When I was working, I knew nothing about repositioning cruises. But then why would I? Spending my limited vacation time at sea for long stretches made little sense. I first read about repositioning cruises on the Home Free Adventures blog. Those folks use such cruises as a mode of transport, a way to travel from point A -- the states -- to point B -- Europe. This system works especially well when one does not have a permanent home. Twice a year, cruise lines need to move their ships from one cruising area to another and often offer temptingly affordable rates to those who want to travel along. Many repositioning itineraries exist but typical cruises are transatlantic cruises from Florida to Europe with many days at sea while crossing the ocean. R and I took such a cruise in the spring, traveling 15 days from Fort Lauderdale to Amsterdam. We imagined the lengthy cruise would help us both begin the necessary process of distancing from our lives in Chicago. We sort of overlooked the potential for boredom and sameness. On the spring cruise, we spent nine long days at sea, at least five of them on the rather rocky Atlantic. Admittedly, I became restless.
Currently, we are on a 17 day repositioning cruise from Hawaii to Sydney with stops in Tahiti, Bora Bora and the North Island of New Zealand. Prior to our finalizing plans and payment for this cruise, R asked me if I could manage five days at sea at a time (actually we have 11 sea days total) given that I grew restless on the transatlantic cruise.
"Of course I can," I told him. "I learned a lot on the transatlantic cruise about how to manage sea days. I'll be fine. I've downloaded more books, I'll sign up for activities. It will be great."
R and I have been together a long time. Soon we'll celebrate 34 years. As the words were coming out of my mouth, we both understood that I was kinda lying to him and myself, not about the books or activities, but about managing. My shelf life for the sea is three days. After that point, I grow restless, which is a polite way of saying I get a little bored.
Many people onboard have solved the issue by getting up each morning, eating, and then immediately spending their days sacked out by the pool, only rousing to eat again and drink. While this system has many merits, it holds no interest for me.
So far, I've read three books, attended daily port and naturalists' lectures, watched evening live entertainment and daytime cooking demonstrations, attended cocktail party-like ship receptions and joined in wine and martini tastings. I've gone to the gym each day, taken spin classes, shown people how to use the gym equipment. I've watched people dance, played trivia, played scrabble, played Angry Birds, played with my iPad and used way too many of my expensive Internet minutes looking up stuff. I've even engaged in too many conversations about my hair, color and cut. We have both bored people who ask where we live with our tale of roaming houselessness. I have run out of things to do that interest me. I need land.
As I've expanded my understanding of retirement and other big transitions, one idea is clear: In retirement, one may have more freedom, fewer restrictions and fewer responsibilities, but our personalities and core preferences don't necessarily change, though perhaps they expand. Most of us will add to our identities as we transition from work to the next phase. But who we are will remain the same.
My gap year is reminding me that I'm someone who likes new experiences, loves learning, and is easily bored by too much sameness. All good to know as I create this next phase. And happily, we have spent a day on Tahiti and out the window, I see land! It is Bora Bora.
This is Bora Bora!
No comments:
Post a Comment