Blogs from Northern Mariana Islands, Oceania

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands » Pagan March 30th 2012

Hi all, We have now been in Australia for a week and we are loving it! We are driving down the east coast from cairns to Melbourne in a campervan. We have so far made it down as far as Airlie Beach which is in the Whitsunday's. The beaches here are amazing although we haven't seen anyone swimming in the sea because of the Box Jellyfish. The campervan isn't too much of squeeze. So far we are enjoying being alot more independent and self reliant than we were in Asia (Although this has meant alot of tomato pasta meals and cereal). The drives for place to place are anything but dull with amazing views of mountains, flat plains, huge rivers. Also trying to guess that animal the road kill is (still trying to spot our first ... read more

Saipan - sort of

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands March 15th 2012

The Tilsons

Thursday 15th March 2012: Today didn’t exactly go to plan and in a way that means I can’t tell you anything about Saipan because we didn’t go there. We had to report for Saipan’s immigration checks between 6.30 and 7.00 am but while we were getting ready to go, the Captain broadcast over the ship’s tannoy and that’s a very rare thing at half six in the morning. He said they had just sent the first tender ashore (we were already at anchor just off the island) and the boat was having an awful journey. They were going to pick up the immigration people but it was blowing a Force 7 and the sea was pretty choppy. He warned us that he was considering abandoning any efforts to get passengers ashore. To give him ... read more

The Marianas Islands

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands March 14th 2012

The Tilsons

Wednesday 14th March 2012: Sorry to rub it in but this has been yet another day of indulgent rest and relaxation. A long chatty breakfast led to us being, yet again, the last people out of the restaurant. A lovely lady who dined with us has to leave the ship tomorrow as her husband had a heart attack on board yesterday so he’s being air lifted back to Australia. What a sad thing to cause the curtailment of such a wonderful holiday. We have had a much happier day including another excellent maritime lecture; this time on that perpetual subject of fascination – the Titanic. They re-assessed the sinking a few years ago using modern computer technology. They established that the total square footage of the damage done to the hull amounted to just ... read more

Saipan adventures

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands » Saipan March 4th 2011

Tank turret

futtrup

Thursday 3.3 – Saipan, Northern Marianas We arrived to Saipan the previous evening, welcomed by our friends Randy and Cheryl, who escorted us to our hotel. A pleasant evening, though there had been some airholes coming with the short flight from Guam (the children enjoyed it, Birgitte did not…). Randy and Cheryl met us for breakfast and took us for a trip – we went to Obyan Beach where there were a few people snorkeling and diving. It was on the south coast with good views to Tinian. There used to be a hydrofoil boat from Garapan to Tinian, but it is long gone and you can only go there now by plane. I had thought it would be interesting to go there for a day trip to see the Atomic bomb pits, where the bombs ... read more

Saipan

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands » Saipan March 1st 2009

Granddaddy

This is probably the smallest "dot" or "pin" on our entire voyage. Saipan is 12.5 miles long and 5.5 miles wide. But, it is also a good example for me that you can learn something new every day, no matter how old you are. Saipan is one of 15 tropical islands here in the western Pacific Ocean which is officially named: The capital of the ´United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands¡. I didn't know until today that there was another U.S. commonwealth other than Puerto Rico. Saipan is a little oasis of the USA. Cars drive on the right hand side of the road just like they do at home. In the rest of the Pacific and Far East, they drive cars on the left hand side of the road like they do in ... read more

Saipan

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands » Saipan March 20th 2008

CO Erin

Monday, March 17, 2008 We are in Guam today, the largest island in Micronesia, the southern most of the Mariana Islands. It was created from the peaks of two ancient volcanoes that sank into the sea and fused together millions of years ago. Guam is an island territory of the United States located 900 miles north of the equator in the Western Pacific. As part of the US, we have to go through all the US immigration and customs. Because we, along with half the ship, had a tour today we had to be downstairs between 6 and 6:30am to collect our passport and then go through the line for immigration and customs. Of course the Customs folks didn’t get onboard until 6:30am and the immigration people at 7:00am. There were some hot people in the ... read more

Saipan continued

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands » Saipan March 19th 2008

onthegogirl

There is very little native forest left in Saipan for the same reason that Guam is covered by introduced species. What little is left is conserved and allowed to thrive. We took a short walk down a trail and heard birdsong, saw butterflies. Before the war, Japan had possession of Saipan for many years. The population spoke Japanese and many Japanese nationals lived here. During the war, the Japanese propaganda machine convinced the inhabitants that the Americans were evil captors who would rape the women, butcher and torture the men and children. Despite leaflets dropped during the invasion, many, many families made their way to what is now known as Suicide Ridge and Bonzai Cliff. There, the youngest child was prodded over the cliff, followed by the other children in order of age and finally by ... read more

Saipan

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands » Saipan March 19th 2008

onthegogirl

While Saipan’s culture has been influenced by the US, it is less developed than Guam. The northern end of the island has neither electricity nor water infrastructure and is maintained much like a national park. Despite pressure from developers, the locals have repeatedly voted to keep it that way. It is on the north end that my tour was concentrated. The first stop was the Blue Grotto, a collapsed cave when divers can experience one of the great cave dives. One enters the water in a turbulent shore side pool and swims through one of three tunnels to the sea. Turtles, sharks and other marine critters make their home there. It is a dive for only the most experienced. There are 112 steps down to the pool. Six Chinese tourists who were taking pictures during a ... read more

ugh...

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands » Saipan February 13th 2008

sallyrose

THE COMMISSIONER IS ADVISING ALL PRINCIPALS TO KEEP ALL STUDENTS INDOORS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE VOLCANIC HAZE MOVING TOWARDS THE ISLANDS OF SAIPAN, TINIAN, AND ROTA. WE WILL KEEP YOU ALL POSTED AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THE NEXT BULLETIN FROM THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE. THANK YOU this is a memo i got today after everyone stepped outside for break and couldn't even breathe it was so sulfury. yuck. sorry i haven't updated in forever. 3 day weekend coming up...i will write soon :)... read more

a storm's a-brewin'

Oceania » Northern Mariana Islands » Saipan November 24th 2007

sallyrose

i woke up this morning to the roar of a big storm. the sky is dark and clouded over, and the wind is howling. as angry as it seems outside, it is so peaceful in my house. i have some candles lit for if the power goes out (which i assure you, it will), and a big cup of coffee sitting next to me. now it's time for an update: i have joined a gym! it's called the mandi asian spa and it's at a resort at the north end of the island. since it is a full spa facility and i have a year membership, i get to work out, use all their fancy pools, saunas, library, and HOT showers! it also gives me discounts on massages, hair treatments, and all the food served at ... read more

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