There's a lot of space out there...

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Edward Abbey wrote that we live on a "little blue planet."  Both Carl Sagan and I would agree with that, but from a human perspective, there is a lot of space out there.  For example, right now my daughter and son-in-law (number 2 son) live 1833 miles from where I am in Utah.  My number 1 son lives in northern Peru, 3885 miles from me.    Later this week, I'll be in Honolulu, 3008 miles from Logan, and a week after that, I'll be in Sydney, Australia, 8044 miles from Logan (and terribly far from family).

Our ability to roam the globe, quickly and efficiently, is both a function of technology and inexpensive energy.  I recognize the carbon footprint associated with my choices.  For example, one calculator estimated that my flight from Salt Lake City to Honolulu (via Denver) would have a carbon footprint of 0.44 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. We've had solar panels since August, 2010, and our panels have produced enough energy to offset only 29.3 tons of carbon.  With this trip, our "carbon bank" will be depleted rapidly.  So I plan to buy carbon offset credits.  I need to do some research here, but any recommendations would be appreciated.
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Edward Abbey also wrote, "The best thing about graduating from the university was that I finally had time to sit on a log and read a good book."  Of course, one problem with traveling is that you are limited in the number of books you can carry.  Yes, I know there are e-books, but I love the feel and smell of a REAL book.  I hope to share some impressions of the books I read on this voyage.
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This is a photo of me from a decade ago, returning from a dive at Makaha Beach, west Oahu.  My next dive will probably be at the Great Barrier Reef.  Photo by Bob Kern.

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