The land of Sillius Sodus South Pacific

Hi Guys,

Sillius Sodus  March 2011

(Longitude: 00 00’South   Latitude: 180 plus a minute, minus a minute)

(Time +13 or -10 GMT)

Crossing the International Date Line is a curious experience, rather like a time warp.

By crossing the International Date Line from west to east we gained a day and experienced the 13^th March 2011 for two consecutive days, both days were labeled 13^th March 2011. Earlier, in February, when we crossed from east to west we lost a day or the 22^nd February 2011 just did not exist.

I just wondered whether we could zig zag up the International Date Line, losing one day on a zig and gaining two days on a zag and gain a week after a couple of zigzags. Well, it does not work that way but it is an interesting concept, rather like standing at the north pole, twirling clockwise or counterclockwise and getting younger or older. Perhaps the direction of rotation is reversed from one hemisphere to the other rather like the direction of water down the plughole. We are in the land of Sillius Sodus.

We are also caught up in the British census of 2011. This year we qualify to be counted, however, we are “all at sea”, a condition that many have placed me for many years. We will arrive back in Southampton on the 14^th April and our whereabouts will be reported for the 15^th.We will “Pop up” in the UK after a 40 year absence.

April 15th is also the day that I must complete my American tax return. However, I will be unable to complete as all the documentation is either in cyber space or the “cheque is in the mail”. Apparently, I have an automatic extension because I live overseas.

Ship in tsumani?

I would like you to consider the picture at the right,

I was convinced that it was a picture of the Aurora during the wave from the Japanese tsunami.

However, it is actually a wreck on a reef just outside the entrance to Apia in Samoa.

It looks as if the ship will raise money in a separate fund for the unfortunate people caught up in this terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan

The ship is a complete city with shops, restaurants, theaters and fashion shows. Well, I have been petitioned to partake in two fashion shows and get up on stage to perform the traditional Maori warrior Hakka. The fashion show needed me to dress in a shirt, the Hakka required me to remove my shirt.

One evening, the entertainment included a number of traditional Maori dancers showing off their skills with pois, soft leather balls on strings that are whirled around the heads of the dancers and a display with skittle sticks that are thrown between partners. Lady volunteers did an outstanding job with the pois and the skittle sticks. But now they wanted fierce looking 60 years olds with beer bellies to remove their shirts, stomp around the stage with their hands on their hips, slapping their thighs and waggling their tongues at the audience and looking stupid. I went up on stage believing that I could meet several of these qualifications. I enjoyed it so much that I went on stage twice and I have the bruises on my thighs to prove it.

           

Roy doing the Hakka

Roy and Betsy at the Fashion Show

The fashion show is another thing; Betsy is a grand dame who accompanied me down the runway, a lady in her 80s and always beautifully turned out, she carries a very posh umbrella with frills and wears one white glove like Michael Jackson to steady herself as she perambulates down the sometimes bouncy corridors. We walk along the runway like the days of the Pompadours where Betsy supports herself on one side with her umbrella and my hand extended at waist level on the other, however, we stop short of the pas de deux dance.