How the Time Flies...

"Thirteen months to the day since Gandalf sent us on our long journey... we found ourselves looking upon a familiar sight. We were home. How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on... when in your heart you begin to understand... there is no going back?" ~ Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Okay so I guess it's been more like 11 months, but I still can't believe we're coming up on a year since I met some of the most wonderful people I've ever known and embarked on a journey to see the world with them.

It seems like a distant dream. Did I really sleep on the Great Wall of China in April? Visit the Taj Mahal in March? Swim with Penguins in Africa? Sail around the world with 700 other college students? I have all these pictures, works of art, small souvenirs, phone numbers, and email addresses that mean it must've been more than a dream, but it still doesn't seem real somehow.

The world we lived in for the first four months of this year was unbelievable. I still find myself captivated by thoughts of it; we lived in a world where we woke up in a new country every couple days, where the ocean was our backyard, and where after only a few days I felt like I had known my new friends my entire life.

Fortunately, I've been able to travel out and visit several of the friends I made along the way, but I am reminded of Dean Ken's prophetic words during one of our final meetings, that we would never again be able to experience our entire group of people being together in the same place. We have all gone our separate ways and returned to our old lives.

Though now separated by great distances, we are still linked by the bonds of a shared experience. I am reminded daily of the people and places I encountered throughout our journey and not a day goes by where I don't have at least a few thoughts about Semester at Sea. Whenever I hear someone mention South Africa, or ask what the currency of India is it still grabs my attention. I've been there! I've seen that!

I think trying to resume life at home has made me even more aware of just how lucky all of us were to have seen the things we saw and done the things we did. I learned so much about myself and the world in those four months and I really do think that it changed me in deep and lasting ways. It has ignited within me a spirit of exploration and adventure I never knew I had.

As 2008 winds to a close, I will forever look back at this year as one of the best of my life. My sincere thanks to all of you who helped make it that way! I can't wait to see what adventures the future has in store for us!

Was There a Coldplay Concert During My Acid Trip?

Somehow I've already managed to let another 6 weeks soar past since I last updated what's going on in my life! I thought now would be a good time for a fresh look to the blog and a fresh post!

I kicked off my Thanksgiving break last Friday with a bang by joining Kate as one of the lucky audience members of Coldplay's sold out show at the Pepsi Center. I'm a longtime fan of those charming Britons and also saw them at this same venue a few years and one album back on their tour to promote the X & Y album.

After listening to a fairly good warm-up band, which I think may have been named Sleeping Car we eagerly awaited the captivating stage presence of Chris Martin and co. The stage crew was busily constructing two large projection screens on the stage, which Kate and I lamented would obstruct our view of the band once the concert started. A short while later the lights dimmed and the screen came to life! Coldplay at last! But it didn't quite sound like Coldplay....And what we saw on the screen is difficult to describe. I'd describe it by asking you to imagine if an artist got jacked up on acid, painted everything he saw in his halleucinations, and then asked a coked up animator to make a video out of it. The result was the most confusing and somewhat discomforting half hour I've experienced in recent memory! We were shown this bizarre display for literally 25 minutes without pause and after it was over I was left feeling slightly nauseous and concerned that someone could later walk up to me on the street , yell "turnip", and that would trigger some implanted command I had been brainwashed forcing me to assassinate someone in high political office.

Other people who have seen Coldplay on their Viva La Vida Tour will recognize the video, as I did some digging and found that it was the product of a guy named Jon Hopkins at a place called Nexus Productions, who, for some reason beyond my comprehension, shows this video at each venue before Coldplay starts their show.

I actually managed to find a clip of the aforementioned video: (CAUTION: This video is extremely psychadelic and I cannot be held responsible for any subliminal message contained therein.) It is a mere 90 seconds of the video we were shown for 25 minutes!!!!

All hail winged blue cat thingie....All hail winged blue cat thingie...

Beyond the odd introduction the actual Coldplay show was incredible. They played a lot of their new songs and brought the energy and presence to the stage that they are renowned for. For me the highlights included 5 large spheres that had been suspended from the ceiling and were lowered during some of the songs. They had some kind of video projectors on the inside them so they could be made to glow or display movies. The effect was amazing! I was also surprised and pleased to see the entire band leave the stage and head up about 30 rows into the stands to play an acoustic set of The Scientist! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a great time!

That's the Thing About Life...

It just keeps going! No matter our joys, our sorrows, our triumphs, our defeats, our tears, our smiles. It just...keeps...going...

I'm finding it nearly impossible to believe that next month will mark half a year since I've been back from Semester at Sea. I still think about it at least four or five times a day. The people... The places... The ship and the ocean...

I also can't believe this semester is almost half way over. Or that I will be graduating from college in about 13 1/2 months. Or that I have been in college for over 3 years...

I was looking back at some of my posts I made while I was a freshman and I've realized that I've always been confused and doubtful of my future. It took me about two months as a freshman before I first felt uncertain and wondered if I was really cut out for this whole college thing.

But as my friends have been kind enough to point out 3 years later here I am! And though I still feel worried and uncertain all the time, the point is that I've made it this far. In comparison with how long it's taken to get here, what little I have left to finish is minuscule.

It will still be a difficult road ahead. I'm really worried about Organic Chemistry and wonder if I'll have to take it again. I feel like every time I walk out of that class I feel like I picked the wrong major. But, with all this talk about change in the air surrounding the election season I realized that our government isn't the only thing in need of changing. I need to change as well. I thought I had, and I suppose I have after my experiences with SAS. But it's still not quite right. I still need to find my place and what I'm supposed to do with my life.

And so after some more soul searching and a meeting with a career counselor I've finally got something to focus on which is what I think is missing. The more I think about it, the more I'd like to get into forensics. I found out my major qualifies me for many positions in forensic science and I find the prospect of the work quite fascinating. Particularly when I heard about the government agency known as DMORT (Disaster Mortuary Operations Response Team). This is a group of forensic experts who can be deployed to any destination in the world for generally at least two weeks to assist with mass disasters or large criminal cases. This would combine my love of travel and the sciences with a career where I would be helping people and where I could come home at the end of the day satisfied in the knowledge that I am contributing to the cause of justice.

Now I just need to make it happen. I am tired of standing in my own way, of the doubt and uncertainty! It ends here. I'm going to do this. Wish me luck!

"Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as silent evidence against him. Not only his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks, the tool mark he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen that he deposits or collects - all these and more bear mute witness against him. This is evidence that does not forget. It is not confused by the excitement of the moment. It is not absent because human witnesses are. It is factual evidence. Physical evidence cannot be wrong; it cannot perjure itself; it cannot be wholly absent. Only its interpretation can err. Only human failure to find it, study and understand it, can diminish its value."

— Paul L. Kirk, PhD

Farewell to a Man's Best Friend

"Near this spot are deposited the remains of one who possessed Beauty without Vanity, Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, and all the Virtues of Man, without his Vices. This Praise, which would be unmeaning Flattery if inscribed over human ashes, is but a just tribute to the Memory of Boatswain, a Dog." ~George Gordon, Lord Byron, "Inscription on the Monument of a Newfoundland Dog"

Yesterday I realized just how attached we can become to our four legged friends. The most unfortunate and difficult time for all pet owners had arrived. I received a call from my parents that the time had come for my beloved Black Lab Rocky.

I still can't believe the amount of joy that dog brought me over the past 13 years. He was always there to give a reassuring lick when I was home sick and would play ball until your arm could throw no longer. He lived to swim and I remember vividly the first moment when he plunged head first into a lake in the mountains after a rock I had thrown.

