Summary of Our Coordinates, 22-25 January 2007 January 22-23, 2007, Monday and Tuesday, Callao (Lima), Peru Latitude: 12 degrees 2.79 minutes S Longitude: 077 degrees 08.66 minutes W Speed: In Port Seas: N/A Miles traveled from Ft. Lauderdale: 2750.5 nautical miles Weather: Sunny, 80 degrees January 24, 2007, Wednesday, At Sea Bound for Easter Island Latitude: 14 degrees 06.00 minutes S Longitude: 081 degrees 34.56 minutes W Speed: 21 knots Seas: 1.5-4 feet (slight) Miles traveled from FLL: 3042 nautical miles Weather: Sunny, 75 degrees January 25, 2007, Th [View Full Entry]

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Days 8-9, January 22-23, 2007, Monday and Tuesday, Callao (Lima), Peru Lima was definitely a city of contrasts! Our tours took us to Lima’s central district that surrounds the central plaza, Plaza de Armas. The 16th century cathedral, La Catedral, is a main city landmark that has suffered much destruction over the years due to earthquakes. Opposite the cathedral is the Palacio de Gobierno (Palace) that has a changing of the guard at noon. We were a bit early for that, but did get to see the guards. We then visited a private home that has been occupied by 13 generations [View Full Entry]

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Day 7 - January 21, 2007, Sunday, Bound for Callao (Lima), Peru Latitude: 04 degrees 26.09 minutes S Longitude: 080 degrees 01.41 minutes W Speed: 21.3 knots (avg) Seas: 1.5-4 ft Miles traveled from Ft. Lauderdale: 2339.2 nautical miles Weather: Sunny, 75 degrees Thank you all who have sent messages to us! It is so nice to hear from all of you as we do feel quite far away from you and it makes our day to hear from you! Apparently the mail server is down for this travelblog site. We don’t know when it will return, but when it does [View Full Entry]

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Day 6 - January 20, 2007, Saturday, Manta, Ecuador Latitude: 00 degrees 55.89 minutes S Longitude: 080 degrees 43.29 minutes W Speed: In Port Seas: In Port Miles traveled from Ft. Lauderdale: 1936.2 nautical miles Weather: Rainy a.m. and Sunny p.m. We arrived in Manta, Ecuador (Spanish word for equator) this morning around 6:00 am after crossing the equator around 1:00 a.m. We are still on our Eastern Time zone time here. Thankfully, King Neptune allowed our passage as we arrived safe and sound through calm seas. He didn’t think we deserved sunny skies though, because [View Full Entry]

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Day 5 - January 19, 2007, Friday, Bound for Manta, Ecuador Latitude: 04 degrees 26.09 minutes N Longitude: 080 degrees 01.41 minutes W Speed: 17.3 knots (avg) Seas: 1.5-4 ft Yesterday we reached and transited the Panama Canal. It was an AMAZING day and a hot one—83 degrees and beautifully sunny! This masterpiece of engineering that took over 10 years to build and cost over 6,000 lives due to Yellow Fever and Cholera was first transited in 1914. The Panama Canal saves each ship that transits it almost 8,000 miles (not having to go around South America). We were up [View Full Entry]

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Hello All, Internet webcam live feed of ships through the Panama Canal: www.pancanal.com An update on times for our ship, ms Amsterdam, to go through the canal is as follows (approximate transit times, CST): Arrive at the first set of Locks (Gatun): 6:30 am Depart Gatun Locks: 8:10 am Arrive at the second set of Locks (Pedro Miguel): 12:40 pm Depart the Pedro Miguel Locks: 1:50 pm Arrive at the third set of Locks (Miraflores): 2:00 pm Depart the Miraflores Locks: 3:00 pm Hope the webcams are up and running if you have a chance to look! Kathy [View Full Entry]

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MOM’s Entry A day at sea should be leisurely—but it’s not!! There are just too many fun things to do. We finished putting all of the stuff from our NINE suitcases away this morning. This number does not include backpacks and computer bags or those cases of my sister. I will let her tell you how many she brought! It is truly amazing how much you can put in 179 square feet—179 square feet that is outfitted properly with drawers and cubbies and built in wardrobes. We have two cabins for the four of us—thank goodness because we are not traveling [View Full Entry]

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Just a quick entry before departure! We all arrived safe and sound in Ft. Lauderdale had a wonderful dinner with about 350 of our newest friends (shipmates) and today have boarded the Holland America Amsterdam ship to begin our Voyage of Discovery! Departure was scheduled for 5:00 pm; however, we have not left yet and it is now 6:00 pm. We are enjoying the breezes on the promenade deck as we write this and await our sailaway! More later..... [View Full Entry]

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We are a family of four: Randy (Dad), Kathy (Mom), Drew (oldest son-11) and Matt (youngest son-9) that have been planning our “Around the World” trip now for months and months! Though “Dad” has been involved in all the discussion and decision-making regarding the trip we are so sad that he won’t be with us to share all of our experiences first-hand until we reach Southampton England, where he will meet us. My sister, Gail, who lives near Charlotte NC is taking a leave of absence from her work and will be traveling with us on this amazing trip. The [View Full Entry]

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