July 31st 1982

Little to report (especially since I am some days behind writing this, + one day at sea, especially when viewed in retrospect, is much like another.)  The three of us spent quite some time way forward up in the bow – not too many other people congregate up there, it is cool + comfortable, + more or less free of the stink which is seeming to pervade the rest of the ship.  I listened to the Walkman up there for a while, + was joined by a young local kid on the other set of headphones.  He really seemed to get into The Police.  Bad news is that Val seems to have contracted the dreaded eye disease, but she’s doing her best not to rub her eyes + make it worse.  Unfortunately, she’s also started a cold – it never rains but it pours, eh?

Oh, we passed by the Tuamotus today… Dave in particular was somewhat pissed off to have missed them, since they are the archetypal South Sea islands, low atolls with an internal lagoon.  However, the best we could do was catch a glimpse of one little group as we steamed past, not even close enough for a good picture.

Life passing, pleasantly enough, if a tad unexciting. Boat travel only really becomes interesting when you are close to land, but that’s also when it is at its most dangerous.