This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.

Maya Angelou

Sitting on the veranda outside my room on this Viking Sky ship, I am mesmerized by the endless rolling of the water. Like a gentle lullaby, there is a comfort in the motion. Every now and then the swells expand, and the comforting motion ceases. In its’ place is the quest to maintain one’s balance, and calm. Rough water also invites trust. Trust that the Captain of the ship, and those that are in charge know what they are doing!

We’ve been sailing from Los Angeles, California since Monday evening, January 5th. The distance between LA and Oahu, Hawaii, our next port, is 2,225 nautical miles. It typically takes 6 days to cross the Pacific Ocean by boat, or 6 hours to fly by airplane. Looking at the original itinerary, I was unimpressed by six seas days. The reality is that I have never experienced this type of travel, thus, I had no concept of what “six sea days” even meant: a ship continually moving 24 hours for nearly a week. It’s a mind blowing reality for a girl raised on the prairie. Instead of tall prairie grass and sagebrush, there is a vast view of water to the horizon.

With less than 300 nautical miles remaining before we reach our destination, my perspective of sea days has evolved. Every dawn, every sunset is a unique mingling of clouds, shadows and sunlight. The way the light bounces, and plays with the water is fluid and enchanting. The fresh smell of salty air, the stark, void of bird song, the steady crash of waves against the hull, as the ship slices through the water. Here, on my veranda I have reconnected with wonderment. Its’ quietude has seeped back into my soul, opening my eyes to gratitude. In this awareness I realize that I have embraced the comforting rhythm of the day, one swell at a time.

Three Vistas

Two Thoughtful Threads

• 1. Each morning is a gift of time, not guaranteed to be automatically repeated every 24 hours.
• 2. The Pacific Ocean, or “Peaceful Sea” as named by Ferdinand Magellan, covers 30 percent of the Earth’s surface. It also contains more than 25,000 islands, more than all the other oceans combined.

One Historical Nugget

Did you know that the PanAmerican Highway is 19,000 miles long? It begins in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and end in Ushuaia, Argentina, connecting 14 countries latitudinally. Completed in 1967, the concept for a railway, or highway, was first debated in the late 1800’s. There is a 60 mile break, known as the Darien Gap, that prevents this highway from being a continuous road. Nevertheless, an epic journey for anyone seeking adventure with risks.