Rockin and Rollin Across the South Pacific Ocean

...I have not had access to my internet e-mail addresses since boarding our ship in Wellington, so I have a lot of catching up to do. We're now in a small (350 pop) town on Stewart island off the far south of the South Island of NZ, and I don't have much time. So for now, all I'll say is that the seas have been rough for the past several days -- testing my resolve about whether I REALLY want to go to the Antarctic, which involves crossing the Drake Passage -- notorious for making people very sick. Well, I am certainly "up to it" based on this experience -- 45 knot winds, 35 foot seas. So the real question now becomes whether I can afford the trip (Chris -- do I have any checks from the VA Lottery waiting for me????). Yesterday they confined us all to our rooms because furniture was flying and people falling all over the place. Rebecca got pretty sick the first day or two, but has recovered now. I never had a problem (knock on wood because they put the pols out at noon again today, which means we're headed back into the winds tonight.

I have to run now or I'll miss the boat. I've decided that I will catch you up on the happenings of the past few days -- starting with the Ship of Fools (all about the people on board), followed by another note or two on what we did. It's been absolutely fantastic -- the country is fabulous and the scenery is spectacular.

Hope all is well in your time zone!