I was woken at six thirty by passengers disembarking at Igoumenitsa. Another eight hours until we reached Patras.
I tossed and turned in the giant bed of my even more giant cabin but couldn’t get back to sleep.
I tottered to the bathroom and took a look at myself in the mirror by the light of the flourescent strip. Not good. I turned off the light while I brushed my teeth.
Last night’s pork fillet was not sitting well inside me. Out of boredom I had succumbed to the self-service restaurant, but should have settled for just a greek salad.
That night truck drivers were tucking into giant plates of carbs. One guy had rice, pasta and chips which he then spent a minute or two mixing together with a yellow sauce from a five litre bottle. I’d taken it for mustard and squirted some onto my pork only to find it was some kind of honey dressing.
Later I had retired to the lounge for a beer. When I got to my table I saw that the barman had charged me 39 euros. Back at the bar he had been replaced by a girl. I questioned the bill and she took a strand of her hair and pinched it between her nose and upper lip to make a moustache and crossed her eyes at me. I wondered if she was a bit simple. Then the barman appeared again and set off a process of refunding me which required the presence of the first officer and the purser. By the time I got back to my table the girl had cleared my beer away. I chased after her but she ducked into a doorway and vanished.
Morning on the boat deck was fresher with clouds replaced by a sunshiny haze. The sea a true ultramarine and rugged little islands off the beam about two miles distant. The ship’s tannoy announced in its six languages that the self service restaurant would shortly be opening for lunch. I gave it a major swerve.