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 April 2011
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Friday 1st of April 2011 and they called me 20 minutes before 8. Well, it was 20 minutes before 7  British time and we're having Swedish time onboard so I slept 1 hour less than  expected because my watch was set to British time.
I had a shower before going to the bridge where the off signing Chief Officer had watch. I made a pot of tea and I checked the equipment on the bridge. I also had time to instruct our Cook about my diet. 2 cans of tuna and 2 onions per day. Black bread and  if we don't have black bread I can have 3 slices of knäckebröd for breakfast and dinner.
And I had my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® for lunch. But tomorrow I will try to get back to my Bangkok routines, breakfast and dinner only. I went on deck with our Chief Officer after lunch. We  inspected the deck and, yes, it was pretty much the same as on M/T Tärnvåg. When we came back in from deck we went to the bridge to check out some of the paper work.
When I arrived to Belfast it was blowing  full storm. But the wind decreased in the evening and I was looking forward to a nice trip to Milfordhaven. Well, today it was sunny and nice, but it didn't take long before it started to blow full gale again. And it doesn't look like it will be better before we're leaving tonight.
OK, honestly, my diet has had a slight list during the day. And the list increased a wee bit during the dinner. OK, time to get the arse kickin' started. I prepared my breakfast for tomorrow. Well, our Cook did most of the job preparing the “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® for my dinner.  - I will have it for breakfast tomorrow.
So I had some very nice fried meat with paprika for dinner and I brought my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® to my cabin. So I can go straight from my cabin to the bridge without passing the kitchen tomorrow morning. I spent an hour in my cabin after dinner before going to the bridge to check out the progress with the discharging. We have the CCR on the bridge so it is up there everything is happening. For sure not much happen with the update of my web page. I don't know what it is with the internet. My FPT program doesn't work and I can only receive e-mails, not send any e-mails. And I can surf the internet so something is wrong. Well, we see if it works tomorrow. I got on watch at 8 o'clock in the evening with the off signing Chief Officer. I stepped up on the
 new routine, to check my weight before going on my evening watch.
We finished bulk discharging around 9 o'clock and it was  time to blow our lines. The AB is on deck checking the tank pressurising the lines and we open the discharge valve from the computer on the bridge when he have 5 Bars pressure on the line.
As it was a long time since I had been on this ship I went down to check out the AB while he was blowing the lines. But it was enough to check him blowing one line, then I had the picture and I returned to the bridge. We blow all the lines to CT 5 Port and when we were finished, it takes us about 1 hour to blow the lines, we started to discharge the last 40 m³ or so and we completed loading at 22:00 Our Pilot was onboard 15 minutes after 10 o'clock. He was ordered for 23:00 when we were  expected to be ready with paper work and disconnecting of the cargo hose.
We left Belfast 10 minutes before 11 bound for Pembroke, Milfordhaven where we are going to load Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel for Dublin. +++++++++++++++
Saturday 2nd of April 2011 and as soon as we left the Pilot behind we ran in the heavy waves and strong wind. Head wind so it was not much rolling, but the ship was pitching and we're doing a  bottom flush of our tanks so the pumps tripped every now and then when the water disappeared from the well.
We completed the flushing around two o'clock and I went to bed. The AB on watch was blowing the lines before they could start the super strip and force ventilation. It was a beautiful morning when I came on my morning watch at 8 o'clock with my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ®. Sunshine and the wind had decreased to a force 4 so I really enjoyed my tea and tuna. Yes, I will try to get back to my Bangkok routines with tuna in the morning and then nothing until my evening tuna. And this will  hopefully work out just fine.
Our engine department have repaired our tank cleaning pump so we tested the pump.  I was in the pump room with the AB to open the valves from the sea chest while our off signing Chief Officer was on watch on the bridge.
After lunch our off signing Chief Officer and I prepared the papers and cargo plan for the loading. And when I expected to go down to my temporary cabin to write a few   words on my web page our 2nd Officer came to the bridge. He wanted to take me on a safety tour of the ship so off we went.
We finished the tour and I went to our gym to get the punch bag before going back to my  cabin. I will bring it on deck outside my cabin and I will start using it as soon as I get the time. The first few days onboard are always a little hectic before you know how everything is working.
Our off signing Chief Officer leave us tomorrow and when I have moved in to Chief Officer's cabin and I'm settled in I will start using the punch bag and my new skipping rope. I was looking for a timer in Belfast. We have one onboard but the signal is almost impossible to hear. At least when you're kicking arse at the punch bag.  - Hmm, what to do?
Well, after millions of stupid ideas in my life I think that I   have finally come up with something. Yes, I made a play list were all songs was 3 minutes long and I can use my iPod as an timer and I can listen to music at the same time. Quite clever!
So I'm pretty much ready to start with my exercises and I'm looking forward to it. Well, looking forward, I don't know. But I'm looking forward to look good. We were slowing down after dinner, pilot was not ready until 20:30 S/T. Well, slightly rolling and I was about to go on my evening watch and as I don't forget my NEW routines I stepped up on the
 scale. Minus 1,8 kg, BUT HOLD IT WITH THE CHAMPAGNE!! The ship is rolling so you have to expect results like this in the future. - 1,8 kg 5 of the 10 times I stepped up on the scale. But the scale showed everything from out of scale (Several cubic tonnes) to a loss of 7 kg. So I guess we will have to see the average and as you for sure have noticed is that I have added an extra line “REMARKS:” in my blue weight check box.
