* * *
The taxi drive to the Crocodylus Park only took about fifteen minutes. Located right by the Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve, the park was probably the best place in Australia to learn about crocodiles and see them close and safely.
Sofia and Denise bought the tickets and as soon as they crossed the gates a guy wearing khaki shorts, a matching shirt and a cowboy hat greeted them, holding one small crocodile on each hand. The baby crocs looked like lizards but although not yet such a big danger, they already had very sharp teeth so the mouths were closed with a rubber band. Everyone in the group had a chance to take a picture holding a miniature croc.
Walking on a metal platform above water Sofia and Denise had the opportunity to be right above some adult crocs that measured up to 4.7 meters and could weight half a ton.
“It must be horrible to be a crocodile.” Sofia murmured taking one more picture as one of them jumped graciously out of the muddy water just meters away from them.
“Why would you think that?” Denise asked.
“They are born ugly, they are ugly all their lives, they live in dirty water and one day someone turns them into a pair of shoes. What a sad existence.”
A few people who heard the comment chuckled.
“That’s only if that big croc doesn’t get its teeth on that person and turns them into lunch, which happens quite a lot in this part of the country.” The guide said with a comic grin as they moved to the next part.
There was another platform over the muddy lake and a few big crocodiles could be spotted in what seemed to be the afternoon nap, barely moving at all. There was a steel cable over the lake and a gadget that the guide used to hook a piece of meat. He pulled the cable to the center of the lake and even before it reached the middle a huge croc jumped, pulling its body nearly completely out of the water and as he opened the big mouth towards the cable the meat disappeared in seconds and all that was left of the croc’s presence was the revolving water underneath. The loud sound of that big mouth closing scared Denise and she took a step back.
“What’s up?” Sofia asked, finally finding something truly amusing.
“Are you kidding me? I was just imagining that thing closing its mouth around my leg. Spooky.”
“There are animals we need to respect and stay away from. Remind me not to go for a swim in Darwin Bay.”
“You better not even dream of it miss. We get crocs there every day.” The friendly guide confirmed.
“Do you have a lot of crocodile attacks?” Denise asked.
“Once in a while. This is their home, we’re the invaders. We get calls frequently from people who spot one too close to residential areas. Sometimes people find them in their pools.”
“Ouch!”
He chuckled. “It is scary. Normally we send a team to catch them and release them in a safe place. Crocs don’t want to be close to humans any more than humans want to be close to them. But of course, once in a while people get too close. A few weeks ago a fisherman disappeared in a river up north. We found a shoe full of blood on the river bank a day later. But on a long scale, I can promise you a lot more people die from car accidents than from crocodile attacks.” He explained.
Some visitors tried to feed the crocodiles in another area where they were given a long rod with a hook where the guide put a piece of bloody red meat. Denise refused the experience since she already found it bad enough that the crocodile underneath the platform where she was standing was four times bigger than her. Sofia gave it a try but insisted that the croc would look much better as a pair of shoes, or maybe a nice bag.
The guided tour ended and they took some time seeing the other animals in the park. There were turtles, monkeys, lions, tigers, kangaroos, wombats, iguanas and a lot of other different kinds of wild life. It was very similar to a zoo but specialized in crocodiles.
After taking more pictures and looking one last time at the crocodiles, Sofia and Denise finished in the museum where they learned more about the interesting details of crocodile life, such as the fact that there used to be a lot more species than nowadays, including a vegetarian crocodile, which according to Sofia’s theory was eaten by the others.
“Look.” Denise said pointing at a board. “It says here that the largest living reptile in the world is the Australian saltwater crocodile, and he can gallop and jump over rocks and logs. They can reach up to seventeen kilometers per hour. And you were saying they’re only good to make shoes.”
“And bags!” Sofia replied giggling. “It’s not like I want them to be killed or anything. They are amazing animals that should be protected, but I feel much better if they are in Australia and I’m somewhere far away from those sharp big teeth.”
“If you think about it, it’s incredible the amount of dangerous species in this country. They have everything: crocodiles, spiders, poisonous snakes, sharks, even the koalas have those dangerous paws.” Denise observed.
“When I went to Nepal and we hiked the Annapurna there was a place with a plaque saying behind the curtain you will find the most dangerous animal in the world. I looked behind the curtain and guess what? There was a mirror!” Sofia observed while they had ice cream just before returning to the ship.
Her friend nodded in agreement. “That is so true. Without all the damage we have been causing, nature would take its course and balance everything out. We are the ones ruining the system and all of that because of greed. The planet has more than enough for everyone to live well, but for some to consume a lot more than they need, the others are left with nothing and we’re wrecking the planet.”
“I read somewhere that if everyone on the planet consumed as much as the Americans we would need three planets like this one.”
“You can add Europe and a few others to that list.” Denise finished her vanilla ice cream. “You know what I just noticed?” She asked.
“No. What?”
“This is the first time in two weeks that I’ve been further than a terminal building.”
“Honey, no wonder you’re so unhappy. You need a life!” Sofia replied.
“I had a life. My job ate it!” Denise snorted.
“Why are you still doing it then?” Sofia had been intrigued since she realized how unhappy her friend was most of the time.
