Countdown to Kenya Antarctica - Day Fourteen

Some people like warm, tropical climates. I mostly prefer cold isolated places. I can't explain it, but places like Iceland, Alaska, and Idaho (in the winter when the fishing is crappy) appeal to me. Perhaps its a natural reaction to growing up in a city full of people. At some point, you just want to get away from it all... far, far, away.

As a result, one of the places I've always wanted to visit has been Antarctica. When I was in the Navy, I even inquired about being stationed there for a six month tour. Being an intelligence specialist sort of kept me out of the loop on that one... not too much need for interrogating penguins apparently. So, instead, as I got older, wiser, and had higher limits on my credit cards, I started preparing for a trip to Antarctica.

My first bit of knowledge - it costs about $6000 on a good day to take a cruise there. That's pretty much where I stopped preparing. I don't mind maxing out my credit cards, but I'd like to do it a little at a time - not on one roll of the dice.

However, my dream of going to Antarctica has never been fully vanquished - not so long as there's a lottery to win. For the past several years now, I've been keeping track of cruise costs in the hopes that they would have gone down. Alas... they've gone the other direction and I'm further from my goal than ever before.

Now that God has made this rather inconvenient request of me to travel to Kenya and I've agreed to go that great tempter, Satan, has really gone out of his way to drag me back over to his camp. Not only has he thrown Antarctica back in my face again, but he's added a new wrinkle that is literally kicking me in the face with desire.

You see, National Geographic Travel sent me a flyer yesterday for their latest two week cruise to Antarctica with an added bonus - guest speaker and fellow traveler, Neil Armstrong.

Neil! Freaking! Armstrong! - the first man who ever walked on the moon - one of the greatest heroes in the history of heroes - will be traveling on a cruise to the place on the planet I most want to visit. I could go there together with this man. I could finally meet one of my most beloved icons and visit one of my touchstone locations at the same time and for the same price.

Of course, Satan didn't contend on one thing more powerful to my soul than even God's command. At heart, I've still got Scottish roots, and the National Geographic Cruise costs $10,000 or more. For that amount, Neil Armstrong would have to be my roommate.

Sorry Satan... Kenya is still my destination of choice.