Dearest Rachel –
Ordinarily, on a day when we’re about to land in another port, I should be putting together an essay about culture and history, sights to see and things to experience… particularly with regard to local cuisine. But I have to admit that my heart’s not in it today.
Some of that is because, thanks to the internet finally coming back to life (it’s been working, but oh-so-sluggishly, since departing from Hong Kong), I’ve managed to catch up on my videos – and there have been a lot of those, as you might have been able to see – so I rather feel like I deserve a break today (no, this doesn’t mean I’m planning a visit to a McDonald’s when next we land; perish the thought!). There’s also the fact that I have other commitments to take care of, given that the internet is running as smoothly as it is – I need to process camp activity, as well as taking care of some transfers and payments of my own back at home. Additionally, I don’t have a shore excursion lined up for tomorrow, so that’s about half of the usual subject matter scuttled.
But you might ask why I don’t have anything lined up for this port, apart from hoping for a shuttle into town. Well, honey… it’s Busan. It’s been less than a year since I was here last time; if it weren’t for the fact that I’d gotten downtown last October to cheer Erin and the other runners on, I’d say I’ve been here with more frequency than I am my home city of Chicago. I think I’ve already said what needs to be about here. And while there are excursions that take one to the cultural and religious heritage of Korea, I’m pretty sure I didn’t find anything that called out to me. So presumably, I’ll be doing much the same thing as I did last year at this time; assuming I’m able to (although if I manage to find the same street fair that I did previously, that would be a small miracle, to be honest). But in either case, why repeat myself when it comes to talking about the city’s past and present?
Not that I necessarily know what (or, more to the point, where) to look for in terms of items of interest. I think maybe I’m just starting to burn out, and the fact that I’ve been here so recently serves as a particularly good excuse for me to take things a bit easier than usual.
Additionally, it could just as easily be the overcast skies outside today; it’s just the sort of weather that puts on in the mood to do that much less in any event. Granted, I’ve set that feeling aside several times over throughout this past month because of one port or another, but on a day like today, when one doesn’t have anything else to do – why, it was raining so hard at one point, they even took the bags tournament (which they usually hold topside on the pool deck) down to the centrum to compete in a dry environment – it just catches up to you. That lethargy brought on by the gray and cloudy just sort of overwhelms you, and you don’t feel like doing much of anything. I’m sure you could relate to days like that.
It’s also not helped by the fact that I woke up shortly before six this morning – after staying up past midnight last night, taking care of just the sort of responsibilities I mentioned earlier. By rights, I probably should have slept in; but I took care of a little more business instead, and then got on with my day. I even did my sea-day workout before lunch – and yes, I did lunch, as I skipped breakfast because of all that. It wasn’t anything to write home about – literally – apart from the crowds, which I still need to tell you about at some point. And somehow, after all that, I actually found myself most wanting to crawl into bed (since there’s no room for a rocker/recliner in my stateroom) and watch YouTube, after being all but kept out for a week due to the suboptimal internet.
Which I did… and promptly fell asleep doing. Guess I’m going to have to watch those particular episodes again. Either that, or take note of them, and use them as a soporific next time I have trouble falling asleep. It all depends on if I did so because or in spite of them, I suppose.
And while theoretically, it might also be in part because of the fact that I’m not ready to set fifty-five aside any more than I have been any other age I’ve left behind, it seems a weird excuse for lethargy on the day before – apart from the fact that this letter is supposed to focus on what I’ll be doing tomorrow. Let’s just say that celebrating isn’t in the cards (although with that having been said, most of my tablemates have talked about the fact that they have kept matters quiet about the birthdays they’re going to be having while aboard ship; they’ve seen the things the crew does in the dining room about that, and they want no part of it. Daniel would approve, I’m sure).
Ironically, all this speculating about why I’m in no mood to write about Busan, or what I plan to do tomorrow has actually managed to make for an adequately long letter to you in and of itself. I hope you don’t think of this as a complaint, honey; as a general rule, I’m having a great time, and I’ve seen a lot of places I’ve enjoyed and (in some cases) want to come back to, and I’m sure there will be plenty more going forward. It’s just that the pace (and the self-imposed work schedules and deadlines) does start to get to you after a while, and I’d like to take the opportunity to slow down, but can’t quite let myself do it. So I vent to you like this, and wind up doing it anyway in the process. So… yay?
In any event, I think I’m going to let you go for now; I’ve still got to dress for dinner. Keep an eye on me, honey, and wish me luck. I’m going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 