Friday, May 3, 2019

2019-05-03. Crossing the Atlantic: Home!

Was waiting for all of the DRAMA to settle before I wrote to you.
As always, I have had some serious ups and downs this journey. 
All to develop RADICAL TRUST. I guess I haven’t learned my lesson completely. There seems to be some repetition, even if the scenarios differ.

I wouldn’t know how far back to begin - so I will tell you about just the last couple of days.

When I arrived here in Ijmuiden, I still had no information or instruction about the Ship’s whereabouts. The people who work here at the Hotel Velsen are absolutely wonderful, just like family. --Danielle, Trudy, Mattie --- I have enjoyed every moment with them. They told me that another woman who stayed with them waited over a week for her Cargo Ship to arrive, be loaded and ready to sail. I resigned myself to the fact that I might be here in Ijmuiden longer than planned.

I received a long message from my Cruise Agent. I was so excited. I did everything that I was instructed to do. Last evening, I walked 2-3 miles to go to the Immigration office to get myself officially stamped to leave the country on the ship. When I arrived at the Police Station where I was told the Immigration Office was, a policeman came to the locked gate, he opened it and told me that the Immigration Office is no longer located at this place. He came into the street and pointed to a tall building that was probably another mile away, at least it seemed that far. He said that I needed to go there and walk around to the side of the building to find the Immigration Office.

Fine. I started out once again and made my way to the Felison Terminal. I followed his instructions and found the Immigration Office. I carried my yellow folder of important papers in my small daypack on my back. My passport in the usual place, where it is always available. I knew everything was in order. I had the ticket that Miri sent to me just that morning which was what I needed to board the ship. Danielle printed it for me at the Hotel. I had other paperwork in my folder. In addition to the needed info for the Ship, I carried other important papers in my yellow folder. The officer saw me taking out the completed forms that he needed, he asked that instead of taking the papers out, I hand him the entire folder.

I didn’t think that was necessary, but I have learned compliance is the way of wisdom when there is nothing worthy of a fight. I complied and handed him the folder, not even knowing what all was in it. They kept looking at my passport with some kind of magnifying device. I couldn’t understand a word of the Dutch they were speaking. There were three of them now. I was starting to feel nervous about this process. It was supposed to be so simple. I had all of the paperwork in order. All I needed was a stamp that approved my boarding the ship.

They asked me so many questions. How much I paid for the trip? When I purchased the ticket? How long I was in Spain. Why there was no indication that I ever left Spain in November of 2018. How did I go home the last time? Did I leave? What was I doing there? What would I be doing on the ship? Why didn’t I fly home? and on and on. I was there a long time. They don’t have anywhere to be since they are opened 24/7.

I began to wonder if this is anything like the Immigrants feel when they go through the immigration process to enter our country. I wondered what I might feel like to know that I was leaving the country of my entire life-experience. The country that I would never be able to return to once I acted on my choice to leave. I couldn’t imagine being a person without a country, without a home to go to. Here I was in a situation where all I wanted to do was come home. 
One of the officers, the one who seemed to want to give me a difficult time, came into the waiting area where I had been standing all this time. They interrupted helping me to process an entire fishing vessel crew of about 30 men, each with passport and ship papers. I made a deliberate choice to remain calm.

I felt like they wanted this old lady to lose her cool - so I didn’t. I would not give them what they wanted. Besides, I already had a nice room for the night, I really didn’t want them to put me up in a cage. I remained calm and unphased by the absurdity off the situation. The young officer came out into the waiting area with my passport, not my folder of important papers that I needed in order to board the ship.

He explained that he could not let me go through the immigration process until he knew for certain that I was leaving the country. He said that he called the number that I gave him for the ship, and they said I was not on their list of passengers. Earlier in the day, I called and spoke with the Master - who is like the operations officer, he did not tell me I wasn’t on the list. He said that he was expecting to get the paperwork and I should give him a call on Friday to find out for certain the day I could come on board and the time that we would sail.

As he dismissed me, I reminded the young officer that he had all of my paperwork and my yellow folder on his desk. I wanted my folder and papers before I left. He went to get it. Since I wasn’t sure what was in it when he asked for it. I wasn’t sure if everything came back to me. I checked for the critical items that I knew I had to have for Ship boarding.

I left and walked back to Hotel Velsen. Just as I entered and was telling them about what had just happened, they introduced me to a man who recently arrived. He was also going on a Freighter. I asked him which freighter. We discovered we are the two single passengers that they are taking. We are both scheduled for the NARIA. (Sure sounds a lot like NARNIA - I hope there is a Wardrobe in my room!)

