It's the middle of the night on your once in a lifetime vacation. You awaken to the most horrendous noise, the loud clanging of the lifeboat alarm. Crew are pounding on doors, evacuating the ship. Adrenaline surges through your veins at an incredible rate. You have mere seconds to grab & go. What do you take? Do you even know where it is? Passport, wallet, a few more layers of clothing as a shield against the incredible cold?
Two weeks ago, I was talking with a coworker about his upcoming vacation plans. A year ago, he booked a trip he'd wanted to go on for years, a cruise to Antarctica. As someone lucky enough to document life-changing events for others, of course the first thing I'm thinking of is photography, so we talked cameras...including backup plans for images when the cold kills your point & shoot. We talked about trying to pack for such a trip, how difficult it is to have enough layers and still pack light. And about trips like these, a once in a lifetime event, so unusual & sought after that you have to book them a year or more in advance.
Then the news yesterday. The boat that my coworker was on is now underwater off the Antarctic coast. Thankfully, everyone on board is safe & sound. I'm sure he'll have one hell of a story to share when he returns. And I have to wonder what he managed to save when the lifeboat alarm rang. I have to admit, I know I'd be thinking, Where are my memory cards???? Where's my camera????
I'm grateful this holiday for my coworker's safety, and hope for his sake he was able to bring more than just memories back from his adventure. And tempting though it is, I promise we won't decorate his office with a Titanic theme for his return. I'm thinking something tropical might be a bit more tasteful. :)
Postscript: if you have the chance to visit the Titanic exhibit, by all means go. I went when it was here in Seattle a few years ago. It's an incredibly powerful, emotionally wrenching display, and it's well worth attending.
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