Story Veta (Book 2) (complete)

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 64: Mar 14 (con’t.) – up sick as a dog

Something didn’t agree with me. I woke up and I barely made it to the bathroom before I started puking. Dinner came up and then everything else behind it. I’m not sure if it was the sleeping pill, stress, tiger pee, or the headache.

Vit is asleep on the bed … snoring. He never even woke up. I am tempted to wake him up but I’m not a child. If I puke one more time I’ll walk my own self down to sick bay. Or maybe not. My head is pounding so it is probably the headache and nerves. Not like it hasn’t happened before. Maybe I’ll just break into the Phenegran that Derrick had me pack before we left. When I’m feeling this bad that is the only thing that has ever helped. God bless my big brother. I don’t know what I’m going to do if this doesn’t help.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 65: March 15 – Bali, Indonesia (2) (Sunday)

Considering the sour note last night ended on, this morning turned into something much better. The phenegran did the trick and I was able to sleep. I felt so much better it took me a moment to remember why I felt better. But I was also distracted by the fact I woke up to breakfast in bed … and flowers.

“I’m sorry Kokhana. I did not think,” Vit said as he carefully sat on the edge of the bed, already dressed. “You are still angry and have hurt feelings?”

Realizing he didn’t know that I was sick last night and that I needed it to all be over with I answered, “Nii. And I’m sorry for acting like a spoiled brat last night. You have every reason to be angry.”

“Nii. I was … confused. I did not understand why you did not find it funny. I left to … er … give you some room. That is when I heard nothing but the meanness. Too many said …”

At his abrupt silence I finished what he’d started to say, “… that I was getting my just desserts?”

“Yes,” he said with a sigh. “Finally Polina explained it.”

“Explained what?” I asked as I tried to get up and start my own miserable day of what I was sure would be more of what I got last night only Vit tugged me back down.

“You need to eat first. And let me explain what was explained to me so I am sure I understand.” When I nodded he said, “That women in positions of power are subject to even more rude reactions as men when it comes to being the butt of the joke. The reasons are not logical but apparently true. I am sorry.”

“What for? It was the tiger, not you. And me. People just don’t … never mind. I sound pathetic. I need to shower and try and make sure that my hair doesn’t smell.”

Then Vit does something he rarely does and got completely silly. When he growled I at first thought he was going to make a joke of some type. Then he says, “While I admire the tiger’s courage, you are mine.” Then he pounces on me, nearly bouncing the pillows off the bed. He starts a tickle fight … something he is sure to lose despite his stoic Cossack ways … and I wind up giggling too much, even with my stomach muscles tight and sore.

“Vit! What has gotten into you?!” I yelped, still laughing at the latest tickle barrage.

“Much better,” he says in satisfaction.

“What?”

“It has been too long since I have seen this smile on your face. I did not notice as I should have. And …” he adds, levering us both up, “we are leaving this ship and going to have a day to ourselves. I am done with people and need to be away with you.”

More than willing to play along I said, “Okay, where to?”

“Chocolate.”

“Chocolate is not a place it is a thing,” I told him as he playfully walked me into the bathroom.

“Ah, but you are wrong,” he said before encouraging me to join him in a shared shower.

I nearly broke the mood by asking if I still stank, but he assured me it was all gone … and would soon be forgotten. That I seriously doubt but the day has been one for the memory books even if sailaway was an early one o’clock.

He wouldn’t tell me where we were going and had the driver in on the joke. The driver was a crew member with family in the area and he was dropping us off and meeting his parents nearby and then would pick us up when it was time to depart.

We had a scenic drive and then there it was. The Pod Chocolate Factory. It was located on the Bali Elephant Camp and that is where the crewman’s father worked. After we were dropped off, we were met by staff for a tour around the factory. There were a few others in the tour group but no one that we knew as they were there independent of the Peace Mission and since Vit and I were dressed in civilian clothing, we didn’t stand out.

The staff gave detailed explanations about the organic principles the factory is upholding in terms of harvesting, fermenting and drying the cocoa beans to be transformed into chocolate. As Vit put it, our sweet tooth was being educated.

From harvesting and the fermenting process, we witnessed how the grinding and tempering procedures turn fresh cacao beans into hot liquid chocolate. Tasting the end product makes it tempting to never look back, and demand only freshly prepared chocolate from there on out. Then came the fun part that was part of Vit’s surprise. We crafted our own herd of small chocolate elephants – topped with whatever we felt would satisfy our taste buds. That was the end of the tour but we continued on to the enclosed Pod café and were served some delicious, Balinese dishes including a selection of the best chocolate drinks on the island. Even though there was an extra cost to it Vit said we needed to let our elephants finish cooling anyway. As soon as our elephant herd had cooled down however we had to rush out to meet the crewman and get back to the ship. Or so I thought.

There was one more part. We stopped at a market where the crewman’s brother in law had a silver shop. Vit surprised me with a jewelry set … necklace, bracelet, and earrings. Balinese silver jewelry is special in the way locals combine it with natural stones, corals, and other gemstones, creating unique pieces. The pieces Vit purchased were made of silver wire woven intricately with tear drops of several natural stones including cat’s eye, labradorite, jasper, and amethyst.

In Ukrainian I whispered urgently before the deal could be closed, “Vit, you don’t need to do this.”

“I know,” he whispered back with a smile. “But it has been too long and … I enjoy this Kokhana. Please do not say no.”

He is the master of turning things to get his way. And I’m the sucker that falls for it each time, much to his delight. And usually to mine as well. I’m sure the feminists are shrieking with horror at the very thought, but it is my life and Vit and I have worked things out between us. It is our love languages and we hurt no one, so just butt out.

We really did have to rush to get back to the ship after that and we were one of the last to board. Vit had to go to a meeting and I decided to hit the gym to work off some of my people-anxiety. I met Polina on the way there and she asked if I wanted to spar.

“You have no idea,” I said and she laughed like she more than understood.

I like sparring with Polina. She doesn’t pull her punches. We taught each other a couple of moves new to the other and then proceeded to the sauna to baste for a while. We were both enjoying the quiet when Barbara Dutton joined us. Polina apologized a few minutes later and said she had a call she needed to make but she wanted another sparring match on the next sea day. She wants someone that will challenge her, not give way as most of the people she spars with do. And Yegor can’t spar with her at all because of a rotator cuff issue she doesn’t want to reinjure.

After Polina left I got a little twitchy at the staring that Barbara and a couple of other women were doing. I was about to leave when one of them said, “So … rumors that you only got the job because of your previous relationship with Diplomat Baird are false.”

I wasn’t sure I liked her phrasing, but I still answered politely. “I worked for the man a few weeks. My husband worked for him a few years. He did suggest us for our positions, but we had to earn them just like everyone else,” I responded.

“Oh. But …”

I finally opened my eyes and looked at the rest of them. “I don’t know what the latest rumors are … or even why anyone would care … but if you want my life story, here’s the basics.” I gave them a very abbreviated version of my personal timeline and resume and then stood to leave.

That’s when Barbara tried to start something else. “So is the story about the tiger false?”

“No. And probably smellier than anyone knows. My uniform was completely ruined. So was everything else including my shoes. I can’t tell you what a joy it was trying to get the funk out of my hair.”

“Oh well. You know what they say. What goes around comes around.”

After the shock of her words wore off, I looked her dead in her smirking face and said, “Oh yes it does.” She blinked. The other women grew silent. And I exited with a little more dignity than she wanted to leave me.

Vit was not happy when he found out. “You do not need to associate with those cows any longer. Had I known …”

I tried to not let his protectiveness mess up what he needed to do. “Don’t worry about it Vit. She’s the worst of the lot. Why she has that attitude I don’t know. Why it would suddenly become worse I know even less. But you need to socialize with that group because … leadership and setting the example and all the rest. I told you I would try and …”

“Nii.”

“Yes. Some of them aren’t bad. I’ll live with it. Buffet or Lounge?”

“Room service.”

“Not that I wouldn’t love to, but you know it isn’t going to make things easier. Let’s just …”

“Nii. Room service. I do not think I could be polite to some of them … for now. Maybe later when it is necessary for work but, not now.”

So that’s what we did for dinner and then we cuddled and Vit fell asleep and that is where I am going as soon as I go brush my teeth. I think I may have eaten one too many chocolate elephants. All I need to do is wake up in the morning with a chocolate zit in a place it cannot be hidden with concealer.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 66: March 16 – Surabaya, Indonesia

Little warm today. Not awful by Florida standards but some of the students struggled with it. So did some of the adults and it caused me to wonder whether they were focused enough for their job. Air conditioning was nearly nonexistent off ship and I was thankful that Mr. Parnell requisitioned several cases of water bottles. The water was warm when we handed it out, but it kept everyone hydrated.

Our tour began with a pick up in school buses at the pier. When the high school students complained I said be grateful because the middle school and younger students sat three to a bench instead of only two. When faced with that reality it was just a matter of getting everyone to take turns next to the windows … or not in the case of some of the girls that did not like the noisomeness of some of the areas we wended our way through.

We headed into the heart of Surabaya during the relatively tranquil morning hours. From there we traced a route into the city's historic district, where a captivating blend of crumbling Dutch architecture as well as Arab and Chinese influences dominate the scenery. When I say crumbling I am not exaggerating. Prosperity has come and gone a few times in the area and at the moment it is gone, despite the influx of tourist dollars from the cruise industry. I suppose some would call it atmospheric. However in all honesty crumbling may be less romantic but more honest.

Before moving on, we heard about Surabaya's history under the Sultanate of Mataram during the 15th and 16th centuries, prior to its occupation by the Dutch East India Company in 1743. We travelled along the waterfront, hearing about Surabaya's role as a major trading port under the Dutch, as well as the extensive naval base that was once stationed here.

From history we returned to the present and headed to the Jembatan Merah. The bright-red bridge is credited with having initiated the Battle of Surabaya—an influential conflict in the fight for Indonesian Independence. It doesn’t matter how bad the economy is, we were told that the bridge stays freshly painted as often as necessary. It is a matter of pride and cost is no object.

Finally, we visited the House of Sampoerna where a kretek cigarette factory is housed. I was rather surprised by this part of the tour as cigarettes and their electronic counterparts have been problematic in many countries for decades, to the point of being completely banned in a few. But in Indonesia it is like stepping back in time. There are over 60 million smokers in the country (90% of them male) and roughly forty percent of the population smoked a cigarette before they even reached ten years of age. It is the fourth largest tobacco market in the world and should be the third in the next year or so our guide told us.

The cigarettes differ in Indonesia slightly in that they are not strictly made of tobacco. The tobacco is laced with a high concentration of clove. Yes, those little pointy things your grandmother uses at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The practice was to roll, by hand, a compound of tobacco, cloves and cocoa in a dry corn husk wrap, which gives a honeyed flavor. If you say so Slim. Eventually the practice was commercialized and as Kretek is known to burn slowly, and also self-extinguish, they are favored by the poor.

While touring the onsite museum, we marveled at the floor where workers churn out nearly 4,000 clove cigarettes a day. It is like a constantly moving anthill. But there is a nasty reality behind this industry. Kretek cigarettes contain high concentrations of tar and nicotine; approximately four times that of the strongest US cigarette brand. Some countries (such as the United States) have banned marketing flavored cigarettes and e-cigs (including kreteks), as these are often seen as more appealing to children and teenagers, making them an easy target for addiction. The other harmful effect is from the clove oil used in making Kreteks. The clove oil, or eugenol as it is scientifically named, is harmful to the lungs. The Indonesian Health Department in its last report that over 300,000 people are affected by cancer every year but eugenol’s exact relation to smoking has not been scientifically quantified.

Due to the popularity of Kretek cigarettes, even the Indonesian government is addicted to it. Over five percent of the country’s national revenue is from this source, next only to the revenue from oil. Indonesia also records the highest growth of cigarette industry in the world, accounting for 4% of the world’s consumption. When we left the factory, many of us realized that our clothes and hair had a distinct clove-y smell.

There isn’t much more to report. We went straight back to the pier from there. Getting through security was without incidence … hopefully that means some lessons are sinking in but I will remain vigilant … and once everyone in my care was aboard, I proceeded to complete my daily report. Dinner was quiet, Vit once again requested we eat in. He had a lot of reports to write and review. I hope that is the only reason. I do not want to hold him back from his chosen path. Oh yes, and there was no chocolate-related zit for people to whisper about as I still hear the occasional whisper and giggle concerning the tiger.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 67: March 17 – at sea

“Oh my gosh! Polina are you all right?!”

She snorted and then slowly got up from the floor where I’d thrown her with more success than either of us were expecting. “Yes. But I am a bad partner today. My mind is too much on other things. Can I get a raincheck?”

“Of course! Ack! Where is that blood coming from?!”

There were some Russian curses but none directed at me. I helped her with a scratch behind her ear where she’d hit the edge of the practice mat and then she asked if I had time to come to her office.

“Sure. It will give me time to see if that bandaid is going to be enough or if you need …”

“I am fine. It is a topic of another type I wish to speak with you on.”

I ran to go change and then met her at her office. She closed the door and asked me to sit and she brought out two bottles … of water, not vodka this time. “What’s up?” I asked.

“My blood pressure.” At my nod and silence she seemed to relax a little. “You have been to our next port have you not?”

“Singapore? Yes. So has Vit.”

“With the children you cared for?”

“Er … yes. But I don’t know if I would call the older one a child necessarily.”

“Yes, yes. I generalize. What I am asking is if you can speak to the ones on this ship concerning the rules of conduct. I woke up to several memos from diplomats asking me if the students had impressed on them just how much trouble they could get into if they do not follow the rules.”

“Anything in particular stand out in these memos?” I asked knowing some of the diplomats and their staff could be pills to deal with.

“Everything and nothing. At least none are asking for special attention to their child. My guess is they are looking for scapegoats ahead of time in case of a problem.” She sighed and the said, “I have a favor to ask. Could you speak to the students? And the teachers and chaperones as well?”

I wasn’t thrilled but I wasn’t going to turn such a request down. “I can’t promise they will listen to me, but I’ll do what I can. If the six students …”

“Do not worry about them. A tribunal was formed and last night came to the conclusion that all six students will remain confined to quarters until further notice. Their continued attempts at misbehavior lost them any sympathies that would have led to leniency. Two of them may well … it is much more serious and that is all I can say beyond the fact that their activities were much more destructive than was at first known. Luckily the other four seem to be salvageable at this point. We are trying to keep this quiet so it does not effect the mission so …”

“It stays with me. Is Vit allowed to know?”

“He already suspects as he has been helping Yegor with some of the communication software. I will tell them both as soon as the tribunal notes are signed.”

“Er … how are the parents taking it?”

“As expected. The vacillate between disbelief and shame at the dishonor at any given hour. The legal representation their countries offered them has made it easier to reach some accord on disciplinary actions. The lawyers know how bad this looks for their clients and for one of them they would have already been sentenced to hard time and “lost” to the family completely. The actions …” she stopped and shook her head. “You are too easy to speak to. Just do what you can with the older students. It is likely the younger ones will be kept aboard for a few days. I’m sure there will be outcries at that as well.”

“Too bad,” I said with little sympathy at the entitled mindset such whining revealed. “What about any of our media personalities?”

“Not your problem. And listen to what I am saying. Do not try and ‘rescue’ them should they get caught doing something they should not. Your foremost priority is the children. After that is the teachers and chaperones and any security personnel. I will not put my staff at risk for foolish adults who cannot read a simple memo or be bothered to show up for a prearranged staff meeting.”

“O … kay. Let the disciplinary committees have the reporters if they are so stupid as to try and chew gum and jay walk at the same time. Gotcha. I’m told that caning is a great motivator to better behavior.”

She was in the middle of taking a sip of water and choked. She cleared her throat and said, “I have seen no complaints in your reports. Has there been a problem?”

“They know where I draw the line. I just get tired of a few of them watching to see any weakness in me to push the boundaries. I don’t let them have any one-on-one discussions with the students. Period. I certainly won’t do anything like that without a signed consent form from the parents. And the last time they did it with a chaperone was the last time that chaperone worked with any of my groups. The rules are they can observe but they are not supposed to interact. I wouldn’t say that we’ve made peace exactly … but there isn’t open war either.”

She grimaced. “We aren’t having that success with the younger children’s groups. Mrs. Loper is a good desk-bound administrator but someone with more teeth needs to be in the field.” I mentioned that I’d noticed that the chaperones that occasionally fill in at the high school level from the lower grades weren’t used to working the way they must when with my groups. “Just so,” Polina said with a nod. “I finally had to impose my own rules and tell the woman that either she used the chaperones properly or I would reassign security staff and the younger children can remain on board. There have been fewer problems and less, what do you call it … herding of cats? Yes?”

So I headed back to the cabin and prepared a power point on the code of conduct expected in Singapore.

Chewing Gum: Chewing gum is banned in Singapore so leave it on the ship. Importation of chewing gum into Singapore, even if it is not for trading, is illegal. The current set of regulations does not have provisions for carrying gum for personal use. Improper disposal of gum and carrying large quantities of the banned product will cost a hefty fine of up to $1000 USD for first time offenders.

Littering: Singapore is bent on maintaining its reputation of being impeccably clean, with an active campaign against littering and stringent enforcement in place. First time offenders who throw small items like cigarette butts or candy wrappers are fined $300. Those who throw out bigger items like drink cans or bottles are considered defiant and are required to appear before the court. The punishment usually involves a Corrective Work Order (CWO), where the offenders clean up a specified area while wearing a bright luminous green vest. The CWO was implemented in the hopes of making offenders realize the hardship cleaners must go through to keep the surroundings clean, and to make them understand just how unsightly litter is. It is also admittedly aimed at publicly shaming the offenders to ensure that they don’t reoffend. Some littering is punishable by caning.

Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in certain areas in Singapore. The smoking prohibition currently covers all indoor places where the public congregates. The ban was revised in 2009 to include indoor public places that are not air-conditioned, such as shopping centers, offices, and shops. Outdoor public facilities, like fitness areas, sports courts, and playgrounds, were also included in the extension. In 2013, the ban extended even further to include multi-purpose halls, pedestrian overhead bridges, covered walkways and link ways, hospital outdoor compounds, and a five-meter perimeter around bus shelters. The extension also includes common areas of residential buildings.

Homosexual relations: These are punishable by two years in prison for a first offense. Caning is now part of the mandatory sentencing requirements. It doesn’t matter what is allowed in your home country. The rules are explicit and there are no exceptions. Not even in jest.

Jaywalking: Jaywalking is a term that was first coined in the U.S. and is now widely used in many countries. It refers to the reckless or illegal crossing of pedestrians on roads. In Singapore, jaywalking mainly refers to crossing the street in non-designated areas. Make sure you look for marked pedestrian lanes before crossing the street.

Toilets and public urination: Not flushing the toilet is more than just a breach of hygiene and propriety; in Singapore you will be breaking the law if you do so. Expect to pay a fine if you get caught. Don’t even think of urinating in elevators, as they are equipped with Urine Detection Devices (UDD), which detect the scent of urine, setting off an alarm and closing the doors until the police arrive to arrest the offender.

Vandalism: Vandalism is a serious offense in Singapore, with penalties that include not only fines, but also prison, and three to eight strokes of caning for each offense. The act constitutes damages done to both public and private properties. Damaging, destroying and stealing public property, as well as drawing, painting, writing, inscribing, and marking any private property without the owner’s consent are considered illegal. Affixing placards, posters, banners, and flags is also prohibited.

Drugs: It is important to note that the Singaporean authority does not distinguish between drugs taken back home before you entered the country, and those taken within their borders. The Singapore police are authorized to run a random drug test on both locals and visiting foreigners. This was true even before the Opioid Crisis of the 10’s and 20’s circumnavigated the world. Zero tolerance is the law and strictly enforced.

Caning: In Singapore caning is a mandatory sentence for over fifty offenses and every year more crimes are added to the mandatory caning list. But it isn’t just used in mandatory sentences. Judges are free to assign caning punishment at their discretion. Everything from importing illegal workers, being an illegal immigrant, traffic offenders, men who desert their wives, illegal moneylenders, vandals, dangerous fireworks, illegal bike racers, and the list goes on and on. However, as unlikely as it may sound, not every court case winds up with caning as part of the punishment, far from it, but better all around that you don’t take that chance and obey the laws of the country you are in.

A few of the students (and adults) thought I was exaggerating until I proceeded to pull up the video after video proving my point. In particular I brought up the case of Michael Fay, an 18-year-old US citizen who was convicted of vandalism and sentenced to two months in prison and six canes. Only after international intervention by the then sitting president of the US were the number of canes reduced … but he was still caned. The case was an old one but is still regularly used as an example. These days Singapore does not allow any outside influencing of their courts and what you get is what you get.

I also explained that Malaysia and Brunei also had similar judicial systems and punishments. And that we’d be visiting Malaysia in the not too distant future.

The students were quiet as I left the room. The adults weren’t exactly making a lot of noise either. Unfortunately for me I found out that Barbara Dutton had chaperone duty in Singapore. She stopped me in the hall and snapped, “Was it really necessary to frighten the children like that? Those videos were disgusting … pornographic even. Adults getting spanked like children on bare bottoms with bamboo canes. You need to be reported.”

Since she’d raised her voice enough for those in the classroom to hear I did the same. I’m sure it surprised her. “First, those people in that room may be young but they are no longer children. A few of them will even be legal adults before this voyage is over. They deserve transparency. They deserve to be given enough information to form their own opinions based on facts, not gossip or innuendo. Singapore is a beautiful and clean country. They mean to keep it that way. They are also an independent and sovereign country with all the rights that come with that. However, their culture is significantly different from ours. We are visitors, nothing more. We have the obligation to be respectful of their laws and culture even if we don’t agree with all their practices. If you cannot conform to that, I suggest you stay on board. Furthermore, whether we are on board or on land, we are representatives of the Peace Mission. That ‘we’ is all of us regardless of age, gender, rank, or anything else. That means being respectful of the peoples and countries that we visit … and each other.”

She started to open her mouth and I asked her point blank, “Are you going to follow the rules as a chaperone and as a civilian representative of the Peace Mission or do I need to reassign you to a different duty.”

“As if you could,” she snarled in contempt.

She stood there with her mouth open as I did just that. I printed the order out from my tablet and handed it to her. “You’ve been reassigned. Please go to Human Resources to pick up your new duty assignment.” And with that I turned on my heel and walked away.

Dinner was interesting. Vit and I already had plans to eat with the XOs and their SOs. I offered to remain in the cabin but Vit wouldn’t hear of it. I was willing to try and we left the cabin. We walked into the XO Lounge and immediately there is almost a scene. “I’m not eating with her.”

Then Lt. Dutton groans. “Bloody hell Barb. You’ve already made one scene with Ivanov and nearly got your clock cleaned, are you going for another? Just go back to the cabin if ye can’t deal with things. But if you do …” he said in a tone that I never want to hear from Vit as she started to stomp away. “I’m doon playing. You can forget the place in York. I’m not forking over me life’s savings to spend time with a woman who won’t help bring the reality about. And yer father has already said he agrees so there’s no twisting him about yer finger to get your way, not even with your mum helping.”

It was embarrassing to witness but whatever the “house in York” was, the incentive was powerful enough that Barbara sat back down, albeit with an attitude. The reaction of the other women was mixed. One sympathized much to her mate’s displeasure, the rest tried to not make any more of a scene than had already been made. The table never completely returned to normal, but it wasn’t completely cold or stilted either. What’s more Vit pulled me into conversation with the XOs rather than leaving me to the mercies of the SOs. I was surprised that I was accepted. I didn’t participate much, but I wasn’t completely silent either.

I couldn’t stay out late because I am on duty early tomorrow but then again so was everyone else and we all headed in at a relatively early hour.

We were in the cabin barely a second before Vit pulled me into his arms. “Ah, my brilliant woman.”

“Wha …?” My question was cut off by a kiss … and the rest that came after it.

Some romantic nonsense in Ukrainian let me know that he was proud that I had held my own against Barbara and had even been able to carry on conversations at the table during dinner and dessert. I suppose it is a good thing that I can do that now but I’m not sure he understands that it is his open support that helps me to be stronger than I used to be.

But now I need to climb in bed and turn him on his side. Vit’s snoring is getting worse. I need to find out whether something in the cabin is causing it or if it is strictly fatigue. We both need a few days off but based on our schedules, that isn’t happening any time soon.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 68: March 18 – Singapore (1)

The day went surprisingly smoothly. We arrived in port at 1 pm and the adults all but threw the high schoolers off the ship so they could corral the younger students who were not going to be allowed any excursions. Suddenly I had a lot of volunteers for chaperones, but Mr. Parnell had already set the schedule.

Our first stop on our guided tour was Arab Street, the smallest of Singapore's ethnic quarters and a pedestrianized tourist market strip with shops hawking all manner of Middle Eastern and Islamic goods. We were allowed a photo stop at Sultan Mosque and Istana Kampong Glam. I must admit that our students are clever. They made a big deal out of following all rules and then trying to one up the adults. It was like a game with them. Nothing obnoxious but perhaps a way for them to lose the anxiety my lecture may have caused.

After Arab Street we headed to Little India, the lively ethnic Indian district of Singapore. Here we strolled through the Indian restaurants and fruit and vegetable stands, and checked out what was called Little India Arcade, a bazaar-style shopping area where vendors sell the same things you might find in Mumbai or Delhi. Souvenirs, Indian street snacks or sweets and being temporarily tattooed in henna are what you can find and try there. I was happy to note that the girls all looked but didn’t seem interested in being tattooed themselves. I later found out that they weren’t allowed anything that appeared to be an affiliation, even a temporary tattoo, as their parents worried it might be used against them in the media.

We made a quick food stop at Chijmes, formerly a 19th-century convent & school. Then boarded a bumboat for a leisurely ride on the river that took us passed the landmarks of the Raffles' Landing Site, Asian Civilizations Museum, row of old shophouses along Boat Quay, Fullerton Hotel, Esplanade Singapore, The Merlion Park, Singapore Flyer and the last attraction Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort. We landed at Clarke Quay and meet our driver to visit Chinatown.

In the city plan of Stamford Raffles, four ethnic areas were designated for the different ethnic groups that lived in the city. The ethnic Chinese were allocated the area southwest of the Singapore River and Chinatown was born. Within Chinatown, each dialect group occupied distinct areas and built social institutions such as clan associations to serve the collective needs of each dialect group. During our walking tour of the area we saw Thian Hock Keng Temple, Singapore’s oldest Chinese Taoist temple; and, Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. We also got to taste some of Chinatown's hawker food market then head to Garden by the Bay for a short photo op then it was back to the pier.

I’m glad the students had to stay on board from that time of day forward. Only adults could leave the ship after five o’clock. To make it seem like it wasn’t what it was, they were surprised with a “teens only” party and a movie. Lord I am so glad I didn’t have to chaperone that event … some of the parents did and I heard that it went off well all things considered.

I had just walked into the cabin when Vit rushes in behind me, throws a garment bag on the bed and encourages me to hurry up and change. That man. One of these days his “surprises” are going to cause my first gray hair. We were going out with Yegor and Polina because HR basically told her she was to take a few hours off the ship … or suffer through stress counseling. The garment bag held another surprise … civilian clothes. Casual civilian clothes.

“Vit?”

“I know they may not be to your liking. Barney picked them out.”

“Barney picked these out?!”

“Yes. She said that she had ordered similar clothes for Sofia.”

Well that explained it.

When Vit came out of the bathroom he stopped short and simply stared. “You … you do not look like yourself.”

I snorted and finished putting on some make up. A little heavier than I normally wore it. And my hair was less severe as well.

“I dressed like this in college. And don’t look so dismayed, everything is covered and will remain that way. And there is a lightweight jacket to go with this. But Vit?”

“Hmm?”

“Next time let me choose what I’m going to wear, and you won’t look like your head is about to fall off and roll around on the floor.”

“Er … yes. Agreed. Men will be looking at you. I will not like this.”

Ignoring the fact that what he said meant that men would not have been looking at me before I chuckled and said, “Well the women always look at you Mr. Studly so if I can take it without blowing a gasket, you can too.” He blinked but then smiled.

“I will simply have to look more and harder than the others so you will not notice them.”

“I haven’t noticed anyone since the day I met you,” I told him. “And I was trying very hard not to notice you if you’ll remember. Your Cossack ‘charm’ won me over anyway. And I hope you didn’t pay for this, I have no idea when I’ll ever be able to wear it again,” I said pointing to some chunky jewelry that was supposed to go with the outfit I was wearing. “Or even wear it for the first time. I don’t want to be a target from a snatch or grab.”

“Nii. Nor do I wish it to bring notice to your … er …”

“The neckline isn’t that low. You’ve just grown used to me being tied up in my daily uniform. I reserve the right to wear a trash bag however if Polina comes looking like a grown up while I look like a Bohemian college freshman.”

“Ah … er …”

I laughed as he tripped over himself looking for what Angie calls the “man trap” in my words. I was still laughing when we left the cabin and it was with some satisfaction that a few people in the hallway did a double take.

Vit was recognizable because he always looked suave and handsome whether he was in uniform or not. But the white shirt and black canvas pants and top sider shoes certainly made him look more casual and relaxed than he normally did. I had on stone wash jeans, gladiator sandals, and a traditional Singaporean blouse with colorful embroidery edging that extended up the button front and around the collarless neckline. My hair was a loose fishtail braid woven into an even looser chignon updo. A few wispy bits of hair were already coming out so I brought along a hair band and a couple of hairpins for the likelihood that the humidity would have more hair sproinging out like mattress springs before the night was over.

When I saw Polina I nearly chickened out and ran to change but there wasn’t time. As we went through security I grumbled, “Why do I always wind up looking like the bratty baby sister?”

For some reason that made Polina laugh.

“What?”

“I was the bratty baby sister as well. It is good to remember. Enjoy it while you still can. Soon enough life will take the chance away even if …” She looked away and I saw a shadow cross her face.

Yegor must have seen it as well so he says to Vit, “So what is this excursion you mentioned? And is there food involved?”

That brought Polina around. “You just ate!”

“A real man can always eat.”

Polina rolls her eyes and with reason. To have the appetites that he does Yegor is whipcord lean. To prevent an argument Vit leads us to a four-person tuk tuk with our guide holding a sign with DYMTRUS printed on it. When we got into the vehicle we faced each other so we could carry on a conversation when there was a lull between our guide’s monologues. Our first destination was Chinatown.

Our guide finally parked the Tuk Tuk and we started the walking part of the tour. We walked along bustling streets lined with restaurants and market stalls as our guide told us the history the district, dating back to when early Chinese immigrants arrived here. At a medical hall, we got a glimpse into the traditional medicine practices that the Chinese have been using since ancient times to help regulate their yin and yang. I was surprised to see I wasn’t the only one checking the various herbs that were for sale. Yegor is an herbal hobbiest … amateur but Polina said it saved them from having to wait in long lines at the state-run medical facilities when they are stationed at home. We also heard about tai chi, moxibustion and acupuncture.

Then it was time for food as we headed to the Night Market. It was already quite crowded. Vit had fun bargaining with vendors and Yegor and Polina used him to help them purchase a few things as well from some of the many stalls. I even got Yegor to try Tiger Balm and before the end of the night he had plans to get more. I picked up orchid perfume and Vit smiled. I thought it was because he liked it, but I was to find later there was another reason.

We left the Night Market with our packages and our guide chauffeured us to Clarke Quay where we traded the Tuk Tuk for a bumboat, a modern replica of a traditional riverboat once used to carry cargo up the Singapore River. Once on board, we glided along the river and admired Singapore’s illuminated skyline, including Marina Bay Sands Resort and the Merlion statue.

Yegor, replete with his latest “snack” asked, “Do I wish to know what a merlion is? Is it edible?”

We all laughed and the teacher in me took over. “The merlion mascot of Singapore is a man-made creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The lion head represents Singapore's original name, Singapura, which means "lion city" and the fish body reveals Singapore's origin as a fishing village. Oh for heavens sake, I’m doing it again aren’t I?”

My grimace caused more laughter but it was with me rather than at me. After the boat ride was over I was in for another treat and Yegor and Polina were agreeable to join us even though Polina looked tired and something about her eyes made me worry.

The Singapore's Botanic Gardens is opened from 5 a.m. to 12 midnight every day and it was nice to be able to do something so grand so late at night. Better yet there is no admission fee, except a small one for the National Orchid Garden that is within the grounds of the botanic gardens.. More than 10,000 species of flora is spread over its 82-hectares area, which is stretched vertically; the longest distance between the northern and southern ends is 1.6 miles. Even as late as we were there were plenty of other people strolling around as the Gardens receives about 4.5 million visitors annually.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” I asked the other three when it came time to decide whether there was time for the orchid garden. They didn’t so in we went. I was in awe and Yegor got really interested as well. Polina told me that the stories go that Yegor’s family were once gardeners for the Czars and that one of his great-something grandfathers bred flowers that would only grow for Catherine the Great.

“We do not speak of it very often,” Yegor added. “The politics make it too complicated.”

An understatement for certain.

Since 1859, orchids have been closely associated with the Gardens. The Gardens' orchid breeding program began in 1928. With over 1000 species and 2000 hybrids on display, the splendor of these gorgeous blooms is absolutely a sight to behold. I took what pictures I could but I’m not certain how they will turn out due to having to use the flash on my phone.

Eventually all good things must come to an end and all four of us have a full day tomorrow. On the way to the garden’s entrance to catch a taxi I walked with Polina while Vit and Yegor carried our packages. I had an ulterior motive.

“Polina, tell me to butt out if it is none of my business … but … are you okay?”

I thought at first she wasn’t going to answer, simply ignore me but then she sighed. “My son would have been seven today. He never even saw his first birthday, but he would have been seven. So much time has passed. I almost forget his face, his cries.”

I put my arm through hers and said, “You don’t have to see him with your eyes or hear him with your ears. You’ll always have him in your heart.”

“Perhaps.”

“No perhaps. My parents started fostering after they lost a child to a hit and run driver. He … he didn’t die immediately. It took him a month. Momma didn’t talk about the brother I never knew very often as I was growing up. I didn’t even know of his existence until I was ten years old. It was too painful to share her memories of that time is how Poppa and Derrick explained it to me. But when she was … when she was dying she spoke of him often. Not when the others were around. Certainly not when Poppa was around. But she told me about him. And she said she expected that he was waiting for her and she’d …” I shrugged trying to keep my emotions from seeping through. “I … I don’t know what you believe Polina. But in my heart I know that Momma and Poppa both are with Josiah, the son they lost way too soon. And that it was Josiah that met first Momma and then Poppa when they … passed on. Your little boy … he’s there too and … there’s no more pain, only joy for him.”

