with the paper work just after 2 o'clock. Pilot ordered for 03:45. Good, we will arrive to the Kiel Canal in the morning and not in the middle of the night and
hopefully I can get a full night of sleep. 
coffin nail made me feel a wee bit better.Well, anyway, I have stuff to do so I went down to my office for my morning tea. Russia next and we needs to have our narcotic/ medicine inventory in good order. So I started my day by taking
the medicine inventory.And my reliever is coming onboard on Simrishamn's roads Sunday morning. Yes, we will be at Elbe pilot around 6 o'clock tomorrow
morning and that means around 11 Sunday morning in Simrishamn so we asked the company to arrange for my reliever and the new 3rd Engineer to come onboard in Simrishamn.Good, I will be home next weekend. But before that a PEC meeting and we started
with a group hug. Normal procedure, and when our Fitter came to the meeting 2 minutes late we had to do it all over again. 2 group hugs
in one day, not bad.Well, almost time for dinner when we finished the PEC meeting and I felt asleep after dinner and I slept until 11. DARN! Now it will be impossible to fall asleep again and it will be the same story tomorrow again. Dead tired during the day and impossible to sleep during the night.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 6 th
of March 2010
and we were on River Elbe when they called me 10 minutes before 8 o'clock. It was a gorgeous morning with sunshine and no rolling. Late yesterday evening we ran in to bad weather and we were experiencing heavy rolling. Not possible to fall asleep until 6 o'clock or so in the morning. Well, 90 minutes of sleep is better than no sleep at all. 
it's below zero and white again, but sunshine and no wind. We left the locks in Brunsbüttel 20 minutes past 10 with a Pilot and two helmsmen from shore. Good to have someone else taking care of the steering so the ABs can be on deck working.A gorgeous day and I had people on the bridge taking pictures all the time. But of course, they gave up when we compared the quality of our pictures.
- Chief! Can you please take a picture of me?
- Why? What's wrong with your Scooby 300 camera? - Well, your camera is better
- OK, no problem.
- Good, and I can take a copy from you later on.
Well, no problem with the pictures, but we have problem with our internet. Disappeared this morning in the rolling and we tried to get it up and running again. I called FURUNO's 24/7/365 number a few times, but no answer so I sent an e-mail“I have tried to call your 24/7/365 number but no one is answering” and 5 seconds later the phone rang on the bridge.
- Yeah, I was in the shower.They were going to investigate the problem from shore and I hope the internet is up and running within the day.
It was a busy day in the Kiel Canal with plenty traffic, but we were lucky. Only one stop and we expect to be in Holtenau between 17 and 17 thirty. Good, we will be in time to pick up the crew on Simrishamn's roads tomorrow.
I was in the mess room having my dinner when we entered the lock in Holtenau.Our Mess man continued to ask me about my training
at Norwegian Training Centre. He started this morning by asking if we could go there at the same dates.- I will take a Cook course, he said.
We went to my office to check out the schedule. They have a Cook course taking off at the 19th of April and that's the same date my courses start.
- I will most likely be there between 19th and 30th of April, I said.
I asked him if he had ever been attending any courses at the Norwegian Training Centre.
- No, but I want to take my Cook course while you are at the Norwegian Training Centre.
Aunt wanted me to bring the nieces to cinema.- A Filipino girl never asks a guy to take her for a movie or restaurant.
- Well I'm pretty sure they never asked you. But when He-Man is in town....
- WE CAN BRING THEM TO THE FORT! Mess man suggested.Well, of course we can. But then I don't know about
going back to school again. Making a tit out of
your self Saturday night and then come back to school Monday morning like nothing ever happened.- Well, I don't think so!
I'm better off avoiding any embarrassments, or I will have to find a new place for my training courses. And I like the Norwegian Training Centre so I really don't want to start looking for a new training centre. And of course, I know the place so no need to wake up early the first day at school to go look for the darn place.
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 7 th
of March 2010
and we were approaching the roads of Simrishamn when I woke up. And
today I woke up 15 minutes before my wake up call. Nice to have a few minutes extra for a diet drink and a good morning
fag.While drinking my diet drink I had a check for internet
connection. Ships internet is still down, but I had contact with my USB modem. Good, I could check out flights from Amsterdam to FUNKY TOWN and there was 3 flights on Friday afternoon with Thai Airways, 2 via Munich and 1 via Frankfurt. I really hope they don't book me with KLM.Yes, KLM is an airline I can do without. So I hope the company can get me on a Thai Airways flight
and I willhopefully arrive to FUNKY TOWN on Saturday.We got a new 3rd Engineer and of course my reliever onboard off Simrishamn and we continued towards Svetly in Russia. My last loading onboard Ek-River.
