HOME Sweet HOME

Well, I am finally home!  Went cruising the Pacific, into four ports in Hawaii (swoon for the beauty!), into Mexico, and home again!!!  Had so very much fun and LEARNED so much!!!!!  There's no way for me to put everything, everything! that I saw and did and experienced into words here.  I am overwhelmed.  I met so many people from everywhere in the entire world!  I cruised on Princess Cruise Lines' Golden Princess, so if  you have ever done that one, say hello!


I have to tell you that, between my dad and me (more him than me), we have traveled to many places around the world.  And we both feel that Hawaii is THE most alluring and beautiful travel destination (or LIVING destination if you can swing that or if you are already so blessed!) in the entire world.  I have yet to see some of the other Pacific islands or Australia, but Dad has seen those too.  He still feels that Hawaii has it ALL.  We both allow that it might be because we are US citizens and, therefore, Hawaii of course offers all the comforts of home (how can it be, everyone surmises over and again, that we are at "home" in the 50 states, while being awash in this amazing environment?!).  I don't know though.  There is nothing like it on the earth that I have ever experienced, from the people to the rain forests to the black sand beaches (they have white and brown sand too) to the volcanoes to the sense of history to the unique culture to the food to ... on and on!  


Hawaii is so beautiful, so stunning, not just physically, but within and throughout, that it breaks my heart.  I don't know why I use that phrase, don't know why it feels that way, but it just fits, that just describes it for me.  All at once, one wants to reach out and grab it, hold onto it, wrap oneself in itc drink it and breathe it, let it rain down upon the head and just bask in its glory ... And at the same time, you want to hold back, keep your hands to yourself completely, leave it utterly alone in its eden-like peace and quiet, not to leave even a footprint ... It is too gentle and stoic and un-touched.  It's like that.  Although I am a writer, I cannot quite find the words.


This might seem to be a non-sequitir, but it's not, at least not for me... On the ship, there was a crew talent show of sorts.  The very first act took my breath away, musically.  It was a song that I had never heard before (yeah, you might laugh at me), but now I have it on repeat.  A supervisor of the ship's cabin steward staff, a guy named Edwin, played guitar and sang his rendition of Elton John's "Skyline Pigeon."  The lyrics are so poetic, the song so moving, so floating, that I will learn it on MY guitar in time!!  Anyway, the words and the setting where I heard it for the first time -- well, now that song has come to signify my vacation and my own lust for travel and for maybe, just maybe living on the islands one day!


More stories to come...