As I stood on the observation deck overlooking the Gatun Locks on the Panama Canal, I made myself a solemn promise--to some day cross the Pacific Ocean, from Los Angeles to Japan, via freighter. I was so close to the passing ships, I could almost reach down and shake the hands of the crew members. They were a friendly lot, waving and smiling at us tourists above.
What would it be like to spend day after day at sea? To watch the crest and fall of rolling waves; to watch the sky turn colors and perhaps get angry with rage. I would read dozens of novels, play cards and look forward to the delicious meals. I hear they eat well on these ocean passages. But more importantly, I want to get a feeling of just how big our world is. Flying gives us a warped sense of reality. Time and distance are measured in how many in-flight movies we see and how many boxed meals we consume. This past year when flights were cancelled, delayed or security lines seemed endless, I thought: This just isn't worth it. And it alarmed me. I want to embrace the act of traveling, not just the destination. I want to travel SLOW.
The Gatun Locks are located at the Atlantic entrance of the canal. I liked the intimacy of the visitor center here. For one thing, there were less people than at the Miraflores site on the Pacific side. I was allowed to watch the ships as long as I wanted. No one elbowed me out of the way. There's really nothing else to do--no restaurant or museum to visit, which suited me just fine. I have reached a time in my life when I am ready to slow down. I no longer want to rush from one place to the next. I want to use all five senses when I travel. See the subtleties of nature, hear the wind, smell the algae in the water, taste the salt in the air and feel the waves rolling underneath me. I want my days to be long, not short. I want time to be measured in nautical-miles. I want to travel SLOW.
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