Day 24. How can this be normal!?

It’s a shame to think that there is such thing as normal on the ship. It really saddens me, to tell you the truth.

Truthfully though, however, we all adapt, and we have more than adapted to life at sea. It’s crazy to think that we are already just a few days away from Namibia, and our 2nd great ocean cross is almost complete. I am trying harder than I ever have to stay in the moment and not think about the future, but it’s so hard. With 24 days already behind me, I can’t help but think how fast this is moving; and I just want to take each day, each hour for its own worth.

So I’ll try.

Namibia. It’s going to be SO. MUCH. FUN. I am lucky enough to be part of the intercultural committee of the Ambassadors’s club on board, which means that I’ll have the privilege of welcoming aboard a US Diplomat at 0730 in the morning after porting in Namibia. I’ll be meeting him on the gangway, touring him around the ship and then introducing him to the shipboard community. He (or she) will be sharing with us some up-to-date pertinent information about Namibia before we disembark the ship.

Then, it’s straight to a bus where I am starting a 3-day safari in Etosha National Park, roughtly 4 hours away from Walvis Bay where the ship will be berthed. Etosha is widely recognized as one of the best game parks in the world. Lions, Tigers, Zebras, Elephants, Hippos and others will be our audience as we spend days driving around in open jeeps touring the area. At night, we will be staying in tents in the middle of the African highlands. From what I’ve heard, the camp will be protected by guns since the animals are constantly out…it should be an amazing experience. Also, the area in Etosha is known as one of the greatest places to see stars. I can’t tell you how excited I am.

We’ll be there for 3 days and two nights, and then return to the ship. Ahhh. So pumped.

I’ll be back tomorrow with our cultural pre-port information including the info we learn about Namibian culture. In Global Studies, we are learning about the history of the African continent. As you all know, it is a troubled place with a troubled past. As one of our professors put it today, “it’s easy to scramble an egg, but not as easy to un-scramble it.”

To actually walk among the history will be pretty cool.

Good night.

Greg.