- What? If I'm sorry for that? No, I'm not!
The only thing is to arrive to FUNKY TOWN on a Saturday. As I told our Chief Engineer the other day
- Arriving to FUNKY TOWN a Saturday is not good. There is nothing to do, wish I lived in Hicksville.
Well, even though I have my reliever onboard there is plenty to
do. We need to inspect the boxes for our anchor chains. So I had one of the ABs to remove the covers while I had my GOOD MORNING tea.When I finished my tea I took my snus to our slop chest. Better to have it there while in Russia. Farmer John might show up as a Custom Officers uniform and, well, this is like in Africa. They are not even embarrassed to come beg for stuff.
Imagine being married to one of those nitwits. You're
sitting home when suddenly Mr. Arsewipe come bursting in through the door. - DARLING!!! GUESS WHAT!!!
- What? Honey pie!
- I found a bag of expired potato chips on Ek-River and I had them to give it to me or I would have fined them thousands of dollars. Yeah, I'm the man!
- YIPPEE! TONIGHT IS A PARTY!! I KNEW I CHOOSE THE RIGHT MAN TO GET MARRIED WITH!!
- Yes, but it took me 5 hours. First I had to spend 3 hours in their hospital checking every tablet and expiry date. I did it real slow in hope for them to get tired of me and offering me a gift. But that didn't helped and I had almost given up when I found the bag of expired potato chips.
They don't have any salary and we can just imagine how these people are living. So a bag of potato chips is like winning the lottery. For us people from the civilised part of the world is hard to understand. And it's even harder to understand how you can spend hours counting tablets wishing that you can find something and then get a chocolate bar or something as a gift.
Well, as my “LIFE COACH” once said: Don't get in to an argument with an imbecile. You will never win. They will drag you down to their own level and beat you with their experience.
+++++++++++++++
Monday 8 th
of March 2010
and they called me at 6 o'clock in the morning.- We have all fast @ jetty #1- OK, I come downGood, my reliever was on the bridge at arrival and I could get an hour of sleep. I had been up all night watching movies waiting for them to start the engine.
At 1 o'clock the engine was still not started.
- C'MON ALREADY! I NEED TO BE IN AMSTERDAM ON FRIDAY!!
I was in bed when they started the engine and when I felt asleep it was already after 4 o'clock.
We started to load 10 minutes after 8 o'clock and they gave us 1500m³/h so we will be ready in
the evening. If they manage to keep this rate. And as I'm in a hurry to get to Rotterdam I really hope that we don't have to wait for some stupid out
bound convoy and thus delaying us by several hours.During the afternoon they tried to see if they could repair the satellite dish for our internet. But, well, we have to get a Service man onboard in Rotterdam to fix the problem.
So my last chance to upload my web page and to send e-mails will be when we pass Denmark on the way to Rotterdam. So let's hope we're passing in a good time, because I won't go up 4 o'clock in the morning just to upload my web page or send a e-mail.
- Well, I guess I have to use the ship's e-mail. My friend's mother has her birthday on Tuesday and I need to send her a birthday mail.It was 11°C below ZERO when I came down to my office this morning. The ice was thick and when
the sun came up the ice forward of us was full of people fishing. I don't know if it's some
kind of holiday or if it's just a lot of unemployed people around here. Or maybe it was a fishing club. There must have been hundreds of people fishing and I hope the ice is thick enough to carry the weight.Well, I have had 4 hours of sleep since yesterday morning so I got tired in the afternoon. But once again I failed to fall asleep so I got out of bed again and I really hope I can get a full night�s sleep tonight. But the chances are slim, we will complete loading between 9 and 10 o'clock tonight and then there will be a cubic ton of paper work before we can leave Svetly.
