life in technicolor: March 2009

As “Spring break” approached us here in the Southern hemisphere, plans started to formulate within the different groups of students. While I was in Peru I started to weigh my options. I really wanted to go to Patagonia (Southern South America) but after hearing the average price of that trip from those who went over Christmas, I was a little squeamish. Later my friend Nich approached me and said, “Hey man, let’s go on a cruise around South America!” I thought this was the most retarded thing I had ever heard. Growing up I thought cruises were for old people and the professional spectrum with all the spoiled rich kids. I brushed off the idea pretty quick. However, the next day Nich approached me again. “So dude we already have a group of seven, and we need one more!” I started to think that I should at least look into it. So I did, and as it turned out the prices of a two week cruise around the bottom of South America were better than traveling by land. In fact a lot better! Due to the economic crisis that is supposedly going on at home (remember it started while I was down here!), for some bizarre reason which still does not make sense to me, the dollar has been doing really good in South America. In comparison to past years, traveling/tourism has been really slow—because of the economy. In other words, conditions were perfect! The Norwegian Cruise Line had great slashed off prices.

So now there was a group of eight. We reserved two rooms online through NCL. I was immediately excited! I had never been on a cruise before, so I had no idea what to expect. My friends all said that cruises were super chill and relaxing. Those words were music to my ears! Let me tell you I was ready for some more comfortable traveling. No hostels or bus stations for me thank you!

It was a two week cruise from Valparaíso, Chile all the way around the horn and up to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The ship, the Norwegian Sun, stopped in ports all along the way. Among them were my favorites: Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, and the Falkland Islands. The course of the cruise was also a treat in itself. The Norwegian Sun traveled through the Chilean fjords the whole way going south. The views were incredible. I could look out the windows of the ship and see land so barren and so rugged. At times you would think if human life had ever even ventured out to some of those remote fjords. And actually there was one that did I had heard of, and you probably have too—Charles Darwin. Before coming into port of Ushuaia our ship navigated through the Strait of Magellan and the Beagle Channel (my particular favorite of the whole cruise). Imagining sailing ships from the 1800’s like the Beagle in waters such as those and in such a mysterious environment gave me much more appreciation for the average seaman from that era. Joe and Greg, I’d like to think you put a bit of explorer in me by naming me Brendan. Wink wink.

Like we guessed, there was a ton of elderly people onboard. Can I hear a Bingo anyone??? The other half of the ship was full of South Americans on vacation (mostly Chileans and Brazilians). I could probably count all the people our age with my fingers. It turned out to be really fun though, doing activities with the older generations like early morning trivia and mini-golf. It would be really funny when they would say things like, “What are kids like you doing here anyways?” Then you’d try and explain the whole I’m-going-to-school-down-here-and-I’m-on-break shpeal. Some got it. Others didn’t.

And then there was the food. It was from heaven! Remember before this trip I had been eating dry bread and beans and rice. When I stepped onto the ship it was like letting Templeton from Charlotte’s Web onboard. A cruise is a smorgasbord! "Food all around, on the ground!" These words were ringing in my ears. We all got very used to room service too. I believe the ship staff got a little mad at us because we were constantly ordering food. Everyday I was full. But I kept eating! I knew that the dream would end after a couple of weeks.

So that’s pretty much the fun in a nutshell. Below are some of the pictures from our cruise. By the way, you really do gain weight on a cruise. And if you don’t exercise it off, you will feel like a blimp!