Denise made a pause to organize her thoughts and stared at the empty table. “Honestly, I have no idea. I can’t give you a reason.”
“I want you to stay because you are a great friend, but sometimes I think it would be better for you to leave.”
“I have a tendency to just go on when I don’t know what to do.” She concluded.
The rest of the afternoon Denise thought about that and couldn’t reach any conclusion. If only she had a plan of some sort, but she didn’t. She simply had no idea of where to go from there.
6
It was a sea day and by lunch break Sofia was bored again. A lot of people took afternoon naps but she didn’t like napping because if she slept for two hours in the afternoon she would be awake all night. Instead she took a stroll through the shops to see if there was anything worth buying. She came out with a new necklace that she didn’t need but it made her happy. It reminded her of something her father had given her when she was a child. When she held the silver pendant in her hand she was able to remember the good moments she had spent with her father. It felt like a lifetime ago.
On the way out she leaned over the railing and had a look at the atrium below. One thing she immediately noticed was the amount of obese people. She had seen that before, but when so many passengers concentrated in the same area wearing shorts and t-shirts that detail became a lot more visible. It was a fact that obesity was increasing all over the world, but the ratio on the ship was incredibly high. She could swear that some of those passengers hadn’t seen their feet in years, not to mention other parts of their anatomy.
How people could get to that point and keep eating tree times more than they should was beyond comprehension. It wa
s hard to understand that they wouldn’t try harder to change their life style, if for nothing else, at least for the sake of their health.
Sofia took the stairs down to deck 6 and stopped there, observing for another while. In front of her was the front desk and she could see Denise talking to a passenger. She wanted to go there and say hello but it would be rude to interrupt so she waited a bit to see if they finished.
While she waited, the most extraordinary thing happened. A lady was sitting on a wheelchair waiting in queue for her turn and as she prepared to talk to the receptionist she stood up and walked, leaving the wheelchair right behind. The guy who she spoke to didn’t seem surprised, which meant he was used to it. When the lady finished talking she sat again on the chair and went towards the elevator.
Apart from Sofia, no one else seemed particularly shocked that people walked in and out of wheelchairs. She concluded that instead of being some sort of temporary miracle it was likely a new life style. She really wanted to ask Denise about it but the angry passenger was still there so she returned to the medical center where Mary was organizing some files and boxes in the pharmacy.
“Hi Mary. I want to ask you something.”
“Hi doc, what’s up?” The friendly nurse replied.
“I saw a woman just a few minutes ago by the reception and she was in a wheelchair, right? Suddenly she stands up on her legs, talks to the receptionist and gets back on the wheelchair. Is that a normal thing?”
Mary nodded. “I bet with you she’s American. They love the bloody things those punters. They’re too lazy to move their own arses so they get wheelies.” She answered in her typical Irish style.
Sofia needed a chair for herself after listening to that. “They use wheelchairs that are meant for people who actually need them because they are too lazy to walk? Seriously?”
“Oh yes. As they become fatter it gets harder to walk because of the pressure. The legs get swollen and sore, they get tired easily. Instead of going on a diet and work out programs to lose weight they prefer to get a wheelchair. Most of them order them from the company and return them by the end of the cruise.”
“Are they so damn stupid they can’t see it’s only going to make it worse?” Sofia asked, proving she was still a bit naïve in onboard matters.
“It’s fine. When they stop walking for real they get a scooter instead of the wheelchair.” Mary added.
“They get a scooter?” Sofia was dumbfounded.
“Sure. You’ll see them all over the ship if you ever sail Alaska or the Caribbean. They are small, the battery can be recharged and most of them even have a little basket for the shopping and a horn. Some passengers own one but a lot of companies found it to be a lucrative business so they rent them specifically for cruises.” Mary concluded.
Sofia was trying to believe her ears. People who could walk but chose to use wheelchairs when they have two functioning legs, as opposed to many people who would give anything to be able to walk but their legs don’t work. That was against nature, logic, and certainly against medicine. Making the use of a wheelchair into a personal choice out of pure laziness was surreal. And here she was, surrounded by surreal people who seemed to believe that losing weight was too much trouble so instead of eating less burgers and fries, they gave up on the gift of walking. The world was officially insane!
A few minutes after the last patient left, Sofia was still thinking about the wheelchairs when the pager vibrated on her desk. There was a message to call Denise’s office.
“Hey, how are you?” A cheerful voice asked after two rings.
“Trying to digest the fact that people on ships use wheelchairs for sports! I’m still in the medical center, and you?”
Denise chuckled. “Oh yes, they do that. Listen, I still have a bit of work to do but I’m calling you because it’s Aaron’s birthday and we’re invited for drinks and finger food in the wardie. Do you want to come?”
“No gym today?”
“No. We’ll make it up tomorrow.”
“Okay then. Do I need a uniform?” Sofia enquired, feeling like wearing her own clothes for a change.
“No. We won’t go for dinner after. Put on something comfortable.” Denise suggested before she hung up and Sofia remained staring at her desk trying to fight the thought that people who used wheelchairs because they didn’t want to walk were the ones who deserved to lose their legs for real. It was mean and cruel, but she couldn’t get it out of her mind.