Yes, and I'm not washing my underwear anymore. I stopped a few days ago. But now I don't want to see people sneaking around my garbage bin!! As I use to say: If understand if someone steals my clean underwear, but not the dirty underwear. Yes, I think we can remember how disappointed and  angry I was coming home from Bangkok Fight Club to discover that my scale went the wrong way.
 I was screaming and I was even consoling  myself by eating. We remember when I ripped open the pumpernickel pack. Well, anyway, the scale is going the wrong way and I was consoled by the EX Cook on
 Ek-River: “Muscles are heavier than fat”.
Yes, she was on to something there. Because all my underwear are getting too big and I won't bother washing them, they will go straight to the garbage. Same with my shirts, some of them fit me like a robe now and I won't bother bringing them back home to Bangkok. Of course, the 19:40 pilot boarding time was postponed until 20 thirty. We were steaming outside Milfordhaven waiting for the pilot. We were drinking tea, well, I was drinking tea while  Captain was drinking coffee. Well, we were lucky with the weather and we were telling each other cock-and-bull stories.
Milfordhaven Port Control called us and the pilot was on the way. Preparing coffee or tea for the pilot? Coffee? Is it a female pilot coming? A real He man will drink tea. Of course the pilot asked for tea when he came onboard 20 minutes before 11 o'clock in the evening and we had a pot of coffee going down the drain. The pilot was 3 and a half hour late because of some departing vessels. Well, I had hoped for us to be up and running with the discharging when I got off my watch at midnight. Well, no chance for that.   bed. Yes, I was tired, not much sleep last night and I failed trying to get a power nap during the afternoon. So I need a as much sleep I can get before going on my watch at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. The off signing Chief Officer will leave early tomorrow morning so I will be alone by then.
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Sunday 3rd of April 2011 and I was on the bridge at 8 to take over the cargo watch. We were loading ULSD and it looks like we will be ready around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I was not surprised when they stopped loading while changing the shore tank. So now it looks like we will finish around 3 thirty to 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
I received an e-mail yesterday. It was about my visa run to Phnom Penh last December. It was
 the poor farmers that will have to do all the dying while the warmongers are all busy  making money from the war, and of course, busy receiving the HERO TREATMENT back home in safety.
Well, anyway, I moved in to my new cabin after lunch. I had moved the boxing bag to a storage outside my cabin yesterday and today I finally had the darn thing in my cabin. I also found bag  gloves. It was pretty nice to finally have my life in order, my scale stand-by and I will soon get started on the punch bag. Today?
This morning was gloomy and grey but the  afternoon turned out to be sunny so I might give it a go. And what a fiasco this turned out to be. I could not find my iPod. Where the  is the darn thing? I must  have forgotten my iPod at my hotel in Belfast. My boxing playlist  all for nothing. Well, I will try to buy a new iPod in Dublin tomorrow.
And if I go ashore I can replace the battery in my wrist watch as well. And it was cold, the sun was shining, but it was cold in the wind. And deck was wet so when I was skipping rope the water was splashing all over my legs. Well, now I have at least tried out my gear. And I would have continued, but we were about to complete loading so I wanted to be on the bridge. But for sure, I will start to kick arse as soon as I have my new iPod. I was disappointed, of course, wasting most of my boxing session by looking for my iPod. Well, there will be a day tomorrow as well. I returned to the bridge in order to be there when we complete the loading. Just so I come in to the routines on this ship. I was still wearing my new boxing shoes in order to make the new shoes a  wee bit softer. But they are very comfy, so there will be no problem wearing them in Bangkok.
We completed loading 5 minutes before 4 o'clock and I was in the mess room for dinner at 5 o'clock. I didn't had much time for the boxing, but I will take the time for my Thai books. Yes, I have moved in to my new cabin  and the books are on my bedside table.
The Pilot is delayed from 7 to 8 and that means that we're in a race with M/T Navigo to Dublin Pilot station. We have the same ETA and the second ship will have to drop anchor until the other ship is ready.  Well, I need to go ashore so I'm in a hurry, and I want to spend the day time in Dublin when the shops are open.
And I need to come ashore to update my web page. I can't send e-mail and I can't update my web page. Well, we see what happens. I sent an e-mail to the support from their web page. It was a lot of Motherf.....!! You A...... !! Useless piece of sh..!! And luckily enough, when I pressed send the whole message disappeared. Or, hmm, maybe they have a very effective filter on the support mail. Well, at least I read my Thai books before I went to the  fo'c's'le to relieve our 2nd Officer. We were about to leave Pembroke and our 2nd Officer was forward to let go the mooring lines.
It was a gorgeous evening, a wee bit cold. But much better than I had expected when I came up to discover a very gloomy and grey morning this morning. Of course, I checked my weight before going on watch. + 0.2 kg and I observed that it is better to check my weight
 is rolling. Well, I knew that I would get strange results when I  brought my scale onboard. And of course, coming onboard and I discover a truck scale so there was really no need for me to bring the scale.
But if I had not brought mine.....  We left Pembroke 10 minutes after 8 o'clock and I were soon on the bridge drinking tea while talking with the pilot and Captain. Latest news is that M/T Navigo is delayed so we will get the pilot at arrival  to Dublin. Well, nothing is for sure until it actually has happened around here.
