Still on the Pacific...

Still on the Great Big Blue Pacific! The seas have been very calm and the sunsets gorgeous. Yesterday it was 77 degrees outside with a nice breeze-perfect weather! It feels like we’ve been at sea for much longer than a week! As I lay out on the deck with my book and ipod in hand, I find it hard to believe that all this is actually REAL (and its considered COLLEGE)!!!!

Classes ended two days ago and now we have finals. It is weird not having classes and a schedule. Yesterday was the dreaded Global Studies Final which surprisingly was not that difficult. I think every student onboard is glad that that class is over. Today is an A-day study day and tomorrow I have my Marine final followed by a B study day and then my Human Effects on Coastal Systems Final. I’m hoping the finals won’t be too hard. I have lots of studying to do in the mean time.

On April 25^th we had the Ambassador’s Ball. It was a really fun event where the entire shipboard community dressed up and had a fancy dinner followed by an “oldies” dance, regular dance in the union, pub night, and the biggest spread of desserts that I have ever seen. It was fun to dress up and have delicious food for a change.

On Sunday, the last day of classes, we had the much anticipated and widely talked about TACO DAY!!! I seriously think that you can get the student body to do anything when you use Taco Day as an incentive. Mason, Kelly, Kristin and I each had plates full of tacos and guacamole that went perfect with a bag a Have’a chips. I took pictures and didn’t eat dinner that night because I was so full. They are definitely the best, worst tacos I’ve ever had.

We arrive in Puntarenas, Costa Rica in four days. I’m going on a Canopy adventure on the morning that we arrive. I’ve heard that the zip-line course in Costa Rica is one of the best in the world. I’m really excited. After that I don’t really have any other plans. I do know that I want to find postcards, as always and some delicious food and maybe a nice beach.

It is hard to believe that this voyage is almost over. I’m kind of nervous about coming home. Like Hawaii, I’m afraid that it will be familiar yet foreign. However, I can’t wait to hug my family and talk to friends. I’m in the second to last group to disembark the ship in Miami. We arrive at 8am and I’ve heard that it is a pretty long process clearing customs, declaring purchases, immigration etc… Luckily, my flight isn’t until 7:40pm out of Miami. I’m sure we will receive more info in the four days from Costa Rica to Miami.

Ok, off to go find a quiet hallway and study.

Happy Birthday Dad (in a few days)!!!!

Again, thanks for all the awesome letters, thoughts and support.

-Megan

:-)

WOW! When I opened my door yesterday morning I had sooo many letters that my steward couldn’t put all of them on my door. He ended up opening my door and putting them on the floor. Thank you EVERYONE!! Especially Grandma, Mom, Dad and Val, Aunt Kelly, Grannie Antice, LINDY!!, Roommate, and Cuz. I’m saving them and only opening one a day!!! Yesterday I opened one of Aunt Kelly’s only to find lambie wool. Haha! I guess it’s better than bacon.

My room is so stocked up on food! I can’t tell you how happy it is to have snacks that have English labels and taste of flavors of home. 5 bags of Have’a’chips and mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies-yum! Yesterday, after my two classes, I laid out with one of my new People magazines, bag of Have’a’chips and ipod on the 5^th deck. The weather was beautiful and the sunset was gorgeous. It almost felt like I was at Shaws except for the rumbling of the engines.

My cell phone is dead and not just battery dead, but won’t turn on. So I’m sorry that I couldn’t call any friends. Also, most of my close friends’ phone numbers are saved into my phone so I don’t have access to them- I’m sorry! I’m going to be using payphones until I get home to straighten it all out.

15 More days- the ending will be very bittersweet.

Good Luck this weekend in the SCIAC Championships girls! I’ll be thinking of you!!!

Honolulu, HAWAII!!!!

After traveling a decent portion of the world, I can say that no place that I have visited has made me feel the way I did when I saw my mom for the first time since January. There is something so comforting, relaxing, and soothing when being with family. We had an action packed, amazing day.

Kristin and I were one of the first TEN off the ship!! We were let off before the announcement was made that the ship was cleared. My mom and aunt were waiting in their soccer-mom rented minivan. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling that swept over me when my mom and I hugged. I miss her and family so much. Anyway, my friend Kristin, Aunt Kim, Mom and I went back to the condo and started laundry and then decided to go to Jamba Juice!! JAMBA JUICE!! We walked the International Marketplace around 8am and Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head in the distance. We jumped in my mom’s blue Chrysler Town and Country minivan to drive to Haleiwa to eat at the delicious Cholo’s Mexican Food! MY taste buds were, and still are, on sensory overload. The entire day was filled with delicious food! (As you can tell, the day was mostly driven by a hunt for my cravings over the last three months-food). Val you would be proud!