I went on the jetty to compare the draft with our SAAB after dinner and then I was off to my cabin for a diet drink and a movie. But it wasn't long before it was time to go down to the CCR to complete the loading. And yes, it will be nice to finish my last loading of this ship.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 9 th
of March 2010
and signing off on Friday, just forget it. We finished loading just after 10 o'clock yesterday evening and I was waiting for final density half the night. Pilot ordered for 11 o'clock and we will arrive to Rotterdam earliest Friday night. So I will miss the flight and I will be in FUNKY TOWN earliest on Sunday. Yeah, I was really in a bad mood. Otherwise we're passing through the Kiel Canal, but of course, the only time I want to pass through the Canal we are going around Skagen and I lose valuable time.
- PISS O PAPIR!!!
They called me 30 minutes after 6 o'clock for paper work. The good news was that Pilot would be onboard at 8 o'clock. But by then I was in bed sleeping. I didn�t wake up until half past one in the afternoon. Nice to have a good sleep after several nights with no sleep.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 10 th
of March 2010
and I woke up to a foggy morning. I checked if I had any network
for my internet, but we were not close enough to Denmark. Well, I will try again a little later and in the mean time I was busy measuring our tanks for H2S and we also need to get our cargo pumps up and running.Yes, we have the same problem we had last time loading in Svetly. The cargo was 3°C below ZERO and our HFO ROB froze solid in the wells.
So we heat the cargo as much as we can and today we had almost 10°C in the cargo tanks and I started to move our cargo pumps.
So I spent the time until lunch running between the CCR, my cabin to get diet drinks and the engine room to reset
tripped cargo pumps. We have electric cargo pumps and they 
Before
After
Well, I need the exercise and it does good for my diet. And now it's just 3 days to go before I will
go home so I need all the help I can get.I had 4 pumps up and running when it was time for lunch. 8 to go so it was just to get right on it when I finished my salad.
By the time it was dinner I had 11 pumps up and running, 1 to go and I will continue with this pump tomorrow.
Yes, KLM, must be one of the worst airlines I had ever been flying with. Well, earplugs and a sleeping pill and
hopefully I will be able to sleep through the whole flight. I tried to get an upgrade to business class, but they called from VIA Travel and suggested that I should upgrade at the check in. And today I also discovered that KLMhas passed the lowest of low water marks.I checked their web page and now they make a big number out of something they call ECONOMY
COMFORT. Extra leg space, more than 1 meter of extra leg space.Sounds great and this might be something for me. Of course they charge you for this but I don't mind paying the extra for the extra comfort. Well, after a little surfing on their page I discover that it�s the seat at the exit they charge you extra for.
Shameless, not only do they charge you, but they make it sound like a service. Talking about a cheap airline. I do everything to avoid them, but this time I had no choice.
Hopefully this is the last time I'm flying with KLM. Thai or Lufthansa is way better. 
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 11 th
of March 2010
and the work with the cargo pumps continued. Yes, we remembered
that I still had one pump stuck from yesterday. So the plan is
to get the pump working while I run the other pumps circulating the cargo to make sure they don't get stuck again.Well, of course, the pump in cargo tank 3 stb was stuck today so I ended up with 2 cargo pumps that were not running.
Well, I have plenty time and diet drinks to go with it so no problem.
I took my seat in front of the computer and I started the process to get the pumps up and running.So it was plenty running up and down from the engine room to reset the pumps when they tripped. The pumps were running before lunch and I finished everything and I went to have my bowl of salad in the mess room.
I had a quick bowl of salad and I was off to my cabin and my Thai books. I have not read anything for quite a few days now. So I really need to do my homework before coming home.
I got my flight details today, leaving Amsterdam 20:45 on Saturday with Scooby Airline. Arriving
to FUNKY TOWN 13:10 and I will step through my door about 1 hour after that. Well, of course, depending on if Scooby Airline will manage to arrive in time. But how hard can it be?So I will see how many hours I will have to spend waiting in Amsterdam. Well,
on the airport, I have no intentions to do any sightseeing in Amsterdam. I know the city by now. And its pure ghastliness since they forced the pot smokers out on the streets.
Yeah, it�s against the law to smoke tobacco inside so if you want to mix your marijuana you have to
fly with their national carrier.Sunday, yes, it will be nice to come back home. I went to see our Mess man and I asked him if he wanted me to say hello to my Teacher from him. He looked surprised.
- Is the internet working again?
- No but I can say hello to her when I see her.
- YES!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!!!
- I can give her a kiss from you if you want.
He turned black.
- DON'T YOU DARE! I KILL YOU!!
