Ullom Family Voyage 2008

Craig's List May 8

2008-05-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

Craig's List: Ship Time

The trans-Pacific crossing is almost completed. Since leaving Kobe, Japan at 2300 on April 14, we have been sailing across the Pacific. This rather large body of water certainly seems to be larger than I expected! We sailed for eight days and then spent one day in Honolulu followed by ten days of sailing, arriving in Costa Rica on Saturday, May 3. These long stretches of ship time have been punctuated by dances, an auction (which raised over $20K for charities around the world), a couple of family and administrative team special dinners, celebrating our anniversary (21 years) on the evening of the Ambassador's Ball, an ice cream social, wine tastings, a star gazing night (with ship lights off), and let's not forget classes, study days, and final examinations! Dolphins have been following the ship as have the sunsets as we travel east- gaining a day (April 15) and losing ten hours to get back in sync with the Eastern time zone. Since Nassau, Bahamas, we have traveled 24,867 nautical miles which is equivalent to 28,597 statute miles. Upon arriving in Miami, we will have sailed 26,605 NM or 30,596 SM. This does not include overland or air travel from the ports of call.

Craig's List: Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Two days in Puntarenas- last port before Miami. A very sleepy town on the verge of development as a major cruise port, Puntarenas has a variety of small stall shops with vendors who do not have a tendency to bargain- at least as much as other countries we have visited. The highlight of Costa Rica for me was a canopy trip in which we took multiple zip lines through the forest, over the canyons, and into the canopy. The longest zip line was almost a half mile and the highest point was 240 feet. After the first couple runs, our confidence grew and our energies were focused more on the ride than the fear of falling. Eric was a trooper albeit a small one. He didn't make the minimum weight limit and had to be accompanied by a guide to provide extra ballast for the zip line. None of us were particularly excited about having Eric traverse alone and end up in the middle of the zip line hanging over a canyon- so the guide was good. Not too much else happening here. The beach is not particularly pretty and knowing that only 3% of the sewage gets treated before going into the ocean was not an invitation to play in the surf!

Craig's List: Panama Canal

Transiting the PC was a very special experience. From what we could tell by the ships in waiting to transit, most are cargo ships making our passenger ship the exception rather than the rule. I was able to access the ship's bridge throughout our approximately 12 hour passage and it was quite an education to watch the dynamics of the ship's captain and the pilot captain, who, in fact takes over the ship during the canal transit. Our captain had been through the canal once as a passenger and this was the first time he had done so as a captain. All went wll despite a couple of tense moments, all of which are unseen by folk outside of the bridge. We hope that some of you were able to see us in transit courtesy of live webcams that broadcast the comings and goings of vessels throughout the day. With finals being over, it was a great day to have a BBQ on the deck and watch the Panama Canal go by.

Information on the Panama Canal

2008-05-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

Craig's List: Information on the Panama Canal: May 5

Layout

The canal consists of artificial lakes, several improved and artificial channels, and three sets of locks. An additional artificial lake, Alajuela Lake (also known as Madden Lake), acts as a reservoir for the canal. The layout of the canal as seen by a ship passing from the Pacific end to the Atlantic is as follows:

From the buoyed entrance channel in the Gulf of Panama (Pacific side), ships travel 13.2 km (8.2 mi) up the channel to the Miraflores locks, passing under the Bridge of the Americas
The two-stage Miraflores lock system, including the approach wall, is 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) long, with a total lift of 16.5 meters (54 ft) at mid-tide
The artificial Miraflores Lake is the next stage, 1.7 kilometers (1.0 mi) long, and 16.5 metres (54 ft) above sea level
The single-stage Pedro Miguel lock, which is 1.4 kilometres (0.8 mi) long, is the last part of the ascent with a lift of 9.5 meters (31 ft) up to the main level of the canal
The Gaillard (Culebra) Cut slices 12.6 kilometres (7.8 mi) through the continental divide at an altitude of 26 metres (85 ft), and passes under the Centennial Bridge
The Chagres River (el Río Chagres), a natural waterway enhanced by the damming of Lake Gatún, runs west about 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi), merging into Lake Gatun
Gatun Lake, an artificial lake formed by the building of the Gatun Dam, carries vessels 24.2 kilometers (15.0 mi) across the isthmus
The Gatún locks, a three-stage flight of locks 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) long, drop ships back down to sea level
A 3.2 kilometer (2.0 mi) channel forms the approach to the locks from the Atlantic side
Limón Bay (Bahía Limón), a huge natural harbour, provides an anchorage for some ships awaiting passage, and runs 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi) to the outer breakwater.
Thus, total length of the canal is 47.9 miles (77.1 kilometres).

Canal lock size

Initially the locks at Gatun had been designed as 28.5 metres wide. In 1908, the United States Navy requested that the locks should be increased to have a width of at least 36 metres which would allow for the passage of U.S. naval ships. Eventually a compromise was made and the locks were to be constructed to a width of 33 meters. Each lock is 300 metres long with the walls ranging in thickness from 15 metres at the base to 3 metres at the top. The central wall between the parallel locks at Gatun has a thickness of 18 metres and stands in excess of 24 metres in height. The lock gates are made from steel and measures an average of 2 metres thick, 19.5 metres in length and stand 20 metres in height.The maximum dimensions of a ship that can cross the Canal are: Length: 950 feet (289.6m); Beam: 106 feet (32.31m); height: 190 feet (57.91m); Draught: 36 feet 6 inches (12.04 m).

Panama Canal Transit

2008-05-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

Panama Canal Transit: See us on Web Cam!

On Tuesday we will be sailing through the Panama Canal. Should you be interested you can follow the link to the webcams at the designated locations and times (times listed are Central Standard Time).

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html

Based on ETA Balboa May 6^th at 0500hrs, the Panama Canal Authority has scheduled our transit trough the Canal to commence at 0540hrs. Panama Canal transit will continue as follows:

Mira Flores locks

Arriving 0740hrs

Departing 0850hrs

Pedro Miguel

Arriving 1000hrs

Departing 1040hrs

Gatun locks

Arriving 1450hrs

Departing 1710hrs

ETD Cristobal 1840

From Stacey: May 3, 2008

2008-05-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

From Stacey: May 3, 2008

As we are nearing the end of our voyage, I am trying to get caught up with journal writing and picture organizing (5,000 now), inventorying purchases and sharing the precious time we have left with some very special people who have traveled the world with my family and me on this incredible journey. When my friend, Evelyn, read me her entry for Vietnam, I loved how she captured the experience of crossing the street so very well. Her descriptive writing is comical and paints such a vivid picture. She has graciously agreed to let me post it on our blog. Thank you, Evelyn. Evelyn's story is as follows:

March 26, 2008

Crossing Streets in Ho Chi Minh City

Today was another lovely day spent exploring the city and shopping. However in Vietnam an explicit shopping report would make no sense without an equally explicit traffic report. So let me explain about the crazy Vietnamese traffic and emphasize what affect that traffic had on my nervous system and therefore my shopping skills. Like any other major city there are plenty of cars, trucks, bikes and buses on the road in Ho Chi Minh City. Now add to that a gazillion motorscooters with one, two or three passengers (some carrying parcels or babies) zipping in and out of the normal car, truck, bike and bus traffic. I know that there is a code about crossing streets safely but unless you grow up in Vietnam you will never decipher that code. Rules seem to be random, stoplights seem to be random and whether you will get splattered on the pavement is random as well. What we were told is that ... 'when it feels right you step out into the traffic and you keep walking'. Then they added, 'Try not to step out in front of a bus that can't stop easily but don't worry the scooter drivers will try at all costs not to hit you. The most important thing to remember is that once you get on to the road you can't stop half way; you must keep moving because that's what the drivers expect and they guide themselves accordingly'.

When I heard this advice my first impulse was to skip going into the city completely. Maybe I could just stay in my cabin and read? I wasn't interested in being Vietnamese roadkill except I couldn't bear to miss their spectacular shopping opportunities. This city probably has the best bargains ever, better than India and better than China. Normally Vietnamese water buffalos could not drag me across those streets but the t-shirts, DVDs, lacquer bowls, shoes, jewelry, scarves, purses, backpacks, and 'fake-everything' beckoned. I was almost ready to suffer in order to get to the other side.

Since I hate intense pain I took the least dangerous path. I looked for a local man that seemed conservative, a person that wouldn't put his life in danger and stepped out into the melee in tandem with him. I made sure that he was on the side closest to the oncoming traffic and prayed as I walked beside him. Lo and behold my first attempt was successful. I got to the other side without direct contact with a scooter. Now I could shop a complete block without anxiety. I scoured every inch of commercial space putting off the need to cross the next street. Finally, it was inevitable. This time I chose a female vendor carrying a lot of sweet potatoes in her baskets. I thought she would make a great shield. No one wants to purposely hit a local woman sending her veggies flying here, there, and everywhere. I chose well again and I was on block two. For block three I met up with SAS students who agreed to walk me across the street. Except this time when I saw cars coming straight for me I stopped and held my arm up (like a traffic police) demanding that the traffic halt. I was frozen in place, a deer caught in their Vietnamese headlights.' The only thing that saved me from being flattened was the student who yelled, 'Evelyn, don't stop, keep walking.' For days afterwards on the ship they teased me relentlessly, imitating my traffic cop stance.

With time comes experience; it was on the next corner that I struck 'beat the traffic' gold. I found out that there are lovely policemen in bright green uniforms who are completely at your service. It is their job to walk scaredy-cat tourists across streets in order that these foreigners feel relaxed enough to keep spending their U.S. dollars. All you need to do is smile and wave to them. Faster than you can say, 'I'm a shopper' they are at your side and getting you wherever you want to be'. Then I discovered Vietnamese cabs. For one or two dollars they will drop you off anywhere you want to go within the city center. By day three I had a stash of $1.00 bills in my pocket, spent them gladly and moved with ease from one shopping area to the other.

I visited the local covered market with its warren of mini stalls and absolutely no moving air to speak of. I bargained and learned to offer 30% of what I actually was willing to spend on any one item. I thought I was so clever when I bought three t-shirts for $10.00. Back on the ship the students told me that $2.00 per shirt was the going price. I sharpened my skills and went to another shopping area: blouses were $8.00, scarves were $2.00 and I had two linen shirts tailored from scratch for $16.00. I was on a roll now. Into my shopping bag went smocked dresses for little girls, dragon t-shirts for little boys, pajamas, Christmas decorations, dvds, pens, and a partridge in a pear tree. Oh my goodness it was fun... and best part of all ... I never had to cross one scary street all by myself.

Evelyn Hannon, Editor

Journeywoman.com connecting women travelers worldwide

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editor@journeywoman.com

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Hawaiian Sunset

2008-04-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

Waikiki Beach and Diamondhead

2008-04-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

Hawaii: Post from Stacey

2008-04-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hawaii (April 22)

Post from Stacey

Aloha - Hello, Goodbye

Mahaolo - Thank You

Starting our day early, entering Honolulu Harbor before sunrise, we first toured Pearl Harbor. Since we had just come from Hiroshima and learned about the US atomic bombing in Japan in 1945, it seemed only right to visit the site of the Japanese 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, which brought World War II to American soil. The USS Arizona Memorial commemorates all of those whose lives were lost on Oahu, December 7, 1941. The memorial is built atop the sunken battleship which became the final resting place for 1,777 crewmen. After 67 years, I was surprised to see the battleship leaking oil. Oddly, a drop would float from under the memorial every minute or so, as if it was bleeding. We also toured the Pacific Submarine Museum and the USS Bowfin submarine, launched on December 7, 1942, nicknamed the "Pearl Harbor Avenger".

After Pearl Harbor and a brief city tour, our guide dropped us off at Waikiki Beach. We shopped a bit at the International Market and stumbled upon a coveted item that we had been searching for in Japan (the Godzilla lighter). Then we got a tip on a Hawaiian restaurant, Ono's in Kapahulu, making our way there for a really yummy feast of kalua pig, laulau, pipikaula, lomi, rice, poi, haupia, etc. The true hawaiian style roasted pig cooks all day in an underground oven called an imu. The pork is so tender and flavorful whether or not its wrapped in taro leaves.

Returning to Waikiki to people watch and play on the narrow beach after lunch, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset before heading to the ship. Waikiki, a paradise in it's day, is still very pretty with Diamond Head in the distance. But the beach is now a manmade version of the paradise it once was, with offshore sand retrieval, high rise hotels, and numerous breakwaters. Beach restoration is a regular occurrence as shore erosion continues to be a problem. Made popular by surfers, many still carry their boards to the water to catch a wave.

