“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” ~ Saint Augustine.

It is over sixty years since first I sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, a child of almost eight, with my family.  We were headed from the UK to Jamaica, to begin our life in a small town in the center of the island.  In those days, travel by sea was both less expensive and more common than jumping on an airplane.  Even so, it was a very strange adventure for us, with lots of ‘firsts’.  We sailed from Southampton in England, and visited a few ports in Europe (I remember Madeira was one) before heading west across the broad Atlantic Sea.

There were organized activities for the children on the ship, a fancy-dress party was one.  My poor brother very creatively became a tube of toothpaste! I, dressed in a peasant blouse and bandana skirt, with a basket of fruit on my head, became a Jamaican market woman! I doubt we had those costumes ahead of time, the helpful ship employees must have had supplies to hand.  We had to learn to adapt to the swaying of the ship, for the seas were none too calm at first.  My father, a terrible sailor, suffered from severe seasickness, staying below deck for many of the first days of the journey.  I forget if it was that first voyage, or subsequent trips, that he became delirious with one such bout, and imagined he was actually driving the ship, lurching forward with gear changes as the engine chugged along.

Today’s cruises on board giant floating cities that cater to thousands of travelers, seem a far cry from those journeys of long ago.  I am currently aboard one such vessel, and it is a showy reminder of the luxury that some of us are fortunate enough to enjoy.  When it comes to value for money, a cruise can be a very efficient way to travel, taking you to more destinations than you could otherwise afford, with travel, accommodation, food (oh yes, there is food!) entertainment and exotic sites all rolled into one.  Of course, if you are not careful, the many temptations along the way will add up to a small fortune! But for seven days you will be pampered, entertained, fed (again, food!) and cared for by a staff of thousands, whose only wish is that your every need be met.

I have to confess to some underlying guilt, feeling like Nero fiddling while Rome burned, as we sail along.  One of the pleasures of ship life is to be quite removed from the constant onslaught of world news.  My access to social media and the ever-present barrage of breaking stories has been limited to the hours we are on land (by choice), and so I have had a cleansing break from all of that.  It is startling to realize how hooked I am to my social media connections, my contact with relatives and friends and their activities.  And it is amazing how many times a day I have wished to just ‘look something up’.  Whether it is random pieces of trivia, or verification of vague memories, the Google has become an essential tool, a constant companion. My memory has certainly not stood up to the challenge of doing without!

As I travel through the Caribbean I am given reminders of our history, shaped as it was by the colonizers who ‘claimed’ the beautiful islands for their respective rulers.  The original indigenous people (Tainos, Caribs and Arawaks) are only to be seen in the DNA of some present-day residents.  Current descendants have varying admixtures of other races blended together to form nations with origins on other continents.  And the language spoken is usually dictated by whichever colonial occupier won the last battle over property.  But each island has its unique flavor, and a pride of belonging that cannot be weakened, no matter how far abroad the citizens travel.

Last night was ‘Caribbean night’ on board.  The group with which I am traveling showed out in all of our ‘black, green and gold’ splendor.  We were treated to music from the on-board reggae musicians, a ‘tribute to Bob Marley’, more evidence of the universality of his lyrics, as the audience (from all over the world) sang along to each of his tunes.  Later, when the band returned for a second, more generic ‘Caribbean’ set, the lead singer (a young woman from Clarendon, which was so appropriate for many in our group) took us way back with a history lesson in Jamaican music, from ska, to classic 70s reggae.  And our group provided the entertainment for all non-Jamaican reggae fans who watched our moves on the dance floor. 

It will be difficult to readjust to our normal life, once we return to Florida, with twenty-four seven coverage of the global catastrophe unfolding on our watch.  Who knows what the next few weeks will bring, as the current war kills, maims, and displaces thousands, while threatening the economies of many struggling countries downstream from the conflict.  Perhaps, like the pandemic we experienced six years ago, we will soon be seeing severe restrictions in freedom of movement.  Perhaps we will have to reconsider many things we deem as essential in our ‘normal’ lives.  But as we learned from the Pandemic, the world moves on despite all of the disruptions.

This Friday morning, as I sail peacefully through the calm waters of the Caribbean (technically I believe we are in the Atlantic), I am thinking of those who are in harm’s way across the globe.  I hope that there will be a way to end this conflict, and a better way for mankind to live peacefully with others.  For the current way appears to be taking us to the brink of mutual self-destruction.

Have a wonderful weekend, Family!

One Love!

Namaste.