Not ferry people
To Glenn, I am sure the UK’s passenger ferries seem as exotic as New Zealand’s eel café seems to we British. Have we discussed the eel café before? It is my hope that eventually Solver will visit NZ, but I fear I may have to bodily travel there to capture the “vibe”.
I can’t be the only one praying this scenario doesn’t end with “vinegary high notes”.
I pray that none of my romances, May-to-December or otherwise, end with “vinegary high notes”.
Have you ever felt the need to do that for other stories set in international locales?
Thinking about the “Where Women Grow and Men Plunder” story from Giant Days as an example, given Australia’s proximity to NZ
There are no ferries to or from NZ
(Recently there have barely even been ferries between the main islands of NZ)
Having flown there from Sidney, the maps tend to give a false sense of proximity, NZ to Australia is not a comfortable ferry hop distance, at all.
Apart from him listing the city in the wrong state John did a pretty good job of depicting Australia. He managed to get the police uniforms right, a feature apparently impossible for most professionally published superhero comics
Just you saying that I got the state wrong in an eight year-old comic sent a chill of horror through me. I take details seriously!
Australia is as proximate to New Zealand as the UK is proximate to Russia.
…although the reason there aren’t ferries between the US and Russia isn’t distance, but the fact that at the closest point the sea is not safe for most boats (plus potential border issues).
A better comparison for Americans might be that Australia is as proximate to New Zealand as NYC is to Chicago.
(He said UK, not US)
Oops, yeah, sorry.
Or Miami to Caracas, Venezuela.
I would love to read the story of that weird pair meeting two merry widows on a ferry. A classic comedy with Glenn and Dean, it would be interesting. Also, going to NZ seems an amazing idea.
It might be like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, except Glenn and Dean would be the marks.
When Glenn mentioned going places without getting on a plane, I assumed at first that he was just talking about taking a train to the Continent. It had not occurred to me that one could take ferries to other European nations.
I don’t drive and heading through deserted industrial estates to and from ferry terminals, by bike or on foot now seems to be my holiday jam. Have done several euro ferries, but also loads to ireland. Oh god, come to think of it I did appear for several YEARS as a pointing to the distance model in the Calmac ferry timetable for the hebrides. (not a paid position, the photog just asked for a pic beside the ferry)
I tried to like the chunnel service but they’ve f***ed up my bike twice now so, meh, I’ll just risk it the low-poly fps levels around the ferry ports.
In the fall of 1972, after an interminable flight from San Francisco to London, I continued by overnight ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland. Takeaways:
1. In those days air travel didn’t even pretend to have non-smoking.
2. It’s “Harridge” not Har-witch.
3. TV screens on the ferry were showing the Munich Olympic games, then in progress, and I was astonished to see an entire event presented without interruptions every few minutes for beer ads.
Gee, if Glorm gets his way (unlikely as that seems), The Grote & Co. may end up straying dangerously close to my hometown, judging by those pamphlets on panel 2.
Ferries are the best. Although the British ones apparently felt they were losing the race against airplanes, and the obvious answer was to join the security theater.
A merry widow is also the name of a type of corset. Are these boys up to having high seas adventures with lingerie?
I feel that’s the kind of anachronism for which Dean Thompson (PGCE) may actually be prepared.
I say this. Dean might also be that rarest of things, the BEd graduate who derides the “pencil sharpening certificate” awarded through postgraduate qualification. It would suit him as well as it suited my Head of Sixth, which is to say “down to the ground.”
I just realized New Zealand must be dead on the other side of the world as the UK.
Is this common knowledge? Do people talk about this on the street? Mind blowing.
Right now (in Ōtaki Beach, NZ) I am nearly at the antipodes of Ávila, Spain. Hello, Ávila!
In Christchurch, NZ I am opposite Lugo, Galicia, Spain
Hola!
Fun Fact: Washington State has more passenger ferries than any other state in the United States. On one of them, I made all the doors. About 163-odd of them, of several different types. The MV Toketae.
(Not by myself of course. I made all the parts, and the fabricators assembled them. That said, I did design one double-swing door, and the hinges for one class of exterior doors.)
