h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Friday 31st January 2009
K and I have decided that we would like to travel to Cape Town by sea. For the last half hour I have been trying to log onto one of the web's booking advertisement. |I have just advised them that if booking onto their website is so difficult, that I reckon we had better go by fishing boat.!! |Icredible how important well desogmed web sites are for bookings etc.

\have a good day all you land lubbers.

** well designed web sites **

most website designers do not have a design sense, because they geeks who only see the beauty of the technical language of webbuilding. similar as mathematician see in numbers, square roots, dividers and other maths related.

That sounds fabulous!

Well thank you pheloxi for your observations. Surely it should be like a well designed interview schedule.

Unless you ask the right questions, which are relevant, you have a lousy interview schedule.

when I want to travel by ship, surely they should have

1. the ships that travel to South Africa.
2. The dates of travel
3. accommodation, cabins, distractions, entertainment, ports of call time taken to complete the journey, port of embarcation.
4. Price.

I could not even fill in my name because it was so totally nonsensical with the password becoming the most important thing in the questions being asked. Needless to say, |we shall not be travelling on any of their ships.

Kind regards

christiane.
AR80

When I was young we used to travel on dutch boats with the Holland Afrika Line.
The Oranjefontein, the Jagersfontein etc.
they were splendid and the food was superb

Dear Christiane
What a wonderful thing to do and how I envy you!
I sailed to Cape Town on the last mailship in 1977. Unfortunately the name escapes me.
It was wonderful. Only a hundred pounds more than the plane fare would have been(that was because I thought that with two small children I should have a private bathroom)
I borrowed the hundred pounds from my then wonderful bank and set off for four years in Lesotho. A couple of weeks of luxury and many happy memories.
I didn't even relise it was still possible. I've got fifteen years to win the lottery so that I can do the same as you.

I'm sure you'll find a better website for another company

Christiane, promise you'll keep us posted - somehow! I know what you mean about stupid websites; they always make me wonder if it's my stupidity or theirs! Sometimes I just can't see the right button to press!
When are you going where will you stay will you need a whole new wardrobe will you dine at the captain's Table what will the food be like can I help carry your bags?
That probably sums it up! It sounds as if you're feeling better? I do hope so!
TTFN, as we used to say.
Dig

FANTASTIC!

Dear Christiane,

Have a lot of fun. You both deserve something like this - hope the booking and the trip go smoothly in the end.

Regards,

Jabs

Aye! I well remember the sea swell we had while sailing round the cape, some size they were, sent the ship rocking? No so good for the sea sick brigade I'm afraid

Smudger.

No only Cape Town, but also in the Bay of Biscay. dear Smudger.

I only hope hope that I shall not be sick. !!

Anyway as I am not allowed to fly this is the only option. Or staying still here. We shall see.

Hope you are keeping well my friend.

go well,

~Christiane. AR80

When my mother first went to South Africa to work as nurse she went by first class cruise ship. She met my father in either East London or Durban. They travelled via South Africa and England a few times either via Southampton or Tilbury. Sometimes the voyage could be very rough which caused some of the passengers to be sick. They had all their food and drinks supplied and also there was plenty of entertainment provided.

I have only been by ferry/hovercraft on the channel between England and France as well as the Scottish ferry to Iona, I do not get sea sick but I have poor balance.

I hope you had a good time, my auunt in South Africa has some fishing boats.

It sounds a fantastic plan I love planning for and then going on journeys.

I never book anything online any more. I found a wonderful travel consultant in Australia and she still does it all for me. That way I don't have to battle with websites, web payments, changing schedules etc.

Keep us posted, Christiane

Dear Thinker,

Whenever I have seen your name I have always thought of Auguste Rodin's sculpture The thinker.

Were you born in South Africa?

I must admit that I remember travelling over when I was a child and getting very bvery ill on the boat.!! I hope that they are more stabilized now. !!It does give one something to look forward to, although I would much prefer to do it on a big ship like the Queen Elizabeth - but I think that she has gone to Dubai to be a "floating luxury hotel" now.

Thank you for writing.

good wishes,


Christiane
AlsoRan80

Dear Fb,

Glad to see that you are feeling better, We were all very worried about you.

I wish I had a good travel agent. !!/ I want to go to South Africa in a big ship that will not roll in the waves. Otherwise I shall be so seasick it will not be true. !!I had forgotten about that when we thought about it. !!

go well,

Christiane
Alsoran80

Dear Christiane,

No, I was born in Edinburgh but as a child there were of South Africa, especially of Kimberley mines as well as a picture calender.

My parents went on the Union Castle cruise se ship and I think the round trip cost a £100 pounds and they paid using one note.

Thank you for your kind wishes.

Take care

Quote AR:", although I would much prefer to do it on a big ship like the Queen Elizabeth - but I think that she has gone to Dubai to be a "floating luxury hotel" now."

Yea! I think it was the Queen Elizabeth (the First) we saw washed up on a sand bank in Honk Kong harbour, after a typhoon caused it to break its moorings, there was a large American battle ship in the same situation. That was back in the 70s, the last time I was there
Smudger.

Oh
Smudger.

I suppose that it is a good thing that you make me think of the practicalities.

It was you who made me remember the Cape Rollers = as we called them. those huge waves that make rounding the Cape Peninsular so sick making. !!

I remembered the Bay of biscay myself. !! At this rate,my desire to go to Africa is receding more and more. and I have already offered my berth to a friend asking her to go with K. to Africa. !!

I forget what I can and can not do. !

One of them I cannot do is being terribly sea sick. !!

With regret

Christiane.
AR80
Thank you for being pragmatic and reminding an old lady what she can and cannot do.

Christiane, that does sound wonderful. When will you go?