We left the pilot outside Milfordhaven at 9 o'clock  and we sat a westerly course towards The Smalls where we're going to change to North towards Dublin Pilot station.
We changed course at The Smalls entering the TSS at 22:50 and we had just left the TSS when I got of my watch at midnight. 6 hours, well, a little more to go to Dublin Pilot Station. I will hopefully be sleeping when we arrive to Dublin.
 +++++++++++++++
Monday 4th of April 2011 and I looked out my window first thing when I got out of bed in the morning. I had expected us to be alongside, but I could hear our engine running so I had a look out  to see what was going on. Disappointed, well,  we were not alongside and the weather left a lot to wish for.
Nothing but gloom and grey for as long as I could see. And on top of that strong wind. Well, I had my shower and I went to relieve our 2nd Officer on the bridge. - Pilot will be onboard at 9 thirty - So what it it this time? I asked. - Departing ferries. So I made myself a pot of tea and I had my prepared “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® surprise for breakfast. Well, I expect us to be alongside before 12 o'clock and I will try to go ashore in the afternoon. Well, I had time for a chat  about the good ol' times with Captain while waiting for the Pilot. We were  steaming slowly towards the Pilot station and at 9 o'clock they called us from the Pilot station and they asked us to proceed to the Pilot station with full speed.
- Time to kick arse! Coming on deck to pick up the pilot was not so very nice. It was blowing and it felt like it was starting to rain. I need window wipers for my glasses. And talking about  glasses, Ternvik will go down the history books as the first ship Aladdin ever joined with glasses. Well, I can't help but thinking about my EX Teacher. We had meet her outside school one day and she told me a few days later that the Teacher had thought that “Aladdin was looking so young in his new glasses”
 - Very close, 40 minutes walking. And if you have the money they have the stuff to sell you! - Well, I don't fancy walking in this weather, I said looking out the window. Our Agent booked a taxi for me, 12:20 and I would get the taxi at the gate. The Loading Master left us just before 12 o'clock and I could leave the ship for my taxi.   had to pull up my trousers with the other hand while walking to the gate. When I came out from the gate there was a guy saying hello to me.
 - What the , are you coming with a bus?
We took off towards Dublin city centre and he dropped me off 10 minutes later and I started by looking for a place where I could change the battery to my watch. I also needed a new wrist band for my clock. This clock had been nothing byt trouble since I bought it  back in Rio de Janeiro. 400 US dollars for a “what I thought was a ” 25 dollar watch. Well, they had no new wrist band and it would take them 7 days to order.
- OK, I buy a new watch! We had to go out on the street looking at the watches in the window. I found a watch for 35 €. I  saw watches like the one I had, they were all between 250 and 300€ so maybe they didn't cheated me back in Rio. But I have learned that all electronics is very expensive in Brazil.
I was happy with my 35€ watch and when I left the shop they called at me. - Don't forget your old watch! - I never want to see it again! Next stop is to buy an iPod. I asked for directions and I was recommended PC World or something similar. 210€ for an iPod, cheap or expensive? I don't know, but I need the darn thing so I bought it. Then I was off to an ATM and I with drew 40€ for the taxi and lunch. I bought a diet drink and some shaving gel at Boots before going to look for an  restaurant. And I ran in to the Church just across the street from the shopping centre.
I was walking down the walking street drinking my diet drink sucking  on my coffin nail when I saw the place. The Church and it said restaurant to I went to check out the menu. 10€ for wrappers or whatever they called it. Looked like some kind of sandwich.
- What the is this? A coffee shop?
That was the only thing I could see them promoting outside the restaurant so I turned around leaving. Well, I saw a menu and I discovered fish and chips so I entered the place.  The Church, cafe, bar, restaurant, Club, TOURIST ATTRACTION.
TOURIST ATTRACTION??!! Dublin's most unique venue. The fish and chips was ok, but the most unique venue?
It looked like an ordinary pub with tables to eat at. OK, I must admit that I missed that it was in a church, I didn't see the church organ until I was back on the ship to check out the place on the  internet. But since when is an organ, even if it is a church organ so unique? A tourist attraction? I don't think so.
I walked down the walking street on my way to look for a taxi. I passed a sport shop and I stopped to buy a track (training, sweat) suit. It is still too cold to be on deck skipping rope and punching the bag in shorts. And when I came back onboard I tried my new training suite first thing. It fitted, well, there is no room to grow in and I'm better off not doing any  sudden moves. But in a week or two my training suit will fit just fine.
Nice to be able to buy clothes in an ordinary shop again and not have to send J to Nisse's Herrmode to buy clothes for me. Yes, I was in a good mood, I can start punching the bag tomorrow even if it is a wee bit cold. If it rains I will have to skip the punching. So it really felt like I was on the right track and I went down to the kitchen. I prepared my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® for tomorrow morning's breakfast. My original plan was to make two plates, one dinner plate for tonight. Our Cook had other plans. - Have some meatloaf - Well, I'm on ..... - Swap the tuna for meat - OK, but nothing else I made two plates, one with my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® and one with “MEATLOAF &
At least I'm reading my Thai books and if I don't start with the punch bag and skipping rope tomorrow it will be embarrassing. Now I spent so much money on this stuff so it would be pathetic not to get started. And imagine
hopefully it is all not for nothing.