He was on his way out the door to go to Immigration. I shared briefly that I had just been there and was refused clearance. He decided to go. He, like I, spoke with the Captain and was told to complete this part of the process. I didn’t see him again until this morning.

When I returned from dinner, I asked Danielle if he had returned and if he had better luck than I did getting through Immigration. She said he had. He was all set and was told to be on the ship Saturday and it would sail on Sunday.

I was not feeling very good about this. I was now wondering if my Cruise Agents had slipped up. The ship name was not one that I recognized as part of the PZM fleet, so I wondered if there had been some kind of mix up. Was I going to have to find another way home again? Last November I was bumped off of the PZM Freighter and had to find an alternative way home. I decided that I better jot the PZM agents an email. I knew that it was too late in the day, they would be out of the office in England. I would have to be patient to receive a reply tomorrow. I reported to them all that had happened.

This morning, I saw Wilke at breakfast. He is a really wonderful person. Told me about his family, especially his wife, Batina, who helped make this dream of his, a reality. This is his retirement “gift” that he and his family have saved his whole life for. A Dream realized!
Then we got to the serious business of my being put off by the Immigration Officers. I asked about the agents that he used. For him everything had gone so smoothly, and he has never traveled before!

He introduced me to the website and the contact names that he used. Problem is that we couldn’t figure out how to get the site in English. So far, only German. He said that there are a lot of travel agents promoting Freighter travel these days. In the States, I found it difficult to locate one! I used a group from UK. I need to find other alternatives or at least more options. We talked about walking to the TaTa Steel Plant where we need to check in with the company before boarding the vessel. We checked google earth to see that there really was no way to get there by walking. We knew there were strict rules about where people could walk on the company premises. They own so much land it is like a small city.
I suggested to Wilke that we get a Taxi and share the cost of the fare. We are making all of these plans and I don’t have clearance. I am eager to get a response from the agent about the situation. We check the time and know that they aren’t in the office yet. I must be patient.

I went to my room and decide I better make my way over to the Immigration office in the hopes that a new shift is working, and I will have a better experience with someone else. Before I go, I call the Ship and talk with the Captain. He is jovial and assures me that he has sent the list to Immigration He doesn’t understand why they denied me last evening. He suggests that I go back and tell them that he expects me on the vessel on Saturday with the goal of sailing on Sunday morning.

I am getting ready to begin the trek to the Immigration Office when my phone rings. I haven’t heard my phone ring in over a month! ID says the call is from Germany. Must be Wilke. It is. He asks what I am going to do. I tell him I am on my way out the door to return to Immigration. He says that he talked with the Captain and all should be good. I told him I talked to the Captain also. Wilke asked if it was all right with me, he had reserved a Taxi to pick us up at 11:00 in the morning to go to the ship. I was pleased that he had taken care of this detail and that he was kind enough to not only include me but also to be sure that the time would work for me. I agreed and expressed my gratitude. 
Off I went, following my GPS. I knew it was taking me along a different route from yesterday, however, yesterday I went to the police station first and was sent on to the correct building. I thought perhaps this was just a different way to go directly to the Immigration Building.

As I walked, I certainly felt that I was going much further than I needed to go. I walked 2.4 miles. I only needed to walk 1.1 miles. What I learned is that there are two buildings with the same name. Of course! It really was a lovely crisp walk, with the cool breeze off the water and the gorgeous sun streaming. I could see where I needed to be. I couldn’t figure out how to get there. A taxi driver helped me to enter information on my Google Map that would take me to the correct destination - another 2.2 miles and then after Immigration 1.1 miles back to the Hotel. Like an Immigration Camino!

Since I spoke with the Captain of the Ship this morning, I was feeling confident. I walked into Immigration and said to a new face, “I spoke with the Captain of the Naria, and he has asked me to come on board tomorrow morning to sail on Sunday morning around 10:00 a.m. Here are the papers you need and my passport. I am quite sure all is in order. In less than two minutes everything was done. I was approved to sail.

I noticed that the Officer handed me my passport without stamping it. I questioned whether or not I needed it stamped to confirm that I was here for Immigration Processing. Yes, of course! He took my passport and stamped it! Whew, now I feel ready to go. I couldn’t imagine what might happen if I showed up at the Ship in the morning without Immigration authorization.

I walked back to the hotel. Stopped at the grocery for something healthy to eat. Will pack and be ready for the taxi in the morning. Wilke and I will go for some fish tonight. We are ready to set sail.

Okay - how is this for an update!!!

Much love,
Remember after I get on the ship in the morning, there will be no communication. no postings until I get home in a couple of weeks.

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