People will always need land, and they will pay through the nose to get it! – Lex Luthor
There is a palpable excitement in the air of the ship as we approach our first landfall in nearly a month. I have always loved New Zealand, but this time it seems to have taken on an even greater appeal for all of us.
We have over eighty guests leaving us in Auckland, and only thirty or so boarding, so it’s possible that the ship may not feel as cramped for the next segment. Of course, all of us are waiting with baited breath for the results of the ratings surveys for this first segment, which will present the first signpost of how we’re doing on impressing the people we need to impress.
The car goes where your eyes go, so keep your eyes ahead…
Eyes on the prize and all that.
There are bittersweet moments when people are leaving of course. Most of the kids that have been on board (all of whom are teenage boys), are debarking tomorrow – so our youth coordinator is having her heartstrings pulled quite a bit. Especially since one of the boys is a whip-crack smart young man who happens to be in a wheelchair, his personality and general zest for life have touched every person on this ship. For my part, he reminds me so much of the little girl that I knew in grade school who had a brilliant mind trapped in a body that simply didn’t work. I often wonder what she would have grown up to become had she lived beyond grade four, but it’s been a long time since I thought of her. I like to think though, that she would have grown to have a similar fighting spirit and intoxicating smile.
Meanwhile as we continue to make our way towards Auckland, we are fighting our way through a near-gale, the white-caps are churning out there as we make our way through the swells. Thankfully, this is a sturdy little ship, and you can barely feel the roll – and by this evening we will be well sheltered by the New Zealand landmass.