Getting Indian visa

Next morning went as usual and after the morning feed we went off on foot towards Katajanokka where the Indian embassy is located. I found that my phone with in built GPS and maps very helpful in orientating in Helsinki as I have never had to do that. Mostly having visited Helsinki with ships it was easiest to find the way around with taxi as is customary by sailors on evening leave. 

The Havis Amanda fountain

In Helsinki

Next morning I woke up to the noise from Olga and dishes being put out on the table. I met Minna and was offered some breakfast while chatting about this and that. After breakfast we went out for a walk to see the surroundings, the house is in an secluded area with a lot of forest and greenery around. Olga had just learned to pedal her bicycle without supports so she shot off like a rocket ahead of us while we walked and I admired the spring flowers emerging after the long winter. Although it according to the calendar it should have been full summer it was still quite chilly with something of 16 degrees in the air. The beginning of the summer can always be a bit iffy.

Next morning in front of the house

In Espoo

My friend Jari I have known back when we used to work in Bore Lines as deckhands both on Bore Queen. Some years later he worked as 1st Officer for me on Columbus Caravelle in Singapore and Malaysia. 

m/s Bore Queen

Vacation in Finland

Having seen the troubles in Bangkok I suggested that I will go to Finland to sort out my Indian visa and vacation. The office agreed to it and on a short notice I arranged tickets and guarantee letters to get my visa sorted out.

Captain's blog May 2010

So, May went at anchorage in front of Gateway to India. By the time of writing this the skies have cleared and the swell has started to roll in the port area. It seems the monsoon rains are imminent.

1st of May I completed two years employment onboard Kalizma. Wow, times run fast the older you get.

The noise of the IPL scandal has since then died down and nothing is being heard of Modi either - yesterdays news...

4th May I signed a years contract to continue on Kalizma as Captain as well as to assist in relief work on other yachts and maintaining the local fleet.

On the 7th I met Avnish and Eddy Powis Jr from Phuket at the Mumbai yacht club. We had a nice dinner at Aashim's flat. His daughters were entertaining us with Bollywood dancing.

The Mumbai yacht club

Cdr Dilip Donde arrives Mumbai

S/y Mhadei

Lawrence Watch Co

Lawrence watch Co

Vardenchi motorcycles

After having gone to our meeting at RINA offices with Mr. Mishra, Mr Devadas and Bob Pinto re: our commercial yacht certification for Kalizma. Bob asked if I would be interested to do a small detour before going back to Gateway. He promised it would make both me and Mishra to feel young again. I replied "why not" and off we went towards Jogeshwar.

Mumbai - New Delhi - Mumbai by train

As we were stationary and due to move into the docks for the rainseason I planned to go and visit Saini on his vacation in Hariyana during the weekend. I bought the train ticket easily as a foreigner but had to pay hard foreign currency, one way it became abt 1500 INR, not bad for a 16h train journey on 3rd tier A/C.

Mumbai train station

Sights in Hariyana

Next day I was in Hariyana, a bustling state between Delhi and Punjab. This time very brown and dry as the rains had not yet started but almost everywhere we went there was cultivation taking place.

 

Rohtak

Rohtak side roads 

Sights in Delhi

Jantar Mantar

After getting our car and driver hired we set the route and out first point of call was Jantar Mantar. It is a compound with huge observation instruments (yantras) for celestial movements, azimuth & altitude and also time. Originally built by the Maharaj Sawai Jai Singhji of Jaipur in 1710 it is still standing (restored 1910) and it is also listed as a UNESCO preservation site. One could still see the carefully carved measuring scales on the stones and each instrument had a plaque explaining for what celestial body was being measured (declination, time, etc). I did not linger long and left for our next stop.

One of the Yantras

Captain's blog April 2010

As you may have read we have been traveling for most of April and are now relocated from Thailand to India.

