Japan has blocked our ship satellite reception and our WiFi is spotty so I posted many pictures on facebook while at a Starbucks in Kobe. You may have noticed my FB check-in was in Japanese. I am going to post this blog early and I hope to get to another Starbucks in Tokyo to download…
Okinawa, Japan
Miyako-Jima, Japan is my first stop. I will be in Japan for 10 days visiting six cities. Miyakojima is the fourth largest island in Okinawa prefecture. It is well known for its beautiful clear ocean and untouched nature. Unlike the Okinawa main island, it is not over run with tourists. The white sandy beach is…
Taiwan
Kaohsiung is Taiwan's second largest city with modern skyscrapers and old city charm. Seventy-five percent of the population practices Buddhism or Taoism. We took a tour of the city in one of these colorful buses. At the end of the day I had walked 4.4 miles and climbed 13 flights of stairs which felt…
Philippines
The Philippines is made up of 7,641 islands. The capital is Manila. Puerta Princesa is 306 nautical miles southwest of Manila and is the capital of the island provice of Palawan. They have the longest underground river in the world is located about 50 miles north of the city. You can hike, zip line…
Indonesia
Komodo National Park is spectacular with steep jade hillsides spanning 695 square miles. This park was established in 1980 for the sole purpose of protecting the Komodo dragon. Loh Liang Ranger Station is where our tender docks and the guided walking tours begin. There is a fishing village about an one hour walk from these…
Cairns, Cooktown, Darwin, Australia
CAIRNS. This city had a beautiful park along the bay with many activites for residents and visitors. Housing looked like what you might see in any Florida community along the beach. The city has many bars, clubs, eateries and cafes for all budgets. Woolworths is big in Austraila and I have seen at least one…
Fun Down Under
Brisbane, Australia is the largest city in Queensland. It reminds me a little of Columbus but with more modern high rise buildings. In fact most of this area reminds me of America. The city is very clean with large Botanic Gardens near the river. More than 80 percent of their plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs…
Aye Mate, We’re Here
Wellingston, New Zealand. New Zealanders are known as the Kiwis after their national symbol, a bird about the size of a chicken who lays one egg a year that can weigh up to a quarter pound of their body weight. The most popular sporting event is rugbee with cricket played in oppposite seasons. Wellington is…
New Zealand, Australia, Asia
I chose Oceania over other cruise lines because of its itinerary through Asia. For two months I will travel in New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Burma, India and Uae.Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand is my first stop and focuses on the Maori tribe's hisortic past with a…
Pago Pago, American Samoa
Today we took a ship tour to a recreated traditional Samoan village where the ancient ways of island life are still faithfully practiced. Our tour guide was a high school freshman who lives in the village. The villagers live together communally and their thatched wooden structures, known as "fales", are open and without walls, symbolic…
Around the World with Connie 