There and Back Again by D.A.Webb

One of my personal goals for our Ultimate World Cruise is to experience, learn and hopefully understand some of the many cultures encountered around the world. With the Americas portion complete, now is a perfect time to reflect on lessons learned so far.  For those following closely you may have noticed a bit of confusion and slight shift in opinion. That should not be a surprise as opinions are generally based on experiences and experiences have been bountiful this trip. To better understand this shift let's examine the importance of culture and it's relationship with society. First, what is culture? Is it found exclusively in cultural centers boasting exhibits of arts, crafts and other physical products of society? Perhaps a more representative source are those including the performing arts like song, dance and theater? Is another potential means of experiencing culture found on tours featuring local foods, history and architecture? If the above is true, culture has ...

Sea days are always welcome especially after lengthy excursions. Besides sleeping in there is time to unwind and recharge for the next 'whatever'. We were on deck twelve as Serenade left Puerto Quetzal. Bow and stern thrust pods were kicking up silt as our floating resort maneuvered towards the Pacific. After two months it has become routine, but still enjoying to behold. The Captain's evening status was on schedule like always. It is his version of the evening news filled with navigational information, weather reports and other miscellaneous 'whatevers'. There was something about changing course and the decks being closed for the evening, but like leaving port, these announcements had become routine and automatically ignored. I slept through the night and obviously missed the latest 'whatever'. That night we had experienced hurricane force winds and high seas. The decks were again open with everything gritty to the touch from dried salt spray. From our pl...

The day finally arrived. I was in and out in forty-five minutes. Although the tooth had four splayed roots it was a simple extraction with no complications. No oral surgery was required. The recommended post extraction instructions listed fourteen items filling a printed page. Most address the first three days while one extends to day fifteen. I plan to follow all instructions as recommended. The last thing I want is post extraction complications. Two months of pain is a strong motivator.

It was a long night, but at 9:00 AM I contacted Dr. Scharfenberger's office explaining the situation. The email arrived almost immediately and I forwarded the detailed x-ray to Dr. Nathaly. I was ready, but at this point all appointments had been booked for the day. The next available opening was tomorrow.  Extraction is now scheduled for 8:00 AM tomorrow with yet another painful day and sleepless night to endure.

I had been putting it off, but the day finally arrived. My wisdom tooth was not getting better and something had to be done. It all started Saturday before leaving for the trip. While eating cereal, I lost a filling in my wisdom tooth. Luckily Dr. Scharfenberger, our family dentist worked me in between appointments. It was a complicated case as the tooth was in poor shape and had splayed roots. A proper restoration or extraction would require a specialist. I needed to leave in three days for the cruise and there just wasn't enough time. I opted to replace the filling in hopes it would last until we returned. Sadly, it did not. Thankfully Royal Caribbean added a well qualified dentist to the World Cruise medical staff. Information travels quickly on a cruise ship and I heard good things about Dr. Nathaly our ship's dentist. She had all the necessary credentials so I scheduled an appointment. Dr. Nathaly was very thorough and presented the same options I heard months before. This...

After leaving the glaciers, icebergs and fjords behind, we headed towards the equator along the western coast of South America. As expected the South Pacific gradually calmed and the weather quickly changed from biting winter squalls to inviting summer breezes. All was good onboard, but ashore something was drastically different. Most ports were surrounded by deserts.  One might expect the coastal climates of North and South America to be similar. Both border the Pacific with major mountain ranges inland. They reside in different hemispheres, but that only accounts for the opposing seasons. The difference is most North American coasts receive significant rainfall resulting in lush green environments, while most South American coasts receive little rainfall resulting in vast deserts. Don't take my word for it, check out the greens and browns in Google Maps satellite view. We know this difference exists, but why? There must be another factor drastically affecting rainfall.  The ...