A very brief visit to Hawaii to refuel left many in the SAS community wanting to stay longer and pushed the "on-ship time" to its limit. We did however, depart Honolulu on time and look forward to a smooth, 10 day voyage across the Pacific to Costa Rica.

USS Arizona Memorial: Pearl Harbor

2008-04-24T19:40:00.001-07:00

Bowfish Submarine Hatch: Pearl Harbor

2008-04-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Visits Kyoto, Japan

2008-04-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

Kelsey visits Kyoto, Japan

On the last day of our stay in Japan, I traveled to famous Arashi Yama of the city of Kyoto, with the two inter-port students, Ayako and Marie from the University of Kobe. Along with my friends, we had a total of nine people. We used the common transportation method in Japan, the train. The ticket procedure was quite overwhelming, but by the end of the day I was an expert; it reminded me a lot of Disney World. It's all done by technology, there's a touch screen with choices, in Japanese of course, and a huge map above the screen that shows all the stops that the train makes, and there are hundreds, all color-coded, tons of different tracks, warped together, stringing like threads in a scarf. I felt like I was no longer staring at just an ordinary train station map, but a precise layout of the city. One wrong move of my finger on that touch screen and I was doomed to an unknown place, miles away from my sought destination. With limited money for new tickets, and limited knowledge and help resources, the ticketing purchase was pressuring and critical. Luckily we had our English-speaking inter-port students with us, who were mere professionals at this train business.

So after about five stops and three train swaps, we arrived in Kyoto. It was the exact image of what I thought all of Japan would look like. Low-to-the-ground buildings and shops, tiny bridges arching over flowing rivers with pink cherry-blossoms on the banks, a wall of mountains keeping Kyoto from the rest of the world. Along with seeing my breath in the chilly air, I also saw women in beautiful kimonos, with white faces and striking red lipstick, flowers in their dark hair and brilliant umbrellas shading the sun from their eyes. This was a major change from the business center of Kobe, where everyone wore business suits with clicking heels, or the teens boasting the mix-matched harajuku style. The kimonos symbolize tradition and wealth, and we experienced that tradition at a restaurant we stopped at for lunch. The tables were about a foot off of the ground, with sit-upon mats encircling it. We pointed at the pictures on the menu that looked appetizing, and they proved to be much more than simply that. I chowed down on rice with eggs and shrimp tempura. And, once again, in tradition, we cleaned our bowels, every single grain of rice, for it was an insult to leave left-overs, even one grain. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed sitting criss-cross applesauce at the dinner table. =)

After lunch, we all set a meeting time and place, and split up in groups of two or three. Some people wanted to go to temples, others wanted to travel by another train to yet another part of Kyoto, and several people wanted to just walk around, wander and shop. I chose the later, so three of my friends, plus Ayako and Marie strolled around the town. I took into consideration that there was no crosswalks present, because there was no traffic that required them. The street was rarely crowded, big buses replaced with bicycles. It was relatively quiet, I heard the shopkeepers advertising their products outside their shops, the river babbling, the gentle steps on the kimono-ladies, and the occasional bike bell ding. I've come to find this very strange, after experiencing life threatening journeys across the street in India and Vietnam.

We stopped in many shops, and I purchased some Japanese-style sandals, a sumo headband, and a bright red umbrella. We had the pleasure to enjoy many samples, most loaded with soy beans. I liked one enough to buy a box, the sweet treat had cinnamon and chocolate seasoning. Yummm. We also tried some cherry blossom and green tea ice cream, I loved the cherry blossom flavor, who knew?

We gave ourselves a good two hour window to get back home, and when the time came, we reluctantly walked over that bridge, shuffled the fallen blossoms with our shoes, and said goodbye to the quaint town of Kyoto. A skip, hop and jump on the trains later, we were back in busy Kobe. We were near the port, and saw familiar billboards and signs, so we departed from Ayako and Marie. We went to a sushi restaurant with a conveyer belt bringing dishes around. Depending on the color of the plate you picked up, was the amount they would charge you. So at the end, you stacked up all your plates and someone came by and counted up your total. People all around me were slurping up tentacles, but I stuck with the stuff I could identify; shrimp, crab, tuna, etc. Man, that wasabi was hidden in secret places and shocked me every time.

My day in Kyoto was a memorable one, and a nice change from the loud, packed city of Kobe. I had a great time with my friends, Japanese and American. I hope I can see Ayako and Marie again in the future, maybe when I return to Japan. I declared it my fourth favorite place on this trip!

Kobe, Japan by Stacey

2008-04-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Kobe, Japan (April 11-14)

Post from Stacey

Hello, Konnichiwa

Thank You, Domo arigato

Goodbye, Sayonara

Currency: 102.37 Yen = $1 US

Octopus balls, hmm . . . . not one of my favorites. All soups seem to taste fishy and the noodles are thick and slimy. Rice bowls are yummy and of course tempura, sushi and Kobe beef are the best. Vending machines are plentiful and BOSS cafe au lait is available canned, hot or cold, from the same machine.

Japan is very expensive, very orderly, clean, with many unobtrusive garbage cans and people who follow the rules without penalties. For instance, there is no fine for littering, but people take pride in their community and would not think about making a mess of common areas. Another example is folks standing at street corners with no autos passing, and waiting patiently for the walk light to turn green. Wow, what a contrast to human behavior in most of our other port cities.

Kobe is a pretty city with flowers, greenery, parks, artwork, and lots of covered pedestrian streets lined with shops and restaurants. You can get anywhere by train, commuter or long distance, in a timely fashion. There is no graffiti defacing the train or any property for that matter. The first day in Kobe, we explored on foot and walked about 13 miles by Craig's pedometer.

Day Two we took a bus trip to Hiroshima. Five hours one way was not too hard after all the walking the previous day. On August 6, 1945 the US dropped the first atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima. Clocks stopped at 8:15 a.m. as everything within 2 kilometers of the hypocenter was leveled and hundreds of thousands of civilians lost their lives. We visited the Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum that were constructed in 1955.

The Peace Memorial Park is beautiful with many monuments including the Cenotaph for the A-bomb victims, the Flame of Peace, the Children's Peace Monument, and the Fountain of Prayer. The Flame of Peace will burn until all nuclear weapons on earth have been destroyed. The arch of the Cenotaph is aligned with the A-bomb Dome, the twisted shell of a 1914 building near the hypocenter that somehow remained standing after the bombing.

Nearby, a statute of a young girl standing atop a long dome, holding a giant origami crane - the symbol of health and longevity, is the Children's Peace Monument. Sadako Sasaki was exposed to A-bomb radiation when she was two years old. Ten years later she had radiation related leukemia. Twelve year old Sadako started to fold cranes in the hope that if she reached 1000 she'd be cured. She died before reaching her goal, but her classmates continued after her death and went on to build this monument. Schoolchildren from around the world continue to fold paper cranes in memory of Sadako and other children who struggled through the effects of radiation exposure. Thousands of paper cranes are housed at the base of this monument.

The Peace Memorial Museum contains models of the city before and after the bombing as well as many pictures, artifacts and actual remnants damaged by the blast, the heat rays, or the radiation. The history of the development of the atomic bomb is also illustrated. It is sobering to see and heartbreaking to think of not just the atrocities and tragedy of any war, but specifically the role our country had in dropping two atomic bombs on Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki).

Amazingly, this city has bounced back and become a symbol of world peace. "Hiroshima's deepest wish is the elimination of all nuclear weapons and the realization of a genuinely peaceful international community."

Day Three Craig was on duty and stayed behind while Kelsey, Eric and I joined the two inter-port students on a train trip to Himeji. We visited Himeji-jo, White Egret Castle, a fabulous white, plastered, hilltop structure built in the early 17th century and designated a national treasure in 1931. My imagination wandered to the days of the Samurai as we toured through this huge, solid wood beam maze built on top of a monumental stone foundation, with multistory watchtowers and moats. This feudal-era fortress served as the backdrop in the James Bond movie You only Live Twice and the Tom Cruise film, The Last Samurai.

Our final day, Kelsey again joined the inter-port students and some of her other friends and traveled to Kyoto (see Kelsey's blog entry). Craig, Eric and I toured the city again on foot with Ken (SAS Executive Dean). We were fortunate to be in Japan during cherry blossom season. The gorgeous trees were in bloom everywhere and only last for 10-14 days before all the blossoms fall.

On a final note, Japan has the most fabulous public toilets. At highway rest stops you find large, clean bathrooms with attendants and fresh cut flowers. An adequate number of stalls and to make you feel at home, your choice of western style toilets or squatters. The western toilets were complete with all options; bidet squirt, spray, or wash, (these were pictures, so I could guess what they were) sounds of a babbling brook, heated toilet seat, and other options I wasn't sure of since it was all in Japanese:)

A-bomb Dome Hiroshima

2008-04-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

Himeji-jo Castle

2008-04-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

Kelsey & Eric with Marie and Ayako and cherry blossoms

2008-04-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong and China by Stacey

2008-04-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong (April 3) and China (April 4-8)

Post from Stacey

Nee hao (knee how) Hello

Shie-shie (shay-shay) Thank you

Dsai-jian (dzwhy jee-en) Goodbye

Currency:

Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) 7.75 = $1 US

Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY) 7.50 = $1 US

After numerous days of Asian food in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai we were craving a pizza! Asian food in the states is "westernized" like everything else America touches. The "real thing" in China (and all of Asia, for that matter) is quite different. Maybe that's because you don't always know exactly what you are eating and sometimes never figure it out. Then as you are leaving the restaurant you find the sea cucumbers, eels, strange looking turtles and fish in the tanks.

Beijing is gearing up for the summer Olympics. The Stadium for opening and closing ceremonies looks like a giant steel bird's nest. It and numerous other venues are still under construction. Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital Airport opened 10 days before we arrived. It is the largest building in the world, 2 miles long, light, airy, huge, beautiful and quiet, of all things. No announcing of flight departures or arrivals, no paging people, no admonishments about leaving your bags unattended or strangers approaching you, no removal of shoes in security screening; but, yet a feeling of safety and security.

Since Craig covered our China sightseeing experience to the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Hutong area, Lama Temple and Temple of Heaven quite well, I will elaborate on some other social and cultural experiences.

China's massive population did not seem particularly welcoming, warm or polite. Almost everywhere we went it was crowded and people were pushy, using elbows more as we went from South to North China. We witnessed a number of people being tackled and "taken away" for doing something against the rules. It was difficult to tell exactly what these people did that was wrong, but it usually involved selling merchandise on the street. However, as the same merchandise could be sold around the corner with no problem, it makes one wonder about the so called "rules". After witnessing one of these episodes, we asked a Chinese woman standing next to us what was going to happen to the man that was "taken away". She said he would be put in jail for a couple of weeks "to think about what he has done". OK. . . . . . , needless to say, Chinese people in general did not seem like a happy, carefree bunch (unless they were exercising in the park or dancing in a parking lot - all of which was done under supervision of an official standing nearby).

Shopping as a cultural experience:

Deng Xiaoping, "To get rich is glorious".

Shopping at the Ladies' Market in Hong Kong, The Silk Street Pearl Market in Beijing, Chinatown and the Taoboa Market in Shanghai was fun, exhausting, and an experience not to be missed, especially for bargain shoppers like me. China takes the bargaining process to a new level. "Copy watch", "copy bag", Coach, Luis Vuitton, Rolex, Tag, you name it, they have it along with many clothes, crafts, silks and other items. "Same, same, but different". "Special price for you." "Make a friend price."

Don't you dare glance at something, these are not places to stroll and price compare or even pause to think about a purchase. Chinese sales people know how to suck you in and try every game in the book to get you to part from your money. The bargaining is a long, drawn out process. When you finally get them down to 20 - 30% of the original asking price, you've bargained well and better cough up the cash. Walking away is very difficult in Beijing and Shanghai, as they will grab your arm and pull you back in the stall to continue working on you, not wanting to accept your final offer. Or after you pay for your purchase, they stall with finding change for your bill and attempt to sell you something else so that they don't have to give you change. It can be challenging to remain patient under these tactics. Best just to chuckle and move on, only to be bombarded from all angles as you walk down the aisle. As much fun as it can be at first, I don't think I could do this everyday. It wears you down and is rather stressful. Fortunately we were not involved in any scams, however, a number of SAS folks were scammed in Shanghai; being ripped off and paying $180 for tea!