But I been there before, buying a lot of “DIET” equipment that I have never used. I remember the first stuff I bought, a Bullworker.  According to the add you will look like Johnny  Weissmuller by using the Bullworker a few minutes per day. I used the darn thing for 20 seconds maximum. And if I remember it right it was 200 dollars, and that's 25 years ago so it was very expensive. Especially when I never used it, but it looked very nice in the ad.
Easy, fast and it works! Well, my Bullworker ended up in a garbage container. But, hmm, I'm pretty sure I burned a few extra calories carrying the darn thing around.
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Tuesday 5th of April 2011 and I could hear our engine running when they called me at 7 thirty. I checked out my window when I came out of my shower and we were leaving Pilot. Good, I can get straight to enjoying my tea when I'm coming on my watch.
The weather looked quite nice, but as soon as we came out it was blowing full gale from the South and it was foggy. Darn, yesterday I had to cancel my exercise due to my shopping and today it is because the rolling and pitching. But as you understand it is not possible to punch the bag when the ship is rolling. And I wouldn't advise skipping rope on deck when the ship is rolling. We were bound for Milfordhaven anchorage, but the Agent in Milfordhaven called and it is berthing on arrival. OK, so we will arrive tonight and that is good, anchorage tends to get a little boring. I   was in bed reading my Thai books after my watch, but I felt asleep after a few pages. No boxing, no Thai books and shitty weather, what a day!
Pilot at arrival, well, we approached the Pilot station when they told us to drop the anchor. They told us that we would go alongside tomorrow, around 10 in the morning, but that means nothing. Can as well be in an hour or in 2 days. Well, I kept the crew busy with cleaning. Better
I had to step up on my scale when I came down from my watch. I forgot to check my weight as usually before going on watch. But the result was useless. The ship is rolling and, well, the result would pretty much have been useless anyway. I was drinking tea until it came out of my ears during my watch. +++++++++++++++
Wednesday 6th of April 2011 and we were still anchored when I came on my morning watch. Berthing prospect, around mid day. Well, later on it was changed to 21:00. Well, I don't give a darn about their berthing prospect, we just have to take it as it comes.
But the weather was improving, decreasing wind and there were even sunshine during my morning watch that I spent drinking tea. I even had Captain to drink tea. - Tea, not coffee? He asked. - Be a real man and have a cup of tea! The wind decreased but we were still rolling slightly in the swell, I will see if it get better in the  afternoon and I can bring out my punch bag and skipping rope. Or I might just go for an  constitutional on deck. Everything is of course weather permitted.
Pilot 22:00 so I expected a late night so I decided to have a power nap in the afternoon. Lo and behold, I heard the engine when I woke up at 5 o'clock and new boarding time was 7 o'clock ship's time. 6 o'clock local time. I donned my track suit and I went on deck for my evening constitutional. Things went bad, I had one lap on deck and I realised that I had forgotten my snus. And on top off that, I found myself inspecting/ preparing deck for the discharging. Well, at least I have tried my new track suit. But the good news is that we're coming alongside and I can check my weight.  - Hmm, at least I hope that this will be good news.
And we will be alongside tomorrow so I can start to kick arse with the punch bag. And as soon  as I'm used to the slippery deck I might be able to do it even if there are some slight movements of the ship.
And I will have to get started with the  push ups and  sit ups as well.
Tomorrow, we took pilot 5 minutes after 7 and I have to prepare some stuff before arrival to Chevron's jetty #3. We will load 4 different parcels and so far no information about the sequence or if we have to use different
 will have to check our check list before coming to the jetty. So I wanted to be early on the bridge to see if we have any new information about the loading.
But I had time to check my weight before going on the bridge. This is what I'm looking forward to every day. Minus 2.6 kg since day 3. Good, but the rolling makes it a wee bit uncertain. But at least it is going in the right direction. But hmm, what if the 
 will show a cubic ton.
What a disappointment, not to talk about the money I have to spend going back home in business class. Leaving Bangkok in monkey class was quite OK this time. Of course, I had to  take a sleeping pill. But I expect it to be much better going in the other direction hopefully with 20 kg less stomach to carry around and there will be plenty space in the seat. Well, the problem is  my long legs, but there isn't much to do about them.
12 hours with my knees in the back of the seat in front of me is nothing I'm looking forward to.   Yes, 2 parcels at the time and we will move the arms after each parcel. +++++++++++++++
Thursday 7th of April 2011 and a gloomy and grey morning were soon turning in to an gorgeous day.  So today I will start my training. We will complete loading around 2 o'clock so I have time for a session with the punch   bag after lunch.
We completed the 3rd parcel, the diesel just after 12 o'clock and the last parcel (Kerosene) would be ready around 1 o'clock so I had to postpone my training. But as soon as we were ready I went to my cabin to change.  What a shame, beautiful weather and my brand new track suit never came to use. Well, never mind, now I have it and who knows? It might come to use, most likely. The weather won't stay this good for an eternity.
 I started with push ups and sit ups in my cabin before  going to the punch bag on deck. Kickin', punching and kneeing, it had to be a slow start. It was a week since I was at Bangkok Fight Club last time and I don't want to wake up with a sore and aching body tomorrow. Easy does it!
