It was hard to summarize the feelings we had leaving the Explorer in May 2009, remembering the places we visited, the people in our shipboard community who became our family, the experiences we shared on and off the ship during that four months. Before we disembarked, we were told by others who had done it before us that it would be difficult to talk about the trip, that we would find it hard to put into words that could be understood by those at home, the things that had become so much a part of us on the trip. And it was true. We could tell the stories, but it was very hard to convey the feelings and the ways we felt changed - the things that were so much more personal than the stories. It is still difficult. It was so much more than a "cruise".
So with this post we continue the voyage that we didn't want to end. Although we have just over six months before we again board the ship that will be our home for close to four months, we know the time will fly by with all there is to do. We have known for just over a week that we will be going, and John has been frantically working on his courses so that materials can be posted online for the students to see. We are coming late to this trip, added to the roster with a few others because enrolment numbers are larger than expected, so the deadlines are looming. This time we have a better idea of what we are moving toward, and we know that the memory of the preparation activities of the next few months will fade quickly once we board the Explorer to continue our voyage and enrich our lives. We hope you come along with us; we hope you find it worthwhile.