The designer knock-off scene in Hong Kong was somewhat under the counter, so to speak. Sales people would approach you on the street, or as you pass by their stall in the Ladies' Market they would throw out the offer "copy watch, copy bag". They did not have the name brand copies on display in their stall, but would let you view a catalog of merchandise or lead you up some stairs behind their stall to a locked room, full of knock-offs. All of this activity quietly disappears when the police walk through the market. Then about 30 minutes later, you find everyone back at it.

Hong Kong, after many years under British rule, became a "Special Administrative Region" (SAR) under the control of the central government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on July 1, 1997. However, apart from defense, foreign policy and diplomatic relations, Hong Kong operates with a high degree of autonomy. China has committed to preserving Hong Kong's capitalist system and lifestyle for 50 years and has promised not to impose the Communist system on Hong Kong. More time was needed in Hong Kong, a very cosmopolitan, bustling city. It was very clear that Hong Kong follows a different set of rules than China. And the people in Hong Kong, spoke more English, seemed more worldly and more accepting of foreigners all together.

Our one day in Shanghai was quite an experience as we attempted to hail a taxi in the rain to return to the ship. Taxi's did not want to stop for foreigners. After a half hour of no luck, myself and 2 other SAS women followed some SAS female students to the Radisson Hotel, where the night before, a doorman helped them find a taxi. The doorman again did his best and had us stand out of sight as he attempted to find taxi's for us. Then, as the taxi drivers saw us, they sped off, not wanting to take the fare. After, another hour we finally got a ride. It seems because taxi driver's in Shanghai neither speak or understand English, they do not want to try to take you somewhere, even when you have the destination written in Chinese. As we watched the activity in front of the hotel, we witnessed much of the same experienced by other foreigners, male or female. Taxi's either passed them by or may have stopped and then kicked them out of the taxi after the initial communication.

My theory on the taxi situation; all but one of the taxi companies is run by the government and the taxi driver's registration number is prominently displayed inside the taxi. If a foreigner has any difficulty with a taxi, simply reporting the driver's registration number could mean imprisonment for the taxi driver. If I was a Chinese speaking taxi driver in Shanghai, I'm not sure I would want to take a fare that could cause me any problems. It seems fear plays a huge role in the life of people in China. The one Shanghai taxi company that is not run by the government is labeled "illegal" and not recommended by anyone.

Craig's List: April 23

2008-04-24T01:51:00.000-07:00

Kobe, Japan and Honolulu, Hawaii USA: Craig's list

For me, the most poignant and powerful parts of our visit to Japan was touring the "A-bomb" site and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, a five hour drive from Kobe. It is difficult for me to comprehend what happened on August 6, sixty-two years ago, when the atom bomb was dropped on this city.

From the most recent (August 6, 2007) Peace Declaration by Tadatoshi Akiba, Hiroshima's Mayor:

"The roar of a B-29 breaks the morning calm. A parachute opens in the blue sky. Then suddenly, a flash, an enormous blast--silence--hell on earth. The eyes of young girls watching the parachute were melted. Their faces became giant charred blisters. The skin of people seeking help dangled from their fingernails. Their hair stood on end. Their clothes were ripped to shreds. People trapped in houses toppled by the blast were burned alive. Others died when their eyeballs and internal organs burst from their bodies--Hiroshima was a hell where those who somehow survived envied by the dead."

To look at Hiroshima now, it is hard to imagine what the photographs and maps show happened in 1945. The tone of the Peace Declaration underscores for me how significant the A-bomb experience is in the hearts and minds of some of the Japanese people. Approximately ten years after the bomb was dropped, the City of Hiroshima built the first phase of the museum and memorial. It was not until recently that the Japanese national government built a national monument on the grounds of the Peace Memorial Park. Considerable controversy is apparent today as some believe that the Japanese government should have acted sooner to acknowledge the Emporer's role in creating a situation in which the United States used the A-bomb on Japanese soil. The plight of the hibakusha, living victims of the blast, is a focus of local governments in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This group of Japanese citizens has faced discrimination in marriage and employment. They are by and large outcasts desperately in need of assistance for medical treatment and elder care. As in Vietnam with Agent Orange, the long term emotional, psychological, and physical effects of the A-bomb in Japan are palpable. Likewise, innocent citizens are those most impacted by the devastation created by war and indiscriminate "collateral damage" caused by our weaponry.

We visited the Shukkei-En Garden (circa 1630) which was reconstructed after the bombing. It seeks to replicate various landscapes and plant life in different regions of Japan. It is remarkable that these beautiful gardens exist and is a testament to the earth to somehow replenish and recover after what happened there. A stark reminder of the A-bomb is the one tree that survived the bombing on the hill of Miracles. As you may know, it is written in Japan's constitution that the country may not engage in war. Japanese find it ironic that the current president of the country that dropped the A-bomb to stop WWII is encouraging Japan to change its constitution to allow a militia to be formed in order to help the U.S. wage war around the world.

Again, from the Peace Declaration:

" The government of Japan, the world's only A-bombed nation, is duty-bound to humbly learn the philosophy of the hibakusha along with the facts of the atomic bombings and to spread this knowledge through the world. The Japanese government should take pride in and protect, as is, the Peace Constitution, while clearly saying "No," to obsolete and mistaken U.S. policies. Let us pledge here and now to take all actions required to bequeath to future generations a nuclear-weapon-free world."

Enough said.

-----------------------------

We have much to learn from the efficiency and ingenuity of the Japanese. Their transportation system is wonderful. The cities are exceptionally clean. The traffic is orderly and people wait for the green and stop at the red. Vending machines are everywhere vending everything to everyone. We even ordered our dinner using a vending machine which took our money and delivered our order to the kitchen which prepared our choices. People are exceptionally polite, eager to serve, and seem to find amusement in an english-speaker's attempt to communicate.

The food was good- including the Korean BBQ place serving very tiny portions of Kobe beef, a small hole in the wall noodle place for locals, and a culinary market including bakeries and candy makers ( in addition to a paper manufacturing factory that makes one piece of paper at a time- by hand).

One morning I took off on my own in search of a twenty year old "antique" cigarette lighter in the form of Godzilla that shoots fire from its mouth. It was an interesting cultural experience and treasure hunt looking for this item. I lost count at 35 shops looking for Godzilla and in doing so, saw a part of Kobe located literally under the elevated train tracks running through the city. It was here off (or rather under) the beaten track in Motomachi that one could find everything---except for the 1985 Beetland Japanese Toho Kaiju Godzilla lighter. Although failing at my mission, it was surprising how many people knew what I was looking for (after showing them a picture) and were eager to help me in my quest.

Since the 1995 earthquake, Kobe has done an amazing job recovering from the tragedy that killed 5,000 people and damaged thousands of structures. The view on top of a peak on Mount Rokko overlooking the city was beautiful and well worth the hike. The day before, our family made it to a cable car station to go to the top of the mountain but got there after it closed. A kind cab driver offered to take us to the top for a reasonable fare of $80. We respectfully declined and walked back to the ship only getting lost a couple of times. Japan is considerably more pricey than some of our recent Asian ports so the shopping was thankfully curtailed, alto not eliminated altogether.

After leaving Japan, we completed an eight day Pacific ocean crossing to Honolulu. During this leg of the visit, we crossed the International Date Line and added another April 15 to our year. So 2008 for us will be 367 days long- including February 29 and a second April 15. The crossing was long but generally handled well by the community. We raised over $20,000 in an on-ship auction for several charities and are also in the tail end of an annual fund drive. There was considerable excitement about going to Hawaii although we were only going to be there for less than a day.

My clear highlight was having lunch at Ono Hawaiian Foods, a very local restaurant that has been around for many years replete with autographed pictures of hundreds of Hawaiians ranging from Don Ho and Miss Hawaii, 1975. We were clueless about what to order so we put ourselves in the hands of Vivian, the owner who whipped up a wonderful curry dish along with Kalua Pig and Laulau (steamed pork) , Pipikaula, Lomi Salmon (like a tomato salsa with bits of salmon), Haupia (like a beef jerky), Rice, and Poi. We did not try the Poke Squid, the Lomi Fish with Onion, the Portugeuese Sausage or the Boiled Plain Butterfish. Perhaps next time. It was wonderful! We rolled to Waikiki beach, a major disappointment for me. It is an over-crowded, narrow, fabricated renourished beach with erosion so bad that breakwaters have been placed to slow the run-off. Another testament to urban development and impact on our shorelines.

The city has changed considerably since I saw it last and it certainly merits a visit- although I recall when I was here before, Honolulu and Waikiki were not among my favorite places due to the heavy tourism. The cost of living is very expensive. Gas is almost $4 a gallon ( which might be comparable to the mainland for all I know). Next time I will follow my own advice and get off Oahu sooner than later.

We toured Pearl Harbor and the Pearl Harbor Museum which provided a bookend to the Hiroshima experience. Although a major American event, it pales in comparison to what happened in Japan. I can only hope that no more memorials will need to be constructed to remember events that should not happen in the first place.

On to Costa Rica!

Stay tuned....

Craig

Craig's List: Hong Kong and China

2008-04-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

Craig's List: Hong Kong and China

An early morning arrival, overcast sky and cooler temperatures greeted us in Hong Kong. The itinerary called for a two day stay in Hong Kong, a two day transit to Shanghai, followed by a two day stay there. Our family plan was to stay in Hong Kong the first day and then fly to Beijing and rejoin the ship in Shanghai for the last day in port. Approximately 450 participants were involved in SAS sponsored trips throughout China and another 300 or so travelled around independently leaving a small cadre of folk continuing to stay on the ship and sailing to Shanghai. I found Hong Kong officials to be quite accommodating, however, I could not say the same for Chinese officials who were considerably more strict regarding customs and immigration policy enforcement. We dealt with a few problems of manifest reconciliation when students made decisions and then changed their minds thereby causing considerable consternation among government officials who were sticklers on details- as they should be. Nonetheless, there are clear differences in traveling in Hong Kong as compared to China.

Hong Kong is a beautiful, highly urbanized area with very welcoming and kind people. The docking was spectacular at the Hong Kong pier. On the first night we held a reception for the family of C.Y. Tung, whose generosity established the first Semester at Sea program. C.Y. is no longer living but his son and family continue their support of international education through the Sea Wise (after C.Y.) foundation. We also held a reception that night for UVA alumni and SAS alumni on the 7th outside deck of the ship. Every evening at 8:00 p.m., there is a laser light show presented with the backdrop of the Hong Kong skyline as the stage..kind of like a electronic EPCOT on the cityscape. Our day will filled by walking around various street markets with highly energetic and persistent merchants selling knock-offs on just about everything one may desire. It was interesting to watch a dozen or so uniformed police doing a sweep of the street market looking for those selling illegal goods. I am told there is a sophisticated communication network in place that warns the counterfeit sellers to disperse until the coast is clear. Eric and I got lost a couple of times, had quite an adventure finding bathrooms, and ate some wonderful waffles on the street. Stacey and Kelsey got some bargains although the prices were not the low levels we experienced in some previous ports.

On day two around 5:00 a.m., along with 65 students and colleagues, we boarded a bus and to the airport to catch a three hour flight to Beijing, a bustling city of 14 million people and host of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The city is organized in five concentric rings- kind of like UCF. The city boasts two million cars and the air pollution is considerable. Generally, I did not experience the warmth, kindness, and hospitality found in other countries on our voyage. I found it telling to read about the government's "Civility Campaign" to educate service providers about the importance of customer service and image cultivation. Politics and issue-based discussions were taboo and there seemed to be an undercurrent of fear and pushback to foreign visitors- unless you were spending money. The food was not as good as I expected and was rather repetitive- i.e. noodles, dumplings, rice, etc. for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Reading the China Daily, English version, provided some insights on the use of media to promote a specific point of view. The spin on Tibet, the recent riots, and government critics made for fascinating reading that was carefully crafted to communicate messages favorable to the government while providing a slight allowance for minimal opposing views.

The first impression of Beijing and the PRC (People's Republic of China) was amazing. We were among the first Americans to enter the new airport terminal since it opened ten days prior to our arrival. And what a facility it is. Spectacular architecture, spacious concourses, high end vendors, top of the line security...simply a really cool place. The claim was made that this terminal is the world's largest indoor building extending two miles in length. Our first stop in Beijing was the Imperial Summer Palace. It was especially packed with people as we visited on a national holiday to remember one's ancestors. The summer palace is located outside Beijing proper and was a "cooler" refuge for the royals during the hot summer months in the Forbidden City. There is an elaborate canal system that was constructed between the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace to provide ferry access for the Emperor so he did not have to mix with the commoners. The Summer Palace is most certainly a beautiful place nestled next to a lake and built on hills in a magnificent setting that must have provided a wonderful refuge for the Emporer and his court. Once again, Eric and Kelsey were the celebs who posed with locals giving us ideas once again of charging for the pictures. We did restrain from this entrepreneurial activity so long as we could capture the moments as well. Certainly a fair trade. That evening, we had a Peking Duck dinner which was certainly memorable. A variety of foods accompanied the duck- some more palatable than others- the least popular of which were deep-fried duck feet and soup made with the drippings of the roasted duck.

