Ibiza, day 3
Dear Diary. Things that will kill you on the boat:
- getting caught in the anchor chain
- jumping on the net (If the net breaks, you'll fall through it and into the sea, where, I imagine, then the propellers will chop you up into pieces)
- smoking (the boat is "highly flammable")
With these warnings in mind, we're off.
The sound of water churning under the boat. I'm hot. I'm wearing red swimming trunks. My face is hot. The boat is rocking about in all directions. Walking is difficult: you have to hold on to the handrails like you're on a West Midlands bus. But I rode buses a lot as kid, because I lived five miles from school, and I had to get the bus to and from school every day. So this is my element.
I'm standing at the front of the boat, unaided by the handrails. As the boat rocks around, I absorb the movement with my legs, as though I'm on riding a surfboard.
"How are you doing that?" Ben calls out.
"Doing what?" I say.
"Not falling over."
I shrug. "I don't know," I say.
2 pm
Niller's been sick in the sea. Poor girl. Some people just aren't made to be on boats. Not me, though. I'm like a sea captain and Popeye rolled in to one.
But this boat is surprisingly boring. So, to break the tedium, I stagger over to a group of people and moan, "Guys, I think I'm gonna be sick..."
"Whoa, don't be sick on us, you idiot!" says Ben.
Then I lean across the table and pretend to throw up on the lot of them. Then I stand up as if nothing happened.
"I'm a brilliant actor," I say, as I walk off. "And I'm also a fucking twat," I add.
9 pm
The sun has set. The sky's getting dark. It's peaceful. The sound of gentle splashing of water. The guy's put the anchor down.
Midnight
Just went night swimming with Julian. He says he works as a programmer making the software for Bitcoin vending machines. He only works ten hours a week and he's a digital nomand and travels the world.
I convinced him to play REM's "Night Swimming" over the pool speakers. It was great. I could feel the words stirring my heart as I floated in the water and looked up at the stars above. Then stupid Julian started talking and broke the magic.
Leave a comment