Dreams of Travel
When I was a child, I really loved geography. I was interested in famous historical places, different civilizations, and their structures. I also liked to read myth and history books and so my childhood dream was to visit those places someday. As I got older I realized I could not put off visiting them any longer.
Peace Boat
So I boarded an around-the-world cruise called Peace Boat. It is an international NGO working to promote peace, human rights, and sustainability, currently focused on humanitarian relief for Gaza.
Peace Boat is affiliated with the Nobel Peace Prize winner Nihon Hidankyo in 2024, which was awarded during my voyage. It was connected with another Peace Prize in 2017, also for work against nuclear weapons. There is a Montessori connection as well because the cruise ship has a Casa (Sunshine level) school on board.
The itinerary included over 30 different cities, five continents, passing through both the Suez and Panama canals. Unfortunately, the route was changed. The boat avoided going through the Suez canal for security reasons, so we went around Africa instead. I was very disappointed because this meant not stopping at Egypt nor Greece, two of the great civilizations I wanted to go to since childhood.
Top Three Adventures
Even with the disappointment there was no shortage of adventures and experiences. If I had to pick the top three they would be climbing Machu Picchu, seeing the moai of Easter Island, and watching the northern lights.
Machu Picchu was more mysterious and less developed than other iconic ruins because it was so remote and restricted.
Easter Island is surrounded by coral reefs so boats had to anchor far from shore and then go by smaller boats to the island. It also had restrictions on the number of visitors, so the mystery of how and why the Rapa Nui made them was stronger
We had three nights to see the aurora borealis. There was a northern lights specialist who could predict where and when they were visible. Sometimes he would make a late night announcement so we would rush out of our cabins at 2am. The boat was surrounded by green, red, purple, and other indescribable colors, an amazing experience feeling the wonder of nature.
Passing through the Panama Canal also needs to be mentioned. It was breathtaking to see the awesome technology that humans could invent.
Three Things to Know for Future Travelers
I usually pack minimally, but with a cruise it is better to bring more things to have fun. Practical things like a laundry line make life easier. If you play music, bring instruments; some passengers brought koto, taiko, cellos, drums, as well as guitars. One couple brought bicycles and toured around port towns for a unique perspective.
Because it is a long trip, making everyday life rich is important. Even if you do not play music, bring something to master or learn. One woman brought an ocarina and wanted to learn how to play it during the trip. Another person bought a ukulele in Singapore and learned it during the trip. Eventually she performed in a band on the ship. The boat community taught each other and there were groups that formed like school clubs.
And finally, study, attend lectures, and read books to learn about the history of a place before you visit. When you see the place in person, the preparation enriches the experience and your questions become deeper, making the most of your childhood dreams.
–Shukuko Takeda, Support Coordinator