The next day we traveled to the Great Wall, Mutianyu section which is about 2200 years old. The 6200 mile long wall itself is so large that it is composed of enough granite to build a wall 15 feet high and 5 feet think around the earth. For me the wall was the highlight of Beijing. It is a wonderful piece of architecture that is unlike anything I expected in terms of scope and beauty. We climbed the up to the wall, on the wall, in the wall, and around the wall and could have stayed for days exploring. Next time! Even this ancient wonder has not escaped commercialism as a cable car was installed to take non-hikers to the top. This was complemented by a tobaggan chute that returned folks to the bottom of the mountain on which the wall was situated. Eric and Kelsey took the ride down and quite a ride it was! Stacey and I were purists and hiked down while harboring personal desires to tobaggan as well. That evening, a craving to cook over fire overcame me, and we dined at a Korean barbeque place in which we cooked meats and veggies over a charcoal grill built into our table. Yum...

We visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Lama Temple. Several of the sites were being renovated presumably in preparation for the Olympics, however, we could get into most areas. The unforgiving crowds made it diffcult at times to get around-defensive elbowing was many times necessary to make our way around the tight interior viewing areas. My favorite part of the Forbidden City was the Imperial Garden that was a refreshing blend of trees, landscaping and sculpture, a nice contrast to the hardscape and minimalist naturescape found in most of the City. Tiananmen Square was quite impressive and held special significance for me when reflecting on what happened there in 1989 during the "uprising". This area seemed heavily secured and surveilled with soldiers, police, and cameras everywhere. When asked privately to provide historical information on the 1989 incident, I was told that such matters were not to be discussed. Another more forthcoming guide did indicate the location of the demonstrations but claimed that the official government position is that no one was killed there, although she confided that most people don't believe that assessment. Personally, I did not have a good feel for this place and was fine moving on to older historical sites.

The Silk Market, a huge complex of shops on several floors, was quite the shopping and cultural experience! The space was tight, the deals were everywhere, the knock-offs were plentiful, and the bargaining was a challenge. The boys moved in one direction and the ladies in another. Two times, Eric was "kidnapped" in a ploy to get me to return to a stall and buy something. Although it was done with no harm intended, it certainly did illustrate the measures vendors would take to get one's attention!

At 8:00 p.m. each evening, a small group of retired folks (China's average retirement age for men is said to be 55; for women, 50) would get their exercise across the street from our hotel by playing drums and dancing in a parade. Further down the street several couples danced to competing portable stereos playing music in a dimly lighted parking lot. It was delightful to see these folks enjoying themselves while practicing fitness.

We explored the Hutong (old Beijing), by rickshaw. This area of one or two story housing units were vintage Beijing and were allowed to remain amidst massive government razing of these neighborhoods to be replaced by high rise developments. We also visited the Temple of Heaven which was one of my favorite temple structures on our visit. Wonderfully restored, the Temple was a place for the Emperors to pray for good harvests.

We stopped for a viewing of the Olympic venues under construction and they certainly are impressive. No doubt they will be ready for the Olympics but it sure looks like they have a ways to go in a short time. Parenthetically, 20 of the 26 Olympic venues are being constructed from scratch by China. It is readily apparent that much has is being done and needs to be done to prepare the city's infrastructure for the Olympics and beyond. Signage is predominately in Chinese. Certainly understandable, but with multi-lingual visitors descending on Beijing, it seems important to have a more diverse signage infrastructure to get people where they want to go. Perhaps that is on the way. The Olympic countdown clocks are everywhere and a friend living in Shanghai shared the following story with me to share with you ( he could not post it on our blog due to government restrictions on blog access by Chinese citizens).

Why are the Olympics starting on August 8?

Eight is considered auspicious in China because its pronunciation sounds the same as the word for to "make money." The Games had originally been planned to commence in late August to avoid Beijing's soaring summer temperatures. But Beijing's mayor said the sporting festival would begin in the luckiest manner possible - at 8:00 on 8/8/08. Mayor Wang Qishan conceded it would still be hot in early August, with the temperature often climbing
above 40 degrees Celsius. If anyone asks you when the games will start all you need to do is remember the number 8 and then ask yourself who will benefit from all this luck.

There is considerable beauty in China and considerable challenges and opportunities for a country that is certainly a major influence in the region and the world. Perhaps the light of the Olympic torch will illuminate a new path of happy prosperity for the people of China.

Stay tuned!

Craig

Olympic Countdown: Beijing

2008-04-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

Forbidden City: Beijing

2008-04-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

Ullom Family at the Great Wall

2008-04-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong Women's Market

2008-04-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

Who Wants to be a Millionaire (in VN Dong)?

2008-04-10T15:08:00.001-07:00

Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City

2008-04-10T15:07:00.001-07:00

Vietnam!

2008-04-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

Craig's List: Vietnam

Please pardon the delay in posting this entry. Our schedule has been rather packed. After leaving Vietnam, we sailed two days to Hong Kong and Shanghai; after China, we sailed two days to Kobe- where we are arriving as I finish this post!

Our port, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) formerly known as Saigon, was a 3.5 hour cruise up the Saigon River. Surrounded by rice patties, palm trees, small fishing villages, and floating barges I arrived in the port with a certain level of anxiety not knowing what to expect from the country that we invaded over 40 years ago. It was almost surreal to be traveling to a city and area so imprinted in our generation's psyche.

If you like motorcycles, VN is the place to be. Clearly cycles are the dominant mode of transportation for young, old, and families alike. Seeing a family of four riding a motorcyle with thousands of other cyclists is certainly an interesting sight. Although streets are provided, sidewalks are also fair game for bikers. The preferred parking place for business owners tends to be the inside of their stores which come complete with ramps to allow easy access for parking. Thirty deaths per day are attributed to accidents in (or on) motorized vehicles. Although energy efficient, emissions from the cycles combined with the other sources of pollution, make for somewhat toxic air quality which some citizens attempt to mitigate by the use of masks.

In this communist country, the government owns the land and the people pay to use it. This provides maximum flexibility to the government for making improvements as needed. A headline in one English-translated Vietnamese newspaper summed up one of the major challenges for Vietnam which is development of the basic infrastructure- power, water, and roads- to more completely address the needs of a growing population and real estate development.

We visited the War History Museum which over the years has changed from the War Crimes Museum, to the War Atrocities Museum, to the War Remnants Museum to what it is today. Although clearly having an anti-American slant, I found it to be a fascinating and sobering place loaded with explicit photographs by professional journalists of the impact of war- not only in Vietnam but in other countries as well. We were told how the Vietnamese people are forgiving about the past and focused on the future. However, they are still living with the consequences of Agent Orange and the loss of a generation of people. I many times wondered how they could be forgiving of a country that destroyed so much of theirs.

I visited the Mekong Delta, a couple hours outside of HCMC. We traveled using several modes of transportation including, four different kinds of boats, a bus, donkey cart, and by foot. The delta is actually an confluence of nine rivers and is known locally as "Nine Dragons" (nine is a lucky number and dragons are powerful=the delta of powerful prosperity). The 18 million people who live in the delta region export 4.5 million tons of rice annually. Deeper into the delta region off-river, we made our way through canals to a coconut candy factory and a fishing village where we had lunch and enjoyed some local Vietnamese music.

The family took a day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels, located a couple of hours outside of HCMC. Briefly, in the American War (as it is referred to by the natives to distinguish it from the French war, the Chinese war, etc.), the villagers of Cu Chi constructed an elaborate 200 kilometer tunnel system that had three levels extending as deep as 30 meters underground. Cu Chi was awarded the "Iron Land and Bronze Citadel" by the government recognizing Vietnamese revolutionary heroism as reflected in the construction of this tunnel system. Crawling on hands and knees through these shoulder tight passageways was a blend of claustrophobia and wonder at the ingenuity and determination of these villagers.

Shopping was plentiful in HCMC especially in the Ben Thanh market- a covered market packed with stalls selling just about everything including jewelry, clothes, food, trinkets, and animal body parts. I enjoyed a Vietnamese massage in one of the many spas located in the downtown area. As massages go, this one was quite vigorous and involved walking on my back, stretching, pounding, and slapping.altogether quite enjoyable and refreshing!

I could go on about Vietnam but suffice to say it was one of my favorite ports and is on the definite return list!

Another Perspective: Eric as Celebrity at the War History Museum

2008-03-31T03:07:00.001-07:00

Perspective on America

2008-03-31T03:05:00.000-07:00

Bahn Than Market: Ho Chi Minh City

2008-03-31T03:04:00.000-07:00

Baby on Board: Vietnam

2008-03-31T03:02:00.000-07:00

Infrastructure Challenges in Vietnam

2008-03-31T03:01:00.000-07:00

Craig Ullom
Assistant Executive Dean
Semester at Sea
Spring, 2008 Voyage

Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City

2008-03-31T02:59:00.000-07:00

A "Wow" Sunset in Penang as seen from the Ship

2008-03-31T00:20:00.000-07:00

The Longest Reclining Buddha: Penang

2008-03-31T00:19:00.000-07:00

Turtle Conservation Center, Penang National Park: Eric and two day old green sea turtle

2008-03-31T00:17:00.000-07:00

Batik Artist at Work: Penang

2008-03-31T00:16:00.000-07:00

Penang, Malaysia

2008-03-31T00:12:00.000-07:00

Craig's List: Penang, Malaysia

1. We experienced our first and last tendering operation during the voyage. Our lifeboats were turned into tenders transporting 100 people at a time from the ship to the dock and back again every half hour. We were bumped from our initial anchorage due to to the arrival of a Cunard ship on its' maiden around the world voyage that started in New York.

2. I found Penang to be a wonderful city with a nice blend of character and charm, great food and reasonable prices. The climate is similar to Florida- except it seemed more humid especially in the Penang National Park where we spent a day hiking in the tropical rain forest. We saw a variety of old growth and recent growth specimens as well as heard quite a variety of tropical birds unlike I had heard in other places. We took a skiff from the park over to Monkey Beach to meet some residents after whom the beach was named. Stacey was almost cornered but managed to escape unharmed.

3. Starting at 7:00 p.m. at various locations in the city, night markets emerge to address the shopping needs of traveler's and natives alike. The night market we spent most time in was said to have 1000 vendors in stalls lined up along a main street for two kilometers. Coupled with the vendor stalls were many outdoor food courts that offered tasty wares from 15 to 25 hawkers preparing and selling a rich variety of foods. We were told in advance that Penang street food is excellent, cheap, and safe to eat. We discovered for ourselves that all three descriptions are correct! I only regret that the hawker food was not as available throughout the day so I could eat breakfast and lunch there as well as dinner. Yummm.

4. On Easter, we visited two Buddhist temples across the street from each other. One was the Dhammikarama (constructed by the Burmese) and the other was the Wat Chayamang Kalmaram (constructed by Siamese). During our visit, we received a family blessing from a Buddhist monk in residence during a Buddhist Water Festival. In the evening, there was an Easter service developed and conducted by students on board the ship. No Easter egg hunt or Easter baskets but a few chocolate bunnies did find their way on board. The birthday of Muhammad was being celebrated throughout March so the mosques were crowded and surrounded by lots of security personnel.

5. We stayed off ship for two nights in a wonderful resort on the beach. Didn't do too much except chill. It was nice to have a break from the ship, but it was equally as good to get back on board. Penang and Malaysia in general certainly holds a place at the top of my list to visit again. The blend of Chinese, Thai, and Indian cultures is fascinating and makes for an inviting combination of interesting experiences that merit further exploration.

6. We bunkered in Singapore today- receiving fuel and supplies as well as Vietnamese immigration officials who will be traveling with us to Ho Chi Minh City. We haven't had much time between ports so considerable effort is needed to wrap up one port and prepare for another. Forty-three parents will be joining us in Viet Nam to connect with their children and travel to points north and into Cambodia. We will be hanging out in Ho Chi Minh City and are looking forward to some wonderful Vietnamese food along with some visits to places significant in the Vietnam war. Stay tuned......