“You … truly believe that is true?”

“I do. I know I might not always act as I should but … that’s what I believe.”

She was silent for a few minutes more and finally said, “I do not know what I believe. My father and his newfound religion or the State that tells us none of it is true and the only thing we have is this life and the State. But … if we do have a Creator … I choose to believe that even if no other finds the place called heaven, certainly the innocents of this world do. And … and I will choose … will choose to believe that you are right. He is no longer in pain and only has joy and … and I must make that enough.”

“We all grieve,” I said quietly. “But those we love and who truly love us would never want our grief to consume us. Love isn’t like that.”

“No it is not. If I know nothing that I do know having watched my parents go in opposite directions over my brother. My mother does not understand why I do not cry and beat my breasts. I … just do not have it in me.”

“We all grieve differently. Maybe she fears that if she stops actively showing her grief it’s all over. People will forget and she doesn’t want anyone to forget.”

“Perhaps.” Then she gave me a slight smile and said, “My bratty little sister.”

She seemed to turn the corner after that and it was only then that I could see how Yegor must have worried because when it was gone I could see he too seem to lighten a bit. Back in our cabin I asked Vit if he knew.

“Of the child they lost? Yes. Yegor told me. The boy’s name was Feliks.”

“Polina said that they won’t have more children because they risk them having the same cancer that he did.”

“Ah … that is what she said?”

“That’s not what Yegor said?”

“Do not judge her. That is what the doctor’s said in the beginning. But another doctor told them that the chance is much less than what they were first told. But Polina … she cannot seem to believe it. The boy was born with the cancer. It was a rare neuroblastoma. And there were complications at the birth. Yegor thinks the doctors did not do their best because they chose not to abort the child when they found out late in the pregnancy. He has been worried for Polina for a couple of weeks. This is not a good time of year for her. And you are certain that she seemed … better?”

“I think for now yes. But ultimately she is going to grieve how she chooses to grieve. It took you a long time to … to find peace about Anitchka.”

“Yes,” he said solemnly. He still occasionally brings her up but at least now his thoughts are not always dark. He speaks more of when she was a little child than of the way she died.

I’m glad I am friends with Polina. Even if I am the “bratty little sister” stand in. She’s been a good friend to me. I hope that I can continue to be a good friend to her. Everyone needs a friend.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 69: March 19 – Singapore (2)

I woke up late and feel like I’ve been running since my feet hit the carpet first thing this morning. I got a message right before bed that I was excused from today’s excursion then found out from Polina first thing this morning that I had been notified in error. I threw on my uniform, gave a sleepy Vit still in bed a quick kiss, and then ran to try and get to the disembarkation point before I looked like a complete loon. Lucky for me I’d learned a lot of shortcuts and managed to get down to Deck 4 and to security. Grover and Tower were there ahead of me and looked at me strange as I tried to straighten myself up.

“Sleep in?” Tower asked.

“No. Was just informed I’m on duty. Last night I was told I wasn’t. My brain is blendarized. Please tell me someone has tea at the bottom of the gangway.”

Tower snickered since he knew how much tea I drink but Grover was more cautious. “Are you sure you are up for today? The schedule is full.”

I nodded. “I’m fine. I’d love some tea … but I don’t need it to do my job.” I looked over and saw the students coming. Oh my. There were some of them that didn’t look in a good mood. Then for some reason they looked at security and the mullygrubs seemed to lift.

Mr. Parnell was beaming when he came forward. “There was a rumor you weren’t coming with us.”

Finally figuring out he was speaking to me I responded, “A little miscommunication. All fixed. Everyone ready to get through security?”

And we were off and running.

Our first stop we walked through Esplanade Park discussed a little bit about the Merlion and found out about the vertical marathon hotel. Thirty minutes on that and nearly every single stop lasted about the same duration. Next stop was a photo op with the famous Merlion statue. After a boost by Grover … which caused some laughter from everyone who saw it … I used the camera our media person had with them and took a class photo. The reason why I had to use Grover as a ladder was to keep out of traffic.

Next we walked along the Singapore river and tasted some delicious local ice cream on bread. Yes, it does sound strange. It also tastes a little strange. Not awful, just strange. And from there we went to the Raffles Landing Site to go inside the building where the Singaporean independence document was signed. I was amazed to already see a couple of our chaperones beginning to wilt.

“What is up with that?” I muttered to Grover and Tower trying not to sound as irritated as I felt.

Grover had no idea but was as concerned as I but Tower said, “Those three were part of a party that stayed out late doing the town.”

“They’re women,” I nearly gasped. “Weren’t they warned that certain behaviors aren’t tolerated around here?”

“They weren’t three sheets to the wind when they came aboard but they were concentrating pretty good on putting one foot in front of the other without dancing. I imagine they’re nursing headaches.”

Grover growled, “They better hope they don’t wind up nursing their ass too. They give me any trouble and I will write them up. Everyone knows to be in top shape for duty assignments. I don’t give a damn if they are volunteers, a job is a job so do it right.”

My feelings were the same, but I was relieved I didn’t have to express it. And Grover may have been “expressing it” so that word got around to the ones we were concerned about. I noted that whispers, much like the old game Telephone, eventually made it around to the culprits in question and they seemed to try a little harder.

We hustled to our next point of interest which was The Arts House. It was built in 1827 and is currently a multi-disciplinary arts venue which plays host to art exhibitions and concerts. That one some of the students round a little boring but the next stop, Sri Mariamman Temple, was culturally stimulating to them. It was located on the street where the mosque, the Buddhist and the Hindu temples are situated. Our guide told stories about all three religious in one city.

From there we strolled around Chinatown and checked out a hotel that used to be an opera house and went to the Chinatown Street Market to meet a local spice maker who gave a glimpse into an important field in this area of the world. We also had lunch at one of the biggest Hawker centers. Mr. Parnell lost some type of game they had in the high school area and was expected to eat something truly gross or outrageous whenever the kids wanted him to and they picked that moment to call him on it. The man was panicking so I suggested Fish Head Soup. The kids all thought it a grand joke and I had to wink at Mr. Parnell where they couldn’t see to keep the man from running off.

When the Hawker delivered the Fish Head Soup I thought the poor man was going to faint but I bet the students that I could eat it too. Little did they know that I was familiar with that particular dish. I said that if I could get Grover, Tower, Mr. Parnell, and myself to eat the entire kettle that the students would have to be good as gold for the remainder of the day or they had to put in an additional day of classroom time. Guess who won? Mrs. Cast Iron Stomach and the three gentlemen. Once I managed to get the other three to taste the soup I didn’t think I was going to get any for myself. It was really funny to see first their reaction to the flavor (it’s delicious and a dish normally saved for special occasions) and then the reaction of the students, some of whom were complete grossed out by the large fish head still looking freshly caught as it was slowly demolished as we ate.

The talk continued until we left lunch and reached the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. I didn’t get to see very much of it because I was dealing with Raina who’d eaten something too spicy for her. Fill in the blanks as far as descriptors go but I’ll try and leave the girl some dignity even if she makes it hard. From Chinatown we went to Little India to get to know more about the Indian culture and life in Singapore.

After our stroll we escaped the city and drove to the top of Mount Faber for a 360 view of the city before returning to the B and hurrying on board for the five o’clock sail away. I had every intention of trying to relax for a few moments but was handed a letter before I could even grab a tea. I called Dylan right away.

“Do you know what time it is here?!”

“Do you think I would bother you at all if it wasn’t important?!” I snarked right back at a sleepy and grumpy Dylan.

“Okay Kiddo. Was a long day but I didn’t need to take it out on you. What’s up?”

“I got a packet here on the B from Lena’s parents’ pet barracudas. It’s about some legacy account. Something to the effect that when I worked for the Foundation, an account was opened on my behalf and now that she is gone the account needs to be closed only they can’t reconcile where the money went with their accounts payable and accounts receivable records and the IRS is coming after me? Dylan … this is not the kind of trouble I need. Not to mention, I never got paid when I did that volunteer work, I always just did it as a favor or to get out of the house, or ….”

“Breathe Kiddo. And read me exactly what it says in the letter.” I did and he said, “Well son of a ... so that’s what Renfield was talking about.”

“Who is Renfield and do I want to know?”

Dylan snorted. “Long story but basically Reggie is an adult and is now the owner of the trust that was Lena’s from her grandmother. The ones you call the pet barracudas aren’t the Foundation’s primary lawyers but were the lawyers for the grandmother who if I understand was a real Tartar … that means …”

“I know what calling someone an old Tartar means. And frankly could care less if the woman was anything or nothing. What I do want to know is what this has to do with me and why do they sound like they are sic’ing the IRS on me.”

“Well the interesting thing about this particular old Tartar and her pet barracudas is that the old money came from shady real estate dealings and while the money got cleaned up by necessity when Lena’s father took over, the bad habits didn’t. They were monkeying around with the Foundation to avoid paying state employment taxes. You sure you didn’t ever get paid?”

“A couple of times for super small things like translations, that time I helped hand address all of those invitations to one of their fancy soirees. But, Derrick made sure I claimed it even if I didn’t earn enough that year to have to pay income taxes. You know how he and Charlie are about that sort of thing.”

“I do,” Dylan said with a grin I couldn’t see. “And why did you call me instead of them?”

“Because Derrick isn’t up for this and Charlie would just get cranky and try to fight them on his own. You oh Brother 007 will know who to go to to figure this out fastest and give me some ideas on how to deal with this quietly so it won’t impact Vit’s citizenship.”

With less humor in his voice he said, “You have been thinking. And you’re correct. I’ll take care of this ..”

“You don’t need to do it for me Dylan, I just want good advice on how to move forward. You’ve got enough on your plate. Just find me a clue whether this is legit or not and if not whether they are messing around with me on purpose or out of those bad habits you spoke of.”

“You have a feeling one way or the other?”

“Not exactly but the entire Lena-issue shouldn’t be taking this long to resolve and I shouldn’t be dragged into it. I had no stake in it and no responsibility for it. And it sounds like some of what I’ve heard … like her storage mania that Reggie has been dealing with … predates Momma and Poppa’s passing. Something is just strange and I’m getting really tired of strange.”

“Understood. Take a picture of every paper in the packet and forward them to me you know how. I’ll give it a once over tomorrow and hopefully have some recommendations in the next day or two. Good enough?”

“More than good enough. And thanks.”

We said our goodbyes just in time for Vit to walk in and me explain. Ouch. I stepped on man toes. “Why did you call Charlie on this before speaking with me?”

“I didn’t call Charlie.”

“You said …”

“I said I called my brat. I have more than one brother … sometimes one more than too many. I meant Dylan, not Charlie. But you are correct, I could have spoken to you first. But no one is going to use me to get in the way of you getting your citizenship and since Dylan has been helping with that …”

Vit found his temper just as quickly as he’d nearly lost it. A good thing as neither one of us had had a swell kind of day. Vit’s included an unnecessary inspection by one of the international committees working with the Peace Mission; unnecessary and not conducted to specs. That means protocols weren’t followed and it will mean extra work by Vit and Yegor to go over everything to make sure there hasn’t been some kind of compromise of the security features they’ve already tightened and cleaned up.

It wasn’t really the inspection – which they passed – but the slipshod way it was conducted. Plus, the two men are suspicious. Was this politically motivated or something more nefarious. Or was this a distraction to take notice away from something else going on. Now they must go back over everything which was more work than needed to happen.

I asked Vit if he wanted to eat in and he did. What he wanted was a hamburger. Easy enough. I called ahead to the grill and asked very nicely if I came to get it would it be a problem. They said if I could come immediately that would be helpful as they were expecting the kids to hit the grill station within the next thirty minutes or so. I did that very thing and by the time I got back Vit had poured us both a glass of wine and away we went. We are both finished for the day and just needed to rest. These days where everything is nothing but rush, rush, rush with unexpected unpleasant surprises are rough.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 71: March 21 – Penang, Malaysia

It has been a long day today. We got into port at 9 am but did not sail away until 10 pm. We had a couple of our crewmen nearly get shanghaied. Yes, you read that right. There were pirates in the city and they were looking for more crew … and it didn’t matter whether they were willing or not. But we weren’t to know that until later after the two young men had been rescued. Lucky for them they were being held on shore and weren’t immediately sent to sea.

But first I was involved in taking the high school group on a port excursion to Entopia, a nature preserve. Paraphrasing our guide, “Amidst the chaos of our daily lives, Entopia helps us all rediscover the true balance between human and nature. Being the oldest Tropical Butterfly Farm in the world (est. 1986), it has recently rebranded and its old structure has gone through a massive reconstruction and expansion and re-opened its gates.”

I will admit that I was entranced and got some really nice photos that I sent on to Benji, explaining that while they weren’t birds, they did have wings and flew. There were more than 120 species of butterflies flying all around us in an open-air exhibit. The girls were having a fit and the boys seemed to enjoy obliging them while taking photos of them with butterflies landing on them in various locations. In other displays in the 2-storey building they had various types of insects and reptiles. We spent nearly two hours there and from the way they were acting they could have spent two more hours without complaint.

Our next experience of the day was a visit to the fishing village in Teluk Bahang. I think witnessing the lifestyle and environment which these fishermen call home help our students to understand the cultures and interact with them more successfully and constructively. We also make a short stop as we passed by the picturesque Teluk Bahang Dam.

Then came the Penang Batik Factory. A staff on duty at the factor guided the students along and provided a demonstration of fabric batiking while they explained the process. Of course several students purchased some of the fabric in stock and several of them were boys after I mentioned it would me a nice gift for mothers, sisters, or any number of other females.

Our last stop was a tour at the Tropical Spice Garden. It spread over 8 acres of jungle valley, next to the sea. The garden showcases over 500 varieties of exotic flora and fauna (with an emphasis on spices) and we had our own dedicated tour guide that took us through the garden and explained the plants, spices & layout. The prices weren’t as good as I’d gotten with Polina yesterday but they had some variety packages that I got to distribute amongst the sisters when Vit and I return home. Or I’ll save them for the holidays. Angie’s last email contained a complaint about how few brands were available to choose from in the stores these days.

“I tell you Veta, some of the ones that opted not to join in with us in our group buys are now wishing they had. They are trying to push poor Charlie into organizing more such buys but he’s got his hands full at home right now. I won’t carry tales but let’s just say some that are under his roof need a reality check and quick. He’s spoiled them and now that he can’t they act like their feelings are hurt and are getting snotty about it. They’re nearly old enough to take off on their own and I’m thinking he is right to tell them that if they don’t like it they can get their own roof to live under. I used to think he was crazy for the way he was with you but it doesn’t appear to have done you any harm.

Truth is, Tal and I are going a little crazy … we all are. Money is tight. And there’s kids having to move home because they can’t afford it out there. Those people up the road aren’t helping with their fancy parties and the kids they have coming and going from their place at all hours.”

“Those people” are what she calls the people that bought Pembroke House. Their kids aren’t happy from what I understand and to make up for it they let them invite old friends over and they’ve caused some problems. Christine’s brother says they have the cops over there most weekends but they are rich people with rich friends and they are getting involved in local politics. It has made for a complicated situation. I’m glad Vit and I are out of it though I don’t know how things are going to work come July when this job is supposed to be over. I’m worried about the news I hear from the States, not just back home.

I can’t see Vit and I moving back in with any of the family. That means renting. The only way we are going to be able to afford to do that is living in Jacksonville. Or maybe going south to Orlando or even Tampa. But if jobs are hard to come by that limits our options as well. We could head north to Savannah, maybe even Atlanta, but neither one of those options thrills me much at all. If we get closer to this contract ending with nothing on the horizon then I’ll talk to Vit about contacting the Marchands even if it is a little crass. You do what you have to and I’ll do whatever it is that lets Vit and I stay together.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Hey! Chapter 70 got out of order. Sorry 'bout that. Hopefully it isn't going to mess anyone up too bad.

--------------------------------------

Chapter 70: March 20 – Kuala Lumpur (Port Kelang), Malaysia

Memories of my previous visit to Kuala Lumpur were floating through my head as I got everyone through security so we could disembark as a group. I was also thinking of the “shopping list” Vit had given me in case I had a chance to go into a market.

“Heads up ladies and gentlemen. You managed to impress me while we were in Singapore. Thank you. I do appreciate it and I’m sure all the other adults and parental units do as well. Way to show them up,” I told them with a slight eye roll referring to a story they had no doubt heard about concerning a couple of the “adults” had nearly missed the ship’s sailaway and had to be hunted up. Most of them smiled. There were a couple of smirks and some outright laughter.

“Today – as you have no doubt realized – is Kuala Lumpur; one of Malaysia’s most important ports. I’d really appreciate a repeat of the last couple of days. Let’s show ‘em how it’s done shall we?” I said pointing to the gangway.

One of the girls must have been PMSing because she snarked, “What will you bribe us with?”

“You should be mature enough not to require a bribe,” I replied using the same tone Momma and Angelia used on occasion with those of us younger ones that would sometimes forget our place in the scheme of things.

Soon enough we were on the bus – not the best but surprisingly not the oldest that we’d travelled on – and were off for our first stope. A trip to the eastern suburbs of the city allowed us to observe the local way of life and traditional cottage industries. It included a short stop at the Royal Selangor Pewter factory where I was surprised to find the same pattern that Vit had gotten us on the trip with the Marchands. I added to the set as a surprise to Vit who really enjoys eating a salad on a cold pewter plate, especially on hot summer days.

From there we proceeded to the Batu Caves, a huge limestone outcrop housing an elaborate Hindu temple. The caves are a popular place of worship for Hindus and each year, during their celebration of Thaipusam, hundreds of thousands of Hindus throng the holy temple. We have a Hindu student and he asked to take a few moments on his own so he could tell his grandfather. Since he had never objected to the Christian religious stops I was not going to get in the way of him practicing his chosen religion.

Next came the Kuala Selangor Nature Park, also known as Taman Alam Kuala Selangor. There we helped to feed eagles during a boat ride. The boat ride was from the Selangor River Mouth. It was the boatman rather than the students that actually fed the eagles but those that wanted could help prepare the food. Basically there are 3 species of eagles in Kuala Selangor. The Brahminy Kite (also known as the Red-Backed Sea Eagle) is the most common follow by the Crested Serpent Eagle. The rarest is the Well – Bellied Sea Eagle. Our guide said we were a rare breed ourselves, and should feel blessed, as we’d seen all three during the trip. I felt blessed all right. Either the boatman had bad aim or a couple of the eagles suffered from nearsightedness. I was the only one that had eagle food (fish) dropped on me. I also had something else dropped on me but we won’t discuss that. I certainly don’t want to record it for posterity.

And of course what could compete with wearing fish guts and eagle poo? You’ve got it. Monkeys. Gah. Our next stop was Bukit Melawati where we saw Silver-Leafed Monkeys - and long-tailed macaques. My main takeaway from the stop is that the significant difference between the silver-leafed babies as compared to the adults is that the babies have golden fur while the adults have dull grey colors. I’ll be honest and say the Silver-Leafed Monkeys seemed gentle and playful. The long-tailed macaques, on the other hand, were more mischievous. I turned my back for only a second and one of the little beasties snatched the tail of my braid and wrapped it around his neck like a stole and didn’t want to turn loose. Thankfully a piece of fruit conned the little conartist into releasing me and I got out of grabbing distance and we carried on.

On the way back to the ship we passed the Petronas Twin Towers and the Monkey God Temple. Our guide said I must be favored by the Monkey God. I just smiled and tried not to show just how much that didn’t thrill me. Though I suppose being out of favor with a monkey would be much worse.

I had just gotten the students back through security when Polina came bearing down on me with a grouchy expression before growling, “HR.”

“Uh …”

“And Yegor is no help. Your husband only encourages him. They both say, ‘Go. Do. Shop.’ Ugh. I hate shopping.”

Taking a wild guess I asked if HR was making her take a day off-ship again. “Yes,” Polina grumped as we made our way down the gangway. “What do I know of shopping? It is ridiculous. And more stressful than working my way through a duty roster.”

I snickered at the face she was making causing her to give me the evil eye. “Vit taught me the benefits of retail therapy.”

“Retail what?”

I explained the western concept while I acquired an English-speaking driver that would stay with us a couple of hours. I asked if she minded if I tried to complete the list that Vit had given me that morning and she was agreeable. I turned guide and translator as we visited a couple of local markets – and no I had no problem with the shopkeepers being related to our driver – and at our first stop told her about batik.

Batik is a fabric on which wax is used to create patterns on the cloth, that’s then dyed with different colored dyes to produce gorgeous designs. Malaysian batik is interesting as, unlike batik in Thailand or Singapore, most of Malay batik has flowers, leaves, trees or abstract patterns on it as, under traditional Muslim law, animals and people aren’t allowed to be used as a design.

In another shop I told her about Songket, a legacy from the state of Kelantan which itself was a result of trading between China and Malaysia, Malaysia and India during the 12th century and later. Essentially Songket is a fabric made from gold and silk threads interwoven with threads of other materials to create a unique textile. Not surprisingly isn’t a cheap item to buy but Vit wants me to get it and put it in one of our cedar chests.

The next item I was less sure about but Vit had given me specific descriptions of what he wanted and what he was willing to pay. Found off the shores of Sabah, Malaysia, the natural pearls of the area are usually of cream, pink, white or bluish-grey in color. Thank goodness I didn’t have to do it myself however as I ran into Henry who was making some purchases on behalf of Mr. Baird. He’s obviously got a lot of practice at bargaining and Polina and I walked away with several pieces that we couldn’t have purchased ourselves at that price.

“Yegor had better not complain,” Polina said on the border of being playful.

“He should have come with us if he wanted a say over what we spent and on what.”

Polina laughed aloud, something I rarely hear her do, and said, “I will tell him you said that.”

I shrugged and said, “Take a picture of his face when you do.”

The final three items on my list were much easier for me to handle. First came the instant White Coffee is something that Vit and I missed as soon as we ran out. I bought an obscene amount this time with Vit’s blessing. It is an instant 3 in 1 white coffee formulated with Arabica Coffee Powder and premixed with sugar and nondairy creamer. No matter how I searched the international markets in Jacksonville, I could never find another supply of it. It has a creamy, nutty and unique flavor with a great mouth feel, not grainy or gritty at all. They had samples and I got Polina to try it and surprise, surprise it was love at first taste.

“Yegor only drinks his black. It is like tar. His father was the same. The only thing they ever cut it with is vodka when they have a sore head.”

I shuddered at how I imagined such a combination would taste. To wipe that out of my mind I suggested we try some Boh Tea.

“You and your teas,” she said giving me a smile.

“Boh is Malaysia's all-time favorite instant tea mix.”

“And you are going to tell me why.”

“Of course,” I said laughing. “It is renowned for its zesty ripeness and rich taste. Last time I was here it was available in various flavors, including peach, lemon lime, caramel, and teh tarik (hot milk tea). And I’m getting them and hiding them in my cabin. Some of the tea leaves on the B taste more like tobacco leaves.”

“Admit it. You are a tea snob.”

I gave her an innocent look and asked, “What makes you say that?”

In addition to our tea we had INCLUDE A MALAYSIA SWEET and then it was on to our last item which Polina decided to buy for Yegor to ease the pain of the cost of the pearls she’d bought.

She shook her head. “They’ll probably be confiscated unless we bribe someone. I’m an idiot for buying them.”

“Even with the cost of a bribe the pearls are still a good buy. Hold onto them and if you need to sell them in the future they will have gone up in value.”

She thought about it and then asked, “Is that what you and Vit are doing?”

“When we can. Vit … had it rough growing up. He is a … er … have you ever heard of love languages?” When she hadn’t I explained to her about the five love languages and how I learned Vit was a gift giver as how he expresses his love. And how until I figured that out it caused some problems in the beginning.

“And here I thought it was simply a bit of male strangeness.”

When Polina said that I looked at her. “Yegor would waste his entire paycheck on me when we were dating. My mother thought him a wastrel … until he started bringing her flowers each time he came to visit. Then he could do no wrong. Now he can do no right and I cannot go home because I will not go where he is not welcome. Her grief has …” She abruptly stops and shakes her head. “Enough of that, you are too easy to talk to. What is this last thing you are looking for?”

I let her change the subject and replied, “Nutmeg oil.”

“Ah. I have heard of that. Yegor keeps a bottle in his supplies when he can find it. I think he used the last of it before we flew to the Miami city.”

“Do you think he would like another bottle?”

“I know he would.”

Nutmeg Oil, while it is sometimes used as a spice for autumn dishes and wintry beverages, is known primarily for its medicinal properties. Traditionally used to relieve headaches, stomachaches, itchiness and insect bites, it has been proven particularly effective as digestive tonic and stimulant. It also helps relieve painful symptoms of both arthritis and rheumatism. In Malaysia, nutmeg oil is also commonly applied to help pregnant women by reportedly strengthening and toning their uterine muscles. Like honey, it is not appropriate for anyone under the age of two.

Polina and I both bought several bottles and the shopkeeper was so happy for the sale that she made me a deal on several spices and spice blends.

As we rode back to the ship for sail away Polina asked me, “Do you enjoy cooking?”

“I do. Do you?”

“Nyet. I am too happy to leave it to Yegor but I will clean instead, and gladly. Yegor is a good cook. But do not mention it. His sister and mother make fun of him for it.”

“But lots of men like to cook.”

“Yes. And he would have gone to culinary school if his scores for communication had not been so high.”

And here I thought Yegor was a cold fish in the beginning and wasn’t sure I liked him or not. Perhaps Vit and I are not the only ones that like our camouflage so much that it is hard for others to get to know us.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 72: March 22 – Langkawi, Malaysia (Sunday)

Another long day today, arrived at 8 am and didn’t pull away from the area until a little after 8 pm. However, I must say it was successful. Vit opted to come with me even though he’d been invited by some adults. I was very happy. Vit was surprised at my pleasure for a few moments but then seemed to relax. That’s about something but I don’t know what. There has been nothing else so I won’t pick at it unless something like that happens again.

As for the rest of the day, we were off the ship right at 8 am. But only with the Science Club and a few other students. The rest of the students had to stay on board for a make up test. If it wasn’t a test it was to make up classroom hours that they had missed for one reason or another. The reality of the classroom time compromise is hitting home for some. And the fact they are not getting any sympathy from their parents because they can’t attend shore time is a shock for others.

The group we had were the standard students … Aiden, Al, Edda, Pei Shin, Jae, Robin, plus Anton, Raina and a couple of others that didn’t normally go on the “Science Gleek” group outings. They were standoffish and uncertain at first. I found out later they expected it to be boring and embarrassing to hang out with the group that they’ve come to call the “gleeks.” Instead what they found was that the small group got along really well with the sibling units (3 in the group) and had fun together. I considered it a win and hopefully Edda, Pei Shin, Jae, and Robin won’t get so much blow back from – yet again – seeming to get “special attention” and for being “teachers’ pets.”

Our first stop of the day was at Langkawi Sy Bridge. Completed in 2004, the suspended bridge is built on top of the Machinchang mountain. The bridge is suspended from a 82-meter high single pylon, hangs at about 100-meter above ground, and it can accommodate up to 250 people at the same time. It swings out over the landscape to give visitors a unique spatial experience, and to bring them into otherwise unattainable locations, above virgin jungle with spectacular views. Notably, in contrast to a straight bridge, where the end is always monotonously in sight, a curved bridge offers spectacularly changing perspective that reinvent themselves, as one proceeds along it. It is essentially a pedestrian bridge on a mountain top (nearly 2200 ft above sea level) and above the jungle. In addition to the bridge we were able to get to the top in what is called the Skyglide, another name for a the funicular that took us from the parking area up to the top. This took three hours. The kids loved it. So did Vit. I’m beginning to think that he is more hemmed in by his job than he is willing to admit.

That was a hard act to follow but since we switched gears the students recognized the next leg of the excursion had a different purpose. At the foothills of Mt. Machincang, lies the quaint Oriental Village. A collection of more than 50 activities & adventure providers, souvenir & retail stores, galleries and spas. The Oriental Village is a mecca of tourism and claims to offer a quality day of fun, adventure, shopping and gastronomic delights at one location! Well it was something all right. It is right off the Skyglide and reminded me strongly of getting off a ride at Disney only to find out you are dumped into a gift shop. Funny enough it was only Charlie that ever took me to those types of things … and he always commented on that highly commercialized aspect. And I invariably came home with at least one thing I didn’t ask for and was surprised to get. Charlie always seemed to luck out with girlfriends that worked in amusement parks and took his “baby sister” along as a chaperone or mascot. I was laughing and telling Vit the story but it only gave him ideas. Honestly, that man.

I can see how it would be a tourist attraction. I counted at least twenty souvenir shops. A few of the buildings really needed a coat of new paint but this was more about what we could do for them than what they could do for us. A place to spread some economic cheer. Vit certainly did. I’d heard that since they didn’t pay commissions to drivers or the like that their prices were some of the best in the area and those rumors proved true as the day wore on so I am glad everyone got their shopping finished in the hour we were given. I came away with a stack of postcards and an interesting wooden box to keep them in. There was other nonsense as well. Typical souvenirs but everyone seemed happy and we spread the cheer around as much as possible given the size of our group.

Our next stop was at Underwater World. I know the name isn’t terribly creative but the language is very literal. Things are named exactly what they are. While we were there we saw hundreds of marine mammals and fish. One of the aquariums includes a glass tunnel walkway through a saltwater tank. There are sub-Antarctic, tropical, and temperate sections to see as well with animals from around the world, including penguins, sharks, and massive Arapaima fish, some of which were nine feet in length. I tried to keep things age appropriate despite most of the exhibits being geared towards younger students. To this end I asked Raina – our resident artist – what medium would be best to render the various animals in. Jae I asked about photography. Ecetera and so on. I tried to make the exhibits personal for each one and for the most part I believe it worked. Either way it was a successful stop despite it dragging a bit towards the end of the two hours because everyone was getting hungry. Our next stop took care of that.

MARDI Langkawi Agro Technology Park functions as a center for technology transfer and information dissemination concerning agro-industry and is also designed as an eco-tourism spot. The farm covers an area of 14.2 hectares with more than 20 tropical fruits. They include star fruit, guava, citrus, mango, rambutan, pulasan, durian, cempedak, jack fruits, longan, mangosteen, dokong, duku langsat and others depending on the season. Visitors to the fruit farm are given the opportunity to experience the fresh taste of the tropical fruits as well as the opportunity to acquire knowledge on the various species available. The fruit was delicious, basically an appetizer for what came next. The students also learned quite a bit and I was surprised how many of them had tasted at least one of the fruits we were exposed to.

We had a nice shopping experience in the next village, located on a duty-free island. We also had delicious seafood meals in a roadside stall. When they found out I could speak Malay we were treated like locals and the students got a lot of attention and they showed their gratitude by helping a couple of the older residents move some packages to their conveyances as well as making sure they left their table area cleaner than they found it … not that it was dirty but a job worth doing is worth doing well as Poppa always said.

With bellies full our guide took us to Eagle Square, also known locally as Dataran Lang. It is one of Langkawi’s best known man-made attractions; a large sculpture of an eagle poised to take flight. A sight that greets visitors to the island via ferry, the 12-meter-tall statue is one of the island’s most instantly recognizable monuments. I saw it on several post cards. The square the statute is located in is a good place to watch ferries ply across the harbor. Vit insisted on taking a group photo of the students with me in it. I’m not sure how that is going to go over but they can always photo shop me out. Vit and I got a couple of selfies in as well.

Mahsuri's Tomb is one of the very few stories that has a deep connection with the historical roots of the island and believed to be true by all locals. Our guide told us Mahsuri's story of beauty, loyalty, betrayal and curse. She was a beautiful girl, so beautiful that she became heartthrob of the entire island. Mahsuri later fell in love and married a warrior but during the Siamese war, her husband joined the war, leaving Mahsuri all by herself for a long time. A storyteller later came to the village and mesmerized everyone including Mahsuri with his amazing stories. Since he had no place to stay and Mahsuri offered him a shelter but due to jealousy of Mahsuri's beauty, the village chief's wife started spreading a rumor that Mahsuri committed adultery with the storyteller. The rumor unfortunately caught on and spread like such rumors often do. The village elders tried Mahsuri and for some reason found her guilty despite Mahsuri repeatedly pleading her innocence. The cruel verdict was to stab her to death. She was tied to a wooden pole and despite repeated attempts they failed to kill her. She herself told the villagers that she could only be killed by her father's Kris. Upon being stabbed, it is said that white blood oozed out of her body proving her innocence. She died in the year 1819. During her last breath, Mahsuri laid a curse on the island with her dying breath that it would face misfortune for the next 7 generations to come. Strangely, or coincidentally, soon after her death the Siamese attacked and conquered Langkawi. The villagers burnt rice fields and poisoned the wells in order to thwart the attacks, but in vain. Langkawi remained as a barren land for a long time thereafter. However, the guide said, the good news is the period of curse has now passed since the late 20th century. This is when Langkawi again started to prosper and this time as a famous tourist destination in the world.

Coincidence or not, I’m not sure. I’m not even sure that Mahsuri was a real person. But the locals certainly believe it to be a true tale and our guide was a very good storyteller. Discussion of the historical era during the “seven generations” occupied our time until we reached the Langkawi Wildlife Park. Beautiful birds greeted us as we strolled through the tropical gardens in the park. There were large enclosed bird rooms where the larger species had room to stretch their wings and fly. In other areas we had a close interaction with animals through feeding sessions. A larger than expected variety of species are on exhibition including birds, mammals, reptiles, fishes, and … orchids. Okay, so they aren’t an animal but they were certainly gorgeous. We could have easily spent more than our allotted 2 hours but we had to stay on schedule.

Kilim Karst Geoforest Park was the next point on the map we aimed for. It spans 100 square kilometers, and is noteworthy for mangrove swamps, pristine beaches, and vertical karstic hills jutting out towards the Andaman Sea. Set along the northeast tip of Langkawi Island, there’s a good variety of wildlife ranging from otters and monitor lizards to macaques and tree crabs hiding amongst the thick mangroves. We were there the tail end of the migratory seasons (September to March), but we still managed to spot several bird species including kingfishers, white-bellied fish eagles and kite eagles. Scattered across the park are limestone formations with unique names such as Temple of Borobodur, the Elephant Stone and the Hanging Gardens. There are also numerous caves that are filled with fossils as well as gigantic stalagmite and stalactites, namely Crocodile Cave, Cave of Legends, and Bat Cave. We were there three hours and the day was far from over.

