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1. Stabilised tea

2. Domestic duties

From: Graham Quartly
Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 21:23
Subject: Domestic Life

To some extent catering and accommodation on board is like a floating hotel; in other ways it resembles a youth hostel. For example, there are meals at 3 set times in the day, with waiter service. The dinner (at 18:30-19:00 local time) is a slightly formal affair. Jeans and T-shirts are discouraged, and we're expected to look "smart-casual". Dinner runs to 5 courses, but few people regularly go for all five. Of particular mention is the cheese board, which always has 7 different cheeses - British and foreign, some blue-veined, some smoked.

If shift work precludes the set meals (or you're up too late for breakfast) there's a "duty mess" where you can help yourself to cereals and bread. There's also a microwave to heat up portions set aside from previous meals.

I have always been a key tea drinker, and I was very impressed with the suspended mug tray, cobbled out of a biscuit tin, which hardly spills a drop even on a rolling ship. Basic technology maybe, but it works!

The other aspect that is "hostel like" is that we have the responsibility to keep our work and social areas tidy. Given the rougher conditions of late, neatly packed piles of paper hurtle to the floor, and so would any mugs, computer or digital cameras that were left lying around. Thus tidying up saves a lot of heartache later on. Ben's recently been doing his "domestic goddess" bit by hovering the bar area.

Graham