Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbuna
I'd be lying if I said yes because I was usually inebriated within an hour of getting ashore.
I vaguely remember getting picked up by a young 'lady' in the Kings Club but then again that might have been in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
One thing that does stick in the memory after all these years is how we'd go into a tailors shop and order a handmade suit of the most hideous design imaginable (I once ordered one with mushrooms dotted around) and never go back for it then a few months down the line on the next visit you'd usually see the very same suit in the shop window at an almost giveaway price because nobody would be foolish enough to buy such a ridiculous creation  |
There was a waitress at Ned's who was Chinese but spoke with a perfect British accent. Let's just say I was smitten.
We weren't in port long enough, but I really wanted to get the embroidered dragons added to the inside sleeves and neck flap of my best set of "dress blues".
(For the non-Navy types, dress blues are the traditional "cracker jack" uniform and the dragons weren't considered "Navy Reg" but were allowed)
Meanwhile, I got bagged one fine duty night with Shore Patrol (which was usually reserved for junior petty officers in the duty section) and a British Marine showed up in a Rover looking every bit as junior as me. So, off we go for another long night of chasing drunks when he says "Ever see Victoria Peak at night?". Knowing immediately that it was going to be worth seeing I said "I just bought this great camera, give me a minute to go get it" (on the Barbel, we could dock at the pier of HMS Tamar instead of having to anchor out) then off we went.
Naturally, we had to ride the cable car just after it closed to ensure that no drunken sailors or Marines were taking the mountain apart
and as we were riding it back down again I asked him "How can you go home once your tour is up?". He laughed, "I don't know..".