Jul 13 2009
July 13th
The adventure of dead computers, polluted memory sticks. A piece of white plastic, metal and electronic bits and no matter how much it’s yelled at, squeezed, cajoled, the photos just won’t come out and, Lord help the easily distracted, but it may take divine intervention to actually remember to buy a new one.
One part of the amusing adventure of being home, swallowed body and soul into the swirl of employment and traffic. The distraction of this side of life- how lovely and how overwhelming.
The Captain slowly takes bits of Tawodi apart- solar panels, aft structure. He discovers condensation still doing its work behind the solar regulator, shakes his head, curses and shakes his head again. What else is there to do? Cushions come out, laundry piles up- the beginnings of this new, not so exciting journey; recovery from what the world did to Tawodi.
Jobs come, paychecks and bills follow and everyday there’s a new round of questions.
How long did it take you? Eight months and five days.
Where did you stop? Cabo San Lucas, Easter Island, Port Williams, Ushuaia, South Georgia Island, Tristan Da Cunha, Cape Town, Hobart, Dunedin, Pitcairn.
What was the hardest part? The ice and then the condensation.
And the favorite question of all; Why did you do this?
To quote Philippe Petit, the crazy, beautiful Frenchman who walked a wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center-
“This is a very American, finger snapping question. I did something magnificent and mysterious and got a practical ‘Why?’ and the beauty of it is that I didn’t have a ‘why’ ”
A very French answer to the question but as good as any.
Why did we do it? Because it was an itch, a need. Because we were compelled. Because to not go, not try, not attempt would leave nothing but a wish and a regret.
Life’s too short for that.
And, really, the photos will come- really