Penang, Malaysia: Stacey

Penang, an island, is the California of Malaysia. It is connected to peninsular Malaysia by ferry service and the Penang Bridge. Kuala Lumpaur is the nation's capital, located on the peninsula in West Malaysia. Four hundred miles across the South China Sea is East Malaysia on the island of North Borneo. Malaysia is very diverse religiously, ethnically and linguistically. Fifty-eight percent are Malays of Islamic faith and the 26% Chinese are Buddhist, Confucian or Taoist, with the remainder being Indian, Pakistani and others, some who follow the Hindu faith.

The country is famous for it's production of natural rubber and tin. Fifty percent of the world's palm oil is produced in Malaysia. "Vision 2020" is the Malaysian government's plan for full economic development. Sector's targeted for growth include the aerospace industry, biotechnology, microelectronics, and information and energy technology. Roughly 5000 international companies have located in Malaysia because the business infrastructure is so conducive to world trade.

Our port city was Georgetown in Penang. We tendered to and from the ship while in Penang, exploring the city the first and last days and hiking Penang National Forest the second day. We took a break from the ship and stayed at a Shangri La Resort on Batu Ferringhi Beach for a couple nights. Batu Ferringhi is a world renown beach retreat with a fine collection of five star hotels and resorts. Each evening begins a night market along the street with many crafts and things for sale. As with all over the world, many of the things for sale were made in China and India. Batik fabric art and pewter are some of the things actually made in Malaysia.

"Hawker food" is the thing here. These are street vendors that are found throughout the city and in a sort of food court where many tables and chairs are surrounded by a collection of stalls with cooks preparing fresh food cooked to order. This was my favorite slice of life in Malaysia. The food was great and very inexpensive at these hawker stalls and food courts. Tiger is the Malaysian beer which is quite good.

Singapore was included in the Federation of Malaysia for a short time until they withdrew in 1965 and became an independent state. We departed Penang late so we could sail faster (to avoid pirate ships) as we went south along the Strait of Malacca. Today we bunkered in Singapore to refuel the ship. Singapore offers fuel at significantly reduced prices and has become the place for many ships to stop for fuel. The port was bustling with ships of all kinds and provided quite a show of fighter jets doing maneuvers and flying in formation over the port area.

Stacey -March 25, 2008

Mamallapuram Temple Family

2008-03-17T09:15:00.001-07:00

Welcome Reception

2008-03-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome to India-On the Street in our Rickshaw

2008-03-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

Port of Chennai

2008-03-17T09:12:00.001-07:00

India!

2008-03-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

India!

A quote from Sarah MacDonald that says it all:

"India is beyond statement, for anything you say, the opposite is also true. It's rich and poor, spiritual and material, cruel and kind, angry but peaceful, ugly and beautiful, and smart but stupid. It's all the extremes. India defies understanding, and for once, for me, that's okay."

Stacey's List: March 17

Wow, India!

It overwhelmed my senses with vivid, lively colors of saris and flowers among crumbling, filthy, buildings and streets,

machine engines and horns constantly honking (as a courtesy),

the aromas of polluted air, garbage, sewage, incense, sweet curry and jasmine,

the excitement of transportation, especially auto rickshaw rides, gritty dirt billowing and sticking to sweaty skin,

the challenges of negotiating daily for almost everything,

hot, hot curries, condiments, and peppers that will make you sweat and cry,

beautiful, dark skinned people who have a genetic ability to head bobble,

emotions for the many, many people living in very extreme poverty,

wonderment at the resiliency of these people.

How do you walk away from so many beggars?

I recall big cities in the US, with transients, homelessness, and people asking for handouts. This is multiplied exponentially in India. It permeates the fabric of this nation. Rural or urban, nice part of town or not, poverty is everywhere. In India the beggars do not appear to be transient or homeless. Their home may be the shack down the street with tin sides, a sooty, black, palm frond roof, dirt floor and no belongings. The beggars in India do not sit and ask for money as you walk buy, instead they follow you, tug at you, talk to you, show you their hungry children. If you do give them some money, it is not enough, they ask for more and signal fingers to mouth.

Upon arrival in India we had a Diplomatic Briefing from the US Consulate. They gave us some very good and helpful information on how to survive a visit to India. They recommended that we do not give handouts or money to beggars, as it will draw more of them, create a mob and become dangerous. If you felt a great need to give something to a beggar, the suggestion was to give one person something as you are quickly departing. I am haunted by the faces of the people I did not give enough to and those that I tried to ignore.

It is so hard to know the right thing to do. The government has built small houses with stucco walls and solid roofs for many of the slum dwellers. NGO's have organized training programs for women and education for the children. We were able to visit a well established colony where the families moved from the slum to the housing 20 years ago. In organized small groups the women have received micro-credit loans to start various businesses. They feel proud, empowered, independent, and confident that they can do such things on their own, where before the move, they were totally dependent on their husbands. They have cared for their small homes adding on sections and tiling the floor. They have a bed, electricity, running water, toilets, a TV, and even a computer. This is a success story. However, convincing other slum dwellers to relocate seems to be a major obstacle. India is trying. India has a very long way to go.

Squat toilets. I successfully avoided them in India. But we are onto Malaysia and the other ports where I might not be so lucky:)

Stacey

Craig's List: March 17, 2008

Since our last entry, we crossed the equator for our third (and last) time at 2150 hours on a beautiful evening. We greeted the "bump" with a toast on the faculty/staff lounge outside deck. As I write this entry, we are progressing toward Penang, Malaysia and will arrive there on Wednesday, March 19. But for now- a short report on India.....

Our early morning arrival in Chennai was uneventful, however, not without considerable preparation of our community for safety and security measures as India in general is considered a "moderate threat" according to our security consultants. Our berth was less than desirable from a passenger perspective. I am told that the Port of Chennai receives less than ten passenger ships annually so it is primarily an industrial port and is designed as such. The port is extremely dirty and not conducive to pedestrian movement. We were boarded by twenty customs and immigration officials who proceeded to examine the documentation required in order to clear the ship. In addition to the passport and visa, we needed an arrival card, a landing pass, a customs document, and a departure form as well as any receipts for purchases in the country. The procedures we were given to follow 24 hours in advance of our arrival changed considerably when we docked and were subsequently modified depending on which officials were working at the gangway-dockside and at the main gate to the port. Undeterred by the remnants of British bureacracy, we persisted and were able to leave the ship by noon. After leaving the port, six of us left to go shopping and exploring. Instead of a cab, we chose the three-wheeled, three-seater motorized rickshaws. Small, light-weight, energy efficient, these vehicles provided us with an exceptionally exciting ride that we used several times throughout our stay in Chennai. For this first outing, Kelsey, Eric, and I went in one rickshaw; Stacey and two friends went in another. We expected to stay together but that didn't happen so we ended up going in two different directions to generally the same destination. In a city of 8 million or so people, that was an interesting opportunity! We did eventually find each other but it didn't really matter as we needed to do it all over again to get back to the ship. That evening, we enjoyed a welcome reception hosted by students and professors at a local engineering college that included music, food, dance, and conversation. The level of creativity in food preparation, dance, costuming, and henna design was wonderful. Overall, a great start to India.

We visited Kancheepuram (one of the seven most sacred Hindu pilgrimages) and Mamallapuram (an ancient port city of the Pallava Kings), two cities outside of Chennai, known for Hindu shrines and temples. Both of these cities were extraordinary and exposed us to temples over 12 centuries old-situated amidst stores, slums, and urban life, blessings by Hindu priests, cows and elephants roaming freely in the streets, extreme poverty, and sights and smells that cannot be described by words or photos. Among my favorites were Arjuna's Penance (the biggest bas-relief in the world) and Butterball- a huge boulder that defies understanding of how it ended up perched on a sloping granite hill. Most importantly, the people are simply wonderful- kind, welcoming, and full of smiles and stares. In stark contrast to these cities, we had a wonderful south Indian lunch in a resort constructed after the tsunami. It was a beautiful property on the beach within a good stone's throw of highly impoverished areas. For me, the experience in these cities was definitely an experience in contrasts- the old with the new, the rich with the poor, the pristine with the polluted.

In a light rain that soon turned into a downpour (on the edge of a tropical cyclone moving through), Kelsey, Eric, the executive dean, Kenn, and I ventured out to Kenn's favorite coffee shop right outside the port. Before leaving the port we stopped at Walnut Willies (a family-owned shop that had been around the port for 100 years) and then negotiated our way through flooded streets to get to the coffee shop where we enjoyed ten cups of wonderful south Indian coffee and buttered nan. This was followed by another rickshaw ride- with four of us (exceeding the three passenger limit) to some shopping areas. By the time we returned home late in the afternoon, we had just about dried out. We were told by our rickshaw driver that in India you can drive without lights, oil, and passengers but you cannot drive without using your horn. Riding in a rickshaw for several days was living proof that horn honking is a courtesy extended several times a minute by almost every driver on the street.

Eric remarked how crossing the street in India is like playing human frogger. Clearly we were the frogs trying to get across streets with few lights and many speeding bicycles, rickshaws, busses, cars, and motorcycles. We made it but not without a few scares. Interestingly by the end of our time in India, I was very impressed with Kelsey and Eric's confidence in moving through the streets in ways that would make us totally crazy in the states. Kelsey and Stacey received many stares, looks, and smiles as they negotiated the city. Eric was the recipient of multiple head pats, hand shakes, and cheek pinches- which he seemed to take in stride. With such company, I don't believe I was even on the screen!

Perhaps the most powerful experience for me was a field program entitled "socioeconomic problems in Chennai." We travelled a short distance from the port to a beachside slum which we toured on foot. The stench was at times overwhelming. Raw sewage moving to the ocean through open trenches forming makeshift streams of human waste and "gray water" from washing were networked throughout the slum. Huts that were used by fisherman who were able to afford flats further inland provided shelter at night for some people. Freshly caught fish, covered with flies next to napping goats adjacent to flat rocks upon which laundry was being done lined the pathway we followed along the beach. We learned about government plans to relocate these people to public housing further inland and then construct tourist-friendly properties on the beachfront. We also learned how this plan is meeting with resistance by those who access the ocean for fishing (and their livelihood) in this same area. We visited a couple of Hindu temples proximal to the slums and then ventured to a "colony"- government constructed housing for former slum residents interspersed among more middle class areas of the city. Here we met with representatives from an NGO that is primarily focused on empowering women to work in their own small businesses. This is accomplished by educating the women and creating collectives of about 15 women each to work collaboratively yet independently and financed by micro-loans that are managed by the women. According to the women in the program, this has been a wonderful success. They have developed skills, are generating an income, are developing financial autonomy, and have moved from the beach slum to a home with running water, a toilet, and electricity. Besides this, their children come together for school and child care! The NGO is continuing to broaden this model but it is slow-going and the challenge and scalibility of this effort is very difficult. It didn't take long for the children to be attached to Kelsey and Eric. We lost Kelsey for a while as she ventured deeper in the colony getting offers to return and teach the children. Many are working hard to create a new India and there is much to do.

It seems to me that the extensive availability of inexpensive labor provides little incentive to purchase and use more modern methods to accomplish tasks. While that creates employment opportunities for folks, it may limit the speed at which change can occur. Although some pundits suggest that India has become ungovernable, I think that the combined efforts of NGOs such as the one we learned about can make a difference and perhaps transcend the shortcomings of government programs that are laced with bureaucracy and politics. I look forward to returning to India to further explore and enjoy the wonderful people who make this place quite special in many ways.

Stay tuned...

Craig

Mauritius: Stacey's List

2008-03-08T05:25:00.000-08:00

Port Louis, Mauritius

(Pronounced ma-rish-ous)

A tiny, densely populated island in the Indian Ocean, to the east of Africa and Madagascar. 720 square miles, dormant volcanic mountains and craters, beautiful beaches and ocean colors similar to the Caribbean's many shades of turquoise.

No thanks to the Dutch who were the first to colonize Mauritius, the Ebony forests were exploited and the dodo bird, eliminated. Now extinct are 50 native and endemic plants, with 155 more species critically endangered.

The majority population today consists of Hindu Indian, followed by Creole, French and English. Mauritians take pride in the fact that theirs is one of the most successful multi racial countries, co-existing in harmony. Sugar is the main crop, followed by tea. Tourism, textiles and financial services are thriving as well.

