Dearest Rachel –
For all that I claim to like it as dark as possible when I’m trying to sleep, this is really something else. When I take the key card out of the little slot by the room door, all the lights go out – and I do mean all the lights. Were at not for the fact that I’ve figured out that I need to crack the drapes apart juuust ever so slightly, I think I’ve finally come to terms with what blindness truly is. Seriously; it gets that dark in here.
And before you remind me that blind people don’t see darkness so much as just nothing – that their brain doesn’t even bother processing what their optic nerves pick up (assuming they pick up anything), I’m going to tell you that the result is the same; I have to make my way from one end of the room to the other by sense of touch alone.
Which, again, I should make clear is not a criticism. I like it this dark. It’s just that it takes some getting used to, that’s all.
Not to mention, I have to think about taking advantage of this lack of light pollution at some point. I can only imagine what the starscape looks like out here. Unfortunately, I’m willing to bet that I won’t be able to take any decent pictures of whatever I can see out there.
So, you’re probably thinking that I’m getting a good, solid night sleep onboard the ship like this. Hate to say it, but not quite. Just like when I was staying in Aventura, I find myself waking up at around one or thereabouts, followed by another stirring at six or so. The first is due to the fact that I (as is customary for me these days) fell asleep watching YouTube videos around 10:30, I think. That’s right, they’ve stepped up their Internet game exponentially here; that’s a subject for a whole other letter, I’d wager. The second rousing is more a case of ‘should I get up or not?’ and deciding in favor of ‘not,’ since, hey, I’m on vacation. I don’t know if I’m ever completely going to sleep a solid eight hours through anymore, in fact. But hey, at least I’m getting the rest I need.
And given the running (and walking) around I’ve been doing – and will be doing going forward – I’m sure I’m going to need it. At least, the place is more than happy to provide the opportunity; all I have to is take it.
Talk to you later, honey – it turns out that something is going on that I want to get to straightaway.
Back to hitting the ground running.
Love,
Letters to Rachel 