Video Oddcast Oct 2023 - Reluctant cruiser re-cap
I haven’t done anything over the last month other than going on holiday - so that’s what I’m talking about in this episode.
If you only want the audio - there’s a separate post containing that.
I’m really just putting this out as a ‘proof of life’ and so that I can now get on with making tech focused videos. Hopefully I’ll have something new to show you within the next week.
Take care.
Comments (71)
Im not a huge fan of cruises either. Whats you're thoughts on train travel through Europe? Its a little disjointed but I've had great experiences. Trains gets you to the middle of city, its way more relaxing than driving, and other than the train station its self its pretty easy to avoid crowds.
I’ve never tried it - it’d take me a full day to get out of the country, so it’s never seemed like something I’d enjoy.
Most people I know who've been on cruises even pre-The Event ended up getting sick so I can't say it's an appealing idea for a vacation for me these days. Thanks for the insight on your experience though! Many Canadians also think vacation=shorts time regardless of the actual weather.
My father went on a river cruise this summer, from Rotterdam to Basel. Might be something for you as well. Relatively small with a maximum of about 170 people.
My wife and I went on one of the European river cruises earlier this year and we ended up enjoying it quite a bit. I didn't think I would, but it was very nice. The multiple ships being docked together didn't end up being very bothersome to me like I thought it would. They did a pretty good job of minimizing the time that you were "trapped" on the inside.
Maybe it's time to pick up an iPhone, load your credit card on it and just catch whatever trains and busses you can find until you get to, I don't know, Italy, Croatia, Austria, Germany?
Welcome to Canada, I am from New Brunswick so you sailed right by hopefully you enjoyed Tim Horton's. The wife and I enjoy crusing but have not been on one since 2015 I think but being in a wheelchair I get what you mean with the crowds. This dose answer my question about a Trans Atlantic one its the same as sailing out of New York in March it dose not get warm for at least 24 hours and it gets cold again on the way back.
Welcome back! Could coach holidays be an idea? My friend and I have been going with National Holidays for nearly ten years now, and seen Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Ireland. Not all on the same tour, obviously. Prices are very good, and the hotels always have bars, so no straying too far at night. The Austria/Switzerland one did involve a 5am departure and stop in Germany overnight both ways though! Others left around lunchtime! I did find the only charity shop halfway up the Alps, though! Also, I can't be the only one tragic enough to want to see that cruise ship walkabout as a separate video?
Coaches aren’t for me - I did try once, but just not my thing. The same applies to the Mrs. However I can always edit together the walkaround of the boat if wanted.
Well back thanks for keeping us entertained whilst you away with delayed releases. You've probably been linked to this already but have u seen this ( https://youtu.be/9rOsYQJy8Ho?si=O76TKj7E1FPzjlhu ). Reminds me of the bigger one you had
That is very interesting/unusual and certainly reminiscent of the Schaub Lorenz 5001 in the tall size of the spool.
Welcome back Mat. Great video. We keep thinking about going on a cruise, your advice is invaluable.
I think the audio is good. Regarding the cruise. I share much of the same points and while I don't have restrictions to the use of airplanes, I don't want to for ecological reasons. It is a fantastic thing though, that you got to do it. You do deserve it, even it sounds stupid formulating it like that. You do work very hard and do a fantastic job. I find this emails, while flattering no doubt, a lite lacking in respect. As an anecdote, I hiked for a week in Norway (can only recommend) and we ended up in the town of Fram. The day after a large cruise ship arrived and disgorged many tourists who barely went anywhere, just aimlessly wandered through the small town. Similarly tiPin copied text snippets to stop them expiring after 1 hourSlide clipboard items to us really. We were resting and stretching without backpacks. Many banners showed the tense social status, with pro and con banners for the cruises. Please don't stop taking care of yourself
Glad you had a nice time, you've hit the nail on the head with the reasons cruises aren't for me though. Some of my family are obsessed with them. Being on a train ride with the same people is enough for me. Regarding convenient cameras, in 2015 a Swiss friend showed me his Sony DSC-TX30. He used it (for better or worse) to take snapshots while driving, as the camera is turned on by flipping the front cover down. A quick snapshot and it was flipped back up, all with one hand. I was very impressed, never did buy one though.
I had a camera from that range - I think it was an earlier model, but the slider mechanism was very satisfying.
