0 degrees longitude. I quite like that, being on the prime meridian. It is of course somewhat artificial, dating as it does, back to the day when the sun never set on the British Empire. I’d far rather have country code +1, itself also artificial. Life is interesting isn’t it.
It took us eleven hours to fly from Johannesburg to London, converging as we were on the prime meridian.. The flight time is a feature of our frenetic lifestyle. It’s really quite ridiculous that we can travel so far in such a short time. We try to cram so much in.
You can get a container ship from London to South Africa with a 26 day travel time. Stops at six ports en route. I quite like that idea. Most of the stops are in Europe, presumably picking up cargo. Hamburg is one, Antwerp another. I like Antwerp. Then it stops somewhere near Tenerife before hitting the high seas and down the West African coast.
Can’t quite see how you do it as a passenger as opposed to cargo. Needs some investigation. Not sure it is worth the effort as I can’t see THG wanting to make the trip. That trip is something you would have to do on your own and make productive use of the spare time. It would be the opportunity to write the hit west end stage musical I’ve had in mind. ‘snotgonnahappen.
Connectivity to the internet would be a no go. It is only without access to the internet that you truly recover time. When we recently spent time big game hunting in the low veldt the only reason I needed connectivity was to backup the huge number of photos and videos of big game. Even then the backup could have waited but if you can you do it.
On a twenty six day journey on the high seas the photo opportunities would be quite limited. The occasional passing whale or albatross. Before you know it, it disappeared far to stern. Lost in the wake.
The purpose of the trip would be to isolate the mind from external distractions and free up the creative juices. The discipline of the onboard routine would help. Fixed mealtimes in the mess. A regular promenade on deck. It is almost certainly only a small deck. We are talking container ship after all. Not some romantic steamer with first class passenger lounge and restaurant. Maybe I am wrong!
There are plenty of cruises to SA but that is not what I am after. What I’d really like is to call in some exotic port and go ashore with the crew, visiting bars and places of ill repute on the quayside before being carried back onboard by the least intoxicated sailor and dumped unceremoniously in my cabin. When I awoke the ship would be once more at sea and said port a mere distant memory. Why not? Unlikely innit.
As life progresses I increasingly appreciate the finer things. Time spent with THG, just basking in each other’s company. Tonight we will watch University Challenge. It is something we do together. She gets loads of questions right and I may sneak in one or two. It is the way of things. The one thing to note about our relationship is that we laugh at each other’s jokes. What’s not to like?
One day, many moons ago, our daughter Hannah came home from school and told me she was really worried that she had picked up my sense of humour. She would crack a joke and half of her friends would laugh and the other half would look at her quizzingly. You either get it or you don’t. If you don’t get it that is fine. We are not here to pass judgement.
It is now dark out and I await the call to table. Risotto. THG makes a good risotto. It is a Monday evening and although it is dark it feels as if spring is a coming. It was a fresh afternoon and buds are to be seen emerging in the hedgerows. Life is about to start again.