As we continue sailing north, everything begins returning to normal. No glaciers, icebergs, fjords or angry skies to photograph. Winds are calm, decks are open with no worries of being blown over board. Seas are calm, waves are tolerable and walking the halls is no longer a contact sport. Temperatures are pleasant, pools are open and active. Sleeping is back on schedule along with the sun rises and sunsets. Life is good especially since mother nature quit with all the drama. Normality has returned.

An untold secret used by many landscape photographers is to replace skies with something more exciting. Within Photoshop, it is an automated process beginning with selection of the replacement sky from a library and ending with manual refinements to optimize results. When done properly, the images are fantastic. The world cruise seemed like a perfect opportunity to create a custom sky library. Since we have a balcony suite, capturing those early morning and late evening shots can be accomplished in comfortable PJs. The library is growing with a wide selection of skies. The attached example demonstrates not all skies have to be dramatic. Just like life, sometimes it is better to just blend in.

As we traveled up the western coast of South America, the Pacific Ocean was more than a bit choppy.  Lucky for us, an alternate route through the fjords and channels offered protection from the open sea and a more comfortable ride.  It definitely was not a short cut, but was scenic and offered better sleeping accommodations.

When Punta Arenas' port closed, Captain turned the Ship around and began executing plan B. We headed into the fjords seeking shelter and glaciers. Despite the misty cold weather, the scenery was breathtaking. After six hours the Captain announced we had arrived. Alberto de Agostini National Park was worth the trip.

Cape Horn marks the southernmost point of South America and is known for its challenging maritime conditions, including strong winds and turbulent seas. The cape gained prominence during the age of exploration in the 17th and 18th centuries when European navigators sought new trade routes between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Even today many ships still faced perilous conditions, earning the cape a reputation as a maritime hazard. Our visit was met with a dreary cold rainy day. The winds were blowing, but conditions were not a challenge for Serenade of the Seas. The conditions did fuel grade school memories when I first learned about the cape. As back then, I thought about how brave those early explorers were sailing into the unknown. I thought about the small wooden ships and how many failed to return home. Now I find it curious how small bits of knowledge planted so many years ago, surface from the depths and tie the past with the present. The mind is a strange creation.

Today is our second encounter with Drake's Passage and so far a much better experience.  Definitely cool and cloudy weather, but no washing machine action in the main dining room.  Obviously we paid our dues the first trip and now are blessed with smooth passage.  Next up is tender operations at Falkland Islands.

The Antarctica portion of our voyage ends with a passing view of Point Wild, Elephant Island. The Captain, with his authoritative Norwegian accent, retold the Shackleton's adventure as only a captain could. It seemed like Shackleton himself was speaking, telling his story, bringing history to life.  Although not visible offshore, Point Wild has several monuments and plaques celebrating the Endurance survivors. To summarize, one inscription reads:  "Here on August 30th, 1916, the Chilean Navy cutter Yelcho commanded by Pilot Luis Pardo Villalón rescued the 22 men from the Shackleton Expedition who survived the wreck of the Endurance living for four and one half months in this Island".

Elephant Island entered the history books as an unplanned part of Ernest Shackleton's 1914-1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Shackleton and his crew sought refuge on Elephant Island after their ship, the Endurance, was crushed by ice in 1915. The island provided temporary shelter until Shackleton and a small group of men embarked on a daring rescue mission, reaching South Georgia Island, Falkland Islands and eventually rescuing the entire crew. Even today over one hundred years later, the island looks foreboding.

Known for its glaciated mountains, whales and penguins, Paradise Bay has become one of the hottest tourist destinations in Antarctica. First visited and eventually named by whalers in the early 20th century, the British were first to establish a permanent research station in 1920. When whaling ended so did most human visitation giving Paradise Bay back to nature. Protected by extreme arctic weather and the treacherous Drake's Passage, little has changed in Paradise Bay since the beginning. Ships provide the only means of access. There are no lavish hotels or tourist attractions. Strict international regulations are enforced to protect the environment. Cold raw nature is what visitors expect from Paradise Bay and it definitely delivers.

