I always feel vaguely guilty when I spend a day ‘off’ in a foreign port doing nothing more exciting than sitting in my cabin watching movies and sewing. And occasionally sleeping. But sometimes I am in deep need of recharging my batteries. After two days of a lot of walking around and a week’s worth of opening shifts, I definitely needed to cocoon for a day.
Besides, there was a lovely view from my window, and I had sunshine spilling into the room, and no one really knows where I live this contract so no one can really call to bother me. Peace and quiet is a blessing. There are worse ways to spend a day, and besides I didn’t want to spend any more money in Japan while I’ve still got two and a half months of other interesting places to look forward to.
I did, however, emerge from my hermit-like state for sail-away.
Sail-aways can be a variety of things depending on the port you’re sailing away from. In Alaska ‘sail away’ is really just an outdoor band or DJ set that not many people show up to, that involves very little – if any – in the way of fanfare. In the Philippines or Indonesia the sail away is a heart-warming final farewell between family members.
In Japan? In Japan they brought out the drums.
I had never witnessed a traditional Japanese drum show, as I was working last night when we had one on board, so this was my first time experiencing such a thing. It was more like a battle dance than a musical performance, it rattled your ribcage and made your jaw drop in spite of yourself. I had never heard of felt anything quite like it. Standing there watching the costumed dancers line the terminal balcony next to the drummers, with the drums rolling through the air like thunder, I caught another breath of just how amazing my life really is.
So with a thunderous roll of drums we threw loose our lines and headed off from our second to last Japanese port.
Next up Nagasaki…