Next came Galeria Perdana, a museum created to showcase all the gifts, souvenirs and awards received by the Prime Ministers of Malaysia over the years. All the gifts and souvenirs were given by delegates, statesmen and leaders from all over the world. There were some strange items for sure. Similar to what the US presidents have received from foreign dignitaries, etc. Rather than keep them for personal benefit the gifts are displayed for the enjoyment of the country’s citizens. It was an interesting but thankfully brief stop on the tour.

Our next point of interest was the Langkawi Nature Park which emphasizes the importance of Geoforest, Mangrove & Wildlife. We took a boat ride and then took a walk through the thick natural mangrove jungle via an 800-meters-long board walk. There were also animals though not all of them were indigenous to the area. The animals included predator animals (especially the White Lions), some selection of Tropical Rainforest animals, Camelids from around the world, bears and antelopes from Africa. There were also native species such as the several species of birds flying freely within the aviary. In addition to viewing the animals, some were brought out for a closer encounter and our students were given privileged access for several such displays.

After that park we went to another one; Crocodile Adventureland. That park is spread across some 20 acres of land but only half of that is accessible to tourists with remaining half devoted exclusively for croc husbandry. I have a difficult time equating farm animal husbandry with croc husbandry but apparently it is a thing. They grow them for their skins and meat. Raina wanted to tune up – she can be what Charlie would call a “tree hugger”. Anton knows how to handle his sister and she simply ignored the “harvest” part of the equation from that point forward and instead focused on the fact we were seeing one of the largest collections of Malaysian saltwater crocodiles as well as other species, that numbered over 1000. There were both crocodiles and alligators and the students were given some good field information on the difference between the two.

I failed to mention up to this point that Jae was acting as our media specialist for the day and he daringly arranged for a photo of each of his peers holding a baby croc or some other animal of their choice. Of course most of them chose the crocs. Even Vit. I stuck to a parrot and much to everyone’s amusement the daft thing flew off with one of my “official uniform” hair barrettes and took it high into a tree and refused to return it.

“You realize if you do not return my barrette I am going to be forced to draft you into service to the Peace Mission,” I told the ornery thing.

That’s when it decided to march back and for on the tree limb looking for all the world like it was mimicking a soldier on duty. Vit was having way too much fun and actually saluted the foul beastie which seemed to do nothing more than encourage it. Everyone had a good laugh, including the park personnel who insisted on gifting me with a croc shaped hair comb. Of course I wore it and it now is in my small box of keepsake items. Honestly. I get into the strangest predicaments on some days.

We couldn’t remain at the croc farm long after that because we had another snack break to take, much appreciated by everyone. Cenang Beach, Pantai Cenang is on the Indian Ocean and features white sand and clear waters. It is very popular with sunbathers and those who enjoy water sports such as jet skiing and parasailing. The students rolled up their pants legs and strolled along the beach as they drank bottled water and ate Batu Maung Satay which is basically meat skewers. For those of our group that led a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle there were “noodles on a stick” which is exactly what it sounds like. The physics of how the hawkers wrap the noodles so that they stay on the stick is akin to alchemy in my opinion. And we had one young lady that was a raw vegan and Vit managed to find a hawker that was selling fruit skewers which she was more than agreeable to make her option.

Tanks once again above empty we took a walk on Tanjung Rhu Beach which was much less crowded. It gave the students time to make some scientific observations to record once they were back on ship. Despite their desire to take a dip I reminded them of our next stop, one the boys had been waiting on all day; ATV Langkawi Adventure & Xtreme Park.

My sense of adventure may have appreciated the activity but my fanny did not. We rode on ATVs. Our guide, having gotten the feel for our student group, encouraged them to let loose and experience an adrenaline rush as they drove through villages, plantations, veggies farm, river crossing, rugged terrain. Our final stop was for rest at a waterfall. Enjoy the cold water from the waterfall, the sound of waterfall. I was a little too stressed to enjoy things completely as I had to keep a close eye on the students, particularly the ones that aren’t technically old enough to drive. There were a couple close calls but no injuries. Thank goodness. I did note that Vit had fun and helped the older students to improve their control and skill. Fine. If we have children, he will be the one teaching them to drive when the time comes.

Our last stop was at Atma Alam Batik Village. It was a little mellow for the boys but Vit took care of that by keeping them focused on the day’s activities and getting their thoughts on how their classes are going and the like. I took the remaining students to see a wide array of exclusively handmade as well as block printed batik art that included dress materials, paintings and handicraft products. We got another demonstration on the art of batik painting. And as you expect we were afforded the opportunity to spread a little economic joy by purchasing the products on sale in the gift shop.

On the bus back to the ship I handed out a box-supper and the students ate and then most of them all but snoozed for the remainder of the drive. Even Vit rested though he never really slept. I was scandalized to find out after we’d gotten back through security that he had a late shift and had known it all along.

“Vit!”

“Nii Kokhana, I will be fine. Go on to the cabin and get some rest. You do this again tomorrow.”

Not happy but he is correct. And now that I’ve put my thoughts in this journal I need to be getting to sleep. Tomorrow there is a day in Indonesia and I don’t know how the students who had to remain on board are going to act tomorrow.

That’s assuming I can sleep. I’m really worried about Vit. Had I known … but he’s a grown man and is going to do what he is going to do. I just feel bad now that he had to make such a sacrifice to spend the day with me and it had to be while I was working. Ugh. I need to find a way to make this work better.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 73: March 24 – Sabang, Indonesia (Part 1)

Oh my goodness what a day. There are times I am very glad that I am not the only security personnel riding herd over some of these adolescents. Today has just been one of those days and I could have, as I heard Poppa mention once or twice, “tied a knot in their tails.”

I suppose I have failed to mention that in Indonesia it is a very common practice to eat with your hands rather than utensils, and to eat from communal dishes. By western standards that has a high level of ick factor. They also don’t have some of the other social/hygiene norms that are common in the west as far as frequent handwashing which raises the ick factor even higher. And because the country is crowded, sometimes personal space is an issue. And further, add onto that the differences in norms between male and female interaction. The boys would make inappropriate comments and start laughing. The girls would get disgusted and offended and not have the sense to keep it to themselves. Argh! As Momma would say, “Throw them in the deepfreeze and not thaw them out until they are twenty-one.”

I survived but I swear a couple of the students are on my list and that includes Al and Jae. I know it is their age but both boys twanged my last nerve today on more than one occasion. Grover wound up taking them “under his wing” and I think it was as much to save them from me as it was because their behavior.

The day didn’t start brilliant. Hot water was out all over the ship. Not only did that mean a cold shower, it meant no coffee or tea as everything is automatic rather than manual. Gah! Then I was all but screeched at in the buffet by one of the chaperones because her credit card had been hacked. She blamed me because I wouldn’t let her use the ship’s card.

Trying to be reasonable and explain what I considered the obvious I told her, “Your purchases were for personal use. As such they wouldn’t have been approved anyway. Time was short and I simply cut out the wasted effort. Everyone has been getting the warnings during the morning announcements and memos that credit card fraud is a problem in Indonesia and that since no personal purchases are allowed on a card that is for emergency purposes and to pay for student excursions only, everyone has also been told to get fraud protection for their personal cards.” She tried to tune up but I just kept talking. “I sympathize but you are out of line trying to hold me accountable for something that was your choice and responsibility. Now if you want to go talk about this in private, rather than trying to rip me a new one here in the middle of the buffet line I’ll see what I can do to help you straighten this out after I get back from today’s fieldtrip. If not, then take it up with your department head or Human Resources.” She turned to stomp off and I added, “And Greta. If you ever try this with me in public again you will not like the consequences. Follow the chain of command and take personal responsibility for your personal choices. I’m more than willing to have conversations. I won’t be used as a whipping boy.”

We’d drawn a crowd and it was real quiet by the time I’d finished speaking my piece. It took a while for the volume to return to normal and was still getting enough attention when I made it to the table that Vit was waiting at … only he’d stood up and was making his way my direction. Everyone also noticed how it took me a moment to convince Vit not to make even a bigger scene though they had no idea just how angry he was nor how much I had to put into convincing him to let it go. Our silent communication and blank faces are pretty impenetrable to the casual bystander.

We sat down and started eating. Finally Vit asked, “Does that happen often?”

The question was a simple one but beneath it I heard his other question of, “Have you not been telling me everything?” And the potential hurt that went with it.

“No. First time.”

“On this subject? By this person?”

I gave a small shrug. “I’ve talked to you about how some of the so-called adult chaperones act. You’ve seen it yourself. This? Bringing it back on the ship and turning it into a confrontation? No. And I’ve never had a problem with Greta though she was transferred to high school after there being problems with favoritism in the middle school program.”

He took a bite of his omelet then finally grunted, accepting my explanation. I sighed without realizing it and he asked, “Veta?”

“Sorry. She just created a lot of work for me that is likely to bring even more problems.”

“How so?”

I wanted to roll my eyes but didn’t even though I thought it obvious. “The rules. Had she come to me in private and not acted like a … like she was acting I could have ignored it and redirected things. Instead, not only did she do it with all these witnesses, her accusation that I am at fault for the fraud … she’s left me with no option. I must fill out an incident report. I know for a fact it is going to be the fourth one she is named in. Her husband is interviewing to be kept on for the entire mission. I don’t know what this is going to do for his chances. July isn’t that far away. Unless he has connections in the German diplomatic corp that offset Greta not being able to conform to shipboard standards …” I left it hanging at that.

It took a moment before he responded. I thought it was because we were eating but then he asked, “Which do you prefer? Your work in Baird’s office or your security assignment?”

“They both scratch an itch.” At his raised eyebrow I gave him a small smile. He sometimes still found American phrases confusing. “I enjoy languages. Translating documents has helped me to keep my skills sharp and allowed me to expand them. And for the languages that have a non-western alphabet I’ve had a chance to learn to recognize some words and phrases that will make me more marketable when we get to wherever we wind up. But … as much as I enjoy the office work … it doesn’t really expand my … let’s be kind and call them my people skills. If I was in the office all the time … I’d slide back into …” I gave a shrug. “I just wouldn’t grow the way I need to … the way you need me to. I may not like all aspects of the security position, but it has allowed me to use my educational degree to some extent and has forced me to grow in areas that I’ve needed to. More importantly, being willing to have a foot in both worlds has made it possible for me to stay with you without being too much of a burden.”

“Kokhana … you are never a burden.”

I gave an unladylike snort. “So you’ve been avoiding socializing with the other XOs for no reason at all?”

After a short but telling silence he said, “We are all busy.”

“Vit …”

“Veta …”

Then over the loud speaker came the ten-minute warning for first groups going ashore and I nearly cursed, shoved my last bite of toast in my mouth, kissed Vit (forgetting about the PDA rules until it was too late) and rushed to get to the top of the gangway ahead of the students who would be walking down from the education rooms. And from that point forward I was herding cats. Naughty cats with catitudes. Glory.

Lucky for me there was only two on/off bus routines … once to get where we were going and once to return to the ship. Getting off the ship we found ourselves in Sabang, Indonesia.

Sabang is a colonial town on the Indonesian island of Pulau Weh with a sleepy yet charming atmosphere. Wish I could have enjoyed it more. Many colonial buildings are still standing, shadowed by huge trees that the Dutch once imported from Suriname. Thanks to its excellent harbor and good water supply, Sabang became an important coal loading station for ships en route between Europe and Asia, and at one time was even larger than Singapore. That can’t be said today, but the port area is still very busy and industrialized compared to other Indonesian ports.

Our excursion today had an ecological theme to it. And as I’ve mentioned before, what things are named is very literal in this part of the world. Malaysia's Best Marine Park. That’s correct, it is the proper name of the location we were taking the students. In the pristine waters of Pulau Payar is one of the world's most spectacular coral gardens. Once we arrived our first activity of the morning was a cruise from Kuah, Langkawi to Pulau Payar. On arrival, the catamaran moors at 49-meter x 15-meter reef platform. While there we had the use of the platform's underwater observatory, glass-bottom boats, snorkeling equipment and diving facilities which allowed everyone, even non-swimmers, the get a close-up view of the coral and the prolific marine life. Professional BSAC qualified instructors supervised the certified dives and accompanied the few beginners we had in introductory dives. I would have been superfluous if things hadn’t really started during the noon meal.

A lavish lunch was served on the shaded platform. It was lavish by Indonesian standards anyway. And it was a very traditional meal with traditional dishes. Argh. I could have pinched some of them. Some even opted out of the food and returned to the water for more snorkeling and diving. I was absolutely appalled and embarrassed. And as much by the chaperones as by the students. And yes, I realize that I am taking it personally, and perhaps too personally. I know it isn’t my job to teach etiquette to the students and certainly not to the adult volunteers. But I have made up my mind, after today, I am speaking to Polina and to Mr. Parnell. What the students did today may seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things but when it comes to diplomacy and media attention it could create some problems that will be difficult to meliorate. There is a reason comportment was once a serious subject. It may seem an archaic issue in our modern world, but it really isn’t. But how to explain that without creating even more issues is beyond me, at least today. Let the boot come down from people with more clout that I have. I’m more than a little tired of being the bad guy.

Once I got all the students back to the ship and back through security, right before I was to go through myself I just couldn’t. I needed some distance and space before I wrote a scathing report that might be more about my emotions than about the facts of the day. I called in to Vit and then Polina to let them know that I wasn’t coming aboard until I had to then got back on the tender to go back to shore and then walked from the pier to the beach area and up into the main streets.

To be polite I pulled out the scarf that I normally keep in my regulation handbag and draped it over my hair. It didn’t look like I was a muslim adherent, but my braided crown didn’t stand out either. I got some looks anyway, especially from ship’s crewmembers that were onshore taking a break. At that point I didn’t care. To be honest I’m not sure whether I wore the scarf because I was really trying to be polite or if I was wearing it to try and make up for the students and chaperones who hadn’t been polite earlier in the day. I know that is ridiculous but part of me just wanted to fade away and get away from it all and the only way to do that was to look as much like a local as I could get away with.

There is one thing that I was struggling to be polite about. Indonesia is a paradise for smokers. As in practically every male in the country smokes. And they seem to smoke constantly, one right after another. It is one of the few affordable vices that is also tolerated by their religion. If my surreptitious observations and math are correct, a pack of Marlboro brand cigarettes costs 6 times less than in France and 10 times less than in the UK. And just like in other parts of Indonesia clove cigarettes are even cheaper and dominate the market … and the air space. I saw several obvious tourists buying them as a gift or a souvenir. I suppose it is what Edda would call a “thang” but for some reason I am simply not amused by it today.

I also made a tactical error in forgetting that as a lone female I would draw attention. I tried to stick to the places that groups of women were frequenting but any time I tried move from one place to another I could feel eyes boring into me. That’s when I was approached by someone at first whom I mistook for a crew member. I realized my error when the man spoke Russian and no English.

“Excuse me. You are with the Peace Mission?”

I was startled. The look on his face did not match the tone of his voice. I put some personal space between us and said, “Excuse me?”

“The Peace Mission. You are with them.”

I didn’t have to frame an answer because suddenly Yegor was there saying, “Tam vy sestrenka.” [There you are Baby Sister.]

Before I knew it we were walking away from the stranger leaving him nearly as startled as I was. “Yegor?”

“Quietly. And in English. Have you ever seen that man before?”

“Nii … I mean no. He was just there and in my space.”

“He … set upon you?”

I switched to simple Ukrainian, something I knew Yegor understood since he was obviously agitated and having trouble switching from Russian to English in his head. “No. I walked out of the shop and he asked me politely if I was with the Peace Mission. But his tone of voice didn’t match the look on his face.”

“Hmph. This way.” We were walking to a crowded public area. “Are you sure you’ve never seen him before?”

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 73 (Part 2)

“Yegor you and Polina are the only Russians I know well. The other Russians are diplomats and they keep to themselves. The ones that have school aged kids chose not to bring them so I don’t even know any through the education program. A few Romanians, some Belarusians, a couple of Czechs and that’s about it and even that is just to nod at as we pass each other in the corridors. Why?”

Rather than answer my question he posed one of his own. “What are you doing out here alone?”

“Trying to refrain from tossing some of the students overboard.”

He stopped short then looked at me. The surprised me by saying, “Polina was right … as usual.”

“About what?”

“She could tell by your body cam that something was bothering you but could not understand what.”

“And she asked you to find me and babysit me?”

He snorted in amusement. “No. That was Vit. He could not explain what was bothering you either.”

I sighed. “Then maybe I am overreacting.” I explained my concerns and I was surprised that he listened. After a moment he said, “I am not a diplomat but I see your point.”

“Wrong. We are all diplomats.” At his questioning look I explained, “Every time we step off the B we are on stage. The media picks up the smallest mistake and exaggerates it to sell a story. Every little problem is blown out of proportion. Every misstep is turned into some kind of intentional insult. I try and do my job and protect the students from it as much as possible but at the same time I need some cooperation. I smoothed the feathers the best I could today. The only reason I succeeded was because they were willing to be smoothed. Tomorrow might not have the same result.”

“It looked like you were flirting.”

“What?!”

“Lower your voice,” he said using a tone that told me he was speaking to me as someone who ranked me and not exactly a friend.

Choosing my words carefully because I knew my body cam was still on I said, “I realize there are still people on the B that don’t think I should hold the job and rank that I do. But I have proven enough that it shouldn’t be the first thing on their mind every time my name comes up. And there should be enough people in high enough positions to know I would never be that kind of disloyal to my husband … nor to the Peace Mission.”

“Then what do you call what you were doing?”

“Surviving in a male dominated culture without insulting them or myself … or endangering anything else.”

“Explain.”

Trying not to take offense at his interrogation and tone I said, “I have learned that I’m … tolerated … by men so long as I don’t offend their sensibilities or the norms of what they are used to. Especially in certain societies that the crew and staff of the B are interacting with during this Mission. Some of the students were … whether they meant to be on not is immaterial … they were rude, culturally offensive. It was insulting for that man to cook and prepare an expensive meal and then have it snubbed like that. I was polite, asked questions … yes even stroked their ego a bit … to make up for the behavior of some in our group. I couldn’t just snap at the students or chaperones that they were being jerks …” I took a breath to calm down. “I walk a fine line every fieldtrip, just not normally this much of a tightrope. I must save face for both sides. It is my job so that I can ensure and secure a safe experience for the students. And it isn’t always with the cooperation of all the parties involved.”

He was silent for a moment, negotiating our way through the crowd before saying, “That’s why I’m not a career diplomat.”

“Well don’t sell yourself short. We need people like that too. People who are willing and capable of doing their job without diplomating their way through the day. More enthralled with the process than permanent results. Sometimes you have to simply cut to the chase and tell it like it is.”

He groaned and said, “You are the one teaching my wife all of the American sayings that she now uses.”

Trying not to laugh I said, “Uhhemmm. You might want to give diplomacy a little try … at least when certain people can hear you.” I knew the look on his face was caught by my body cam and Polina later said several people in the Comm center had a sudden coughing fit trying to cover.

That’s when I heard, “Thank you Brother.”

Yegor grinned, shook Vit’s hand, then walked towards the pier area. Vit was angry. I was unsure whether he was angry at me or not, but he was definitely angry. Not enough for anyone else to notice but then again I got the feeling I was the only one that was supposed to notice. Nothing was said between us but Vit didn’t go straight back but took us to a café for a fruit juice. He handed me mine and if I hadn’t been so thirsty I might have refused to take it.

Finally Vit asked, “You are all right?”

“Yes. Sorry to have interrupted your day.”

He didn’t look at me but I saw that I must have startled him with my answer. “I have a package to pick up.”

I nodded, we stopped at a shop, but I didn’t enter but instead waited on a bench outside with several other local women. I was casually looking around, trying not to be obvious, but then I spotted him. The same Russian as before. And he was obviously trying not to be seen by me and walked into a shop. The reason why I knew it wasn’t coincidental? Because he walked back out even quicker than he had stepped in, it was a store catering to women and children. He didn’t like the attention he was getting so moved away and I lost him in the crowds.

I felt a hand on my arm but relaxed when I realized it was Vit. “You saw him?”

“If you are referring to the Russian yes. He isn’t very good at what he is trying to do.”

“And that is?”

“Being sneaky. That oversized blonde head of his stands out.”

‘You do not seem concerned.”

I thought that was an odd thing to say but answered, “If Yegor knows, if you know, then security on board ship knows. And knowing our security team they probably have already figured out who he is and what he wants. Beyond that it is none of my business unless someone makes it my business. Besides, he’s probably one of the international reporters that are normally kept away from the students. Why else would he approach me?”

I could hear Vit’s teeth grinding and wondered why but just to be on the safe side I offered, “Perhaps I made a mistake coming back on shore, but I needed some air.”

“The students?”

“That’s part of it. I’ll tell you like I explained to Yegor … there are just days when people’s thoughtless actions does not make my job any easier.” I gave him an abbreviated description of what had irritated me, and unlike Yegor he at least made a pretext of understanding.

“You should speak to the students.”

“Before I would have. Now I’m not sure I’m the right person. They may not take me seriously enough. They need to hear it from the adults more regularly in their lives. Or have a lesson on the etiquette of the area we are going to travel in and then a quiz and then be graded on their behavior onshore. I would have thought however that being the kids of people in diplomatic service this would not have to be explained to them.”

“And the cobbler’s children have no shoes.”

The non sequitur caught me off guard. “I beg your pardon?”

“Something Derrick said. Just because he is a doctor did not mean he did not have to teach his sons good hygiene practices and then correct them when they failed. The same is true of your other niece and nephews. They still need to be taught their parents’ skills, they do not automatically inherit them. It is not … you call it learning by the submersion method?” I nodded knowing he was right, but it still irked me. At least some of it should have been learned almost by osmosis with parents that were lifetime diplomats or politicians.

We finally returned to the ship and I left to go do my reports, he to do his, and then I went to meet with Polina who had asked for me to bring the reports to her rather than wait for them to go through inter office mail.


After some pleasantries were out of the way she motioned for me to turn off my body cam. “So am I in trouble or just what?”

“No trouble but a word of warning.” Then she gave a quiet laugh and told me thank you for treating Yegor with respect rather than pulling rank over the way he acted.

“I wouldn’t do that to him. He’s like … he’s like my brats. I didn’t particularly like that Vit sent him to babysit me, but it didn’t kill me, and I know Vit is just like that on occasion.”

“Hmm. The explanation you gave irritated some of our female colleagues.”

“And the way some of them do things irritates me. So long as it works without creating unnecessary work, we can all just deal with the differences in our jobs and skillsets.”

She grunted as an agreement and then I asked her, “Did I embarrass Vit in some way?”

“Nyet. Not that I am aware. Why?”

“Because he is irritated at something.”

“Ah. It is that a man would approach you.”

I sighed. She said, “This is a problem?”

“Occasionally there is a bit of … miscommunication on the topic. I try and avoid creating the problem but I’m not sure what I can do about it at this point. I didn’t ask for a man to come up to me. The only way to have avoided it was to not be onshore at all. And I think that is what he is going to mention. Oh well. Perhaps I shouldn’t have …”

“Nyet. Do not allow such a thing to control either of you. Yegor was the same way. It was his pride. And what you call the rank thing. He needs to learn he can trust you.”

“I would have thought I had already proven that.”

“For some people it is a lesson that needs to be learned many times before it sticks.”

“Well that sucks. Does Yegor get it?”

“Let us just say that he is very good at … making up.”

“TMI.”

She laughed and I decided I wasn’t particularly hungry. Vit found me laying face down across our bed nearly dozing. I hadn’t even kicked my shoes off.

“Veta?”

I muttered, “If you are going to lecture me just get it over with.”

He was silent then sat on the edge of the bed and then when I didn’t move, he spooned in behind me. “Nii. No lecture.”

“But?”

“I am trying for there not to be a ‘but’.”

“Except there is.”

He sighed. “Can we not fight about this?”

I rolled over and told him, “Sure. Just remember, there’s you. Only you. And that’s the only way I want it.”

“Do you get tired of telling me this?”

“Nii. I just wish you would believe me when I say it.”

“I …” But whatever Vit was going to say was interrupted by a request for his presence. I heard the urgency over Vit’s comm link. He told me later that there had been a serious breach attempt at the personnel records. The software that Dylan installed is stopping a lot more attempts than general crewmembers know about. Sometimes however there is a huge push by some entity, and it takes a little more effort to shut the attack down.

Vit is asleep for now and I don’t know … it just doesn’t feel like we are “over” whatever is going on between us. Or maybe I am just overthinking this. I know I tend to do that. I really need to get it under control

 

[Griz3752]

4 or is it 5 stories on the go at once; I've said it before. I have no idea how you keep them separate & distinct.

An out-of-order chapter is nothing we'll worry about I'm sure.

BTW - You and I have different definitions of "slowing down"

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 74: March 23 – Phuket, Thailand

I am very glad that I only had the Science Club to deal with today. And only the Science Club. Edda, Pei Shin, Jae, and Robin … and Mr. Parnell and myself; all of the other students went on. I don’t know that I would have had the patience for the entire group if they were going to act as they did yesterday. As we were riding to our destination I forced myself to bring up my concerns but he beat me to it. Apparently a little birdie (one of the chaperones) had ratted the entire situation out to Mr. Parnell. The motivation was to get the students in trouble but when the man had reviewed the digital recordings he noted that several of the chaperones fell in that category as well.

“I’ll be instituting additions to the lesson plans. Mrs. Loper will be doing the same thing from her end. I can’t believe children of diplomats made some of the errors I witnessed.”

I kept my mouth closed despite having said something similar. He did ask why I hadn’t reprimanded anyone, and I explained. He only partly agreed with me but did say it was unfortunate and that next time I needed to be more forceful. To myself I said that I’m security, not a teacher with standing, and I wasn’t going to play his heavy. The teachers and chaperones could do it themselves instead of leaving me to play “bad cop” every time. Shortly after that we arrived at our first stop.

One of the most famously beautiful locations in Thailand, Phi Phi Island has become a must-see destination for visitors since its captivating beaches, lagoons and cliffs were featured as a hidden paradise in the 2000 film The Beach. Personally I’d never seen the movie but I’m told it was very popular for its time. We had a full day adventure ahead of us and the students were ready after their 1.5-hour ride to the island. Thank goodness we left when we did because while the morning was lovely, the crowds started building around lunch time.

On the island of Phi Phi Leh, we had the opportunity to visit the natural swimming pool of Pileh Lagoon during low tide. Yes, it included swimming and taking water samples. At Loh Samah Bay, we crawled through a hole in the limestone rock wall to reach stunning a location called Maya Beach. It was a lagoon surrounded on three sides by 328-foot (100-meter) cliffs. Not even an artist could have made something as beautiful in their imagination as the Creator made for man’s use. We swam and snorkeled in the clear water with provided equipment. We also explored underwater coral formations and marine life. The students photographed and cataloged everything they saw.

Another activity was to peer into the entrance of “Viking Cave” and spy a large colony of native swift birds. I drew a laugh when I made a face after a close encounter with the wild residents of Monkey Beach. Argh. At mid-day, we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch on board our transportation vessel before cruising to Bamboo Island, a flat evergreen landscape where the students were given the opportunity to explore their artistic sides on the silky-smooth white sand beach. We went for another swim and snorkeled before putting all of our equipment away and giving the surroundings we’d been privileged to explore one last time before the return boat trip to Phuket, and then the B.

The day’s report was relatively easy so it didn’t take long, though I missed sailaway. I then hurried back to the cabin hoping to get there before Vit went to dinner. Come to find out Vit had already eaten as he’d had an unexpected half-day ashore when an assignment hadn’t taken nearly as long as expected to complete. His work crew’s host insisted on introducing them to a relative that owned a shop in a local market (of course) and Vit spread a little economic cheer. He bought some local alcohols including something called Magic Alambic. It is a rum that comes in various flavors and is by all reports extremely popular.

I was set to skip dinner since Vit had already eaten but it didn’t turn out like that.

“Go and eat Veta.”

“I’ll just run and get a salad and come back.”

“Why?”

“So I can hear about your day.”

“Oh … er …”

There was a look on Vit’s face I wasn’t used to seeing there. A cross between guilt and consternation. “Er?”

He took a breath and said, “I … am going to the XO Lounge. There is a game …”

Relieved I wasn’t going to be lectured about something again after yesterday I said, “Of course. I’m sorry. I should have been listening. I remember you were saying something about a tournament …”

“I will tell them …”

“No, don’t change your plans. Seriously Vit, just go.”

His words said one thing but the look on his face was too hopeful. “You … are certain?”

I pasted a smile on my face and told him, “I’ve got some laundry that needs doing.”

And that is what I’ve done … laundry. And put it away. And answered family correspondence. And other constructive things that needed doing. I was going to wait up, but I got a text not to, the game started late and is running long. He’s going to be late. And Henry told him I have a couple of full days for the next two sea days. Translations are behind. So I’m going to bed so I can get up early and get caught up. G’nite.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 75: March 25 & 26 – at sea (2 days)

I keep telling myself I like my job. I like my job. I really do. I do like my job. And I like the people I work with. Most of them. Most of the time. But if I am forced to correct one more absurd translation, I am going to throw something. Hopefully not someone.

Only of course I won’t. This is my job. Correcting mistakes. And taking the criticisms when it takes me longer than it did in the past. But in the past I would start from scratch. Now I must start with other people’s work and the original. It is like grading school papers. It would be easier and faster just to let me do the work myself.

I think Barney finally got the message when she told me coldly about tea time today, “The last two days have not been your best work Veta. You are holding me up. You will have to stay late to finish this and your fun onshore tomorrow will just have to wait.”

I started counting to ten like Poppa had always told me, but I only made it to three.

“You know what is holding ME up? People who either won’t or can’t use a simple translation machine. People who can’t be bothered to check their work before putting it in their out box to wind up in my in box. People who obviously don’t know what the frack they’re doing and who need to be reassigned to cleaning the bilge pumps if this is a sample of their skills! And you want to know what else is holding me up?! People that pull the whip and chair routine without first asking why I’m not going as flaming fast as I could before admin decided to reinvent the frelling wheel because they’ve obviously hired people based on looks, or who they know, rather than whether they have a brain underneath their wig!!”

Barney’s teacup stayed parked halfway between the desk and her open mouth and both Henry and Mr. Baird stuck their heads in after my first screech.

I was still struggling with controlling a further explosion when Mr. Baird says calmly, “That bad is it? Show me.”

Oh I showed him all right. I showed them all and by the time I was finished even Barney conceded I had grounds for being “a little irritated.” And then when Mr. Baird followed the trail back, what he found lit his hair on fire and even security got involved. The idiocy of it all is breath-taking in scope. And the only person that seems to get blamed are those fellows “Not Me” and “Someone Else” and the really famous one “I Don’t Know”.

The story goes something like this. The middle schoolers were presented with an opportunity to earn a class party. But it didn’t come without strings. To earn it they had to participate in work programs around the ship. And it couldn’t be in their parents’ department or program. Crew and department couldn’t say no either unless or until after a disciplinary incident occurred. So kids were just assigned willy-nilly all over the ship. I never saw it because I was always either off-ship or otherwise busy doing my job. How this pertains to my last two days is that Admin decided that they knew how to “speed up the process” of getting translations done by having people put documents through the translation machines. You have two classes of documents … confidential and not confidential. The not confidential stuff is like duty rosters, cleaning schedules, notices of events, the weekly events papers, etc. Any warm body can do those. Confidential translations can only be done by people of a certain security clearance. Generally, every diplomatic group has their own translator. I am the one for Mr. Baird.

Now here comes the major kerfluffle. The middle school students were allowed to be part of the rotation of putting non-confidential papers through the translation machines. How the process is supposed to work is that you run the document through the first time. Unless it is a very simple document you are going to have “misses” that stand out. You run the document through a second time. Usually, for basic documents, that catches all the misses but you are still supposed to read the document to see if there is a need to run it a third time or you circle what appears to be an error and you forward it to someone higher up for further correcting. The students were only supposed to be doing the simplest of documents that only require a single run through the machine, and then an adult was supposed to check the work to see if it needed a second run or forwarding up. Someone … dropped … the … ball. The work was not being checked. They ran every document in the stacks they were given through once and only once. Worse, they were not only being given simple documents but more complicated non-confidential documents. And worse beyond that? Yegor and his team are still trying to determine how many confidential documents were given to the students.

Yes, you read that correctly. Somehow, some way, multiple confidential documents were allowed to circulate, were handled by who knows how many people without the correct security clearance, and how many were run by kids and Lord only knows what they read, and who they spoke about it to.

I don’t know who but apparently some heads were rolling up in Admin. And when a woman from the Belarusian delegation’s staff tried to light into Vit and Yegor – a shooting-the-messenger type of drama - I’d had enough and must have spit enough Russian, Slovenian, Croatian, and Macedonian to use up my quota of consonants for the next two weeks. Polina showed her creative streak when she pulled out a bottle of vodka – the cheap stuff that tastes like rubbing alcohol – and said for us to get to settling things. Well the woman obviously thought she was going to have the last word and knocked her shot back like James Bond in The World Is Not Enough. She looked at me smugly and started to say something when I knock back the shot that Polina had poured for me.

A couple of shots each later Polina is still pouring, Yegor’s mouth is standing open (as are several other people there), Vit is trying to look at everything but me, and the woman across from me decides to have Polina pour three shots and then downs them and smiles evilly. I smile sweetly back at her, take her three glasses, line them up next to my three, grab three more, take the bottle from Polina and fill them up. Vit clears his throat but I ignore him and wham, bam, thank you ma’am, I decide to put her under the table because I am becoming bored with her. It went completely silent as I downed all nine shots one right after the other.

I’ll be honest. My throat was burning and my stomach wanted to hit reverse but I kept it down. More importantly I kept my face straight. And then smiled, this time not so sweetly.

The woman tried to follow me and ran to the bathroom to toss her cookies on the fourth shot. I nearly followed her but stiffened my spine and told Polina, “When she gets out … if she comes back … tell her I grew bored with her bravado. And that next time not to try and shoot the messenger. Mistakes were made, and they better not be made again.”

I turned and walked to our cabin. Thank God I did not have to navigate stairs or elevators. I was shaking by the time I got the cabin door open and barely made it to the bathroom before I was throwing up.

