Flashback...

Wednesday, April 15. Clear sky, pleasant weather, moored at Mindelo, Cape Verde.

Fellette had a rough night with her cough, so we decided to stay onboard today and not spread the germs. Our day was very, very restful. Too restful as a matter of fact. Nothing much exciting happened today so I played with tidying up my computer. In doing so, I came across a writing of mine, so instead of an account of our day, I thought I would give you a glimpse inside my mind after 3 1/2 months at sea, six years ago.

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Written April 19, 2008. 

This is a dangerous subject, but here goes anyhow...

For the last 3 1/2 months we have been on a wonderful cruise around the world. The trip of a lifetime for sure, but we have been blessed and have had more than a few 'trips of a lifetime'.

Somewhere along my life in the past 72 years, I have come to the realization that I may be somewhat different from the majority of people, but there really is no such thing as the average or normal person. Apparently no two fingerprints are alike, and, I believe that no two people are exactly alike in personalities. There are just too many factors that go into determining the make-up of any one individual, even children born from the same mother and father will have different life experiences than their siblings. Think about it, the first born child is treated differently than the second born, first of all, the first born was born to novice parents. The next children are raised by more experienced parents who also have to divide their time with other children whereas the first had 200% attention. Imagine the fourth born, the parents have gone through raising three and now comes another. Firstly the parents are somewhat older and may not have even 'wanted' that child but of course come to love it, even possibly more than the earlier children. Possibly the parents have a better income stream as they get older so older children may have 'things' that younger siblings did not.

All of the foregoing plus life experiences and many, many other factors help account for the different personalities of people. Please forgive the long preamble but I really do believe that no two people are alike. Now, you mix that with a person marrying a person that is still different, and that adds to the mix. 

In the past few months I have had the opportunity to observe the range of personalities on the ship. I am a somewhat curious fellow and a bit analytical. Unfortunately, I have subconsciously put people into categories even though this is a bad thing to do. But I can do what I want and I am writing this blog so here comes some stuff out of this overworked mind of mine.

Some Rough Stereotyping of Fellow Passengers:

1. "The Get Up on The Stage Gang".  You know, they sit in the front row of the theatre, maybe hoping to be picked by the entertainer. Also they generally are amongst the first to volunteer to get up there. [Pity them.]

2. "I am Still Young Syndrome person."  Generally women who were likely Miss Popularity at school. Often wear a hair style that would look great on them at 19 or 20. Often blond and often long blonde. [Which specific rinse colour varies]. These people often wear clothing that sometimes shows too much aged and ample flesh. 75 is not the time to dress like a teeny-bopper. [Try not to look at too long.]

3. "Mr or Mrs Grump"  I do not need to go much further. Somehow they think that it is a sign of weakness to be happy, or suffer from an inferiority complex and that is their armour to prevent interaction with others. Or they may have just cause. Unfortunately this can be contagious, or at least a bit depressing. [Avoid.]

4. ''I'm Sad'" They always look like their cat died today. Different from the Grumps because they do not look angry, they just miss that cat!  Not to be confused with "Poor Me's" 

5. "Poor me" A rather sad look on their face and always seem to have some issue, may not be complainers but struggle through with a seemingly endless list of bad 'luck'.

6. "Leave us alone."  Easy to spot because they may sit at a table for two, or in an out-of-the-way place, often with their backs to the bulk of the people, not a lot of laughter generally. [Can be very nice once you get to know them.]

7. "Food is my life".   Not hard to spot, often limping or with a cane. Sometimes seen following a waiter at the buffet who is carrying their tray that looks like the Sunday Morning 'All-You-Can-Eat at a Denny's'.

8. "I'm Always Happy'" Damn I wish I knew how they do that. If not always an outright smile than a happy expression.

9. "The Name Rememberers"  I have to work on remembering new names, yet some people have been saying 'Hi Doug' for weeks and do you think I can remember their name?

