Final Thoughts

It's been a week since I disembarked the MV Explorer and I have to say, I miss that ship and the voyage an awful lot. I keep finding myself flipping through the many photos I've taken and collected from the voyage, I've been browsing through the NY Times reading up on the latest news from the Mediterranean world, and I've even been on SAS's website looking at the itinerary for upcoming voyages (Summer 2013 looks awesome!!!). It's funny, when the shrinks and the deans were saying that coming back to the States would be tough emotionally I kinda laughed and shrugged off the thought. I figured it would be like any return to real life after an awesome summer, just have to take a few days to get back into the grove of classes, practice, and work...no big deal. But, if I'm saying being in New England for a summer is "awesome" then SAS for a summer would have a be described as a first-class phenomenal summer...and maybe an understatement. I don't want to sound like I'm whining or acting spoiled, I probably am though, but after such an experience, after traveling to parts of the world I never thought about going to, after being at sea for two months I feel like I no longer fit in my niche. For the past year I thought I had everything planned out perfectly. I would go to school and get my AT degree while running; go to grad school in Boston; become the Athletic Trainer for the Sox, and live a happy life. Easy. Now though I'm unsure if that is what I want to do. I guess when to put it simply (but dramatically) I'm unsure of how I am. ***I'm literally just writing everything that is coming to my head now. This is probably all ridiculous and over dramatic but I'm going to write it anyways.*** I have no idea what it is I want to do now. Part of me wants to stick with the plan. Another part wants to add some variation, and the other just wants to get on the next plane out of the country. These are my final thoughts on the voyage. This voyage has changed me in ways I never realized until stepping off the ship. It has opened my eyes to a new world view, one in which the good guys (old uncle Sam) is not necessarily as great as many believe. I've learned that there is more in life than the house with the white picked fence, and that you should never take (this is going to sound stupid) the "man's" word for granted. People have been asking how my journey was and I've responded with many adjective describing greatness. I've also have said I've learned a lot usually referring to the world, but I now think that can mean I've learned about myself. That there is something else, something else that doesn't want to go on the path that I thought I had set in stone. Something that want to continue to explore and learn. If it was up to it I would probably do something really stupid...but I maybe I can learn from this twist pain in my stomach, this burn to be doing something else then send emails and prepare for class. Maybe I can use this to drive me to achieve more a find my new stone path...not stone though, just dirt. Because nothing is ever set in stone, even identity. I'll just end this all with a quote to sum everything up...because this rambling could probably be a short story if not.

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place fro the first time. -T.R. Eliot

Just a quick update on the running...

Legs are feeling very good, no ache or pains (which should be expected). Achilles, hip, hamstring, and all aliments I’ve experienced in the past are either nonexistent or so minuet of a problem that a quick stretch or roll resolves it. I’ve been doing the best I can on this voyage. Been squeezing in every mile I can while at the same time juggling school work, ship life, and experiencing the Mediterranean. Anyhow here’s my training since the start of the voyage along with a couple of stats…

6/18 to 6/24

Monday (6/18)

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Tuesday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Wednesday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Bike = 16.5mi (35min)

Weight

Core

Leg Circuit

Thursday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Friday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Bike = 16.5mi (35min)

Weights

Saturday

Bike = 60min (29mi)

Core

Leg Circuit

Sunday

Bike = 30min (14.5mi)

Run = 4.25 (30min)

Weights

TOTAL

Run = 25.5mi

Bike = 76.5mi

6/25 to 7/1

Monday

Run = 4.5mi (30min)

Tuesday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Wednesday

N/A

Thursday

N/A

Friday

Run = 7mi (49min)

Saturday

Run = 5mi (35min)

Sunday (double)

Run1 = 4.25mi (30min)

Run2 = 4.25mi (30min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Weights

TOTAL

Running = 29.25mi

7/2 to 7/8

Monday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Tuesday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Wednesday

OFF (All day in Rome)

Thursday

Run = 8.5mi (30min)

Friday

Run = 8.5mi (60min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Saturday

Run = 4.25mi (30min

Sunday

Run = 7mi (48min)

Weights

Core

TOTAL

Run = 36.75mi

7/9 to 7/15

Monday

Run = 6.5mi (45min)

Tuesday

Run= 5mi (35min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Wednesday

Run = 8.5mi (60min)

Thursday

Run = 5mi (35min)

Friday

Run = 8.5mi (60min)

Saturday

Run = 5mi (35min)

Sunday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Weights

TOTAL

Running = 42.75mi

7/16 to 7/22

Monday:

Running = 4.25mi (30min)

Tuesday:

Running = 8.5mi (60min)

Wednesday:

Running = 4.25mi (30min)

Thursday:

Running = 5mi (35min)

Friday:

Running = 4.25mi (30min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Saturday:

OFF

Sunday:

Running = 4.25mi (30min)

TOTAL

RUNNING = 30.5mi

7/23 to 7/29

Monday

Run = 8.5mi (60min)

Tuesday

Run = 8.5mi (60min)

Wednesday

Run = 5mi (35min)

Sile Hacili Village Hike!!!

