Piecesofeight

Rio Trombetas is a tributary of the Amazon and the reason for going there is not the place itself which is just a village and a bauxite terminal for the export of aluminium ore, but rather the journey it takes to get there. To pass by Santarem, Oriximina and Obidos in the afternoon sunlight with the row of wooden boats all along the quayside is a joy – as well as the tiny hamlets on the banks of the Amazon with a single family and their canoes. Quite incredible to see another way of life utterly divorced from the rat race.

We were loading coal, I was on a merchant ship, we went ashore to a bar (as you do) and a few of us were invited home to the house of a couple we met in the bar. We were so hospitably treated with beer and food that I remember little of the rest of the afternoon only the apology the following day when our hosts came onboard to visit the ship. Australia is a great place, one day I’ll have to see it sober :-)

n.b. I did see Sydney and Melbourne sober in 1989/90, but having spent 3 weeks in Aus and three months in NZ I think that tells you all you need to know about my preference.

The Koreans are really nice people, great sense of humour, well mannered and good company. I’ve been to Seoul, Busan and Incheon and my experiences were all good, I recommend it.