Chapter 26 - New Zealand

As the ship docks in Auckland, the quay is crowded with Customs and Immigration officers.

The Customs officers are in overalls, carrying torches and mirrors on sticks. The Immigration officers are in jacket and tie and carrying briefcases.

Behind them are the dock workers, waiting for the all clear.

The first wave runs up the gangway, fanning out to start searching the ship. The second wave heads for the captain's cabin to inspect the crew and cargo manifests.

From bridge to engine room to cargo hold and crew quarters, nowhere is spared the search.

When it came to the below crew mess room, the boatswain was called so he could witness the search. He tries to keep calm but is obviously worried that the search will reveal Gammelnok and then all hell will break loose.

"What is behind that curtain there, below the stairs?" he is asked. Just storage is the reply. Fingers crossed and breath held. 

The curtain is drawn back, revealing a variety of music instruments. The customs officer pokes about, but finds nothing unusual. He then sees the extra high chair that has been made for Gammelnok to be able to join in at dinner time. Querying the purpose, the boatswain explains it is used to hold his guitar between numbers or used as a dancing partner for fun when the mood gets euphoric.

Poking around in cupboards and shelves finding nothing, the custom officer eventually gives up, declaring the room free of contraband and walks upstairs to join his fellow officers.

Very relieved, the boatswain slumps into a chair, wipes his sweaty brow and let out a lengthy sigh.

A voice behind him makes him jump, thinking he is alone.

"That was close" says Gammelnok. "Can you help me down, please?"

Explaining himself, Gammelnok shows the boatswain how he had sat himself on the worktop between cooking utensils and spice jars, hiding himself in plain view under his Chameleon Cloth, blending into the background completely. He also explains that it was his idea to fill the under stairs cubbyhole with musical instruments, including the boatswain's guitar and the recently constructed Zambomba.

The only thing the boatswain can think of saying is 'Caramba', a mild Spanish swearword.

It takes a while for Gammelnok to explain the circumstances of how he comes to possess this magic cloth. He makes the boatswain promise to keep it a secret as its very existence might tempt somebody to try and get hold of it and use it for malicious gain.

"You truly are like a reincarnation of the mythical Klabautermann. I will guard your secret with my life," the boatswain promises. Still shaking his head in wonder, he helps Gammelnok down from the worktop and goes above to his deck duties, thinking that no one would believe him anyway.

The Custom and Immigration officers left the ship and the dock workers go on board to start unloading the ship. 

They are very well organised union people and have one person assigned especially to keep an eye out for rain. His sole duty is to look at the newspaper he has spread on a small table set next to his chair. Should one drop of rain fall on the newspaper, he calls a stop to all work for the day, orders the hatches closed to protect the goods and leads his fellow Dockers down the gangway. They will return in the morning if it is not raining.

Needless to say, unloading a ship in New Zealand can take a long time. After a few weeks the ship is able to continue its journey down the coast to the South Island where they load the ship with frozen venison, shot and killed from helicopters. This cargo is destined for Japan, their next port of call: Yokohama just south of Tokyo.

During this lengthy stay on the coast of New Zealand, Gammelnok has stayed hidden below deck practising his Spanglish and lending a hand with the cooking whenever possible. He has learned to make the northern dish of Fabada, a white bean stew with spicy chorizo sausage.

He had tried his hand at paella, but with his short hands, could not even reach a quarter ways across the pan to stir the rice and meat.

His favourite dish is braised oxtail or Rabo de Toro. 

The cook above in the main galley had always been good at providing the Spanish crew with raw materials for their own cooking. This started after the day when he was cutting up half a pig for roasts and mince and he was about to assign the skin and bones to the waste bin. His Spanish helper was horrified and begged for him to save it for the crew kitchen below deck. The cook agreed and later in the week was invited down after hours to taste the result. 

Since that day, there had been a flow of products not needed above deck, ending up as delicacies below deck. The cook was invited often and really enjoyed the music, camaraderie and practising his Spanish.

So farewell New Zealand and onwards to Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, then heading further westwards past India and into the Suez Canal before entering the Mediterranean and soon within sight of the Spanish peninsula.