I jumped a mile when I felt a cold rag on the back of my neck. “Better out than in,” Vit said. But the awful thing was he was trying not to laugh. Even worse Yegor had followed him in case I needed medical attention … something a person without a high tolerance to ethanol such as I have would likely have needed at that point. I didn’t know that yet. Instead I was complaining to Vit with complete clarity, “That has to be the most disgusting vodka I have ever tasted. What did they do? Pour the real stuff out and substitute it with lacquer thinner?”

Vit exits the bathroom quickly, still laughing and then really starts belly laughing. I wash my face and step out and stop dead. Yegor is standing there nearly bug-eyed.

“Vit!”

Vit falls on the sofa howling with laughter.

I clear my throat and apologize. “Sorry Yegor.”

“You … you are still standing.” He looks at me closely then slowly shakes his head. “Not even my Great Uncle Yury could drink nine shots. What are you?”

I waved my hand and said, “Oh. That. I have a cast iron stomach and a very high tolerance for ethanol. I try and not do something like this often. But I let my temper get the better of me.”

Vit finally gets his laughter under control and almost loses it again at the look on Yegor’s face. Finally, both men go back to make sure that the Communication staff aren’t suffering confusion. Vit insisted I keep the phone by me so that he can check on me frequently to make sure I do not suffer any ill effects from my idiocy … my word, not his. After they left, I climbed into the shower and decided to sweat out as much of the remaining vodka as possible. The last thing I want to do is walk around Sri Lanka smelling like a distillery. I feel so stupid that I let that woman get to me. I haven’t done anything this ignorant since the incident on the Sun. Good grief. And that wasn’t exactly a memory I needed to dredge up.

Sri Lanka is where we are going to be the next three days. After that it is an extended period in India. I’ll think of what comes after that another day. For now, I have ten straight port days in front of me before the next sea day. By then I hope they have smoothed out the translation process. As it is, I will be working in the evenings as well on most days. I keep telling myself I like my job. I just hope it doesn’t kill me.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 76: March 27 – Colombo, Sri Lanka (1)

What an odd day today. Overnight there was a change in scheduling. Some of the students went to a Sri Lankan cricket game. Some other students went to study Buddhism. Where did that leave me? Escorting an adult excursion group.

I was immediately concerned that my little performance yesterday had caused problems but Polina said, “The opposite. I had planned to give you a day out of rotation but the adult excursion group leader all but demanded you. I would be careful Little Sister.”

“Why?”

“Because they will start fighting over you next.”

“No. Why?!”

She laughed. “They want you to take care of their spouses so they can go do something else and not be distracted with worry. You are such a khouligan [toughie].”

I just shook my head. Polina’s sense of humor this morning did not amuse me. Neither did the surprise on some people’s faces at the fact that I wasn’t hungover or perhaps even comatose. Polina knows of my strange resistance to alcohol. I explained when she caught me spitting out a piece of candy that turned out to be “super sour” in strength. She’d been counting on me being able to hold my own against the heavy-drinking Belarusian woman.

“You do not ask about her.”

I knew who she was referring to and said, “As long as she isn’t in sick bay with alcohol poisoning …” I shrugged and continued checking my body cam feed and trying to figure out why everything looked distorted.

Polina laughed, unplugged and replugged a couple of wires, then said, “Nyet. Not Sick Bay but neither is she fit for work.”

“Well don’t expect me to do this again. I feel like an idiot.”

She smiled and nodded. “So long as you know it then you are less likely to do it again. And yes, I used the cheap stuff hoping to head the two of you off. You owe me a bottle … but make it the good stuff so I will be less tempted to start drinking games others have no chance of winning.” I nodded and then headed out. I was not thrilled with my assignment for the day, but it beat going blind staring as translations that are little more than blocks of letters that make less sense than a word search.

I tried to maintain my professional mien but by the end of the tour I sounded like an old-school stewardess with a smile as fake as a Barbie doll. First came the Colombo National Museum. Established as the Colombo Museum in 1877, the Colombo National Museum is the main museum in Sri Lanka. The architecture and design of the premises are primarily Italian. The museum spans across two floors with multiple viewing galleries on each floor. We were assured by our guide that that it is home to many valuable and historically important objects such as the throne and the crown of the Kandyan Monarchs. I didn’t have much of a chance to confirm this as I kept having to gather up the adults and keep them in a group. The atmosphere of the museum is usually quiet and calming, but I had a few adults that wanted to either be scathing or as giggly as some of the students get.

Next came Gangaramaya (Vihara) Buddhist Temple. Gangaramaya temple is the richest and most famous temple in Sri Lanka. It was built just over 120 years ago. It is quite a popular place with tourists. It is a small religious complex with several buildings among which the Church, library, Museum, classrooms. The temple is mostly celebrated for its lavish architecture and statues showcasing Sri Lankan, Chinese, Thai, Burmese, and many other artistic styles. Some of our group were very enthralled with it all, and some were … less so. But at least I could count on them having good manners.

The next stop was to everyone’s liking. The Old Colombo Dutch Hospital is considered to be the oldest building in the Colombo Fort area dating back to the Dutch colonial era in Sri Lanka. It is now a heritage building and a shopping and dining precinct. And yes, there were a few times I had to remind them all that security personnel were not their private pack mules. The old structure with its boxy pillars, red clay roof tiles, and large central courtyards, was built in the late 17th century by the Dutch colonialists that occupied the city at that time. Lavishly restored, it is home to shops, cafes, and restaurants run by some of Colombo’s best vendors. We were there an hour and they would have liked to have stayed longer.

The Neo-Baroque style Old Parliament Building was the next point on the map, I don’t really think it qualifies as a real stop. It was built during the British colonial era to house the Legislative Council of Ceylon and based on an idea of Sir Henry McCallum, which led to a proposal made by a committee to construct the new building for the Secretariat, Council Chamber and Government offices on reclaimed land at the northern end of Galle Face’ were accepted by the Government in 1920. I hope that made sense. It barely did so to me at the time.

Another such stop was at Viharamahadevi Park. It was formally known as the Victoria park and is billed as the largest, oldest and most colorful park situated in the heart of Colombo (Cinnamon Gardens), just opposite the colonial style Town Hall building. I will admit that it is the largest & most attractive greenery in Colombo. The park features include a huge Buddha statue and a series of water fountains. It also includes a mini zoo and a children's play area as well as an open-air stadium used as a venue for concerts and public events.

We passed by the Colombo Fort Railway Station. The railway line was started over a 150 years ago by the British. At the time, the Central Terminus was in a place near Maradana. The location can still be seen as it is now serving as the Sri Lanka Railway Museum. A guide explained that in 1877 the Coastal Railway Line was created, and that is when the first Fort Station came into use. The old Fort region of Colombo is one of the busiest sections of the city. It’s the trade quarter where all the goods that come in from the various countries are stocked and sold by wholesale tradesmen. It’s also where some important government departments such as the Sri Lanka Customs Headquarters, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Merchant Shipping Department.

Our last stop was at Arcade Independence Square which is a high-end shopping complex housed in a group of renovated colonial-era buildings. It was built as a part of the Independence Square Redevelopment program initiated by the Sri Lankan Government. Yet again I had to remind a few of the adults that we weren’t their personal pack mules. How people can buy so much in such a short period of time is a mystery. More importantly I wondered if their closets and storage areas were magic because if what I witnessed today was normal, there is no way their quarters could have held everything they purchase in a week.

I finally managed to get everyone out of the shopping mall, back on the bus, then back on the ship. I was so grateful to have survived the day that I was blind-sided when Polina told me I am assigned for a repeat performance tomorrow.

“Okay, just why am I being punished like this?” I asked her when I delivered my reports and found out the bad news.

She actually laughed at me and said, “You sound like a brat. Why do you think this is about you?”

“Ha ha. Don’t tell me you weren’t watching the security tapes.”

She pointed to the chair across from her desk and I all but flopped down. She said, “Yes I did. You did a better job than I expected. I was concerned you would allow them to run all over you. You’ve grown wiser.”

“Is this what this is about? A sort of training event?”

“No … well perhaps. But you really were requested. Fulfilling their request gave me leverage on some other issues. And it made Parnell realize that it isn’t always going to be his way.”

“Uh oh,” I thought to myself. Now what was going on? To Polina I said, “Mr. Parnell? The principal?”

“Yes. He plays favorites.”

“I … er … that’s weird. The closest thing to a ‘favorite’ I’ve noticed is that he is partial to the kids in the Science Club but he actually requires more of them, not less.”

“You did not notice because you are one of his favorites. I believe his wife is becoming … jealous.” I must have made a face because she chuckled. “You did not notice because you only have eyes for your husband. And that suits Parnell. He likes his crushes to be oblivious so he might dream in peace without embarrassment … or reason to have to act on his crush. His wife feels more threatened by you than she has the others in the past.”

“Good heavens. I’ve stepped into the Twilight Zone. He’s never made any overtures … nothing that would lead me to suspect he feels … ew Polina. Are you sure?”

“As I said, Parnell prefers to keep his crushes private.”

“Then how do you know …?”

“His wife approached me.”

“Then maybe she is just imagining it all.”

“Nyet. I knew of his … habit. It is in his personnel jacket. In the past he has been given allowance since he never acted on the crushes. For whatever reason his wife thinks his attachment is deeper this time. While her telling me is self-serving, I believe she is also trying to keep you from having trouble as well. She appears to like you.”

“I … I … don’t know what to say. I like her too. I’ve had the chance to work with her but not as much as I’d hoped. She is one of the best chaperones on ship … and it doesn’t matter which age group.”

Polina nodded. “Da, she is. She has much forbearance for her husband as he has never been physically unfaithful and in her words treats her like a queen. But this time she feels things are different. I had debated saying anything to you. However, after you revealed that Vit can become jealous, I did not think it was wise to keep you in the dark.”

“I’ve never had a problem like this. I don’t know if I can face the man now.”

“You can and you will. But you will also be forewarned. Simply because Parnell has never in the past made overtures does not mean that in our confined living arrangements that his fantasies may become too close to his reality. I will be watching how the fieldtrips are organized and the students you refer to as the Science Club so that Parnell does not use them to attempt to get closer.”

“I can’t imagine the man being a threat.”

She agreed to a point. “Not in a physical sense. But what he is thinking can be a threat, at the very least it is inappropriate. And while I am not the thought police, I must do my duty to guard against the kind of threats such behavior can create. You seemed angry when Parnell said that you should have corrected the students’ behavior in Sabang. What were your reasons? Did he make you uncomfortable?”

“Not in the way you are thinking,” I told her. “I’ve simply had it with being used as their ‘stick.’” Polina didn’t understand so I explained further. “I do not wish to be used as the ‘bad cop’ while everyone else gets to play the good cop all the time. I have been told many times that I am not a teacher. I have already had problems because of misunderstandings, and I don’t want a repeat. I brought the students’ behavior to the attention of those in authority over that area. I’m there as security, not as an instructor … or not an instructor any more than necessary. They need to do their job so that I can do mine.”

She gave my explanation some thought then nodded. “You see it so I will not permanently reassign you. But I will be assigning you to details other than for the students.” I suppose she can read me better because we are friends. She added, “This not a discipline Veta. But for now, it is something necessary to prevent a problem that could easily get out of hand. Do you understand?”

“I will when I have time to think about it.”

“But?”

“No buts. I’m just dreading the gossip and you know there will be some. Every little personnel change on board has people digging for the reason, even if there isn’t a particular one, and then they get it wrong most of the time and when they do come close to the truth they blow it out of proportion. I can say it is because I have been requested. I can say it is a security issue that is being addressed. I can say anything and everything. But people are still going to talk.”

“Da. But since you know, you can ignore it.”

“I’ll ignore it until it causes other problems that will have to be dealt with.”

“Until. Not if. You are so certain?”

I nodded. “Your rank and position … Polina don’t take this the wrong way because you are my superior and my friend … but you don’t seem to be in the ebb and flow of the gossip here on ship. You receive a lot of respect … maybe some of it is fear driven but that’s not always a bad thing according to Vit. That respect means people treat you with a hands off policy. Most of them see you as fair and balanced in your approach so they don’t even have grievances that would create the desire to gossip about a superior officer. So you may know all the gossip … but the gossip isn’t about you.”

“Hmmm. I would disagree but I understand the point you are making. Just remember there are levels to this game of life we play. There are those that are my superiors that do not have the same … respect and who do feel they have grievances. I walk a fine line.”

“And I’m not making it any easier. Sorry.”

“You do like to assume you are the one causing problems,” she said with a smile to take the sting from her words. “What is it that you say? It is what it is so best to learn to live with it. Da?”

“Da,” I said. “But seriously, I’m sorry if I’ve made your job harder.”

“You’re also made it easier. It is the way the world works. Will you discuss this with Vit?”

“Am I allowed to?”

“Da. And if you are asking if you should I would say it would be wise. Husbands can be strange creatures.”

My relationship with Polina is a little unusual for a superior officer and an underling. I do not get the feeling that she is like this with other personnel. And when I said people were a little scared of Polina I meant just that. She and Vit are on the same skill level with their stoicism. I wonder if there is any Cossack in her background?

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 77: March 28 – Colombo, Sri Lanka (2)

Not the best day on record. Not the worst but not the best. It could have been a lot worse but thankfully not. Was eye opening for some of the more naïve members of our crew, and I’ll number myself among them.

Vit laughed at me last night. That normally wouldn’t really bother me but this time … I admit my ego got a bit dinged. It came off like he was laughing because it was absurd that an adult would have a crush on me. Then when I explained the information came from Polina directly he got a little angry because he thought that I thought he’d ever be jealous of a man like Mr. Parnell. That was his ego talking. We made up before we went to bed, but I can’t help but feel the disagreement shouldn’t have happened in the first place. And since we were up so late, this morning was more difficult than it had to be … and the hot water is out again which has not exactly been joyous. I was gone most of the day and it still hasn’t gotten fixed. Some part or other is waiting at port tomorrow, specifically flown in for the ship.

I could have done without some of the censure I had to deal with in the buffet as well. A couple of the chaperones said it must be nice to deal with adults rather than children, that they – the chaperones – had to do more work because I was off having “fun.” Apparently they don’t care for the security team that was assigned yesterday – I only know them in passing as I’ve never had to work with them. They had the same security team today. Mr. Parnell heaped his own coals on my head and flat out said I should have spoken with him before being reassigned.

“Mr. Parnell, I am not in control of where I am assigned on a daily basis. Chief Ivanov makes the assignments and often because of demands that come from her superiors or from the diplomatic wing.”

“Well it is certainly inconvenient,” he said like he didn’t quite believe me.

I couldn’t say much to that, especially not with Vit sitting right there. If Polina is correct this is not going to make my job any easier. And exactly what is sufficient provocation that I should tell her about it? And Vit? He already reminded me that Parnell was not someone he would ever consider a threat. I don’t need to make an issue where there is none. Ugh. I am an adult, I should not find this nonsense so difficult to deal with. The fact that I do makes it sound like I am the one with an ego problem.

Thankfully the adults that I escorted today were a different group than yesterday. As I understand it, adults rotate in and out of the excursions. Not a single repeat in the group so either they get to pick one excursion per port or I let my ego grow horns and a tail and tell me that yesterday’s group didn’t like me so they didn’t want to go on another excursion that I escorted. Or more likely it is that today’s excursion was different from yesterday’s. Or at least the sites were.

Our first stop after boarding the excursion bus was Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated 148 kilometers east of Colombo and 72 kilometers north of Kandy. Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. It was certainly a long drive in the bus, but the crowd I had today seemed to think such things are “just marvelous.” Several of the party have made their “bucket list” from the UNESCO list. There are over 1100 such sites around the world and I was amazed at how many some of them have visited. And they were surprised that I’ve visited not a few myself though honestly most of them came from the year I worked for the Marchands and then the Baird family. I suppose I could keep track of them the same way. It would be something neat to do. I’ll have to talk to Vit about it, he just seems so busy lately. When he does have down time I don’t want to bother him about silly things.

Next on the list was the Sigiriya Museum known – or at least claimed – to be the most beautiful museum in all of South Asia. This museum represents the cultural, technological and archeological value of Sigiriya and allows its visitors to explore three decades of archeological research on Sigiriya. The design of the museum was inspired by the complex design systems evident in Sigiriya itself. Most importantly the cleaver use of water is evident everywhere. It both enhances the beauty and quality of the environment as well as the conservation of it for the purpose of irrigation. Clean water is such important issue in this part of the world. It many places they have the water, but it isn’t potable, and carries diseases and other filth that create a significant health issue for the region.

Still in Sigiriya we visited a location known as The Ancient Rock Fortress, reportedly the most exquisite example of ancient Sri Lankan art, architecture and landscaping. I was assured this not only by our guides but by several of the people I was escorting. Several of them several times as a matter of fact. Built over 1,600 years ago, the now sinister-looking 600 ft high black rock once appeared like a massive dazzling white cloud floating above the surrounding forests. Or so said our site guide. Its sides were painted with beautiful frescoes of semi-naked nymphs. Can you imagine? A large gatehouse in the form of a lion guarded the entrance to the innermost sanctum of the city – the Sky Palace on top of the rock. Sigiriya burst briefly into pre-eminence and was then abandoned and lay hidden in the forests for nearly 1,500 years. The climb to the top is strenuous but it is worth it. I was glad to see that all my passengers came prepared with water and bug-repellent. Today’s group were definitely seasoned travelers.

From there it was the long bus ride back to Colombo with a couple of shopping stops I could actually get behind. Owing to a large number of tea plantations in central Sri Lanka, the island is home to some of the finest tea produced. Ceylon tea gets the name from the country as that’s what Sri Lanka was known before it got Independence in 1947. Some of the excursions you can participate in when you are here include tea gardens and tea factories. We stopped at a factory and shopped for different tea flavors to carry back home, or for most of us to consume on board. I admit that I am a bit of a tea snob but it is no worse than the coffee snobs that I’ve been meeting this trip.

The traditional tea of Sri Lanka is Black tea. However, you can now find different varieties like English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Chocolate Mint, Peach & Mint, Broken Peko, Orange Broken Peko, and many other exotic varieties. The most famous brands are Dilmah, Macwoods, and Teaeli. Vit and I discussed it weeks ago and I was to keep an “allowance” from my paycheck to spend as I wished so that I didn’t have to resort to asking him all the time. Well the “allowance” has been adding up and I used some of it to purchase some tea for us to have in our cabin as well as some to send home in the next crate. I have Ziploc bags as well that I can “vacuum seal” the teas in to maintain the freshness.

Our other shopping stop was at a spice market. Spices are a staple in Sri Lanka; and they use spices in everything, from food to sweets to teas and other drinks. The most famous of all the spices here is Cinnamon. The island produces great quality cinnamon and is the largest exporter of this spice. Angelia rarely asks for things, but she mentioned in a recent email that I was thinking about bringing stuff home that I should consider spices like I did before. I think that is a good idea and that is exactly what I did.

I got my group back to the ship and was about to go through security when a panicked call came through of a missing adult.

A woman’s voice yells, causing the mic to vibrate, “She was right here! She was holding my daughter’s hand and then she’s just gone! I can’t find her!”

I didn’t know it at the time, but the missing person was a young woman that was a secretary to one of our Asian diplomatic offices. One of the female diplomats employed her part time for personal services as she has an adult daughter who is on the lower end of the autism spectrum and when ashore requires extra help. When questioned the diplomat had no doubt that the young woman was in trouble because she would never have abandoned her daughter. She was adamant about it.

Tower came rushing down the gangway and we teamed up to head to help search. It was Tower that said, “If she’s been abducted they’ll already have left that zone. You up to hitting the back alleys between here and there? Are you armed?”

“Yes to both so less talking and more moving.”

For whatever reason – I believe it was Providence – we were two alleys up when we hear some scuffling and grunting. Two men had a woman wearing a burka dragging her between them and she was fighting with everything she had. Doors and windows would close as people saw what was happening. They didn’t want to see it or hear it so they couldn’t be questioned. There wasn’t time because they were heading for an old beater of a car. One glance and we rushed them. At the same time we both hit the emergency call button on our radios and used our standard issue collapsible batons and got the woman loose. And the men, spotting who we were immediately started to run. Our priority was for the woman, we still didn’t know her identity but both Towers and I got kicked a few times until times until she registered I was saying you are safe in every language I could think of.

She finally let us get her untangled and as soon as her hands were free she ripped the tape on off her own mouth and started shouting, “They have the young miss. They have the young …”

“Thao! Thao! Look at me. She’s with her mother. She’s safe.”

“No! No! They promised to do bad things! I must get back to her! I must! Her and madam! I must go now!”

Over my mic I hear, “Suspects apprehended by local enforcers. One DOA, other in custody. Team should be approaching now.”

It was at that moment that I saw something out of the corner of my eye and barely ducked in time to avoid a stone. There wasn’t time to formulate a response as the rocks started flying by the dozens. Towers took one to the ear and barely deflected another to his face. I was being hit as well though Tower took the brunt. We were trying to get up and carry the young woman between us when three men ran up at us, it wasn’t to give us a helping hand. I left Towers to protect the girl and I used the baton like a bat and left one on the ground and two of them hobbling away with bloody messes where their mouths were.

No other warm bodies were coming so I fell back to give Towers some help. The stones and bottles hadn’t stopped but they were no longer hitting us because the cavalry had arrived. Local riot police surrounded us with shields and we were hustled back in the direction of the ship. We were met by and then turned over to a security contingent from the B. I expected to see Vit at the top of the ramp, but no. I expected to see him in Sick Bay where they insisted I go, but no. Who I did see was Yegor holding a bloody pad to his forehead.

“Yegor?!”

“Vit stayed with Baird. An escort is getting them. Nyet! You must stay …”

I wiggled out of the crowded medical area, up through the passageways, and finally made it to the deck only to run into Grover who snapped, “Have you seen Towers?”

“Down in Sick Bay. He’s going to need stitches. Assign me some place.”

That made him blink. “You outrank me.”

“Not with this stuff. Where am I needed?”

It only took him a second to say, “Translation between local police and Chief Ivanov.”

I did that very thing until the last group was brought aboard … with Vit and Mr. Baird among their number. The Colombo officials said that the riots were about religious extremism rather than the Peace Mission. A group already claimed responsibility. Polina waived me off when another translator came on duty and I hurried down to Sick Bay but was redirected to a med station in the Piazza area. Neither Vit nor I appeared injured so we were released and everyone was asked to go to their cabins until the all clear was sounded. The B was getting underway and out from underfoot of the Sri Lankan government as they dealt with the domestic terrorists. I found out later they were more concerned with accidentally harming someone from the Peace Mission than they were about the health and safety of the terrorists.

I could tell Vit was torn between making sure that I was okay and trying to help.

“Go if you need to,” I told him. “I saw Yegor down in Sick Bay with a head injury when I first came on board.”

He looked at me. Nodded. Kissed me hard. Then rushed out to make his way to Communications to make sure he wasn’t needed. It was about that time that I started feeling sore … and realized that it must be from getting hit at some point. Jolly. And no that was not a fun conversation to have with either Vit or Polina. And both had already seen the footage of the confrontation.

I don’t know where the argument between Vit and I would have gone if I hadn’t had a stray hair and stomped my foot and snapped, “I’m Cossack too! Do you expect me to just run away when one of our people need help?!”

“Our people?”

“Yes. For here. For now. This cabin is our home. We work with these people to create a peace that will be stronger than the war other people want to make. My job may not be as important as yours is when it comes to creating that peace … but it is worth something and I won’t dishonor it by running away like a coward! I won’t dishonor you by running away from my duty. I won’t …”

I got no further. Suffice it to say the argument came to an abrupt end and we spent some time communicating without words. Vit is still not happy about the bruises. And I admit a couple of them are painful and look nasty. But I’ve had worse from a horse fall. Polina demanded a full report from all departments. Afterwards she took a moment to ask me personally if I was okay. I asked after Yegor and she snorted.

“If my husband did not insist on playing hero he would be in my bed tonight instead of Sick Bay. As Towers said, ‘It sucks to be him.’ But yes, he will heal. They only want to observe overnight because of the amount of blood lost.”

I also found out that there will be no organized excursions for the students tomorrow. We are one more day in Sri Lanka and cannot “lose face” in the international community. At the same time, we do have security issues to deal with.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 78: March 29 – Trincomalee, Sri Lanka (Sunday)

First, a little celebration. Vit and I had a day off to ourselves. The students remained on board with their families. And most adults also remained on board. Yesterday’s incident in Colombo freaked a few people out. There were even rumblings that many of the civilians hadn’t signed up for “violence.” It made me wonder if they’d known what they were signing up for to start with. A kiddie carnival? Okay, rein the snark in Veta.

Well, regardless of what some people could deal with, Vit was like a kid out of school today. Some of the social norms of the region didn’t let him get too silly but for Vit he was certainly less restrained than normal. We decided to do a little exploring and I am so glad we did.

Trincomalee is located on the north east of Sri Lanka and is said to have one of the finest and the third largest natural harbors in the world. Trinco, as we heard it commonly called, is popular for its beaches of Nilaveli, Uppuveli and the thriving waters of Pigeon Island. Visitors can go snorkeling and diving, as the waters around Trinco are thriving with a variety of marine life; it’s known to be a great place for whale and dolphin watching. History buffs can take a walk back in time while exploring the ruins of Fort Frederick, the Koneswaram Temple and the numerous ancient temples around the area, all of which we did.

Situated on the edge of a high, rocky cliff, the Kineswaram temple is surrounded by the sea on all three sides. The temple, along with its religious artefacts were destroyed in 1622 during a battle. However, much of it has been restored, and inside the temple, we were shown shrines and gold and bronze statues of deities.

From there we went to Fort Frederick. It was built by the Portuguese during their invasion of Sri Lanka and is also referred to as the Trincomalee Fort. After the Portuguese it occupied by successive foreign forces; the Dutch, the French and finally the British. It is no longer a military installation and is primarily just a historical site. The gardens on the grounds were gorgeous and were a lovely counterpoint to learning about the historic battles that took place here.

After the fort we took a lunch cruise around Pigeon Island. One of the main marine national parks in Sri Lanka, Pigeon Island has been protected since 2003, owing to the number of flourishing coral reefs found here. We took a short snorkeling tour and saw sea turtles, reef sharks, and a rainbow of tropical fish. From the boat we spent a couple of hours relaxing of the beaches and then it was back to the ship … and back to real life.

Each time I leave a country I think, this is the last time I will ever see it. I try to make special memories … and find post cards … because who knows where life will take us from here. I said the same thing after the Marchands and look what has happened. There are days when I am convinced these opportunities will never come again, and other days it feels like this is what the remainder of our lives will look like … never having a home beyond the road (or sea) that is constantly taking us places further away from what I recognize as domesticity rather than towards it as was our reason to start in the first place.

And for what? To save for a house that may never exist? To buy stuff only to send it to storage rather than being able to enjoy it? I suppose I am a little sad. I had another “tiff” with some of my siblings. They heard about the incident yesterday and want me to come “home”. Only I had to explain to them that not only am I under a contract, not only am I refusing to be separated from Vit, but quite frankly at this stage I don’t want to come home … because it isn’t my home, it’s theirs. I no longer want to be controlled by their fears and concerns, I want to finally be the person that I am capable of being whether they recognize that person or not. I did it more kindly than that but it still ruffled some feathers when I refused to give into their demands. Dylan and Dev said they’d try and help on their end.

Charlie is playing Switzerland … trying to remain neutral and I understand. He’s having his own challenges at home right now. The economy isn’t what it could be. His wife has always been what Momma would call flighty but from what I hear it is getting worse; she resents not being able to find a job in her career field … she was an English major and expected to do what with it I don’t know precisely. Charlie refused to take out a loan for her because her degree wasn’t “practical” so her parents footed the bill since they’d done it for her brother years earlier. They took the money out of their retirement with the expectation that she would repay half once she was employed. Only she’s not employed and now they expect Charlie to pay them and he can’t as everything he is bringing in has to go to household expenses and keeping his business up and running. And it doesn’t stop there. His kids are running amok and sending them away to college isn’t an option at the moment no matter how their mother claims that it would be possible … with a loan. That’s another battle underway so essentially Charlie is “otherwise occupied” when it comes to helping.

The under-twenties in the family, as well as in the US in general, are not having much luck in the job market and it leaves them a lot of time on their hands to get into things that would be better to avoid. All of my siblings and their spouses seem to be in that position … adult children moving home, adult children refusing to move out, adult and older teen children jobless and not wanting to work in the family businesses either, teens and tweens still in school and suffering from bad influences. It reminds me of the trouble that Robert got into, trouble that led to his death which terrifies me for some in my family.

My problem with what is going on is that I suspect some of them want me home so I can “help.” They want me to set up a school for their kids so they can get them away from the disruptive influences. I want to ask them why they think that I alone can combat the “disruptive influences” if they can’t deal with them at home. They want me to play babysitter, housekeeper, and gardener. Except there is the fact that by selling Pembroke House they no longer have an area for a family garden or the fruit trees and some of them didn’t seem to realize how big a difference all of Angelia’s and Christine’s (and my) efforts meant. Now that there is no family co-op garden or orchard there is no more “free” food to help offset the ever-increasing costs at the grocery store … and with more mouths to feed at home from returning children, some of them are really feeling the pinch.

The entire family is tightening their belts while they see Vit and I as footloose and fancy free with no obligations and a good salary to waste at the same time. Ugh. Don’t they remember why we left? Do they really think we aren’t trying to save for the hypothetical home that may never materialize? I had already cut back on what I communicate in family emails and on my blog, now I may not say anything at all. And when I found out what Vit was up to yesterday with Mr. Baird it only sealed my feelings on the subject.

Sri Lanka is not affectionately known as “Ratna-Dweepa” meaning ‘Gem island’ for no reason. One can come across some of the best quality Sapphires, Moonstones, Topazes, and many other gems here. The mines in the south-western Sri Lankan city of Ratnapura has a constant supply of precious gems which are mined, sorted, cut, polished, and most times fitted into metal to lay out beautiful pieces of jewelry. But you must know the market really well to avoid being duped. Mr. Baird has contacts, and enjoys exploiting them when he can. He asked Vit to accompany him to a gem house certified by both the Sri Lankan Gem Traders’ Association and the International Colored Gemstone Association. You guessed it. That is why they were caught in Colombo and one of the last ones to make it back to the ship. Argh! When Vit and I got back on the ship and he said he had a surprise for me and then poured those colorful sparklies into my hand … I could have just cried.

“Oh Vit.”

“You … do not like them?” he asked hesitantly.

“You know I do. But you could have been hurt … or worse. How would I have …?” I shook my head and tried to be more appreciative. “I love them.”

With a very male grin he said, “But you love me more.”

“Is it that obvious?” I asked, trying to play the game once again.

We spent some … quality time together for a while and then Vit fell asleep. But I could not so I sit here typing my thoughts and trying to not let everything get to me. Tomorrow we port in India for the first day of seven. Vit has not said directly but I know he is concerned for some of the ports that come after that. Pakistan, Oman, then several days in the UAE, then Qatar, and back to Oman before a day in Jordan and then Egypt. The area rumbles like it has always rumbled. For now there is a certain amount of quiet in the region. Who knows if shots will be fired tomorrow. But we have a job to do and that area is as being a linchpin as it has always been, if for no other reason than many countries’ oil dependence. I will do what I can to alleviate Vit’s concern but there may be nothing that I can do. We will both simply have to live with it.

And now I had best go to bed whether I can sleep or not. I am back with the students tomorrow. I am told to expect that there will be a Section of Indian military personnel who will be independently run by a Halvadar (equivalent to a Sergeant in other military forces). A Section is made up of ten personnel. The fact that they are attaching a Section to each on-shore party tells me that either there is a danger or that they are making a show of force to prevent dangers. I don’t know if that will make Vit feel better or not. I am in a quandary of how I feel on the subject.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 79: March 30 – Chennai (Madras), India

I felt suffocated today. The high temperature was a very warm 97 degrees F and yet I had to wear my full uniform. Several of the students looked ill from the heat by the time we got back to the ship. Or maybe it was the stress of the strict security provided by the Indian Army Section assigned to us. This was the student’s first off-ship outing since the violence in Colombo. I think a few of them had been wound up by their families or other diplomatic staff. How tightly we were being grouped and moved did not help. I realize it was “protocol” and “strategy” but if they thought we were in that much danger I’m not sure what we were allowed off-ship at all. Then our guards were also very grim and it felt like a vote of “no confidence” in our own security. They definitely didn’t make my job easier … and I’m sure some of it was because I was a female.

The Kapaleeswarar Temple was our first stop and extremely crowded as March and April are festival months for the temple which, if I understand correctly, is primarily dedicated to the worship of Shiva and his consort – named Pavarti – though there are several other deities on display and honored as well. It is the oldest temple still in existence that was built in the Dravidian architectural fashion. Extremely ornate and honestly reminded me of some of the Incan and Aztec temples in South America. The temple complex was large with several winding alley-like paths as well as gardens. Trust me when I say that our escorts were not pleased. It was the first time that I got the feeling they expected something to happen, but not the last.

From one religious site to another. Santhome Cathedral Basilica. Easier to explain with a blurb I found online than it is to try and reconstruct the complicated explanation our guide gave us. The word Santhome or San Thome is derived from Saint Thomas. The tradition is that he was martyred in A.D.72 at St. Thomas Mount in the city, and was interred in Mylapore. Portuguese records speak of "demolishing the pagodas of Meliahpore". Later a church was built over his supposed tomb and today is known as the San Thome Basilica. The Basilica is one of the four churches that claim to have been built over the tomb of an apostle. (Others include St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy; the Church of Saint James the Great in Santiago de Compostela, Spain; and the Ghareh Keliseh Monastery of St. Thaddeus in Ghara-Kilise. While I had a strict Orthodox upbringing, I was also raised Presbyterian and yes I’m aware of the conflict. What I mean is that the Saints were never really a daily part of my religious practice. It was interesting to learn that Thomas – old Doubting Thomas himself – went out into the world to spread the Word further than I ever considered.

From Hindu temple, to Christian basilica, and then back to Hindu. Sri Parthasarathy Temple is from the 8th Century and honors Vishnu making it one of the oldest structures in Chennai. The swamis at the temple tried to be nice … or perhaps kind is a better descriptive … but you could tell people were tense and stressed with our group around. I wasn’t sure whether the presence of our guard helped or hindered in that respect.

