Thursday 13 March 2008

Round the World Five - Day 8 (Thu, 13 Mar)

Itinerary: After spending Thursday, 13th March in Bangkok, transfer to the airport to catch Thai Flight TG794 leaving at 18:30 for Los Angeles by an A340-500.

I didn't see much of Bangkok this trip, having spent most of the day in the Business Centre at the hotel, trying to sort out some of my experiences. That long flight to LA is still to come. It's a long trans-Pacific flight through what should be the night, arriving fourteen and a half hours later (what?) at 19:00 hours local time. But, because we've crossed the International Date Line, it's still Thursday, 13th March. Travelling east from England, you lose time until you get to the Dateline, then you gain a complete day. Carrying on east, you continue to lose time so that, by the time you get back to England, your clock agrees with local time again.

We should arrive at Los Angeles International Airport, Tom Bradley International Terminal 'B'. After immigration and customs, to Terminal 7 for the UA1492 United Airlines for Ted A320 flight at 22:45 to Las Vegas. Arrive Las Vegas McCarran international airport, Terminal 1 at 23:58 and taxi to the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel, for a 5-night stay.

Postscript: I've got as far as the new airport at Bangkok. Not only is the airport huge but, since it's Thai's home airport, the 'Royal Silk' lounge I'm in is the biggest I've seen anywhere!

Post-postscript: Between the Thai lounge at Bangkok and the aircraft, we had two very thorough security checks. But the people were friendly enough, so it wasn't too bad. Now I'm at Los Angeles. The Thai flight from Bangkok was good but oh, so long! I adjusted my watch to West Coast time when we set off. After the first meal, they darkened the cabin and screened the windows to encourage people to sleep but, once we'd crossed the terminator, it was bright sun outside. It's all a bit odd.

The international terminal at LAX (Tom Bradley) is being rebuilt, so it's not a very pleasant experience walking to the terminal. Neither is waiting in line for Immigration. The process didn't take too long and the immigration officer was friendly. I walked to terminal 7 for the United connecting flight and managed to work out how to check in with a paper (not electronic) ticket. To get into terminal 7, you go through another security check and the lady security guard directing the traffic was rather officious. They make you take your shoes off so they can X-ray them. Since I wasn't wearing socks, it meant going barefoot on the floor past the X-ray machine. I politely pointed out to the one girl employed there that the floor wasn't really clean enough to make this an attractive experience but, of course, she just looked at me blankly. It's a bit noisy and scruffy in the seating area near the gate and I'm getting a bit tired. Anyhow, I found an automatic Internet machine which works (for money) so I'm able to do this minor update.

Road To Mandalay

'The Road to Mandalay' is German-built, to the design of a standard Rhine cruise ship and flat-bottomed for river work. She is about 101.6 metres long, LBV (that's Length Between Verticals, the Captain informs me) 95.1 metres, 11.6 metres beam, 3.10 metres keel to main deck (depth), draught 2 metres, gross weight 1916 metric tonnes, nett weight 697 metric tonnes. Just over 12 years ago, she had an extensive refit in Germany and England before being brought to Myanmar on a specialist transporter ship to work these cruises.

Every 3 years, she is dry docked in Yangon although, operating in fresh-water, corrosion is not a major problem. A system of sacrificial anodes was tried, but was not effective because the low conductivity of the river water did not allow the intended electro-chemical action.

Propulsion is by two Voith keel-mounted propeller units comprising five vertically-mounted, straight, variable-pitch blades. There is no rudder and steering is by controlling the pitch of the blades. A similar, smaller 4-bladed propeller unit is provided as a bow thruster, making the vessel extremely manoevrable. She can turn in her own length or move sideways.

Power is provided by two pairs of Deutz V12 diesels, each of about 425 horse power. One pair of engines drives the port propeller via a gearbox, the other pair drives the starboard. The ship can make way with two engines or even only one. Blade pitch is directly controlled from what looks like a lorry steering wheel the in wheelhouse by a direct mechanical linkage which has proved very reliable. The throttles are arranged as in aircraft practice, except that 'Idle' is in the middle of the quadrant, with revs increasing either side. Red and green indicator lights show that the the port and starboard engine pairs are in idle. Another lever is moved left or right to control the bow thruster.

I'll add to the description when I can, and link to my photos when they're uploaded.

My thanks to the Captain and Chief Engineer for various explanations - any errors are all my own work.