As we walked into town and through the streets surrounding the Central Market, the streets were packed with people, vendors, scooters and many things for sale. It was crowded, and dirty, and loud, and very colorful. The air was filled with various scents ranging from body oder to fresh cilantro. This seemed to be sort of a preparation for our next port, India. The food market was mainly vegetables, herbs and fruit. Locally grown mini pineapples and bananas were deliciously sweet. You could eat the pealed pineapple like fruit on a stick, holding the green top and munching the fruit, dripping with juice. yum! The fish and meat markets next door were quite an experience, and I must say, were not as foul smelling as I expected. The textile and craft market was on the other side of the vegetable stalls. The market stalls ran the length of the entire block.

Maha Shivratree, a religious festival celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva, was taking place during our time in Mauritius. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims, walk long distances, carrying the "Kanwar", wooden arches and platforms, covered with flowers, and religious statues. Hindu devotees converge at the sacred lake, the Grand Bassin. It is believed that this lake is connected to the Holy Ganges in India. The pilgrims take holy water from the lake and partake in ceremonies of prayer. There are stations along the path offering food and water to the pilgrims. We got as far as the huge Shiva statue and temple at the top of the mountain. The chant, "Um Shiva" was piped through huge tents via loud speaker. Many pilgrims were resting, praying or eating in these tents. Unfortunately, the weather was really nasty with strong winds and horizontal rain. We were not prepared with jackets and such, so we did not go further to the lake in the crater of a volcano. Instead we ate with the pilgrims and took in the many sights, sounds and experiences.

For such a small island, it is interesting how the weather can be so dramatically different. At sea level the beaches were sunny and hot.

We took a catamaran trip to snorkel at a reef that was somewhat disappointing to those of us who have experienced better. The next day the kids and I went to a school for troubled teens. Project Teen Hope offers teens another chance at learning English, French, basic interview skills and craft making. As these kids failed in public school, the hope is to show them alternatives to prostitution and drugs.

If you ever come to Mauritius, I would recommend the Central Market experience in Port Louis, the mountains on a clear day, the beaches (when no threat of a cyclone) and of course, the Shiva festival. Our next stop is Chennai, India.

Mauritius: Maha Shivaratree Pilgrimage

2008-03-08T04:16:00.000-08:00

Mauritius: Teen Hope Project

2008-03-08T04:13:00.001-08:00

Mauritius

2008-03-08T04:12:00.001-08:00

Port Louis, Mauritius March 7: Craig's List

2008-03-07T07:22:00.000-08:00

Port Louis, Mauritius

Mauritius is one of three major islands that also include Reunion and the Seychelles. These islands are favored vacation destinations for folks from Africa, Europe, and Asia. Mauritius prides itself in being a peaceful and tolerant multicultural community including Hindus, Muslims, and Creoles. Sugar cane has historically been a primary cash crop on the island, however, since Europe dropped sugar subsidies to Mauritius, the profitability of sugar has declined and the island is moving more toward tourism as a replacement economy. There is also progress being made toward development of Mauritius as a "cyber community" that would provide 100% wireless access throughout the island and serve as a major hub of technology-based enterprises...basically work and live in paradise as long as your business can be managed electronically. Certainly a cool vision with lots of work and money needed to make the vision a reality.

There is considerable property development portside in Port Luis- almost too westernized for my tastes- seemingly trying to compete with the Cape Town waterfront. This port was a good transition place to prepare for India. The markets were an amazing collection of vendors, food, crafts, fragrances, noise, and crowds. I can understand why folks buying meat come early in the morning as later in the day the combination of heat, humidity, and flies make the meat less desirable to purchase.

Mauritius was created by a series of volcanoes- of which, 25 extinct volcanoes form the spine of the island. The beaches and water are beautiful. We went on a volcanic exploration field experience to learn more and along the way detoured to visit the pilgrimage site of Grand Bassin- which is a holy lake for Hindus. This festival, Maha Shivaratri, is celebrated by 500,000 Hindus each year in Mauritius. Legend is that the lake is in fact part of the Ganges and as such is a very holy site. So we visited the huge statue of Shiva in pouring, cold rain and mingled with some pilgrims while eating some native food, which paranthetically, was provided free of charge by a Mauritian construction company! Altho the learning about the volcanic history was interesting, connecting with the Shiva festival trumped the lava holes.

We went on a catamaran snorkeling trip and unfortunately dove a reef that was not as rich with sea life as we expected. We did learn that underwater experiences were considerably better around Reunion, however, we did not make it there.

My impression is that the Mauritian tourist sector is in its early developmental stages and this was reflected in the quality of some of the experiences. We traveled between the ship and portside either by cab or by water taxi. The Port Louis Boatman's Club offered a wide variety of wooden boats that more often than not seemed to barely make it to their destination. It was interesting to pick up passengers from other ships in port-cargo and fishing vessels- from Japan and China. We were not successful in fully communicating with our fellow Vietnamese ship workers but they did manage to get some photos of Kelsey on their cell phones.

Mauritius was probably the most challenging port so far for student issues. We had a few serious incidents that resulted in hospitalizations that were soon moved to our on ship ICU clinic. All are well now but it was a bit challenging for a while.

We left Mauritius on March 4 and are headed for Chennai, India. The seas were about 3.5 meters (10 feet) upon leaving Mauritius and have since calmed to a nice one meter swell. Last night we had a wonderful 5 course Captain's dinner with 24 faculty and staff plus the Captain's senior team.

Tomorrow, Saturday, is a no-class day and instead the community will be involved in the Sea Olympics all day. This is a competition among the ten "seas" on the ship. Each sea has about 80 folks. Although we have the most seasoned experience, our faculty and staff "Silver Sea" may be outperformed by the students in a few of the more physical events. Time will tell.. ... That's it for now. Stay tuned....

Craig

Eric's List

2008-02-28T20:09:00.000-08:00

South Africa was awesome!!
First, the safari at Buffalo Camp. Our camp was in a private game
reserve and everything was amazing, even the African food. We lived
in tents, up in the trees. It was pretty sweet. The animals that we
saw on safari were many giraffes, white rhinos, hippos, warthogs,
monkeys, lions, nyalas, kudus and herds of African buffalo, savanna
elephants, impalas, antelope, wildebeests and zebras. I rode an
elephant and saw some of these animals even closer because they
weren't afraid of the elephant.

When we returned to Cape Town, we went to see the African penquins on
the beach. There were thousands of penquins everywhere. They were so
adorable. They have very sharp beaks and could bite a chunk of skin
out of your body. Some of the penquins were sitting on an egg.

Then after that, we rode the cable car up Table Mountain and hiked
around. It was much cooler on the top of the mountain. I was sad
because it was our last day in South Africa. A thick fog rolled in
that night and we could not leave until the next day. It was sad to
see South Africa fade away in the fog. Onto Mauritius! I can't wait.

View from Table Rock, Cape Town

2008-02-27T22:23:00.000-08:00

South African Penguins

2008-02-27T22:22:00.000-08:00

Craig Ullom
Assistant Executive Dean
Semester at Sea
Spring, 2008 Voyage

On safari

2008-02-27T22:20:00.000-08:00

On Safari

2008-02-27T22:19:00.000-08:00

What airline service used to be like...

2008-02-27T22:18:00.000-08:00

DC 4 Circa 1947: Jo'berg to Hoedspruit

2008-02-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

Arrival at Cape Town

2008-02-27T22:06:00.000-08:00

Out of Africa February 25

2008-02-25T12:19:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, February 19, we arrived in Cape Town, South Africa and berthed at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Although very nice, the Waterfront was akin to a "westernized" port with plenty of shops, restaurants, and opportunities to spend money on various excursions for eager tourists. On the plus side, there was a nice grocery store, ATM, and wine store within walking distance of the ship. Cape Town is set against the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain which more times than not is shrouded in fog which gives the appearance of a table cloth on the "table". We were fortunate having clear conditions that allowed us to see some spectacular views of the peaks which include the Twelve Apostles, Lion's Head and Lion's Rump. The Table Mountain park encompasses almost 15,000 acres and has 1,470 species of plants. There are 350 paths to the summit which is 3,600 feet. This is a rather windy place sometimes experiencing 90+ MPH winds around the mountain. There is a cable car that takes 4 minutes to get to the top, however, it was closed due to high winds, so I climbed it. It took me 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to the top and fortunately the cable car re-opened so I could take it down. It was one of the hardest climbs I have made due to the "steps" on the trail that averaged about 24" high. Beautiful views were the reward on this peak that can be seen as far as 93 miles from sea. Whilst I was climbing, Stacey and Eric were touring and Kelsey was building a Habitat for Humanity House in one of the townships. The first evening we joined a few other faculty and dined on Malay food at a very local place in one of the neighborhoods about 20 minutes from the port.

On Wednesday, we gathered at 4:00 a.m. to take a bus, then two planes, and a 4 wheel drive vehicle to the site of our safari at Kapama game reserve which is about 13,000 hectacres in size and located on the northeastern side of South Africa adjacent to Kruger National Park. The second flight was in a vintage DC 4 airplane (same kind as used in the Berlin airlift). This four engine prop had seats larger than first class on today's jets, as well as spacious bathrooms and service unlike I have ever had on an airline including cold towels at the beginning of the flight, canapés including salmon, caviar, cheeses, cocktail sandwiches- all wonderfully prepared and presented, topped off with champagne. It was a very memorable flight in a vintage aircraft that replicated what flying used to be like.

Ten of us stayed at the Buffalo Camp- a very secluded camp that has a capacity of 16. It is considered rustic as there is no AC and we lived in tents built on platforms and suspended in trees. These tents included a bathroom and electricity and were nicely appointed. The lodge and Boma were simply wonderful. The African food was spectacular and the guides were exceptional. Each morning we woke up at 5:00 were on safari until 9:00 a.m. We came back to the camp for breakfast and took off again in the afternoon for a second safari that extended past sun down. What we saw included giraffes, white rhinos, African buffalo, elephants, hippos, jackals, lions, zebras, wildebeest, impalas, kudu, duikers, steinbuck, warthogs, monkeys, bushbuck, nyala, waterbuck, reedbuck, African wild cats, and scrub hares. What we did not see were leopards, cheetas, anteaters, and lynx. Maybe next time. It was close up and personal. The scenery and sightings were amazing. Africa is indeed a very special place in so many ways.

Upon returning from the safari, I was on call so I took a long walk on the ocean waterfront and had a late seafood lunch with a philosophy professor and his wife. Stacey arranged a tour and took Kelsey and Eric and several others around Cape Town. She will fill you in on that experience. The Fezuku High School choir came on board last night and delivered a rousing concert of African and Christian music to the shipboard community. Amazing experience. They even got Eric up there with them during a song/dance number.

As we all know, Africa in general, and South Africa, in particular, is not without challenges and problems. The remnants of Apartheid are still apparent and will most likely take generations to change. Poverty and the consequences of AIDS are clearly apparent. Exploitation of the land and problems in the townships as well as in Darfur and Sudan are difficult and complex. But despite these huge challenges, the people are very special, very proud, and very giving. In the context of this beautiful country, it is a special combination that beckons us to return.

We were due to leave on Sunday, February 24, but the port authorities would not release us due to fog so we left this morning and are enroute to Mauritius which is 2,300 nautical miles from Cape Town. Seas around the cape are generally a bit rougher than in other places. As of this writing (Monday at 2200 hours) the seas are at 3.5 to 4.5 meters. A cyclone recently hit northern Madagascar and the swells we are experiencing are remnants of that storm in addition to the movement caused by the confluence of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. That's about it for now. Stay tuned and take care.

Craig

Neptune Day: A Poem by Stacey

2008-02-18T00:03:00.000-08:00

King Neptune is angry today

The ocean and skies above are dull and gray

Huge swells, fierce wind and white, frothy foam

Strangely, no one wants to go home

Instead, we follow a long held tradition

To gain noteworthy, shellback admission

and to prove our worthiness as a seafaring creature

Where head shavings become a distinctive feature.

Craig's List February 16

2008-02-16T02:22:00.000-08:00

It is Saturday morning, February 16: 31 days into the voyage. This morning we crossed the Greenwich Meridian so we are now in the Eastern Hemisphere. That makes three significant crossings in the past couple of weeks- the equator, the Greenwich Meridian, and the Tropic of Capricorn. We continue to advance clocks every other day to keep up. Two more advances to go until we reach Capetown on Tuesday.

This is typhoon season in the southern Indian Ocean- they have had three typhoons in the past three weeks with Ivan being the latest. Hopefully we will dodge any major storms on our way around the Cape. We have experienced some significant swells the past couple of days- 3 to 4 meters with 30 knot winds. A little rain but overall sunny and clear. Sailors use the Beaufort Scale to describe wind velocity based on observed sea conditions. The scale goes from 0 to 12 (calm to hurricane). We have been at a 6 for about three days. Today is a 3 so all is well!

