Day 20 - Back to Hostel

Past midnight, we entered the locks for ships to pass through different heights in water level. It is a huge canal constructed to make it easy for ships to navigate through the river. It took a total of 4 hours to complete the whole process of moving the ship upstream, and thereafter, I took a short nap. The next morning at 6.30am was our breakfast. We left the cruise at about 7.30am for a 6-hour ride back to our hostel!


Ship Locks
Our cruise heading for the locks.


Queuing for Position
Our cruise had to queue in position for our turn to enter the locks, one at a time.


Rising Water Levels
Inside the lock, the front gate begins to open, thus releasing upstream water to flood the gates. Once the cruise rises to the designated water level, it moves on to the next lock, until all four locks are completed!


Bus to Hostel
I only got a grasp of a few hours of sleep. Thankfully, the 6-hour bus ride back to our hostel allowed me to catch up with my exhausted mind!

REFLECTIONS

In my module Maritime Management, I was taught on how ship locks worked and how it benefited shipping lines. However, I could not visualize how the actual process was carried out. And during this night, I was so happy and grateful that I could witness the whole process in action.

I feel that this Overseas Immersion Program has really benefited me a whole lot as it made me open my mind, and experience things that I can't in Singapore. In addition, there are many great things happening all over the world, and being there is a great honor, as Singapore is a small country and have limited opportunities. For instance, logistical function in Singapore is only a small market, whereas it is a mega business in countries such as the European Union.


Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
-Demosthenes