He was also one of the friendliest and good natured dogs I've ever known. You could put your hand between him and his food and though you might be covered in slobber you wouldn't hear so much as a whimper or a growl out of him.

I also think fondly of those long summer days growing up where rolling around in a kiddie pool we had set up for him was a much enjoyed escape from the heat for him and a source of great amusement for us. He would also race around the yard wildly before rolling in the grass and then trying to rub himself dry on whoever was around. Everyone knows that the most affectionate creature is a wet dog.

He was our companion on many a camping trip and was the best friend a guy could have growing up. There was no adventure he wouldn't spring for with a wagging tail and unmatched exuberance. He was a great dog and I will miss him more than words can say.

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive." ~Gilda Radner

In Loving Memory
Rocky 1995 - 2008

It's the End of the World as We Know It...

And just in time because I have a Molecular Biology test next Thursday! What's all this fuss about the end of the world you're asking?

Tomorrow the CERN research center located on the Franco-Swiss border is going to fire up the Large Hadron Super Collider and attempt to recreate the conditions of the big bang here on Earth. This machine is the brain child of more than 8,000 physicists from over 85 countries!

This will be remarkable in that the LHC is the largest and highest energy particle accelerator ever built by mankind. And what does that mean? Well among other things it is hoped to reveal to scientists a particle called the Higgs boson aka the "God Particle" There are those who believe that if this particle exists and can be observed it may change some of the laws of physics and explain why some of our theories don't quite mach up with what we have observed.

There are also those who believe that it will result in the creation of a black hole which will then proceed to swallow up the entire planet and it's hapless inhabitants along with it. British astronomer Martin Rees puts our odds of being crushed in the belly of a black hole tomorrow at 1 in 50 million...

So if we do arise tomorrow in a slightly more compressed state of matter, it's been a pleasure! I for one intend to spend my last few hours planted in front of SPORE...

Oh No! Not Politics!

Yes yes, my blog has been free of political commentary in it's entire existence but no longer!

Being an Independent, I have tried to remain objective this election and listen to both sides. However I find it increasingly hard to give the Republican ticket a chance particularly after the selection of Sarah Palin as the VP candidate. Being a Molecular Biology major I base many of my decisions on facts and that's why I am so concerned about the possibility of a someone like Palin being a heart beat away from the presidency. Palin has stated that she wants to teach creationism in public schools. She also favors abstinence only sexual education. On global warming she said "I'm not one though who would attribute it to being manmade" I also found it unsettling that for claiming to have stood up to the boys club and Big Oil in Alaska in her speech that her inauguration was sponsored by BP. It was also revealing of her character to claim a stance against earmarks and the infamous Bridge to Nowhere when she in fact did support the project funded by earmarks as recently as 2006! It surprised me just how many ideals of Palin's clash with mine! So to borrow from Hillary, no way, no how, no Palin!

Cells, Seniors, and the Real World!

It's September already? How can this be!? It seems like last weekend I was planning on applying to Semester at Sea. Instead somehow I have managed to get accepted, travel around the world, and spend a summer readjusting to life at home in what feels like the blink of an eye. Time has flown and now I stand a week into my senior year of college! Which I guess technically is my senior year-and-a-half as I will need to stick on an extra semester at the end.

While I feel very excited about this, it also scares the hell out of me! I've never been one of those all-star geniuses in college who captained the debate team, breezed through calculus, and read textbooks on analytical chemistry for fun while also finding the time to cure cancer and create cold fusion on the side.

No instead I was the green Aerospace freshman who dug a massive hole for his GPA through a year of uncertainty culminating in a D in Engineering Computing, a withdrawal from Calculus 2, and a change of majors to something easier... Like Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology.

But the change of majors was a welcome and invigorating breath of fresh air so I left the past in the past, buckled down and stumbled through three semesters of Chemistry and Biology classes before embarking on the most fantastic journey of my life with Semester at Sea. It sounds so cliche but it really was a life changing experience. I returned to the States feeling more confident and sure of myself than I've ever felt. I also felt like I had been given a new direction, and finally I had that motivation I had been searching for in my post-high school years.

Over time though the fiery excitement, passion, and drive I felt when I first returned smoldered and cooled off a bit as I settled back into the summer routine of work and excessive hours of electronic entertainment. As the first week of school wound to a close I found myself wrestling with those old familiar feelings of uncertainty and doubt over my future. While I've scraped my way back up to a 3.0 GPA, I still feel like my academic record wont hold up to grab one of those ever more competitive potential jobs at the end of all this. On top of that, I'm still not sure exactly what I want to do! Seeing the world has motivated me to find some way to contribute to a better future but how exactly do I go about doing that?

I also can't help but feel like I missed the boat this semester from the internship perspective. I am working but not at jobs that will likely help advance my career save for a resume reference. Many of my fellow MCDB seniors have positions in labs conducting promising research but I have no such connections and feel I am running out of time to create them. My schedule this semester is full enough that I'm sure these next four months will pass just as quickly as the rest of this year already has.

So I'll just do the best I can, put my nose to the grindstone and power through three more semesters. I hope to find myself interning somewhere by next Summer and then hopefully either starting my career with a part time job during my last semester next fall or hoping that with 2010 comes a fantastic new job!

Travelling out East!

I'm hoping to sit down and take the time to do a proper entry regaling my travels and SAS reunions in New York, Newark , Boston, Salem, and Manchester, but until then please enjoy these pictures!

New York
Boston, Manchester, Salem

PRK Part 3

Now that my eyes have had a few days to heal, aided by my liberal use of percoset and my magical healing eyedrops I'm actually starting to have decent vision to go along with it. Though my eyes are still fluctuating, today I got to remove the bandage contacts and I'm seeing 20/25 in my left eye and something like 20/30 in the right.

I've been told my left eye has finished healing and that the right has a little more to go and then it's just a matter of waiting for the eye to reshape and smooth itself out!

PRK Day 2 - Must..Not.... Rub Eyes......

This morning brought the first bits of real discomfort I have experienced. I think I must've opened my eyes too quickly as my first waking moments were met with a on again off again pain that felt similar to when a bit of sawdust or some other small irritant gets into your eye. It may also have been that after a full night's sleep my Percoset had worn off.

After my morning drop regimen Kate drove me to the eye doctor to have my first post-op checkup. I'm already seeing 20/40 and I would describe my discomfort as mild so long as I keep a steady flow of Percosets coming. I'm told my vision will still fluctuate considerably as the healing process progresses, but since I was seeing something like 20/1500 before the surgery I'm quite pleased with 20/40 after less than 24 hours.

I managed to have a fairly normal day but by evening my eyes were starting to water quite a bit and the brightness of the TV while trying to watch a movie was enough to make me squint. Hopefully they'll feel a bit better in the morning as I'm hoping to start moving into my new townhouse tomorrow afternoon!

PRK Part 1 - The Surgery

The day finally arrived for my PRK laser eye surgery. I decided to go in for a half day of work to try and give my day a normal feel to it and to try and distract myself from feeling nervous.

The morning passed quickly and before too long Kate was playing chauffer to drive me from Boulder down to the clinic in Denver.

It didn’t take long for them to get me going when I got there. I was given a stylish blue hair net and sweet blue nets to go over my shoes. They also asked me to take off my glasses which I realized would hopefully be for the last time. They also gave me gauze to put over my ears to catch the large amount of drops and washes I would soon be receiving

A short wait later I was escorted back into the surgery room while Kate and my Dad were taken to a small observation room where they could witness my laser show. In the room three doctors were waiting for me. I was told to lay back on a chair similar to the one dentists use that recline you back all the way.