10. "This is my seat!" We are all creatures of habit, but some people are obsessive about it. No matter if it is a dining table, a buffet table, or a seat in the theatre, it has to be the same one! Good Lord, life for them must be boring. I can maybe understand at home having a favourite chair or eat at the same place setting but not to the extreme that some go to. [These may be nice people and they just need that routine in their life.]

11. "The Over-Analytical Type" Nothing is accepted at face value. They come to snap conclusions sub-consciously. They will sometimes find reason to doubt that things really are as good as they appear. 

12. "The Cynic or Contraryian"  Often looks for some reason to doubt just about anything you say and sometimes will take an opposite point of view just to show some 'superior insight' into something. They often precede a statement of yours with the word, 'no'.

13.  "The Perfect Personality" Always there with a ready smile and kind words, never controversial and able to have interesting  and sometimes stimulating conversations. 

14.  "The Shopper"  Gadzooks we have them on board in droves. They are insatiable, they never have enough handbags, clutch bags, necklaces, scarves, shawls, cheap watches or trinkets.  It must be like food or sex, some basic instinct because they cannot possibly live long enough to wear all this stuff, nor give it away.

15. "The Uncouth Cheaperino" Always wants to know how much you paid for anything so they can make you feel bad by saying how little they paid or what you should have paid. They are also the same people that ask you what you did in a port and then without even hearing you, spiel off what a wonderful time they had and how little they paid. [Avoid them once you have one encounter.]

16. "Mr. Cool!'  Usually middle-age. Sometimes has a very small pony tail to show how different he is. Often sullen, too cool to smile. [Avoid eye contact and ignore.]

17. "Complainers"  Unpleasant to be within earshot of them. [Avoid.]

18. "Just Plain Folks'" Not too many, but very nice to be around. Never say anything vindictive about people but may offer some interesting insight into some of the above without being nasty. Always pleasant to be around, they often have interesting and  funny stories to relate.

19. "Mr or Mrs Super-Clean"  They always look like they just stepped out of the shower or hairdresser. Can sometimes be a bit aloof and may be reluctant to chance meeting new people.

20. "Miss Determination" Usually spotted with a submissive husband in tow or a few steps behind. Eyes focused on some distant food item, table, or store. Is generally not aware of immediate surroundings, often seen with a somewhat determined look on her face. [This was possibly a good trait when newly married but now it is a bit embarrassing to her husband]

21 "I am Special"  These folks always have to have a wee bit more than the rest of us. Like making an arrangement with a server to have some berries below the counter for breakfast that are 'just for you'. 

22.  "The Know it All''.  Knows everything about everything. Do not try to get involved, they will smother you and not even hear what you are saying. [Avoid]

23.  "The Sophisticates''. Often Europeans: Dutch, German, French etc. Somehow they are in their own world and only tolerate our bourgeois ways. Usually seen on deck tanned to the colour of tobacco leaves and sipping a glass of Absinthe and holding a cigarette like Marlene Dietrich, wearing sheik sun wear and expensive sandals with too much jewellery on, in speedos. Same for the women who do not know what a brassiere is.

Do you think it is time I got off this darn ship and got into the real world? I have too much time on my hands.

This was written six years ago after another long World Cruise…

                                                                                                            …Some things never change!

This afternoon around 4.30 we set sail for our Trans-Atlantic journey, five days at sea to Barbados. When the Amsterdam sounded its deep and glorious horn three times as it pulled out, the Braemar, the ship next to us, sounded its somewhat less throaty horn and they then had a bit of fun with 'Who honks last"

It is a rather momentous moment for us, [me], as we head due west to the new world and where we live! This may not be the Queen Mary, but at this moment it feels like it to me, in spite of sickness in our cabin. It is nice to be underway after two days moored.

Pics:

- Breakfast on our deck this morning.

- A French Cable-layer we passed on the way out, anchored offshore.

- A German research ship, also anchored, on the way out.

- Where in the World are we. Next stop Barbados, follow the arrow…