Beautiful Sicily

Captain’s Log, June 2nd: Today we berthed at Messina in Sicily. A very profitable stop for us, and Mrs Negibi is so pleased, she even phoned to congratulate me. Most of the passengers took a paid-for trip, either to see Mount Etna, or to tour the countryside of Sicily. Some stayed in Messina, and most of them took the shuttle bus into the town center, for which we charged $50 return. As the center was only ten minutes walk from the port entrance, we instructed the drivers to take a ‘scenic’ route, so that passengers wouldn’t feel they were being exploited.

We did have a little trouble with local criminals. Two of the crew members apparently tried to buy narcotics, and were haggling so much about the price, that the situation became violent. They are both in the ship’s medical facility, recovering, but should be able to resume duties in a few days. Under our sick pay rules, of course, that means they receive no pay while unable to work. It should be a good lesson for them and any others who feel tempted to negotiate too aggressively when ashore in a foreign land.