It was a distant friend who suggested I write about  my “adventure” on the ship up the Alaskan coast and across the pacific to Tokyo, and I wondered at the definition of adventure.  Someone wrote: it might be remarkable—that is, worth talking about, or involve adversity or perceived risk or bring about personal growth.

 There will be hardly any risks , if I’m careful which I plan to be. Nearly everything in my life brings about personal growth and, well, you can decide if it’s worth writing about! 

Stepping out the door can be an adventure into the…unknown or unexpected or who knows what. Stepping on to the several escalators and on to an airplane…

Taxi to ship at 2, we were in last hundred to board, no idea.. cavernous underground parking , miles of it til delivered to ..cavernous boarding security customs area, hardly a soul in sight, fortunately occ guide:  go that way. Many restrooms, just imagine when queued with a thousand people!  But such a strange experience. Declined champagne on arrival, found room cabin suite, smaller bits than envisioned, chose bed near loo but tight getting into closet and bedside table. Brief explore, the  stern wake broad lovely, the bow ugly white superstructure but SHIP IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION, fresh paint, varnish, pretty carpets, blue stripes of varying width, pretty crockery white with blue, lifts and stairs open,  GOOD TASTE at every turn.  Linen napkins at every meal and towels  in loos. Think of Their laundry!

On to the ship overwhelming thoughts about how quiet it is, only the faint sound of distant engines or typical hotel background noise. And more overwhelming sense of no movement of this ship, none. I  look out and see slowly passing mountain range dark featureless  against the grey sea. Not a morning for bkf on the verandah, brrr. Quiet and still ,who could ask for anything more? Fruit and yogurt breakfast to be delivered soon. Absolutely nothing to do, no where to go this whole day. Simply meals at roughly appointed times and desire to walk the deck, be with wherever we are. Desire, pleasure of writing.. floating hotel is close to fact in that the only difference is that we are in fact floating or moving on water seemingly so slow, no sense of speed. 

I actually don’t like the sense of not moving, we are moving. My phone says we are at Strathcona and it’s 6 degrees, but do I care? Good to know to dress warmer. That is the only need or must of the day.

day.

*** first feel of ship movement on day 2 at 2-pm.