The thought of you getting messages requesting another video or asking when the next one is makes me realize how addicted your viewers are. If nothing else, it shows how fond we all are of your welfare and how much we enjoy what you produce. I could be speaking of only myself, but I doubt it.
I forgot to ask earlier - does "ship time" conform to whatever time zone you are currently in, or does it conform to destination or embarkation time? With the length of the Atlantic transit, the sense of proper timekeeping would be odd.
Welcome back! I agree, cruise ships just look very boring to me as I'm not really interested in drinking or going to shows. Might be fun for a day or two, but after that I'd go stir crazy.
Your audio sounds great on AirPods - sitting in Heraklion airport - started watching this with my AirPods in and jumped out of my skin as the clarity was so good. Thought you were in the airport!
Good to know. I’ll be sticking with the R0DEs now.
I get the visiting interesting locations but other than that a cruise always seemed awful to me, too many people for my taste.
Many years ago I flew in a Douglas DC-3. No pressure cabin. Height 1500-2000m. The MOST PAINFUL flight I've ever had ! I'd love a bit of cabin pressure that time..
Well that’s helpful to know - I thought the pain was because of the pressurisation. I’ll cancel that Zepplin flight.
If you do decide to go on an extended trip again, you could get a one of your Patrons to house and cat-sit! If they are also on an extended trip (in the UK) you can do an Air B&B situation! I'm sure at LEAST 63% of your patrons are trustworthy! :)
Moxie used to be THE cola in the US back in the 1920s. Nowadays is sort of a "hipster" reference. I didn't know they had an orange variety. I went through a "vingage" soda phase some years back and got a hold of bottle supposedly of the original cola recipe. I thought it was among the worst things I've ever swallowed, but then again I don't like Coke either (although one made with cherry syrup or grenadine can be nice).
I thought Moxie cola tasted like root beer mixed with Dr Pepper. I'd buy it occasionally if I didn't have to go to the specialty pop store (and pay twice as much) to get it
Yikes RE: the airplane pressure situation! Were you forewarned at diagnosis or did you have to find out the hard way?
It just came on one time - it really felt like my head was going to explode, a stabbing dagger pain in the back of the neck, somewhere I’d never experienced any problems before. It happened on a couple of flights and then I had to call it quits on the plane trips.
What a fantastic T-shirt that would make: "Great Britain: An Annoying Place to Invade!"
I'd never been in a kayak but I've been an avid fisherman all my life. Took up kayak fishing about 10 years ago and I love it... get out, get some paddling in, go find a fishing hole--I recommend it to anyone (who is at least a little interested in fishing.) That being said, my fishing kayak is far more comfortable than a standard kayak, it has a seat that's a bit more like a lawnchair than a traditional kayak backrest...
It's good to have you back! Having to get used to the camera again is probably be a good thing if it means you've had some much-needed rest during your time away. Normality will return soon enough. Regarding the bent-over posture in the kayak: I can relate… A kayak trip was part of a company outing I took part in. With lots of other hunched IT professionals. These things definitely need a backrest!
I live in the US and have never heard of Moxie. It must be limited to the Boston/New England area. Your show n’ tell of the Ricoh GR3 is making me want to get one…I used to have a GRD 4 and I loved it. The caps look great on you, especially the red PEI one! I’ve been on 2 cruises and while I’m glad I got to experience what they’re like, I have no desire to go on one again. I remember going through US immigration on the cruises. It was a pain! It’s too bad that there isn’t a non-cruise way to travel by ship anymore (at least that I know).
I grew up in the south, but I was stationed in CT and had close friends from Maine... we'd go up and visit their family in Maine every now and then--it's the only place I've ever seen Moxie. (I never tried it, soft drinks have never really been my thing...)
So if I had to guess it was Thanksgiving in PEI? Charlottetown was nice enough the one day I spent there in a cross country road trip in 2007. But I hope you can report on your experience with all-dressed or ketchup chips and poutine :P Ten years ago, I went on a group tour to China and found the structure and the people I was with to be not my thing. I felt the most comfortable when I was left to myself and had to take a train around and just be a normal person instead of bussed around all the time.. So a cruise full of people who like cruises would probably drive me crazy..
That was a bit of an unusual time for your holiday. I hope you enjoyed it and you could relax well. If you forgot how to do your job you most likely achieved relaxation.
