Homesick in the Bering Sea

My great big trip started off with a great big bout of homesickness.

September was a draining month, physically and emotionally. My dad’s memorial weekend, followed by an emergency trip to help a family member, jet lag, a bout of covid, a Yellow Fever shot, a shingles shot, a flu shot…

By the time we boarded the ship, I was ready to relax and recharge.

Instead, right after our stop in Juneau I came down with a nasty flu (as if there’s any other kind.)

It’s never fun being sick, but being sick in the middle of some far flung ocean only makes me feel lonely and vulnerable.

Doesn’t help that our inside room is claustrophobic, and the bed is hard. It’s not the nicest place to self isolate. Nights are worst. As Larry gently snoozes, I toss and turn and wish I were back home in our cozy bed with my sweet kitty, Miss Otis.

Last night, I finally felt well enough to eat dinner on the Lido deck. I wore a mask and sat far from others. I only managed a few bites of food, but it felt good to get out of our cabin.

As we dined, Mother Nature treated us to a magnificent sunset at sea and in that moment, my spirits lifted. I could feel my energy returning along with a rush of gratitude that brought tears to my eyes.

It’s so easy to take good health for granted, but this fall I’ve gone through the sick/well cycle several times in short succession. As the old joke goes, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired!”

If there’s a lesson in all this, I sure hope I’ve learned it. I also hope it’s a long time before I’m bedridden again, and that when it happens, I’m cuddled up at home with my sweet cat.

I still feel a twinge of homesickness as I write this, but it’s slowly being squeezed out by excitement over visiting Japan for the very first time.Read more