I spent the afternoon with my reliever and he is ready to take over and I can go home.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 12 th
of March 2010
and I started my day with a cup of tea and two slices of black bread (No butter) while I circulated the cargo for 30 minutes in each tank. And today there was no problem starting the pumps. This and my tea brought my mood up a notch.
There was a fire drill planned for 9 o'clock. Fire in the galley and our smoke divers were kickin' arse and the fire was soon extinguished. My reliever is onboard so I was just an observer. But
of course, I documented the stuff.
Yes, nothing else was expected. I'm always having my camera stand-by for some action pictures.Well, when I got my pictures I returned to the CCR and the cargo circulation. I don't want to leave running cargo pumps unmonitored. So while the crew
did the rest of the drills I was in the CCR drinking diet drinks and circulating the cargo while listening to good music.I was not surprised when we received e-mail from our Agent. Drop anchor at arrival. BP advise that you will start discharging 15/16:00
due to lack of ullage in shore tanks. Well, so I will not be home on Sunday, maybe on Tuesday. But I won't besurprised if we're delayed again. Well, as I use to say: “More days more dollars”. And of course, I will get a few extra days with my “Best looking
guy in town '10”
diet.It was soon 10 o'clock and Mess man came in to the CCR with a cup of coffee and my tea cup.
We took our cups and we moved in to the duty mess next door. Our Motorman was sitting there enjoying his tea. And of course, soon time to sign off and we talked about home. I told Mess man that he could take what was left of my “MAGIC HAIR STUFF” when I went home. I told them that this was the real deal and that it was really making wonders for your hair.
- Looking in the mirror (Shoulder up only!) was a pleasant surprise yesterday. “MAGIC HAIR STUFF” had done wonders and now I can see the difference.
- Yes, there is a difference from when you joined the ship, Mess man said.
- I also have a very good stuff, I'm using BABY SHAMPOO, Motorman said.
- WHAT!!??- Yes, I'm using BABY SHAMPOO and I'm not losing any hair.
I could not believe my ears. Is he shitting me?
- Impossible for you to lose any hair! There is no hair to lose!
- I promise, it's very good.
- !!??? Are you shitting me?
- My hair loss has been stable since I started with the BABY SHAMPOO 2 years ago.
screaming of laughter wetting himself. But our Motorman was still trying to convince us that BABY SHAMPOO was the best thing ever happening to a bald guy.- My hair loss has been stable for the last 2 years, I promise.
- Fer f@cks sake! There is only skin left to loose, I said.
- I have had this much hair ever since I started with the BABY SHAMPOO!!
- WHAT??!! EXACTLY ZERO!!!???
Well, if BP is going on like this there won't be much of the “MAGIC HAIR STUFF” left when I go home. From 13/05:00 to 15/16:00 and who know how it looks on Monday? But I hope that I won't miss the next weekend at home. Arriving home next Friday would be nice. Schools and all the offices are closed so I cannot attend to any of my business. I can have a drink without any agony.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 13 th
of March 2010
and we were anchored outside Rotterdam when I woke up. We
dropped anchor @ 15:50 yesterday and the original plan was for us to be alongside discharging by now.Well, never mind, if I have been here for 4 months a few days extra doesn�t matter.
I started my day with my morning tea in my office. Our
Chief engineer came by to show me that he had put his licenses in the binder I gave him
the other day. Before he kept them in an envelope.- What the
is this? Looks like a PanamaGreek ship, I said.I got my new document binder from the Norwegian Officers Union last
time in Göteborg. Yeah, working under Norwegian flag and you must be a member in the trade union. And I think you know by know how I feel about the trade unions.If I had to choose between paying them or burning my money I would have chosen to burn them.
Well, anyway, mandatory membership and I got a document binder as an introduction and I gave my old one to our Chief Engineer. I had one of those document binders a few years ago. But it took too much space in my bag so I bought the one I gave to the Chief Engineer instead. My first document binder,hmm, I wonder if J still has it. I gave it to him,
must be almost 10 years ago by now.And don't get too impressed by my new binder on the picture above. It looks like leather, but its pure plastic and most likely made by child labour in China. Yeah, that's how the trade union operates.