I had planned for a constitutional on deck when I had finished my Thai book. It was a beautiful and hot afternoon.  But when I looked out the window I got a surprise, the bunker barge was still alongside. I had expected us to be more or less on the way towards Plymouth.
Well, I also saw that our provision arrived. They should have been
Well, one thing is for sure (almost) I will enjoy my Earl grey tea on my watch tonight while listening  to funky  music. If we have left the jetty by then, I was so disappointed that I had to skip my evening constitutional. But I can't walk around on deck with my iPod when in port.
Of course, I had counted on having Pembroke and Milfordhaven far behind us when I was going for my night watch. Pilot ordered for 20:15 and I went to the bridge 20 minutes earlier in order to have time to  try out our new tea before departure.
I had time for 3 or 4 cups before the Pilot came onboard 20 minutes after 8 o'clock. We left Pembroke on a gorgeous evening. Departure in shorts and shirt was no problem, no cool wind blowing and it was very nice to be outside.     So we will have to drop the anchor until the high water in the evening.   toothbrushes for my electrical tooth brush. But anchored means time for the punch bag (Weather permitted) and I can lose weight instead of going ashore.
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Friday 8th of April 2011 and I came up on the bridge to discover a gorgeous morning. The sea looked like a windmill pond and the sun was shining. We were keeping an Easterly course towards  Plymouth Approach. A last course change to the North when we have passed the light house South of Plymouth.
Captain and I were enjoying the beautiful day with Earl Grey tea and good music. I went to the fo'c's'le quarter past 11 to prepare our anchor. The sea was like a mirror and no wind at all, but it was a wee bit cold coming out on deck due to the wind generated from our speed. Well, I was used to it after 20 seconds and it was very nice to be on deck. And when we had  dropped anchor and the wind disappeared it was actually hot.
I was back on the bridge 10 minutes before 12 and it was time to get off my watch. I skipped lunch and I brought out the punching bag on deck. I exercised for about 30 minutes before I returned to my cabin. Nice to have finished the exercise and I was sitting writing on my web page when I realised that I had forgotten the  sit ups and push ups before I went on deck with the punch bag.
So I had to throw myself on the floor to get started with the sit ups and push ups before I could start with my Thai books. One thing is for sure, if I  can keep up like this it will be dangerous to get back home. The girls appreciate a good looking guy and I will be married before soon.
I got out on deck at 3 thirty or 4 o'clock and I was wearing my track suit. But I ended up in the  paint store checking our paint and then we tested emergency stops and suddenly it was time for dinner. I had time to prepare my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® for tomorrows breakfast.
And as I had to entertain the crew I didn't made it out on deck until 20 past 5, but I got 40 minutes of constitutional before going to my cabin for a shower. Pilot is ordered for 20 minutes past 8 and they will start to heave up the anchor quarter to 8. I had mu shower and I started to read the second half of my Thai books before I went on watch. Of course, I took the time to get on the scale before going on my watch. And motherf@cker, plus 0.7 kg.
Hmm, I have noticed that I gain weight those days I keep myself busy with the punch bag. Maybe I'm better off with a power nap if I want to obtain my V-shaped torso.
We had our anchor up at 8 o'clock and the pilot was onboard 20 minutes later. Plymouth, the city looked very nice, and we had a very good opportunity to have a look at the beach front when we passed through the marina. Well,  Chevron's terminal was in the middle of the marina and it will take me about 20 minutes to walk in to town if I have the opportunity tomorrow.
We got a new Captain and 2nd Officer at arrival and the off signers will leave us at 03:30 for transportation to the airport. Our on signing 2nd Officer is  from Skåne and our on signing Captain tried to take some cheap points by telling us that he had been living in Skåne.
Well, I appreciated his effort but I was not impressed. Our on signing Captain recognised me, we had relieved each other on Tärnland back in 2002 or something like that. +++++++++++++++
Saturday 9th of April 2011 and we completed the gas oil parcel when I came on my watch at 8 o'clock. Gasoline still running and we started the diesel parcel 5 minutes before 9 o'clock. I had  time for tea before I completed the gasoline parcel at 10 o'clock.
The gasoline arm was disconnected quarter past 10 and the only cargo remaining was the diesel in cargo tanks 3 and 7P/S. Good, I could relax a bit and I made a new pot of tea and I enjoyed my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® with Earl grey tea while watching the surroundings. As mentioned, we're in the middle of a marina and I must say that some of the houses reminds me of Bohuslän in Sweden. I was relieved at 12 o'clock and I has a quick lunch, meat and onion only, before I took off towards Plymouth by foot. There is a walking path from out jetty leading all the way in to the city of Plymouth. I was walking along a ridge with a view over Plymouth and it was a very nice walk. And the walking path between the terminal and Plymouth is obviously a part of The South West Coast Path.
   - Thank you and have a nice day. I was looking for a ruin. A church that was bombed during the war and now serves as a memorial, all according to the Pilot that took us in yesterday. I could not see any church so I stopped to buy a diet drink and I asked for directions at the convenient store.
  subway foot path under the road from the bus terminal and I
First of all I went to Marks & Spencer to look for  new underwear. Yes, I bought nice underwear when we were in Liverpool with Ek-River. Back then I bought XL, this time I bought 15 pairs of “Large” Still too small, but who knows? In a few weeks time? For sure, my old XL underwear that I bought in USA is falling off and they go   straight in the garbage bin after use. Recycle? Hmm, you can always  come pick them up. Let me know and I will keep them for you. But you will have to wash them by yourself. I really hope that you want clean undies! I passed a rack with belts and I bought two new belts, a wee  bit too small, but they will soon fit. I paid for my stuff and I went to Boots to look for tooth brushes for my  electric toothbrush. Well, I learned that it isn't called tooth brush. It is called replacement electric toothbrush heads. Well, I learn something new every day. But they understood tooth brush for my Braun Oral-B and one of the girls at Boots showed me to the shelf.