A holiday suggestion. Have you considered Rail Journeys ? In 2002, when it was implied that air travel involved a 3 hour wait at the airport to be strip searched, we went on an organised train journey to Munich and Bavaria. That was a two day trip with a stopover in Cologne each way. A nice memory was having dinner in the restaurant car as we went down the side of the Rhine. p.s. Don't blame me if you try it but don't like it.
It has been thought about - although it would be a lot easier if I lived near London.
Saw the title go by in the email note and thought ... Well whatever a cruiser is, it must be ~40 years old if it needed a re-cap because I already knew how reluctant Mat is to swap out components ... Yeah. Right. Got it. Nice caps.
Yes, welcome home! This helps.. I have thought about going on a cruise for a number of years, but I think I won't... 😅 I love the Patreon updates anyway. It was funny, I was just checking for a new video and pleasant surprise! Still.. Didn't you go on holiday because you were starting to burn out? Did that at least get better? Also, good thing to know: go to Canada (never been outside of Europe so far). All in all, I loved the video! Thanks!!
I don’t think the holiday was booked with the hope of preventing a burn-out as it was organised a long time ago. However with any luck it has been a help.
Welcome home! I’ve recently watched quite a few videos on a channel called ‘Emma Cruises’. The eponymous presenter is so likeable and positive about everything that I’ve almost been tempted. I suspect I’m far too much of a misanthrope for this form of travel so thanks for the antidote. One question: do you need documentation regarding the medication that you carry?
As far as I know I don’t need documentation, but I do always take a copy of my prescription, just in case.
I watch Tips for Travellers cruise reviews. He is genuinely critical though still very much pro-cruise. But apparently not enough - I've decided to never go on a cruise because of his videos
Oh, God, you’ve foretold an undeniable upcoming shift in societal demographics. At some point, Gen-X is going to get so old that the game studios will begin publishing their AAA titles in alternative Large Print editions.
We'll probably support a Patreon for a young person to play our game on Twitch for us while we attempt to gum our Pizza Rolls.
I live in a Quaint Colonial-Era New England Seaside Village and I can verify your observations about living in a town that gets routine influxes of tourists. In the relatively short time I’ve been here, the balance of economic power has shifted from the people who live here to the tourists. There aren’t as many options for affordable takeout as there once were, and a lot of the stores that cater to basic conveniences have been replaced with more knick-knack shops and galleries. (And it’s kind of amazing how blasé I’ve become. There’s a big colorful parade through the neighborhood today. But I know that there’s _another_ Halloween parade scheduled for next weekend, and I’m too comfortable here on the couch today to even consider moving. Not even just moving to a seat by a window, beneath which the parade passes.) Still, I love it here. There are plenty of reasons why this neighborhood attracts people who seek beauty on the weekend, and I get to enjoy it 7 days a week. No complaints (he wrote, literally moments before a car alarm started wailing outside his office window).
Welcome back Mat. A well earned break from work for you both. Going on holiday always makes me appreciate being back home more!
I assure you that on a Sunday morning I do indeed have nothing better to do than watch videos. It’s kind of aspirational, in fact. I’m glad that your stop in Maine included Moxie! As a beverage sold for consumption it’s…a unique pleasure. But as a brand, you can’t get more New England-ey — certainly not more specifically Maine — than Moxie. And that cap is exactly the kind of souvenir I hope to acquire during a trip: a real “if you’ve been there, you know” sort of item. Look forward to the occasional double-take from New Englanders taking a Beatles walking tour in Liverpool…
For some reason I pictured your typical day being more like the ‘Stephen J. Cannell Productions’ ident - flinging pages of finished articles from a typewriter. Oh and as I passed by the BPL, I took a moment to look in the window to see if you were in the studio. Alas no, but admittedly the odds were low.
I have the same sinus issues and the intense pain in pressurised planes. However, I'd rather be in searing pain for 7 hours than being stuck on a boat for 6 days. I went up the side of Norway on a cruise ship. Nice country but that North Sea can do one.
The last time I did it - I really thought I was going to die. I’m not saying whether that was travelling in a plane or on a cruise.
Welcome back! Mrs. Big Car (who also isn't a fan of cruises) wanted to know why you didn't cruise to the US/Canada then take a car or a train around the country?
This trip used all the annual holiday allowance for the Mrs. It couldn’t have been even half a day longer.
