Sailing the High Seas

The morning of Tuesday, April 21st, I boarded another vessel. The Sun Zhou Hao - Shanghai, China to Osaka, Japan.

I wasn't expecting much. I'd booked the lowest class available - 2B economy, 16 bed female dorm - and had gotten a student discount. So considering the ferry's 48 hour duration and international destination - Japan is by no means a cheap country to travel in - the fair was pretty minimal.

Man was I pleasantly surprised. On the Yangtze, I remember being happy, but also wet, cold, and hungry. On the Sun Zhou Hao, this would definitely not be the case. The staff wore bow ties and panty hose. Televisions played English films for the enjoyment of reclining patrons. Shower rooms steamed with hot water.

And - the piece de resistance - our room. I opened the door to be confronted with another. Strange, but then I see the slippers and shoe cubbies. I love shoe cubbies, and the slippers even almost fit! The next door is made of wood and slides. Then, the smell of bamboo mats and I see three peculiar piles. I claim one by a window - whose screen I slide open to reveal the cobalt of the sea - and begin working it out. Thick mats on the bottom, sheet, duvet and cover, and - what's this square leather box? Oh... - pillow.

Giddy, I headed to the restaurant for more chopstick practice. We dock Thursday, April 23rd. Until then, I plan to skip through the carpeted halls, dodge ping pong balls and woman practicing T'ai Chi, and watch English action movies with the Chinese tourists who insist on spending the majority of the day lounging in their flannel pajamas.