Thursday

Run = 5mi (35min)

Friday

Run = 5mi (35min)

Saturday

Run = 4.25

Core

Leg Circuit

Weights

Sunday

Run = 5mi (35min)

TOTAL

Running = 41.25mi

7/30 to 8/5

Monday:

Run 1 = 4.25mi (30min)

Run 2 = 4.25mi (30min)

Tuesday:

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Wednesday:

HIKING IN MOROCCO  

Thursday:

HIKING IN MOROCCO

Friday:

HIKING IN MOROCCO

Saturday:

HIKING IN MOROCCO

Evening Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Sunday:

Run = 4.5mi (31min)

Core

Leg Circuit

TOTAL:

Running = 21.5mi

8/6 to 8/12 (this week)

Monday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Tuesday

Run1 = 8.5mi (60min)

Run2 = 4.25mi (30min)

Wednesday

Run = 8.5mi (60min)

Thursday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Friday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Weights

Saturday

Run = 7mi (49min)

Sunday

Run = 4.25mi (30min)

Core

Leg Circuit

Weights

TOTAL

Running = 45.25mi

Total miles run thus far = 272.75miles

Avg. Miles per Week = 34miles

Number of Days of doing core, leg circuits, or weight lifting = 17 (31.5% of total days on voyage)

Lisbon

Ah Lisbon, the return to western civilization. I was happily surprised to find Lisbon to be a cool, upbeat, easy going city. Reminds me of San Francisco…never been to San Fran, but I bet it would be something similar to Lisbon. Very relaxing port, so this post will be short.

Day1: Today I had my Field Lab for my Public Health class. We listened to a few lectures on the Portuguese Health Care System, toured a clinic, and visited a hospital. I was hoping this would be cooler, but it turned out to be really boring. I learned a lot, the Portuguese have a lot of problems with their system, but there doing a lot better than we are in the states statistically and financially. I got make to the ship around 5pm, went for a run, and then met up with the gang for a nice dinner on the coast. We ate with Keenan and Chelsy’s marine biology class, it was fun and the food was solid, got the salmon risotto and Nick, Kindle and I shared a bottle of Vinos Verde and Vinos Rosa…very good. After dinner we walked along the coast, had some drink…it was a fun night, maybe too fun haha.

Day2: Went for a good AM run and then was off to my visit of Sport Lisboa Benfica’s stadium. It was a cool stadium, had a great lunch in the stadium’s restaurant overlooking the futbol field. Got to walk on the field, see the locker rooms and AT room, it was a worthwhile trip and now I get to say I’ve been to a legit European futbol stadium. After the tour I went for another run, and met up with Keenen and Chelsy for dinner. We had a wonderful dinner in the Baro Alto in a small brick restaurant. Got the salmon with broccoli and potatoes…very good. After dinner we just explored.

Day3: Got up relatively early to go to Sintra on my own. I hoped on a train having no idea what stop to get off of…only knowing it should take about 40 minutes to get to the right station. So, at 40 minutes I hoped off at Estalio, a nice town right on the Atlantic. I then went to the bus station, saw a bus with a sign flashing Sintra, and after a 30 minute ride got to Sintra…worked out surprisingly well.

                Sintra was gorgeous! The town center was amazing, the palace had great views, and the Moorish castle was so cool! I didn’t have time to go to the Pena Palace, but from afar it looked really pretty. After touring around I made the long trek back to the ship, picked up snacks for the 8 day trek back to Boston, and then went for a run. The last two nights were long, so I just stayed in this night…had dinner with Mark which was cool.

Day4: Went on a bike tour with Nick and Kindle today. Rode the bikes for a mile down to the ferry dock to take the boat to Caparica beach, very nice, very relaxing…more laying on the beach and napping then biking haha. After the tour Nick, Kindle and I had a nice lunch in the city, looked through a few shops, and then walked back to the ship.

Morocco

WOW!!! This is the port were I experienced the greatest amount of culture shock. It was incredible to see how a religion dictates how a country runs, how people dressed and acted, and how life in general seemed to run on to a different beat.

Day1: We ported in the industrial port of Casablanca at 8am (cranes and crates everywhere) but were not allowed off the ship until about 11am. The reason for us disembarking late was due to the fact that the Port Officials had to see every passenger face to face before the ship was free to let people off. This was extremely annoying and pointless. Because of this, my SAS trip missed its train to Marrakech and we instead had to take vans to the city. In the end this didn’t cause any problems for our trip, but I know of a few trips that had to be canceled because of the ship be late to allow people off.

                Anyhow at around 11am our vans left for CAS03 Berber Villages of the High Atlas Mountains. It was about a 3 hour drive from Casablanca to Marrakech, along the way we got to see the Casablanca for the first and last time. It looked like any rundown city. A lot of beat up old cars, ratty motorbikes, crumbling buildings, ignored infrastructure, etc. As we got on the highway we began to see how vast and desert like Morocco is. A lot of hot dry dirt, cacti, shriveled up trees, and mountains. However, although it may sound bad, the landscape was beautiful and surprising. It was so hot and dry, this particular day it was 40 degrees Celsius, but there were farms everywhere! A lot of olive, fig, melons, and cacti fruit farms…it’s shocking that anything can grow in that kind of heat!

