Semester at Sea

It's been five years since I left on Semester at Sea. Well, nearly. August will mark the true date, however, at that time I doubt I'll have the inclination, desire or ability to commemorate it. So I thought I would now, and besides, it will break up the pregnancy posts.

I've chosen photographs from each country I visited, some represent the "best" photo, and the other captures my actual experience. I have a hard time talking about Semester at Sea. It's difficult to explain. First I guess I never want to appear like a travel snob. Secondly, it was such a profoundly life changing experience it's hard to talk about without making it sound.....less than it was. I was lonely, seeing the world alone, and really struggled with eternal questions. Nothing was ever the same for me afterwards, my view of the world, of myself, my religion, my life, everything. It made me grow up in painful ways. I connected with the story of Siddhartha, leaving my home where everything was beautiful, clean and orderly, without truly seeing death, age, disease or poverty. Experiencing those things in person should change a person. I've since tried to find "the middle way," knowing that's the only way Siddhartha found peace. I can't say I've found it. I will always have questions unanswered, a deep sense of unfairness in the world, and a guilt that I will never know how to cope with successfully. Most of the time I ignore it, except in my prayers.

Anyway. First of all, the Ship. The MV Explorer, and life on board.

THE SHIP

I LIVED for French toast mornings. Didn't happen very often.

This was the view from my window in my cabin.

This was my quiet spot, on the fourth floor, starboard side. No one else was ever there, and I went there to think, read, meditate, write letters.

JAPAN

This is the photo indicative of my experience. I hiked Mount Roku alone to read some Japanese haiku. Yes, quite the romantic.

Horiyuji castle and temple. I love Japanese architecture.

CHINA

I experienced Chinese opera in Shanghai.

I didn't like Shanghai. Every experience felt controlled, or patrolled, with armed men everywhere. What I imagine Gotham City must be like.

I spent a while in a Buddhist temple in Hong Kong, with hundreds of these coiled incense burners.

Night shot of Hong Kong. Again, not my favorite place. Extremely commercial, and I never felt like I got a "true spirit" of the city.

THAILAND

Bangkok, the Venice of Asia.

A temple in the center of the city - covered in mirrors. Remember when I wasn't pregnant - and was sort of thin? I don't.

CAMBODIA

This is another oen indicative of my experience. This was a band made up of men who had lost limbs in land mines left from the Khmer Rouge.


This was a shrine for healing.

Bas relief near Angkor Wat.

VIETNAM

I spent some time at the war memorial/museum in Ho Chi Mihn City. I won't ever forget that.

I took a trip up the Mekong Delta.

MYANMAR

The Golden Pagoda near Rangoon.

This was the primary temple complex in the city of Rangoon. This is also the exact spot where the monks riots happened two years ago...

Land of a thousand shrines. The Burmese kings believed they were increasing their good karma with each temple they built. There were hundreds here.

INDIA

Not a good picture, I know, but it captures what it was like to travel by train in India. Not really an experience you forget.


I was very happy to be there.

This is in Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges.

I never got used to seeing cows in the street.

This is the Ganges.

TANZANIA

I'll have you know that warthogs are the rarest animal to see on a safari - I spotted some!

Hippos kill more people in Africa a year than lions or crocodiles. Yep. Fierce jaws.

This is where I camped. By "Full Board Accomodation" they meant dirty pop-up tents, "Running Water" was the nearby river, "Toilet and Bathroom" means a hole in the ground and a trinkle of water against a moldy wall, and I'm not sure what they were trying to accomplish by advertising mattresses or "Light." I don't think I slept more than a half an hour at a time here, mostly because of the noise. You could hear lions, hyenas, and millions of insects right outside the door.

ZANZIBAR

The B&B we stayed in.

This was a lovely view of the sea from one of Stone Town's oldest buildings, "The House of Wonders."

SOUTH AFRICA

Probably can't spot me in this picture. I worked with Habitat for Humanity to build a house.

BRAZIL

My spirit of adventure. Holding a caimen at midnight. The flash of the camera startled it, and a split second after this photo was taken the caimen flipped right out of my hands and snapped. Luckily my relfexes were also fast - I was out of that boat in two seconds.


Spending a week on the Amazon in a river boat sleeping in hammocks. I got stuck next to the boys. After this trip I was more ill than I ever have, or will likely ever be again, in my life. I didn't eat or drink for 2 days. A crazy jungle fever.

VENEZUELA


Took a trip into the mountains. What I don't have a picture of is the intense anti-American sentiment in Caracas. I met an underground group of political militia who handed me all sorts of brochures and spoke to me in rapid Spanish, even though I was clearly a tourist without a lick of Spanish.