Wow, so all over Puget Sound then?
Query; what are the main differences between Ferry People and Cruise People, aside from Ferry People being mostly shorter-term passengers?
Beats me.
Norovirus. 100% Cruise guaranteed.
I assume that Ferry People are considerably better acquainted with lorry drivers. And less concerned about the long-term comfort levels of cabins.
I think Ferry People are mainly taking the ferry as a means of transportation, in order to get from point A to point B. (That’s me, in any case.)
Cruise People are taking the cruise in order to be on a cruise.
Well, the cruise people are bloody bastards, obviously.
Yup, but also across the Columbia River in several places.
Nice. I love Astoria, Oregon.
Astoria is cool and so is the Astoria Megler Bridge, even though it scares the living crap out of me. One of the ferries is about 25 miles east of there: The Wahkiakum County Ferry out of Cathlamet. It’s a tiny little thing, only holds about 6 cars.
Oh! The engineering on the ferry is always so pleasing. Good and heavy. Lots of solid welds. Though, actually, the doors on our ferry are a real nightmare to open – it is just the massive weight of the door? I hope this isn’t one of yours. Though honestly it’s one of the less disappointing things about our little ferry and my kids always have fun struggling with it.
Judging by the last two panels, Lottie DOES honestly care about Glam’s feelings. It’s very sweet.
She doesn’t seem to be making him happy, though.
is wearing winter clothes indoor a UK thing
A saving money on heating thing, probably, especially if your living quarters are a large and semi-derelict former clinic.
I would think that after the last adventure, Ygln would want to be well away from the possibility of getting wet.
It’s like they say: When you almost get drowned, the only thing to do is get right back on the ferry.
(looking out window at NZ (partial)) Bring your sunscreen. And your copy of ‘Finn’ to be signed.
You can still get a hovercraft to the Isle or Wight. A hovercraft!
Do they serve eels onboard, though?
Not since a falling out with the Orbán government, alas. Used to be absolutely stacked with ’em, though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grA5XmBRC6g
“My hovercraft is an eel café.”
I sometimes feel that having once taken a hovercraft from Dover to Calais makes me some kind of historical relic.
I also took that hovercraft!
As the poet wrote, “You won’t be merry on a North Sea Ferry / Ahoy! Ahoy! Ahoy!”
As a fellow Antipodean, I agree with Glarm regarding international ferry travel. Visiting another country without a 24 hour plane trip feels like the stuff of dreams.
I’d say a trip to New Zealand is definitely warranted.
Happy New Year, everyone! Hope it’s been a kind start 🙂
After watching JoJo Rabbit I’ve felt compelled to extended extra kudos to all Kiwis. So far, none have given me reason to make me change my mind. I’ve never been there, though (does Earl’s Court count?).
Glrm’s sequential expressions throughout the panels make me sad. Shame on the Mystery Girls for raining on his parade. Even though we already know Dean will not use him well.
So, these eel cafés: are they cafés where eel is served, or is it more like a cat café, but with eels instead of cats? Or possibly like Japan’s maid cafés: you’re served by women wearing eel costumes?
Your third option sounds rather alluring.
The Jester House Café’s website promises “Tasty Food, Magical Gardens & Friendly Eels” but then fails to back up that last point with anything but one small and unexplained photo.
A trip to NZ may indeed be required.
… It does appear to be option 2, though.
You feed the eels! Minced beef from a big lolly stick. They’re in a cave at the back of the cafe.
This should answer your questions (and raise more): https://www.jesterhouse.co.nz/tame-eels/
I told you there was a lolly stick!
Huh. If there’s another page on their site that links to that one I haven’t been able to find it. The URL does appear in the front page HTML, but looks like it’s only as part of a menu I haven’t found any way to manifest in the browser. WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE? (Eels, duh.)
Lottie you owe him. And you REALLY owe Dean. But that turducken I suspect will come home to roost soon enough.
I’m surprised how many other Kiwi are keen Bad Machinery readers 😀 Kia ora koutou!
We’re insidious (kia ora)