Blog Posts

One Year and One Week on the Road

9/10/2015

As of today I have been on the road for one year and one week. I have been living outside my country for much longer, but I was working and thus I don’t count that as being on the road. I know my posts of late have been much less informative and way more about my personal life, but here is one more for consistency sake. I want to take the time to say thank you to each of the people who have spent time with me on the road.

Myles & Tim the Dutchman: Thank you for going out of your way to help me find vegetarian food, explaining why I shouldn’t eat onions to very confused waiters, buying me flu medicine when I was too sick to leave bed, making jump shots a group effort, researching places with yoga just so I could do a class, telling me to keep going during the marathon, and for sharing the highs/lows of travel with me. You got to know the good the bad and the ugly aspects of me and yet you still showed me unconditional love. I can honestly say I doubt anyone else (other than my parents) in this world will ever show me limitless love and patience the way you did. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every moment. I am sad to say you are no longer on the road with me, but smile at the thought of all the time we shared. I will always carry the memories with me in a positive place in my mind. I send you kind wishes that on this road in life you find people who will treat you the way you treated me. I will always be in your corner and one of your biggest fans.

Tim & Maya: There have been very few times in my life when I haven’t been looking to the future. When you arrived, I started dreading the passing of days because it meant I was getting closer to the day when you would have to leave. Our month in Vietnam was so much more about spending time with you than seeing the sights. It was so enjoyable to share all my meals with you and to chat about things we rarely have the time to discuss. I love you both and that month was a great reminder that yes there is so much to discover on the road, but I have some amazing people to rediscover back home. Yep, the Mac Clan is special and I am oh so proud to be among them. Thank you for the years of support whether that be by hanging my underwear on the bushes in the front yard when I was five, by scaring the boys away with a revolutionary shotgun, by teaching me how to code HTML so I wouldn’t be the girl who needed a boy’s help, by cheering from the sidelines of my soccer games, by embarrassingly whistling from the front row of my college graduation, and by always being willing to answer my calls. I guess I owe you. Good thing for you I am so much younger and am willing to change your diapers when you are old (not without jokes of course).

Kellie: Some people you are just destined to meet. Kellie and I randomly met in the Frankfurt airport and as complete strangers ended up being roommates in Rome. She is a bubbly, positive, caring, and wonderful person. We shared rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, heart break, success, and a lot of laughter. Thailand with you was spectacular. I loved every moment even the orange smoothie you dropped down my bra on accident. Thank you for taking the time and spending the money to come and meet me wherever I was in the world. You were so flexible with our itinerary and because of you we were able to meet the last of the “Banana Leaf” tribe. Just so you know you are stuck with me. Deal with it!

Matt: There are few things better than a longtime friend. It was a surprise to have you come meet me in the streets of Bangkok. It was so great catching up over pad thai and lathering our extremely white skin together to hit Railey Beach. You are a generous person and I greatly appreciate you. I look forward to more Mexican food when I get home and to another four hour discussion of our plans for the future. Since we were fifteen, you have been a great friend and supporter. Thank you.

Miriam: How amazing is it how we met and continued to meet again and again. You did so much to go out of your way to meet me. THANK YOU. What sticks out even more in my mind are the days when solo traveling was making me feel a bit lonely and how willing you were regardless of the time difference to call me. You are one of the most high-quality friends I have ever had. Thank you for sharing my passions of travel, self-discovery, and adventure. Till next we meet… may we find ourselves scuba diving in an exotic land and doing downward dog on a yoga mat covered in sand.

Courtney: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to cross the Pacific Ocean by boat. It was such a unique experience that very few people get to have. The first day I arrived you organized my birthday dinner, made sure I had all the supplies I needed, and even stocked the fridge with chocolate. Thank you for your time. I wish you the best at sea and hope our paths cross again.

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Iguazu Falls

9/4/2015

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Friday night a group of 14 of us got together to have a goodbye dinner of sorts. It didn’t feel like goodbye since we will be back in Buenos Aires for two weekends in October, but it was great to have everyone together as usual. Matias, Nati, and Alfredo made me laugh to the point of tears. They take great glee out of the fact that I can’t pronounce the word maravilloso (wonderful in Spanish) properly. I should say couldn’t say because now I can, HA. We got home and packed madly for our departure Saturday morning. Not to point fingers at the person who wasn’t ready, but I was fully packed before dinner.

