Learning English

Phil           

Day 15 - we're in Sao Tome and trying to smuggle our new friend Sophia off the island and onto our boat. She wants to escape from her violent husband and return to her home in the UK. I'm always happy to help someone in distress and my reward for doing so is a bag of top quality cacao beans – something I have to collect as part of my challenge. But there's no time to hang around – I only have 65 days left to sail around the world, and I'm not sure if Passepartout wants an extra passenger…

PP

Phil, I don't often complain but I'm not sure if we've got room for another passenger. I mean, have we got enough food? Where will she sleep? And can she sail?

Phil

Keep your voice down… we can't leave her here – she's very upset. Sssh, here she comes. Sophia, over here… get inside this crate and we'll smuggle you onto the yacht.  If anyone asks us what we're doing, we can say we're loading up with supplies for our journey. In you get. Come on Passepartout, you can carry it; I'll keep a look out.

PP

Thanks!

Phil

Well, we did it. We now have a stowaway and despite Passepartout's doubts, Sophia seems to know about sailing because, like us, she was sailing around the world. I think it'll be fun having an extra person on board. I hope Passepartout agrees…

PP

Sophia - you need to let the sail out a bit more – loosen that rope…

Sophia

No, I don't think so. Wait until we 'go about' and then I'll do it; otherwise the wind will take us in the wrong direction.

Phil

Ha ha Passepartout! I think you've met your match. Anyway, what's our best route from here?

PP

We've got to go around the Cape of Good Hope. It's always a tricky bit of water. Plenty of ships have got caught in the strong currents and gone onto the rocks.

Sophia

If you allow me to steer, I can safely navigate us through these dangerous waters.

Phil

I think that's a great idea – don't you Passepartout? I'll put the kettle on and make some tea.

Phil

Day 22 – we've crossed the Equator and we're rounding the Cape of Good Hope. The sea is rough: the waves are like the huge hands of a monster trying to grab us. If we can get through this, we'll be out into the Indian Ocean and we will head for Indonesia. Sophia is doing a great job steering the yacht and Passepartout is busy looking after the ropes and sails. I'm downstairs in the galley writing this – I don't think I'm much help on deck you see. I'll see what our exact position is now on the satnav… oh, that's strange… the screen is blank… I can usually see where we are and our coordinates. What's wrong with it?

Phil

Passepartout, the navigation system isn't working.

PP

What? Let me have a look… Hmmm, very strange… everything else is working… let me turn it on and… off again… that usually helps… No good.

Sophia

Is there a problem?

Phil

We can't get the satnav to work – the screen is just blank. If we don't get it working again we're going to be lost at sea – we won't know where we're going.

PP

I'll take a look at the fuse box. Phil, you need to help up on deck and… woooah…

Phil

A huge wave has hit us. I'm ok, thankfully, but Passepartout has knocked his head badly. The satnav is broken and we're not sure what direction we're heading in. This is a bad, bad situation. If we go in the wrong direction we could lose days and we'll never win this race.

Sophia

Phil! Phil! I need your help. Passepartout is in a bad condition - look, he's got a huge cut on his head – he's bleeding badly. I need your help to keep us on course through these huge waves.            

Phil

OK. But we need to find land soon and get Passepartout to a hospital. But which direction do we go?

Sophia

Well, the sun always sets in the west – so that way must be east. And when it gets dark we can follow the stars.  You steer that way and I'll sort out the sails. And Phil…

Phil

… yes?

Sophia

You're doing really well.

Phil

Oh… gosh, thanks.

Phil

I'm beginning to like our new travelling companion. But I'm worried – we don't know where we're heading and Passepartout needs medical help. We've got to find land, but where? We're miles from anywhere. I'm beginning to wonder why I agreed to this stupid challenge. I've never missed home as much as now.