She arrived in the wardie at eight o’clock wearing jeans and a white top that made her tanned skin stand out. She recognized most people and it didn’t feel as much that she was surrounded by strangers. Sofia noticed that the same people had a tendency to sit in the same places and the groups didn’t change much. It was like the space was divided by invisible territory lines.
Aaron was the first to welcome her. He greeted her with a warm smile and a kiss on her hand like a true gentleman.
“Hello. Thank you for coming. You look fabulous.” He said analyzing her from head to feet.
“Thanks. Happy birthday.” She replied not too enthusiastically, remembering New Year’s Eve, when she had to spend half the night running away from him.
“Please come and have a drink. Open bar on me. Ask whatever you like.”
“Beer is fine.”
When Sofia approached the bar she saw Denise walking in with Diego. She looked amazing with her hair lose, wearing a dark green dress that suited her skin perfectly. The high heels gave it a touch of class. A number of heads turned their way.
“Oh my God,” Sofia observed, “you look stunning.”
Denise thanked her and Diego smiled proudly. Maybe he was not much of a romantic guy, but he was not blind.
“I think someone is going to have a good night.” Sofia murmured looking straight at Diego who had been distracted by a cruise staff guy wearing a cowboy outfit.
“I hope so.” Denise replied with a mischievous smile.
Sofia spent a very entertaining evening. The feeling that she now belonged to whatever community existed onboard made the talk easy. The birthday party was a good excuse to find out a little bit more about the people she was living with, since the ship was everyone’s home and they all lived there together like a big dysfunctional and not-always-happy family.
Amy from the crew office was, just like Denise had mentioned, the nicest person onboard. It was very easy to keep a great conversation with someone like her. Robert, her husband, was as pleasant as his wife and Sofia also enjoyed talking to Natalie from the tour office and Celine, the cruise sales consultant. There were some pretty amazing people to meet on the ship. The one thing she also noticed was Leah, who was sitting on a tall chair by the bar talking to the housekeeping manager and didn’t look, talk or smile to anyone else. Social skills were definitely not in her wide package.
“Ciao bella!” A voice said from behind Sofia. She turned around and saw a tall, dark haired, tanned young man sitting on the arm of the couch with a broad smile.
“Hi. I remember you from somewhere. Have we met before?” She asked, confused.
“Andrea. I was on the bridge on New Year’s Eve when you stopped by with your friends.”
She gave him a wink. “Yes, that’s it. How are you?”
“Good. Just having a chill out before I start my shift again. I’m doing midnight to four.”
“Ouch!”
Celine and Amy left and Andrea took the seat between Sofia and Denise and offered them another drink. Apart from being nice he was also very good looking.
“So, tell me something Andrea, when I arrived someone told me I should stay away from Italians, would you happen to know why?” Sofia enquired.
Next to Sofia, Denise chuckled, waiting for his reply.
“I don’t know. Maybe that someone is jealous of our abilities.” He replied.
“I was told that by a woman.”
“Then she probably had a bad experience with an Italian man. I swear it wasn
’t me. I’m a very good guy.”
“Good guys don’t look like you.” Denise interjected.
“I am a good guy, you can ask my girlfriend.” He insisted.
“Which dancer are you seeing now?” She asked, giving Sofia the impression she knew him pretty well.
“Christine.”
“What’s with the bridge guys and the dancers? Is it something in your genes?” Sofia had heard a few things about watch keepers dating dancers.
“It’s not in their genes.” Denise affirmed. “It’s in their jeans!” And as she said that they both laughed out loud.
Sofia noticed there was something more they were not telling her. “All right, what is it that the two of you are hiding? Tell me everything.”
Andrea finished his sparkling water and asked for another bottle before replying. “Denise and I met on her first contract and she had a big crush on me. She was all upset because I was seeing a dancer.”
Not finding anything suitable to throw at him, Denise gave him a wry look.
“See, I told you.” Andrea told Sofia triumphantly.
“So you broke Denise’s heart? How rude!” She joked.
“He didn’t break my heart, only my ego. That’s what Italians do, they damage your ego. Stay away from them.”
“Hey, you went from Italian to Spanish. I wouldn’t call it an upgrade!” He chided pretending to be offended.
“It is for me. Independently of the passport, at least now I have a guy who actually does more than talking to me.”
Andrea smirked. “I hope so!”
Sofia was enjoying the debate and called Diego who was playing darts, oblivious to their conversation. “Hey Diego, come and sit your Spanish ass next to us. We’re having a very interesting conversation about international performances and you might want to give us your thoughts on that.” She called.
Suddenly people from nine different countries had a long discussion that involved working skills, empathy, communication abilities and sexual performances based exclusively on nationality.
Andrea proved to be a good entertainer and a fun company and Sofia liked the idea of being friends with him. Having a girlfriend put him on a safe place, unlike other people. She glanced quickly at Aaron and turned her head before he noticed and made the wrong interpretation.
Sofia had spent a lively and happy night with the only downturn of avoiding Aaron who, after too many drinks has decided to like her again.