I was then presented with a small basket of various stress balls, and the astronomy buff in me drew me to a delightfully squishy replica of the Earth and another of the Moon. I’m not sure how much squeezing I actually did, but it was strangely comforting to have those two squishy celestial bodies in my hands through the surgery.

After taping something over my left eye my right eye received several drops as well as what I think was a cutip with a numbing agent that was applied to my eyelids.

I then had some kind of device attached to my eyelids which gently held them apart. It was actually much more comfortable than I would’ve thought because I could just relax my eyes and they would stay open on their own, but it was just a light enough touch that I didn’t feel the urge to blink.

I was then rotated under A very bright circular white light with a flashing orange one in the middle. I think my eye was then cleaned as something was applied and wiped off with what seemed like a miniaturized squeegie

My eye was then washed out several times with some kind of saline solution. And I have to say that was the most difficult part of the whole thing as the solution was FREEZING COLD!!! It felt an instant brain freeze. But it passed quickly and before I knew it I was told that I would be needing 45 seconds of correction to the right eye.

I was told to focus on the orange blinking blob in the center. As I focused I could hear several popping noises similar to when a small amount of electricity arcs and I could hear one of the doctors counting down the time remaining while my surgeon helped keep my mind and eye focused on the flashing light.

I really couldn’t feel anything in my eye but I did notice a slight burning smell that reminded me of when I accidentally touched a red stove element with my pinky finger. I also noticed the orange light begin to become slightly more focused and then it started to kind of wash out in whiteness. Enough that I could still see it though. And then suddenly it was done! I had a few more solutions and drops applied to my eye and then a bandage contact was placed over it.

Even just seconds after they rotated me out and switched the covering to my other eye I could already see quite a bit clearer than I normally can without my glasses. It was by no means 20/20 but it was enough to get me excited that my own natural eye could now distinguish minor details unaided

The process was then repeated with the left eye. Drops, cleaning, squeegee, clamps, FREEZING COLD solution. Only this eye needed only 42 seconds of correction and there was also a discussion about elephants with the doctors that made the left eye process go by quickly.

I left the surgery room probably 10 minutes after having entered and could see clear enough to distinguish people’s faces and read large signs.

On the drive home my eyes finally started to become a bit uncomfortable. It feels basically like having two dirty contacts in your eyes combined with an incredible sensitivity to light that made my eyes water like crazy even through my sunglasses. Fortunately I had a Valium and a Percocet ready so as those started to take effect I began to feel quite a bit better.

I’m now feeling quite tired and was surprised to discover I can actually see to use a computer if I use the handy Magnifier program that comes with windows and look at everything at 4X size. I also had to turn the brightness on my laptop down as low as it will go and don a pair of sunglasses to look directly at the screen.

I’m definitely starting to feel my pills now though and the computer screen is starting to give me a headache so it’s off to bed…

A Fond Farewell To Glasses and Contacts

As I sit here on this slightly too warm Wednesday evening I realize that this evening holds a special significance for me as an exceptionally nearsighted individual. Tonight will (hopefully) be the last night I ever need glasses or contacts to be able to distinguish that the glowing blob of blended colors my natural eyes perceive is actually a computer!

Tomorrow afternoon I will be driven to Denver for PRK Laser Surgery. Now if you were expecting to hear the phrase LASIK appear somewhere in that sentence you come from a similar mindset as I did when I got my consult for the surgery.

The story behind PRK is that it is a "no touch" surgery. Meaning that there is nothing used on the eye besides the laser. There is no flap cut in the cornea as there is in LASIK, instead the laser is applied directly to the eye.

Unfortuantely there is a bit more pain and discomfort and a longer recovery time associated with PRK but I keep telling myself it won't be that bad compared to other things I've experienced (TONSILS!!!!) and that it will be worth a lifetime of natural vision!

Plus the laser that does the surgery has a wicked awesome but also slightly intimidating name. It is the Excimer laser...

So at 2:15 tomorrow I'll be lying back on a table wondering is something burning? Nope it's just my eyeball...

Stay Tuned!

Punching Through The Clouds

"Parachuting and Skydiving are potentially dangerous activities. There is a risk of serious injury or death with every skydive or parachute jump." - Skydive Hawaii Disclaimer

Today I signed roughly 8 pages of paper which thoroughly described the methods in which the above disclaimer could come true. I received approximately 2 minutes of instruction from my jump guide before I found myself in a single engine airplane rising to 12,000 ft and preparing to jump out into the wild blue yonder....


Me, James, Erika, Dan, and Nathan prepare for our jump

My instructor Mark takes me to the plane


Getting ready to climb aboard

Minutes before an alarm sounded, the plane leveled off, and I found myself in the great blue yonder.

The view of the Airfield on the way up

The view of the North Shore on the way up

One last look at the airfield


Nearly to our drop altitude... And above the clouds...


GERONIMO!!!


The first few moments were INCREDIBLY exhilerating


WOOO HOOO!!!


Falling through a cloud

Preparing for landing


Coming in for landing


Successful touchdown!

I also had a videographer make the jump with me so check out the video!

Journey's End

As I sit here pondering I find myself in disbelief about what I've just done. I just completed a journey around the world and saw more things in a few months of my young life than many will see in their complete lifetimes. In three and a half months I've experienced complete strangers becoming central and important parts of my life. I've grown as a person and I feel I've a new found respect for the great quantity of things I am privileged with that I previously took for granted.

I'd like to take this moment and thank all of the people who's paths crossed with mine along the way. This trip afforded me the opportunity of encountering some of the kindest, most genuine, and all around wonderful human beings I've ever met! The experience wouldn't have been the same without you!

Though our ship has sailed on without us and I'm struggling to cope with the fact that people who were for months mere seconds away and are now splintered out across the country and the world, I feel a great sense of happiness. Though I've been moved to tears by the end of one of the most incredible periods of my life, I'm also moved by the opinion of a figure of my youth. Dr. Seuss once said "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" I have found more comfort in those words than I thought possible.

Though I would give anything to be back in that sweltering line in the Bahamas, about to begin the adventure, I also feel that the changes set in motion by this experience will lead to even greater things which will resound throughout the rest of my life. I have learned that the world is incredibly immense while at the same time remarkably small. I have learned that despite our seemingly great differences we are all people and merely different shades of the same color.

I am so thankful to have had this experience and fully intend to use the passion it has instilled in me as a primary motivating factor in all my future endeavors and adventures!

Thank you Semester at Sea Spring 2008!!!

More Pictures

I'm working on another entry but here's some photos till then:

Japan
Ambassador's Ball
Costa Rica
Panama Canal
Journey's End: Arrival in Miami

On The Sea Again...

April 16^th, Day 87

April 16^th has finally arrived! This is only a remarkable statement because for the last two days it has been April 15^th. Also unless I somehow make a journey around the world in the opposite direction, this year will contain 367 days for me! The powers that be decided we would repeat the day before we actually crossed the International Dateline, meaning we are in a wonderful make believe non-existent time-zone and a day off of the countries around us… I still cannot believe that the trip is this far along. Even considering how I have spent the last few months my life seems to be accelerating at an ever increasing pace. Tonight was a blast though as Kate and I went to play ping-pong with the balls provided by my parents only to discover that there weren’t any rackets. Being the brilliant minded intellectuals we are we improvised by playing with my sandals from Puerto Rico! It was great fun though there was about an inch of water on the deck making my feet quite cold!

