Lieutenant's Log # 3

February 15, 2017

Lieutenant's Log # 3

 I quickly indulged in my favorite pastime when in Kiel, which is going to "Grossman's", the area's version of CVS Drugs in the US. I had to replace the deodorant I purchased at home. It's amazing all the fancy deodorant items you can buy. The packaging and marketing is impressive, although I think there are way too many choices. I decided to try Mennen's (I think) 'Extra Fresh'. It was in a great looking box. When I got around to using it, I noticed that the smell was familiar but horrible. I recognized the scent but I couldn't put my finger on it. Then it hit me. It smells like Upstate, NY horse manure. There's no mistaking it. So I've been walking around on the ship smelling like horse crap. I'll say one thing, the smell was most certainly 'Extra Fresh.'      

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  It was arranged that I would board the ship a day early before my contracted schedule. So the agency put me up in a passengers cabin for a day.   As you'd expect, the passenger cabins are extremely nice compared to the spartan, efficient cabins of the staff.  On my first trip, I thought the cleaning staff had forgotten to put a shower curtain in the rather small bathroom.  Nope. The toilet is inches away from the shower. So yes, the toilet gets wet when you shower. 

I don't mean to be gross, but there's nothing like being able to take a dump while showering at the same time.  Yes I know, that sentence could have been prettier.

 

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 In theory, after ten weeks I should be in much better shape than I am at the moment.  

 The last two days have been exhausting. My cabin is on the third level.  You can only get to it via stairs. The "mess (cafeteria)" and crew area is on the fifth level.  I have to go to the mess area to gain access to those particular stairs to the third level. The performance room is on the promenade, seventh level.  So several times a day it's up and down the stairs, back and forth across the promenade. From the fifth level I can use the elevator to the promenade, but I'm trying not to. If I can just control the urge to eat 24/7, I should be in good shape by the end of my contract.