After a delicious lunch we went to a grocery store where I could actually read the labels! We then stopped at Turtle Beach and swam with the turtles/snorkeled. It was the first time that I have been in a complete body of water in over a month! The ocean was very welcoming and warm. We saw two turtles at the beach. I looked at my watch and noticed that it was already 2pm. The day was slipping away. Our next stop was the Dole Pineapple plantation where we had the most delicious pineapple soft-serve ice cream EVER! A visit to Oahu is not complete without a Dole Pineapple ice cream. Once back in the car and on the road we headed towards the ship. I was really excited to be able to show off my home for the past three months to my mom and aunt. They loved my tiny cabin and all the decks. I unloaded a really big suitcase along with a lot of souvenirs. The ride from the ship location in Honolulu Harbor to the condo was about 20 minutes. Back at the condo I unpacked my bag of souvenirs and showed my mom and aunt all my new treasures. We also watched my skydiving video from South Africa!!! To say it was an amazing day is an understatement. I had a beyond awesome day and wish I could stay longer in Hawaii.

When we disembarked the ship the two girls in front of me kissed the ground. I was so so excited to be at a place that spoke the same language, had understandable currency, and familiar faces. While Hawaii felt familiar, it also felt foreign. Having not had all these luxuries for over 90 days, it felt very strange to read a menu in English, order food in English and drive on the ‘right’ side of the road. Some other startling things…. signals, silverware (no chopsticks), fresh air, safe streets, drinkable water, FDA approved food, laundry that smells like Tide and clean western toilets. It was also amazing to walk on the ship with a suitcase full of People magazines, Have’a’chips, a jar of peanut butter, trail-mix, my grandpa’s tshirt, waterpolo pictures from the Whittier game and clean smelling laundry.

Leaving tonight from Hawaii at 2400 hours and arriving in Costa Rica in 10 days. 10 days at sea + School Finals + 23 hour days + Rough Seas = Exciting! It is hard to believe that this whirlwind voyage is almost over. I do have to say that I think that I will be ready for home on May 9^th. Grandma- Chinese food on May 10^th? I’m ready to show off my newly acquired chopstick skills.

17 MORE DAYS! I love you!!!

Hello from the Great Pacific!

Hello from the Great Pacific!

Well, the Pacific is anything but Pacific. It took me a while to regain my sea legs after being in calm waters for the past month. Last night I was back to taping drawers and swiping counters. Everything ended up back on the floor. Dinner was rather entertaining. Every plate either had a hand on it or a napkin under it just to hold the plate on the table. It was like inhale food before it ends up on the floor. Its also fun catching air while lying in bed. I can hear when the bow of the ship (because our cabin is towards the bow) catch air because when it comes down the entire ship shakes. Fun!

Yesterday was our second April 15th, 2008! We are in some unknown time zone. I think we are now like 6 hours BEHIND California? I’m not sure. We lost another hour of sleep last night. Combined with rough seas and loss of sleep it is really difficult to get any school work done. I find myself waking up early to workout and try and accomplish something.

6 days until I get to see my mommy and Aunt in Hawaii. Still not sure where we are docking but I know that we’re set to arrive around 0600 hours.

Good Luck against CMS girls!!! I’m thinking of you!

Happy early Birthday Cat!

Hello from the Great Pacific!

Hello from the Great Pacific!

Well, the Pacific is anything but Pacific. It took me a while to regain my sea legs after being in calm waters for the past month. Last night I was back to taping drawers and swiping counters. Everything ended up back on the floor. Dinner was rather entertaining. Every plate either had a hand on it or a napkin under it just to hold the plate on the table. It was like inhale food before it ends up on the floor. Its also fun catching air while lying in bed. I can hear when the bow of the ship (because our cabin is towards the bow) catch air because when it comes down the entire ship shakes. Fun!

Yesterday was our second April 15th, 2008! We are in some unknown time zone. I think we are now like 6 hours BEHIND California? I’m not sure. We lost another hour of sleep last night. Combined with rough seas and loss of sleep it is really difficult to get any school work done. I find myself waking up early to workout and try and accomplish something.

6 days until I get to see my mommy and Aunt in Hawaii. Still not sure where we are docking but I know that we’re set to arrive around 0600 hours.

Good Luck against CMS girls!!! I’m thinking of you!

Happy early Birthday Cat!