The four deans (Kenn, Max, Maria, and me) had an impromptu dinner with the Captain on February 13. Stacey and I and another couple- Bryan and Kim (professors from Utah) celebrated valentine's day together.

Neptune Day was an interesting experience. It started at 0700 with crew members dressed in costume parading through the ship's corridors pounding drums and pans. Students proceeded to the 7th deck aft- pool deck- and were greeted by King Neptune, Queen Minerva, a court of Goddesses, and the Royal Torturer (me). After some pronouncements by the King, all pollywogs who wanted to become shellbacks were doused in a foul smelling concoction (the ingredients still unknown but included pureed fish entrails for sure) and then jumped into the pool to "rinse off". You can imagine after a few rinsings, the pool was almost as bad as the concoction....After climbing out of the pool, pollywogs continued their journey by kissing the fish, kneeling before the King, and kissing his ring. Those completing the gauntlet earned shellback status and over fifty shellbacks decided to further demonstrate their loyalty to the King by shaving their heads.

The Ullom's fully participated in this passage (with the exception of the head shaving, although Kelsey did trim her locks by a few inches). Quite a day, indeed!

We celebrated the 21st birthday of one of our extended family members by sharing a dinner and two cakes. Our family now includes Hillary- from Miami University (OH), Rudy-from Emerson College, Jen- from the University of Pittsburgh, and Jay- from Queens University (Ontario). There are about 250 students who have allowed themselves to be adopted by faculty, staff, or lifelong learners. The community continues to build as we make this trek across the Atlantic.

I find myself to be busiest the days prior to a port and the day that students return to the ship prior to sailing. The detailed logistical arrangements are significant challenges for the team and gratefully, we have wonderful folks who all pitch in to pull this off. That's about it for now. Stay tuned!

Kelsey's Neptune Cut, February 14

2008-02-16T01:44:00.000-08:00

Head Shaving, Neptune Day, February 14

2008-02-16T01:43:00.000-08:00

King Neptune & Queen Minerva's Court, Neptune Day, February 14

2008-02-16T01:42:00.000-08:00

Wild Animal Party, February 13 (meow)

2008-02-16T01:40:00.000-08:00

Executive Dean, Kenn Gaither & Academic Dean, Max Brandt

2008-02-16T01:37:00.000-08:00

Birthday Party for Hillary Mitchell from the Ullom Extended Family, February 13

2008-02-16T01:36:00.000-08:00

News from Eric, February 13

2008-02-13T03:01:00.000-08:00

News from Eric, February 13

I am having an amazing, terrific, spectacular, wonderful time! Since
leaving the Bahamas, we've been to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico and
Salvador, Brazil.

In Puerto Rico we went to the Caribbean National Forest. It is the
only tropical Forest managed by the U.S. National Forest System. The
name is El Yunque Rain Forest. I found a type of sap from a tree that
burns for 10 hours when you light it. It is used to make torches.

Brazil was celebrating the last day of Carnival when we arrived.
Carnival was crazy! Two million people dancing in the streets, huge
balloons and humongus semi trucks with a big rock band and singers on
the top. The sides of the truck had lights, picture screens and huge
speakers. It was deafening!!

We went to a futebol game (soccer) in Brazil. The stadium food was
interesting. I ate popcorn with shredded coconut on top and a chunk
of sweet sugar cane. You chew the sugar cane and suck out all the
sweet juice, then spit out the rest. The futebol fans were chanting,
"Bahia, Bahia, Bahia"! Bahia won the game.

We also went to a theatre and saw an African religious dance called
"Candomble". They also did "Coperia" a martial art/dance from Angola,
Africa. It was fast and fun.

I celebrated my 9th birthday on the Atlantic Ocean a day after leaving
Brazil on our way to another country. I had a blast. There were 40
college students, plus the Captain of the ship who came to my party.

The ocean is 5033 meters deep where we are right now. With 5280
feet/mile guess how many miles deep the ocean is.

Eric with friends at 9th Birthday Party

2008-02-13T02:55:00.000-08:00

Craig Ullom
Assistant Executive Dean
Semester at Sea
Spring, 2008 Voyage

Eric's 9th Birthday Party, MV Explorer, with Captain Roman Krstanovic

2008-02-13T02:54:00.000-08:00

Craig Ullom
Assistant Executive Dean
Semester at Sea
Spring, 2008 Voyage

Agua de Deus Company: Salvador, Brazil

2008-02-13T02:52:00.000-08:00

Church of St. Francis: Salvador, Brazil

2008-02-13T02:51:00.000-08:00

Itaparica Island, Brazil

2008-02-13T02:49:00.000-08:00

Salvador, Brazil

2008-02-13T02:48:00.000-08:00

Craig's List February 12 Somewhere in the Atlantic

2008-02-12T09:49:00.001-08:00

Craig's List

Brazil part two: We enjoyed a performance of Afro-centric dance by the Agua de Deus Company. The performance was held in a circular theatre outside and as such the audience was very close to the dancers. Several audience members joined in for the finale. Post-dance, we ventured upstairs to an open air restaurant, the Senec, in which culinary students prepared a buffet of 40 traditional Bahian dishes.

We were able to do some exploring around some very old churches (built in the 1700's) around Salvador. From the outside, the churches look rather plan and dilapidated. On the inside one finds intricate carvings covered in gold leaf, paintings, tile murals, and some pretty amazing furniture.

Before leaving Brazil, we dined at the Boi Preto grill, an amazing Churrasco near the ocean about 25 minutes from the ship. In addition to wonderful cuts of beef, we had chicken, shrimp, lamb, pork, sausage, and sushi. We subsequently rolled out of the restaurant and returned to the ship in time for a 2145 departure.

Eric's birthday on board was pretty cool. Families, students, faculty, staff, and crew members (including the Captain) showed up. We had an ice cream cake and Eric loaded up on some presents wrapped in cobbled-together paper adding a special touch to the celebration.

We are proceeding to Cape Town, enjoying beautiful weather and relatively calm seas. Prior to arriving in South Africa, the shipboard community will experience Neptune Day which we are celebrating on February 14. During Neptune Day festivities, all pollywogs will pass through the gauntlet to become shellbacks. Stay tuned on this one. Our first activity in Cape Town will be to work on a Habitat for Humanity house and then take off on a 4 day safari based at the Kapama Buffalo Camp. Until later.

Craig

February 8: Craig's List from Brazil

2008-02-08T06:05:00.001-08:00

February 8: Craig's List from Brazil

Bom Dia. It is February 8. We are chilling today, recovering from the past few days and looking forward to Bahia By Night this evening (will report in later postings). So a few reflections
We have thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful beverage, Caipirinha de Cachaca (refined sugar cane, lime juice, sugar, ice, grain alcohol). Considered the national drink of Brazil, it is quite refreshing and appropriate for this tropical climate.
The first day in port, my boss and I had lunch al fresco and enjoyed some Feijada at Camafeo de Oxossi. The Feijada is basically rice and beans garnished with tomatoes, some meat, and a spicy salsa. Kenn speaks fluent Portuguese which enhanced our time on the street, changing money and talking with the locals.
A very popular soft drink, Guarana, I find is like a Mountain Dew, Sprite, and fruit drink. It has a bit of a kick and is used in a manner similar to Red Bull for revving up post-siesta.
We participated in a Camarote for Carnival. The Camarote is basically a private site for viewing Carnival. Ours was located on the primary street for the main celebration on the last night of Carnival. There was seating for about 100 people and stages were constructed in the patio of an apartment complex. Seats were sold for viewing and there was a bar and food available. One could leave the Camarote to join the dancing and festivities on the street. At any one time in Salvador, it is estimated that there are 1.5 million folks dancing and partying. Various Samba schools participate in Carnival- each with distinctive garb representing their school. The Salvador celebration in which we participated generally included two semi-trucks per entertainer. The entertainer and his/her band were on top of the first truck which was basically one big moving sound system that also included a bar and bathrooms. I observed a class system for participating in the Carnival. First class included participants who were on the entertainer's truck. Second class participants rode on the second truck that had no entertainers but did have a bar and restrooms. A whole gaggle of folks walked on the street, separated from the crowd by event security staff walking with a rope that served as a moving blockade. All of the above paid for their privileged spots. Fourth class included the "popcorn" participants who paid nothing but surrounded the trucks and filled the streets. The rest of the folks join the popcorn, created their own parade, milled about between entertainers, or watched from balconies, side streets, and Camarotes. I had expected costumes and more traditional Brazilian dancing and celebrations, however, it seems that the Rio Carnival is more in that vein. Bottom line, for me, the Salvador Carnival is like several rock concerts rolling through the streets with lots of folks dancing to the tunes. Very loud and very many people drinking considerable amounts of alcohol. Next time, I want to try Rio to experience the pageantry and perhaps go to smaller venues to experience a more traditional Carnival.
The taxi drive back to the ship was almost as exciting as Carnival. We secured four taxis and after witnessing Brazilian police in action, we proceeded to play Test Track through the streets of Salvador. To give you a flavor- the four of us were in a two door taxi, with no seat belts, head lights that only worked when flashing high beams, driving what appeared to be the wrong way on narrow one way streets while dodging pedestrians and other vehicles traveling in what appeared to be a permanent state of merging traffic. We did, however, make it back to the ship and all is well.
The following day, we joined 65 students and traveled by schooner through Baia de Todos os Santos (All Saints Bay) which is dotted with 38 tropical islands. Our first stop was Ilha dos Frades which is a small island about 90 minutes from Salvador. The portion of the island we visited included a small village of 20 families who just received electricity two years ago. They now have a small collection of beach bars and provide a nice gathering place for boaters to land. We then traveled to Itaparica Island, a larger island with a few more conveniences. We dined on a buffet of Bahain dishes- fish, meat, rice, beans, and fruit. Mighty tasty vittles when combined with the sun and the waves created several opportunities for rest along the way back to Salvador.
On my birthday, we had a nice lunch of Bobo de Camarao, a shrimp casserole-like dish with rice, coconut milk, yucca, and tomatoes at a local restaurant after spending some time trying to convert dollars. I was duty dean and enjoyed a quiet evening on the ship. Stacey, Kelsey, and Eric joined 350 students who went to a Futebol (soccer) game- Bahai vs. Pocao. Bahai won 2-0. Eric is now sporting a #10 Brasil jersey- Ronaldinho. We are preparing for Eric's 9^th birthday party that will be on February 10, on our way to South Africa. Stay tuned. Tchau.

Ullom Family in Old San Juan

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Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

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El Yunque Rain Forest Puerto Rico

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Castillo San Cristobal, Puerto Rico

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Cap'n Stacey

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On the Bridge- Crossing the Equator

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Craig's List February 4

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Our eighteen days on board have flown by! We continue to experience great weather and relatively calm seas. As of this writing, we are steaming south with the shore of Brazil about 15 miles away. Salvador and Carnival awaits us tomorrow morning when we arrive at 0530. We have enjoyed the company of a wonderful interport lecturer, Dr. Javier Escudero, who is very passionate about his country, its' food, and people. Students are excited about the various field programs in Brazil and considerable attention has been given to safety and security especially when traveling during Carnival. We have done all we can to prepare so we are hopeful that everyone will be well during their adventures. We have experienced very little drama in day to day sea life. Perhaps our admonition for folk to "save the drama for your mama" has set the tone to be flexible and patient in working through stuff that inevitably occurs. Eric and Kelsey both have multiple big sisters and big brothers and we have adopted four students for our extended family. Quite an inclusive community and continues to grow closer with each day that passes.

Stay tuned for more post- Salvador

February 4- Off the coast of Brazil

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From Stacey:

TuDoBem (a Portuguese greeting) from the deep blue Mid-Atlantic Ocean. We crossed over the equator at 2:45 p.m. Saturday Feb 2, 2008. From the Captain's Bridge it was quite a view but very calm. We haven't seen land in days now, but have adopted one lone seagull today, although we are roughly 250 miles from the coast of Brazil We will arrive in Salvador, Brazil on Tuesday, February 5th after 7 days a sea. Carnival will be winding down as it will be the final day of this huge celebration. Everything closes down for the 4 days of the annual party, Carnival. It is one wild and crazy celebration that I am a little apprehensive about, to say the least. Crowds of millions in the streets. We'll have 5 days in port before an even longer voyage to Cape Town, South Africa.

Sea sickness has subsided as we are getting use to the rolling waves and when to take medicine. Kelsey and Eric have made friends and now have a boatload of "big brothers and big sisters". Last night we learned how to Samba and Cha Cha. Eric and I have been attending Portuguese language classes for travelers, so we have a few words to get buy on. It is a tricky language with varying tones and nasalization.

