What if you could take a vacation in space ? Captain Astro would countdown before take off into outer space. The trip would take months to prepare and launch off would be early in the morning (though of course, the trip would be a dark one).
Would you visit Jupiter or Mars ? I imagine the air fare would be quite expensive, indeed, and tickets would be hard to come by. Posted for the vacation would be plastered all over Earth and air space brochures would litter the aeronautical travel agents. All kinds of new technologies would be employed to ensure that the suitcases are packed properly and bags are well locked away.
Would you take a window seat to stargaze and be able to view the Milky Way or prefer to stay near the cargo hold with all the other astronauts ? Vacations in space would include day trips to Venus, Uranus and Pluto, as well as leisurely jaunts on space buggies and moon - hopping. Astro air hostesses would ensure that you don't forget to wear your seatbelt ! and that your space helmet is properly attached up. Perhaps you would bathe in moondust and rest your weary head in a crater or two, stopping off on the moon.
The night life would be fantastic, of course - with glittering star attractions. You may even pick up a satellite or two en route. To telephone home, you would have to use inter - galactic airwaves to communicate your message about your estimated time of arrival (if you wanted the space buggy to pick you up in Greenwich mean time from the landing pad) and postcards home would be flown like paper aeroplane telegrams.
Space travel travels at a million miles per hour. Hopefully, your rocket wouldn't run out of fuel. A hearty breakfast of space nuggets would be served at sunrise in your spacious hotel room on Uranus and there would be plenty moon juice for you to feast on - with some crunchy left overs for you to picnic on later with aliens.
You could play meteorite volleyball and ping pong planets across a heavenly gate net with Saint Peter or perhaps hide 'n' seek, bobbing behind the planets, ducking and diving dodgems. In the evenings you may chose to dance away underneath strobes from Venus and whilst eating a bacon and bread breakfast, read the Fantastic Financial Times Index.
On your space vacation, you may even chose to swim in volcanic pools - as well as get a tan from the ultra - violet rays. Vacations in space, however sometimes get troubled by clouds and aliens (lager louts and yobbos who gatecrash from other planets). Space Oddessy music would drift in on the shuttle's radio waves from Ground Control.
Once take off has happened and the space shuttle is firmly on track, you may use your telescopic lens to view the cosmos. Vacations in space have the unique advantage that they last a whole epoch ... no getting back to work on Monday ... and they leave you feeling utterly spaced out.
© Jacqueline Richards 2005