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Last broadcast on Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 10:00 on BBC Radio 4.
Synopsis
Voyaging by cargo ship is a more leisurely and potentially greener way to go. They will often take you to places the ordinary tourist would never visit. Sandi Toksvig talks to Ghislaine Armitage and Hannah Isaacs about voyaging as passengers amongst the containers to China and back, and to David Baboulene about his experiences as a crew member on freighters round the globe - including being attacked by pirates.
Although there are just ten basic types of clouds they vary in style and formation all round the world. Sandi hears from Gavin Pretor-Pinney of The Cloud Appreciation Society about how cloudspotting can be a perfect pastime for travellers, and why the 600-mile long 'Morning Glory' cloud in Australia has become a tourist attraction in itself.
David Baboulene
David Baboulene was sixteen when he first went to sea as part of his Deck Officer cadetship in the Merchant Navy. He travelled to Australia, Africa, India and the Far East. Since then he has been a welder, a DJ, a cabbie, a scriptwriter and songwriter and is now a full time writer.
David’s always had a desire to travel and, as well seeing the world, found comradeship and had a really good time. His recounts his adventures in his books the latest of which is called Jumping Ships: The Global Misadventures of a Cargo Ship Apprentice
Jumping Ships: The Global Misadventures of a Cargo Ship Apprentice
Publisher: Summersdale Publishers
ISBN-10: 1840245913
ISBN-13: 978-1840245912
Ocean Boulevard
Publisher: Summersdale Publishers
ISBN-10: 1840245905
ISBN-13: 978-1840245905
Hannah Isaacs and Ghislaine Armitage
Hannah Isaacs and Ghislaine Armitage are two friends who last year travelled aboard CMA CGM Ravel a container ship of the French Line for a two month journey to and from China. Ghislaine had travelled on freighters previously when in the seventies she went to the West Indies via Canada visiting Expo 67 on the way. And later this year Hannah and Ghislaine will depart on a South American voyage.
The BBC can't recommend any particular company. There are many. Type 'freighter passenger travel' into a search engine and you will find numerous agents. You can also enquire directly with the individual shipping lines.
Gavin Pretor-Pinney
Gavin Pretor-Pinney is the founder of the Idler magazine and also of The Cloud Appreciation Society. He is the author of The Cloud Collector’s Handbook. His latest book is already in the top ten best sellers, readers can use it when they travel to write details of their own cloud observations.
The Cloud Collector’s Handbook
Publisher: Sceptre
ISBN-10: 0340919434
ISBN-13: 978-0340919439
Broadcast
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Sat 11 Jul 200910:00
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