Mar 19 - Long Beach, CA USA

DONNA KAY PHILLIPS : I have to be honest... I am not happy to be back in Long Beach nor our country set in it's current insistence on economic tailspin. We have seen far poorer conditions than in our own country and we have seen beauty and simplicity in the way the people there live with less.

We are now back in the land of big box stores importing plastic crap from overseas and as much as the crew is now frequenting Walmart for DVDs and Video Games and CDs, it just lacks something of the rough and tumble bits of Mexico and South America. I am proud of my country and it's indominable spirit to overcome and invent our way out of problems, in that way, I am truly a US American but I know now that all of us here on this side of the planet are AMERICANS - North, Central and South AMERICANS - all of us.

Before this trip I barely thought of South America at all. I never thought I would be able to travel there. I had never heard of most of the cities we visited, nor had I met their citizens. I never knew the beer and wine was so amazing and the seafood so tasty. I didn't know that Chile had a thriving Salmon population and that the fruits and vegatables were so readily available and consumed right on the street, not from a plastic covered piece of styrofoam in a SuperMarket.

Speaking of fresh fruit, we went through Customs today (point of entry and all) in Long Beach. The tenor was beligerant, strict and cold. I don't see why this attitude is necessary in order to welcome natives and visitors to our soil. Are we just angry now, is that what we want to project to the world - anger and fear? Don't mess with us?? I was genuinely afraid coming back into the US today - everything is so militant now. I actually felt more of a sense of relaxation from the military style policia in all of the S. American countries we visited and they were carrying automatic weapons but they were also more approachable and would help with directions. It's so strange to end this wildy color-filled journey with such a stark gray cement and steel.

Once through Customs, we took the convenient red trolley buses into the Convention and Shopping area to a PF Changs for lunch. This was one of our favorite restaurants pre-Fin del Mundo (end of the world), now it's just overly oiled and salted pre-packaged food covered in spicy asian-style sauce. Chain restaurant food tasted NOTHING like the fresh meats and vegetables found in other countries who prepare their foods slowly each morning. I truly appreciate the differences now and will likely only frequent local establishments with great food buying & cooking principles to maintain that love of food we found in South America.

We then headed down to the shops to pick up some supplies only to find all of the clerks at the various locations overly tired and sucked dry of any inspiration in their jobs. It was a major bummer this day in Long Beach that a day by the pool on the ship would have easily surmounted. Maybe it's just being so close to the end of this extended venture into life that has really put the slug in my step, maybe it's that icy California cold that's stripping away the relaxation and tan from my muscles, maybe it's knowing that the ship will someday soon, really sail away without us onboard...

Whatever it is, it doesn't feel right and I don't know why. 49 days is not enough, it just isn't. We miss our animals and look forward to seeing them but the idea of staying on land and watching the Splendor take her leave of us is just too much to bear right now. So instead I will float, like we have for the past 49 days, into the idea that I never have to say goodbye to anyone or anything.

I think we find ourselves falling in love with the openess and endless possiblities of being at sea... and back to the blue line I will always go. I have a tattoo of an old world Nautical Map on my left arm with a banner that reads "no horizon too distant" - need I say more? - dkp