April 18th. Day 89

Today as I lay out on the deck in the early afternoon I had a sudden realization. I was the only guy on this section of the ship surrounded by about 2 dozen college girls in bikinis, sitting under the warm sun on a beautiful day in the Pacific, on my way to Hawaii! Life is sweet! And as if that wasn’t good enough the significance of what we’d been doing the last few months finally hit me. I had just seen the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Brazil, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, China, Japan, more places than some people see in their entire lives in the span of 3 months! I’ve made a lifetime’s worth of memories and created friendships that will endure long after our ship has sailed on. Though I am saddened that our journey has nearly reached its end I know now that the experience is something I will carry with me always and something which has resonated to the core of my being. I’ve seen things and people I couldn’t have comprehended before now and still attempt to make sense of. My only hope is that I can use this experience to grow as a person and as a world citizen and that has given me a new desire to live a life of purpose. Perhaps the Lion King sums it up the best: “There is more to see, than can ever been seen…More to do, than can ever be done!” I want to spend the rest of my life exploring and experiencing as much as I can. It’s been one hell of a ride...

Also I wanted to take this opportunity to give a shout out and a thank you to all of you who have been sending me messages and comments during the voyage! They have been very much enjoyed and appreciated! And thank you also for keeping me updated about my beloved Avalanche, and here's to hoping we make short work of the Red Wings!

Land of the Rising Sun

April 11^th, Day 78

Today we arrived in Kobe, Japan! I had the good fortune of having my parents here to spend the trip with me. The moment I walked off the ship I heard the voice of my mother which seemed to be calling to me from the heavens above… Or rather the third story catwalk of the customs processing building. A short while later which involved a really cool fingerprinting process where you stick each index finger on a little electronic pad and have a digital photo taken I had a joy filled reunion with my parents! The timing was ideal as ever since Vietnam and seeing several parents there I’ve been experiencing far more frequent bouts of homesickness. I was very excited to see them!

They had also managed to book a VERY nice hotel and our room was situated on the 25^th floor overlooking the city and the bordering mountains. Unfortunately we were just out of view of the ship but the vantage point was still spectacular. After dropping off my things at the hotel we decided to walk around Kobe and see if we could find anything of interest. This took the form of stumbling across what looked like a cable car line going up one of the nearby mountains. Though the people working at the ticket booth spoke hardly any English and the signs were in Japanese the pretty pictures accompanying them suggested the area at the top of the cable car might make for a pleasant start to our day. The ride up gave us even better view of the city and the bay than our hotel and also gave us a chance to capture Kobe, our hotel, and the Explorer in one shot!

At the top of the cable car there was a botanical garden as well as several fountains and cherry trees in blossom. It was a somewhat odd feeling to walk into a greenhouse that was filled with rainforest plants that seemed very similar if not the same as ones I had actually hiked through in their natural environment in Puerto Rico. Overall though it was a very relaxing start to our day.

After returning to the hotel to relax and catch my parents up with my adventures, we made our way to the Japan subway/rail network to begin our journey to Osaka. There, we would be meeting with an SAS alumni named John who had done a voyage in the late 90’s and was now living in Japan after graduating from CU Boulder.

I was very impressed with the public transportation network in Japan. It was extremely efficient, clean, and easy to navigate. The feeling extends to the city itself and I’m finally beginning to realize just how much of a difference there really is in the conditions of a first world country.

Upon arriving in Osaka we managed to find John and meet up with a few other members of our ship who attend CU or were from Colorado. John took us to an excellent Japanese restaurant for dinner that featured the legendary Kobe Beef. The restaurant was of the sit on mats on the floor around the table variety and at the center of the table was a rectangular depression in which there was a small grilling surface for the food they would be bringing us. Before long we were sharing the stories of Spring 08 while the delicious aroma of cooking steak filled the air. The beef deserves its reputation. It was some of the most tender and flavorful beef I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating! Although there were two other types of meat on the plate and so I tried a chunk of pink meat I thought was chicken but later discovered to be the stomach. The experience was rather like chewing a piece of solid fat and I determined that the one piece would be enough for the rest of the evening. The other meat was a safer looking red meat color and while still quite chewy was much more flavorful. As it turned out this meat was from the tongue of the cow. Fortunately the our waiters had kindly provided our table with several bottles of Asahi beer which eased the process of getting down the meat.

After completing our culinary journey through the various edible parts of the cow we began to head out of the restaurant. Just outside we ran into several Japanese businessmen who had arrived shortly before us and had been progressively growing louder throughout the evening as a train of fresh bottles of Asahi in and empty ones out continued. One gentleman in particular seemed like he had been riding that particular train for some time as he was now stumbling around the sidewalk in front of the restaurant with his arms out stretched happily shouting “Wooooshhhhhh!!! Woooooshhhhhh!” He was more than happy to pose for pictures with his new found American friends.

Our bellies full we decided that a few rounds of drinks might be in order and so now short a few members our caravan made its way to a little bar near the Osaka train station. Interestingly, the inside walls of the place were decorated with rows upon rows of American license plates! I thoroughly enjoyed my first day in Japan and can’t wait to go onto Hiroshima and Miyajima tomorrow!

April 12^th, Day 79

Our second day in Japan was a much more stirring and introspective day as we journeyed by train to see the Atomic bomb site at Hiroshima and the shrine at Miyajima. For most of the ride to Hiroshima we enjoyed the huge numbers of Cherry trees prevalent in Japan which fortunately for us will still in their blossoming stage of spring. It made the countryside quite beautiful and the splendid mountain backdrop reminded me somewhat of home and the Rocky Mountains. Arriving in Hiroshima, my parents and I ran into Heika, another student on our ship and discovered she also had been hoping to visit the A-bomb memorial and so we decided to go there together.

Hiroshima at first appears like any other city in Japan. There’s a smattering of skyscrapers, small shops, cherry trees, and people going about city business. Only one of the buildings is different. Standing in a small clearing, the steel ribbing of what was once a dome stands in start contrast with the sky. Weathered brick and concrete rises to support the dome with cracks visible in many places. Sections of the walls of the building lie in pieces at its base. Some of the steel girders are bent as though they were made of rubber. It was nearly directly overhead of this building that on the 6^th of August in 1945 the United States Air Force successfully detonated an atomic bomb. In an instant, thousands of lives flicked out of existence. The buildings and signs that Hiroshima had been a city were incinerated and flattened. A stubborn few structures by some fortunate happenstance remained standing amidst the destruction around them. One such building was the A-bomb dome we were now standing before. Their occupants were not so fortunate…

It was a very sobering experience to stand where such an action of immense destruction had occurred. After watching us take in our surroundings for a while an elderly Japanese man approached us. In impeccable English he approached us and told us that he was a High School teacher who incidentally had also been living in Hiroshima at the time of the bomb. He then produced a small tattered document about the size of a passport and explained that the Japanese government had issued it to him for being a citizen of Hiroshima that had survived the bombing. He explained how his parents and grandfather were killed not immediately following the explosion, but from complications arising from it in the next few weeks. He asked to take a picture with us which we gladly obliged. He also showed us a notebook he keeps of what country all of the people he talks to are from. The United States ranked at the top of his list.

We continued on to the Peace Memorial Park and museum where there are exhibits about the war, the development of, and the decision process to drop the bomb. Then there are the exhibits about the effects of the bombing: people’s skin partially melting and hanging from their bodies. Intense heat melding together glass bottles, ceramic tiles, and concrete. Singed clothing and burnt flesh miles from the epicenter of the bomb It certainly makes all the more convincing the plea that nuclear weapons never again be used against humanity anywhere.

