Departures: Freighter trips

FOR THOSE who wish to see the world - and have pounds 8,000 to spare - cargo ship operator Bank Line (071-265 0808) is offering passenger berths on its four freighters, which sail monthly from Hull or Antwerp to the South Pacific.

The vessels, which use the Panama Canal, visit Tahiti. Other destinations are likely to be Western Samoa, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. The return journey is by Singapore, Colombo and the Suez Canal. The whole trip takes from 16 to 18 weeks. The cabins are air-conditioned, and the ships have swiming pools and bars.