Sleepy

Sorry guys. I’m going to have to let you down this week. I’m so tired and sleepy. So no thoughts to inspire or challenge you today. My schedule’s out of wack because the work from last week sorta lingered these past few days and I just want to go to sleep. Those late night work have something to do with it. But you know what? Even though I’m tired, I am satisfied that I accomplished something. I truly enjoy what I do. I’d rather be busy than bored and watch videos the whole day.

I listened to the news as I worked so I am concerned about the 2nd wave of COVID with the Delta variant. I heard about the protests in Europe from people who don’t want to wear masks. Why doesn’t the mainstream media cover that? I heard about the floods in China where thousands were trapped and drowned in the underground subways. I heard some excitement about the Olympics. I liked the Sports news but hated the politics. I feel sorry for Japan who lost so much hosting this event full of empty seats. I heard illegals are still pouring into the country because the southern borders are way open. The real damage to our society are the thousands who have tested positive and were release to the rest of America. Governor Cuomo of NYC is in the hot seat. His party has turned against him. Interesting behavior in display — the big bully is now being bullied. Hard to sympathize. The economy is sluggish — lots of ups and downs. Gas prices are still up. When was the last time you stepped into a mall?

Question:

When you voted for whoever you voted, are you surprised at the current events? Why or why not? No judgment here. I just want to know.

I think I’m going to have nightmares.

Let’s end with something positive. I heard Disneyland is open. Broadway is open. Movie houses and concerts are happening. Air travel and road traffic are getting back to normal. Chicken thighs are on sale at Aldi’s at 99 cents a pound.

TGIF people!

Raoul

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena, CA for this joke.

Videos of the Week

Thanks to Ray of Glendale, CA for this provoking video.

Sound of Silence … Disturbed
Ray said this won a GRAMMY. It’s a different take on that classic tune … one more serious, more dramatic, more visual. WARNING: It’s pretty dark but very artistic.

TOBI the CORGI
Thanks to Jackie of Whittier, CA for this adorable video. My wife and I are hooked on the escapades of Tobi the Corgi. He has a lot of videos. I think we watched them all.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Mel of Washington DC for these jokes.

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena, CA for this joke.

Thanks to Don of Kelowna B.C. for this joke.

The post Pregnant Explanation appeared first on Traveling Archive.

What a Dump!

In the opening scene of the movie “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” George and Martha Washington walk to their humble home, unlock the front door and see the horror of their dirty house. “What a dump!” Martha exclaims — giving us a glimpse of the battle what was to unfold in the movie.

This past week was a “dump” of cinematic proportions for me — one battle after another.

A newsletter I was working on had to be sidelined because of an emergency. A major website that I manage (Travelingboy.com) crashed and the backup didn’t work. The guy who worked on the server gave me false hopes and he confessed later that he didn’t have any solution. He wasted valuable time. The problem was exacerbated because my trusted assistant (named W2) was not available. W2 contracted a very bad case of Covid and is on his 3rd month now in the hospital. The irony (though not conclusive) is W2 was safely isolated in his home but got infected the one time that he and his wife stepped out to get vaccinated. No telling when W2 will be able to resume his duties. I could have really used his help.

A book that I designed and ready for print turned out to have the wrong specs because the publisher changed their default template after I started working on the book.

I also got my first traffic violation ever! I didn’t follow my own sacred driving rule: “If you want to go fast, just follow the fastest car on the freeway.” I was talking to my wife and I didn’t realize the other drivers were following me! Thanks to my speeding ticket I have to pay a huge amount and go to traffic school. What a dump!!!

Where was God to allow this to happen to me? Hey, if you can blame God, you probably believe in the prosperity gospel. It’s the problem-free philosophy. Hakuna Matata! False preachers promise Christians a life of happiness and wealth IF you donate to their private jet. News flash! If you hear your priest, pastor, leader, talk like that or look like televangelists Jim Baker or Jimmy Swaggert — RUN FORREST RUN!!! There is no guarantee that life will have no worries for the rest of your days when one becomes a Christian. The only guarantee is that God will never forsake us nor abandon us. He will walk us through our dark days.

It’s easy to enlarge the dramas in your life and bypass the blessings along the way. I could have lost the thousands of articles and images on that website. W2 could have died. I am happy to report that W2’s getting better and the Traveling Boy website is finally up and running.

I could have had to start the book design from scratch. Thankfully, my client figured a way around the restrictions so the book is scheduled for printing. I am now able to work on the newsletter and other stuff that has been piling up.

I could have had an accident on the freeway. I could have been strip-searched, locked in prison for the rest of my days playing Hakuna Matata with my harmonica, but all I got was a fine.

Indeed, God blessed me instead with “minor” problems.

This is what King David wrote in Psalm 30:4-5 when he was fleeing from his enemies. (This was one of my Mom’s favorite verses.) David knew he could trust God:

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

I hope your days are bright, enjoyable and blessed. And if you are going through a valley of despair, look up! Someone’s watching over you.

TGIF!

Raoul

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena, CA for this joke.

Video of the Week

Thanks to Luz of La Habra, CA for this pleasant video.
This isn’t a joke but I (surprisingly) never heard this song before and couldn’t stop singing this song after I had listened to it. Hope you like it too.

HARVEST MOON

And if you want to hear a cheery tune, don’t forget our family video of “My Corgis and Me”. I added the lyrics and chords. CLICK HERE.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Mel of Washington DC for these jokes.

