Sweden Sailing - Day 2

​Where is Royce? Click to Sail Along ⛵

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I’m sitting in the British Airways Lounge North at Heathrow International Airport in London.  It’s 13:50 local time, 6:50am back in the Centennial State.  I don’t know if or when the international clock will become second nature, but have become quite proficient at adding/subtracting 12 from a whole integer.  Thank you elementary school math - I’m so glad I paid attention-ish that year.

So, I started a new book a week ago called Dead Wake.  It’s the retelling of the famous passenger ocean liner, the Lusitania, which was sunk my a German Uboat (U-20, for you history snobs) in the spring of 1915, during WWI.  Quite appropriate, I thought, given my European sailing adventure. 

Last night, as I settled into my modern day first-class accommodations to traverse the Atlantic, I was reading about the boarding of those ill-fated passengers a little over a century ago, and couldn’t help but mentally compare our experiences.  Alfred Vanderbilt (of Vanderbilt fame/wealth) “tall and lean, with dark eyes and hair, and a taste for expensive suits…a welcome presence on board, especially among the women” seems like my most sensible comparison, for glaringly obvious reasons. 

Alfred, accompanied by his valet, paid for a stateroom in first class that ran $22k in today’s dollars.  Accompanied by my stuffed animal elephant, Eleanor, on loan from my 10 year-old, Charley, I purchased a business class ticket for about 1/10 the one-way fare.  Certainly a win for modern economics, but some things come at a price. 

Vanderbilt brought along 50 of his finest Italian-made suits.  All possible, given that each passenger was allowed 20 cubic feet of luggage.  At 50lbs a bag, I couldn’t bring myself to pack one, let alone many, tailored suits.  The puffy  jacket had not yet been invented in 1915, or Al could have brought several hundred.  I packed one.  Point for the 21st century in efficient packing…score for history on callous exuberance in clothing.  50 suits, Alfred, really?

What took me 6 hours of smooth flight time will take our spoiled little Lusitania passenger a week on the open ocean.  Advantage, present day. 

Vande wins on the entertainment front.  Though I caught 3/4 of the latest Lasso episode before the airline WiFi crapped out, he will be treated to a billiards room, brandy and cigars, morally-casual women and nightly gambling and shows.  One point for Vande.  Although, slight subtraction for his selfish indulgence.  I mean, you couldn’t have brought along a few of your buddies with all that railroad money, Alfred?

It’s really a toss up upon arrival - it would be unconscionable to compare sustaining a surprise torpedo attack by angry Germans to getting patted down AGAIN by handsy Brits in a stuffy terminal of smelly foreigners, after made to wait in line for an hour.  Tie?

After some much needed sleep in the lounge, I ordered a trio of sandwiches found under the “High Noon Tea” section of the menu.  I splurged for a cappuccino and may go for a martini in a bit to really embody the James Bond persona.  My flight to Sweden leaves in a few hours, so not much time to canvas Heathrow as an international man of mystery before morphing into a Viking.  Let’s talk again in Sweden…I’m curious what Alfred will do with all of his money, power, and killer threads in international water.  Ta ta.