And then on to a mosque called the Thousand Lights. Despite its name and reputation, as well as the fact that we had been invited, we were turned away. One of our teachers wanted to make an issue of it but I shut it down as quickly as I could and with the help of the Section members got the students back on the bus and away. I had not liked the tension I had seen behind façade of the people’s faces at the mosque or in the streets.

I gave serious consideration to simply calling off the rest of the day but the man in charge of the section told me that while he agreed, he also suspected it would only enflame certain people who seemed to be waiting for an excuse – any excuse – to make a spectacle. Essentially it boiled down to the fact that we must not show fear, regardless of the provocation. It could have been that the refusal to admit us to the mosque was as close as the community could come to protecting us. In a bizarre bit of logic, an invitation or not, going to the mosque may have been viewed as an insult, or used in some other way as an excuse to light something that might explode into something larger. After the man made his argument to continue I agreed, but I notified Polina.

“Is there an immediate threat?”

Trying to not draw attention to my communication I quietly responded, “Not an identifiable one at this time.”

“You are not free to speak?”

“Yes, it is a bit crowded with all of us on a single bus. But there are other pros to it.”

“I … see,” she responded as I slowly turned letting her see through my body cam. “Remain situationally aware. I met the commander of the Section with you. He runs a tight operation. Very strict. He has particular confidence in this group. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes. I will relay to the other teachers that we need to be vigilant. The students could become dehydrated in this heat. Nearly all of them are drooping as it is.”

There was a pause and then she said, “Very good. Report as needed. Out.”

I really hate all of the 007 crap but I’m beginning to accept that sometimes it is necessary. About that time we arrived at our next stop which was the Valluvar Kottam and despite all that was going on the adults and students under my care showed a great deal of interest. The monument was inaugurated in 1976 to honor a famous Indian poet by the name of Valluvar and consists of a decorative arch, an auditorium that can accommodate around 3,500 people, and the Kural Manimandapam, where all the 1,330 couplets from all 133 chapters of the Kural literature are inscribed on bas-relief. The hallmark of the monument is the 39-meter-high (128 feet) stone car, a replica of the famed temple chariot of Thiruvarur. The chariot is made of around 3000 blocks of stone. The four giant-sized wheels of the chariot measure 11 feet in diameter and 2 feet in thickness. A life-size statue of Valluvar has been installed in the chariot. The chariot is adorned with the famed Kalamkari drawings. It was the “chariot” which drew the greatest interest and none too few photos as well. Thank God for the resiliency of youth. And yes, I know I sound like an arthritic old woman when I say that, but it is the truth. While the students were still understandably nervous, they were shaking off the deep stress they’d been showing.

Our visit to Semmozhi Poonga- a 20-acre park with 500 varieties of trees and plants with an artificial waterfall – went even further to dispelling whatever had fallen over them in the morning. Our visit to the National Art Gallery and the Government Museum was much more pleasant. I was dreading our visit to the Wallajah Mosque but word reached us even before we left the museums that a protest group was waiting on us so we cancelled our visit and the word I received while I was filling out my daily reports was that they were grateful that we’d done so.

We only had three more stops and they were brief and more photographic than anything else. The Victory War Memorial, Fort St. George, and the Ripon Building which is reportedly the most elegant building in Chennai and I have no reason to question the award.

We immediately returned to the marina and I made sure the students were loaded quickly onto the waiting tender crafts and returned to the ship. I also managed to get most of the adults on board but then a flotilla of protestors got between the ship and the rest of us waiting to return. The Indian Navy … or Coast Guard since I’m not sure of the insignia … was working to get them to move off peacefully but the protestors seemed bound and determined to have their fifteen minutes of fame. Rather than have us waiting out in the open – baking like adobe – those of us waiting to head back to the B were moved to a duty-free shop. I’m afraid I grow cynical but there were other options of where we could have moved to. On the other hand it certainly seems that there were some that took the idea of retail therapy and used it as a distraction. I personally did not partake as Polina’s charge to remain situationally aware was uppermost in my mind.

We finally made it back on board without incident despite the protest flotilla. I am exhausted. I sincerely hope that this is not how the next week will go. It was oppressive and I’m not just talking about the heat. Vit’s anger is not helping either. There is a new guy in Admin – a Russian – that seems to know how to push Vit’s buttons and using me as a weapon of choice to try and get Vit to react only makes it worse. He growled at me because my phone’s locator program was not operating properly – most likely jammed – and it was nearly bedtime before he realized what he was doing and apologized, albeit stiffly. I know he is under a lot of stress, but he is not the only one. It is so rarely like this between us. I hate it. Please, oh please let tomorrow be better.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 80: March 31 – Karaikal, India

Today we have been in Karaikal. Or perhaps I should call it Pondicherry or Ponducherry. It seems the area is known by all three names though Pondicherry is probably the most proper.

Our first stop was at Sri Aurobindo Ashram which consists of an interconnected block of houses, including those in which Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for most of their lives. I was so busy trying to be situationally away that I missed the explanation of what our guide meant by that. At the center of the complex, in a tree-shaded courtyard, lies the Samadhi, a white marble shrine where their bodies are laid to rest. It wasn’t until I was back on the ship and could look it up that I found out that Sri Aurobindo developed a spiritual practice he called Integral Yoga. His particular type of yoga is a belief that with spiritual realization come transformed human nature, enabling a divine life on earth. “The Mother” refers to his spiritual collaborator, Mirra Alfassa (born Blanche Rachel Mirra Alfassa), an artist, a spiritual guru and an occultist. She was quite an unusual person and especially so for the culture she came from (Bourgeois French of Turkish Jewish and Egyptian Jewish parents) and the era she lived in (born in 1878). I enjoy yoga but not for the spiritual component. That puts me at odds with some teachers but thankfully for my peace of mind, there are now more secular yoga practitioners than there are spiritual ones.

After only spending 30 minutes at the first stop we spent a shortened 15 minutes at the next which was along Matrimandir Road to view a futuristic, spherical temple covered in gold discs. The Auroville Botanical Gardens protects the temple and the region’s tropical dry evergreen forest. Auroville itself is an experimental community. It was founded in 1968 by the spiritual leader Mirra Alfassa as a town where people from all over the world could live in harmony. Ironically, our visit to the location was put on hold due to a violent protest. Our escorts were hard pressed not to show how scandalized they were. Oh well, at least it wasn’t the fault of the Mission or any of the personnel on the B. Harmony is hard to come by when differences no longer bring you together but separate you into groups of “us” and “them.”

I was not happy to be left out of the conversation but our military escort, in consultation with our guides, suggested a stop at the Seaside Promenade to replace what was denied to the students. Polina wasn’t happy with the high-handed approach either but someone in Admin overruled her – friends in high places – and instead of admiring trees we were told to admire the colonial architecture and historic landmarks as we took a quick stroll in the former French territory of Pondicherry. We also made a quick stop at Rock Beach to overlook the Bay of Bengal. I will admit the students enjoyed their time but going off schedule bothered me though I tried to remain polite about it as we moved so quickly from one site to the next from that point forward.

The Statue Of Gandhi is 13 ft height stands on the Beach Road, surrounded by eight magnificent granite carved monolithic pillars. I’d learned from Robert of all people – why he is in my mind so much recently is a mystery – that Mahatma Gandhi was not just the two-dimensional figure people turned him into after his assassination (the 7th known attempt on his life). He irritated a great many people at the end of his life by appearing to support a separate Muslim state independent from India. The proposal for partition of the country and violent protest against it generated strife which ultimately resulted in sectarian killings on a scale unprecedented in human history. At the very least it compares to what the Nazis did during WW2 and what Stalin did to his own people in Russia. For the ethnic Muslims, Gandhi was a Hindu leader who opposed creation of Pakistan on sectarian grounds. Ethnic Hindus looked upon him as an impediment of their plan to revenge the atrocities on Hindus. His meddling in Indian politics, and his close friendships with non-Hindus that were often political rivals, put a bullseye on him from all sides.

The French War Memorial is dedicated to those soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country during World War I. It was built in 1971. After that quick photo stop it was on to the Pondicherry Museum which is especially noted for its collection of fine lost wax bronzes from the period of the Chola Empire. The Museum's collection includes 81 Chola bronze sculptures, ranking as one of the largest collections of such in the world. They were very proud of it and I suppose I should have taken the time to admire it more but we had developed a tail … a monkey’s tail … a monkey’s tail of reporters. Our escort was nearly as stoic as Vit at his worst or best depending on your point of view. I on the other hand may have looked stoic but underneath I was becoming very irritated at the questions being thrown out at the students. It was like they were hoping for a reaction of some sort. I was to the point of being willing to give them one when I got an idea. I allowed them to hear a casual conversation about the fact that we wore body cams and that I was wondering how long it would take each of the reporters to be identified or if they were famous where they came from. Strangely, our “tail” became shorter within just a few minutes. Hmmm. Later Polina said I was a sneaky person and she liked it very much. It was as interesting to find out who abandoned the “tail” as who stayed on. I’m glad she liked it. This 007 crap is giving me an ulcer.

I was relieved the ploy worked even if I did have indigestion. We were heading into Bharati Government Park and I didn’t want any surprises to mar our reputation. The park is surrounded by some of the most important government buildings in country, like the Lt. Governor's Palace, the Legislative Assembly, Government Hospital, Ashram Dining Room, the Cercle de Pondichéry private club, and the old Hotel Qualité. While there we also made a photo stop at the Park Monument (Aayi Mandapam), another site which showed Indian pride.

After that we returned to our original schedule and made a short stop at Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple, an ancient temple that still stands despite the fact it was constructed three centuries ago. From there we went to The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an architecturally oriental specimen of Gothic architecture. It contains rare stained glass panels depicting events from the life of Christ and saints of the Catholic Church. We continued the religious theme with a stop at Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges. The original structure was built in Greco Roman architecture by Napolean III in 1855, with the architect being Louis Guerre. It is the only church that offers mass in three languages namely French, Tamil and English.

I think we had reached the limit of “churches” at that point and our stop at Pondicherry Botanical Gardens was very welcome. Our guide proudly told us that the Botanical Gardens add great educational and recreational value to Puducherry. The gate leading to the garden is reminiscent of French architecture and it stands out from its immediate surroundings because it is smack in the middle of the old Tamil town. The Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1826 in ornate French style, with pruned trees, beautiful flower beds and gravel lined paths and fountains which they still maintain today.

It so happens that the gardens was our last stop. I was grateful and made sure the students and as many adult chaperones and teachers as possible made it onto the tender that was waiting for us. Henry was there as well and it wasn’t to get on a tender but to ask for my help in taking care of some shopping. He also had a note from Vit asking the same of me.

“Of course I don’t mind, but why me?”

“Because some of the shopping is for Miss Sofia and … er …”

I nearly laughed but it wasn’t really funny. “Tell me to butt out but … er … shouldn’t Mr. Baird be doing his own shopping for … er … this situation?”

He looked at me surprised for a moment before shrugging. “At our levels most assuredly but men of Mr. Baird’s level? They view themselves as doing the deed if they arrange and then pay for it. And I can see you think it a bit cold.”

“I …”

“No need to deny it, were I a woman I suppose I would as well. Or I’d choose to do my own shopping and tell myself it was from his lordship or some such rot.”

“You look … concerned. I don’t gossip and won’t. It could get back to the children.”

He snorted. “You’re dem idealist Veta. Truth is … I’m as surprised as anyone else at the attachment between Baird and Sofia. She’s younger than you. I’m even more surprised at how practical the girl is being. She’s not your normal modern miss.”

“I’m … not going to get involved in it. Frankly it is not any of my business to get involved in. But if it is what they both want I’ll … do my part. Mr. Baird wants something for Sofia? Something particular?”

“Actually the girl is showing common sense that I didn’t credit her with … and maybe should have given her background. She suggested that we do a bit of shopping in the markets here for things that are getting so bloody expensive back home.”

“Such as?” I asked having my suspicions.

“Spices and teas. If Barney and I kept house more I would have given it a think myself but we don’t. But it isn’t a bad idea, not a bad idea at all, to get something for the estate. If nothing else Cook will be fit to be tied and happy in a way she hasn’t been for months now. Things are getting tight.”

Thinking of Angelia and the rest of them I nodded. “At home as well. My oldest sister suggested spices might make good Christmas gifts this year, even if it means buying them far in advance and holding onto them.”

“Lets not waste any more time then.”

I will admit that I enjoyed the remainder of my time in port. Henry is a charming man and because he was buying in bulk I got even better pricing than I had expected. First came the champagne of tea, Darjeeling. It comes from the hills of North-east India. The second-flush tea, which has more body, color, and flavor, was recommended to us by a man that Henry had called to be our market guide. Another favorite tea recommended was from the state of Assam – where the tea industry started in India. It’s very rich, robust, and dark tea. Nilgiri teas, from the Cardamom Hills in Kerala, are good too, though usually used for CTC (cut-tear-curl) tea. Lastly Henry purchased a large supply of Marsala tea powder. The powder is a unique spice blend made up of 10 ingredients that run the gamut of dry ginger to rose petals and holy basil used to make a chai tea that Vit had acquired the taste for in his travels. I hadn’t known that until recently. Seems you never stop learning things about your significant other even when they’re your soulmate.

I wish Vit had been there. People weren’t exactly staring but they weren’t pretending not to notice us either. To address my personal discomfort of the kind of attention I had at first received, I played secretary to both Henry and our market guide. It meant I was essentially ignored after people made their assumption, yet added to the two men’s cache a bit. I can hear a couple of my sisters and in-laws gagging at the very idea, but I don’t really care any longer. It is a strategy, a method, for working deals. It worked and that’s my only consideration.

After the tea warehouses we ventured next door to another one, this one housing spices. Saffron was the most important one but we got an entire trunk full of various whole spices. Vit was a little scandalized at the overall price but then grinned like a Cheshire Cat when Henry explained how good the prices turned out to be what a good chess player I must be because I knew just what piece was worth sacrificing and when to pull back. That made me feel good I tell you.

I thought that would be the end of it but the market guide took us one more place and it was near the pier. We picked up Eucalyptus oil while we were there. Yegor was quite happy to get a bottle as well. Polina grinned and said she owed me and there might come a day when I remind her of her words. While Yegor explained his weird jig to Vit I told Polina what the fit was about.

“The next time you have a cold, don’t pop a pill. Do it the Indian way and sniff some of the oil from a handkerchief or put it in steaming water and take a nice big whiff.”

“Ah. That explains it,” she chuckled referring to her husband’s fascination with natural remedies.

The benefits of eucalyptus oil are far too many to list here, I’d be at it all night and I want to go to bed; but, from being considered an anti-depressant to being a remedy for dental plaque, eucalyptus, or nilgiri as it is called, has been used for many years in India.

I also picked up a couple of real pashminas. The real ones are a type of cashmere wool that comes from pashmina goats in the Himalayas. It is very costly. So, if someone offers you a pashmina for a small sum, such as 500 rupees / $10, it’s probably a blend (at best). I am not denigrating the blends because they can be quite beautiful, but I wanted what I wanted and I decided that even if I could only use them for decoration when we get home it would still be worth it. I was a little hesitant when I told Vit but he seemed pleased and asked me to wear one to dinner in the XO lounge which I willingly did. I made a little extra effort with my appearance as well and he seemed to enjoy that as well as the attention I paid to him.

Maybe I’ve become a little self-involved and it has blinded me to something. I don’t know what that something is but at least now I have a place to look. Vit needs some attention as well and he is not the kind of man who will ask for it.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 81: April 1 – Cochin, India

From ship to bus to boat to bus to ship. And I’m dragging. I fell asleep on Vit during dinner and I think he was a little … er … miffed. Especially when I nearly fell asleep while we were … hmmm … cuddling before he had to go on duty. Ugh. I hate it when I get like this. I know it is because I am low on iron but that’s not much of an excuse. I’ve got the stupid pills, I just need to remember to take them with regularity.

My day was spent accompanying the students while they took a sojourn on a kettuvallom, a traditional houseboat. The bus ride took approximately an hour and forty-five minutes from the pier to the dock. It wasn’t particularly interesting either and more than a few students fell asleep. I wish I could have. But once we were there it was a smooth transfer from the bus to the houseboat.

After we boarded and got under way we cruised slowly through the backwaters of the area called Alappuzha (also known as "Alleppey"), considered the hub of the area's backwaters and home to a vast network of waterways and boats. We ventured through village areas and the landscape of the Laccadive Sea to marvel at the lush vegetation, paddy fields, coconut palms, and much more. I had been there with the Marchands so it was like reliving a vivid dream – familiar, yet not. There were 3 experienced staff people along with our guide that helped me to keep an eye on both the students and the adult chaperones. I hate to say something to Polina but I’m beginning to think there needs to be a shake up in the chaperone groupings. Too many treat the excursions as their own holidays rather than put the work of chaperonage before their own pleasure. A few of them are becoming as much work for me as the students as far as keeping their attention on target and moving in a timely manner. Not to mention keeping them out of the stores and other too easy to get lost in temptations that surround us.

Thankfully I didn’t have to supervise a meal. We enjoyed a lunch of Keralan cuisine as we navigated the waterways, which included rice, vegetable dishes, fish, chicken, and more though my meal was interrupted when I had to see to Raina once again. The girl does have a sensitive stomach, it isn’t a ploy for attention, but she doesn’t seem to have the sense to steer clear of the things that do the upsetting.

We ended the houseboat cruise and then journeyed – once again by bus – to the Fort Kochi area. The students marveled at the Cheena vala (Chinese fishing nets) in the Arabian Sea, and the other attractions of the region.

Finally it was back to the ship – and the road we travelled had even my cast iron stomach a bit troubled. I suppose it didn’t help that I had no sooner gotten into the cabin than I got a called from Dylan.

“Hello? Dylan?”

“Hello Prissy Britches, how’s our girl?”

“Uh … Dylan? Have you been … er … drinking?”

He chuckled and forced himself to calm down. “No. Er …”

“Okay. What’s wrong.” Then something made my chest tight. “Is it Derrick?!”

“Veta …”

“Dylan tell me right this minute. Stop trying to sugar coat it!”

I heard in the background a muttered, “Give it here before you screw it up you idiot.”

“Charlie?!”

“Easy there Shorty. Yeah … Derrick had to go back to the hospital but it is mostly precautionary. He has what they think is the flu and it was messing with his blood pressure.”

“The flu?! This time of year?!”

“Yeah, it’s been pretty bad here and we’re having what they think is a late secondary wave or some crap like that. You haven’t been having it there?”

“No. Nothing. I haven’t even seen a mention in the news. And if that means I haven’t seen it in the news because someone has been hiding it from me there’s going to be a discussion.”

“If you mean Vit, then no, none of us have asked him to hide anything. Those of us with sense know that wouldn’t work.”

“Fine. So maybe I over reacted. Just … just tell me.”

So they did and basically this was them pretending they hadn’t heard (weren’t ignoring) that Derrick had said not to carry tales that would only worry me.

“Worry me? Or is this payback?”

I heard Charlie sigh. “Derrick isn’t one of the ones making a stink that you aren’t home so don’t go there Shorty. He may not like it but he understands more than he’s willing to admit. This is just our big brother being his normal pain in the butt self. Christine has him under control. Reggie has Benji and Chrissy under contol. And Dylan has some stuff he wants to talk to you about. Just hear him out and try not and get anxious about it all. Promise?”

“I’ll hear him out and that’s as far as I can go until I know what it is.”

Charlie gave the phone back to Dylan and left to go back to his house so it wouldn’t be anything that he could get in trouble for from the others in case what was said leaks out. And boy was it a doozy.

“What?!!”

“Does that mean you aren’t willing?”

“Don’t even go there Dylan or I’ll reach through this phone and …”

“Okay, okay. I can feel the laser beams through the phone line.”

“That’s not funny Dylan. And you talked to Vit about this already?!”

“I didn’t. Derrick did. I’m guessing that Vit kept his word and didn’t say anything.”

“No. He didn’t say anything,” I responded, trying to decide how I felt about that.

“Don’t roast Vit. Derrick put him in a hard place and we both know how that can feel.”

I took my emotions in both hands and clamped down tight. “Fine. And I can understand wanting to feel Vit out but that was a sucky thing to do to him, especially given his past and the position he is in right now.”

“I agree but you know Derrick. He’d be more concerned with your past and the position he is asking you to put yourself in.”

“Look, first off of course I’ll be Benji’s guardian if it comes to it but …”

“There’s no reason to think it will, this is Derrick just starting to feel old and not wanting his kid to be in the same position you were. You know that family court was a bitch when Dad passed without making sure you had a primary legal guardian.”

“Yeah. Lena’s family helped with that. I remember that much.” I sighed. “Tell me the truth Dylan … or at least as much as you can without causing a ruckus in the family … what brought this on?”

“You’re too damned perceptive. I told Derrick this wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought.”

“So yeah, I know all of you better than you think I do. So give … or give as much as you can.”

I wasn’t sure if he was going to then he spilled the beans. “One, it is mostly a matter that Derrick doesn’t want Benji to be in the same spot you were. And it’s also because he thinks you’ll be able to deal with Benji’s … issues … a hella lot better than most of the others.”

“Okay, I’ll buy that but that’s not all there is to it.”

“No. And this goes no further Veta. Derrick is concerned … look, Lena’s parents … he’s not sure that Reggie would be able to fight his grandparents over Benji’s care. And to be honest I’m not sure he could either. Right now the courts can’t do a thing because Derrick is reasonably healthy and all of the other issues. But should Derrick … become incapacitated Reggie just … look, he’s turning out stronger than expected but that doesn’t mean he is ready to go toe to toe with his grandparents’ lawyers. And he isn’t … look, some of the things that happened when you were in that position are just coming back to make Derrick re-examine things.”

“Things I don’t know about?”

“Let’s just say the family was pretty distraught at the time and a few things got said that there wasn’t as much of an excuse for as was allowed at the time. I’m not saying it wasn’t anything unforgivable, but it shows some in the family are a little weak in some areas that Derrick no longer feels he can simply turn a blind eye to.”

“Barbie?”

“Among others. And no, I’m not going to list out who Derrick has mentioned but if it comes up I’ll stand by you.”

“Angelia is next in line. And what about Charlie? I don’t want anyone in the family to get their feelings hurt over this and a schism happen. And as far as that goes what about Christine?”

“Christine knows. She’d expect to continue to step-mother Benji. But she understands that Derrick is also considering potential legal issues. Charlie? Veta … things are not … they’re …”

“Angelia has hinted around at stuff and so has Christine. Him playing Switzerland like he has isn’t normal either. So … it’s bad. Divorce bad?”

“No but … counseling would help but neither Charlie nor the rest of them will agree to that. At least not yet.”

“Should I say anything?”

“Not right now. Charlie needs to see it first and then deal with admitting it. And I don’t want to see you get used in a fight like you got used between Derrick and Lena. Whether Derrick admits it or not he leaned on you a lot.”

“I didn’t mind.”

“Yeah. Well, let’s just say I’m glad you weren’t around to hear some of the things people were thinking out loud.”

“Anyone in the family?” I asked, wondering despite myself even after all this time.

“No, none of them went as far as some outside the family tried to take it, but a few of them didn’t or wouldn’t understand the big picture. They kept forgetting that Derrick and Lena tried to adopt you before Mom and Dad did. And …”

“Those that did wonder if Dad only did it for Derrick and Mom only did it for Dad.”

“Did you hear that or …”

“Let’s just say when Mom was so sick she spoke a lot plainer about things than most people realize. I found out things … look, she needed to talk and I was the one that was there. The medicine sometimes loosened her boundaries. She told me a lot about Josiah. And about some things that went on in the family when you older ones were all kids.”

“The hell she did. You never told me that.”

“I never thought I would need to break mom’s confidences. And I’m still not going to. What I am saying is that I get it. Get what Derrick is worried about and can get behind how he is trying to address his worries now I have a few more facts to work with. And I also understand what you aren’t saying … which you think he is using me without him thinking that is what he is doing. But it’s okay Dylan. Really. You and Charlie both need to understand I’m not the sick, scared kid I used to be. For lots of reasons. But … I won’t do this, or at least not do it this way, if Angelia is going to be hurt … or Christine. And I can’t do it if I’m not sure that Vit is onboard with this. I must talk to him about this first. I don’t care if Derrick talked to him, I need to know …”

I jumped a mile when I felt a hand on my shoulder. “I am … okay … with this Kokhana. Details still need to be worked out, but I am not against it for the boy’s sake. But there is much to work out.”

All three of us agreed that that was the case, not the least of which because of the other Dylan had worked out. It seems that the barracudas were trying to pre-emptively make it so that anyone that is a potential threat to them getting guardianship of Benji can either be blackmailed or made to look “unsuitable” for a variety of reasons. He’d already handled the barracudas by pulling the same thing they tried to pull, only in reverse. He has his own little “black book” that contains some information their clients would not want to be brought out in public … namely they knew a lot more about Lena’s problems in the beginning than they let on. Admittedly they thought she’d outgrown the hormonal problems she’d had but they could have kept a better eye on what she was doing with the sums being withdrawn from the Trust than they had … and they knew she was taking money out without Derrick knowing about it. Ugh. It is even more of a soap opera than any of us thought.

But all of that on top of the last few days is what zapped my strength. Gah! If it isn’t one thing it is another and even being on the other side of the planet hasn’t meant escaping the unnecessary drama. May tomorrow bring less … much less … of that sort of thing because none of us need it or the distractions it causes.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 82: April 2 – Mangalore, India

Cashews and temple hopping. Only in India. And who knew that “temple hopping” was even a thing? But first there was make up time with Vit. He was surprised at first when I asked to join him in the shower.

“You will be late,” he pointed out stiffly.

“Nii.”

“You are too tired,” he said caught between concern for me and his own hurt feelings.

“Nii.

Well it only took twice and he finally gave in with happy grin. He was also gratified to find that I’d ordered breakfast in so we could enjoy as much private time as possible before I had to leave for the day. I really am beginning to think that Vit needs more attention whether he admits it or not. This job, or should I say learning to balance this job, is more challenging than I’ve been willing to admit aloud. The universe doesn’t not revolve around Planet Veta. I really do need to be careful not to fall back into bad habits.

I left the cabin with a smile on my face as I had watched Vit fall asleep with a smile on his. That was the good part of the workday. Before we even made it to shore I was ready to kick a few backsides of certain students who tried to spoil my good mood but that is par for the course. Same for one or two of the chaperones and I really do think I’m going to have to speak to Polina about it. What wasn’t par for the course was Mr. Parnell’s rather pointed remarks and then finally asking why I was in such a good mood.

“Doing what I should to make sure my marriage is successful,” I told him just as pointedly. He avoided me for a while after that, and it was obvious. I had a couple of teachers get a little pointed at me in their own way.

“You didn’t need to embarrass the poor man.”

“Excuse me?”

“You were a little crude.”

Another one of them groused, “Are you kidding? She was a lot crude.” To me she said, “Yes, you had sex with your husband this morning. The rest of us don’t want it shoved in our faces.”

More than a little irritated that they’d tried to insert themselves into a situation that Mr. Parnell had created I snapped, “How about it is none of your business one way or the other.” They were surprised I answered their attack but I wasn’t through. “How about this? You stay out of my business, and I’ll stay out of yours.”

Needless to say they backed off. It was only after I thought about what I had said that I realized how it could be taken when coming from a member of security. I called Polina during my lunch break and told her I’d made a mistake and what it was. She said to put it in a report if I was concerned, that way if there were any repercussions down the road I would at least have back up that I had not meant it the way it could be taken. Lovely. And embarrassing on top of having to explain it to her. This evening I also told Vit, but his only response was to ask if I’d taken a picture, he needed a good laugh. Not the response I was expecting. Maybe I made more of it than I should. I don’t know. But back to today.

We had an air-conditioned bus. Wow. And boy did we need it. Upper 90s with enough humidity that those of us with hair so inclined, fought a losing battle to keep our hair from looking like an attack-cat was attached to our skull and out for vengeance. Not even all the extra bobby pins I brought with me helped to tame the mane. The pictures … no. Not even. And even Derrick, who’d been waiting for me to post on the blog, got a good laugh at the “little orphan Veta” look I sported most of the day where coils of hair kept escaping my braid I thought I had all but superglued to my head this morning.

Derrick did ask me to eat some cashews for him – they are now something he must avoid most of the time – and Angelia wanted to know if it was possible to ship some home and if so could she send me some money to do so. They’re an import and quite expensive in the grocery store. I checked and luckily cashews had just been taken off the tariff list and I’ll be shipping home some to her in the next crate.

As a matter of fact a cashew factory was our first stop of the day … resulting in the pictures and the jokes from Derrick. It is a signature industry of Mangalore, which is the largest cashew producer and exporter in India. And India is second only to Vietnam for the largest exporter in the world. Our tour of the factory educated us on the process of preparing the cashews from sorting to cooking and packing; it is more work than you would think since cashew are actually seeds of the cashew apple and not a nut at all. The “apple” isn’t really an apple either but the swollen end of the stem that creates the seed. At to this that the edible meat of the cashew is surrounded by a shell and a very dangerous, caustic liquid related to poison ivy which makes processing the cashew quite tedious. It wasn’t a long stop but as you can see from my explanation, it was sufficient to give us a good overview of a primary economic component of the area.

After that, for the next few hours, we were scheduled to “temple hop.” Apparently it is a quite popular tourist activity. We first drove to the hills of Kadri to see Kadri Manjunath Temple, a popular Hindu temple that dates to the 10th or 11th century. Our guide showed us around the ponds, gardens, and ornate buildings of the temple complex. From there it was off to Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple (Gokarnath Temple), which is devoted to the Hindu deity Shiva, and decked out with white marble floors, gold paint, and extensive murals depicting Hindu gods and goddesses. The structure was huge and very well kept. I would like to have added pictures of the murals to my blog but they do not allow pictures of the inside of the temple; outside is permitted. It is also an active temple and apparently always crowded. Which it most definitely was. That part made me nervous but with our Indian guards in tow there were no problems about wandering off or people getting too close.

We were scheduled to go to other sites but our guards said it was no longer possible as their intel indicated that protest crowds were forming around the site locations that were somehow leaked. Needless to say Hindus are not pacifists regardless of what some may claim. It was a security concern and I immediately got confirmation from Polina rather than just taking someone else’s word for it. They still haven’t found out who the leaker is but more than likely it was from someone onshore rather than anyone on the ship. Good Lord, I hope so anyway. I am just disgusted that someone would do that to kids just to play politics. The danger is real, not just hypothetical.

After the change in schedule we took a break at a local restaurant that the captain of our guards (or the man who fulfills such a position regardless of what he is called) knew. A relation of his brother in law. Surprise, surprise. Not. But I don’t begrudge it really. India isn’t the only one with that cultural phenomena. After a delicious lunch we headed to the Central Market to experience the colorful bustle of local people shopping for fruits, vegetables, and other household items. I had already shot my wad at the cashew factory but some of the others did some additional shopping. I’m not entirely convinced that shopping in a busy market was any safer than going to a temple would have been but that is how the day played out.

Our final stop was to go up Lighthouse hill to visit St. Aloysius Chapel, which is known for its superb frescos painted in the late 1800s by the Italian artist Brother Moscheni. There are two types of paintings in the chapel: fresco and canvas. The frescos were painted on fresh wet lime plaster walls. The colors of the paints used, as with all frescos, got embedded in the lime plaster as it dried. Frescos cover about 60% of the walls of the Chapel. For the oil paintings, the colors were made by mixing pigments with linseed oil. The canvas is made of pure linen with a strong, tight weave. The paintings on the ceilings in the Chapel about 40% of the Chapel are in oil on canvas. The last renovation and restoration of the Chapel paintings took place in the 1990s. You can see that, despite the excellent care that has been given to them since, that there are still areas that once again need care because of the humidity.

From there it was back to the ship and most of the students of all levels took over the pools, driving the adults to other activities. As for me I gladly “ate in” and once again paid some much needed attention to Vit before he had to take another shift overnight.

“I do not like this.”

I stopped what I was doing causing him to groan. “I did not mean that Kokhana. I mean our schedules being opposite.”

“Oh,” I chuckled, relieved for reasons I do not wish to record for posterity. “Well, it isn’t for much longer.”

And now he is at work and I am here hoping I can sleep soundly enough that I will not wake exhausted. Tomorrow is Goa and after that Bombay/Mumbai. I do not wish to be tired in either place because not the least reasons is that there is only one sea day before the Middle East.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 83: April 3 – Goa (Mormugao), India

Knowing a location has a lot of history and experiencing it are two different things. If this job has done nothing else for me it has certainly expanded my knowledge of the world and the people that live in it … and their foibles. Today we were in Goa, India's smallest state by area and the fourth-smallest by population. It may be the smallest but it is certainly not the least.

Rock art engravings found in Goa exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India. I never did get a straight answer about how old they thought the engravings were but well into early pre-history. I also found out that “India” is not nearly as homogenized as the stereotype encourages one to think. From the 3rd century BC until the 1300s the area was ruled by Buddhist emperors. In the 1300s control and power were transferred to the rule of sultans. Sultans are Muslim rulers and thus began much of the internal strife India had and continues to have. In the 1500s the Portuguese colonialized and ruled the area driving out the sultanate rule. Over 450 years of Portuguese rule of the area which has led to a cultural environment that is not found elsewhere in India. After the rule of the Portuguese empire declined, the area came under colonial rule of Great Britain who controlled it until the end of WW2 when India gained its independence.

Today Goa is India’s riches state with the highest GDP per capita. It has a population of nearly two million people with a religious population that runs somewhere around 66% Hindu, 25% Christian (as a result of the long standing Portuguese rule), 8% Muslim, and 0.1% Sikh. Goa is primarily an agricultural region, or at least quite rural in locations despite its wealth. More than 33% of its geographic area is under government-owned forests of which about 62% has been brought under protected areas such as wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. There is also a substantial area under private forests which has been turned into “plantations” that grow cashew, mango, coconut, etc. Over all forest and tree cover constitutes 56.6% of the geographic area.

The economy reflects its overall rural setting and its main cash crops are things like coconut, cashews, areca nut (fruit of a particular palm and also called a betel nut), sugarcane and fruits like pineapple, mango and banana. Lest anyone think that the rural nature of the region is completely bucolic there are regular disagreements between commercial farmers and ecologists (both national and international). It became such a problem that the Goan government reclassified by the coconut as a palm (like a grass), to enable farmers and real estate developers to clear land with fewer restrictions.

