Life So I'm hopping a freighter to China... - Page 3

**Rain Man** · 03-26-2018, 02:23 PM

Well, actually Vietnam. But I'll make a stop in China.

It just seemed like the thing to do. I'm in Oakland now waiting as they load cargo. I'm the only passenger on a 1,000 foot ship for the next 19 days.

Here's my ship: http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/...:CMA_CGM_RHONE. I got whisked aboard before I could take an exterior photo.

Since I'm the only passenger, I get the owner's cabin on the top deck. Here are a few pictures of my cabin area. I also have the use of a lounge on another floor, and I can share the crew's gym.

So if anybody needs me, I won't be around for the next few weeks as I sail my private 1,000 foot yacht across the Pacific.

JoeyChuckles · 03-26-2018, 02:43 PM

I have so many questions.

Are meals prepared? Do you eat with the crew?
Are there any recreation activities?
Can you wander through the container area?
How many crew are there? Do they speak English? All male?

I'm sure I have more.

**Rain Man** · 03-26-2018, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stumppy

Do you pay for the 'Captain for a Day' option?
If not, try and buddy up with the third shift on the bridge maybe they'll let you drive.

I brought a candy bar on board. I bet I could bribe them to let me steer for a while. There won't be much to hit.

**Iowanian** · 03-26-2018, 02:44 PM

If I were on this trip, I'd track my location and be sure to pee from the balcony each time the ship crosses into international waters and into those of a nation.

Did you bring the movies Titanic and Castaway on your laptop? Did you recently watch shark week on discovery? The movie "open water"?

You at least brought a captain's cap and a pirate hat right?

frozenchief · 03-26-2018, 02:44 PM

This actually sounds really cool! Do you get to wander around the ship? What are meals? Can you bring your own alcohol on board? You need to follow up when you're finished and post about this.

Enjoy your journey and may the wind be at your back.

Amnorix · 03-26-2018, 02:45 PM

So.....Rain Man does take exotic/weird vacations, so this is possible. Then again, he is married and enjoys his creature comforts, so....

Is your wife going?

Your business is going to be ok with you taking like 5 weeks off or whatever? I mean, 19 days just to get there, then time in HK, Vietnam, etc., so....

Inquiring minds want to know!!

**ptlyon** · 03-26-2018, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade

Will you share meals with the crew? Are you expected to work?

He thinks he's getting 5 star dining and little does he know he will be feeling like Andy Dufresne by day two.

**Renegade** · 03-26-2018, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptlyon

He thinks he's getting 5 star dining and little does he know he will be feeling like Andy Dufresne by day two.

The Andy working in the laundry or the Andy who helped tar a roof top?

**ptlyon** · 03-26-2018, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade

The Andy working in the laundry or the Andy who helped tar a roof top?

Thinking laundry Andy. It gets lonely out there.

**New World Order** · 03-26-2018, 02:49 PM

I'm worried about you, Rainman.

Be safe

**Rain Man** · 03-26-2018, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade

Will you share meals with the crew? Are you expected to work?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeyChuckles

I have so many questions.

Are meals prepared? Do you eat with the crew?
Are there any recreation activities?
Can you wander through the container area?
How many crew are there? Do they speak English? All male?

I'm sure I have more.

I'll eat with the officers. There's a 26-man crew that is mostly Filipino. I wandered around a bit and met the cooks, who showed me the kitchen, enlisted mess, and officer's mess. It's pretty nice in the officer's mess, with regular china and a white tablecloth. There were people in there when I went in, but I'll get a picture at some point.

No recreation activities. There's a TV in the lounge for watching DVDs, but you don't get live broadcasts. (At least, I don't think you do.)

I'm in the ... I don't know what you call it ... the crew tower? It's 8 stories tall, and maybe more below deck. Each floor is probably 2,500 or 3,000 square feet. But a lot of that is crew quarters and various working areas. I can wander hallways, but only a few rooms: my room, the passenger lounge, the gym, the officer's mess, and there are some other areas that have open doors that I peeked into.

I suspect that I can eventually go outside, but I'm not allowed onto the deck now. Those big cranes are moving containers around.

So far, I think every crew member I've met is Filipino. All male. Looking at the crew list, it appears that most are Filipino, but a few are Chinese or Indian (or maybe Sri Lankan). The offers are eastern European, and I'm guessing maybe Romanian based on their names. There appears to be a little English, but not a lot of English among the folks I've met so far.

**Rain Man** · 03-26-2018, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amnorix

So.....Rain Man does take exotic/weird vacations, so this is possible. Then again, he is married and enjoys his creature comforts, so....