There were millions of replacement electric toothbrush heads for my Oral-B to choose from. What to choose? I chose a DOUBLE TROUBLE, no it was called DUAL CLEAN. 20 replacement electric toothbrush heads and I went to look for razor blades for my razor. I also bought a SPECTACLE CORD for my glasses. I really have no wish for losing my glasses overboard when looking down at the anchor or mooring lines. I started to walk back to the ship and I decided to stop at the convenient store  to buy a few bottles of diet drinks. I can enjoy a bottle before going on my evening watches.
Well, hmm, I will most likely finish them all in one pop when I'm back onboard. OK, never mind, then at least I don't have to think about of bad it is for my health more than one day. I think this was the last diet drinks I will buy. At least for a very long time. Hopefully, but I will not give any guaranties.
   when I go to bed at midnight) I brought out the punch bag on deck. Skipping  rope, kickin' kneeing and punching until it was time for dinner. I had a quick shower before going for two plates of salad for dinner.
I spent two hours with my web page in my cabin before going to the bridge for my evening watch. Pilot will come at 8 o'clock and we will do a bottom flush of our tanks after departure. Arrival to Ireland tomorrow lunch so it needs to be ready by then. But no problem, one hour flushing and we will force ventilate during the night. And yes, as I couldn't wait to test my new DUAL CLEAN toothbrush heads I brushed my tooth, well, the machine did it for me, before stepping up on my scale.
And I must say that the DUAL CLEAN toothbrush heads was worth the extra money spent. I could
 head with flossing function. But I have never flossed so I considered it a waste of money to pay for the flossing function. Yes, saving a bit here and a bit there.
Well, Pilot was supposed to come at 8 o'clock, but he was a wee bit late. I even had to go inside to take on my pullover. It was a nice evening, but it was a little cold in the wind. But I only wore shorts. We started the tank cleaning as soon as we had left the Pilot behind us. +++++++++++++++
Sunday 10th of April 2011 and I discovered a gorgeous day when I came on the bridge. The sea looked like a mirror and the sun was shining. I had 2 or 3 pots of tea before it was time to get off my watch at 12. Chicken and salad for lunch, well, my diet capsized, well it was more like a heavy list when I had bread with Philadelphia or whatever the cheese is called.
Lo and behold, I was going to study my Thai books after lunch, but I felt asleep and I didn't woke
But first my  SCALE ROUTINES and + 0.3 kg. I knew that  I had been up to no good in the mess room, but anyway, my good mood vanished and I decided  that from now on it would be Monday 7 days per week. No more Sunday lolling around in bed skipping the exercise. And  for sure, no more ice cream.
The loading operation was in full swing when I came on the bridge. The first pair of tanks were ready at 8 o'clock and I finished 4 tanks during my watch. The rate is above expected and if they can keep it up we will be ready around 8 or 8 thirty tomorrow morning. I had 2 pots of tea and time turned quite quick. Of course, the topping up of cargo tanks helped. Time tends to be a bit slow when just watching computer screens for 4 hours. +++++++++++++++
Monday 11th of April 2011 and there had been a stop during the night so I didn't completed loading until 09:40. Pilot ordered for 11 thirty. It was a gorgeous day, but the wind was picking up  so I guess that I will find use for my new training suit.
Yes, I skipped lunch and I will do my exercise after my Thai books. Hopefully I will manage to stay awake while reading my books. Hmm, maybe I would be better of study the books in my armchair. In my bed there is always a chance of falling asleep. 
I really tried to fall asleep when I had finished my Thai books, but I failed. So I left bed and I donned my training suit. Push ups and sit ups before I brought the punch bag on deck. The wind had increased so the ship was rolling, but exercise or bust.
Punching worked quite OK, slight problem with the kneeing and kicking was impossible. And this is even though it wasn't much rolling to talk about. Well, I had my track suit on so I went on deck for my afternoon constitutional.
  take a picture of our hero in his new training suit. They were  working with the mooring ropes while I was walking up and down our deck. The ship is rolling and there were some water spray on deck.
Darn, it is cold in the wind. Of course, it is only early April so it will be some time before it is real hot. Well, I returned inside and I went to the kitchen and I prepared my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® for tomorrow's breakfast before I went to my cabin. And when I was back in my cabin I realised that I forgot to put the olive oil on the tuna. Well, it will be very dry tomorrow, but I guess it is for the better when it comes to my diet.   fit. And they did, maybe not much space to grow in, but they will soon be too big.
I wrote a few words about Aladdin's adventure in FUNKY TOWN 1999 and I started to update Aladdin's adventure on M/T Halmia after dinner. But it didn't take long before I moved in to my bed room and I felt  asleep. One our later they called me for my  night watch.
According to the forecast the wind should veer to North and decrease. Well, the wind was veering but I could not notice any change in force. Well, we're loaded so it is no problem. But I'm thinking about my exercises tomorrow.