I learned all of that today while I accompanied the students on their fieldtrip. First we stopped at Old Goa. The air-conditioned bus on which we travelled was very welcome. The highs were in the 90s and I think we would have all wilted without the break travelling between sites gave us from the heat.

Old Goa, also known as Velha Goa (velha means old in Portuguese), was the original capital of the state of Goa and the second capital city established by the Portuguese in India. Established in 1510, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After hearing so much from our driver I was a bit disappointed to spend less than an hour in the area but at least we saw two additional UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely the Se Cathedral and the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Both sites were impressive. Se Cathedral was built to commemorate the Portuguese victory over the Muslims in 1510. The Basilica of Bom Jesus was built in 1594 and I can easily envision it in a setting such as Florence or other Italian town.

From Old Goa and its Christian historical sites we visited the Shri Manguesh Temple, one of the largest Hindu temples in the state of Goa. It was completed in 1560, strangely concurrent with the Portuguese influence, and was originally a very plain building. Our guide explained that over the centuries it has been renovated and expanded multiple times and now has key elements such as the Mangesh Linga.

From there we continued to the Shanta Durga Temple, a large temple complex near the village of Kavalem, and from there to a spice plantation in the town of Ponda. The Tropical Spice Plantation is where the brand TK SPICES are grown, known for their organic coffee and commodities. After receiving a traditional Aarti welcome and a garland of marigolds – something the girls loved and the boys only tolerated out of politeness, we toured the plantation then enjoyed a buffet lunch on site including traditional Goan dishes served on a banana leaf. Yum. I also made a quick purchase of green coffee beans and bulk spices. They were happy to have my money as I was happy to trade it for things to knock off our “to buy” list to send home.

After lunch, we visited the Portuguese Latin Quarters in the city of Panaji, including Fontainhas (or Bairro das Fontainhas, in Portuguese). There the Portuguese influence was easy to see in the architecture, the narrow streets, and the buildings painted in lively colors. You would think the Portuguese and Indian architecture would clash but they didn’t. It made me think that maybe I wouldn’t have to restrict our various souvenirs to a room of their own (divided by sub-continent) and that perhaps I’d be able to use them through out whatever home Vit and I eventually have. Or that is my hope anyway.

Our next to last stop was at Dona Paula Beach and Viewpoint. Formerly called Oddavell, this village was re-named in honor of a generous benefactor, similar to how stadiums are sometimes named back home. A little odd in my opinion to rename an entire village but each to his own and certain isn’t my right to judge. It is now home to the National Institute of Oceanography which is the primary employer.

Finally, for our last stop, we went to the Mandovi River where we explored Panjim City, the capital of the state of Goa. One of the interesting sites there was the Baroque Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church on the main square (known as Praça da Igreja in Portuguese). There were also colorful villas and cobblestone streets. I didn’t expect too much from my charges by then as they were all suffering from the heat. They climbed back into the bus eagerly for our return trip to the pier and then to the ship.

I admit I was a bit limp when we got back as well and struggled through completing my reports before heading back to the cabin intending to take a shower. That’s right, intending. Something was (and remains) a problem in the plumbing in our section. I wanted to throw something until Vit called when he was getting off shift and told me to come to the gym, that he’d already put a “reservation” in for me.

“I love you. You’re incredible … magnificent.”

With a wry smile he said, “Hopefully you will still feel that way when I tell you we have an invitation to dinner.”

I opened my mouth then closed it when I saw his face. “If you don’t want to go to this dinner, why are we going?”

“So you will attend with me?”

“If you need me, of course.”

He relaxed and then sighed as I tried to unmat the mess my hair became during the day. “It is not so much the dinner as some of those attending. It is what you would call a command performance, a working dinner, but that damn Russian will be there and I grow sick of his unending arrogance.”

“Ah. The meathead that looks like Dolph Lundgren.”

Understanding my reference as I had to explain it the first time I’d used it he nodded. “I looked up that Lundgren character. There may be superficial similarities in appearance but that man was Swedish and Kadyrov is a damned Chechen. Not even a full Chechen. His mother is from a wealthy Tartar family. He’s arrogant and expects everything to revolve around his personal worldview. He makes me so mad I want to smash his face in.”

“Vit!” I was shocked at how cold my husband’s voice grew whenever the man came up in conversation.

Vit rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. “You will come with me and help me not fall for his games.”

“Do you know why he is trying to start a fight with you?”

Vit snorted. “My history as a Russo/Ukrainian ex-pat was leaked.”

“What?!”

“Nii Kokhana, it would have come out anyway. It is that I am seeking US citizenship that irritates some, particularly Kadyrov. He thinks that I am a coward, that I should fight for freedom rather than leave.”

That time it was my turn to snort. “Are you sure he is really Chechen then? They are one of the Breakaways because they did not wish to live under Russian authority.”

“I did not say the man made sense, just that is what he thinks. And you will dress nicely?”

“Let me guess. He has a gorgeous wife?”

“Er … perhaps that did not sound as I meant. I am the man with the gorgeous wife.” Then his brows snapped down. “Nii, you will not go.”

“Oh don’t start. I will go to this dinner if just to see how big a problem this man is. I doubt he will try and embarrass me if his wife is going to be present. And you will give me lots of attention for being a good wife and going to this dinner party even when I’d rather stay here in the cabin with you and talk about anything else.”

“I … er …” Vit slowly grinned in appreciation of the look I was giving him. Sometimes it is good to be female. Sometimes it is very good to be female.

And sometimes it sucks. I tell you that dinner was quite unpleasant. A lot of people wondered what I was doing there … just as many wanted to know “who the hell that woman is” as if I was somehow not permitted. That meathead Lundgren-lookalike tried to make the biggest stink until Polina stepped in and coldly informed him that his security clearance was not high enough for that explanation. When Kadyrov tried to take exception to that I gave him the looked I had copied from Madame Marchand. When he opened his mouth to speak I turned and ignored his very existence and put my hand on Vit’s arm to be led into dinner. Yegor led Polina in and sotto-voiced to Vit, “If the idiot tries a drinking contest I do not promise I will not laugh so try and steer her away. He will not survive. He is an ass but a decent enough technician that I don’t have the time to replace.”

Vit had a minor coughing fit and I sighed. I had no intention on starting anything but it didn’t take me long to see Vit’s point. He is good at what he does but that doesn’t preclude him being a complete donkey’s behind. I ignored him for the most part and kept silent unless called upon to speak, which was only once and was only when I was asked about communication in the field. By staying silent I learned several alarming things. I found out that cyberattacks were more extensive than I had known to that point. I also found out there were more verbal threats that were not common knowledge. Some terrorist groups were now openly calling into question the Peace Mission’s legitimacy and instead suggest it was a scam to see which areas of the world were ripe for Western colonialization and resource theft. On the other hand, I also found out that many of our charitable projects were yielding unexpected benefits beyond the community in which they occurred. I learned many things that I cannot record; some that encourage me and twice that many that makes me feel that war is inevitable no matter how many try to put their finger in the dike to stop it.

I was able to keep my blank face on until we got back to the cabin. But, when I turned to Vit for comfort he surprised me by saying something to the effect that he would not take me with him to future such meetings if I was going to act like the world was falling apart. It was like a cold dash of water.

“That is not how I was acting … or feeling for that matter. I’m sorry if you thought so.”

“Then what of the tears?”

I put my eyes wide and showed him, “See? No tears. I suppose I should have simply remained stoic. Which is what I will now do rather than stress you out further.”

Where our words would have gone next I don’t know because Vit was called to address yet another “incident.” I’m trying not to take this stuff personally but Vit’s words were … they show he understands why I am here with him not at all, and perhaps doesn’t understand me at all. Unfortunately his words also trigger my anxiety about how I once was in college. I will not go back to being that girl. Will not. But as much as I hate to admit it, I can’t stay the way I am now either. I don’t know which way to move (grow?) but I know it needs to happen. I am letting the stress of everything get to me too much. I think Vit may be in the same position. Or we’re feeding off of each other. Whatever it is, it isn’t healthy.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 84: April 4 – Bombay (Mumbai), India (1)

I am not the least ashamed to admit that I found parts of today depressing. Plutarch said, “An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.” Jeff Sachs (economist) said, “History is written by the rich, and so the poor get blamed for everything.” But I think the truest quote I heard today was from Aristotle who said, “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.”

Mumbai. The most populous city in India with 15,000,000 people in its urban core. If you add in the suburbs and surrounding territory the population is closer to 25,000,000 men, women, and children. It is a megacity and so crowded in areas you can barely move, barely breathe. The population density has been estimated at more than 22,000 persons per square kilometer. It amazes me that they aren’t all crazy at having less than 4 square meters of living space per person. People are practically elbow to elbow at all times.

From pre-history until early 1400s the area was mostly ruled by indigenous dynasties. Then the Muslim sultanates took power and kept it for over a century. In the mid-1500s the Portuguese extended their power from Goa into what was at the time called Bombay. England was in constant struggle with the Portuguese in the area. By the middle of the 17th century the growing power of the Dutch Empire forced the English to acquire a base of operations in western India. On 11 May 1661, the marriage treaty of Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza, daughter of King John IV of Portugal, placed Bombay and the surrounding islands in possession of the English Empire, as part of Catherine's dowry to Charles. Slowly England acquired more and more of India and by 1668 started leasing areas of India to the East India Trading Company. Despite attacks and incursions by other empires, England maintained its stronghold outlasting all others to solidify its control so that from the late 1700s until its 1947 independence, India was a jewel in the crown of Great Britain’s colonial empire.

Independence has not cured all that ails India. Pollution is still rampant in major cities like Mumbai. Crime … I can’t even fully comprehend the numbers that were cited at us today. Good lord. What throws it even more out of whack is that there is a literacy rate of over 97% in metro Mumbai, but for all of that, nearly 70% live in the squalor of the slums. The demographics are heavily male – mostly because of all of the male migrants who travel to Mumbai looking for work. The religious demographics are also eye-opening. Over 65% of the population is Hindu. The next largest group is Muslims at 21% followed far down the line by Buddhists (4.85%), Jains (4.10%), Christians (3.27%) and Sikhs (0.49%). It is the contention between the Hindus and Muslims that drives much of the fighting despite the cross migration in the 1940s that saw most Muslims move to Pakistan area and the Hindus flee Pakistan to come to India. A lot of Hindus died from violence during that migration and the grudge is deep and vicious on both sides.

The excursion today was to be educational in nature. I saw that the maturity of the student greatly affected their ability to understand and internalize what they were seeing.

The slums of Mumbai. Parts were shocking and parts … I can’t quantify it accurately. The slum we visited was divided into two parts – commercial and then residential areas. First the guide took us to the commercial part and showed how slum dwellers eeked out a living; plastic recycling, aluminum recycling, paper recycling, cardboard recycling, oil paint can recycling, leather factories, luggage bag manufacturing factories, bakeries, clothing industries and many more, but none that would be considered high tech or high brow. Some, especially the recycling jobs, came with definite health risks. All had long hours and poor pay.

Then the guide took us to the residential area and showed us how the people live in there. We walked which made me uncomfortable and constantly on guard though I could not show it as that would have been taken as an insult. Our guide took us through some really narrow allies and showed us the culture of the locals. We also saw a school, which of all of the sights, seemed to finally open the eyes of some of the more hard headed of the students.

We had one particular rule during the excursion that had to be obeyed without exception. No pictures were allowed during the tour for the privacy of the residents. I enforced this by temporarily taking possession of all electronic devices except for the tracking pins the students wore on a piece of their underclothing. This was a new element that probably should have been instituted from the very beginning. Certainly after San Francisco it would have been a judicious rule. Why they suddenly started doing it now I’m not sure but based on what I heard at the dinner last night, I am quite certain there is a reason for it.

Start your private tour with pickup from your Mumbai hotel, or alternatively, from the cruise port or railway station.

Our first stop was the vast Dharavi Slum, Asia’s biggest, and home to over a million people. It is a town-within-a-town, crammed with thousands of makeshift huts. Our guide was quick with the facts including explaining daily life there as we passed tiny bread and sweet shops, interspersed with dimly-lit manufacturing units hosting small-scale clothes-, pottery-, and soap-making businesses. The food looked interesting but I’ll admit I became nauseous at the idea of possibly being asked to sample items from the area.

For all of the obvious poverty around us, there was a strong sense of community. It became more obvious when local workers showed off their jobs with obvious pride. We visited the plastic and metal recycling yard, where workers sort materials for re-use, before delving into Kumbharwada, the community of clay potters dubbed the ‘city of lamps.’ We explored the lanes there, weaving through thousands of hand-made, kiln-fired pots being crafted as oil lamps for festivals.

Having explored Dharavi, we took a tour of the colonial and modern faces of Mumbai. We admired the Gateway of India, built to commemorate a 1911 visit by King George V, and saw the imposing Taj Mahal Palace hotel, opened in 1903. We heard historical tales and anecdotes en route, and stopped at other landmarks including the UNESCO-listed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, Mumbai University with its Big Ben-style Rajabai Clock Tower, and the Oval Cricket Ground and Bombay High Court. We saw Mumbai’s dhobi ghat — Asia’s biggest open-air laundry — together with Mahatma Gandhi's former residence, and the Hanging Gardens on top of water tanks. We drove past the colonial buildings on Marine Drive, seeing the Prince of Wales Museum, Flora Fountain, the Telegraph Office. After a full day some of the students had had enough and wanted to go back to the ship but there was more yet to come. It is one of the few times that I saw any of the students look less than thrilled to be off the ship.

We were joined by some adults may have been part of the cause but I really do think that the day had been overwhelming for some of them. At 5:30 pm we started a food tour. I enjoy Indian cuisine but not everyone does. Thankfully Raina’s parents were two of the adults that joined us and I could leave her “stomach issues” in their care.

India’s unique cuisine is justifiably famous around the world, and according to our guide there’s no better place to sample some favorite bites than in the streets of Mumbai. First our driver took us to South Mumbai at Churchgate railway station, where we met one of our guides for the evening, then we set out for Chowpatty Beach to sample vegetarian favorites like pav bhaji (a spicy vegetable curry) and bhel puri (a crunchy snack with puffed rice, vegetables and tangy tamarind sauce). Next up, we discovered the busy food stalls along Mohammed Ali Road, which has a reputation as a foodie heaven. I was amazed to see a young and affluent crowd on the streets in that area, particularly after what we saw this morning.

We saw a variety of meat cuts sizzling on streetside grills, all tended by vendors who specialized in specific dishes. We strolled through the bustling alleys near Minara Masjid, the epicenter of the city’s Ramadan celebrations and one of Mumbai’s many mosques. Then we were introduced to the labyrinthine Bhendi Bazaar, a market in the historically Muslim neighborhood, and heard from our guide about the multi-million dollar redevelopment plan proposed for the area. Towards the end of our walking tour, we were taken to a sweet shop that was established more than a century ago, where we sampled hand-churned ice cream in unfamiliar flavors and nibbled on a bright-orange jalebi (a deep-fried sweet soaked in syrup).

Finally we made it back to the ship. I’m exhausted but it has taken me a while to wind down. Vit and I are tippy toeing around each other, being extra polite and kind. It is obvious even to a blind man we are both trying to figure out what is going wrong, with neither of us knowing how to fix this. The only good thing I can say is that I was notified I do not have to go ashore tomorrow. I will spend the day between Baird’s office and taking care of some of my own household tasks that are falling behind. For now, I am going to climb in bed. Vit has fallen asleep but it seems to be a troubled one. I hope he gets adequate rest, there is a new piece of equipment coming tomorrow and he is expected to oversee part of its installation.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 85: April 5 – Bombay (Mumbai), India (2) (Sunday)

There are days I might dare to scream and throw things. This morning was one of them. After getting a message last night that I would be off today, I got a call at 4:30 am telling me I had a group that would start at 6:00 am. If it had been anyone other than Polina I might have kicked up a fuss. She didn’t exactly apologize but she did say it was all for a good cause and that I would be “handsomely compensated” for the overtime.

I had been personally requested to provide security for a group of adults going on a yoga tour. After my late night on the food tour I was not precisely thrilled, but security was the job I was assigned and it didn’t always come at my convenience.

I wound up participating, so it was a good thing I went prepared so I wouldn’t stand out. Visually, it was an impressive tour. We saw the majestic Banganga Tank, the Hanging Gardens, and visited the famous world heritage site Victoria Terminus, as well as the bustling Crawford Market. And Dhobi Ghat, the world’s largest open-air laundry, when was located en route was even busier in the early morning than it had been last evening. After the yoga session at a park – soothing to some, invigorating to me - we ended the morning with a healthy South Indian breakfast and chai.

I was back on the ship at 9:30 sharp just in time to be informed that I must accompany another mixed group (some high school mixed with some family members). That’s when I realized it was Sunday and I’d be missing my day with Vit. Well surprise! The part did not arrive so Vit was free to join the group as we headed to Sanjay Gandhi National Park for a nature tour.

“You are sure you do not mind?” Vit asked diffidently.

“Of course I don’t, but don’t do this if you would prefer to do something else. You are always the one that has to be flexible just so we can spend some time together. I am aware that it is not fair. You’re always the one that has to dial back what you’d rather do.”

He blinked but said quietly, “That is not true. But as long as you do not object, I will join your group.”

“It isn’t mine. I’ve been ‘personally requested,’” I told him rolling my eyes.

“You are popular.”

“Ugh. I could do without that and you know it. So long as we are together the day will not be a complete loss but I wish we could do something with just the two of us. I think we need to get away from all of these people that push and pull us in too many different directions.”

He gave me a strange look but nodded and allowed me to start herding the cats so the guide could pick us up and get us loaded in a timely manner. After the bus ride we arrived at Sanjay Gandhi National Park located in the northern part of Mumbai. The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a rich natural habitat that houses lakes, valleys, lush greenery, birds, butterflies, and wildlife, such as leopards, deer, four-horned antelope, flying foxes, mongooses, and langurs.

Some people call the park the “lungs of Mumbai” because its reason for existence is to try and maintain a green belt to help clean all of the pollution out of the air of the city. I’m not sure if it truly can do that but I admit that my eyes did not burn quite so bad, nor did my head hurt and sinuses feel congested.

Also located within the national park is the Kanheri Caves, a 2,000-year-old complex of rock-cut caves that are a protected archaeological site. There were many relics of Buddha in the exhibits. It's believed that the Kanheri Caves are located on an ancient trade route that connected India to other ancient civilizations.

The park was very crowded and not terribly well maintained in comparison to US parks of a similar nature. For me it put a damper on the experience above and beyond the fact that I was security, not participant. Other people didn’t find it thus. I think Vit simply enjoyed getting away from the ship and agreed that we need more such time. I wish we could have been alone … or as alone as you can get in such a busy venue … but I appreciate what time we did have together and told him so during dinner tonight. He seemed surprised.

“You are not enjoying your independence?”

“What independence?”

“Your position? It is rare that you have a day off.”

I shrugged. “Whatever it takes to stay on this ship with you. I mean I admit that I believe in the Mission but mostly I believe in us staying together. I don’t know what I would have done had we not gotten onto the ship together.”

“You could have come aboard without a specific assignment. There are other wives like that.”

“The SOs of the XOs? No thank you. I am not going to sit around on my rear end while you slave away.”

He appeared confused. “You did not work when we were in Pembroke.”

“Correction. I did not work outside of the house in Pembroke. But if there hadn’t been the gardening and other things that saved us money I would have found a job someway even if it had meant working at a nursery school. I almost did if you remember.”

He sneered. “That is not what I wished for you. The place was barely more than a madhouse in one room and in the other the children all acted like robots.”

“I admit the special needs classroom was a little … um … heavy handed but then again I didn’t know enough about the students and their circumstances to really judge.”

“But you did not have to because I was able to find a job.”

“You always managed to. But I still would have found something if there hadn’t been working with Angelia and Christine. The B is different. The only way I was going to have a place and stay with you was to qualify for some type of assignment. I’m … Vit are you worried that I’m unhappy? Because honestly, as much as I probably complain about things it really is worth is since we …”

“… stay together,” he finished for me. “Yes. That is good.”

He showed me how good and fell asleep not long afterwards. It is funny how we still fall into the routine we created so long ago on the Sun when we worked for the Marchands. And now that he is good and asleep I will join him. Tomorrow I go blind looking at impossibly incorrect translations and I also have a lot of laundry to do. Two of our uniforms reek and not even fabric freshener can help at this stage. Tomorrow is also the only buffer sea day before we head into the Middle East. I suspect that is another stressor that Vit is suffering from.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 86: April 6 – at sea

Saints preserve us, I believe they finally fixed the problem with the translating machines. If they haven’t, they’ve hired someone that knows how to act as a portal to prevent gobbledy-gook from reaching my desk. Hooray! When I find out who it is I’ll treat them to tea or coffee, ice cream … all three … their choice.

While I was in Baird’s office, I received a visit from one of the onboard protocol directors. He was polite and professional, but it was a little insulting on a personal level, as if I didn’t have the sense to research proper behavior for each port so that I could warn the students and/or set the tone and model my actions to create as few problems as possible.

After we got through his initial spiel he relaxed and said, “By rights my female counterpart should be sounding you out about this.”

“Why?”

“Well, to be honest, because that is how gender-specific protocol training usually occurs.”

“And it didn’t this time because?”

“I’m not sure. You’re the only female on my list.”

I shrugged it off at the time, but it does beg the question if I am being set up … or set apart … for some reason.

Vit told me to ask Polina and I may. I just don’t want anyone to get the idea that I am super sensitive about such topics … or being female. I mean I am female but sometimes that isn’t the most important issue on the table.

Protocol tip number one is to retain my self-confidence and humor. I suppose that should be obvious but basically I think they are telling us to keep our cool. We are also to balance alertness with a certain detachment. We do this by ignoring stares and refusing to dignify suggestive remarks with a response which generally stops unwanted advances in their tracks.

If our group dines off-ship we are to eat in a restaurant’s family section, where one exists, or at places more used to tourists. The one that nearly had me laughing, though Vit told me it is actually a common piece of advice for female tourists, is to if necessary, invent or borrow a husband, wear a wedding ring or even carry a photo of your ‘kids’.

One that I have always found helpful is to avoid direct eye contact with local men (dark sunglasses help), although a cold glare can also be an effective riposte if deployed at the right moment. The real goal is to maximize interaction with local women and avoid traveling in public transport except in a group of other females. For instance only sit next to other women and if you need to ask directions, as a female not a male. Another bit of advice that I’ve employed since my college years that if nothing else works and you can’t shake off a hanger-on, go to the nearest public place, such as a hotel lobby. If he persists even there, ask the receptionist to call the police.

The best advice is to try and avoid getting in a difficult situation to begin with. I asked if they were giving this same talk to the students, teachers, and chaperones.

“Yes, most definitely. Feel free to go back over the instructions each day before leaving the ship. There may be some irritation but the truth is that if even one person forgets and creates a situation, it reflects on the entire group and from the group back to the work being done by the Peace Mission.”

I agreed and have said so previously so from that perspective I am in harmony with the strictures. Yes, I suppose it goes against my “American attitude” a bit but it is the reality we are currently working in so ignoring it does no good.

I got much the same talking points from Vit. And again, part of me was insulted but I am going to choose to put it down to him being concerned for my safety and not just the latest round of testosterone poisoning.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 87: April 7 – Karachi, Pakistan

I like my job. Or jobs. But there are days …

Today we were in Karachi, Pakistan. Not exactly what you would call the garden spot of the planet. One of the major tourist conglomerates once said, “Pakistan is the difficult child of South Asia – blessed with abundant natural and historical riches, but plagued by political instability, which has kept the country off the radar for all but the most hardened explorers.” That’s about the best description I’ve ever heard of it. Even after decades of contact and being on the “It” list for tourists, the US State Department still says that that due to “ongoing security problems in Pakistan, foreign governments advise against all travel, or all but essential travel, to many parts of the country. Your travel insurance may be invalid if you ignore this advice. Because of the risk of political violence, foreign visitors are required to travel with an armed escort in some areas. Seek up-to-date information on the security situation in areas you plan to visit before travelling to Pakistan.” So I cut Vit some slack when it came to his opinion of me going ashore. It didn’t exactly thrill me either.

Then I thought that I had hit the jackpot. The students were being given a special tour of a government building. It was an honor and all that. However, this meant that the big guns (not so figuratively speaking) were brought in and I was superfluous as they were going to be heavily guarded by military personnel, even during photo ops. I also wasn’t expected to report to Baird’s office either. Great. Wonderful. I have stockings and socks that need washing and I was planning on deep conditioning my hair as well.

That’s when my comm buzzed. I should have known.

“I am very sorry,” Polina said trying not to snicker at was obviously a horrified look on my face.

I know I behave a little familiar with her considering she is my boss but we were alone and … well … I really was horrified.

“Veta,” she said while take a sip of tea to hide her mouth. “You were specifically requested.”

“Oh my Lord … why?! Wouldn’t they prefer one of the hunky guys from say the Irish contingent play pack mule for them? I mean they even come with an accent and ginger hair! Really. I heard it firsthand from Barney and if Barney said something they really must be off the chart.”

Polina is trying really hard not to laugh. I think she thought I was trying to be funny. Um … no. I wasn’t.

She was asking me to accompany a group of the wealthier diplomats SO’s on a shopping expedition. Well, not really asking but I suppose had I had a legitimate objection should would have listened. Ugh.

My agreement was a foregone conclusion, but I wasn’t happy about it. Vit was none too pleased with my assignment either but as he had his own issues to deal with I only got a dozen reminders of what to do should I get in trouble, which one of the attendees were likely to get in trouble themselves, but most importantly how to not get in trouble in the first place. I tried not to feel insulted, and I really didn’t, but one more lecture I did not feel up to.

Under normal circumstances I might have even found some of the shopping done to be interesting … or at least not horrible … but the way those women shopped? And the two men that were also in our group were at least as bad, not to mention trying to pass them off as straight was a real struggle. They both complained of having to fake it to make it … it being the list of those allowed to go ashore. I wasn’t touching that one. There is no way to be politically correct enough for some people. Then we were off ship. The only thing I can say is that Grover and Towers were both in the security detail so I didn’t feel like a complete loon. Or at least not a loon alone … or an alone loon … something like that. Perhaps I have had one too many glasses of wine as I type this day’s entry.

Pakistan is renowned for its abundant resources of precious stones like Black Onyx, Emerald, Turquoise, Topaz, Lapis, Tanzanite, Ruby, Peridot, Aquamarine, Kunzite, Coral, Amethyst and Tourmaline and Sapphire. You can find these stones embedded in jewelry such as pendants, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings. The artisanship involved in producing the pieces showed the talent of the region. But that was not the only type of shopping that I herded that group through. The day basically turned into four hours of insanity as it is like whack-a-mole trying to help the SOs to barter, watch out for pick pockets, keep them behaving socially acceptable to the local culture, making sure they didn’t eat or drink things that they shouldn’t, etc.

First it was the Babar Market. It was a building of architecturally British heritage that housed mouth-watering delicious street food, cultural items, and different bazaars (markets). I would have loved to have gone through the place with Vit. But I wasn’t there to shop but to keep other shoppers from showing their “cultural insensitivity” and doing something we’d all regret. My feet and head were killing me and we were only there thirty minutes.

Next came Bohri Bazar, then Ranchore line bazar, Jodia Bazaar, Sarafa bazar, and finally Empress Market. Our escorts seemed to enjoy making jokes at my expense. Fine. I can take it. By ignoring it. Good girl Veta. My tooth enamel needs repair from where I was grinding my teeth but I didn’t think anyone could notice.

Then to get back on the ship and have Polina laugh at me as well. Grrr. But I held it in. Until I got to the cabin.

“You did not buy anything?! We have a list!” Which was somehow Vit’s way of telling me of my shopping shortcomings.

I’d had it but didn’t have the energy to let him have it. Instead I said, “You know I am giving serious consideration to simply having a nervous breakdown and being shipped off to some nice, quiet sanitarium. Next time you should just volunteer your own services since you seem to know exactly how to get things done right. I am going to take a shower.”

To add insult to injury I had finished showering and was just about to shave my legs when I hear Vit laughing uproariously. Laughing! Like I haven’t heard him laugh in a long while. I had a terrible premonition but tried to finish shaving my legs without taking off any skin or slicing an artery, possibly on purpose.

Sure enough I come out to find that Polina has shared a “humorous montage” of my day as seen through my body cam. Maybe one day I will be able to laugh at the Monty Python-esque scenes but it will be a while.

“Yeah. Ha … ha,” I said trying to hide my shaking hands by detangling the mane and putting in leave-in conditioner so I won’t look like Medusa tomorrow.

“My poor Kokhana,” Vit tells me still laughing before heading off for a late shift.

Whatever. I’m glad he is in a better mood. At least temporarily. But I swear, next time someone else can take a turn herding that particular group of cats. To make it worse I’m positively sloshing in chai. (And wine.) I must have had 10 cups today. (Not wine but I have had a couple more glasses than I probably should have.) It is a hospitality thing here in the Middle East. At least it wasn’t coffee. I’d probably be dancing on the ceiling. It was good chai. But ten cups?! Ergh. Not even I drink that much without consequences. (And have I mentioned I’ve had a few glasses of wine as well?)

One of which – not glasses or cups but consequences – is I am wide awake long past the time I should be in bed. Tomorrow is our first day in Oman. Frankly I’m surprised that Vit didn’t feel the need to give me a preemptive lecture. Honestly that is all I seem to get lately. From everyone. And this time including Derrick and the rest of the brats. Angelia and Christine as well. Even Barbie decided to descend from her throne and complain how much worry I am causing the family being off on “that wild adventure” that just proves I haven’t grown up yet and how could I possibly understand since I don’t have children. Blah, blah, blah. Gah!

Well this isn’t an adventure. It’s a job. I nearly told her that too but I’m trying to not cause more problems than already exist. Trouble on the home front. Trouble on the extended home front. I think I know how Charlie must feel. Being Switzerland sucks. No one is ever satisfied no matter how diplomatic you try to be.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 88: April 8 – Muscat, Oman

Another one of “those” days. Vit and his blasted lectures and “gentle” chiding. Polina’s reminders (her job … and mine to listen … but sometimes hard to hear). Mr. Parnell’s attempts to claim my attention while doing his own bit of “chiding” and “prodding”. And beyond that feeling superfluous because I’m the token female on the security team and not really there as a member but as a convenience in case “female issues” come up. I was simply there for propriety’s sake rather than as a someone holding a legitimate position. Even the men that I’ve worked with before seemed to look down on me. And no, I’m not imagining it.

Okay, so maybe they weren’t looking down on me exactly but they certainly didn’t act like I was as qualified for this particular security detail as they were. I know (knew) some pirates that could tell them otherwise. Whatever. Don’t fight it Veta. Learn to live with it. Not-fighting is your talent. Accept it and move on.

Today we were in Muscat, Oman. According to a travel guide I read in preparation for this port, “Scenically wedged between mountains and ocean, with old forts and excellent museums, an opera house and flower-filled parks, the gentle city of Muscat is a delight to visit. Its name means ‘safe anchorage’, and the sea plays an important role in city life to this day, sustaining the fishing industry and providing opportunities for visitors to swim from sandy beaches or dive with turtles in nearby lagoons.”

The students were exposed to a wide variety of what the city has to offer. I’ll admit I was a bit surprised that some parents kept their children aboard ship. Of those kept aboard I was not surprised that they were all female. It wasn’t enough to make a large impact on our numbers, but to me it was noticeable.

We started with a stop at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. We had been assigned several guides at the port and then hopped aboard an air-conditioned bus. We passed city’s imposing foreign embassy buildings while traveling to the Grand Mosque – an ornate place of worship that was given to the nation by the ruling Sultan Qaboos on the 30th year of his reign. We were scheduled to go inside but a prayer meeting was taking place and we were given an explanation of the mosque’s Islamic architecture and invited to marvel at pictures of the richly decadent interiors, complete with Persian carpets and gilded walls.

Next came the Mutrah Souq, located in the quarter where most of Muscat’s top attractions are found. Outside the souq was the Muttrah Fish Market, a colorfully chaotic Arabic market, and we then strolled along the corniche, a scenic area lined with attractive mosques and latticed merchant houses. They separated the students by gender and I was technically in charge of the female students, teachers, and chaperones but it was obvious that we were being overseen by males on both our own security team and a team of female “police” from the Oman leadership. We headed inside the souq and were nearly blinded with a dazzling selection of stalls hawking Omani handicrafts and silverware. No female was allowed to purchase anything without a male being present and giving her “permission” or at least the appearance of it. Except at the food stalls but we were reminded (there’s that word again) on what is considered appropriate behavior. I abstained but monitored the transactions. The female students were quite intimidated and didn’t do much more than look. On the other hand I noticed that those with male siblings were able to signal when they were particularly interested in something and their brothers did the haggling for them. Even Edda, who really surprised me.

From the souq we traveled to Muscat Old Town to explore on foot. It was a handsome gated neighborhood home to the diwan (ruler’s office) as well as several Portuguese fortresses. We passed two magnificent ones – Al-Jalali Fort and Al-Mirani Fort – and admired the opulence of the Sultan’s Palace (Qasr Al Alam) – the palace of Sultan Qaboos.

Finally, concluding the first part of our day, we visited Bait Al Zubair Museum to learn about Omani heritage and history. It included seeing a large display of traditional handicrafts, photos and other artifacts. Afterwards we took a short break for a small meal – again, separated by gender – before heading to the remainder of the day’s field trip.

While technically a “fun” outing, the students were given strict rules to treat it as a science lesson. The students were loaded onto a small boat – we lost our female police in the process – and taken to Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve in the Gulf of Oman. It took roughly 45 to 50 minutes to reach to the Islands. The further from land we got the more relaxed the students became. Once we reached our destination, we stopped and put down anchor not far from a private beach. No reporters, no paparazzi of any kind, thanks to the Omani security as well as security from the B.

Again the students were kept separate by gender but we snorkeled, swam and “relaxed” on the beach. There was a little bit of stress by the girls because they were being stared at so I did my best to keep them focused on the lessons. It also wasn’t easy to swim in the hijab swimwear all of us females were required to don before we were allowed to participate. But we got through the day and made it back to the ship without incident.

I am a little concerned as I heard several of the females, including teachers and chaperones, saying that if that is the way it is going to be they would prefer just to stay onboard. I reported it to Polina who said she was hearing from other females – including military personnel – roughly the same thing. She asked me if I was of the same mind and all I could do was shrug.