Very enjoyable. I hadn't realized that your mode of transportation was based on physical limitations. I normally don't travel, but had to fly back to my childhood hometown, and the sinus changes due to pressurization was quite unpleasant. I think I'll stick to either a car, or a train. The video you played in the background reminded me a little of Wall-e. Glad you and the Missus had a good time. And when you started talking about the cat, I was afraid something happened to him. Thank God he's okay.
What a class video as always! Forever wailing at your wittiness Mat! Not Cuba Bacon but when I went shopping the other day, the shop was playing Arabesque over the tannoy, I did have to have quite a laugh about it!
Yeah i always thought a cruise seemed like being forced to stay in an airport for weeks on end before finally being let out somewhere nice for a day or two, and this has solidified my opinion. A few hours on the ferry to France is about all i can cope with.
Thank you for giving me and the other half a laugh at your general hatred of cruises. We don’t plan on going one, but we also tend to have pretty relaxed holidays where we try and avoid other people quite a bit. A cruise sounds like hell for that reason. Other people are quite annoying (friends excepted) A section on lifts would be very welcome, when you’ve got a gap.
Welcome home, Mat.
Thanks for the video Mat. We both use the same insulin!
Thanks and welcome back, nice to see a Cruise ship and the people, or lack of them (on the outside....) and also you thoughts about it. You mentioned a new Densha De Go 2! Plug and Play console (?) at the end but for some reason I can't seem to find it on amazon.co.jp...? Do you have a URL?
Here’s the one I’ve ordered. https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0C9Q6PFYM
Now we need to check that Andy Ihnatko watched it :)
Ah, Quebec - home of the endless construction signs. So symbolic that they sellmini pylons in some souvenir shops. Saguenay is a nice spot at certain times of the year - they get quite a bit of whales and marine life, and there's a nice national park in the fjords there.
Yes the National park is where I kayaked - it was a 50 minute bus ride from the dock.
Welcome back Mat! I know what your wife is talking about. TVs do seem huge these days. I think that might me a function of wide screen too. 70inches on a square aspect screen is so much different than 70inches on a wide aspect screen. (I have the Ricoh GR too. It’s a great camera when you’ve got use to the wide aspect. You take a shot and have black and white and colour JPEGs as well as RAW files. That’s what I do. Have it shoot RAW and 2 film simulations as well. It’s really useful).
Maybe the real purpose of a vacation isn't to get away from it all and relax, but to put you through an ordeal so that when you get back home you appreciate how good the boring, ordinary life is. The cat even seemed to learn some life lessons during it's vacation as well. Anyway, glad that you've gone through that ordeal (so we didn't have to) and to share your insights with us. Happy to know that you're now back safe at home.
I have to agree with the whole travelling thing, being somewhere else and seeing new things is good, but actually getting there and coming back again is a real pain. Take your time to get back into things and I'm glad the cat has forgiven you.
Mat, holy mackerel - all those insulin discards. 😯 Those elevators are bizarre - I do understand why they can't put pocket doors in cruise ship walls. But slower than molasses. I presume Saguenay was one of those tiny villages that wasn't equipped for 2,500 people dumping out and bothering the locals. Pretty landscape, but don't dare disembark. Edited: wrong, it's a fairly ample city. You can't get a TV any bigger than the one you now have in your lounge space, so that argument is done for good. 😉 I'm looking forward to your UK Canal Kayak travelogue in the Spring. Were those dual kayaks? Looks very, very fun! I want to go to PEI. I've heard of name moxie but never had one. The flat cap looks really great on you... really. And yes, Homeland Security in the U.S. is horrible. Sorry. Take care. 🤍
That elevator you saw in the background was one that I filmed as it's the most bizarre one I've yet encountered. It only travelled between floor 18 and 17 and had an unusual set of doors and incredibly slow operation. I've always been interested in lifts, so when I found this one I had to document it. I suspect I was the only person to use it all cruise. Perhaps I'll explain more in the future. I should really have taken that clip out though as it went on too long - however I just copied the contents of the camera across without editing it. The Kayak was a two person job and PEI was a very nice place - just a shame (aka poor planning) that the ship visited it on a national holiday so pretty much everything was shut.... even Beavertails.
Welcome back Mat, hope you are well rested.
It was a break - but I’m glad to be back.