Blogs from Philippine Sea, Pacific, Oceans and Seas

After being on this ship for a little more than a fortnight we have formed a little group of friends. We gravitate together everyday and chat about all the fun activities we have done. So when our new friend, we will call him "Ken", because that is his name, heard about the hypnotist show, he wanted go and volunteer. So we said we would be his support team. We all met a half hour before the show at our normal perch and walked into the show room together. There were 21 chairs displayed on the stage and then the hypnotist walked out after a flamboyant introduction from our cruise director. He asked for volunteers and we were all very vocal in getting attention for Ken. Ken made his way on stage and the hypnotist approached me ... read more

What an amazing place. Worth the trip down all the way. The ocean is so beautiful here. The people are even more lovely. We chose a shore excursion that was going to give us many different things. First we boarded a nice motor coach and drove about an hour to Rototura. The drive was very nice with grazing sheep, cows and horses in rolling mountains that provided many snap shot opportunities. Once we arrived in city of Rotorua we boarded WWII amphibious water crafts, called "Ducks" and rode in those through the local parks. We also received duck calls so we could quack as we drove around. very annoying and fun. And then we splashed into two lakes. Our driver was entertaining and even played the mission impossible theme as we went onto the water. We ... read more

Pago Pago America Samoa Talofa- from Pago Pago. Pronounced Pango Pango. The "G" is pronounced with the "N" sound as well. November 9th, 2012is a rainy day on the island. Our ship arrived early in the morning to many waves from happy smiles from the locals with energetic music that made you want to dance. I found America Samoa a conflicted island with much potential. The inhabitants are either Catholic or Mormon LDS. But yet hold their island heritage and belief of their gods in their hearts. They can only marry with permission from their local chief. They wish for higher education but only have a community college with a 2 year Associate Degree. And with very limited enrollment. They praise their island to be pristine, but there is garbage every where. They don't have a ... read more

In November 2010, Carson and Deb took a trip to the Philippines to do some scuba diving. We flew into Manila, then traveled overland to the southern shore of Luzon Island where we boarded a water taxi to Mindoro Island and the small beach town of Puerto Galera. Shimmering seas and lush mountains surround the small town and three cove shaped beaches, all called Sabang. The boat harbor and our hotel are on the largest. The Atlantis Dive Resort catered to our every need. From small swimming pool, spa, massages, internet, beachside bar and fantastic restaurant, we found we never had to leave the grounds. The staff were incredibly friendly, everyone was on a first name basis. For Carson the diving was fantastic. The coral is still pristine in these waters. The Resorts Master Divers took ... read more