Sea Travel

While listening to the Animals this morning I thought of Alan Price's fear of flying and their break-up. Sea travel does have a special cachet, although the numerous tourist class cruise boats these day are not in the same class as the real, stylish, transatlantic ships.

Mind you I personally have a fear of travelling by boat; especially with the numerous shipping disasters around the Phils and Indonesia. Perhaps my first equatorial "crossing of the line" put these in my head. It certainly looked to me as if we were about to hit something fairly substantial and dangerous, but apparently it is merely a painted line.
But, especially after reading (and listening to) the Discworld novels, I always had the fear of the edge (nothing to do with U2) and the possibilities therefrom. For either big or little ships the danger remains and is definitely not something that I care to encounter. Nevertheless occasionally I need to travel around the Phils and, not being a strong swimmer, I consider it advisable to have my own rescue equipment with me at all times. I have not had to use it as yet but it is wonderfully comforting to know that it is with me, just in case of need.
My work has taken me around the world and I have become inured to the discomforts of the paraffin budgie but I do wish they could produce something for air travel that was more in the way of the old liners and hence might provide rather more comfort.