In sick bay on the East China Sea
28 May 2025
KEITH JACKSON
MV REGATTA, EN ROUTE TO SHANGHAI – I never bloody learn. Never. My travelling days should be over. Don’t have the back for them. Nor the neck, nor the hips. Can’t feel my feet. Knees OK.
But, even though I rarely leave the ship, I enjoy travelling with Ingrid. Who brings me tales from ashore. The markets. The price of kimonos in Nagoya. The street dramas. The drum orchestras. Purchasing shoes in a foreign language.
The sick bay staff are first rate. The young lady emergency doctor from the Philippines who fought the authorities to get me a wheelchair. Admirable feist. Male nurse Rommel (emphasis on second syllable please), who finds a vein in my wrist after much effort. Female nurse Orchid who does the bloods and organs – all OK I’m pleased to report.
With lots of infusion of steroids and analgesics I eventually lose the pain but my stagger remains and people think I may fall. So far I do not.
I keep telling myself this is my last trip by sea, or maybe by anything other than ambulance. But the yearn to continue travelling is strong and chronic.
Apols due to all contributors who have to suffer with me. Pix hard to post on the piss weak wifi of a ship at sea. In 2025 no less. Pieces hard to post from a lolling vessel and a body barely functional. I have the excuse of 80 years. The ship much less.
We’re now a day out of Nagasaki en route to the Hai of Shang.
I’m slowly recovering from my run-in with a dodgy muscular-skeletal structure and hoping a full recovery is possible but knowing it is not. So it’s tally-ho from me. Keep in touch.
A Question Regarding the Pigs' Livery on the Lae, Kainantu. Goroka, Chimbu, Mt Hagen aerial milk run in the 1960's - TAA or Ansett? Do you recall, by any chance? I'm convinced that it was TAA. Bob Fulton reckons it was Ansett. Slantie.
Posted by: William Dunlop | 04 June 2025 at 02:50 PM
Adventure. "Thou wast not born for death".
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Although sometimes I wonder - KJ
Posted by: Michael Dom | 30 May 2025 at 12:25 PM
KJ - Yu strongpela man tru. Wish I was pushing the streets of Shanghai like I pushed Francis Nii in Brisbane, 2016. Stap gut long Japan na go bek long Smuggler's Cove.
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Tenkyu tru wantok. Yu strongim mi - KJ
Posted by: Daniel Kumbon | 30 May 2025 at 06:07 AM
Voyages two centuries ago, from Britain to Austral colonies, while certainly many not free passages, provided only cold bathing, So Keith still warms to travel on vessels, and has freedom thus to choose.
Onward to each lift of crest.
Posted by: Lindsay F Bond | 29 May 2025 at 03:33 PM
"You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!" After the last trip O/S I said that's it. No more.
Even the flight home was delayed as the plane went U/S and there was no back up available. And... that was Air NZ in New Zealand!
All the locals were told to go home again and those with Duty Free told to go and return their purchases and get refunds.
A whole schoolboy football team and hangers on were told; "'Come back tomorrow and see what we can do." Missed their game in Oz of course.
We finally got home after staying o/n and then crawling onto our flight home, wedged into two seats next to the toilets on a Virgin flight connection after flying to southern NZ and a longer way home
Needless the say, everyone on the flight, including screaming kids, wanted to go at least three times and the back of the plane was so heavy with those standing in the walkway that I'm sure the flight crew had to constantly re trim the aging aircraft.
Fortunately, there weren't too many buying anything except more grog from the service trolley, who couldn't get through the pack of those jumping up and down on one leg.
Posted by: Paul Oates | 29 May 2025 at 10:20 AM
Garry Roche - Touche', you have put it all in a nutshell. As the auld saying goes. Slantie.
Posted by: Willian Dunlop | 29 May 2025 at 10:20 AM
Keith, you are inspiring us to keep going.
I came across a saying "do not regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many".
Enjoy your travels.
Posted by: Garrett Roche | 28 May 2025 at 08:34 PM