My trip from Male’ to Kochi on INS Jalashwa (page 3)

A huge common area inside. Metal floor. I had too many things to scan with my curious eyes. It was not long before a Navy personnel took us to our accomodation. Bunk beds with four levels. About 30-40 CMS between each of them. No place to sit anywhere. Just two days I thought. I can manage. Went to the toilet and that is when my heart sunk a bit. Not going into the details, I would rate it below average. I have lived almost all my adult life after graduation away from home, a lot of it travelling as a field engineer. Have seen several accommodations of varying levels of comfort. I had put this solidly among the worst of it. Again, it is not a luxury liner, I get it. Just think of it this way. When I am asleep in my bed, I would have 15 people in a radius of one meter from me. I have not seen worse situation anywhere other than in an Indian passenger train at peak hours.

I changed the mask given by them for one of mine which was not as tight, but the damage was done. I could not touch my ears already. I dared not to take off my mask though, even when sleeping. Being a person with extreme motion sickness, I was completely prepared with two sheets of Avomine. I had to take one at least half hour before I start my journey and must take one every 6 hours. The only side effect was drowsiness for me – which helped me sleep.

The Air conditioner was not the best. It does spit out a lot of air, but not the cool kind. Mind it, there were messes were the AC was a champ, but just not in mine or the ones neighboring mine. They were loud. I was sleeping right next to one, but the vents were facing away from me. I could almost see the air come out of it yet cannot feel any of it. I was hot the entire trip. Humidity was high. I was sweating profoundly; the mask did not make it easy. I was planning not to bathe the whole trip, but that was not an option end of the day. The Ship was still anchored at this time. People were still boarding. People who were waiting in queue since the morning. I could not help feeling a bit pleased and guilty at the same time for jumping the queue that morning.