This post is dedicated to the victims of the Korean ferry disaster.
Not so long ago I was on a similar ferry traveling from Korea to Japan. As I took my place in the foreigner's cabin (here the Japanese from the perspective of a Korean ticket agent), a muffled intercom voice filled the room. Sun strewn in through the circular windows as I asked the middle aged Japanese businessman next to me what they said. "Lol andu pitchi" he said. What I asked? "Lol andu pitchi." What that Japanese? No it was English, he said. Not sure what to think, I stowed my belongings and went up on deck.
A pleasant sea breeze blew across the deck as we pulled out of the Port of Pusan. After chatting with a nice couple for an hour, I went downstairs to see what was available for dinner. The ferry started to rock back and forth. I quickly purchased a drink and located my canister of dramamine. The air inside the ferry grew thick with cigarette smoke. Looking for more fresh air, I went back upstairs. I pulled on the door. It did not budge. I pulled again. The door was locked.
I scampered down the stairs again past anxious passengers to the purser's desk. Why was the door locked, I asked. The captain is worried about passengers falling overboard, I was told. What happened if the ship started to sink I wondered? Was there any place I could get some fresh air I asked? No. All passengers must stay below deck until we passed through the taifun. I sat down in the nearest seat and took two dramamine. Still nauseous, I took two more, and then two more, and then two more. Thirty minutes later, I managed to find my sleeping mat and fell asleep.
As I woke up that night, I figured out for myself what that Japanese businessman meant by "Lol andu pitchi" as a soda pop can rolled (i.e., "lol") from one side of the our quarters to the other. As the ferry pitched (i.e., "pitchi") back the other way, the can rolled back the other way. As the can see-sawed back and forth, I swallowed four more dramamine and went fell back into drug induced sleep.
I woke up the next morning to another muffled intercom message announcing our arrival at the Port of Fukuoka. The sun once again filled the sky as we climbed out through the unlocked doors onto reassuring dry land.
