Dutch Country Fair

Carnival games, cotton candy, fortune tellers, the strongest man on the ship armwrestling (ME!) and eel on a bun. Welcome to the Dutch Country Fair! All to raise money for the Gifts of Love charity...

Suva, Fiji

Well nothing has changed in Suva since I was here in '05. A special picture for Jen, Johnny and Dove! Not exactly a port I would vacation to... more a cultural one than anything else.

International Date Line

Well we're crossing the International Date Line today (February 8), which means that February 9 will not exist for me... sorry if that's anyone's birthday or such!

Pago Pago, American Samoa

First of all, it’s pronounced Pahngo Pahngo. Second, and this should answer Jen’s question that I’m sure she’s wondering, YES… it was Samoa hot (and damn humid too)! By the time the program was done and I had lunch, everyone had already been off the ship and relaxing – trying to cool down – back onboard. I ventured off by myself and walked a good distance away from Pago Pago until I reached another small town called Fagatogo (the picture with the buildings). At one of the parks there a random man, Sani, came up to me and starting asking questions about the ship, nothing special just the usual (where’s it from, where’s it going, when do you leave). It turns out that he’s the team captain for Fagatogo’s cricket team as well as the owner of a small printing and screening company. After some more talking he decided he wanted me to have his team’s shirts and gave me a polo, a t-shirt and a Samoan skirt all with their logo on it. So random, I know! The only other thing of interest was that as I was walking back to the ship a sketchy dog decided to follow me – continually howling and grunting – for just over fifteen minutes. I attract the crazies, I know. Needless to say, the people are amazing and Samoa itself is beautiful and lush, but its rainforest aspect makes the place ridiculously hot and humid.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORI

Just a quick reminder that today is Lori's birthday...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORI

PS. She got bejeweled

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

What a great day! After annoying the Bridge coutless times for my Cruise Log info, I finally was able to get off the ship. I rented a bicycle from some completely sketchy car rental place. The bike, as you can see from the picture, is actually older than I am; the only brakes are when you peddle backwards; a Wicked Witch of the West basket on the front; no changing gears, but the chain rubbed against the single gear and every loop it made it caused the bike to jerk; no shocks AT ALL (and Bora Bora isn't exactly the most pothole-free place, let alone paved for half the time); and two semi-flat tires. Two hours and fifteen minutes later, I circumnavigated myself around the entire island (as there's only one road). There was ridiculous rain storms that completely soaked me - so much that my shoes still squish - and humidity and heat to make sure that I couldn't tell between the rain and my sweat. Oh, and because the seat was basically a piece of metal, my butt kills now... I doubt I'll be able to even walk tomorrow. Bora Bora is beautiful though and highly recomended!

Mutiny on the Bounty Night

Jen, don't you wish you could dress up like a pirate wench too??