We Are the World

I'm traveling with a very international, interesting and diverse group of fellow adventurers. The symphony of languages and dialects aboard the M/S Expedition on this voyage is absolutely remarkable. There are passengers from all over the world - Canada, America, Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Austria, India, Malaysia, Israel, China, Hong Kong, England, Australia, Indonesia, Poland, Italy, South Africa, Spain and New Zealand. Today at lunch, I had lunch with two young guys, one from Lebanon, the other from Iran. I've had the opportunity to meet many of them already in only the first three days of sailing - in the lounge, in the dining hall, on the observation decks, at the rookery. We are the world!

There's Robert, my roommate, 60 years old, a geologist from Canada, who is extremely bright, thoughtful and complex. He is a direct descendant from the famous Scotsman, Robert the Bruce (think Mel Gibson in "Braveheart".). Jyoti and Kishor, a starry-eyed, married couple from Liverpool; he: a family doctor and she: a health care management lecturer, always together hand-in-hand. Roger, the tennis pro from Sweden who has met every tennis star imaginable over the past 25 years.  Cat, the enthusiastic, bright-eyed, 30 year old Brit, who is coming down to Antarctica to spend six months running the post office in a remote, historical sight at Port Lockroy that actually sends real postcards from the continent. Michael and his daughter, Micaela, from Israel who frequently break into sidebar conversations in Hebrew and sometimes sound as if they are arguing.  Kok, the slightly odd and puzzling Jackie Chan personality from Hong Kong that calls me Bruce Willis and has already taken about fifty photographs of me and has even asked for my autograph. (I'm beginning to avoid him whenever possible.) Cecelia, a lovely, blond and buxom biology graduate from Norway who has just decided she wants to work for the adventure group who is sponsoring this amazing expedition.  Ann and Joe, wealthy, well-dressed and erudite Bostonians who are staying in the ridiculously expensive suites with king size beds and private on-suite bathrooms three times the size of us commoners. Trish and Cliff, 60-something retirees from Vancouver island who are hilarious, always laughing and thrive on adventure and recreational sports.  At lunch today, I sat with two young gentlemen, one from Lebanon and the other from Iran, but try as I may to remember their exotic names I cannot. So many names to remember. I often feel like I'm the new kid in a new school trying frantically to remember each person's name and admittedly at times feeling like a bit lost in this sea of strangers.

But everyone is extremely friendly, supportive with photographs and answering questions, alerting others to special sightings on land and on the sea and all sharing the love of wildlife, wilderness, travel and adventure.  I'm surrounded by kindred spirits.  These are my shipmates, my new family and my fellow Antarctic buddies that have come from all corners of the globe to share this incredible experience with me.

It's a small world after all.