OCTOBER 5, 2020 – Yesterday I rose early to watch the sunrise, but what caught my attention was the bright moon in the west. Against the clear morning sky, earth’s constant companion was as clear as could be. I was so captivated by the sharp definition of its features, I forgot all about the sunrise.
As I admired the lunar surface, I was reminded of . . . cruise ships.
Anyone who’s embarked on a cruise (remember such a thing?) knows about off-ship excursions. If your port-of-call was Cozumel, you could choose among scuba diving on the Mesoamerican Reef (not for beginners), snorkeling on the Palancar Reef (for beginners), shopping (for experts), an ATV park (for people with a death wish), and parasailing (for libertarians—the operators didn’t have to worry about any safety regulations). If your stop was Athens, you’d have lots of possibilities, all landing you in ruins. If your ship docked in Bergen, you could visit Edvard Grieg’s home, ride Fløibanen to the top of Fløyen, or go on a tour of the Hanseatic Museum and Schøstuene to learn why Norwegians impale a lot of their o’s.
My wife and I took a number of cruises. I left excursion decisions—with one exception— up to her, and they all turned out well. The one I chose was a bust. Laughs are to be reserved for a future post.
But suppose you were aboard a cruise to the moon. Just imagine the excursions you’d have to choose from! The day before landing, you and your fellow travelers would float your way into the meeting module aboard the spaceship. There the cruise director would describe the “out of this world” excursions.
First: Basketball. After an hour of “free-play”—dribbling and dunking to your heart’s content—you’d play in a pick-up game against an ad hoc moon-base team.
Second: Moon Roving. With a guide you could ride a moon rover to explore several craters near the landing site. You’d get to prospect for precious metals and keep up to 500 grams.
Third: Eyeing the Universe. You could visit the lunar observatory, equipped with a telescope as powerful as any on earth—but you’d be peering at the heavens without atmospheric limitations. Included in the price of the excursion would be T-shirts and matching caps bearing the slogan, “I Went to the Moon and Found Mars.”
“Or . . .” the cruise guide would say, “You can sign up for ‘earth watch.’ On a special viewing platform just a moon hop and a skip from base, you can gaze at earth. The price includes a powerful set of binoculars and a wide selection of music and poetry that you can program into your space helmet.”
As enticing as the first three excursions would be, I think I’d save them for subsequent cruises. On my first moon cruise I’d be so captivated by earth I’d miss the sunrise or sunset, as the case might be, which, in either case, wouldn’t be nearly as beautiful as on earth.
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© 2020 by Eric Nilsson
