Tourist Rush - at the North Pole ???

Are you kidding me?  Can this possibly be right?

Well, as my dad used to say, "It may not be right, but that's the way it is."

The Sacramento Bee today ran an article that stated there is a planned tourist rush to the North Pole, expected to take place later this spring in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first two expeditions to arrive there in 1911 and 1912.
            The North Pole

Okay.... I admire those long-ago travelers' courage; but nothing, and I do mean nothing, would induce me to spend days, weeks, or whatever is involved, to personally go to the North Pole.

And what can they (those intrepid travelers who are planning to go) be thinking?  As it turns out, nothing very lofty.

Some of them are what are called "extreme vacationers" - a term that apparently refers to those who choose to visit destinations that are guaranteed to include accommodations ranging from poor to none, with beds that are not, in fact, beds at all, but some type of bedroll or cot-contraptions.

Most of the visitors plan to fly into the nearest landing strip to make their brief sojourn.  A few plan to fly part way, and then ski in the remainder of the trek.  No one plans to actually hike in the way the original explorers did, over 800 miles of impossible terrain; and certainly that is fair enough, since many of them died doing it. But I am still stuck back at "You are here" - with why go at all?

People, you can't tell me that folks who need to go to the North Pole for amusement don't have waaaay too much time and money on their hands.  Clearly the L.A. oxygen bars, the Costa Rican zip lines, and all the other nonsensical stuff we humans have dreamed up to keep our boredom at bay, have long since lost their luster for these people.  So it is off to the North Pole!

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I truly hope that you are not looking for some deep spiritual meaning in this post today, 'cause it just isn't going to happen.

Sure, when I read the above mentioned article, I was immediately reminded of the Queen of Sheba schlepping all over the then known world to meet Solomon.  So, I guess there have been "extreme travelers" around for ages.

But I am of the mind that we have all overlooked some local enjoyment that is easier, cheaper, and LOTS more fun than freezing off an appendage in the arctic.  How about we stay home and work on making that destination a better place?  

Granted it does not have quite the cache of a visit to the North Pole, but I have to tell you, that if I am going to make a tremendous effort to go someplace, it is going to be someplace where I can stay for a long, long time.  Like forever!  I'm just saying .......
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Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one.  Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared a city for them.  Hebrews 11:16 NIV

God bless you this week, at home, or wherever you are ... Marsha