CRUISE VIGNETTES 28, Stefan Batory

LONDON
When we awoke we were docked in Tilbury, the ship docks on the Thames River, near London. We cleared custom’s and went to the train station next door and bought round trip tickets to London. When we got downtown, we walked and walked, and rode a taxi here and there. Emmy wanted to shop for a suit at Selfridge’s on Oxford Street, but decided even if she found a suit or a dress she would like well enough to buy, the price would scare her away. Prices and styles were equally atrocious. We did buy a small bag of Mrs. Thornton’s Special English Toffee, but it didn’t last long.

We walked a lot more, then caught a cab back to the train station. After we got on the train, we found this one would stop one station too soon. When we arrived there, several people gave us different information as to when the next train would arrive. Then we found there were three other people from our ship who were on the same train from London, so we all piled into a cab and for a dollar or so each, we arrived at the pier in style.

We left the dock at 4:00 PM, went down the Thames River, made a U-turn into the English Channel and headed for Canada. The last point of European land seen as we sailed, was called Lands End. The passage on the ship was pleasant, not plush, but of course we weren’t expecting a luxury ship. There were about 350 people on board the Stefan Batory.

We had a little rough sea for only a day or so, and even then there was no problem with dishes sliding around on the table, nor was it a problem to walk around, and Emmy was a little queasy for only a day or two. They had movies each night and Emmy enjoyed most of them, but I would just walk around, read, and watch the ocean. A trip, on a ship, I can do forever.

The meals were OK for most people, but I had eggs in one form or another, two or three times most days. I finally convinced the waiter who convinced the Stefan Batory’s cook I wanted them just the way the chicken laid them — no onions, potatoes, no nothing, just eggs. They were fried sometimes, and scrambled others. Emmy said that while the food wasn’t great, she liked some of it, and could stand the rest of it.