The museum also explained how the current governor of Hiroshima sends a letter following every atomic test to the leader of the country that conducted it, admonishing them and again pleading that as the first city to be subjected to a nuclear bombing that horror not happen to any other groups of people. Unfotunately letters are still being written with the last one only having been in 2006 to Kim Jung Il.

After paying our respects we boarded ferryboat to cross to the island of Miayajima. There, aside from a large population of incredibly tame deer that will take food from your hands and are apparently known to eat a passport or railway pass from time to time, there stands a magnificent red arch-like structure on the banks of the island. This shrine has stood upon the island for hundreds of years and seemed to have an aura of mystique and intrigue about it. There were also droves of blossoming cherry trees as well as a temple making for a lovely way to end the day.

April 13^th, Day 80

For our third day in Japan we caught one of the lightning quick Shinkansen trains to Tokyo for the day and the better part of the evening. Walking out of the train station I was actually a bit surprised to find Tokyo not quite as huge or overwhelming as I had expected. Perhaps having seen so many large cities and capitals in these past few months has made me accustomed to large cities and they no longer have the capacity to overwhelm me.

Our first stop was the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Situated in an enormous park planted with interesting looking pine trees the palace was surrounded by a moat and features a spectacularly beautiful stone bridge to cross it. Unfortunately we could not go into the Imperial Palace and had to be contented by merely taking pictures of it from across the moat.

From there we headed to the Sony building, where Sony puts on four floors of display of its newest innovations. I was impressed with how thin computers are becoming as they had several newer models of desktop class PCs that were only marginally thicker than a laptop. HD video cameras seem to be all the rage now and there were several impressive displays of those. There were even digital cameras with a smile detector which automatically takes a picture when a sufficiently sincere flashing of one’s pearly whites has been detected. The folks at Sony also seemed to be quite excited about a thing called Rolly. It’s a small robot like thing about the size of a tennis ball though more oval shaped. It plays music and dances and twirls around to its tunes when placed on a hard flat surface. Interesting to have if you need something to throw money at I guess, but I can’t see them becoming the next iPod. In true SAS fashion we randomly ran into Garrett and another voyager from our ship in the building. Just outside was one of the most interesting intersections I’ve ever seen. I believe there were no less than 10 crosswalks for that intersection, including diagonal ones that allowed you to cross from corner to corner instead of waiting for the traditional L maneuver.

From there we made our way to the Toyota building to see their autoshow. Our guidebook promised 75 models of vehicles from race cars to concept cars. To get to the Toyota building we walked along the trendy Sunshine 60 pedestrian mall. This was apparently the hot place for younger people to hang out as the demographics of the crowd quickly shifted away from businessmen in suits and ties to young adults in fashionable jeans and brand name merchandise. There were tons of inviting looking restaurants and I wished that we had more time to stop. Though the autoshow was entertaining I was somewhat disappointed in the fact that the concept cars were not nearly as cool or outrageous looking as I had been hoping and there was only two sports cars on display. I did however get to challenge my dad to a video game race with a driving simulator they had set up. I also caught a glimpse of the amazing trumpet playing robot Aibo, though unfortunately he had been powered down for the evening and may as well have been a prop from a science fiction movie. Amazingly these few activities took the entire day and we soon found ourselves back on the train to Kobe

April 14^th, Day 81

Our last day in Japan was yet another frantically paced day of sight seeing as we squeezed in trips to Himeji and Kyoto.

Himeji was one of the more spectacular sites I experienced in Japan. The castle grounds are absolutely stunning particularly with the massive groups of cherry trees in bloom. The castle is also known as the White Egret castle and appeared in the Last Samurai. The castle was built upon a hill from which you can see miles in every direction and was designed with an elaborate maze to reach the keep as a defensive measure. At every point on the walk up to the keep there are notches cut in the walls for archers and there are several thick gates that would have needed to have been breached. However these defenses were never tested as the castle was never attacked in this way. The castle itself is built upon a mound of stones. The lord of the castle didn’t have enough stone to build it himself and appealed to the villagers to assist in its construction. Legend has it that one old woman donated her only milling stone to the construction and after news of her generosity spread, stones began pouring in from all corners of the land. We were able to climb up to the top floor of the castle which provided a spectacular view and was a good place to ponder the centuries past.

For the afternoon we again used the wonderful Japanese rail network to get to Kyoto. Unfortunately we arrived too late to take the river rafting trip we had intended to do and the afternoon Geisha show was sold out so we decided to just wander around the city. While it was pleasant and we did see an enormous Buddhist temple I did not find Kyoto to be particularly remarkable. There were several quiet streets and we took a very nice walk alongside the riverbank but I don’t feel like I had quite the same experience with Kyoto as some of the rest of the ship. I did however enjoy the Kyoto train station as it was a huge mirrored building that was ultra modern and interesting to look at. From Kyoto I took my parents back to the ship for a quick tour and we had a last dinner of Kobe Beef at a restaurant with a great view of the night time city. A short while later I bid my parents farewell and boarded the ship. I would definitely like to return to Japan one day when I have more time to explore and it will definitely be remembered as one of my favorite ports of our voyage!

You'll See Me In The P.R.C.

April 3^rd, Day 70

Today we arrived in Hong Kong. It seems like every patch of available land has a sky scraper placed upon. Even at this early hour of arrival the harbor is bustling and the streets are busy. After the ship was cleared Megan, Lauren, Kristen and I set out into the city. Our first destination was the Mong Kok Computer store where we had hoped to find some good deals on electronics. We made our way to Hong Kong’s highly efficient subway system, called the MTR. Fortunately their subway is well organized and it was easy to see where to go. Buying tickets simply entailed pressing the destination you wanted on a map and it would automatically calculate the fare to that station. I also had the good fortune of using dad’s Octopus card from when he was in HK on business so I breezed through the ticket gates with the grace of a regular. We never ended up making it to the electronics store, getting lost instead in the huge streetside marketplaces. I managed to get three futbol jerseys for about $8 apiece and found later that they even had included a set of matching gym shorts with each one!

Afterwards, Lauren had to go back to the ship and I managed to badger Megan and Kristen into going to the Hong Kong Space Museum. We arrived just in time to see a planetarium presentation on Black Holes, which was fairly interesting but had somewhat poor English dubbing and ended up becoming a struggle to stay awake instead of a dazzling display of the stars. After the show we made our way around the rest of the museum. It was very interesting to see another country’s take on space science and policy. It also made me proud of our national accomplishments as NASA and the United States featured prominently in the exhibits. I have to admit it again makes me question whether I really made the right decision to switch majors from Aerospace Engineering. Or should I be majoring in Astronomy? Anyway after the museum we got some American food at California Pizza Kitchen which was much appreciated. Hong Kong also does an entertaining light show at night where the skyscrapers of the city flash lights in synchronization to music that plays at special viewing locations along the shore. I loved the city and though I’m excited to see the Great Wall I wish we had a bit more time here!

April 4^th, Day 71

This morning a small group of us left the ship and caught a cab to the airport on Lantau island to catch a flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival to the airport I had a stressful start to my journey to the Wall. As our group was split and traveling on two separate flights and airlines to get to Shanghai we had received a confirmation of which airline would be carrying us. Mine reported that they did not have a reservation matching my name on file for any of their flights for the day. I had them check the flights for the other airline, which luckily ended up just being a commuter version of the main airline and to my relief my reservation popped up! A few hours later we stepped into the gargantuan stadium that is the Beijing Capital Airport. We ran into another snag as we discovered that apparently this coliseum our plane had landed at was just one of several terminals and that the other plane had landed at a different terminal. This somewhat complicated our plan to meet at the baggage claim as now the others would be waiting at the baggage claim at effectively another airport. Unfortunately it took us long enough to figure this out plus a 15 minute bus ride to the other terminal to place us there about 2 hours after the other plane was scheduled to land. Keenly missing our cellphones at this moment we decided to proceed without the other half of our group and assume that the directions we had all been given would be sufficient to get them to the hostel where we could then make our rendezvous.