Is your wife going?

Your business is going to be ok with you taking like 5 weeks off or whatever? I mean, 19 days just to get there, then time in HK, Vietnam, etc., so....

Inquiring minds want to know!!

My wife has zero interest in traveling via cargo ship, so she'll fly over next month and meet me in Vietnam for the land portion. At the office, I have DaFace, so I figure the firm will be better off without me there.

**Rain Man** · 03-26-2018, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by New World Order

I'm worried about you, Rainman.

Be safe

My mom said this, too. But she didn't know that I was getting the owner's cabin. I think contractually I get the #1 spot on any lifeboat, along with my choice of survival cracker flavors.

**The Franchise** · 03-26-2018, 02:56 PM

You have got to the most interesting person I know.

**Rain Man** · 03-26-2018, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frozenchief

This actually sounds really cool! Do you get to wander around the ship? What are meals? Can you bring your own alcohol on board? You need to follow up when you're finished and post about this.

Enjoy your journey and may the wind be at your back.

My suspicion is that I could bring alcohol aboard, but I don't drink.

On the white board near the entrance, they listed rules for entering an American port (for the crew). This was hand written, and said, no alcohol in the cabins, no pornography, and no pirated DVDs. Since those are rules for entry, I assume that we'll be met in international waters by a retail ship that sells those things.

MVChiefFan · 03-26-2018, 02:59 PM

Will the crew appreciate your clever witt as much as us planeteers?

03-26-2018, 02:23 PM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3298491 VARSITY	So I'm hopping a freighter to China... Well, actually Vietnam. But I'll make a stop in China. It just seemed like the thing to do. I'm in Oakland now waiting as they load cargo. I'm the only passenger on a 1,000 foot ship for the next 19 days. Here's my ship: http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/...:CMA_CGM_RHONE. I got whisked aboard before I could take an exterior photo. Since I'm the only passenger, I get the owner's cabin on the top deck. Here are a few pictures of my cabin area. I also have the use of a lounge on another floor, and I can share the crew's gym. So if anybody needs me, I won't be around for the next few weeks as I sail my private 1,000 foot yacht across the Pacific. Attached Thumbnails
Posts: 141,458

03-26-2018, 02:43 PM	#31
JoeyChuckles Bring It Home Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Haverbrook Casino cash: $10007012	I have so many questions. Are meals prepared? Do you eat with the crew? Are there any recreation activities? Can you wander through the container area? How many crew are there? Do they speak English? All male? I'm sure I have more.
Posts: 4,322

03-26-2018, 02:44 PM	#33
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $4758454	If I were on this trip, I'd track my location and be sure to pee from the balcony each time the ship crosses into international waters and into those of a nation. Did you bring the movies Titanic and Castaway on your laptop? Did you recently watch shark week on discovery? The movie "open water"? You at least brought a captain's cap and a pirate hat right?
Posts: 61,534	1 0

03-26-2018, 02:44 PM	#34
frozenchief Veteran Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Alaska Casino cash: $1601379	This actually sounds really cool! Do you get to wander around the ship? What are meals? Can you bring your own alcohol on board? You need to follow up when you're finished and post about this. Enjoy your journey and may the wind be at your back.
Posts: 3,903

03-26-2018, 02:45 PM	#35
Amnorix In BB I trust Join Date: May 2003 Location: Boston, Mass. Casino cash: $10029808	So.....Rain Man does take exotic/weird vacations, so this is possible. Then again, he is married and enjoys his creature comforts, so.... Is your wife going? Your business is going to be ok with you taking like 5 weeks off or whatever? I mean, 19 days just to get there, then time in HK, Vietnam, etc., so.... Inquiring minds want to know!! __________________ "I love signature blocks on the Internet. I get to put whatever the hell I want in quotes, pick a pretend author, and bang, it's like he really said it." George Washington
Posts: 43,125

03-26-2018, 02:49 PM	#39
New World Order Choco Favre Join Date: Jul 2012 Casino cash: $2654765	I'm worried about you, Rainman. Be safe
Posts: 28,998

03-26-2018, 02:56 PM	#43
The Franchise Most Valuable Villain Join Date: Dec 2006 Casino cash: $3085047	You have got to the most interesting person I know.
Posts: 92,188

03-26-2018, 02:59 PM	#45
MVChiefFan Veteran Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Here Casino cash: $1584975	Will the crew appreciate your clever witt as much as us planeteers? __________________ I haven’t slept for ten days straight… because that would be way too long.
Posts: 3,483