How do you fit a hundred million events, people, thoughts and emotions into a short blog? I want to somehow express what I am feeling and experiencing, but I don’t have the ability to put it into words. I am feeling overwhelmed, happy, creative, excited, sad, adventurous, involved… and so many other things. Days fly by so quickly I don’t think I blinked, but a hundred things happened.

May 21 was our departure day from Yokohama. After helping the passengers carry on their bags and passing champagne out to all the guests we joined them to celebrate. The scene was like something out of a movie only, because it was real life, infinitely more poignant. We threw streamers to the people waiting on shore, each person holding one end. We waved and cheered and danced and drank champagne. As the boat pulled away they played our departure song and we all hugged and cried. The streamers were pulled out of people’s hands and our connection with the people left on shore was ended. It was incredibly emotional to be starting such an amazing journey and everyone on the ship could feel that excitement. But everyone is leaving someone behind for 3 months (husbands, girlfriends, friends, parents, children, etc) and so there is also sadness. As soon as I get settled into life on the ship I will hopefully be less overwhelmed and have more understanding of what I am feeling and experiencing. Even as I type this, with the boat rocking back and forth and the sound of the waves outside, it feels surreal. I’m not sure when that will change though.

On another note- my seasickness has disappeared (actually as soon as we left port and started moving forward I was fine). No one has been very sick yet and we are the roughest patch of water we are going to find on the whole trip. Let’s keep our fingers crossed anyhow.