“I’m not here on a pleasure cruise. My daily activity is based upon the need of whatever staff I am assigned to. If you are asking me if I was personally uncomfortable … not really. Was I irritated at some of the strictures yes, but that’s a cultural thing and I’ll abide by it to further the Peace Mission. However, it is my job to do that. I’m not sure if the family of the diplomats see it the same way. And some of the parents? We already had some parents keep their kids aboard, and of some of those that did I was surprised.”

“Who?”

“Best example would be from the Romanian diplomats. They kept both their high school aged children on board … Anton and Raina. Raina I can sort of understand. She’s … er … excitable but not a bad girl, just spoiled but she’s gotten much better since I’ve known her. I think this mission is maturing her. Anton? That I’m surprised at. The boy is very … hmmm …”

“I’ve met the family,” Polina said with a look that said she understood what I was trying to say. After a look that said she was thinking she said, “Some of the families have reported getting direct threats against their staff or members. I will investigate to see if this is happening again.”

“The kids are being threatened specifically?!”

Polina nodded. “Remember that the politicians have factions in their own countries that are anti-peace mission. The threats had tapered off to nothing, but someone may be trying it again.”

With my report at an end and finding a lot to think about I returned to the cabin to find that Vit had gone ashore. Regardless of whatever is going on between us he still gave me a present. Two actually.

“Oh Vit,” I said, surprised.

“It is for the … the Christmas decorations. To freshen the one that we bought before.”

“It” was frankincense. It was a very thoughtful thing for Vit to do and surprised me. Maybe I am part of the problem between us. No maybe about it but I’m not sure how to undo what has become so tangled … and nearly habitual. The other present was a packet of honey and dates. They are incredibly sweet and rich so we only had one each for dessert before Vit had to head to his evening shift.

I don’t like that our schedules are so “off” from one another but for now this is how it must work. And it gets Vit away from the Chechen who continues to try and get under his skin. Idiot. It was obvious at the dinner he might be technically proficient, but his social skills are almost nil and Vit makes a far superior officer.

I need to put this away and get some rest. Tomorrow is another day. I just hope it is not another one of “those” days.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 89: April 9 – Fujairah, UAE

Vit has the beginnings of a cold. I had hoped he would sleep it off, but I had my doubts even after I left this morning; he muttered something about going ashore with Henry. This is me figuratively throwing my hands up in frustration. Thankfully I was able to dose him with some elderberry tincture that I had picked up before we left the States. His symptoms haven’t completely abated but he appears to be noticeably better than he was this morning.

Initially the students were scheduled for a city tour but instead I found out we were being packed onto a bus and taken to an area so we could take a Musandam Dibba cruise … actually back across the border into Oman. One of those from a ship to a bus to a boat kind of days. We had more parents keep their students onboard so the group was even smaller than normal.

We were picked up at the pier – thankfully in an air conditioned mini-bus since they required the windows to remain closed – and we traveled north along the UAE coast toward Dibba, located just across the Omani-UAE border. Along the way we admired the views of the rocky Hajar Mountains in one direction and the sparkling Gulf of Oman in the other. We crossed the international border into Oman and finally arrived in Dibba, where we went aboard a double-decker Omani dhow.

I’ll try and paraphrase the explanation given to us by our guide. “The word dhow is loosely used to describe all traditional wooden-hulled Arabian boats, although locals do distinguish between a wide range of vessels of different sizes and styles. The traditional Arabian dhow – such as the large, ocean-going boom – was curved at both ends, while other types – such as the sambuq and ghanjah boasted a high, square stern, supposedly inspired by the design of Portuguese galleons. Traditional dhows were powdered by enormous triangular lateen sails, although today the sails have now been replaced by conventional engines. Another peculiarity of the traditional dhow was its so-called stitched construction – planks, usually of teak, were literally sewn together using coconut rope, although nails were increasingly used after European ships began to visit the region.” As you can see the man took a lot of pride in the history of his people.

As we admired the traditional-style, wooden boat we were assigned to, we were helped to board by its friendly crew. They were friendlier with the male students and staff but it wasn’t unexpected and they were still polite to the rest of us which was nice. We were instructed to find a comfortable spot on deck and take in our first views of the Musandam Peninsula’s shores as we sailed onto the open sea.

It would have been nice to simply soak in the sunshine and scenery as we cruised up and down along Musandam’s coast, but I remained on alert. It would be even easier to use intimidation tactics against the students on the dhows than it had been on the tenders. Still, I did what I could to admire the passing high, barren mountains, fjord-like bays, hidden coves, and remote Omani fishing villages.

The students stayed refreshed with unlimited onboard sodas and refreshments and that was a relief as it was very warm. The bathrooms weren’t great so most of them started to watch their intake. Not all countries, even some wealthy countries, have the same hygiene boundaries as the Western World.

As we sat in the dhow we watched for the bottleneck and humpback dolphins that frequent the waters with our guide being kind enough to help the students spot them. Cameras were the tool of choice as we sailed by sea caves and places of interest such as the abandoned stone village of Haffa and the stunning, mountain-backed inlet of Zighy Bay.

A few of the students, all male, took part in an optional swim and snorkel in the crystal-clear seas and after they were back aboard and dressed, everyone savored a delicious buffet lunch of traditional Arabic dishes served on deck. Following lunch, everyone enjoyed the cruise back toward base, relaxing in the sunshine and stopping for a second swim and snorkel. The girls were prepared to swim with their “costume” but I think all of the gender specific rules spoiled the fun for them. I will agree that the swimming costume is a hassle to get into and out of.

We spent about four and a half hours on the water, then came ashore and took the bus back to Fujairah. We made one stop before returning to the pier and I admit that I enjoyed myself despite the tight security provided to the group while we were there. The Spice Souk is a treasure trove of popular spices as well as rare spices that cannot be bought in supermarkets or anywhere else in the UAE. Their strong aromas make meals flavorful but we were warned that some of them can make your carry-on luggage smell badly. A suggestion was to just pack them well and put inside your check-in luggage. We weren’t in that particular position but I made suggestions to the student to only buy the spices that they couldn’t find back home and in smaller quantities.

“Ms. Veta?”

“Yes Edda?”

She laughed and pointed at the bag I was carrying.

“Oh. Well …” I smiled and shrugged. And she was correct. I had purchased quite a collection of whole spices.

The sheer number of spices on offer was somewhat daunting, from Persian oregano and bay, to Indochinese Kaffir lime and curry leaves. There were also ingredients essential for Emirati cooking. Nearby the street vendors sold a variety of other items from coffee and shisha to incense and frankincense, or the traditional Arabic perfume Oudh made from the bark of the Agarwood tree. It was sensory overload.

From giant cinnamon sticks to whole Sichuan peppercorns, cardamom, cumin, coriander and curry powders, we could find all the seasoning staples there. But we also found more unusual offerings like ancient orange peel, dried cucumbers and preserved lemons – popular ingredients in tagines, salads and relishes recipes of the region. There was also sumac, a deep purple spice with a lemony tartness; zaatar, a mixture of sumac, sesame seeds and herbs used throughout the region; and ras el hanout, a pungent North African medley of dozens of top-drawer spices used in marinades and meat dishes.

One vendor was kind enough to teach us about saffron. The trick to selecting superior grade saffron is to examine the length of the ‘style’ (strand) and color: the redder the better, and there should be no color variation. Grades of Iranian saffron include sargol, the strongest grade that has red tips only, and pushal / pushali, a lower strength with some yellow. It should also pass the sniff test: saffron should give off a sweet, floral scent.

As we wandered along the narrow alleyways and we also found crunchy nuts and dried fruits to take back to the ship, and other quintessentially Arabian souvenirs such as pashminas and embroidered items. Perhaps it is stereotypical to say the girls had a better time at the spice souk than they did on the dhow but so be it. I didn’t get any grief from the chaperones either which was nice.

Once back on the ship I went to check on Vit only to find out he did indeed go with Henry. I left my purchases there until I could finish my reports and come back and put the spices in airtight containers so our cabin wouldn’t smell like the spice souk.

I was finishing the reports when I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of a large sneeze right behind me.

Turning to see who it was I cringed. “Vit!”

The very nasally reply was, “It isth noth a colthd. The thouk was duthty.”

“Sure. And let’s clear up that ‘dust’ with some tea and another spoonful of elderberry shall we before Yegor spots you and wants to experiment.”

Vit made a face but acquiesced.

I managed to get him to eat a bowl of soup and he worked on reports here in the cabin rather than go in for his evening shift but admitted that some extra rest sounded good. After he fell asleep I called Communications and suggested that everyone in there start cleaning all surfaces and got a message from Yegor that essentially said, “Don’t try and teach your mother to suck eggs.” Cute.

Also after Vit went to bed I found out what he’d gone ashore for. First, Henry needed a little muscle … literally … to take care of some items that Baird had ordered and needed to pay for. I am not the only one trying to take advantage of some of the ports by acquiring staple items that are pricey back home. What Vit also did was buy a supply of oudh which is an expensive fragrance oil derived from agarwood resin. There’s a small case under the bed that holds this mesmerizing scent gift in multiple forms: pure oil, mixed oil of Oudh and other floral oils like rose and jasmine, and oudh fragrance perfume (Ajmal and Ne’emah). Vit also picked up some Bakhoor which is the term for agarwood chips that are burned to produce an aroma that permeates an entire room; it is an alternative to candles and incense and mor subtle than the oudh.

I think I’m finally ready for bed myself. This UAE leg of the trip is proving to be stressful and exhausting.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 90: April 10 – Khoral al Fakkan, UAE

Finally got our laundry done. The cabin is clean – not that it ever gets really dirty because I run the vacuum and keep the bathroom picked up, but it does occasionally need reorganizing. I even managed to get the next crate packed for shipping which should happen in about two weeks. I feel so accomplished. Vit gave me a strange look when I said it then got back to working on his reports.

How did I manage to find the time to get everything finished? Today was a family day for those that desired. I didn’t really feel like going ashore by myself (probably wouldn’t be allowed to) nor did I feel like trying to pull a group together. Nor did I want to add to Vit’s stress. He’s been watching the news and it hasn’t been giving either of us the warm fuzzies.

Several embassies in this region (including two US embassies) were attacked. No fatalities, and no one has claimed responsibility yet which in and of itself is unusual. Buildings weren’t even damaged beyond a few cracked windows. It is almost like someone was testing a system. Or testing a reaction. A test to see if they could, but not necessarily actually do any real damage. Frequently Vit has looked at me like he wanted to say something but then he wouldn’t.

He knows I am security. He knows that this is what keeps us together. I hope he knows that I am at least proficient at my job and that I would never put the students in harm’s way by acting foolish. He used to take pride in that. Now? Not so much. Or at least that is how it feels. I wonder what changed and when?

I almost asked him if he wanted to go ashore but I know he is not feeling 100%. I told him I would go pick up something for lunch and bring it back. He grunted which I took for agreement. I was at the door when he said, “Veta?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

I came back in and hugged him (no kiss, I don’t need the cold) and I felt him relax. I’m not sure what is going on, but his stress level is off the chart. While I waited for Vit’s burger I listened to the ship’s gossip. Today’s port, Khoral Fakkan, is apparently not without its charms, especially along its well-maintained corniche, which runs the full length of the waterfront. The city, though, is dominated by its super-busy container port. At times, it looks as if an entire armada of ships can be seen on the horizon, queuing to dock, unload or refuel.

It was nice? Calm? Productive? I’m not sure exactly what to call today. Mostly we holed up in our cabin when I wasn’t doing laundry or getting food. We didn’t fight which was great. We didn’t bicker or snipe or growl or anything. It wasn’t really a camaraderie kind of day, but I will take what I can get. Lord only knows what tomorrow will bring.

And for tonight I am getting some extra sleep. Vit didn’t have to go in but did wear down earlier than normal. At least he was pleased to have plowed through so many reports that were behind. That’s something I suppose.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 91: April 11 – Sir Bani Yas Island, UAE

Vit was a bit foul this morning. I don’t know whether I was thankful to escape his foulness or sorry that I had to leave him because his foulness meant he didn’t feel well. And somehow it was my fault that it was either way. Men really aren’t very good at being sick. It is just unusual for Vit to be this bad at not feeling good.

And then there was the lovely kerfuffle created by Mr. Parnell and the Protocol Chief over yet one more obnoxious, testosterone-driven lecture on dress code and behavior of female staff and students. I’m the last person to be offended by men being men. But seriously? They really needed to adjust some of their phrasing. I fixed it for them by turning it around on them and discussing why they really needed to watch how the males dressed and behaved. What kind of signals were they giving off. Which buttons they were allowed to have undone and perhaps it would be best if they were to keep their head covered considering they might embarrass everyone by appearing less than morally stable. There were a lot of disgruntled looks by the male students and staff and a lot of snickering by the females.

Pointing out the obvious I said, “Now we see what happens when things get out of hand. Good intentions or not, commonsense goes out the window.” Everyone quieted down, wondering what zinger would come next. Instead I gave them something serious to think about. “We are on a PEACE mission. We are trying to prevent wars … possibly a world war … that could potentially kill millions of people, tens of millions of people, and not necessarily because they were hit with a bullet or bomb. Things like clean water, food, adequate shelter, education, infrastructure failure and financial collapse all play a role. Simply being able to get along together on a day to day basis. We are not here to impose our culture on others even when we don’t agree with the culture or the worldview of those places we visit. However, to get respect you need to minimally behave respectfully to the person on the other side of the table. When we behave with respect with regard to the cultural rules and acceptable behavior in the ports we visit it … it opens doors … and minds … so that our work … our mission … is for lack of a better phrase … more palatable for the people we are trying to reach. We are communicating to them that we aren’t looking down on them, that we want to partner with them, to make things better for all of us.”

One of the teachers started to open their mouths, and I could tell they weren’t going to applaud my points and take things off course. I forestalled them by saying, “This is NOT a gender issue. Yes, there is the potential to the subject too far. To be disrespectful to us here. We must not compromise our principles and morals. Nor should we force others to compromise theirs. What we need is to find a balance, so for now treat it like when you go to a friend’s house. Their house, their parents’ rules. You break the rules too many times, unintentionally or not and you aren’t allowed to go back again, and further may lose a friend over it … then word gets around to other parents and … you get my drift, correct?”

The students nodded.

“Good. Mistakes are natural to the human condition. But since humans want to be a little farther up the evolutionary ladder than pond scum, we should want to minimize mistakes and certainly don’t want to participate in any intentional rudeness.” I heard a smart aleck comment in the back from a student known for thinking he was a lot funnier than he actually was. “You know, I can leave you here on the ship with Chief Ivanov for company.”

“Geez. I was just sayin’ …”

“Yes, so I heard. But I care about what happens to each of you students. I would hate to have to explain to your parents why you are sitting in a foreign prison cell. So to forego that possibility, you can stay here. For your protection of course.”

“But …!”

“Excuse me?”

He yelled, “You can’t do that!”

“Obviously you have forgotten the lessons learned in the beginning of this mission. This IS part of my job. I haven’t been forced to for a while. You just pushed the boundaries beyond good sense and rather than worry that you’ll create a situation others will have to suffer for … you win the prize.”

He tried to get other students to join him but Jae spoke for everyone when he said, “I’m not paying because you decide to express your stupid Birinski. My parents are giving me enough grief and threatening to keep me on board. You, or anyone else, make that happen and see what happens to all the tutoring help you get.”

I tried to not let my surprise show when the other science gleeks lined up with him. Certainly several of the other students grew cautious and let the hothead pay the penalty. If he thought I was kidding as I had him walk with us toward security, he was surprised when I turned him over to Grover with a time/date stamp to add to the required report.

Finally we were off and moving, and the students found out just how sorry their peer was going to be to have missed the excursion. It was a “theme park” trip for all students. The one fly in the ointment is that they preferred to have things divided up into gender groups … biological gender groups … and the news media types with us tried to make a stink even though there were no “other identity” students on board. There were a couple of “other identity” staff and media people that seemed to be driving the ruckus. It was politically and socially problematic to ask them to rein themselves in but that is what finally took place. People in admin were on tenterhooks the entire day, waiting for someone to break protocol. And that even includes an administrator that identifies as non-binary who apparently has no love for most of the other “other identity” individuals on board ship because they dislike the constant attention seeking behavior.

Even after my warning I had finally had enough of a couple of the chaperones and reminded them that it wasn’t just the students that I had the authority to leave behind. A couple of the “feminist” chaperones tried some push back and told me I was completely unsuitable, that I was teaching compellingly ignorant things to the students. Guess who else got left behind with their mouths gapping open when I instructed security to deny them exit from the ship. Found out later from Polina that they tried to make a stink about it but then Polina gave them a choice, they could either spend the rest of the day confined to quarters or they could spend it in the brig for endangering the students by distracting the security detail. How is it that people continually forget about the body cams? And that they aren’t just for show but get reviewed all the time in real time? I hope it doesn’t create another problem for me, but I must do my job and people who act like blockheads in port endanger personnel and mission both.

It was a bit of a drive, but we finally arrived at the indoor Ferrari World theme park and shops of Yas Island. Once inside, the first thing the students did was ride what was once the fastest rollercoaster on the planet. Essentially we were strapped into the cockpit of a F1™ vehicle. Oh my Lord, I’m not afraid of roller coasters but the acceleration of 240km/h in under 5 seconds was a bit much even for me. Who wouldn’t feel a little buffeted after 4.8G’s?

Not all the students (or adults) were interested in that type of activity but with more than 20 rides and attractions, there was something for everyone. There was even a Junior Grand Prix driving school, where the students “mastered” the art of Grand Prix racing in a scaled-down racing car.

After a couple of hours of rides, we headed to Yas Mall to shop to everyone’s content and spread some economic cheer. There were exclusive designer products and fashion trends among the vast array of stores. The students and many of the adults along stocked up on beauty supplies, fun toys and treats. My head literally was pounding when we got back to the ship after trying to keep up with everyone as they browsed stores specializing in clothing, jewelry, homeware, electronics and accessories. I was too busy keeping an eye out. And angrier than I expected to be at the loss of the two chaperones. They caused unnecessary stress to the entire security team.

I walked into Polina’s office, my head still pounding despite three acetaminophens and a cup of tea, to give her my report. Someone slammed a filing cabinet drawer and I winced.

“Was a rough day?”

“Not especially. At least not more than normal. This area is very dry and …”

She grinned and said, “You tell such sweet stories Little Sister. Now, tell the truth.” She pointed to a chair and I proceeded from there.

“But it is also very dry and I gave my water to a couple of the students that started to become overheated.”

“You are not their mother, nor their teacher. You are security. If you are not at your best it could put your charges in danger. How many flats of water were there?”

When I told her she frowned, looked at another report and said, “That is two less than there should have been. You will need to be watchful. I suspect that supplies are being ... mislaid.”

“Mislaid? Oh, you mean stolen.”

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. There is some jealousy starting to show with regard to the staff, military personnel, diplomatic corp, and students.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake. We’ve all been together in this for how many months now?! Isn’t it bad enough that we get extra special lectures from the Protocol Chief and his staff about how every female must be intentionally or unintentionally out to attract male attention to the detriment of the entire human race?!”

“Ah. So Chief Khan is as irritating as I have heard?”

“Irritating? Yes. But for someone in charge of protocol it is more than that. He has no diplomatic skills. Or he doesn’t use them with the students and education staff. He focuses so much on the minutiae that he fails to include why something should be done a certain way and to make it palatable.”

“Not all rules are ‘palatable’ as you say. Sometimes you must simply obey.”

“I understand that. But we are talking about teenagers who will be the next generation of people trying to create an environment of peace in this world. We should be teaching them how to get along respectfully, not teaching them the only way to get along is to be subservient, or one of the few elites in charge. No teenager wants to be ‘lesser’ or ‘subservient’. No adults do either for that matter. We should be able to get along as equals despite our cultural differences. Not having some individuals try and control the others by mandate.”

She looked at me then said, “What you say may be beyond my capacity to implement but I will raise it in the Committee meetings. It is an interesting way of putting the problem we face. But you must understand as well that someone must always ‘be in charge.’ Rule by committee is nearly impossible.”

“I understand and I’m not saying I have all the answers for all people. But … from my opinion … some of this needs to be handled better. Not with kid gloves but … less hammer looking for nails.”

Uh oh. I could see Polina taking note of another “American phrase.” I hope Yegor isn’t irritated.

By the time I got back to the cabin Vit was gone for the evening. He did leave me a note that said thank you for having soup delivered for lunch and that he felt better. He also let me know that I would not be able to reach him due to several meetings but for me to call and leave a message for him that I returned safely to the ship. I had already done that by stopping by his office. There must be some staffing changes because I was not familiar with many of those on duty.

I ate dinner in the buffet, something I had been avoiding for a while. Perhaps I shouldn’t. I was invited to sit with some of the other security staff and had a nice meal listening to them talk. I found out there are just as many upset adult females as there are teenagers with the way the protocol for this area of the world is being handled. None of them came right out and said that Chief Khan is the problem but it sounded like it was being inferred. I have to be careful how I phrase things but I did re-use the example of going over to a friend’s house. Maybe it worked, maybe it didn’t but at least they didn’t act more offended.

Once back in the cabin I did a bit of straightening and packing, not that there was much of either to do, and then considered doing some laundry but instead decided to pick up my violin and practice since Vit wouldn’t be here to disturb. I should do it more often as I am relaxed in a way I have not been in a while. And now I am off to bed. I miss having Vit here but for now we are on alternate shifts. I hope that rights itself soon. I’m … I’m lonely.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 92: April 12 – Ras al Khaiman, UAE (Sunday)

What a surprising bit of fun today has been. Vit came in only a moment after I put my journal away last night and said he was feeling “much better.” Uh huh. I knew what that meant and honestly, I was happy for it to be so as I had missed our closeness. Afterwards I found out that we would be going ashore together after all. He wouldn’t tell me what it was until I told him it was wicked to do that right when we were supposed to go to sleep. He finally caved and told me. Wow.

A group of XOs were going to compete at a British-owned outdoor adventure facility just outside of Ras al Khaiman in the UAE. I had no idea. Some of the XOs’ SOs became jealous that they weren’t included. As much as I would like to think of them all as “ornamental” that isn’t true. Many of them are every bit as physically healthy as I am. They wanted to compete as well. The challenge was that in this area things would have to be divided by gender. There was an uneven number and Vit asked if I would like to compete since I was already going to be there with the students. It took me all of two seconds to say yes with enough enthusiasm that he laughed. Now it wasn’t a competition in the traditional sense, more like leadership training. Yes, individually you could shine but the deeper into the competition you went, the more it became about the group.

The mountain setting was idyllic. Unlike anything I had seen outside of a documentary. Ras al Khaiman is one of the seven emirates of the UAE and one of the more liberal. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t “rules” that we had to follow, including rules of dress. I wore loose coolat pants that were nearly as billowy as a long skirt, with knee-hi hose that were the same color (black). My top was a white linen with a square neck and three-quarter sleeves. I covered my hair with a snood, more for convenience than for propriety. My shoes were black athletic Skechers brand. I could have used something with more ankle support, but I wasn’t thinking when I chose them.

The contests were varied, allowing everyone to show off their skills. Rock climbing, wilderness survival skills, archery, orienteering, a treasure hunt, and an honest to goodness camel race. I was chosen to captain the women’s team and I took full advantage of what I knew of each woman but when it came to the camel race they decided I could deal with that one, especially as the camel in question did not seem terribly impressed with any of us. By the end of the race our team was laughing so hard it didn’t matter that we lost. I’m fairly certain the camel thought we were a prank played on him by the other camels but at least he didn’t spit at me, unlike the men’s camel. Disgusting.

Amazingly enough, despite losing many of the competitions, we came in second place ahead of two of the men’s teams with points because of the points we earned as a team … which is what our instructors ultimately said had been the point of many of the competitions. As a final treat we had earned a ride on the world’s longest zipline on Ras Al Khaimah’s Jebel Jais – the highest mountain in the UAE. Each “flyer” was fitted with a special harness for the adventure, a “flight” taking approximately two to three minutes. What was fun is that since we all wore the ubiquitous body cams, we all got copies of our flight where we traveled at speeds of up to 120kph to 150kph at a height of 1,680 meters above sea level. I felt like an adrenaline junky.

I think Vit may have overdone it too soon after being ill. He had a low-grade fever after dinner and we’ve made an early night of it. I noted several of the XOs have. I’m sure some will be sore tomorrow but if I am one of them I will have to ignore it. I am back with the students tomorrow in Dubai of all places.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 93: April 13 – Dubai, UAE

It is late here on the ship. Vit is still out with the XOs and I suppose I am disappointed that I didn’t have him to talk to and share my day with. But I mustn’t be selfish. I can’t expect him to just sit around and wait on me after every field trip or excursion. How archaic. And did I mention selfish? I can’t even talk to any of the family. We got orders last night that they want to keep the publicity to a minimum just in case there is an incident. I got the feeling talking to Polina that it really isn’t the kids they are worried about. Kids are kids and even the older ones are allowed their mistakes. Adults on the other hand? With them you must start wondering whether it was an honest mistake, a stupid mistake, or an intentional mistake. Beyond that it is all above my paygrade and I am fairly certain I like it that way.

The reason it is so late is because our day did not start as early as it normally does. We docked early but were not cleared for going ashore until mid-day. It gave the older students time to be lectured into torpor concerning their behavior, expectations, etc. etc. And no, I’m not being as sarcastic as I could be, some of them were literally talked to sleep. One young man even fell out of his chair after nodding off. The lecturers said nothing, merely continued talking. It was like everyone was on autopilot.

The students were not acting like prisoners given early release, but they were certainly ready to get away from their “captors” on board the B. Today’s excursion was being billed as a “Desert Experience.” Amazingly the students found it quite interesting and behaved accordingly, regardless of gender, and it smoothed what could have been a tricky experience in a land not exactly known for its tolerance during a time that showing tolerance was a sign of either weakness or a lack of moral turpitude.

We began our experience with a pickup from the pier. We settled inside air-conditioned minivans (gender assigned naturally) and relaxed as we traveled into the desert. Forty-five minutes later we met our camel convoy. Yes, a camel convoy.

We enjoyed a 45-minute ride on a camel. I felt shaken, not stirred, by the time my feet were once again on solid ground, but it was worth it. We had fantastic views as the camels lumbered across the sands. It was nice to have a British-educated local guide as he was able to help us understand how these hardy herbivores provide ideal transport for nomadic Bedouins, from ancient times to today. At the end of our ride we arrived at a Bedouin-style camp inside a desert retreat owned by the UAE royal family. Of course, we were on our best behavior. The compound stands amid rolling dunes and is illuminated by flame torches, giving it a truly Arabian feel.

Listening to another group of travelers that were also there I began to understand why a great many activities occur in the evening. The heat. Often it is simply dangerous to try to do something in the middle of the day. Dehydration is a very real threat. The heat is so dry you do not notice how parched you are becoming until it is too late. Even I, who you would think would be cognizant of such dangers, felt like a piece of jerky before I could get to the cabin and shower. You could nearly hear my pores sighing in relief as the water cascaded over my body.

After the camel ride we were given a very educational falconry demonstration. It was impossible not to admire the speed and elegance of the falcons as they answered their handlers’ commands as they swooped for lures. We also were given time to stroll into the dunes for photos of the sunset – strict chaperoning of course – and enjoyed a wide range of traditional desert activities inside a rustic-style Arabian tent. Those so inclined could sip Arabic coffee, get a henna tattoo, and learn to make Arabic breads with a step-by-step demonstration.

Next, we settled at low Bedouin tables for a 4-course feast of typical Emirati dishes such as khuzi, al machboos, thereed, and luqaimat that were with sodas and mineral water. After dinner we watched a watched a display of traditional dancing and music. I noted that several of the students were sunburned and I hope they will be more careful from here on out. Typically it is those of northern European descent that got the worst of it but even some of our South Asian students were more than a little rosy red.

I was quite pleased to note that many of the students showed good manners and said thank you to our hosts without any prompting, not even from each other. The girls were unsure how to proceed until many of them latched onto the idea of saying thank you to our guide’s mother and telling them how educated her son was. I believe the woman was quite flabbergasted and I’m not quite sure what to think of it either. The girls seemed quite proud of themselves for figuring out a work around without adult help so I hope that the gesture was accepted in the spirit it was meant.

We returned to the pier and to our ship. A few of the students had mentioned a swim but I’ll leave that up to their parents. I know at least one of the pools are open 24 hours but usually only for personnel. And here I am. I’ve finished my reports and my journal entry. I suppose I’ll try and include a blog/vlog on the falconry and camels and try and edit out any humans. It is getting challenging to preserve everyone’s privacy and still have something worth posting. Still no Vit. Perhaps he was called into a shift and I just missed the message.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 94: April 14 – Abu Dhabi, UAE

I love the sound of the name as it rolls off my tongue. I haven’t been as thrilled with the constant reminders of our cultural differences. Luckily for my patience today’s excursion was shorter than normal and only accounted for half of our day in port.

We began with a city tour to the notable destinations of Abu Dhabi with a prompt pick in an air-conditioned vehicle. So prompt in fact that it felt not so much that they were trying to be polite and efficient, but they gave the impression of “sooner started, sooner over.”

Our first stop was the alluring white marble structure that serves as the epitome of splendor and elegance, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Of course they did not use the word “alluring,” but they might as well have the way they acted. The mosque is known as the ‘White Pearl of the Gulf’ and is the largest in the country and the third largest mosque in the world. It took over 12 years to complete and holds the official world records for having the world's largest handmade carpet and the largest chandelier in the world. We were duly impressed. Our guides made sure we were duly impressed. I had to help somewhat but whispering rather loudly, “I’m afraid they are completely overwhelmed.” Thankfully some of the students picked up on my cue and gave the same impression. Honestly, what you have to do to survive in certain diplomatic circles.

The rest of our time was rather a whirlwind. We headed to the city Corniche to admire its clean water and surroundings. We passed by the Emirates Palace as well. From all I read a trip to Abu Dhabi is incomplete without taking at least one picture with the Emirates Palace in the backdrop. We were given fifteen minutes to do so. The place is a magical destination of ethereal beauty and unique experience … or so quoted our guide like it was something he had memorized. I will admit that the students … and I … took some cool pictures worth cherishing. A rather rushed affair but accomplished before our drive became cranky.

Another place we passed by was the five towers of the Etihad Towers. If you are a fan of the old movie series called Fast and Furious then you will recognize the location in the 7th installment and can relive the scene and take pictures with the imposing tower. And yes, we saw incredible and expensive cars … and even saw a male lion in one of them. Oh … my.

After that location we proceeded to the Presidential Palace, the Qasr Al Watan. We were allowed to indulge in a quirky opportunity to walk in the hallways of the Palace of the Nations. The place is a reflection of Arabian artistry and heritage, which also serves as a treasure of knowledge about the story of Arabia in the contemporary world. I am happy to say that the students were once again on their best behavior and showed quite well. And once again the girls took the time to be equally polite to the female clerk assigned to our group as the boys did to the male guide.

We are now back onboard. I had considered doing some shopping, but we were not given an opportunity. I couldn’t even pick up post cards. And we’ve been told not to take photos from the deck to prevent a suspicion of spying.

I’ve been writing reports and going on a few of the more sensitive translations. Vit is out again. I’m going to finish up here and just take a shower and go to bed. I don’t want to think right now.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 95: April 15 – Doha, Qatar

Today has been extremely stressful. We arrived early in Qatar and I was preparing the students to leave the education area and head to the disembarkation deck when the muster stations signal was played. I got a call from Vit with an abrupt, “This is not a drill.”

I quickly moved the students to their station where their parents picked them up as they themselves headed to a muster station. Everything became quiet as the captain came on.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have just received word that political upheaval is imminent, and the government of Qatar says that they cannot guarantee our safety. All shore excursions are cancelled. Unless you are security or communications personnel, return to your quarters and remain there until the all clear is sounded. We will be leaving the area as soon as possible. Once we get under way you may notice some unusual ship movements. Please do not panic. Additional updates will be issued via the shipboard news network.”

It turned out to basically be an extra sea day, but a tension-filled one as we could not leave Doha until after we had rendezvoused with a supply and fuel ship. I spent most of the day moving between Mr. Barnes’ office and Polina’s office providing translations on the most sensitive communications. I can’t speak of them but suffice it to say that there are some sick people in this world and some very angry ones and some of the sickest are the angriest.

I have not seen much of Vit today. Like me, he has been bouncing between locations plugging holes and translating to try and get the contextual meaning of the translations and not just the words. I’m exhausted. I don’t know whether to drink some tea or not. I haven’t eaten either. The galley was shut down before I could get there. I hope Vit has had better luck. I’m tempted to break into our snacks but I hate to do so without Vit here to share them.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 96: April 16 – at sea

I wish I knew why Vit is acting so distant. He is the one that commented that I had not made any headway in socializing within our peer group. I didn’t know he was socializing or expecting me to join him. He left me no note and I received no invitation. It is like he didn’t believe me until I showed him my personal comm index. Then it was like he was upset I was telling the truth.

“You act like you do not care!” he barked.

“Vit, had you wanted me there you would have said so.”

“And what is that supposed to mean? That I am excluding you?!”

“Nii. It means that if it was important to you that I be there you would not have waited for a third party to make sure that I was invited. You know that I will follow you anywhere.”

“Do I? You are gone so much.”

“It’s a job Vit. A job that keeps me with you more than if I hadn’t applied for and then accepted a position on board the B. I could be thousands of miles away right now and never get to see you.”

What we would have said was interrupted by a request from Yegor that Vit come to Communications. He told me, “Go to bed. I will be late. And you have another field trip tomorrow.”

“It is an excursion. An educational excursion where I am working, not playing. It isn’t like when we were with the Marchands … or even that month with the Bairds on the O’Meg.”

He said nothing but turned on his heel and left the cabin. I wish I knew what was going on. I am so confused. I’ve done nothing wrong. Yet it is like I should feel guilty, but for what I am not sure.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 97: April 17 – Khasab, Oman

Ugh. I am truly feeling something unpleasant. That sounds ridiculous but I have no better description of it. I breakfasted alone. Vit was sleeping. Or should I say he was sleeping something off. I found out after helping Yegor he joined some of the other XOs in the Lounge. I have refused to comment on it and Vit … no, I am not going there. Not after today. I am too stressed and as soon as I finish this entry I am taking two sleeping pills and going to sleep. He can make of that what he will … or not.

