12/19
OK, I couldn’t resist using Steinbeck’s title, and I’m not comparing myself, alright? I’m halfway through the book, and once again, where I am in the world coincided with where I am in the book. This has happened with every book I’ve read on this journey. I had zero service on the Alaska cruise, so I anticipated the same here, but in fact the boat has WiFi. The CEO of Uncruise was adamant for years that their passengers forgo connectivity, insisting they embrace the beauty of the Natural World and their lived experience. But they were losing customers. I’m choosing to only use internet for communication, and to drop some blog posts. Herewith the last few days.
12/17
What a saga! The Über and border crossing was seamless. Talking with my driver, I shared I lost my wife to pancreatic cancer. He replied he learned the cure for all cancers; cottage cheese and linseed oil. He once had two passengers, doctors from China, who were in their 90s but looked like they were in their 40s. They shared this cure with him, and he filed it away. Years later he had a friend with pancreatic cancer who tried chemo but was getting worse and worse. My driver shared his story, his friend stopped chemo and began the regimen of cottage cheese, linseed oil, greens and lots of meat. He is now cancer free and in robust health seven years later.
I hate these stories. When the stakes are life or death, and the typical treatment isn’t working, one will try anything. I remember a patient at MSK telling me about a machine that pulses electronic frequencies fine-tuned to the exact wave that zaps cancer cells but leaves healthy cells alone. “”They” don’t want us to know about this ground-breaking cure”. OK, fine. I hate these stories because it makes me think (A) something could have worked, we just didn’t know about it, and (B) healthy skepticism of snake-oil quackery. But I still filed it away in spite of myself.
Easy through the border at 5:30AM, I had three hours to kill before my flight. In line for a restaurant, I invited a solo traveler behind me to dine together. She agreed. She’s a documents archive specialist with the LA Police Dept. We enjoyed each other’s company and I bought her breakfast.
I noticed how many flights were delayed, just about all of them. My flight was supposed to arrive in San Jose Los Cabos by 12:15, well before the declared 1:30 deadline. The delay kept getting pushed out. I called, they said not to worry and that they were monitoring my flight. More delay. The airport was full of people sleeping on the floor, having made moats surrounding them with their suitcases to avoid being stepped on. Finally, at 3:30 I saw there was a flight directly to La Paz (where the boat was docked) with a gate number. I got in a waitlist line and hoped for the best. An hour later they finally started boarding. After everyone on that flight was through, she turned to us. I go to pull up my boarding pass, and it had disappeared! It had also happened to the people in front of me, but they had had taken a screenshot, so they were fine. The attendant starts taking people who had boarding passes all around me, because by now the orderly line had become a clump, with everyone vying for her attention. Finally, I was able to give her my reservation code, and she let me on.
I arrived in La Paz at 7:15, took a taxi to the dock, walked into the dining room, and everyone cheered. Never one to pass up an opportunity to make an impression, I yelled, “LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!” and we were off. Literally. The captain had been holding the boat till the last minute. Had I eventually taken my original flight, I would maybe have arrived in San Jose Los Cabos by 9:00PM, long after the shuttle had left. I learned it was a three hour drive to La Paz. Why they had everyone going there instead of La Paz is beyond me, but I doubt I would be on this cruise at all.
I’ve already met a bunch of fellow travelers, and the guides and crew are terrific.
Unbelievably, I forgot to pack my bathing suit and water shoes, but at least I had my passport. I can use my gym shorts and moccasins, but I’m remembering what my mom used to say about me; “He’d forget his head if it wasn’t screwed on tight!”.
12/18
I awoke to a glowing mountain in the early morning light. Stepping into the air from the cabin, I felt the warm breeze off the land combined with the coolness of the water. A guide last night told us we are in the Sonoran Desert, but it is also one of the most humid deserts in the world. You could feel that in the air, and it was delightful.
All is settling in to the rhythm of life aboard the Safari Voyager. We’ve had the requisite safety training and info sessions. We know how to “Move our magnet” between Aboard/Ashore, use the “Viking Grip” when stepping into the skiff boat, hold the railing using the stairs. We’ve had one activity so far; I chose “Snorkeling 101”. Another thing I forgot was contact lenses. I was able to get a tight seal with the mask, but the clarity of the experience will be consigned to that of an Impressionist painting. And, as is typical with me, my hearing is down 50%. I signed up for snorkeling again today, so I will be deaf by this afternoon. Ear plugs have not prevented the inevitable.
