Work is calling

M/y Mosaique

I was called by an old colleague if I'd be interested to join a 50m yacht in UK for a full time role as the previous Captain was leaving. She had recently changed hands and was under new crew and Owners. After a bit of thinking I said yes that I could be considered as a candidate and a day later the phone rang for an interview. Shortly, thereafter I got an offer, it was not very salubrious but it would pay the bills and I would get to discover UK on yacht.

Batman got his own transport in Philippines

Then it was time to get ready, pack my luggage and gather all bits and pieces to be away for a longer time. Chenok was of course a bit mortified but understood this is my work. We rented a car to get going on the 17th to Manila and then stay a night in hotel before flying just to be on time for any unexpected typhoons, landslides, earthquakes and tsunamis. 

Taal Lake

Whilst passing by Taal lake in Tagaytay it was a bit hazy. We stopped for coffee and to drop off Chenok's sister who then continued to Alfonso for a do. We made good time, traffic was not too bad, soon enough we paid into the SLEX tollway and then later on the skyway to reach the Savoy hotel. We had a day to spend so we checked in and then Grabbed a taxi to Mall of Asia (MOA).

Taal Lake

event in MOA

At MOA there was an event for Pokemon, lot of young people around playing but we just did window shopping apart from me buying a travel battery. We were joined by Chenok's brother from another mother Vansky and we headed for a late lunch at a steak house.

Steakhouse

After our meal we caught the latest instalment of the Avatar franchise, "Fire and ash", storyline was pretty much the same as the previous one and ended in a cliffhanger. By then it was already late so we taxied back to the Savoy for sleep.

Cinema

Next morning was easy, wake up, shower, queue up for the very busy breakfast restaurant, get luggage and head out to NAIA. I managed quite quickly to drop off my luggage and got boarding passes although I had checked in electronically earlier. Then a quick goodbye to Chenok and I was off to immigration and security checks. No surprises there either, the queue moved quite rapidly and I was soon in the international waiting area. 

Bangkok airport

The flight with Thai airways was uneventful and took about 3.5h to Bangkok and I was soon searching the airport where I should go for my next leg to London. As I had an 8h layover there was nothing posted so I just went to a "dayhotel" and took a room for 4hrs at 3000THB (pretty steep) to have a rest and be up to find my connection details. I checked out later in evening and went for a small snack and then saw my connection details and moseyed over to the right gate. It was a bit late but eventually took off in good order.

Naga at Bangkok airport

Naga

We landed at Heathrow, London actually ahead of schedule so the flight had gone well in taking in the lost time in Bangkok. Soon enough I got my luggage from the belt and headed for the immigration, there I showed my passport to the robot and I was in the Kingdom. Then I searched for the National Express bus station and got a ticket to Southampton Marine Parade for 20GBP. In about 2 hours I was rolling into the Harbour Parade bus station where I was met by staff and taken to an apartment for rest as the yacht was still on the way. Later in afternoon Mosaique made the approach and I was on the jetty looking.

Mosaique alongside in Southampton

I was greeted by the outgoing Captain Panos and we started handover procedures going over the operational things, software, worklists and defects and upcoming matters. In the evening after dinner I went back to the apartment for sleep to return the next day.

Bridge

Next day was more of the same with Panos, in the afternoon we signed the management forms and made requisite logbook entries and I was officially in charge, yet another command.

Office