As we progressed south the days grew longer and the sun rose earlier. Officially sunrise happened at 3:39 AM, but the skies woke up much earlier. Twilight seemed to last forever unlike the tropics where night went to day with the flip of a switch. These latitudes mess with everything including my sleep. The drapes where open revealing calmer seas and drab skies. The temperature was about 30° and there had been snow. I contemplated more sleep, but couldn't pull it off. Thoughts of our visit to Antarctica took precedence and burned up several more hours. I don't recall the exact sequence, but I ended up on the balcony photographing our first iceberg in PJs and a windbreaker. Some people will do anything for a photo and I obviously belong to the club. Luckily I was dressed when the captain announced we were approaching an iceberg with arches. He suggested everyone head for their favorite viewing location while he positioned the ship and commenced a pirouette maneuver. He did and e...

Drake's Passage is the body of water separating the Pacific and Atlantic oceans between South America and Antarctica.  First traversed by Willem Schouten during a 1616 expedition, the passage later became an important maritime route during the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unpredictable weather and challenging conditions have contributed to its reputation as one of the most demanding waterways in the world.  With the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, vessels had a shorter and less dangerous route and could finally avoid Drake's Passage. Serenade of the Seas spent the day crossing Drake's Passage on its way to Antarctica.  Captain Stig Nilsen warned us things would get rough.  The swimming pools were drained and outside decks were closed to passengers.  All outdoor lounge chairs were secured.  The ship pitched and rolled all day.  Walking in a straight line and not running into anything was impossible.  Walking on Deck 13 was beyon...

Puerto Madryn has 'something special' which to the casual observer is obscure and might be overlooked. Some might consider it a weakness. It definitely exists and if embraced by other communities could prove beneficial. First I want to point out my observations are from a small sampling and by no means scientific or representative of the entire region. The observations are more of a general feeling, observed life style or attitude demonstrated by the individuals encountered. Likewise, there wasn't a single observation, but rather a series of somewhat unrelated events. Perhaps the best way to explain is to recap the day. The tour began with a two and a half hour bus ride from Puerto Madryn's port to the penguin rookery. Since Puerto Madryn is within Argentina, they too experienced runaway inflation, economic downturn and radical political change. As noticed earlier, these conditions typically lead to increased crime, declining living conditions and struggling econ...

Change is inevitable. Just as plans come together, things change. Today Captain Stig Nilsen announced another World Cruise itinerary update. To avoid severe weather, we will be skipping the Falkland Islands and heading straight to Antarctica. The Falkland's will be picked up before resuming north in the Pacific. Not all change is bad. Change is part of life and learning to cope is a valuable life skill. Some parents avoid moving so the kids don't have to change schools. The change could be disruptive. That is definitely true, but may not be all bad. During the first six years of my primary education our family moved eight times and I attended six different schools in two different states. Obviously it was difficult, but I adjusted. The experience taught me to accept change, adjust to new situations and move forward. The experience yielded new skills utilized thought my careers in computer science and data analytics. Change is not that bad, but failure to cope is always worse. ...

Birthdays are strange days in that their importance changes with age. During the informative years they were extra special. Unlike Christmas and other major holidays, birthdays were unique and belonged strictly to the individual. Everyone had that one special day for a party with family and friends celebrated with gifts, cake and ice cream. Lots of great memories. Years come and go and birthdays loose their importance. Many try to forget the day figuring Father Time and aging will pass them by. Let me tell you, it doesn't work. Later in life birthday's start becoming important again. They become a time for reflecting on the past, looking forward to the future and ensuring every moment counts. Late life birthdays, including this one, are often full of surprises. The utmost surprise is seeing another year. The next is family and friends finding a moment to celebrate the day while Joan and I travel the globe. The ultimate surprises came from those new in my life, those ch...