After breakfast I arrived in the Education area to find out that roughly half the students were forced to remain on board as their parents refused to all them to attend the educational excursion. Part of me understands. Park of me questions what they expected of bringing their children on this mission. Though I’m one to talk as I didn’t know what to expect either. The students being forced to remain behind were not at all happy that they were going to be doing traditional lessons in their classrooms. For some unknown reason they thought they would simply be able to take a day off.

I volunteered to provide a “live feed” that the students on board could watch via my body cam. Polina agreed but insisted on a 15 second delay just in case something did happen. It didn’t make me happy but it was more than reasonable under the circumstances. Today we were in Khasab, Oman. Whatever is going on in Qatar, the atmosphere was quite different in Oman.

Our first excursion was Khasab Musandam Mountain Safari To Khor Najd and Jebel Al Harim. That was the title of it, and it in the end it was a quite literal description as well. We started in the Bedouin village of Sayh. It was a small and peaceful village where one can enjoy the beauty of Musandam on the plateau of the mountain. From there we went to Khawr Najid, a stunning sea viewpoint overlooking the Indian Ocean, facing east. While there we were provided refreshments, mineral water, soft drinks, and juice which were very welcome. Climbing further up the mountain we experienced some typical effects of altitude sickness after spending so much time at sea level.

Well-known as the “Mountain of Women,” Jebel Harim is the highest peak of the Khasab Peninsula. Adventurers who have been there – 2078 meters above ground – attest to the scenic views from the top of the mountain. You really do need to see it to believe it. Once at the summit of Jebel Harim, we got a bird’s eye view of the Hajar range. It is phenomenal and truly breathtaking. What’s more, we found rocks up there that are studded with marvelously preserved fossils which include ancient seafaring creatures like fish, clams, and several trilobites. It is not hard to imagine the flood stories found round the world to be correct … though there are several old-earth scientific theories to explain it, a flood covering all the earth seems just as credible when you see these fossils so far above any sea that might have existed.

The last part of the day’s excursion was to a few centuries-old villages, the traditional Bait Al Qafl (old stone house), and the lush green natural park of Al Khalidiya with its many acacia trees. On the way back, we also enjoyed the fantastic view from the top of Khor Najid, one of the beautiful fjords in the Gulf of Oman.

Luckily for me the “Science Club” were among those given permission to be on the excursion and it gave me a way to make the body cam provide something more interesting than what I would normally have done. I reverted to being a “teacher” and also got our guide to go into deeper explanations of the flora and fauna of our stops as well as the science involved. I made sure to hold some of the fossils up for the better pictures and included panoramic shots of the area. I made sure to not take pictures of the locals however as I didn’t want to make them uncomfortable. The guide appreciated it and knowing he wouldn’t be on camera he relaxed quite a bit.

On the bus back to the ship I insisted on a “post-test” discussion and some of the other teachers and chaperones gave me looks I did not understand other than to call them grumpy.

Back on board I turned the students back over to their parents who seemed to be waiting more than I expected. It wasn’t until I went to report to Polina that I found they’d put the excursion on ship-wide tv. Argh!

“Excuse me? You what?”

Polina chuckled. “I’ve had more than one crewmember tell me that if that had been what their school lessons were like they might have enjoyed them more.”

“Oh … pish posh.”

She chuckled again and told me that it had gone well and that it might be used again to keep the crew members that stay on board from feeling quite so detached from ports of call. And also give them more understanding of what the students do when they go on their excursions. Apparently there is still a lack of real understanding that they are still in school, not playing.

I cannot say that Vit was at all pleased when he found out. Apparently several XOs and other crew members demanded that I attend some something or other tomorrow so they could ask me questions.

“If you do not wish me to go simply say so Vit.”

“What?” he growled.

“I said …”

“I heard what you said. Is that what you wish?”

“I really don’t know since I don’t know what this something or other is supposed to be. However, you seem to have an opinion on me being there so just spit it out. If you don’t want me there all you have to do is say so. I’m aware that I don’t exactly fit in. I’ll try for your sake, but not if no matter what I do it …”

“Veta I have never said you cannot attend any of these events.”

“No you have not. But I know you need a break and that you are not here to dance attendance on me. I know something is going on and that you are under a lot of stress. Stress that I do not wish to add to. You are rubbing your stomach and are having to resort to antacids.”

“Do you blame me?”

“For what? For being stressed? Of course not. Taking an antacid? Again, of course not. Just how ridiculous to you take me for being?”

“Uh …”

“Never mind, don’t answer that. I’m certain I don’t want to know. I’ll remain in the cabin. You need to have some free time so you can relax without me being underfoot and interfering.”

“That … that is not …” I just looked at him and he shook his head. “We will attend. If you do not, they will not leave me alone.”

“Tell them to shove it.”

“What?!”

“Vit, I do what you want of me. Everyone else can take a flying leap.”

He was silent for a moment then asked, “Have you eaten? You are pale.”

“Not yet. I’ll get a salad or smoothie or something. I need to get your uniform pressed first. I checked the schedule and you have to be on in less than an hour.”

He looked at his watch, gave mild curse, sighed and said, “We … need to talk.”

“If it is going to be a lecture then …”

“Nii. You … are pale … and have lost weight. You should take your iron pills.”

I looked in the mirror and grimaced. “Wonderful,” I said sarcastically. “All I need to do is embarrass you on top of everything else stressing you out. I will drink one of those nasty green smoothies and take an iron pill. Hopefully that will help. You better get in the shower or you’ll be late.”

“Veta …”

“What?” I asked as I pulled out the steamer that I used to get the wrinkles out of his uniforms between washings.

“We … will talk. Tomorrow. Yes?”

“Yes.”

After he left the idea of a smoothie or anything else was too nauseating so I’ve been drinking tea and doing some needed housekeeping in the cabin. Tomorrow I am to work in Baird’s office. Hopefully Barney will not have tossed the teapot again. Henry was barely able to fix it last time she did it.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 98: April 18 – at sea

I don’t know what Vit wanted to talk about. He certainly didn’t have the time to talk about it. It seemed like he avoided making the time to speak about whatever he wanted to talk about.

I got up early this morning to try and be prepared. First it was we would talk after we showered. Then he was hungry and we would talk after breakfast. Only in the middle of breakfast he was called to come in early and I thought I imagined things when he seemed relieved. He said he would call me at lunch so after going to work on the translations in Baird’s office I waited and waited … and waited … to take my lunch break because I thought Vit would call me when he was taking his. He never did.

I was starving when five o’clock rolled around and it was Barney that told me that Vit would be attending some XO meeting. Well she didn’t tell me precisely, she assumed that I knew. I rushed back to the cabin thinking that Vit expected me to attend. Only when I got there he’d already left the cabin. There was a note.

I am called to a meeting. It will be late before I return. Go to bed and get some rest. You are too pale. Remember to take an iron pill.

I will be honest here in this journal. I do not know if I am imagining it or not. I don’t know if it is my issues or his or none. Something is wrong. First he tells me that we will talk and now it is like he doesn’t remember. Yet I know he does because we were going to talk this morning … then at lunch. God I hope I am just imagining it.

On the other hand I got an eyeful when I went to get myself some food. I was starving and decided to take a short cut. They were in one of the meeting areas. I tried to get by without getting noticed. They were all laughing and cutting up around some kind of buffet spread that was laid out for them. Vit’s back was to me and I would have been home free except Barbara Dutton spotted me and came out.

“Such a shame you aren’t here. Everyone else is.”

“So it would seem. Excuse me.”

I continued down the hall only a moment later to hear my name growled. “Veta!”

I turned. “Vit?”

“You are checking up on me!”

“Of course not. I was taking a short cut to get to the Grill.”

“Nii, you are following me. I told you to rest.”

“And I will after I get something to eat. I haven’t had anything since breakfast.”

“You worked through lunch?! Are you trying to make yourself sick?”

I was already upset and his tone was not helping. “I guess you forgot.”

“Forgot what?”

“You said we would meet for lunch. That you wanted to talk. We were supposed to talk this morning but you were called in early. Now you have a meeting to attend. I would not have known if Barney hadn’t mentioned something right as I was clocking out. I hurried back to the cabin thinking … it doesn’t matter. I got your note. And I will go to bed after I have gotten something to eat. You better get back to your … meeting. I didn’t mean to disturb you. And they are obviously looking for you.” I nodded in the direction of Barbara Dutton and two others that had stepped out in to the hall and were looking our way.

He sighed. “Veta. We will talk.”

“Don’t worry about it Vit. You … have important XO stuff to do. Go before they actually come down this way and I embarrass you in some way.”

“Veta …”

I turned and left after we both saw them doing exactly what I had known they would.

I trust Vit. I do. I just wish I knew what was going on.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 99: April 19 – Salalah, Oman (Sunday) - Part 1

No Vit today despite it being Sunday. I don’t know if I really expected him to go or not. He had said that he would, but it is not always possible despite the best of intentions.

Sounding like he is out of patience with me when he is the one that brought it up Vit says, “There is another inspection. You cannot expect me to …”

I’d had enough. “Vit. I don’t expect … anything. I realize that you are the one that always has to give way and never have a real day off. So this is me. Understanding or whatever it is called. Because this is just reality. I’m just sorry your day off is now spoiled one way or the other. By another unnecessary inspection. And before you have to lecture me and become even more stressed out, I promise to be careful and responsible. I left you some tea in the carafe. I will have my phone on but I do not know how much good it will do. Please try and have a good day … or at least better than the last time.”

I turned to leave. “You do not say goodbye.”

“I just don’t want to bother …” The phone rang. Since I was standing beside it I answered it. I wish I hadn’t. It was a woman.

“Hi! Is Vit there?” Then she laughed.

Two could play this game. “Chief Dymtrus is right here. One moment please.”

I just I took a calming breath and then held out the phone to Vit. The voice coming out of the mic said loud enough that we could both hear, “Oh don’t bother him. Just remind him to bring his wet suit since we’ll be diving after lunch.”

I carefully laid the phone down turned to leave the cabin. I heard the phone slam back onto the cradle and I didn’t make it to the door before he was in front of it. “I am inspecting …”

“Stop. I … trust you. You are my husband and I am choosing to trust you.” That’s when an announcement came over the ship’s intercom system. Will Chief Veta Dymtrus please report to the Security Office.

“So you will go before we talk?”

I sighed. “You had your meetings and everything yesterday. You have an inspection to prepare for now. You said you were in a hurry. And now I have to go to a job that …”

“That what,” he said in an undertone that, imagination or not, I was beginning to hear too often

“A job that I took so we could stay together.”

“And you blame me for this?”

“No. I thought I knew what I was doing, what I was getting into. Maybe neither one of us knew what that meant.”

The next request came on my personal communicator. I slapped the button and trying not to show my irritation said , “Veta Dymtrus here. I’m on my way.”

Next time respond in a timely manner Dymtrus.

I looked at Vit and couldn’t say a word or I might have screamed in … something … frustration, pain, I’m not sure. I pulled my stoicism around me the best I could and told him calmly, “I will leave a message when I reboard.”

I turned to leave again but he grabbed my arm. Not painfully but to stop me. “Vit I have to go. And so do you.”

“Veta …” He sighed. “We … will talk. And today you will be …”

“Responsible and I won’t embarrass you.”

He blinked and I turned and left and headed to Security wondering why I was being called to the principal’s office like a naughty child.

I turned the corner then stepped back when I saw Mr. Parnell leaving looking slightly singed. Once he was out of sight I headed into Security wondering what was going on.

I just stood there waiting and realized no one was looking at me. I went to Polina’s door and knocked. “Enter,” she responded.

“You called me?”

“No?” she said looking confused.

“Someone did. It came over the loudspeaker and then I was paged on my comm.”

“Wait here.”

She stepped out and I heard something but couldn’t understand. When she walked back in Polina wasn’t exactly steaming but she wasn’t far from it either. “You do not answer to the Chief Purser.”

“I am aware. I’m not even sure I know who that is.” And with a little embarrassment I add, “And um … what they do.”

She looks at me, realizes I am not joking and said, “Think of them like a banker … or bookkeeper. They are in charge of all accounts here on the ship.”

“Oh my lord, what now?” I mutter.

Looking suddenly more relaxed Polina asks, “You are having a bad day?”

“Partly of my own making.”

“Those days are fun,” she says with heavy irony.

“Yes well I saw Mr. Parnell leaving and he looked … well done.”

“Yes. He will be remaining onboard for the foreseeable future.”

“O … kay.”

“He was becoming obnoxious in his demands.”

“Any of my business?”

“He was complaining that you were not clearing your schedule with him.”

I wanted to bang my head into something.

“He has not approached you with this?”

“He mentioned it once. I thought I had dealt with it.” And because I knew she would ask I said, “I put it in the report when it happened. He was upset when I was temporarily reassigned to the adults. He hasn’t mentioned it since.”

“Hmmm. I will give him this chance to adjust his attitude. I do not wish to take this further. It could become … problematic.”

“Problematic?”

“Embarrassing for all parties involved.”

I was getting a little sick to my stomach. “Veta?”

Pulling myself together I asked, “Can you tell me what the Chief Purser wanted?”

“It is nothing.”

“I got called to your office for nothing?” I asked, more than slightly incredulous.

“Let us simply say that Clegg made some assumptions he should not have made. His report triggered an investigation. Mr. Baird has already taken care of it.” The look on my face must have been something because she unbent enough to explain, “You rarely have a day off.”

“And?”

“It is … unusual.”

“So?”

She chuckled. “You are getting paid by Baird’s office in addition to normal ship payroll.”

Still not understanding I asked, “Again … and?”

This time she laughed outright. “He thought you were … I believe they call it double dipping.”

It would have been so satisfying to have a tantrum or anxiety attack, anything to vent my emotions. Instead I reverted to what I knew best. I became the “Ice Princess.”

With brittle anger I said, “I would never do anything to endanger Vit’s Green Card. And even if not that I would never do anything so dishonorable, so disrespectful of my employment or the Peace Mission. I …”

Polina interrupted by saying, “I did not say I believed him. No one did. He over reacted.”

“Why didn’t he simply ask me? Instead of …” I spoke with my hand to say everything since I wasn’t sure the situation had a verbal explanation.

“Exactly. Instead of asking his immediate supervisor to double check his concerns he made an issue of it. And this demanding that you present yourself at his behest … he very much overstepped his authority. What will likely happen is that HR will stick their nose in places it does not belong yet again.”

Sighing I apologized. “Sorry.”

“Do not apologize. And you needed not be this way with me. I understand.”

Slowly I let the air out of my anger. “Then let me at least apologize for my current attitude. It … has been a challenging few days.”

“Ah yes. The meetings that are not meetings.”

I look at her in surprise and she shrugs. “Yegor has been complaining that they waste time. I understand the desire to make them less tedious but there is too much pleasantries and not enough focus on purpose. Has Vit said the same?”

“Nii … sorry … Nyet.”

She searched my face and was silent for a moment. “You are … all right?” While she said one thing her concern communicated another.

Responding in kind I answered, “Yes. I trust him.”

She gave a single nod. “Good. I was not so smart with Yegor. There was much competition for his attention when we were younger.”

“I’m sure it is the same for Vit. But … I trust him. I do.”

She looked at me and slowly gave another nod before saying, “Keep reminding yourself of that. Between the two of us I will tell you that while he is … hmmm … pursued, he has not … reciprocated.” She sighed and changed the subject when she asked, “Are you willing to play teacher again?”

“Er …”

“Despite the fact that there have been no other incidences, several more parents are keeping their students onboard today.”

That does not bode well if this continued. I agreed and was working on a plan as I walked into the high school area for pre-disembarking instructions.

“Good morning. I understand several of you will not be going with us. I am afraid however you are not dismissed from our protocol discussion. And please listen as it will be on the post test.”

“We’re going to be tested on an experience we don’t even get to have?!” Raina asked outraged.

I could have said something about her tone, instead I said, “I understand your concern. That is why I will be using my body cam as I did in Khasab to share the day with student, staff, and crew members who do not attend with us. Now listen up please.” As they quieted I said, “As you now all know every country has its own behavioral patterns that are considered acceptable. Oman is no different. Since I have received no complaints regarding behavior at our last Omani port of call, this is merely a refresher. I am really very proud of all of you.”

As I expected there were some surprised looks, some pleased looks, but most of them merely looked bored. Ah to be a teenager again. Not. I was reminded why Momma would sometimes get a certain look in her eyes when we would do the same thing. Brrrr.

“As you know In Oman, it's illegal to show anger in any way. Verbal abuse, impatient gestures or rude jestures … such as flipping someone off or the Italian salute, even using the wrong facial expression can be enough for someone to fill out a formal complaint. Nobody in Oman is immune to this. Even an accusation of being frustrated is enough to initiate legal proceedings. So, no winks, ‘okay’ signs, grabbing your hair, sticking your tongue out, exaggerated sighing … you know exactly what is meant so keep it in and then when we return to the ship you can go you’re your cabin mirror and blow off steam there. It may not bring as much satisfaction but at least you’ll wind up laughing at the looks you are making.” There were some muffled snickers at my words. “And before any of you say, ‘Are you serious?’ that's exactly the kind of thing you want to avoid if you don’t want to offend the proprieties here.”

“Next points. Omani's are very polite and friendly people. You should also be polite in return and avoid doing anything that will cause offence and cause you, your family, and/or the Peace Mission to lose face. And never, under any circumstances, insult Islam, it can and has been a death sentence. In fact, avoid all discussion of religion. We aren’t here to prostelize for any religion or worldview beyond trying to further the Peace Mission. I know for some that is a pill to swallow but that are the terms we agreed to, or your guardians agreed to on your behalf. So far we haven’t had any of that thoughtlessness on our side, but there may be provocations from outside, so be on guard. Also, something I didn’t cover last time, discussing rumors about the Sultan's private life is illegal, and shouldn't be a topic of conversation in Oman. You won't just offend the locals, but could also get in trouble with the Royal Omani Police. Since we will have a several of them with us it behooves all of us to be on our best behavior.”

I made a face. “Now for those of you with a … romantic partner.” That got a few more chuckles. “Regardless of what your parents allow here on the ship, what goes on off the ship needs to conform to country-specific rules. In Oman, holding hands or kissing in public isn't appreciated, and locals will get a little offended if they see visitors doing this. Don’t. Just don’t.” Chuckles turned to outright laughter, primarily due to the face I made. (I didn’t know it at the time but Polina had copied my rules review and played it during the herding of the cats to get them onboard the provided bus.)

“Now next, it is likely we will receive lingering stares from locals, but in Oman staring isn't impolite, it's just a sign of curiosity. Do not be alarmed unless you sense animosity. If so, report it to your assigned chaperone or the nearest security personnel. Do not freak out. Do not go screaming to the nearest adult. Remain calm and balanced. You know the drill. Aiden, explain it.” After Aiden I asked a few others. One student tried to get out of the question I posed by saying he wasn’t going. “Not this time. What about next time? Explain the next part of the procedure please.”

Finally I got around to reminding them that, “Similar to elsewhere in the world, whipping out a camera or binoculars near military sites, airports or government buildings will probably be taken the wrong way – especially by the security guard carrying a machine gun nearby. All cameras are to remain in your carry case until you are given specific leave to have them out. Anyone caught with their camera out of their approved case at any other time will not only lose your camera, you will be written up and will have a conference with the person acting as your parental unit as soon as we reboard. Any questions?”

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 99 (Part 2)

There were none and our excursion started with our normal exit through security and so on and so forth. Our first stop was the old fishing village of Taqah, famous for the manufacture of Dried Sardines and its traditional and old Dhofari Houses as well as the century old Taqah Castle, the former official residence of the Wali (Governor) of the region & obtain a glimpse into the rich history of the region. Taqah Castle is one of Dhofar’s most distinguished landmarks, which was built in the 19th century. Its walls were constructed from solid blocks of ‘Taqa Stone’, a local limestone material composed chiefly of fossilized shells and corals. We were allowed to see the well, roofless jail, formal sitting area also known as majlis, bedrooms, kitchen and stores. Along with the architecture we saw traditional weaponry, jewelry, everyday household items and traditional clothing that gave us a in-depth look at the culture of the region.

I made sure that at every location I filmed the students saying thank you, doing good deeds, and behaving politely. In hindsight I rather feel like I was being a little silly (or perhaps presumptuous) but I wanted to highlight that the students were using their own diplomatic skills by attempting to be gracious in the face of some gender role issues as well as show good manners to our hosts at each location. I outlined what I was doing in my evening report just on the off chance there are questions.

From one city we transitioned to another, only this one of more archaeological interest; the ancient ruins of the once famous city of Sumharam (Khor Rohri). The city was the easternmost outpost of the Hadramawt Kingdom on the ancient incense route between the Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf and India. Khor Rori – a UNESCO World Heritage site – was an important port on the coast of Dhofar, and one of the major trading cities with frankincense, believed to have been the hub & harbour for the shipping of Frankincense. I would have purchased some myself in the tourist shops if Vit hadn’t already gotten some.

After that brief stop we took a picturesque drive to Mirbat, the ancient capital of Dhofar and the beginning of the Frankincense trail. Out guides had us stroll through the streets lined with old Omani mud houses and we visited the twin-domed Bin Ali Tomb as a photo stop. It is a classic example of medieval architecture. Mirbat, a fishing town some 75 kilometers East of Salalah, is one of the ten wilayats of Dhofar Governorate. It is a charming coastal town situated between the escarpment of Jebel Samhan and the Arabian Sea. Due to the location, along with the town, we saw pristine white sand beaches. The view was one of the best in the region that I’ve seen thus far, and given how much I’ve seen that was quite a feat. There are old and abandoned houses in Mirbat creating an atmosphere of age and eeriness at the same time.

On our way back to western Salalah we explored the natural spring of Ayn Razat, beautifully laid out amidst the tranquil lush mountains & nourished every day of the year by natural underground spring water. A natural oasis like you would read in a story such as Lawrence of Arabia, or Ali Baba.

Thereafter we proceeded to the Al-Qara mountains to explore the western part of Salalah. On a road steadily winding up a steep incline, we saw herds of Camels & Cattle. To most of our eyes it was an odd sight but in this time and location is is common and is part of the scenic view of a traditional Dhofari rural beauty. Our goal was the tomb of Prophet Ayub (also known as prophet Job), who is a famous prophet for all the religions and mentioned in both Christian Bible and Quran. Similar to pilgrims from around the world, we visited the ancient Tomb and heard a telling of the story of Prophet Job and his devoutness. I had to be careful how I covered this part of the excursion, no evangelizing permitted, but Polina surprised me by saying that I received as many compliments from Muslim crew members as from Christian. There was one complaint from a group of devoutly atheist crewmembers but, as a matter of principle, complain about any and every even remotely religious subject that comes up.

From the Tomb we proceeded to Mughsail, a beach where the white sand touches the deep blue of the ocean. At the far end of the rocky beach are unique, large, cave-like blow holes were, at high tide, waves burst through them making a sound that is hard to replicate and difficult to forget.

We continued on the “Frankincense Trail” along the road towards western border of Oman, with its breathtaking cliffs on either side. This is where the historical Frankincense trees grow in their natural habitat, deep down in the valleys, dotting the dry & craggy countryside. This is also where our guides became noticeably cautious, especially when they took us for a short walk into one of the valleys to smell the Holy Incense amidst the scenic view of the region. I will admit to feeling watched and temporarily halted my commentary to focus solely on the landscape hoping the eyes of all aboard would catch something if I missed it. It wasn’t until we were back on the bus that I continued my commentary and even then I watched the road for anything out of place.

The feeling of being watched finally left me once we turned down a road to make a photo stop at the lagoon at Mughsail where migratory birds occasionally flamingos are a common sight. That was the last bit of energy the students exhibited until we returned to the pier and thanked our guides and hosts for the day’s journey.

Since there was a smaller group than normal, it did not take as long to get everyone through security and back aboard. Which also meant that I had more time to write up my reports and then take them to Polina for filing. I called the cabin to tell Vit I was earlier than expected but could only leave a message.

You know what they say, you never hear anything good about yourself when you eaves drop. I was heading to Security to turn in my report when I hear Barbara Dutton and another woman in the hall ahead of me and stepped back into a laundry room to avoid them. I simply wasn’t in the mood. In hindsight I should have barreled on through and let them be surprised or not.

“She is different when she’s around the kids.”

Barb said, “It’s an act. No way can she be that different.”

“I don’t know. I had a roommate in college that …”

“I’m telling you …”

“And I’m telling you you’re playing a dangerous game. Word is she has more than just a working relationship with Chief Ivanov.”

“Don’t make more of it than there is. Ivanov is just a bigger Ice Bitch than she is. She was just checking up on her husband. I don’t know why she bothered, he’s a total bore and refuses to converse on anything that isn’t work related.”

There was a moment of silence and then the woman said, “Leave me out of whatever the rest of you are planning. And if you get too stupid I’m going to have to report anything I know or overhear. Don’t go down that road because I’m not going down for you.”

There was some creative cursing and then laughter before Barb said, “I’d be careful with the threats you throw around. You’re in this up to your neck.”

“Nope. I’ve been smart enough to remain hands off up to this point. You’re pushing the envelope. I’m going to warn the others as well. We all have spouses that could lose their stripes and pensions … and it isn’t going to be for the level of stupid you are starting to play. What the hell did the woman ever do to you anyway?”

“You see how she acts. Like she is just too good for the rest of us normal human beings.”

“Sure, she’s a little cold but …”

“No buts.”

“Yes buts. Listen to me Barb. You are reading her wrong. My husband has worked with her. She’s a good security officer. Listens to the chaperones more than the other security personnel do. Yeah, she’s tough but some of the chaperones … you wouldn’t believe the crap they expect.”

Barb gave a twitter of laughter. “Oh wouldn’t I? Forgetting who you are talking to?”

“Barb. I’m telling you. I’m out. I won’t cover for you … or anyone else on this subject. You are taking things too far. I’m done. And I’m not the only one that feels this way. Or haven’t you wondered why people are starting to turn down your invitations.”

In a tone that obviously said she didn’t believe a word of it she said, “You’re being ridiculous.”

“And you’re being stupid. Dig your own grave Barb. I’m done. Don’t bother calling me anymore. I’m blocking your number.”

The other woman walked away and I nearly stepped out before I heard a second woman join Barb. “What’s up? Teena said she is out.”

“I think someone got to her. Probably the Russian Bitch.”

“Uh …”

“C’mon. Let’s get back to planning.”

“But without Teena …”

“If she doesn’t want in that’s her loss. She’s such a scaredy cat. She was always getting in the way and making things difficult. Don’t do this. Don’t do that. Honestly. No wonder she was so easy to get to.”

“You really think that …?”

“What other explanation could there be? She used to be so much fun. Now she’s a killjoy.”

“But …” They continued arguing down the hallway and then I winced as I realized my body cam was still on.

Right as I was walking into Security Polina was walking out of the room where the body cams are monitored. With one look I knew to take the report directly into her office. She closed the door and then pointed to the chair asking me to sit. She pulled out the vodka – the good stuff – poured us both a shot and then said, “You do have the ability to pull them out of the woodwork.”

Not even pretending that she hadn’t seen everything I’d heard I shrugged. “I don’t go looking for it.”

“No, you do not. But before you think more bad thoughts … the planning the Dutton woman spoke of is some ship wide morale-boosting activities that Admin wants to see instituted.”

Willing to believe her because I don’t want to be accused of wearing my aluminum too tight I nodded. “Okay. She’s probably the best one for the job as I understand her job before this one was as a hotel concierge.”

Polina choked on a laugh she tried not to let out while she was sipping her vodka. “Not quite that prestigious. She worked at a nightclub in Southampton scheduling the entertainment. Not in the best part of town. And the acts were … not to take your wife to.”

I felt my checks go pink and hot but I still said, “She’s still good at what she does.”

“She is. And we will allow her to go on being good at what she does. But … I will now make it more of my business to make sure what she is good at doing remains within her job description. I believe it would we best if be broke up her little clique.”

“Polina …”

“You are trying to figure out how to say do not do this on your account without wondering if you should or not.”

In for a penny, in for a pound. I admitted, “I don’t like the woman. I can work with her, but I don’t like her. But it isn’t my job to like her and I don’t want her to get in trouble just because I don’t.”

“If she gets in trouble it will be for a reason she created herself. You will tell me if there are any more such incidences … Little Sister.”

Trying not to cry I nodded.

“Good.” She looked at me with steepled fingers. “Veta, I know you. You do not wish to … how do you say … make a scene. Or take advantage of me for personal reasons. And that is all well and good. But sometimes … that is exactly what you should do. It is a two-way street. This working and knowing each other. Do you understand what I say?”

I nodded again. “I just … you’re my boss … and my friend … and … something else besides. I don’t want to … to …”

“No Little Sister … but sometimes … you do need to ask. Because in the asking you may not be fixing a problem you have but preventing a problem that may happen for others. I’ll say nothing more … unless necessary.”

I nodded. “Just … I don’t want it to get back to Vit. I could just be hormonal or something.”

“There are things that I do not share with my husband because it is my job. And then there are things that I don’t share with him because … of other reasons. This will be one of them. Da?”

“Da.”

Polina is a little like Angelia in that she sees more than I would like her to. But as scary as Angie can be on occasion, Polina is much, much better at scary and with good reason. I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt. I just want … need … the drama to stop.”

 

[Kathy in FL]

Chapter 100: April 20 through 23 – at sea (4 days)

Been too busy to and too tired to do much more than get up in the morning and then fall in bed exhausted at night. The only reason that I have a little time tonight is because I am preparing for tomorrow’s excursion. I will be both security and adult in charge. Luckily for me I am only “in charge” of the Science Club. We dock in Aqaba which would normally mean Petra but I am going to be taking the normal four students and going to the Dead Sea. Grover will be the second adult/chaperone. He’s thrilled I tell you, positively thrilled. He even made Vit chuckle. Quite a feat I tell you.

Vit and I went to Petra with the Marchand siblings. I would go back again. However it appears that Mr. Baird has pulled rank and asked that I be assigned to the smaller group.

“I’m … sorry.”

“You do not need to be,” Polina told me in finality. “Not only does this give me some leverage in another area, this will put Parnell on notice that he is not the one in charge of security. He is a teacher. A good one. But he needs to be reminded of his limitations of authority.”

“Oh … er …”

“Mrs. Parnell … she is greatly concerned.”

“Question is, should I be greatly concerned.”

“I do not believe so. But until I am certain, some space between his wants and his reality will be observed. Have you spoken with Vit on this matter?”

I nearly rolled my eyes. “The one time I brought it up he essentially laughed that he would be threatened by a man like Mr. Parnell. The only thing that he was angry about was he thought I thought he would feel threatened.”

She snorted. “His ego is equal to Yegor’s at that age.” She shook her head. “Men.”

“Cossacks.”

She turned to look at my face and barked a laugh. “We agree.”

I really wasn’t going to bring it up again but Vit questioned why Grover was going instead of Mr. Parnell.

“Because Polina said so. She wants Mr. Parnell to remain with the larger group. Me she wants to do another one of those body cam educational displays with the smaller group.”

“You are not telling me something.”

I shrugged and sighed. “I think she is putting Mr. Parnell in his place a bit.”

“And why would she need to do such a thing?”

I reached over and turned on one of the lovely little toys that Dylan had sent to Vit. Basically it is a white noise box that masks sounds within six feet of it. When Vit nodded I explained. “I overheard him … look, it is … hmmm. He got a little full of himself. I didn’t hear what all was said but I saw him exit Security looking like he’d taken some high octane blowback.”

“He does not look like the type of man who would create such a situation.”

“No. He doesn’t. But his wife has expressed some concerns. He does have things in his personnel file. And for whatever reason he is disgruntled that personnel changes aren’t being cleared through him and/or getting his blessing.”

He looked at him sharply. “Are you one of these personnel changes he is risking his career complaining about?”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far. But yes, I’m part of the … Vit …”

“He still has a … hmmm … crush on you.”

“Please don’t call it that. It makes me ill enough thinking it might be anything at all much less …” My facial expression must have been enough for him to understand exactly how nauseating I found the idea.

He surprised me by sitting down beside me and putting an arm around me. “Poor Kokhana, has the little man bothered you?”

“Nii. That’s just it. I have no reason to believe Mr. Parnell … is … is …” I expressed my feelings with my hand since I wasn’t sure how to say it. “On the other hand I have no reason to not believe that Mrs. Parnell – who is a nice woman and one of the best Chaperones – feels threatened by whatever is going on. Polina said there is something in his personnel file but no indication he has ever acted on it in the past … in point of fact he prefers for the … er … object to know nothing of whatever he thinks.” I leaned into him and he seemed to pull back a little then hold me tighter. “Vit this is just the most … embarrassing … stupid … situation to be in.”

“You are a beautiful woman Kokhana.”

I snorted. “Don’t schmooze me Vit Dymtrus. I have a mirror. Compared to many women on this ship I’m a little Cossack pony. But … thank you for trying to make me feel better. So long as it doesn’t turn into a situation that embarrasses you I’ll deal with it.”

He gave me a strange look then asked, “And Polina has been keeping track of this … situation?”

“It’s her job. Part of me wishes I didn’t know. I can barely face the man. And when I do have to for the job? I have to pretend that I don’t know.” I caught the clock out of the corner of my eye. “Oh no! You’re going to be late! At least I got your uniform pressed this morning. Let me …”

“Nii. I do not go tonight.”

“But you said you had to. That it was a meeting that …”

“When they use some sense and make a meeting a meeting instead of wasting my time with too much party before meeting. Yegor agrees and we both tendered our regrets. Perhaps they will learn.”

I all but flopped down. You aren’t leaving?”

“Do … you wish me to?”

I did not know whether he was making a joke or not and he realized it. He stood up and then pulled me up. “Let us go get one of those milkshakes, or a smoothie.”

“But they’ll see you and know that …”

“Let them. I care not. And you need to eat more than what Charlie calls rabbit food. We will put on a movie while you finish your papers.”

And that’s what we did but Vit carb-crashed almost as soon as he finished his shake. I poured the rest of mine down the bathroom sink. I just couldn’t finish it and I didn’t want to carb-crash before I finished my notes and wrote this down. I may not be going to Petra tomorrow but I am going to get to see the Dead Sea. (bucket list, bucket list, bucket list) There, I said it. Maybe I will even get to enjoy it a bit.