And I did not even bother stepping up on my scale before my watch due to the rolling. Well, maybe a small mishap in the mess room during the afternoon helped me in my choice to postpone my scale adventure until tomorrow. +++++++++++++++
Tuesday 12th of April 2011 and I discovered a gorgeous morning when I came on my morning watch  at 8 o'clock in the morning. I prepared my tea first thing and I relieved our 2nd Officer.
We had a ship loading grain behind us in Plymouth and the superstructure was covered in dust. And today we finally have a chance to hose down the superstructure. I put my best man on the job and he started from the top working his way down to tank deck while I was sippin' on my tea.
I enjoyed a beautiful morning and I was in a very good mood. But I was soon disturbed by our Engineers. We have an earth fault on our window wipers so I had two Engineers on the bridge trying to solve the problem. Well,  anyway, my watch passed quickly and I were  soon back in my cabin reading my school books.
I tried to get a power nap when I finished with my books, but I gave up and I donned my training suit. Push ups and sit ups before going for my PUNCH BAG session on deck. It was beautiful weather but it was a  wee bit cold in the wind so I had to use a winter hat when I had my hour of constitutional on deck after the PUNCH BAG session.
I was a few minutes late for dinner and I had a wee bit too much salad. It was a delicious salad with feta cheese and I could not stop myself. Well, we will see what the scale says before going on my watch tonight. The suspense is killing me. And to make thing a wee bit worse, I bought a case of diet drinks after dinner. And my plan was to give up this crap. I popped one can open first thing, it tasted like crap. So I poured the can in the sink and I opened a second can in hope that something had been wrong with the first can. I wasn't any luckier with the second can and the case of diet drinks was wasted money. - Hmm, maybe not.
This case of diet drinks will most likely last me until it's time to go back home and I will save money instead of wasting them on diet drinks.
 30 minutes for us to the Pilot station is a 2 minutes flight for them.  
 - Just a wine castle, no shops. I can't say that I was very interested in a wine castle, not without testing the stuff and as I'm working this is impossible. We expect to be alongside around 2 thirty, but I will be in bed and I will hopefully be sleeping by then.
 hopefully not delay us.
  radio and there was a village 3 km from the jetty. I decided to go ashore after my watch, I might be lucky and find a real tea mug.
I walked to the gate and the girl gave me directions. Just walk down the road and the ifrst to the right. - 3 km to go. - OK, thanks. 
I walked for three minutes before I reached the inter section. We're in the middle of nowhere, but still they have a van turned in to a Brasserie at the intersection. There were 4 or 5 guys eating outside the van. Good, if they have a van in the middle of nowhere there should be plenty action in the village. I also discovered the name of the village at the intersection, Ambés. A sign giving direction, but not the distance. Never mind, Ambés or bust! I walked towards Ambés and it was really a very beautiful day and the spring wa sin the air. I passed fields with cows and everything was   light green
There was the smell of spring, yes, I love  walking around the country side when the birds are singing and with the  fresh smell of the  trees and flowers in the air.
I was really appreciating the spring even though I have spent the winter in Bangkok. So imagine how it would have been if I had spent the last 5 months in a cold Europe instead. I have even  forgot how nice a fresh moved lawn can smell. It smells good as long as I don't have to move the lawn by myself. Then I don't have the time to appreciate the smell.
  for sure, it didn't looked like much.
But I expected to find a supermarket or at least a convenient store. A Diet Drink would be nice after the walk. And I don't want any Coke Zero or Diet Coke, no I have been disappointed by Coke Zero and Diet Coke so many times by now so the only thing I will buy in the future is Diet Max. A sure thing. I continued through something that looked like a ghost village. No people around to be seen. And for sure, no sign of any place where I could buy stuff. Well, I trotted along in search for something that could be the city centre.
- No no, but we have coke, the old lady said pointing at a can of coke. She was the first human life I had seen since I entered the village and I was disappointed. Only coke, well, I told her that I would continue towards the city centre. By now I wasn't really sure  that I would find a city centre so I pointed towards the church while I told her that I were going to the city centre to look for Diet Max
- Qui qui, she said nodding her head. Yes, she was nodding her head so I was sure that I would run in to something in the “city centre” when I left the gas stop with a MERCI! There were big road signs saying AMBÉS CENTRE and I  followed them. DARN! Where is this darn Ambés Centre. And no one around to ask. What have happened here? The pig flu? A ghost village and I were pretty sure I was on the right way, at least according to the road signs.
I passed a few houses, they looked old and they were beautiful houses. Or they could have been, if  they had spent a few dollars on paint. This is what I would have done if I was the owner of a house.
- Hmm, there should be a law against letting old houses fall in to disrepair.
Reminds me, I will have to have my windows lacked when I'm back home in Bangkok. It was scheduled for March, but I had to leave town to join the ship.   is this? Motherf@cker! I left and I was walking around the village and no sign of any people or any shops. I passed a guy washing his bicycle so obviously someone was alive in the village.
No, nothing around here. I passed an old man  and I decided to try my luck. As he didn't spoke any English I had to speak my home made French.
- Centre the motherf@cking city? I asked - Ööö? - La shoppo? Avec dieto? La mögge de tea? (I had not forgot that I was looking for a tea mug)  - A casino de.....