Bill Nye
BS Mechanical Engineering = Cornell University

Dolph Lundgren
BS Chemistry = Washington State University
BS Chemical Engineering = Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm
MS Chemical Engineering = University of Sydney
Fulbright Scholarship Recipient – MIT

Thanks to Rodney of Manitoba B.C. for this joke.

Thanks to Don of Kelowna B.C. for this joke.

The post Penguins in a Truck appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Once upon a time, the joke among those in the cruise industry was that the cruise vacation was something for the “newly  wed or the nearly dead.” I remember those jokes, as well as a time in my own life when I would be embarrassed to say that I was even going on a cruise. One day it occurred to me, how else could I see seven Caribbean island nations in eight days or explore a series of major Alaskan cities that are inaccessible by road in under a week? I quickly became a champion of the cruise experience. (Sure there was also the pampering, the shows and the endless buffets, but who was I to complain?) Today the cruise industry has exploded to such an extent that there are now options available for everyone from family-friendly and budget cruises to excursions that focus on ecology, wildlife, and expeditions to places on the planet long considered inaccessible. Today there are even climate change cruises where you will see the devastating effects of global warming right before your eyes.

Back Story

It was not confirmed until the early 1800s that there was even the existence of a “southern land,” when British, American, Norwegian and Russian expeditions began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region. In 1840 it was established that Antarctica was a continent-the fifth largest continent in the world – and not just a group of islands. Whalers and fur seal hunters braved the rough seas and brutal terrain for treasure. Following World War II there was an upsurge in scientific research on the continent, with a number of countries setting up year-round research stations. Seven made territorial claims, and the Antarctic Treaty was negotiated in 1961, honoring existing territorial claims and giving the nations the right to explore the continent for scientific reasons. The first cruise ship exclusively for the sake of tourism sailed to Antarctica in the summer of 1950, the only season in which the weather makes it possible. By 1970, as the cruise industry began to grow, so did tourism to Antarctica, and by 2005, 36 different vessels made it to the continent in one year. For many it is a journey into history; for others an unparalleled ecological and sea life experience; but for most, it is the trip of a lifetime.

After setting foot aboard the deck of the MV Discovery, I began asking guests why they chose to take an eight-day cruise to Antarctica – the coldest, windiest and driest continent in the world; a landscape which is 98 percent thick continental ice sheet and 2 percent barren rock; a continent so cruel and unforgiving that virtually no life can survive on it. The overwhelming answer from my fellow cruisers was simple: “Because now I can.” It was a good answer. The more I thought about it, I realized it was mine too.

The MV Discovery Experience

My journey began at Ushuaia, Argentina. Billed as the southernmost city in the world, the now upscale ski resort sits on the bottom tip of nation, where a dramatic mountain landscape falls directly into the sea. Once the home of a penal colony – now a museum and definitely worth visiting – this is where embarkation began on the MV Discovery. The Discovery package, though, wisely allowed guests to spend 24 hours in this remote part of the world for tours of the city and Tierra Del Fuego National Park. There was also plenty of time to sample local dishes that included Patagonian lamb and king crab.

The MV Discovery is a handsome vessel with a deep hull, making it possible to negotiate Antarctica’s rough seas and massive icebergs. I was pleased to find a complimentary expedition parka waiting for me in my cabin, something that became an essential part of my wardrobe to deal with the brisk weather conditions.

The MV Discovery’s Expedition Team

One of the pluses of the voyage was that a team of working polar explorers conducted lecture programs on board. The team was easily accessible to answer questions regarding everything from polar glaciers and other ice formations to how sea life can survive in such an extreme environment. The team also educated guests on the sensitive nature of preserving this pristine continent from human harm.

Crossing the Drake

“Below 40 degrees, there is no law. Below 50 degrees, there is no God,” was the sailors’ creed about crossing the infamous Drake Passage – a merciless 400-mile wide passage between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica. Situated at the latitude of the ‘Furious Fifties’ winds, between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the shortest route to Antarctica.  Named after Sir Francis Drake (who never passed through the route) it is considered to have the worst sea weather in the world. If you’ve ever contemplated taking seasickness medication, this would be a good time to start. Those on the vessel who opted not to, spent most of the next 15 hours confined to their beds. One could not help but marvel how men in little wooden sailboats could cross this treacherous passage almost 390 years ago.

Landings

The Discovery team led excursions on zodiac pontoon motorboats for landings on the Antarctic Peninsula and her islands. For many on the voyage, setting foot on the continent was the supreme goal. The weather, though, plays the defining factor and flexibility is a key word on any voyage. If a certain passage is clogged by icebergs, the ship’s captain, ice master and expedition team leader will huddle and design another route. When one of our landings was cancelled due to fierce winds, we explored an iceberg alley that featured mile-long icebergs floating past the vessel. Fortunately, due to overall favorable weather conditions, we were able to make two landings, one on Paradise Harbour, considered the Riviera of Antarctica, and the other on the crescent shaped Half Moon Island. Both locations offer stunning photo opportunities and close-up encounters with thousands of gentoo and chinstrap penguins. It’s austral summer and the black sand seems almost warm on your feet. Parent penguins are feeding their chicks. The scope and vastness of the surroundings are unimaginable.

Antarctica – A Look Back

Since my return I am frequently asked what was it like to journey to this spectacular, but almost hidden continent. No words adequately describe the experience. Quite simply, it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. There were some days when I stood on the deck of the vessel and quite literally felt like I was on another planet. My advice: plan your trip now. The season is short and the demand is great.

Check out this list of Antarctica cruises.

The post Journey to the Bottom of the Globe: A Remembrance of Antarctica appeared first on Traveling Archive.