14:35.70N 53:04.90W
Lbb
Mon 6 Dec 2010 16:22
| For those of you unaware as to the adverse and testing conditions we have had to live under for the last 15 days now, I just wanted to put you properly in the picture as to the amount of duress we have all been under while missing those home comforts which you normally take for granted! Entertainment On Board We have 5 playstations (one for the saloon and 1 for each cabin)..... but we only have 1 controller for each! We have a 5TB media servers with over 400 movies on all of which are piped directly to all the cabins as and when you want them....... but not all are in HD... some are near as damn it LD! We also have over 30GB of music (thats around 3 weeks non stop) again all of which are piped directly into the cabins as needed......But some of them have album art work missing....Hmph! Every cabin obviously has a flat screen LED TV with satellite..... but we can only get the american stations now, no X factor or I'm a celebrity for us!!!! Every cabin has a separate DVD player just in case a playstation gives up the ghost, we have a back up for movies.......But we only have around 150 DVD's, most of which I've seen already! Each cabin also has its own individual iPod docks integrated with the rest of the AV system..... But you have to supply your own iPod! Navigating the old school way! We have 1 Nav station up on the fly bridge with 6 ST70's and 3 ST70+'s, 1 15" Raymarine G Series GPS plotter/Radar/AIS, 2 Auto Pilot controls...... And nothing else! On the Nav station on the bridge we have just 1 ST70 and 1 Raymarine 19' G series as above.....and thats all! In my cabin I have 1 G series, 2 screens (one linked to the other 2 G series so I can see what the crew is doing to them), 8 Day/Night vision cameras around the boat so i can see everything from the comfort of my bunk at night, 2 Laptops, 1 Sat Phone, email and Internet at sea....... But it only runs at around dial up speed!! Exercise Equipment 1 Cycling Trax Turbo trainer....but its so hard to stay on it at sea! 1 Reebok motorised running machine...which is again difficult to stay on at sea! 1 Set Dumb Bells.... but only up to 7kg 1 Set of free weight 9kg dumb bells.... but they're really heavy and no fun at all! 1 Press up/pull ups/dips bar.... but we cant find anywhere to hang it for the pull ups section! 1 Giant Reebok exercise ball..... It wanders around the boat of its own free will. Reminds me of that 70's program the prisoner as it wanders around after you at night trying to get up on watch! Other mats and wrist weights etc..... But no multi gym! nothing! Domestic Appliances American Style 100 Million Lire Fridge Freezer and Ice Maker..Food is extra apparently Dishwasher...But you have to load it... and empty it it turns out! Washing machine...again, there seems to be alot of manual intervention needed! Not like at home! Tumble dryer...This does reduce the intervention described above... but it still needs emptying and everything! Double Sink... But plates and things just sit in there doing nothing really to help (It's ok, I have a Robert!) 2 Bins...Which have now been filled 2000 times over. I genuinely don't know where Robert is putting them! I think it's better I don't know. I think he must be a man witch or something! Gaggenau 3 ring induction hob and extractor...I know only 3 rings! Gaggenau electric oven and grill.... Can you imagine the diesel we burn just to cook dinner! Microwave.... I dont like it, it wont defrost, it just tries to cook everything! Toaster - Borning Kettle - Boring etc etc etc! Food rations we have had to live off! Nov 21st - Spaghetti Bolognese Nov 22nd - Chicken Passanda with Pilau Rice, Cucumber Raita, and a fresh Sweet Tomato Relish Nov 23rd - Sweet and Sour Pork with Noodles Nov 24th - Thai Green Chicken Curry with Toasted Cashew Nuts served with Ebli (puffed wheat) Nov 25th - Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff with a Cream of Brandy sauce, served on a bed of Saffron Rice Nov 26th - Chicken and Leak Pasta Bake in a Cheese Sauce Nov 27th - Chilli Con Carne Served on a bed of Pilau Rice with Cucumber Raita and Mango Chutney Nov 28th - Pizza (Rough day, pans kept rolling off the hob) Nov 29th - Moussaka served with a fresh salad and balsamic dressing with garlic bread Nov 30th - Chicken Korma, served on a bed of Saffron rice with Onion Raita, Cucumber Raita and fresh home made peshwari breads Dec 1st - Maccaroni Cheese with Tuna served with Garlic Bread Dec 2nd - Satay Pork with Egg Noodles Dec 3rd - Chicken Tikka Massala served with Ebli, Raitas & Mango Chutney Dec 4th - Terriaki Chicken & Egg Noodles served with home made sweet chilli breads Dec 5th - Hungarian Meatball Goulash served on a bed of Couscous Dec 6th - Thai Red Chicken Curry with Toasted Cashews and served on a bed of Pilau Rice....maybe with some fresh breads of sorts Dec 7th - Sukiaki Beef with noodles Dec 8th - CAKE! & RUM! (My Birthdays and hopefully our arrival!) So I hope you all have a new found appreciation for our plight! We are struggling on by but only just and I think we'll all need some pampering and looking after when we get home! Everything going great! Doing around 250Nm per day now and hammering along to St Lucia! Same time same place tomorrow for what could potentially be my last blog! Lots of love to all from all aboard Team LBB xx |