- I'm not going to any casino you.....  I discovered 6 or 7 girls in the garden, dressed like nurses so obviously this was a home for people with special needs. I walked up to the nurses to see if they knew any shops in the village. They started to spin their index fingers above their wrist watches and obviously everything was closed until 3 o'clock. I was told that there was a pizzeria that was open so I decided to go there looking for a Diet MAX.
 outside the home had understood me and my home made French is obviously not all that bad. But Casino something was closed and the pizzeria next door was open. But they didn't had any Diet MAX.
 - DARN!
 And I could really need a bathroom so I needed to buy something. Can't walk in like a Cheap Charlie using their bathroom without buying anything. Yes, I know what you think, I ordered a pizza. BUT NO! I'M ON DIET! So I left the pizzeria and I walked back towards the ship.
  by the Germans during WW2
Well, I decided to go check it out on my way to the ship. 100 meters, I walked up the road and I passed a few houses after at least 500 meters, but no sign of any restaurant. I continued up the road and I saw a sign saying “RESTAURANT” and nothing else on the ground. And there it was, restaurant Le Fourat and it looked like a nice place so I stepped inside. Lo and behold, I discovered a beautiful girl having lunch with 3 other ladies when I came inside.  She was eyeballing me and I felt pretty uncomfortable. I'm losing a wee bit of weight and the girls looks like they are going to throw themselves over me. Or it might be my imagination, well, most likely.
There was a basket of French bread when I came inside and I felt peckish, one small lunch can't make a difference, right? Well, I'm proud to say that I walked out of there after being told that they didn't had any Diet MAX. The beautiful girl looked disappointed when I left. I walked back to the road where I had come from. 100 meters, where do they come up with these  distances? I were soon back at the roundabout leaving Ambés behind. And that's without any backward glances and I will most likely never see the place again.
I f I would have lived in a place like this I would soon have become a  full blown alcoholic or a drug addict. Most  likely a drug addict because I could not see any bars in the village. Need something to kill the boredom with when living at a place like this.
When I crossed the roundabout I discovered yet another sign pointing towards Restaurant Le Fourat. And I was not surprised to discover that it said 100 meters as well.  A 2 hours constitutional in gorgeous weather is not a bad thing to get out of a port stay.
 my web page and I felt a sleep and I woke up at 6 thirty. No time for Thai books or exercise with the punch bag before going on watch.
But I had time to step up on my scale, and finally, this motherf@cker is moving in the right direction. DOWN! 2 kg since yesterday and 1, 1 kg since we left Ireland. Good, from now on it is only “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® on the bridge and I will stay well clear of the mess room from now on.
 When I was alone I went down on the jetty to check our departure draft. Always compare computer draft and real draft in order to avoid surprises! And of course, as I always have my camera inmy pocket I took a few pictures of Ternvik and the beautiful sunset over River Gironde    load LSGO from Pembroke to Amsterdam and I have plenty time for planning. Pilot will not come onboard until midnight. So I drank tea and listening to funky music while doing the STEP BY STEP loading plan, yes, I enjoyed myself.
And I have really been in a good mood today. Because of the spring? Because of my diet? I really don't know, but for sure, the weather has helped. I have felt like a million all day long. So let's keep it this way until July when I'm going home again. +++++++++++++++
Thursday 14th of April 2011 and I discovered yet another gorgeous morning when I came on my morning watch. The sea looked like a mirror and the dolphins were swimming around us.
A beautiful morning with summer weather. But I realised that it would be impossible to use the punching bag on deck. The ship was pitching due to high and long swell from the Atlantic. Very long so it really didn't disturb us, but for the punch bag it was too much. The punch bag is not heave enough for kicking and when I kick it the bag bounces around and it is  hard to hit the darn bag. Well, not hard to hit, but if I hit the bag with my foot instead of the lower part of the shin I can really get hurt. But I got an hour of constitutional on deck in the afternoon.
An afternoon constitutional and I can check out what the ABs are doing on deck at the same time. I have asked the AB on the 4 to 8 watch to take a paint inventory. He is also  checking out what spares and consumables we need for our chipping tools.
I also asked him to tidy up and sort our paint in the paint shop. Now the paint cans are stored higgledy-piggledy so he will sort them up so we can get an overview. He needed a ladder to rach the upper shelves so he dashed off aft to get a ladder. I will make an order for paint so the crew can pain the ship during the summer. Well, the paint and rollers  should have been onboard already. The season is starting now and with the trade we're doing now we need every day we can get. We spend most of the time in port so there isn't very much time to paint and chip. I was in bed reading my Thai books, bored to death. What to do? It was 5 past 5 so I decided to go play mischief with the crew in the mess room. OK, to make a long story short. I ended up eating blueberry jam and pancakes with Captain. A huge set-back for my diet. DARN and double DARN! Well, I scolded our Captain on the bridge later on in the evening. - I'M DISAPPOINTED WITH YOU!!
- What??!!
- IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE MY DIET STAYS ON TRACK! Well, I guess we have to split the month of April in two parts. So here we reach the end of part 1 and part 2 is just a click away!
    
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And what a f@cking April joke this turned out to be. A cubic ton, but we have to start somewhere and it will be interesting to see the increase or decrease tomorrow.
- 1.8 kg
- ? kg
+ 0,7 kg
- 0,4 kg
+ 0,3 kg
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