Fourteen years old I bought my first book about astronomy. Growing older I spend much time with staring at Mars, waiting for the moment I could leave for Mars, the planet where live is potential. Next week I am really leaving for Mars and I am turbulent.

During my residence on Mars I can pick up my marstoday.gif so I can find out the places snow will fall and squalls will sweep. I have collected pictures of the surface of Mars and I created a space-suit taking advance of tip-offs from Asimov: "an impermeable combination of plastic and textile (that is the same construction my wintercoat exists) very light and it may not impede motion, a helmet with an infrared shielding and there must be an artificial air supply and ventilation." The description in Nemesis about the sensation created when Marlene decides to take off her suit in space is fascinating me.

My imagination about what will happen on Mars drifts from one subject to another. The data in my brain don't need a body, don't need a suit at all. I can leave for Mars in the T-shirt I wear atnight. When I awake I have only to take a few steps, to click some times with my mouse and I will land on Mars. Wander round the datascape of me and my fellow travewllers, enjoy the pleasure of taking a look and being watched. Exchange the most beautiful words not only in ASCII code but also with an digitized voice. I will indulge all desires I can create in my mind. No restrictions dictated by my body, I will prescribe my own destiny.

The distance between earth and mars on 1 april 1995 is 223.795.225 km. De temperature on that moment between -130 en -80 degrees Celsius. It is only the lineair way of looking at Mars, just a artificial system of rules and symbols. I don't understand the bivalence of science. She measures distance and temperatures in exact quantities, but in real life things change smoothly. They only round off things to have grip on the situation.
I like the fuzzy world of my mind, switching constantly between 0 and 1.

I am disappointed Robert refuged to accompany me on my trip to Mars. I don't understand Robert saying: "Mars is only for scientists." I realise I have to leave everything behind me now and look desperately for fellowtravellers.
So if you like to join me for a while, please let me know. I will see you about some weeks on Mars.

Clarissa