Navigating to the hostel was an experience in itself as navigating the bus route to the subway and then the subway to the street of our hostel with only a minimal amount of English was quite an accomplishment. After reuniting with the rest of our group we headed to a restaurant less than a block away from our hostel. It had excellent food but also some quite unusual choices such as seahorse, dog, dove, turtle, black fungus, eel, etc. I wound up with an excellent tasting lemon chicken dish. There were also dough things which tasted quite similar to manapua from Hawaii. Jake also ordered a plate of the dog meat and we all gave it a try. I can’t say I recommend it, not only because I’m a dog lover, but it was a quite odd stringy tasting meat. Our hostel was situated down an alley that initially looked a bit sketchy but now just makes the experience feel more local. Our rooms are comfortable and we have access to TV and wireless. There is a bar literally next door which doubles as a breakfast restaurant in the mornings and the front desk sells Oreos and Ritz! Tomorrow we head on to the Wall!

April 5^th, Day 72

Today we started the day off by going to the tomb of one of China’s emperors. It was fairly interesting to see but frankly nothing remarkable. Unfortunately the tomb was a victim to the passage of time so the majority of the artifacts were replicas and not originals. From there we headed for the reason most if not all of us had come to Beijing, The Great Wall of China! We finally arrived at a section of the wall just before sunset. The sheer size and scale of the Wall is mind boggling. The wall stretches on as far as the eye can see beyond the mountains in both directions! After our brief teaser of the Wall we got dinner at a local restaurant, stocked up on sleeping bags, mats, and beer and began our trek up to one of the watch towers for a night on the wall. It was without a doubt one of the most fun nights I’ve ever had! We combined with another SAS indy group and wound up with about 30 of us laughing and playing games on the top of the watch tower. We even got our Chinese guide Jason and some of his family to join us in some good fun. Amazingly enough out of the 30 some odd SASers who spent the night stumbling around the very uneven and crumbling wall, there was only one injury, a sprained ankle! In the morning we will make a 10 km trek along the Wall.

April 6^th, Day 73

This morning we arose to fog and grey skies, shook off our sleepiness from the night before with some granola cereal and bananas, and saddled up for our hike along the wall. Though it was foggy and actually got darker as the morning progressed it added a mystique and magnificence to the wall! Some sections were quite treacherous at times with the Wall in various stages of decay, including a section that was bombed out during WWII. There were incredibly steep ascents and descents but the view the entire time was spectacular with the Wall almost organically winding through peaks and valleys into the distance in both directions. Words cannot describe the experience. I can hardly imagine how the laborers who completed this monumental task could have done so and created something which has stood for so many years!

Before long the ever darkening skies gave way to rain and intense claps of thunder and there was a gene3ral consensus that walking on the top of a mountain on an uncovered wall in a thunderstorm was not the most conducive thing to our health. Fortunately, we made it into a large enough tower for shelter while we had to wait for the rest of our group and our guide who had our tickets to continue onto the next section of the wall. It was a truly gratifying experience and one which my calves and knees will not soon forget. After the wall we ziplined down a huge drop across a river and then headed back to Beijing. Once there we stopped to see a tea ceremony and to see Olympic Park where the 2008 Olympic Games will occur. The stadium for track and field aptly called the Bird’s Nest is a very interesting architectural design with a mass of steel molded in the shape of a bird’s nest.

April 7^th, Day 74

Today for our last day in Beijing we went to the infamous Tiananmen Square and the Gates of the Forbidden City. Afterwards Kayleigh’s friend Jessie who is studying abroad in China met us and took us to the silk market where her Chinese speaking ability helped get us some excellent deals on some market wears. We somehow managed to spend the entire day at the silk market and afterwards found ourselves at Beijing Capital Airport and our flight to Shanghai. Leaving the airport in Shanghai was a bit hairy as Clare, Ashley, and I originally started to go with a guy who we thought was a taxi driver, but who actually was driving an unmarked car. Feeling that this was a bit sketchy we hopped into an empty marked cab we passed as we were following the other guy. After this the first driver began pounding on the window and yelling at our driver. Immediately a police officer ran up and the three began having a very heated discussion in Chinese. Thoroughly spooked we snuck out of the taxi and ran to the arrivals area of the airport and caught a cab from there. I have never been so relieved to see the white and blue of the MV Explorer!

April 8^th, Day 75

Today was a very rainy and lazy day for me and as a result I didn’t see much of Shanghai. I went out with Claire into the blustering rain to wander around Shanghai a bit. Struggling against the sheets of rain an old Chinese woman took pity on us and gave us her umbrella! We also saw a large tower and after finding our way to it went to the top to discover a revolving restaurant which provided excellent views of the city and our ship. While getting back on the ship we lucked out on getting a free Papa John’s Pizza that was confiscated from my shipboard parents Jono and Lisa as ship security will not allow us to bring on board ANY open food items.

Somebody Told Me I Needed To Put Up Some Pictures!!!

Hey Everyone! I finally got onto the internet in Japan and so here are photos from the past several countries I've been!

Malaysia
Vietnam
Cambodia
Hong Kong
Beijing/Great Wall

I'm trying to through together a written portion for the above mentioned places that need it too!

GOOOOD Morning Vietnam!!!

March 27^th, Day 65

This morning we awoke to an oddly tilted ship. The Explorer seemed to be listing slightly to one side. Fortunately this wasn’t because of water pouring into the lower decks through a gash in the hull but rather due to the maneuvering of the ship necessary to navigate the very shallow waters we were now traversing. Glancing out the window the banks of the Saigon River pierced through the early morning fog while small boats maneuvered by their rice hat wearing captains floated to and fro. I couldn’t help but think “GOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!!” A gold star emblazoned upon a background of crimson red flies from the mast of our ship creating a very surreal feeling as one realizes that we are visiting a country that has for my entire life been a concept in a history class. It is easy to think of Vietnam and see it only as a battlefield, losing sight of the very remarkable culture and society of the people who live there. In just my first few moments looking out that window my curiosity was peaked. The first structures I saw were wood shack looking buildings. Before long we passed a think bundle of power cables that stretched over the river leading off to the slightly larger buildings of industry in the distance. Who were these people? What would I be in store for in the short hours later we would be at the dock?

Very shortly after we pulled alongside our mooring at the dock, a dozen or so Vietnamese women in rice hats came to the dock bearing a sign welcoming Semester at Sea to Vietnam and waving to the occasional student who would poke their head out the upper decks. I felt sorry that they seemed to be expecting us to come flooding off the ship any minute, when in reality our ship had not yet begun the clearing process or conducted our diplomatic briefing and I knew we would not be off the ship for at least another hour. Fortunately this port was also the place where a lot of people’s parents came to meet them and the welcoming committee was kept company by a small throng of parents who began assembling just outside the gangway. The clearing process happened rather quickly and before long I was making my way to the buses for my first experience in Vietnam, the Cu Chi Tunnels.

