I was on the Miller Rock The Boat Cruise. An article in one of the dailies claimed that passengers were fornicating in public. I will have you know I did not even get to fornicate in private (I’m still bitter about that). Having read the article I felt like I was in Sodom or Gomorrah and I didn’t even know about it. I was there and my experience was far from what has been reported in the paper.
I got a frenzied phone call from my mother yesterday worried about what had gone on because she knew I was on it. Makes me wanna sue the journalists for almost giving my mother a heart attack after what she read. You know how mothers get, they either assume the best or the worst when it comes to their children. My mother is no exception. She’s OK now, I assured her that I’m still a virgin and I do not drink.
The first time I ever heard of any public fornication or vandalism was from this phone call with mother. Imagine my shock when I eventually got the paper. No wonder my mother went, in the words of said article, “ape” on me as if I was the misbehaving idiot.
Of course there was drunken behaviour! What would you expect on a cruise with about 2 000 young people? But the drunken behaviour I was exposed to was that of overly friendly white people. Drunk white people are just the best, all they wanna do is hug you and buy you more shots. One of the comedians made a remark about this during a stand-up comedy show when he said that even black people were saying: “Yhu, hayi, hayi, hayi, these white people are so loud! They must keep it down!”
Am I saying there was no bad behaviour? With 2 000 young people how can there be none? But whatever bad behaviour there was, it was nowhere near what the paper claimed because I was there. The paper alleges that the cruise company MSC had pressed charges. I contacted the people at Miller and they say no vandalism charges have been pressed. The captain of the ship says no charges have pressed and that there was no serious damage on the ship and no-one was detained.
The funniest thing I saw while I was there, which, I’m sure was not so funny to the person it was happening to was a couple having a quite disagreement. By the look of things she had called for one of those, “We need to talk moments,” he sat there rather uncomfortably. They were in a secluded spot that I happened to walk by as the guy uttered these words that I shall never, ever forget, “I’m sorry I kissed her, OK!” Whatever he said afterwards did not matter because that’s got to be one of the best things I’ve ever heard in my life.
Again, to quote one of the comedians, “It’s so great to see so many black, coloured, white and Indian people having such a great time together. Julius Malema would be so proud of us”. The comedians were brilliant. I even left the boat a fan of The Parlotones.
My question to Miller now is: when is the next Miller Rock The Boat Cruise? But this time I’ll tell my mom I’m going on a church cruise.
Those reporters were not there, and do you realise that half their sources were not named. Miller should not worry about this kaak, because that is all it is. KAAK.
They are assuming ish that didnt even happen, saying that the captain was not happy meanwhile the quote is positive. WTF?
Sometimes journos are in sabotage mode because they were not invited to the event.
I think the masses that were on the boat should speak fro themselves, because I dont believe a rats ass what this paper is saying and I was awake 99% of the time on that boat.
I was also on the cruise & had an awesome time ! For a change it was good to see my black brothers & sisters travelling instead of wasting money by just chilling at shisa nyama’s and random get togethers. It was the ideal South Africa at sea and I didnt want to come back. We all got along, hung out, laughed at jokes and yes of course we drank! We had awesome comedians, great bands and yes even I with my mocha chocolate skin got into the deep end of the swimming pool playing beach balls with my vanilla brothers! I agree with Khaya’s sentiments and would be back on the cruise in a flash. Just a question to the writer of the news article: WHERE ARE THE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE CRUISE?
…Maybe you’d prefer we sat in a circle, holdings hands and singing “Mary had a little lamb” for three days?!
Miller – I will see you next year! So much fun!
The credibility of news reporters is being sabotaged by a minority of journalist who are more about selling papers than reporting on valid, honest and thoroughly investigated facts.
Great article and a funny read Khaya! I think i may have been one of those over-friendly white people … evident by my bar bill on the last day!
Look i have to agree and the article written about vandalism and fornication being UTTER B******T!
Peace out!
I was on that boat and to be honest I didnt see all that was said to have happened in that daily newspaper. I had FUN!
Could we have a link to the article in question?
My pops out right freaked the eff out, called me and said I should get the paper yesterday.
Seriously? Seriously. The funniest ish I saw was people passing the eff out. The most disgusting was the Peanut Butter licking comp on deck on Sunday.
Seriously one of the best weekends of my life. Drunken Debauchery and fun at its finest.
Nice article. People need to know the truth.
Who gives a flying deck chair about what a bunch of kids get up to on a boat for a few hours with lots of booze involved? as if we didnt know already…lets rather talk about aids, or crime, or rape again…or what everyone is buying for Chreesmas
Classic article….
The article in The Star and The Mercury was absolute nonsense…
Whoopa, Hows ur Guava???
Here we go… Cant wait for the next cruise
@Khaya – Can you imagine Tiger….”relax, it was only the dirty dozen”
@Gabi – 99% awake over 3 days.
mmmmmmmm seems like at least drug part of the media report may be true?
Spo wish I was there!
Im so relieved someone recovered from their handover and sea sickness quickly enough to set the record straight!
LOL! Well done saanie! Great article…. hahahahahaha I wish I was on that boat… haha
Khaya man, I dig your sense of humour – a very well written article!
Glad to hear us whitey’s were friendly and that there were no racial incidents. This country needs more of that?
I wasn’t there because I guess I am too old, but it sounds like it was a blast?
Keep up the good work, once your hangover has worn off and you have managed to find your virginity (which you left on the upper deck).
Excellent article. Well written and super funny. I too am tired of irresponsible journalism. It would appear that some journalists are willing to make up lies and tell half truths merely to sell papers and sensationalise stories. It is irresponsible and should be condemned by everyone who takes an interest in what goes on around them. I have read to many articles lately with headlines that are totally misleading. Shame on you guys. Once again this is a quality article.
Rock on Guys! Life is short … But wear SUNSCREEN (even if you’re black)!
Well done Miller. South Africa needs more forums where people can get together and enjoy themselves. Does it really matter what skin colour they have?
ARe you guys who were on the boat seriously telling us you saw what was happening on the boat all the time, come on, were you not sloshed , some of these things happened you know you were probably busy doing something somewhere….
Awsome awsome khaya! i was on the boat – yip remember you
its was the best 3 days i have ever had only to get my moms on my case about the article too – i was like – ‘THERE WERE PEOPLE BONKING ON THE DECK?????!!!! yea saw none of that. had crazy madness fun and i would do it again…and again and again. i was shocked to see the article FRONT PAGE of the star – like there isnt some heart warming story they couldve focused on. there were no facts in that article – was just lame and unprofessional!!!
well done Khaya!!!
Very, very occasionally, I think I might have missed out on something. Not often, mind you. I had a really great time when I was young.
This almost made me feel I might have missed something…
Really guys, enjoy youth while you have it, just don’t leave your common sense at home. I seldom have such fun these days.
Link to article: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20091209085404823C718505
From what I read, the boat trip was a true exercise in integration.
Can we make this kind of weekends compulsory for people who want to renew their SA citizenship?
I do declare in this battle of journalists vs bloggers it’s:
journalists: 0
bloggers: 1
Brilliant post.