The Maldives – Paradise and a “Vacation from Traveling” After leaving the chaos of India, spending some time in the idyllic island setting of The Maldives was very appealing. While we do enjoy relaxing, the idea of the beach vacation to “veg” on the sand usually runs fairly counter to our travel instincts. In…
Category: SAS
Tea, Forts and Houseboats – India Three Ways
India is a delight to the senses, with its colorful patterned scenery, jovial people, and brilliant saris; its flavorful food and constant sounds — be it soothing sounds of the jungle or the incessant honking as cars jostle for space along the narrow roads. We were last in India in 2009 when we visited the large…
Myanmar – Emerging from the Shadows?
Three years ago we visited Myanmar at the height of their hot season with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees. It was so hot we couldn’t even get in the swimming pool to cool off! The heat sapped our energy and we felt we missed out on some experiences in Myanmar because it was simply too hot to…
Good Morning, Vietnam!
Before leaving the Hong Kong harbor, the captain announced that a huge storm was moving into the South China Sea and our ship had to delay sailing for 24 hours, resulting in our arrival into Vietnam 1 day later than planned. The delay caused our previously scheduled hiking and caving adventure trip to be cancelled and…
Shanghai, Xi’an and Hong Kong!
Shanghai After only two brief days on the ship, we landed in Shanghai, China. China brings out ambivalence in us – not the common usage of ambivalence suggesting disinterest – but the dictionary definition of holding two conflicting opinions about something. We struggle with the restrictions on freedom and creativity imposed by the communist government,…
Japan – A Tale of Two Trips
JAPAN – A TALE OF TWO TRIPS Christy Skiing in Niseko, Japan has been on my sister Kerri’s bucket list for years. When I told her I was going to be in Japan in January, she immediately agreed to fly over and join me for an adventure. Niseko is on Japan’s northern island, Hokkaido, just south…
Semester At Sea Spring 2016 is Underway! Life at Sea!
On January 5, 2016, we traveled to Ensenada, MX and boarded our home base for the next 105 days, the World Odyssey. This is Christy’s 4th time on Semester at Sea (SAS) and our family’s 3rd voyage together. Christy first sailed as a student in 1990 and subsequently we have gone as a family, including…
Ship Life – It’s a VOYAGE, not a cruise!!
Both times we’ve returned from our Semester at Sea (SAS) adventures, friends ask us what our favorite place was. After struggling to choose just one place, we have realized that the ship itself is among the most memorable places on Semester at Sea, although it seldom gets the attention the ports get. We spend over…
Fort Lauderdale – “Home” for a day!
The last few days at sea were filled with activity. We had the alumni ball and a series of reflection sessions to allow people to look back at all they had seen and experienced over the last few months. Hallways and common areas were full with people exchanging contact information, trading maps that took the…
Dominica – A Slice of Paradise in the Caribbean
The last port during our Semester at Sea adventure was the untouched island of Dominica, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic. Dominica is a mountainous island with only 70,000 people, mostly descended from African slaves brought to Venezuela. This small island gained its independence from Britain in 1978 and is within eyesight of…