As we drove out of the port area my first impression of Vietnam was the large number of people on motorcycles and scooters and a noticeable lack of cars or other vehicles that normally separate the cycles and scooters from buses and semi-trucks. Apparently this is due to the fact that the government of Vietnam places a 250% or so sales tax on cars, making them a luxury only the relatively rich can afford. This scene repeated itself for several kilometers until I arrived at the entrance to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

The Cu Chi Tunnels are a well preserved example of the networks of tunnels created by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The tunnels were dug deep enough to withstand the weight of tanks driving over them and even to survive bombings. It was a bit of an odd experience to have the tunnels and aspects of the war explained to us by someone from a country that had defeated us in what they call the American War. Especially when we were able to see and have explained to us the traps that the Vietnamese used to set for American troops and there were placards and displays that referred to the Americans as the enemy. There were also large craters in the ground left over from bombs dropped by B-52s.

After a while we were led to a large section of the tunnels where our group was permitted to crawl through the tunnels. I’m not sure exactly how long it was but it felt like quite a distance and it made me a bit claustrophobic to go through a tunnel that long where I could not stand up. Clearly the average Vietnamese soldier was smaller in stature than I! At the end of the tunnels there was a firing range where people could pay to shoot a Vietnam era weapon and so the gunshots from this range echoed throughout the area as we were touring giving but a small hint of what that area would’ve sounded like 35 years ago. Overall it was a very interesting and sobering experience!

Salamut Dateng Malaysia!

Day 57 – The endless diversity of our world never ceases to amaze me. In our crossing of the Bay of Bengal from Chennai, India, to Georgetown, Malaysia, it is as though we crossed an invisible prosperity line. Standing in stark contrast a stone’s throw across the bay from dirty, noisy, bustling India is clean, manicured, tranquil Malaysia. Malaysia’s booming economy is certainly reflected in the clean streets and large buildings that boarder the docks. The country just finished celebrating its 50^th year as a nation after gaining independence from Britain in 1957.

I knew that the British empire was vast (The sun never sets on the British empire right?) but now that we’ve visited four consecutive countries that are her former possessions I am deeply impressed by how much the Brits were able to control at their peak!

The port of Georgetown is situated on the island of Penang and is connected to the mainland by the 3^rd longest bridge in the world, the aptly named 2.5 km Penang Bridge. After tendering (that’s ship lingo for taking a smaller boat from ship to shore) to shore and exchanging for a few Ringgit I found myself on an SAS bus crossing Penang Bridge bound for Kuala Lumpur! I have come to the conclusion that our currency is incredibly boring with its same sized dull green bills whereas every other country I’ve been too has colorful currency which is larger if it is a greater denomination. I think the United States should immediately enact legislation to require that all paper currency be dipped in the stuff you make tie-dye T-shirts out of!

At the halfway point of our journey we stopped at a Chinese restaurant called the Resteran Kok Thai, where we were served rice crackers, soup, Chinese tea, huge prawns that smelt odd and didn’t taste much better, beef and rice stir-fry, assorted fruits, and finally a platter of duck. The food is served in a very spread out manner and often each new course comes as a surprise and after you have just eaten a heaping portion of the first dish brought to you.

Another hour after the restaurant we had cruised through miles of lush green countryside periodically interrupted by jagged limestone cliffs, clouds that seemed to have forgotten they belong in the sky, and the occasional mine.

Malaysia is worlds apart from India. Everything here is clean and modern while drivers make use of lanes and convey that some sense of order is observed on the roads. Our approach to Kuala Lumpur, the capital city, was spectacular. KL as it is affectionately called is an ultra modern city with the latest and greatest name brands from around the world, a monorail system, and sparkling skyscrapers. If Disney World were made into a functioning city, it would be KL. It is home to the 457 meter tall Petronas twin towers, which are the tallest twin buildings in the world and symbolize the relative prosperity enjoyed by Malaysia. The multitude of high rises is also punctuated by the KL tower, which is the 4^th highest communications tower in the world.

We arrived at our hotel in the heart of KL called Meliá which was conveniently located across the street from an enormous 7 or so story tall shopping mall called Times Square. We were given 45 minutes to freshen up before we were taken to a restaurant for dinner called Beri Melayu, which served buffet style a huge selection of Malay, Indian, Chinese, and Thai food. It was excellent though I have determined that as far as deserts go, gelatinous multi-colored treats may be pleasant to look at but perhaps should ONLY be enjoyed with the eyes… After the meal there was a cultural show where dancers performed in Chinese, Malay, and Indian styles. It was quite entertaining and concluded by bringing audience members on stage to dance with the performers. Of course, since it involved involuntary dancing in front of a room full of 100 or so people they were drawn to my lack of dancing ability. I was one of the chosen ones to go up on stage and prove to people that I do in fact, define bad dancing. I actually ended up having quite a bit of fun as the dance was simple and my partner warm and friendly.

After the show we loaded back up on the buses and returned to the hotel with the evening free for individual pursuits. A fairly large group of us decided that an Asian karaoke bar should be the order of the evening and having seen a suitable venue called club Vegas a block from our hotel, headed there. Apparently it was a six star place and my sweet Wal-Mart sandals and shorts were only allowed in because we were recognized as Americans which have a reputation of being good patrons. However, the place was very expensive so we headed on a recommendation to the Times Square mall next door to see what might be open at 10pm on a Wednesday

The front part of the mall was completely empty and closed down. This created the odd experience of strolling through a huge atrium type area where one could see seven stories of closed shops. Eventually though we made our way to an area of the mall that had strong signs of life and we ended up before a Karaoke bar called New Way. Unfortunately this bar also proved to be too rich for our blood and we wound up at a huge bowling alley called the Ampang Superbowl. It was packed with locals who apparently come out in droves to bowl on Wednesday nights. Vicki, Sara, Heather, and I bowled on one lane that had some serious technical issues. Often it would knock down pins when setting them up, or just not set down 10, making for some awkward setups. We had a great time though and bowling, shoe rental, and sock purchase could be had for RM 18 which is less than $6 USD! We came back to the hotel shortly after midnight and a few of us went swimming at the hotel pool which was on a rooftop surrounded by skyscrapers.

Afterwards we took an elevator we had disabled earlier in the night by loading too many people onto it and headed to our rooms to bed. I found it interesting that they had Discovery Channel here and that the law breaking antics of little hobunk towns in the States were being recounted on FBI files in Malaysia. WWE wrestling also seems to be big in this part of the world as just as in India it gets very heavy media coverage. I was also delighted to discover that Malaysia has its own Deal or no Deal with a Malaysian Howie Mandel to boot!

Day 58 – This morning we boarded the bus for a tour of KL. Our first stop was the palace of the King of Malaysia who, like the British royalty, is more a figurehead than any sort of political power. Though he does have final authority on prisoners who have received the death penalty for drug trafficking offenses. The palace was similar to but much less elaborate than Buckingham palace in England but also featured stone faced guards stationed about the gates.

Next it was onto the Malaysian War Memorial park which honors those soldiers from Malaysia who gave their lives in WWI, WWII, and the Malaysian Emergency (an internal conflict against communists) in the 1950s. From there we rode up in the KL communications tower for a magnificent 360 degree view of KL and an excellent vantage point of the Petronas towers. I can still scarcely believe how massive and modern this city is. It has all the comforts of any western city including 7/11s, a Starbucks on every corner, an Outback Steakhouse, and even a Hard Rock Café! After the tower we had lunch at a place inside the central market which was excellent. Particularly some kind of orange juice which in my opinion was perhaps the most glorious tasting beverage I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

With a few hours of free time to spare before our next activity, Justin, Larissa, Sara, Vicki, and I decided to go to Times Square. I got my passport photos I’ll need for Cambodia next week and it was then that Justin told me about the roller coaster. This mall had a 3 story indoor amusement park called Cosmo’s World that featured an 800 meter long roller coaster that featured loops and barrel rolls, and all the hallmarks of a good time. The best part was that there was no wait for the ride, so Justin and I walked right on and had a thrilling ride through the mall.

