Top 10 in 2007 7. Leaving the ship, again, for the very last time
7 Leaving the ship, again, for the very last time
This was one of the last pictures I took from the DOULOS. It was early morning of the 8th of November. I was about to fly back to Taiwan with the presentation team. That morning, I had neither duty nor responsibility as a cook, a tour guide, a spokesperson, or a department head. I was just an “Ex Douloi” as we called all these people in the past. Joining the ship in the Gambia West Africa, the journey was more than remarkable. I got to see much more than most of the people on this planet. The process of leaving the ship was never easy, especially after 5 years journey. Many of us had attached to the feeling that “DOULOS is home”. I ate, worked, slept, dated, and did laundry on board. When we said “time to go home”, we went back to the port and looked for the big white piece of metal. I even had my personal “deluxe suite” at cabin 21 with a porthole.
It is hard to let go our belongings, physically and mentally. The economic class air flight luggage allowance was always about 20~25 kg (50 pounds). There is a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted… I took only two pair of shoes, a couple of t shirts, and a suit back home. I came with a 25 kg suitcase and a laptop in 2003. 5 years later, the suitcase was overloaded with memories, friendship and love, only 23kg.
By the way, I had a new laptop.
This was one of the last pictures I took from the DOULOS. It was early morning of the 8th of November. I was about to fly back to Taiwan with the presentation team. That morning, I had neither duty nor responsibility as a cook, a tour guide, a spokesperson, or a department head. I was just an “Ex Douloi” as we called all these people in the past. Joining the ship in the Gambia West Africa, the journey was more than remarkable. I got to see much more than most of the people on this planet. The process of leaving the ship was never easy, especially after 5 years journey. Many of us had attached to the feeling that “DOULOS is home”. I ate, worked, slept, dated, and did laundry on board. When we said “time to go home”, we went back to the port and looked for the big white piece of metal. I even had my personal “deluxe suite” at cabin 21 with a porthole.
It is hard to let go our belongings, physically and mentally. The economic class air flight luggage allowance was always about 20~25 kg (50 pounds). There is a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted… I took only two pair of shoes, a couple of t shirts, and a suit back home. I came with a 25 kg suitcase and a laptop in 2003. 5 years later, the suitcase was overloaded with memories, friendship and love, only 23kg.
By the way, I had a new laptop.
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