Things I have seen

I have been fortunate to travel to all seven continents and have visited many beautiful and amazing places in this world. The people who refuse to travel extensively because of the inconvenience miss much of the beauty of this strange planet. I will mention a few of the things I have seen.

I rafted down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon almost 20 years ago. Our large raft set out in the early afternoon and was in the mouth of the canyon when we camped for the night. The next morning we descended into the main canyon, except we didn't actually descend. The huge, multicolored walls of the canyon rapidly rose up above us. Our guide let the raft slowly spin and drift as the panorama evolved. I wish someone had thought to start singing, "How Great Thou Art."

I was once in a traffic jam in Bangalore, India for a few hours. It was on a major highway that was designed for at least ten lanes of traffic on each side. We never knew the cause of the jam, but there were thousands of cars everywhere. High up on the banks, off to the side of the freeway and everywhere beyond, were miles of cars. It seemed to be almost a roadside festival. People walked on top of the cars and milled around as if it were an opportunity to party. I was surprised no one was selling refreshments. An entrepreneur with an ice cream truck could make a living driving on that road waiting for a traffic jam. I have never seen so many cars in one place.

Just recently, Mrs. Pessimist and I were kayaking along the coast of Antarctica. We were in a bay where a glacier was actively calving, so we had to stay away from the cliffs. There were enormous icebergs all around us and penguins swimming in their rapid porpoise fashion everywhere. The occasional roar of the glacier letting go of some of its mass and the otherwise serene landscape was magical. The beauty of ice in the southern ocean is spectacular.

That is enough for now. I have seen many beautiful and strange things in my lifetime, but haven't we all?