March 2011
6 posts
"SINCE NAM"
VIETNAM IS AWESOME!!!!
I only have 2 days on the ship before I get to China so I am going to give you Nam in an outline because I’m a busy lady these days (my pillow is calling)
Headline: Nam Take 1
I. Goal: Do things that we can say “since Nam” at the end with pride
II. Rode on sketchy mopeds
a. Known for craziest traffic in world
b. Made it alive
c. ...
SINGAPORE
“Nicest hotel in the world”
Prom 2011 Singapore
The block of malls
Jazzy and I
Singapore was a metropolis out of a Jetsons episode. The nicest hotel in the world is there, its called the Marina, which looked like a 3-tier structure with a spaceship on top. We visited the Merlion statue, which was being remodeled to have a hotel constructed on top of it. It was bizarre, like...
It’s Neptune Day on the ship! Passing the equator line gave me a great tan. A drum line ran up and down the aisles of the ship at 8am encouraging everyone to participate. Everyone put on bathing suits and made their way up to deck 7 to get fish guts poured on them, and jump into the pool for the ceremony. Brave souls (girls included) got their heads shaved, and ended with a taco Tuesday, on...
PICTURES!
DOMINICA:
Waterfalls (The Emerald Pool)
View from the port
BRASIL
Rio de Janeiro
The sloth in the Amazon in Manaus
GHANA
This is a picture from the slave castles
This is from a school visit I did in Takoradi
CAPE TOWN
Mzoli’s Sunday BBQ
Shark Diving
Wine Tasting
Table Top Mountain
MAURITIUS
Dock of catamarans
Swimming off of Gabriel Island
INDIA
...
While in India
1: CHENNAI
My biggest fear prior to disembarking in India was transportation. Within the first 10 minutes off the ship, I was in my first rickshaw driving through the city of Chennai. I think I finally understand the meaning of ‘cultural shock.’ Fearful but exhilarated, we drove past beaches with miles of sand, ancient mosques, and never ending markets.
The classic Indian market offers fruit,...
Need (Maur)itius
Mauritius (an island east of Madagascar) was a 7-hour palooza, a play date between South Africa and India. The port where we docked was littered with a mixture of pastel buildings and temples that had a backdrop of repeating bright green mountains. At 10am, an hour later than planned, around 200 Semester at Sea students filed onto buses where we carpooled to a smaller dock surrounded by...
February 2011
4 posts
SOUTH AFRICA, Ja Rule.
SOUTH AFRICA EPISODE 1:
After waiting offshore for a day (we were supposed to be in port) because of the winds and wakes, we finally docked the next morning.
I did an amazing wine tour in the Stellenbosch countryside of South Africa with my extended family from San Diego. We went to 2 different wineries that overlooked columns of grape vines protected by white roses and picket fences. We got a...
I don’t wanna be Ghana
I woke up, got breakfast (the cinnamon rolls and French toast are to die for), then headed to an International school visit with my teacher in town. It was called “Ridge International.” All the kids wore uniforms: blue and white plaid dresses for the pre-schoolers, blue and white plaid shirts with matching blue shorts for the primary school students and white collared shirts with blue shorts for...
AFRICA Day 1.
Upon our arrival, I made it my goal to incorporate “Ghana” in as many sentences as possible i.e. Its Ghana be a good night, I’m Ghana go to the slave castles, You’re a Ghana etc.
We ported in an industrial sector full of train tracks and cocoa factories; it was interesting, a little scary and had a smell that I could not compare to anything.
I walked outside the dock area and was immediately...
RED SEA
So much to catch up on! It has been a busy few days at sea, we had a countdown of 9 days between Brazil and Africa. It was a little rocky at first, had to wear my snazzy sea wristbands, but today was super calm. We are starting to have themed pub nights… you know I live for that kind of stuff. Anyway, the first night was Brazilian themed so I wore my flag sarong ☺
To catch up with the time zone...
January 2011
11 posts
“So many speedos, never enough time”: Rio De...
Packing for Rio went something like this: toothbrush, check, bathing suit, check, money belt, check, phone, check. Leaving Rio went almost the same, minus the phone. Strict instruction to not wear jewelry or carry anything led me to my new money belt fashion trend. Its like a fanny pack on a diet, however, the last thing you look like you’re on is a diet when that is laying beneath your tummy....
Amazonian Adventures: Manaus Part II
Love my cabin steward Armando, we exchange stories of our in-port experiences, like his disco clubbin he did last night, he is a riot. My Brasilian sarong wouldn’t stay up because my magnets aren’t strong enough and I walked into my room and he used his own to put it up! Good news: there are good people on this planet. Finding character in people that I would have never had the chance to meet is...
“Charades”: Pre-Brasil & Manaus
Lets recap.
I had a spa day on the ship before porting in Brasil. I had a massage called the Seven Seas “relax and experience this unique massage that is a perfect blend of 7 different healing techniques that are world renown. Lomi-lomi, Shiatsu, Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Swedish, Reiki, and Thai massage. How could you not? Mom, you would have loved it.. On an off topic side note, I want to get...
Ship Life
The MV Explorer is currently swimming down the Amazon River! It is the largest and youngest river in the world… and quite dirty. I can see a never-ending strip of bright, exotic trees in the distance that lead into one our planets most prized mysteries. They call the Amazon the lungs of our world, how majestic. I get into Manaus, Brasil on the 23rd to explore the jungle, and hopefully zip-line...
“This trip is like the fruit smoothies, they’re so good and you never want...”
Krazy Kokonuts
I fell asleep smiling last night. To be more specific, I fell asleep listening to “ ‘S Wonderful” by Joao Gilberto, which reminded me of how marvelous life is, paradise sitting right outside my window. I woke up smiling. I looked out the window and saw a rainbow, and when I walked up to get breakfast, Roseau, Dominica’s champagne beaches and bright green hills covered the landscape. Today was my...
The Surreal Sea
“Wise men talk because they have something to say; Fools, because they have to say something”- Plato. This adventure is too amazing not to share, so I have plenty to say.
Quick update: I took the painting off the wall and found a lot of good advice on the back, even a list from a DG sista that went a few semesters ago. Boulder has the most students on the ship, which makes for a nice home away...
A double rainbow!!
It approaching 7pm, I am sitting on the top deck next to the pool/jacuzzis… the same place last night I saw the double rainbow (I’ll post a picture later)… yes a double rainbow sprouting from the middle of the Atlantic!!!! We are passing Puerto Rico and watching the sunset. I feel so peaceful at sea, my mind is finally clear of to-do lists and my phone isn’t ringing with distractions. My...
Nautical (but nice) Note
All settled in, in the middle of international waters! Eerie looking outside and seeing nothing but the Atlantic, but so peaceful… Thats the view from my room on the 4th deck, and my surprisingly comfy bed. Orientations are made to break you down and build you up, or for most, put you to bed. The terribly awkward ice-breakers sure do work though. I successful have a high five buddy ...
Bahama Mama
This is the view from my room at the Wyndham! I got here Saturday morning with no bags (thanks to U.S. Airways) and my cousin Melissa. It’s been in the 70’s with some clouds blocking my only chance at a nice tan. There is plenty of clear water, a big slide, and everyone is part of one of the two: honeymooners or parents with a semester at sea student… easy targets. We have...
