Blogs from Koror, Palau, Oceania - page 2

Hopefully this will be my final enty for the Palau Blog... The day after our last dive in Palau we spent the day at the Palau Pacific Resort just snorkeling on the private reef there, which was fantastic, I spotted a moray eel, and searched again for the octopus we had spotted a couple of days previously. Grae had developed a very sore ear infection which wasent helped by the doctor stabbing him in the ear with the instrument meant to inspect the infection. It bled quite alot and Grae was in alot of pain so he absolutley couldn't get his ear wet, which was lucky that we had finished our diving but a shame that he couldn't snorkel anymore. So while I was snorkeling Grae hired a Kayak for a hour or so and pulled ... read more

First, just a small note about my last entry on Tubbataha...I forgot to let you know that not only did I see a whaleshark, easily between 8 to 10 meters long cruising at 21 meters deep...but I had also two of the best night dives ever. Quite easy to understand when you see the amount of fish. But this time, you can imagine that in a single torch light, I had the chance to see at the same time a huge turtle, as well as 2 white tip sharks cruising just below the turtle...amazing! But let's go back to Palau... If you are a diver, you heard of Palau...if not, you may wondering where is this place. Easy, 3 hours (1035 miles), west of Manila. 20,000 people for this independant state...not much behind great Ahi Tuna ... read more

So I arranged a trip to palau. I was telling everyone I met. "I'm going to Palau". And they'd say "Cool... um... where's Palau?" and I'd say "Micronesia" and they'd say "Cool....um.... where's Micronesia?" - insert embarrassed tone and bashful expression here - And I'd say "Um....north". I didn't really, exactly know where it was either. Even now, after I've been there I have a little difficulty locating it on a world map. There. I admit it - insert embarrassed tone and bashful expression here. Worldly traveller indeed. But at least I don't think Micronesia is a fictional place made up on the movie Zoolander, like some people I've met. So why was I going to this place if I didn't even really know where it was? Well, I'd heard great things about it from a ... read more

nach einem guten monat auf der insel, besser: den inseln, die mit obigem slogan fuer sich werben, ist die zeit reif fuer einen weiteren travelblogeintrag. palau ist der kleine trotzkopf des pazifik. seit 1994 unabhaengige, eigenstaendige republik, hat dieses 18.000 koepfe inclusive der ca. 2000 einwanderer zaehlende voelkchen im vorfeld der unabhaengigkeit entschieden, dass es nicht in die foederation der mikronesischen staaten (f.s.m.) will; dass es amerikas “trusteeship“ (amerikanischer begriff fuer kolonie, elf buchstaben), das seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg bestand, abloesen will; und dass es nicht zulassen will, dass die USA im militaerischen ausnahmefall nukleares material in seinem gebiet lagern oder durch sein gebiet transportieren darf. in letztem punkt haben die insulaner, nach zehn jahren debatte und zig volksentscheiden, kleinbeigegeben. unterm strich bleibt: sie sind offizie... read more