Experiences of a Shippie
Art of being Strategically Stupid – 2
There are times in your life when you are overwhelmed by circumstances and your boss and colleagues seem out to get you. It is a good idea to act stupid at such times.
Art of being Strategically Stupid – 1
In life, there are several instances where one get overwhelmed with the task at hand. Colleagues and bosses wash their hands off and throw you to the wolves. Acting stupid at such times maybe a ‘strategic’ move!
My First Flight
After passing out of college in 1981, I took my first flight to join my first ship at Hamburg, Germany. The experience at Frankfurt airport is amusing.
The Reefer Engineer
The Reefer Engineer Every ship, at least in those days, where things were not too regulated, had a joker on board. Johnny was an ace amongst jokers. It was his first ship and had joined as Reefer Engineer. He was a glib talker and it seems he had talked his way into...
Experiences of a sailor – The Burmese Engineer
The Burmese Engineer In the 25 years that I was sailing on or managing ships, I have sailed with a Burmese guy only once – his name was 'Pe' and he was a third engineer on a ship that I was Chief Engineer on. A nice hardworking and friendly chap. Always ready to lend...
Experiences of a sailor – Memories of Columbia
Some time back, I bought a new TV. Setting it up gave me a distinct feeling that these things are called ‘Smart’ primarily because they make me look rather stupid – what with the various controls, internet connection, channels, etc, etc. Eventually, with the help of...
Achkis for Russia
The year was 1983. I had just joined the Scindia ship ‘Jal Rajan’ at Chennai as junior engineer. As soon as I joined, the crew asked me, “Jahaj Russia jaata hai, goggle kharida kya?” Not wanting to appear uninformed, I did not ask what they meant but nodded wisely....
