The Ferry of Doom - written 11 July
When I was busy studying for my master's exam, my mom was hard at work planning our trip to Scandinavia. My reward for finishing the program. Only when we stepped aboard the plane diid I learn many of the details regarding our itinerary. Earlier in the year I had suggested we "drop by" Estonia, where my grandfather grew up. He fled by fishing boat to Stockholm to escape Stalin in the early 1940s.
I am deathly afraid of flying, and as my mom shared our itinerary with me, she relayed how she infact identified with me - she was scared of our ferry ride to Estonia. Well that was new - a whole new fear I had never considered.
As our trip to Estonia grew closer these past few days, the impending ferry ride drew nearer. Mom told me that she tried to book "the Victoria," the new luxorious liner stocked with amenities - but it was full. Instead of four star hotel quality accomodations, we would be aboard the cheaper ship. I have bow learned that this ship transports Swedes to Estonia, often so they can stock up and smuggle back cheaper cigarettes and booze, free from the high taxes of the Swedish government.
When I stepped onboard the Regina Baltica, I was immediately tole my room was in the belly of the ship and two forward men in the elevator beconed me in. Using my slow mom (awkwardly pulling her would-be backpack) as my way out,I averted their advances. Unfortunately, this moment gave way to my increased paranoia at being confined to a ship with 1500 people seeking cheap booze.
The room isthe size of a large walk+in closet and includes a mini-toilet/shower combo, an interesting contraption I am not sure I am comfortable with yet. There ar eno windows and I feel like my world is very small. My mom immediately asks the woman outside where "we" can have a safety orientation. My new fears are momentarily overshadowed by embarassment. She likes to use the pronoun "we." I would prefer she use "I." I do not want an orientation - I want to sulk in my bunk and live off protein bars - who needs dinner anyways.
After discovering there was an hour time different in the timezones of Sweden and Estonia, there was a brief "freak-out" where we thought our ship left in 15 minutes rather than an hour and fifteen minutes, but alas we were right all along. Of course we were VERY prepared and VERY early, as is every activity with my mom. I may come back to Berkeley programmed to be ontime!
She finally coaxed me out of the room - and I actually readily agreed because I needed to see a window. After a quick "tour" of the four levels of stairs to the emergency exit I am writing this fromm the bar where my mom is drinking a mohito. We are on our adventure to Estonia. We hear it is beautiful (and cheap). However, we also know we may come only to find out why my grandfather left and never returned. Here's to our journey across the Baltic (quite luxorious compared to the fishing boat my grandfather crossed in). If this gets posted, I arrived safely in the capital city, Tallinn and am happily recuperating from my sea faring journey in my five star Radisson.
I am deathly afraid of flying, and as my mom shared our itinerary with me, she relayed how she infact identified with me - she was scared of our ferry ride to Estonia. Well that was new - a whole new fear I had never considered.
As our trip to Estonia grew closer these past few days, the impending ferry ride drew nearer. Mom told me that she tried to book "the Victoria," the new luxorious liner stocked with amenities - but it was full. Instead of four star hotel quality accomodations, we would be aboard the cheaper ship. I have bow learned that this ship transports Swedes to Estonia, often so they can stock up and smuggle back cheaper cigarettes and booze, free from the high taxes of the Swedish government.
When I stepped onboard the Regina Baltica, I was immediately tole my room was in the belly of the ship and two forward men in the elevator beconed me in. Using my slow mom (awkwardly pulling her would-be backpack) as my way out,I averted their advances. Unfortunately, this moment gave way to my increased paranoia at being confined to a ship with 1500 people seeking cheap booze.
The room isthe size of a large walk+in closet and includes a mini-toilet/shower combo, an interesting contraption I am not sure I am comfortable with yet. There ar eno windows and I feel like my world is very small. My mom immediately asks the woman outside where "we" can have a safety orientation. My new fears are momentarily overshadowed by embarassment. She likes to use the pronoun "we." I would prefer she use "I." I do not want an orientation - I want to sulk in my bunk and live off protein bars - who needs dinner anyways.
After discovering there was an hour time different in the timezones of Sweden and Estonia, there was a brief "freak-out" where we thought our ship left in 15 minutes rather than an hour and fifteen minutes, but alas we were right all along. Of course we were VERY prepared and VERY early, as is every activity with my mom. I may come back to Berkeley programmed to be ontime!
She finally coaxed me out of the room - and I actually readily agreed because I needed to see a window. After a quick "tour" of the four levels of stairs to the emergency exit I am writing this fromm the bar where my mom is drinking a mohito. We are on our adventure to Estonia. We hear it is beautiful (and cheap). However, we also know we may come only to find out why my grandfather left and never returned. Here's to our journey across the Baltic (quite luxorious compared to the fishing boat my grandfather crossed in). If this gets posted, I arrived safely in the capital city, Tallinn and am happily recuperating from my sea faring journey in my five star Radisson.
posted by LeahT at 12:37 AM
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