My First Travel Piece Ever: Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

It seems that every time I travel, Jimmy Buffett is the quintessential music for entering new horizons. "Margaritaville", "Cheeseburger in Paradise", "Son of a Sailor", and (most importantly) "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" exemplify the emotion of new footsteps or flying over the ocean. To many Parrotheads, these songs may usher the opening of a Corona or the blending of a margarita. But to me, and I am sure other borderless, gypsy-souls, they are creed. Buffett writes in "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes","Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, nothing remains quite the same." Ask anyone, who has traveled to far away lands, where the sun seems to shine with a new exuberance,and they will, smilingly, agree.

As I ascended the jagged rise of Cape Point (in quite an out-of-shape manner), I began to hum the Rocky theme song. There is something about the golden horns in it that sing of the heart of kings and it made me really anxious to reach the zenith (yes, mom and dad, my college tuition is buying me an array of new words). In a moment that seemed to pause all of time, I triumphantly raised my fists to the sky as I gazed upon the 360 degree view warranted by the final vantage point. This was the place that I had always heard about in New England sailing lore; the place where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet in a tumultuous love affair. The words of Dr. Smith (or Bon-Bons as we have so titled her) seemed to describe the whole scene perfectly. "We are on top of the world, at the end of the world."

The quote spawned a thread of interesting realization. In the movie, Gettysburg, Union Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (played by Jeff Daniels) explains to his subordinates before defending the strategic hill "Little Round Top", "We are the end of the line. We must hold at all costs." He realizes that his troops are, truly, the last of the Union soldiers. Perhaps it was the effect that all war movies have on boys, but the line began to mean something more to me. Belmont may have sponsored this trip and our parents may have paid for it, but we as the students, and the next generation, are the end of the line. It is our mission to take what we have experienced and act upon it. A painful truth of life is that it is not lived until we comprehend that death is ever-looming around the corner. The same goes for action. It will not occur until we realize that it is OUR time and no one elses. Again, we are the end of the line.

Buffett writes, "through all of the islands and all of the highlands, if we couldn't laugh we just would go insane." I can't think of a more fitting quote for this trip thus far. We have bobbed out to Robben Island and glided our way up to the top of Table Mountain. And it seems that every moment has been accompanied by laughter and smiles. Within these there lies a secret. It is Africa's version of the Trevi Fountain in Rome. We all seem to know that somewhere down the line, we will return. Whether it is as students, missionaries, entrepreneurs, or even just tourists, in the words of the Terminator, "I'll (We'll) be back."

It is amazing to see what happens to people who stand on top of the world, at the end of the world. Some may realize that it is their time to take action and responsibility while others may stand in awe and hum the Rocky theme. Either way, I find that Buffett explains the proper approach to exploring life's possibilities. "Yesterdays are over my shoulder. I can't look back for too long. There's too much to see waiting in front of me and I know that I just can't go wrong." I would say I would have to agree.

A Piece of Self Found in an Old Letter: The Sailor

Sailors are a funny breed. By today’s definition, sailing is reserved for the collar-popping, top-siding, wine-drinking doctors, lawyers, and upper, affluent class members--quite a departure from the likes of Columbus, Magellan, and Cook, who often had to get on their knees and beg for the funding of a voyage. Sailing, for them, was the occupation, was the legacy. Not finding the cure for cancer, winning a landmark case in the Supreme Court, or merging two of the biggest corporations in the United States. The sea was their court and the wind their salary.

But centuries, even millennia, cannot remove the heart of a thing. A sailor is still a sailor from 2000 years ago. The only difference is appearance--as is the usual case with time.

This is because sailing requires something of its participants. An ability to cast ability aside. For on the sea, one is at the mercy of the wind and tides. And no destination is certain. As Mark Twain wrote, “It is easy to make plans in this world; even a cat can do it; and when one is out in those remote oceans it is noticeable that a cat's plans and a man's are worth about the same.” Foresight is measured against the unending leagues, no matter what man reasons. Proof of this dwells in the fact that centuries upon centuries of navigational improvements have made none in the temperament of Neptune.

Declaration of Independence (Kiss My Ass Goodbye)

When in the course of human events

your lover ain't treatin' you right

you've got the power to come to your defense

and get them outta your life

That's why I am writin' you this letter

not out of my heart's sappiness

I've got the right to something better

maybe something like happiness

Cause you drink

you lie

you can't look me in the eyes

you fight

you don't listen

you blame

you sigh

you can't apologize

so you can kiss my ass goodbye

But before I walk out this door

and you're left with some sad love song

tell you what i'm leavin' you for

cause you think there's nothin' wrong

But you drink

you lie

you can't look me in the eyes

you fight

you don't listen

you blame

you sigh

you can't apologize

so you can kiss my ass goodbye

Make Love Not War, Draft Beer Not Men

An orange sun sat

on a slow river bend

glowing through bottles

of good times with friends

a dare rang out

to jump in without clothes

and I ended up

runnin' naked back home

But someday we'll sit 'round

reminisce about times,

laugh 'bout the moments

we left behind,

then toast to the sayin'

we lived by back then

Make Love Not War, Draft Beer Not Men

It was an evening

only Van Gogh could paint

and me and my lady

weren't acting like saints.

Her father knew

we were up to no good

he found us in my truck

and shot a hole in my hood

But someday we'll sit 'round

reminisce about times,

brag 'bout the women

who gave more than their minds,

then toast to the saying

we lived by back then

Make Love Not War, Draft Beer Not Men

Preachers'll tell us

"don't live in the past"

but what can ya do

with only memories that last?

We're young in wild

that's all we can be

who needs to grow up

when we can be free?

Cause someday we'll sit 'round

reminisce about times,

complain 'bout the shit

that we got in our lives,

then toast to the saying

we lived by back then

Make Love Not War, Draft Beer Not Men

Pilny 2007