Japan- Kobe, Hiroshima and Tokyo

The clearing process (immigration, customs etc…) to get into Japan was LONG. They used very high-tech equipment! MY temperature was taken to make sure I did not catch the bird flu (cousin!) in China and my pictures and fingerprints were also recorded. Everyone then had a formal interview with a customs officer! We finally got off the ship around 1300 hours and still needed to get our rail passes validated before we could catch the subway to the Shin-Kobe station to board the Hikari Shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo. The shinkansen traveled over 100 mph before reaching Tokyo where we boarded another line to Mihama station aka DISNEYLAND!!! After about 4.5 hours of travel we made it to Tokyo, Disneyland! I can’t describe how comforting and welcoming Disneyland was! Everything was very familiar, comforting and happy. We took the monorail to our extremely grande Sheraton Grande Bay Disneyland resort. They had the most advanced, high-tech, weird toilet that I have ever seen! The seat cover was heated! After taking full advantage of free internet, making some phone calls on skype and enjoying a delicious 350 Yen cheeseburger we settled in for night.

Saturday we spent ALL day at Disneyland. I learned so much about the Japanese culture people-watching at Disneyland! It is a very high-paced Disneyland with strollers, kids, lines and popcorn stands everywhere. POPCORN- almost every little kid had a bucket with a string on it around their neck filled with all different flavors of popcorn, my favorite was seeing curry popcorn- GROSS! The kids just munch on popcorn all day. I even saw little toddlers in strollers downing popcorn! Also, almost all the rides were in Japanese!! The Japanese are extremely organized! The park opened at 830am and the four of us got there at around 8am to find long lines at the entrance gate!!! Every fastpass was sold out by noon and some of the lines were over two hours long. There was also a park called DisneySea with a bunch of other random rides (kind of like a wanna-be California Adventure). After watching the parade and using our fast passes for Splash Mountain we went back to our hotel to pick up our backpacks before boarding the monorail to eat at our 350 yen cheeseburger café called Becker’s burgers! We boarded the subway to the main JR Shinkansen station to catch our 2003 Hikari Express back to Shin-Kobe. It was a long day but was definitely worth it!

In the morning we left at 924 am for our 1 hour and 45 minute train ride to Hiroshima, where we visited the Hiroshima Castle and Memorial Park. Memorial park was very moving and emotional. The atomic bomb exploded 600 meters above the now named A-bomb Dome. The Dome was declared a World Heritage site in 1996 and is an ever-lasting reminder of August 6, 1945. The Museum was very well organized and was not bias like the Vietnam war remnants museum. It was strange to see young Japanese school girls still in their school uniforms posing for funny pictures infront of the A-bomb dome flashing the peace sign- so unreal.

The train system here in Japan is amazingly convenient and on time! I wish we had more time in Japan because with the Railpass you can practically do an entire city in one to two days depending on how much you really want to see. Everyone is so kind and helpful. I sat next to this kind older lady home last night from Hiroshima to Shin-Kobe. We had an entire conversation in Japanese. She spoke to me like I knew what she was saying and I just nodded and smiled. It was hilarious and fun.

Today, while the rest of the group left for Kyoto, I decided to stay in Kobe to have a day to myself. I tried to find the zoo but got on the wrong subway! It was an adventure. I ended up walking a mall. Everything is very expensive here with the rising Yen and the falling dollar. I treated myself to a Starbucks where I am right now using free internet before heading back to the ship.

We leave tonight and are at sea for 8 days until Hawaii. I have A LOT of school work- 2 presentations and a final paper due before we reach Hawaii. I’m really really excited because I get to see my mom and aunt in OAHU!!! The past two ports there have been more and more parents meeting us when we arrive and lugging their son/daughters enormous suitcases off the ship.

Thank you for the letters!! It is hard to believe that there is less than a month left of this whirl-wind adventure.

Japan Picts!

PICTURES!!! Asia!

R: Delivery McDonald's on a bike!
M: Me zip lining off the Great Wall
R: The Hyatt disappears into the clouds at 89 stories tall!






The Great Wall of China!!!













EVA AIR!!












L: Entrance to the Ming Tombs
M: Cherry Blossoms!
R: Sprite?







L: Lights of Hong Kong's highrise
R: CPK!!!!! in HK!!!

