Last Day at Sea

We’ve travelled for 62 days and over 17,000 miles visiting 34 ports. From our little apartment at sea, we walked out many mornings into a world far different from ours. Riding our bikes, walking through back streets or travelling down the road further away, we discovered warm smiles from people with different religions, colors and limitations. But we found the same desire to love the things that are important. How simple could the road of mankind be if we weren’t spun daily by those with terrifying agendas and media who disperse ever changing sound bites that keep us off-balance.

Our nine weeks floating around has seen many changes. Initially we had to change course away from our Egypt stops because of the revolution only to “sneak” in during a quiet moment before unrest began again. We sailed carefully by Libya in turmoil, careful to remain 100 miles off the coast. After leaving Morocco, a Marrakesh café was blown up where our ship friends had enjoyed a coffee a few days earlier. From CNN International, we learned of the Mississippi Delta floods and Central USA Tornados on the very route we would have travelled at the same time as this trip. We learned of the Japanese nuclear disaster that occurred because of incompetence and continued its devastation because of leaders trying to save face. Our cabin television has begun to blare the 18 month coverage of the Presidential candidates as if we deserve to be sidetracked by this sporting event. And the memory and discussion of 9-11 continues on, deservedly.

To Miriam and I, this has been a Grand Journey. It gave me a time of reflection and solitude following the loss of my Mother. It has also given us continued times of celebration on how fortunate we are to have three families that are our children. They are six sensitive loving adults who all are successfully pursuing their own joy and wrapping us into their lives. There is not a day at sea that we do not receive words and pictures and on land in each of our stops, we have jumped up and down at phone booths talking with them and our three sweet grand children. We have also been gratified that Harvey has some reprieve from his daily pain and Carol continues to have her same enthusiastic voice. But we have also been saddened news of the death of Uncle Norman, and by the battles of our friend Lori Feldman and by Uncle George Grant. We wish them and their families complete healing.

Life is unfolding as best it can and we continue to be grateful for what we have. We look forward to seeing family and friends and walking the meadows of HydeAway Farm.