Tudobem Is everything well?

Por favor Please

Obrigado/a Thank You

Sim Yes

Nao No

Quanto e? How much?

Desculpa Excuse me.

Chow Goodbye

Onde e banheiro? Where is the bathroom?

Beleza A cool, hip, greeting used by people under the age of 30.

Chocanche Awesome

We've learned numbers and some other words that will be helpful for shopping, dining, or finding our way back to he port. We also learned what not to do. Such as the A OK hand sign is extremely offensive and will insight a brawl. Payday (like the candy bar name) means, "I farted". Desculpa. In Puerto Rico we were joined by an inter-port lecturer and a student from Brazil. It's great that we have folks on board who speak the language and can teach the rest of us the inside scoop before we arrive.

Chow,

January 31, 2008

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Craig's List

Good morning from about 1000 nautical miles from San Juan on the way to Brazil. Air temp is 78 degrees F and sea depth is 4300 meters. Weather looks good to Salvador.

As we steam towards Salvador, we are learning Portuguese and, in Global Studies, exploring Amazonian jungle medicine and shamans. Beautiful weather with some larger swells since last night.

We had our involvement fair and the first alcohol night on the ship. Both were exceptionally well attended. It is interesting to see faculty, staff, and students sharing conversation over a beverage sans the 21 year old drinking age restriction. Students are being very responsible in their behavior at the bar and elsewhere. It is good to raise the expectations and students will respond accordingly.

January 30 Kelsey Reports

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Hey folks!

We left The Bahamas and began sailing, and we were a little surprised by how much the waves rocked the ship. We were swaying back and forth, it was so weird to be back on land. But, hey, at least the land was beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico!!

The first day we joined a walking tour of Old San Juan. We learned a lot of interesting facts about the Spanish history. We saw some cool forts with cannons and stuff. We got some good food and explored some more. We found this place called Pigeon Square. There were birds everywhere! They all moved together and when people had food, oh boy, they attacked!!

Anyways, we went to K-mart that night to stock up on snacks. Mostly, Oreos. =)

The next day we walked around some more and came upon another really awesome Spanish fort. This one had watch towers and tunnels and drawing from the 1800s. We also saw a great view of the beach and lots of iguanas!!

The weather here is beautiful, not too hot and just a little breeze now and then.

Today we went on a hour bus ride to the YUNQUE RAINFOREST. It was awesome!! There were absolutely no mosquitoes and we hiked to a waterfall where everyone got it the freezing water! We got some great food which included: plantains, beans, rice (with hot sauce), chicken and flan. We were stuffed! Next, we took another bus to the beach. We couldn't stay very long, but it was gorgeous. It was so different than our Florida beaches. There were no seagulls, or seashells and the waves were so tiny. But there were palm trees everywhere and in the distance you could see the mountain we hiked.

We're hitting the ocean tonight for a 8 day trip to Brazil!! We're hoping to get our sea legs soon!

January 29, 2008 En Route to Salvador, Brazil

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Craig's List

Due to some technical difficulties, we did not make our monday deadline and this posting will be in a couple of parts, starting with Craig.

We successfully completed orientation for staff and faculty and welcomed approximately 650 parents on board for a wonderful reception, welcome, and ship's tour. My take is that without exception, parents were very pleased with the facilities on board. Frankly, many were surprised at the ship's condition and also all of the learning support built into the vessel. I found it interesting to note that $2.1 million in scholarships is given annually to support participants in Semester at Sea. 80% of costs to run this program are connected to ship operations with a good portion of that going towards fuel. Talk about a gas bill--two years ago, ship fuel was $160 a ton. This year they budgeted for $350 a ton. For the fall, 2007 voyage, the actual cost was $500 a ton. Certainly the cost of petrol is a significant challenge in putting this program together. Parents were introduced to our captain whose demeanor and personality make it easier for a parent to feel comfortable about their child sailing around the world on the MV Explorer. While in Nassau, a sanitation inspection of the ship result in a 99/100 score, which is exceptional.

On January 23, students and lifelong learners boarded the ship carrying with them over 3000 pieces of luggage. Two pieces were initially lost in the process and both have been since discovered on board. After a safety and lifeboat drill, we departed Nassau at 1700. A rather large number of participants (including our family) experienced some minor seasickness. With a small dose of meclazine and dramamine (for Eric), we were able to get ahead of this affliction and make it through the transition to sailing. As I write this, we are leaving San Juan and sporting patches...just in case. It is evident that everyone has their own way of managing seasickness and it is a matter of discovering what works through trial and error.

The 24th and 25th were spent in orientation with students and making preparations for arrival in San Juan. I also started the ritual of walking (on a treadmill), eating a full breakfast (hard to resist), meeting with the Captain and his senior staff (each day we are sailing) attending Global Studies class, meeting with our senior staff, eating lunch, making announcements at noon, catch up and assisting the shipboard community in the afternoon, dinner, and meetings, community colleges, or logistical and cultural pre-port meetings at night. The days are long especially for a novice like me learning the ropes but we have completed many "firsts" so I look forward to greater efficiency as we progress through the voyage.

During our three day stay in San Juan, we did a lot of walking around Old San Juan, explored two forts (El Morro and San Cristobal) on the World Heritage Site registry, completed a hike in the El Yunque rain forest, and went to the Luquillo beach. The people of Puerto Rico are very kind and tolerant of we gringos. Generally, not strong fans of our President or their republican Governor. Traffic congestion makes Interstate 4 look pretty good! Considerable poverty contrasted with affluence in some parts of San Juan. Big drug trade both illegal and legal- we heard between 50% and 70% of all pharmaceuticals in the U.S. are manufactured in Puerto Rico. Strong gang violence related to significant illegal drug-related activity. Not surprisingly, general concerns in this commonwealth are the economy, growth and limited space in which to grow, and reduced corporate tax incentives that results in a stream of companies leaving Puerto Rico and moving to more tax-favorable locations. A future visit is in order to spend more time in the rain forest and exploring more of the natural beauty of this place.

Tuesday night is the first open bar night on the ship. Students can purchase up to four vouchers per day when alcohol is being served (about 51 days of the voyage). These vouchers can only be redeemed at a rate of two per hour. All students are above the 18 year old drinking age. It will be interesting to see what happens....

Next stop: Salvador, Brazil February 5. Stay tuned!
Craig

January 21, 2008 Nassau Bahamas

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From the Bridge......

Latitude= 25 degrees 4.94 north

Longitude= 077 degrees 20.29 west

Speed= 0.0 knots

Course=0 degrees

For those interested in voyage demographics....

This, the 95th voyage of Semester at Sea, is the largest voyage in the program's history- 852 participants including 733 students, 12 LifeLong Learners (oldest is 74), 29 faculty, 34 staff, 22 family members, and 22 partial voyagers. 70% of the students are women, 20% are students of color, 253 colleges and universities are represented. Students hail from 44 states as well as Norway, Brazil, Bermuda, China, Mexico, and Canada. The top 3 majors are Business Administration, Communication, and Psychology. Students live on eight Seas or residential communities (about 80 students per Sea), each having a full-time Resident Director. The oldest enrolled student is 69 years old.

About the MV Explorer...

The ship is 25,000 tons and was built as the fastest cruise ship in the world with the capability of sailing at 32 knots. Seventy courses are offered during the semester. 20% of academic credit is earned through port-based experiential field practica. While sailing, classes are taught in 9 classrooms and in the Union auditorium. There is a library, spa, medical clinic, two dining rooms, three snack and beverage bars, a pool, wellness center, on deck sports court, ship store, and computer lab. The ship is completely wireless as well.

Craig's List:

-We overpacked.

-Security is very tight.

-Safety is of paramount concern and much attention is given to all possible ways to manage the ship environment to protect all on board.

-The space is small but amazingly efficient and well appointed-a floating IKEA environment that is exceptionally well maintained.

-The food is very good and the service even better.

-Visited the bridge today. Quite impressive! Amazing collection of technology to manage and move the vessel.

-Made my first shipboard announcements as the "Voice".

-The faculty and staff are a very eclectic bunch of pretty interesting folk. In addition to courses in the liberal arts, we look forward to learning from faculty involved in ethnomusicology, Indian and Islamic art, alternative Chinese medicine, global warming, global mammal assessment, to name a few. Who knows what the lifelong learners will bring as well as the interport lecturers!

-Lots of orientation meetings. Anxious to board the students and get sailing!

Stacey's List:

If you did not figure out where we are from the longitude and latitude coordinates, we are in Nassau, on the island of New Providence, in the central Bahamas.

History in a nutshell: The aboriginal people of the islands (Tainos) did not last long after Columbus landed here in 1492 and subsequent exposure to European diseases. Pirates (Blackbeard and such) were in control until Captain Woods Rogers expelled them and fortified Nassau against the Spaniards and English who were competing for control of the seas and islands. Before slavery was abolished in 1838, the African population grew as slaves were brought in to supply labor for the attempt at recreating the southern plantation agriculture.

Bahama speak: I'm now referred to as the "boss lady", at least when walking the streets with Eric and Kelsey. Kelsey is "pretty girl". If I'm too old to be a pretty girl, I'll take boss lady:)

Craig has been working since we arrived and I attended a full day of meetings Sunday. The community dynamics are changing daily. The energy and excitement on board is palpable. What a fantastic, transformational voyage we are about to embark on. How fortunate we are to have this opportunity.

From Kelsey and Eric:

Well, we're here. We arrived at the airport with SEVEN suitcases and FIVE carry-ons. Mine was the heaviest: 69 pounds, 70 was the limit. =)

The plane ride was only a hour and after going through customs, we got a cab over to the port with all the ships. Ours was the only one there and boy, did it look inviting. We got to our rooms and started unpacking. Eric and I don't have a window in our room, which was kind of a bummer. But the room is good size. My parents who live right down the hall, have a window, but their room is smaller. I have figured out the advantage of no window though: it's pitch dark. I didn't believe my mom when she woke me up at 10:00, it felt like it was the middle of the night!

Dinner was delicious! The service is not at all what I was expecting. They clean our rooms, just like any other nice hotel. They carry our plates to our table for us and they call us ma'am and sir. The food, oh my goodness, the food, is soooooo good! It's something different every meal and I have to watch myself so I don't get fat! I've been going to the work-out room everyday so far. We've made a special friendship with Marty, one of the crew members. He is really funny and taught us a secret handshake. =)

I slept well, but when I woke up we were surrounded by cruise ships twice the size of us! The town was packed with tourists and all the vendors had their stores set up. We went to go explore and came upon the "famous" Straw Market. It was the biggest market I've ever seen in my life. Stuffy, crowded rows of knock-off designer purses, souvenirs, and jewelry went on forever. All the ladies were saying "Hey pretty girl, how much you willing to pay for that necklace? I give it to you for 8." And that's how I learned the art of bargaining. I ended up getting $30 Chanel sunglasses for $12!!

In the evening, we sat on the deck and watched the cruise ships sail away. They only stayed here for one day and new ones came the next morning. The following day, we went to Paradise Island. The beaches were beautiful! The water was so crystal clear blue, you could see all sorts of fish. It was freezing, but once you got over the shock, it was quite refreshing. There was this guy selling drinks on the beach and he kept yelling "Let's get hammered!" Haha, I wish you guys could've seen it, I was laughing so hard. We spent most of the day there and then went to check out Atlantis, a huge resort on the island. There, we found the coolest aquariums, with all kinds of tropical fish, sharks, sea turtles and stingrays. That was fun and when we got home, I was proud to discover I got a tan. =) Isn't that weird, I'm already calling it home.

It had been pretty low-key and quiet around the ship the first two days, since only the crew and the deans were on board. But last night, the faculty arrived. And some of them brought their kids! We had a reception and met Bridget, a very talkative fourth grader, and the parents of these two brothers my age. I haven't met them yet, but their parents seemed nice. And then I met Cameron, a high school senior who has done SAS once before. He lives right next door to Eric and me.

I'm really anxious to hit the ocean! We've been in the same spot in the same port for 4 days now, I'm ready to get somewhere!! Although I will miss the nice Bahama breeze…

I haven't started virtual school yet, I will when we start sailing. I'm really curious to see how they're going to teach me chemistry…?

Hope everything is going well in Florida! I'm thinking about you all!

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Welcome to the Ullom Family Voyage 2008 blog. This is the first time we have done anything like this so we appreciate your patience and welcome your feedback.