Here today, where tomorrow?

Now that it looks like we're leaving for sure, I thought about listing a few things that were interesting about this part of the (sea-) world, not in a bad way :). I must say, despite all our fears, it never really got that hot! Then again, it appears we timed it right and beat the worst part of the year to be here, which is the next couple of months.

What we have had, are the fringe effects of proximity to the Suez traffic. For one thing, I've never heard so many different languages spoken over the radio. To put it in perspective, our crew at this point collectively speak almost twenty languages, and there were still many we couldn't understand!

I have to admit, on the whole, the sunrises were rather more picturesque than the sunsets :). The band of haze that seems to be permanently stuck on the horizon does have its uses though. That's what makes sunsets every day look like pottery in reverse, what with the disc of the setting sun constantly being dismantled ever so subtly, and continuously, until it disappears with that unheard whoosh. I'm still waiting for the green flash to go with it :).

The moon-rises have tried to keep up. Sometimes with fascinating God of War looks. But I guess there's just so much less light to work with that it's a losing battle...

It's those hours just beyond daylight though, that are the best. Whether it is when ruddy darkness resigns to be blown apart by the rising sun, or when it prepares to repossess the sky as its foe sinks below the edge of the sea. When the breeze is soothing and you close your eyes and breathe in the salty air, it is difficult to imagine that you are surrounded by desert to the east and west, pirate infested seas to the south and an unending stream of strange tongued ships just over the horizon.

And then of course I get back to work and find all hell has broken loose and those few moments of peace and equanimity evaporate like they never were. Yup, I love my job... In all fairness though, I'm kidding only some of the time when I say that :).

Currently: one and a wake-up!
Listening to: Alison Mossheart and Carla Assar - Tomorrow never knows