After having a basal cell carcinoma removed from my ear in Cairns, Ellie and I were finally ready to get back on the road. Our first stop was Townsville, Australia, where we caught a ferry to Magnetic Island. We hoped to spot wild koalas and wallabies along the Forts Walk trail. Accompanied by Doug, Sue, Shirene, and Lenore, we set out for what promised to be a memorable day of hiking and wildlife watching. Getting to Magnetic Island and the Forts Walk Magnetic Island is just

Traveling often brings unexpected challenges, especially when health concerns arise far from home. Managing medical appointments and treatments while on the move can feel overwhelming, especially when time is tight and the stakes are high. This story shares a personal experience of balancing urgent health needs with a busy travel schedule, highlighting practical steps to handle medical care across continents. Facing Unexpected Health Issues on the Road After nearly two years

Knowing that we would have an early start the next day we found a classic art deco hotel on Biscayne Blvd near the passport office for the morning's business. It was filed with artwork tucked into every nook and cranny that screamed that we were in Miami. The chilly evening made the Mexican restaurant next door very welcome. The fact that they served a speciality that Ellie loves made it perfect. Birria tacos with homemade consommé. Yum! Starting the day with a practical erra

Medical lesson. (Short answer is to contact DAN if you suspect diving health issue) Yesterday we did a couple of dives in Rangiroa that were fun and not very challenging. When we did our safety stop at 5-meters Ellie drifted up to 1.8 meters for ten seconds before adjusting back to 5-meters for the rest of the safety stop. When we returned to the ship Ellie noticed a rash on her breast. After about ten minutes pain in the same area was at an 8. Googling pain on breast and scu

After leaving Papeete, the Villa Vie Odyssey carried us to Fakarava, a remote atoll in French Polynesia that feels like a secret waiting to be discovered. The name itself is a joy to say, but the experiences there go far beyond the sound of the word. This post shares a personal journey of reflection, adventure, and the unexpected lessons found in this beautiful place. A Walk on Shore and a Moment of Reflection Stepping onto Fakarava’s shore with Shirene, I wandered toward a c

Our outdoor kitchen for the day in Apia, Somoa. Ellie made her plate in no time. They demonstrated how to make our own plates from palm fronds. We had a cooking class in Apia, Somoa. View of our ship from shore in Fiji View of Leleuvia Island from our ship. A cat nap near the end of the day. Underwater artwork. https://youtu.be/ONGZb3dOWws https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONGZb3dOWws https://studio.youtube.com/video/F5ypjQfZeN0/edit Our shp stopped for a day at a private islan

Ellie and I had worked on the ship our first day in Levuka, Fiji. It was the first capital of the country when they gained independence.  The old-style downtown was so unchanged since the 19th century that it is a World Heritage Site.  One of the highlights of the location was the 199 steps to a lookout over the harbor.  We were going to stroll the old city and see what we could see in our last stop in Fiji.  And spend the last of our local currency since it would become wort

It had been just over two weeks since my hernia surgery.  I had restricted my activities as much as I could without just lying around.  We were arriving in Vanuatu.  Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. Espiritu Santo means Holy Spirit.  It seemed like a good day to go for a walk.  Ellie, Dougie, Sue, Lyn, and I were going to walk into town and hit an ATM for local currency.  Then, whatever. Some people joked about being in a container port again.  But this is how we travel, and islands

I had to have surgery. It was a hernia. It was unexpected. Lots of things in life are unexpected. I've always liked to plan for the future and try to live life intentionally. I had a plan. Since Anchorage, Alaska, I had committed in my mind and had demonstrated my commitment. I got a tattoo of an angel on my left arm in Homer, Alaska. I had found the ring in a vintage store in Anchorage. I was waiting for her divorce to be final before I would propose. I kind of knew the answ

Our two-day stop in Jeju-do, South Korea, or as they call it here, Korea, turned into a bit of a food and market trek. Lyn woke up with a really sore knee. She said that a Menehune had danced on it the night before, leaving it hard to walk. We got to the front of the port terminal after about a quarter mile of moving sidewalks inside the air-conditioned buildings. The heat hit us, and the next bus into town would not be for another half hour. I checked the Uber app and found

When I got back from scuba diving at Raja Ampat, I noticed a small lump in my groin on the right side.  I was standing in front of the mirror and just noticed it. It was soft. It went away when I lay down.  Ellie suggested, and Dr. Google helped confirm, that I had a hernia.  An inguinal hernia, to be more specific. I was about to learn a lot more about hernias than I wanted to. First, they do not heal on their own. They need to be surgically repaired, patched like a hole in

After the best snorkeling in my life I was really looking forward to Raja Ampat. Four days at a dive resort there sounded like an opportunity not to be missed. The flight from Manado to Sorong gave us a good look at the waters of Indonesia. Beautiful blue waters with tiny islands and atols scattered here and there. The ferry from Sorong to Raja Ampat was 120,000 Indonesian rupiah in the cheap seats and twice that for premium. Being kind of frugal we went badic and we're assi

We had spent the night at a birding lodge outside Tangkoko National Park. We had seen the smallest primate, the tarsius, the night before. A 5:00 AM wake up was required to make another visit possible to see the Macaque monkeys. The hike to the beach revealed a troop there the guide called Rambo 2. At least twenty were jumping through the trees and running around on the beach. We followed them and they ran through the small number of observers who had joined us shortly after

Overnight in Bitung, Indonesia we stayed at a little place called Birding Cottages Tangkoko. In the nearby forest we saw the smallest primate, the tarsius, as the sun went down. The local Crested Black Macaque greeted us and a giant tarantula bit us farewell. The pair of Sulawesi Bear Cuscus were nearly impossible to find against the sun, but we did find them. Tomorrow we snorkel.

Having to anchor offshore and take one of our lifeboats ashore as a tender could be a crapshoot. But this was not crap. The Palau Pacific Resort was our drop-off, and it was a piece of paradise in paradise. We spent the first day lounging around the pool and snorkeling off their private beach. Did I mention that the Prime Minister of Australia happens to be slumming it here at the moment? The next day, Ellie and I got up early to go on her first scuba dive since she completed

Ellie and I were supposed to scuba dive in Micronesia yesterday and had to cancel because we were just getting over a cold and didn't want to risk ear damage or worse. This morning it was raining and we had an excursion with several folks from the ship to go snorkeling. Getting wet was not a problem. High seas from a blowing wind could be. Fortunately the weather was not so bad and we got about four hours out on the water and saw some great coral, fishes and turtles. Some in

Ellie, Sue, and I traveled from Mt. Fuji to Kyoto via Yokohama. The scenic train for a famous view of the mountain was not so scenic due...

We came by ship to Kagoshima and from there by train to Kirishima to stay at an apartment for a few days before our flight to Singapore....

Christine had met one of the top six chefs in the world. She had arranged for a group of us from the ship to enjoy lunch at his...

Hiroshima. The name says more than I ever could. We walked where they died. Where they were incinerated. Where "it" happened. The images...