Shanghai, China Part II

Our flight arrived in Shanghai at 10:45pm. We took one of the sketchiest cab rides EVER but long story short we made it to the port. I’ve never been so happy to see the ship before in my LIFE! It was freezing outside and the wind didn’t help. The check-in line to get back into the ship was about 400 people long! Our group was about 150 or so people behind the gangway. There were only 60 people on the ship when it sailed from Hong Kong to Shanghai, the rest were in Beijing. I finally got on the ship around 1:15am, took a shower and threw all my clothes on the floor. Our room was spotless, as always because our steward Andrew is amazing. I noticed that I had a HUGE stack of letters on my pillow, so I put my headlamp on (because Lauren was sleeping) and opened each letter one by one. It was a great way to end a very long day.

In the morning I forced myself to get up at 8am to grab breakfast and tour Shanghai. Kristin and I left to hopefully find an internet café to book a hotel in Tokyo for our ultimate Disneyland adventure! The skyscrapers in Shanghai are something out of the future! It has the third tallest building in the world which looks something like a rocketship. Kristin and I toured a beautiful shopping market where we found a Starbucks and a McDonalds (to use its bathroom facilities which had all western toilets, thank goodness). We jumped in a cab to go to the Hyatt which had an 88th floor observation deck. We discovered that you had to pay 70 Yuan (about 10 dollars) to reach the top so we were over that. The Hyatt, located on the 52nd floor offered a decent view through the hazy and fog. It had rained all day and it was cold, windy rain. We had one of the nicest lunches that I ever had on the 56th floor of the Hyatt where we had breathtaking views of the river and the skyscrapers down below us. After a delicious, three course lunch we headed back to ship because we couldn’t find an inexpensive internet café. The ship was very warm, dry and welcoming. I had a lot of housekeeping things to take care of like emailing my advisor for registering for classes and cleaning up our room. I also started writing a paper for one of my classes. It was one of those days where you just want to stay in your PJs all day, eat chicken noodle soup and watch movies while its raining outside. I miss those days at home.

This morning we are back on the seas for two days until Japan traveling at a S-L-O-W speed of about 12 knots. I woke to find 3 more letters on my door! I love mail! Back to school mode with two more days of classes! I can’t wait for Japan and 9days at sea to see my mommy and Aunt in HAWAII!!!

China- Hong Kong and Beijing- Part I

WOW CHINA!

We arrived in the morning into Hong Kong harbor. Hong Kong has one of the most beautiful skylines in the world. There are high rise buildings EVERYHWERE. This was my first experince in a real big city!

Our ship docked at a mall, a very CLEAN mall. The mall was like an airport terminal but for ships. The first thing Kristin and I noticed when we walked off the ship was CPK!!! California Pizza Kitchen!!! GOOD FOOD that reminded us of home! Kristin, Shane, Lauren and I set off to take the subway to the "Ladies Market." This was also my first experience riding a SUBWAY! It was so much fun- like the monorail in Disneyland! At the ladies market there was almost any fake designer made products! Chanel, Gucci, etc... After total sensory overload we decided to eat at the "Portland cafe" where I ordered "western style rice" and practiced my chop-stick skills. Lauren left to catch her indy Beijing trip while Shane, Kristin and I went to the Space Museum (one of the best in the world) and watched a film on Black Holes in space. After walking around for a while and taking over the Sheraton to find postcards and stamps, we headed back to the ship to get ready for amazing dinner at CPK! After one of the best BBQ Chicken pizzas I've ever had ( I swear I've lost more tastebuds on this trip) we went to watch the infamous Light show. The show invovles over 40 high rise buildings where lights play with music. It was something from another world. All these huge buildings with lights dancing. After the 10 minutes show we didn't know what to do. I said that it would be cool to ride the subway again, so we took the subway to another market and then headed back to the ship to pack for our Great Wall expeditions. The ship's company dismissed alot of the crew in Hong Kong because it is cheaper to send them back to the Phillipines. They will be missed!

I woke up early to meet 15 people that I would be traveling with to Beijing to participate in the "Sleep on the Great Wall Tour". Traveling idependently is completely different from that of traveling with SAS. We had our own pace and our own schedule. Hope and I had a separate flight from everyone else so we had some time to kill in the humungous Hong Kong Airport! Our 3 hour flight to Beijing was rather uneventful besides the two music channels that they had on the plane that were in English. It was weird hearing songs that I've never heard before! Once at the airport, Hope and I couldn't find our group so we took a taxi to the street where I hostel was located. It was a confusing process considering, unlike Hong Kong, very few people speak English. We finally made it to our hostel where the rest of the group was waiting and we went out to dinner to a Chinese restaurant. At the resturant Pete decided to have Dog! I tasted it and it tasted like meat but I still felt guilty. Everyone went to bed pretty early in preparation for our Great Wall adventure.