 

Gateway of India

Chaitra Navratri celebration in Mumbai

Goddess Durga

Voyage Langkawi - Colombo - Mumbai

1st April we arrived Langkawi and made fast to RLYC. By then I had already got sailing orders for Goa. I was picking up some stuff for the yacht, new fenders and fresh medicines. Lest we forget to get some bunkers onboard as well as fresh provisions. Saini was called back from vacation and on 9th we cast off RLYC and moved alongside the bunker barge. After bunkering I bid our agent, Nick Coombes, goodbye and headed west.

Asen and Rajaram on night before departure

Sri Jinaratana Bhikku Abhyasa Vidyalaya temple

As Sri Lanka is 80% Buddhist as were our driver he took me to visit a temple, Sri Jinaratana Bhikku Abhyasa Vidyalaya. The temple had surprisingly many Chinese style deities there, I assume donated by various benefactors. 

This Chinese general had his spear missing

Markets of Colombo

We went in the morning to Colombo fish market which was actually quite close to the main port. As soon as I stepped out of the car I could smell the pungent fish aroma coming strong into my nostrils. Richard mumbled "Oh my God, this is worse than Crawford market". maybe so but fish had to be bought.

The fish vendor

Colombo stopover

15th April early morning we approached Colombo and the day dawned to a yellow cloud of pollution over the capital of Sri Lanka. Reminded me of the same view when I was sailing into Hong Kong years ago on a casino ship. Every morning we saw what we were going to breathe during the day.

A new day in Colombo

Captain's blog March 2010

So, once again we were back in Phuket and we had stuff to do as usual. Carpenters were called and works started on our foremast to embed the new radar cable into it. We also had some wood rot that needed taking care of.

Lightning storm in Malacca Strait

Hashing with LBHHH (run 433)

As we were again in Langkawi we were asked to join the hash once again to which we replied positively. Friday went working in expecting the fun in the evening and at 5pm we loaded ourselves in the car and left for the laager.

All fresh to run

Diving Pulau Perak

On our trip to Langkawi I decided to go via Pulau Perak and check out the waters there.

Pulau Perak itself is a small button like Island in the middle of Malacca Strait, some 65' WNW of Langkawi Island. It is quite elevated and could be seen well from 20' away. As we were approaching the Island the day seemed to start as overcast but as we came closer the cloud cover broke and we got a splendid sunshine. The winds were practically nil and we got only a very low Easterly swell. A perfect day for diving.

Pulau Perak

Visiting Phraya Rasda's house

As some friends were going to do a photo shoot in Kantang I was asked to tag along to see the local spot. Little did I know that I was going to see a piece of history. After some driving we came to a seemingly dilapidated house in a huge estate.

Phraya Rasda's house

Huai Yod talent contest

While in Trang I was given opportunity to come and watch a talent contest at Huai Yod school. These kind of events are very common in Thailand and are often arranged by schools, monasteries & other entities in order to raise funds for various causes. The contestants are sponsored by various means as well and the event usually has also a wide variety of stalls selling food and other knick knacks. It always gives a feeling of being in a sort of mini Carnival and people are lining up from everywhere.

Ningnong Show

Road tripping to Bangkok, part II

2 weeks later the red shirts were wreaking havoc in Bangkok and I prepared to go north to pick up my newly arrived passport. This time I could not get a ticket in Phuket as it seemed government had cut bus rides up north in order to stem the flow of people to the ongoing demonstrations. Anyway, I got a ride in Krabi and was once again on my way. Same routine repeated itself with dinner in Chumphon. I bought for dessert a bag of "mak" from an old lady selling them outside the rest stop. It was so strong it made my head spin.

The Lion of Finland

Fossil beach Krabi

Having been driving to Trang a few times I have been seeing signs of the "fossil beach" when I've been passing through Krabi, so this time I decided to go and check it out.

At the "T" junction towards Krabi airport and town I went towards the town and after a couple of k's I came to a right turn which said "Fossil beach 8km". After following a meandering road with spectacular lime stone vistas I came to another junction after 9k's, no signs there.

Krabi road vistas