                We taking a short break along the way, we arrived in Marrakech around 3pm. Our tour guide Muhammad, who you will later learn in The Man, gave us a few hours to explore the city before dinner. A group of us got together and headed to the Medina, the shopping and cultural heart of Marrakech. It was about a 2 mile walk to the Medina, along the way we got some gelato to cool off and watch a group of kids play in a public fountain. Once at the Medina we just explored the shops, got snakes wrapped around our necks, had people try to sell us monkeys and turtles, and got heckled to buy ridiculously cheap stuff. 1USD = about 10Dirham, and prices were not equalized. So a nice futbol jersey was going for about 150dirham, 15USD…not too bad at all. Of course though you had to barter, but it was a lot easier to do here than in Turkey. All you had to do in the Medina was to start walking away from the sale and the guy would cut the price in half instantly. It was a lot of fun.

                In the evening we went back to the Medina for a wonderful dinner and belly dance show. We ate a 5 course meal:

1.       Salads (tomato, cucumber, olive, pepper, eggplant, and potato salad)

2.       Bread with cheese and olive oil

3.       Rice and meat dumplings with power sugar – AMAZING!

4.       Meatball dish in a red spice sauce with cheese and eggs

5.       Dessert Platter

6.       Mint Tea

After the an amazing meal, music, and a belly dancing show we headed back to our hotel, watched some Olympic weight lifting, and then went to bed.

Day2: After breakfast we left the hotel, around 9am. We had an hour and a half drive to the beginning of our hike that day. Along the way I was amazed to see golf resorts in Morocco, if you ever want to go golfing abroad go to Marrakech for a cheap stay. We got to the start of our hike around 11am, loaded our donkey’s with water and threw our night packs in a van that was going to meet us in the village we were staying in that night. The hike would be a 3 hour one this day with a hour lunch half way through the trek. It was hot and dry, but the views were amazing. So beautiful - I will have plenty of photos in the slide show.

An hour and a half into the hike we stopped in a field of olive trees for lunch. There we met our three chefs that were going to be with us for the rest of the trek to cook us food. For lunch today we had a large and amazing salad, bread, cheese, rice, and mint tea (I must have had 4 liters of mint tea by the end of our stay in Morocco…so good). After an amazing lunch we went on the second half of our trek, and ended in the Berber village where we were spending the night. We explored the town, talked to locals (all of whom are related to each other. It turns out that each village is a large family) and played soccer with the kids. It was a blast, the kids were so cool. They took us on a short walk to a field of olive and fig trees. They climbed the fig trees and picked figs to eat. We learned that the best fig is a yellow one, there so sweet! One little girl loved to steal our cameras and take photos of herself and others. It was so funny; I swear that because of us she’ll go on to become a professional photographer.

After the fig adventure we went back to the house we were staying in to relax and to have more tea with a fried dough like pastry. We played cards, read books, and hung out until dinner. Dinner was about the same as lunch but with lamb, it was really good. Knowing then that we had to wake up at 6am to start our 7 hour hike tomorrow, we went to bed early on the roof. Slept under the Moroccan night sky…nbd. Sleep was hard to come by though. We kept being waking up to the call for prayer. It was cool, but annoying haha.  

Day3: We woke up at 6am to an army of flies attacking us. It was annoying as hell but did get you up and going. After breakfast we set off for the hike that we had all been waiting for. I could write a novel on what I witnessed on this trek, but as you have seen by now I am not a writer so I’m going to let a couple of photos explain my trek. It was a really cool. I should make the point now to say that our two guides, Muhammad and Ya-ya, along with the cooks and our donkey boy were the best. They were kind and funny, very lay back and very knowledgeable. And, since it was Ramadan, they were doing the same 11 hours of hiking (over 30miles) in 40 degree Celsius weather, without eating a single crump or a drop of water during sunlight. It’s simply amazing that they were able to do this hike without water…

  

                We arrived in the next Berber village around 3pm, hung out and took in the view, had some tea, exchanged riddles, played cards, ate dinner, and again slept under the stars

Day4: We were supposed to be up at 5:30am to get ready for our hour hike to the vans to make our way back to Marrakech, but it was so fricking cold that I was up at 4:30am and stayed up finishing a book for my Public Health class (“The Healing of America” by T.R. Reid, very good, a must read). After breakfast, our last meal by cooked by our chefs, we head off to the vans. It was a very short trek, but a nice way to end the trip. At the end we hoped on to the vans again, and headed for Marrakech. We went straight to the train station, where we ate lunch (Moroccan McDonald’s! haha) and waited for the train. On the train we had a little cabin that held six; we played cards for the whole three and a half hour trip. It was a long but awesome trip. Defiantly the best SAS trip I’ve done, and easily one of the top five best things I’ve ever done.