Latest news from BP, Rotterdam. Late Monday evening at best. So more delays and I will be home earliest on Wednesday. Well, my things are packed and I'm ready to take off to FUNKY TOWN. I bought the box with all of the 7
seasons of The Shield and I gave the box to our Mess man.But I don't know if he deserves it. As soon as I saw him coming
Björn,
bli nu inte bitter. Jag hadde faktiskt packat ner boxen till dig. Men jag har fan i mig inte plats. Jag har en jävla hatt ask som tar upp hela resväskan så jag har fått ta en tom L&M kartong för mina 200 par strumpor + en massa annan skit.
- Hey, have some apple pie!
- I'm on diet!
- There are plenty cinnamon!
- SO WHAT?
- Cinnamon burns fat and you can eat plenty pie.
- Where do you come up with all this bullshit?
Well, of course I look like a human balloon with people like this around me. And I'm proud to say that I returned to my cabin without any of the apple pie. Just a few days to go and to eat apple pie are not the way to go if you want to fit in one of KLM's chairs.
Hopefully, yes, I really hope there is a possibility to upgrade my ticket.But no problem if I manage to lose 50 kg until Tuesday. But I don't think so.
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 14 th
of March 2010
and, yes, we're still anchored outside Rotterdam waiting for BP to get enough space for our cargo in their shore tanks so we can come in and discharge our cargo.
But now it's getting a wee bit boring to stay at the anchorage so I hope we're coming inside
tomorrow afternoon so I can go home. And I got the best news at the 10 o'clock coffee. If we go inside tomorrow I will leave with Lufthansa to Frankfurt and from there to FUNKY TOWN with Thai Airways arriving 6 o'clock Wednesday morning. So I was in a good mood when Mess man brought my 10 o'clock tea.- I made cookies, I will bring some for you.
- GET THE F@CK OUT OF HERE!
What the hell is wrong with this guy? My “Best looking guy in town
'10”
diet turned to nothing but a disappointment and it's all thanks to this guy.I wish we had our old Cook back onboard. She knew how to keep our Mess man and my diet under control. Yes, it was a pain in the arse having her watching your every meal.
But I must say that back then I had to make new holes in my
belt. Now I need an extension belt. Well, anyway, there is hope.As I mentioned I got the best news in a long time. And no, I don't mean the “cinamon burns fat” news. But my new flight details, Thai
airways from Frankfurt and I can upgrade to business class. Yes, I could most likely have done the upgrade with KLM as well. But I really don't want to spend any more money than necessary on KLM andhopefully they will go bankrupt.Hmm, thinking of it. I don't think I would have mind standing up the whole flight from Amsterdam to FUNKY TOWN if it meant that KLM made a few cents less of profit.
+++++++++++++++
Monday 15 th
of March 2010
and a new weeks is coming up. Yes, last weekend was most likely the
last onboard Ek-River. But that's what I said about last weekend also. So who knows. But I expect updated berthing prospects this morning.Looks like 16 to 1700 for berthing is still on and I packed my last stuff
and now I'm pretty much ready to get out of here. I was in the galley taking pictures of our 3rd Officer when he checked our fire extinguishers and I ended up planning my Manila visit with Mess man.- Friday night The Fort and Saturday night Melate.
- Sounds like a plan, I said.
Our Chief Engineer was hanging in the door way listening to our plans green of envy and I tried to pep him. Of course, not as easy as it sounds.
- HEY! You will be in Riga! Not too bad!- Oh yeah, Riga is very nice.
I have Riga fresh in mind, even though it was 3 months since we were in Riga, And we have the Rimi adventure fresh in mind.
- NICE??!! We will be at The Fort having a good
time while
you're running around at Rimi with a shopping list, egg, cheese and bread. How fun is that?- Egg and cheese??!! No, I will go shop for nice beer and some good
Whiskey.Well, I was not impressed and I'm pretty sure that our Mess man weren't too impressed either.
I spent the day waiting to hear them starting the engine and finally, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon I could hear the engine start. Pilot will be onboard quarter past 4 and we will soon be discharging our Gas Condensate.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 16 th
of March 2010
and today should be a short one, I'm expect to be picked up at 06:00 for transportation to the airport. So it's holiday time in FUNKY TOWN
again. OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens at my web page. So it's not very easy 
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page. So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!
คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
ข้างบนนี้
Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.
Jiffy (also jiff)
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaasFaites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopraSprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben! คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
ข้างบนนี้
Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.
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