An altered reality
By Shona // Saturday 15 Sep // 17:12:30 // 3 Comments
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Location: NOORDELICHT, COOOMIN ROOM/ WEST SVALBARD
My whole world has been turned upside down over the last two days. Things that seemed important or relevant before doesn’t seem to matter now. Being surrounded by this sheer beauty and vastness has made me think and about the importance of life and the place humans have in our planet. Being on this ship I feel incredibly close to nature and what our planet should be. Back home we have created a reality for ourselves that seems rather fake when you experience this. What I am seeing here is real and the land that Mother Nature has given us originally and we have altered it so much. And I don’t think that we should have the right to determine what happens to this land when it gave us the right to live here in the first place. Seeing where the sun meets the water and the land makes me feel like I am on the edge of the earth and we are sailing to a peaceful end. If heaven exists I think that it might look like this.
On a lighter note today we saw a polar bear on the shore! Yes I saw a polar bear! We were returning to the ship after our 2hr hike and the captain spotted the bear walking exactly where we had just been. It was crazy to think that we had just been there and if we waited onshore any longer we might have run into him. Then we raised the sails on the ship and have been sailing ever since. We are now in open water and I have slowly gotten used to the rocking and movement the waves create onboard. At first I felt a bit sick but now I can handle it when I am on the higher levels (forget it in the cabins). Tea is soon and then I have another watch to do. The first was eventful with the polar bear and the sails being raised. I hope the next one is just as lively. Blogging is difficult for me with the seasickness so bear with me. Today I have been feeling a little down (not my normal, loud self). I have been trying to take it all in and make sense of it all. It still all seems a little surreal.
Love and miss you all,
Shona x
Tags: Shona
3 Comments
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Shona,
What an insightful thoughtful commentary. Very nice picture. We have looked at all the pictures and it must be amazing to see it 1st hand. Are you warm enough, mum is asking if you needed your thermals yet and if you have warm feet. Here it is getting cooler and John is away to the training camp. On his return tonight there will be a corn roast and we will probably have to wear our polars. Rebecca went to Daphane’s party last night. Annick is back and really enjoyed her horseriding out west. She is in St-tite this weekend, I was planning to go but it rained hard all day yesterday. So we (me, mum & Scott) spend all afternoon watching the food channel with the fire lit. This is the latest news from the South. Have fun and try to keep your mind off the sea sickness. Kids from Marie Laurier will be sending you questions. Veronique has sent you one already.
P.S.: Mum wants to see you on the pictures, not the sea and polar bear.
Dad
Hi Shona,
What an incredible photo! I see what you mean when you feel you are on the edge of the earth, where sea meets the sky and the earth. It is obviously stunning visually but how about the sounds of nature on the voyage?
The watches during the night must be challenging; I hope you are not too tired.
You are obviously enjoying the experience and I can tell by the entries in your journal that the voyage is having a life-altering effect on you. I hoped it would have that result! Enjoy every minute, the time will pass so fast!
Take care, have fun, keep the entries coming and stay alert!
Kevin Lukian
Hi Shona,
we have just read your beautiful story. We are so proud of you! You inspire us to do more than recycling and composting, you make us think. Keep going and we hope that thousands of young ( and older too) people will follow you and together we are going to make it.
Bravo, good luck and enjoy everything as much as you can.
We are with you – thank you.
Eva and Emily Gagnon (your mom’s friend)