We continue to pass small fishing boats, commercial freighters and tankers, and of course the ever present garbage. This morning we also passed a number of oil platforms in the Malaysian Oil Fields. The sea is relatively shallow with a depth generally less than 200 feet. I don't know at what depth it would be considered deep sea drilling. If I had the internet, I would find the answer quicker than the time it took me to write this.
About noon tomorrow we will be entering the Malacca straits, the most congested shipping lane in the world. The captain has told us that the super tankers and larger vessels have priority over little ships like us. In some spots the channel is less than 2 miles wide. He expects marine traffic to be very heavy as we head towards Singapore for a 6 PM arrival.
Yesterday was shoe repair time. I use cushioned foam inserts in my shoes. They also have a replacement leather insole that were installed at my shoe repair shop. I decide to start with the worst pair. I came prepared with replacement materials. What I didn't come prepared for was removing the glued in remnants of the old insoles. I decide to borrow a set of silverware from the Lido. With the aid of a fork, knife and spoon I was able to remove the residue. The knife handle even served as a hammer to reseat a few nail heads that were beginning to come thru. One pair of shoes now good for another 15000 miles of travel, and no damage to the silverware. I'll wear them for a few days and then tackle a second pair.
This is just to reinforce my kids perception that they think I have too much time on my hands. When getting on the elevator the other day the question crossed my mind as to how far will I likely travel in an elevator on this trip. My quick guesstimated calculation: about 25 to 30 miles! Yes I do some stairs, more down than up.
There is a silent auction today to raise funds for the charity "A Helping Hand Sri Lanka". Many of the articles have been donated by passengers that took any of the various arts and crafts classes offered on board. Other items have been donated by HAL and include items such as: a shore excursion; two drinks; a DVD of the cruise; free casino play; a cook book; and a signed nautical chart of the world. I bid on a few items, not necessarily because I would like them, but only because it is for charity. I am successful, I win nothing but did drive up the price on 4 or 5 items.
Most of the day tomorrow is at sea, as we are not scheduled to arrive at Singapore until 6 PM. I don't know what I was thinking, but I have a 4 ½ hour tour that is scheduled to leave at 6:30.