Good morning!
Two more days until we fly. This is really our final prep day as we’re working tomorrow and about two thirds of a day on Tuesday. Today is the day I ensure teenagers tidy up their rooms and prepare to go back to school tomorrow, and then the best they can get their things ready for a few weeks straight at mother’s house. Don’t worry, there will be revenge on the other end when February comes, and I am certain every day after school my younger teen will call me via ship’s wifi to check in and report on the day and ask for penguin photos.
Meanwhile, the tree and decorations are down and put away, laundry is mostly done, the fridge is emptying out. Yesterday The Boss (Julia) said she was done shopping for more things to pack because she already decided half a dozen times she packed enough.
So when I decided to do this, I figured I’d focus on a handful of things. My goal is to spend maybe thirty minutes in the morning catching up here and then a brief catch up in the evening. Also, I’m writing a bit in a blog as well, for future posterity, although I am pretty certain in another ten years (or even now, according to some) blogs may have gone the way of the printed newspaper. For real time I may share photos on instagram.
Rather than run eighty photos and stream of thought, here is my focus. Mind you it may go out the window by the third or fourth port visit where I get excited about everything I see.
– Logistics and reality – you want to know what will affect you on future voyages.
– How we remain active and fit on vacation (we do use the treadmill, we run on shore, and HAL does have yoga and pilates offerings). I’m not going to go on at length.
– Any interesting food and entertainment.
– Opportunities for rest and relaxation to recharge. I have a feeling this will consist of “today we sat on our aft veranda watching the wake because we didn’t get enough sleep last night.”
– And finally, what experiences in the moment really inspired our emotions.
For example of this final category, I’ll present this photo. It’s not the best photo but it’s a great photo, taken after all of the ships left for the day. I was walking around the tidal flats and nobody else around except the couple sharing a beer. It was nearing sunset and quiet.
I’m off to finish Sara Wheeler’s Incógnita now. More on that and my other Antarctic reading later.
In Retrospect 