Read Online Olga by Olga Kotelko - Free Book Online

Mrs. Chiu was friendly and conveniently arranged for a taxi to deliver us to her home .
    Before going to Mrs. Chiu’s, Lynda and I joined a group of passengers on a morning tour to explore a local mountain. As we climbed up a steep path, the tour guide pointed out the strong wind blowing the bushes. He forecasted that a typhoon or tornado was coming our way. “Coming our way” gave no indication of time, and none of us knew much about typhoons, so we innocently proceeded with our agenda for the day.
    Lynda and I joined Mrs. Chiu for lunch in a restaurant that she had selected. How different and how delicious were all the dishes Mrs. Chiu chose for us. We felt so humble and so grateful for her gracious hospitality. After lunch, she ushered us back to her office to discuss buying pearls. We were in awe when a fellow I will call “Mr. Pearl Man” opened his suitcase and uncovered a multitude of exquisite, dazzling round balls of various size, colour, and quality. I was truly dumbfounded, and I hesitated to make a choice. After Mrs. Chiu was acquainted with our financial circumstances, she stipulated the best choice for our two sets of pearls, the correct length and size of pearl for each necklace and earring set. I was indeed indebted to her for the care she took to do this for us.
    Then off we went to purchase new clothes for my Royal engagement. Lynda and I followed Mrs. Chiu through a bustling fabric shop where, after some time, we chose material for two beautiful garments. One was a lovely two-piece coat and dress ensemble and the other a two-piece white lace top and skirt suit. The dressmaker measured me from top to bottom for the necessary calculations for the garments that she would sew overnight. After the typhoon, my two beautiful perfectly-fitted outfits arrived at our cabin. What service! What workmanship! How grateful could we be?
    We spent the day on shore experiencing the sights and sounds of Hong Kong street life—the food vendors, busy markets and other famous tourist attractions like Rat Alley. Arriving at our ship around 11 p.m., we were alarmed to learn that a typhoon indeed was heading straight for Hong Kong and would reach the city by midnight. To be safe, the Iberia must sail out from shore to avoid crashing against the dock. We were asked to make a choice: stay on board and sail out of the harbour or remain on shore. The purser explained that these storms had occurred many times before and that, each time, he had sailed out to sea and returned to shore safely. Upon consultation, Lynda and I decided to remain on board ship and sail out with the brave purser.
    After departing the dock, I returned to our cabin and tried to read in my bed while Lynda went out on deck to “get some fresh air” and watch the approaching storm. We believed that the outer edge of the storm was still far out to sea. The typhoon, however, had strengthened to its peak and was arriving on our doorstep at 150 mph.
    I was settling into bed, thinking that being out from the harbour as we were, the typhoon might not be much of a bother. Boy, was I wrong! I felt the ship lurch violently to one side and I landed on the floor. In an instant, the ship heeled to its lower side from the force of the wind. My first impulse was to get Lynda. I threw on a sweater, not even thinking that my adventure outside could be life-threatening. I had never experienced a typhoon, and the purser’s reassurance that all would be well had made me braver than I might have been if I had known what to expect. I opened the door and immediately careened against the opposite wall. The sea shanty ‘What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor,’ came to mind as I swayed and staggered down the passageway. The thought of finding Lynda flooded my brain as the constant rocking motion made me more and more fearful. The ship’s lurching felt like the inside of a jerky ride at the fair, only this ride was uncontrollable and unpleasant.
    I stepped onto the deck and was