Couldn’t they have installed an escalator here, for God’s Sake!

What I saw when I looked up resembled the million steep steps to the top of Mount Everest. With a six month old baby and a bag of baby things slung on my arm, this was going to be the most hellish climb ever.

The ship had emptied out most of its ballast water in readiness to dry dock, and had now risen out of the water a hundred feet or more. I was in the port of Bahrain to join my dear husband, Chief Engineer, Sanjeev Mehra, but all anticipation of a happy family hug now stood entirely banished from my mind.

As I hauled myself up the ship’s accommodation ladder, infant in hands, my eyes longed to see a friendly face at the top of the stairs. But everybody was crazy busy, including Sanjeev. Dry docking was an intense period for the crew, I learnt later.

Now it was trudge trudge trudge up this almost vertical ladder, and as my limbs ached and my breathing laboured, and no friendly encouragement appeared, I could have just sat down and wept.

In this hellish moment I felt a tiny hand at my face that gently drew my eyes to his gurgling smile, and that was all the propulsion power I needed. With renewed vigour I resumed climbing and was soon on top of my Everest.

Someone informed Sanjeev of my arrival on deck, and when he arrived, with obvious relief I fell into his arms, baby and all.

The merchant navy can be quite a climb for the family, but the rewards are tremendous. We get to see at close quarters our dear ones in their challenging, yet fulfilling, arena of work.

So proud.

• As told by Deepshikha S Mehra

Marex Media