The rest of the evening’s plan called for a 90 minute bus ride to a river that is known for its huge firefly population. Since KL was cloudy and threatening rain, and there was a chance for storms in the area of the river the majority of our SAS group balked on going and elected to stay in KL. Sara, Larissa, Vicki, Justin, Ryan, and I decided to join the other dozen or so optimistic adventurers to see if we would get lucky. It ended up being one of my favorite evenings thus far on SAS.

As we tried to leave KL we got caught in bad traffic and our driver attempted to take a shortcut through a side street. Somehow our bus got stuck between a car in the front left and another car in the back right. Our Chinese guide Eddie had the idea to have Justin, Ryan, and I being the only young males on the bus try and help him and a few people from the neighborhood who had gathered to look at the tour bus trapped on their street pick up the car and move it. Realizing what an incredible legend of manliness lifting and moving a car would create and allowing that machoism to cancel out our concerns that this might not be the best idea we lined up along the car counted 1…2…3!!! SNAP! The bolts of the right side of the BMWs bumper were now laying in the street and the bumper was now oddly protruding from the side of the car. The three of us promptly returned to the bus while the other men in the street looked on with amusement. One man though, who I suspect was the owner of the car did not seem too thrilled and exchanged some heated words with Eddie. Having failed to move the car, our driver decided the time had come to punch his way through and he proceeded to scrape the bus past the same car we had ripped the bumper off of. Our bus scratched along the poor fellow’s car the whole way out until we were finally clear and sped off leaving behind a very livid owner who I’m sure will now have a lifelong hatred of tour buses.

Along the way to the river we passed through an intense thunderstorm that had some of us thinking we made a mistake in coming. However the skies soon cleared and we found ourselves in a fishing village and ate at a restaurant literally on the banks of the river. They served us possibly the best meal I’ve yet had on SAS, and one that ranked pretty highly in my entire history of fine food consumption. Also because so many people did not show up we got huge helpings of food as the restaurant had made preparations to serve a much larger group! We had Chicken, Chinese Spinach, Prawns, Sweet and Sour fish, and Crab. The seafood was to die for as it had gone from water to stomach in less than a kilometer! The prawns were breaded and covered with some kind of pink sauce and were to die for; possibly one of the best things I have ever tasted! I could not stop eating them!

Our bellies full we were bussed about 10 minutes down the river to the firefly park. We were loaded onto battery powered river boats and glided along in near silence with thousands of fireflies flickering on and off in the trees on the riverbanks under a nearly full moon shrouded by clouds. There were so many fireflies it was as though the stars had fallen from the sky and simply come to rest on the branches of the trees lining the riverbank. It was absolutely spectacular and one of my favorite night activities on par with Bio Bay in Puerto Rico or the night game drives in South Africa.

By 11:00 pm we were back to the hotel and the 6 of us decided to head out on the city. We took the monorail to the Hard Rock Café, but found it ridiculously overpriced and walked in search of a more reasonable place to spend the evening. Along the way I was reminded that prostitution is in fact legal here and doing quite well. This created an ironic role reversal where now the girls in our group needed to protect the guys from being harassed! A few blocks past the Hard Rock we came across the Aloha bar which had a good sounding live band and a good atmosphere. We had a few drinks and danced to the largely American music selection. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Asians and a big group of Brits belting out Offspring songs with us and for an evening we were all friends!

Before too long we were allowed into the VIP lounge area upstairs which overlooked the stage, bar, and dance floor. We enjoyed a few more drinks upstairs until one of the management of the place came up and told us to follow her downstairs to see “surprise surprise!” We were a little bit skeptical but decided to follow her and she led us to a hidden stairway to the side of the main bar that went to another club UNDERNEATH the main one that was a techno/rave club that was much more energetic, had GREAT music, and a much larger dance floor.

At about 2:15 am we decided to head back to the hotel and get some sleep. I ended up staying up to 3:30 am to get my classes for the fall semester figured out (thanks Erika!) It’s weird to think about going home and trying to return to normal life and I can’t believe we’re already down to our last 50 days…

Day 59 – Today I slept in late to recover from last night and bid farewell to KL at noon. I loved KL and vow to return someday. It took us awhile to drive back and along the way we hit heavy rain. The rain in Malaysia is intense and the clouds are so low that the countryside becomes bathed in fog. By the time I stepped off the tender and onto the ship it was already 2000 so I decided to spend a quiet evening relaxing on the ship. Hopefully tomorrow we will see the large Buddhist temple here as well as Penang Hill!

Day 60 – My first day in Georgetown brought Liz, Vicki, Sarah, Kait, and I to the services of a taxi driver named Hasan. We hired him for the day to show us around the island of Penang. We began with a trip to see a huge reclining Buddha at a Buddhist temple. It was also interesting to see burning incense everywhere inside the temple as well as about 25 statues of various Buddhist gods and deities with descriptions of what advantages a worshipper receives by praying to that God. There was also a monk who was providing holy water blessing but we unfortunately did not have time. Buddhism is a fascinating religion and one which seems very inviting from an outsider’s perspective.

After the Buddhist temple we went to a botanical garden which was quite beautiful and very tranquil. Along the way into the garden we encountered several Macaque monkeys that were running around the grounds. One of them charged at Larissa when she tried to take a close up picture of it eating.

Afterwards we headed to the Buddhist temple of 1000 steps. It is unfortunate because the first few hundred steps have been taken over and built over by shops. However the experience dealing with merchants in Malaysia is leagues tamer than was India. These merchants actually respect your decision not to buy after you refuse and are sometimes so soft spoken I had to strain to hear what they were saying. The last stretch to the top was traversed via an incline cable car. The view at the top was spectacular and there were several small statues of all of the animals of the Chinese zodiac. There was also a huge statue at the top that was several stories tall but it was partially obscured by scaffolding because they are currently building a multi-million USD protective shelter for the statue.

From there we headed to Penang Hill, which we unfortunately could not do because the tickets to go up were sold out for the next two hours and we didn’t feel like we had the time to spare. We decided to head out in search of lunch and a short while later it was pouring rain. We had lunch at a little Chinese restaurant which I quite enjoyed.

Our final stop was a the Chocolate Boutique, where we all bought authentic Malaysian chocolate and coffee. They even had a hot pepper chocolate which tasted like a mix between dark and white chocolate but it had a very spicy aftertaste.

Day 61 – My last morning in Malaysia was spent trying to recuperate from the eventful past few days and so I did not wake up until 1130. I had an Easter service visit to the Cheshire Home for the physically handicapped in the afternoon. Although I had a bit of trouble striking up conversation at first, by the end of our time I had befriended one of their residents. Though I was not able to get his name, I did get that he was 29, turning 30 last week and something about the fact that he had 3 girlfriends. When I told him that I had none and Kirsten and I asked if he could give me some advice he was all smiles. The Cheshire Home is the manifestation of an idea started in England to create facilities where physically handicapped citizens can be rehabilitated and taught to do something that can allow them to become productive members of society.

Afterwards we went to a mall to go to a grocery store and stock up on snacks as Malaysia carries many American brands of food. And thus ended my Malaysia trip!