At 830am we met our guide, Jason at our hostel. Jason works with The China Guide and is 25 years old. He was byfar the BEST guide I've had on the entire voyage! We departed for our 1 hour journey to the Ming tombs and 2 hours after that to the wall. The Ming Tombs are where all the emperors and empresses from the Ming Dynasty are buried. (the dates I have written somewhere) We toured the entrance to the tombs and then the underground palace. After the tombs and a two hour drive we reached the summit of the wall. On every hilltop there are signal/guards towers. The wall was all around us. We hiked forabout 45 minutes and saw a bollywood movie being filmed on one portion of the wall. Afterwards we descended to a small village where a delicious dinner was waiting. After dinner everyone grabbed two sleeping bags and a mat and head for the entrance. To reach the wall meant carrying my backpack, two sleeping bags and a mat in the dark up very very steep steps. We reached the wall and claimed our spot. The night was fun and I was surprised that I fell asleep early.

The sun woke us up at 6am where our tour guide came up and met us to begin our 10 km hike of this specific section of the wall. The route was anything but flat! Those ancient Chinese soldiers had to have the strongest calf muscles! About half way done we heard a large crack and then a long, loud rumble. It was probably the loudest thunderstorm I've ever heard. We were all hot and sweaty but it was freezing outside. The rain felt like needles hitting your skin! After about a 30 minuite walk in the rain we reached a bridge that took us to two more guards towers before reaching the exit point of the wall. To get to the bus meant either a 30 minute walk downhill or a 3 minute zip-line ride across the river. The zipline looked really sketchy and after some peer pressure I committed. I figured if I could jump out of an airplane 8,000 feet in the air I can zipline off the Great Wall. tThe guide decided that two of us were two light to go so we were strapped in together and thrown off the platform! It was really fun and went pretty slow! After our time with the "flying Fox" (the name of the zipline) we had a delicious lunch before beginning our long bus ride back to Beijing. We stopped at Olympic park to check out the "bird's nest" and the "cube." The bird's nest describes the elaborate architecture outside the stadium and the cube is the aquatics center that looks like a cube of water- pretty neat. Unfortunately there is still alot of construction going on so we couldn't get too close. Once back at the hostel, Hope and I walked around Beijing and the Bar district before finding a nutrious dinner of McDonalds. I never thought I would say this, but Chinese food does get a little boring after a while. I ordered by pointing and signing because there was no way I could read the menu in Chinese! It was funny! We also find the postoffice where I bought 20 postcards and stamps for under 6 USD! Things are surprisingly inexpensive here.

Today, Hope and I slept in and toured Tin'anmen Square, the Forbidden city and did a little shopping. I'm now back at the hostel and have two hours to kill before our group meets to take taxis to the airport. We have a 9pm flight from Beijing to Shanghai. Back to arriving in Beijing- When we arrive in Beijing and went to clear customs there were certain areas fro foreigners and citizens, but there was also a lane with a sign above reading "Olympians!" CRAZY!

Last night I was able to call people using Skype from the hostel. Skype has to be one of the best computer programs ever. It cost 3 cents a minute to call home and it sounded like my mom was in the next room. I miss family alot! I can't wait to get back to the ship to read my letters!

Tomorrow I have a full day in Shanghai before having to be back on the ship at 2100 hours. China has been a whirlwind and I still haven't really digested it all. The culture is something like I've never seen in any of the other countries- very unique and different.

I hope to blog on Shanghai before 4 days in Kobe, Japan. Kristin and I have a bullet train railpass where we plan to go to Tokyo and maybe Hiroshima.

P.S. This keyboard is kind of strange so mind the spelling errors...

Thank you for all your support!

Love, Megan

I survived a day in Hong Kong. This was my first experience in a REAL big city! I even mastered the subway in one day. I'll write a longer post later. Leaving for the Hong Kong airport to board our flight to Shanghai! It is suppose to be in the 50s and 60s and I can't wait for COLD weather! More later. Love, Megan

Arrived in Hong Kong!

Just arrived in Hong Kong. We were greeted by one of the most beautiful skylines in the world. There are skyscrapers EVERYWHERE! Today Shane, Kristin and I plan on checking out the world’s largest Buddha and the Space Museum. The ship is in a location where we have an awesome view of the famous Hong Kong light show. The best part about Hong Kong has been the WEATHER! It is actually COLD outside! I can’t wait to wear a JACKET! I leave for Beijing tomorrow along with 10 other students. 6 DAYS IN CHINA!! YIPPEE!!!

Happy Early Birthday Jenn!!