Our first plane ride together was a success. We flew from Buenos Aires to Iguazu International Airport right where the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina meet. What brought us here were the Cataratas del Iguazu or the Iguazu Falls. The pilot flew over the falls twice so that each side of the plane could have a clear view. This was a major surprise and totally made paying a premium to fly opposed to taking a bus worth it! We got to our lodging and set up camp. It is perfect for our needs. The Wi-Fi is strong enough for Nico to make work calls and there is a small very basic kitchenette. The first night the power went out and we were left to cook dinner with our headlamps. I guess we are slowly downgrading in our cooking facilities so that by the time we are trekking in the south we are coordinated with just our Minimo stove.

The three major waterfalls that garner the most attention in the world are the Angel Falls in Venezuela (tallest in the world standing at 979 m), Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe (largest singular waterfall spanning 1.7 km with an average flow of 1 million liters per second), and Iguazu Falls in Argentina/Brazil (made up of 275 individual waterfalls that span 2 km with an average flow of 1 million liters per second). In general Victoria Falls and Iguazu Falls are considered the most impressive and largest falls in the world. Victoria Falls is less interrupted and thus considered larger. Having visited both, I feel one advantage of Iguazu Falls is that there are many more clear viewing points. I spent most of my time at Victoria Falls protecting my camera from the heavy mist sprayed from the tremendous amount of water plunging over the falls. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt even exclaimed “Poor Niagara!” upon her first viewing of Iguazu Falls. Niagara is still one of the largest falls in the world with roughly the same average flow as Victoria Falls, but it isn’t nearly as impressive. I have also visited Niagara Falls and for me the nature surrounding Victoria Falls and Iguazu Falls greatly elevates them in the ranking of greatest falls in the world. Nico and I spent two days hiking around Iguazu and could easily have spent one more day.

Of Iguazu’s 275 falls the most impressive is “The Devil’s Throat” or “La Garganta del Diablo”. It is a U-shaped gathering of 14 falls sending water 350 feet down to a rocky basin. We visited the Devil’s Throat twice. Once at midday and again right before closing. I recommend either visiting it as soon as the park opens or at the end of the day. The crowds at midday were nuts. As usual we met some friendly people who were willing to jump with me. We even met some Taiwanese Americans who are planning on being in Taipei for New Years while I plan to be in their hometown of San Francisco for the big countdown to 2016. It is a draw which would be better. San Francisco will have three of my best friends and Taipei will have Taiwanese food. I guess you can see where my priorities stand. Just in case you haven’t been reading my previous posts, I love Taiwan.

Our two days were both hot and clear. We definitely noticed a huge difference in the number of tourists on Sunday and on Monday. If possible, visit during weekdays. One of the highlights of our time was a boat ride into the falls. It was an awesome experience and left us soaking wet. We were also lucky because the water level dropped enough for us to be able to visit San Martin Island on our second day. From the island you can get up close to one of the most powerful falls and a view of an almost Avatar like landscape. From the island you can closely view the rock faces that break up the falls, which are covered with brilliant green vegetation and provide niches for the Great Dusky Swifts to nest. Taking in the strength and force of the falls and watching the swifts swooping dangerously close to the water was awe-inspiring. There were many moments when I stopped to think how crazy amazing our planet is and how lucky I am to be able to explore it. Now I am “double lucky” not only because I get to adventure around the globe, but I get to do it with a great companion. My life has changed drastically over the past year. There have been highs and lows, but I am definitely feeling an overwhelming sense of contentment and thankfulness at the moment.

We saw a lot of South American coatis aggressively attempting to take tourists’ snacks, monkeys lazily straddling branches, a variety of colorful butterflies, and a very unique yellow and violet bird. The park is said to be home to over 2,000 species of plants and a plethora of animals. For those really interested in the wild life check out the nearby animal sanctuary.

Exploring the falls was a perfect way to begin our life on the road. Most likely there will be a day here and there where we are not in sync. We are human after all. If the first few days are any indicator though, I have a feeling that we are going to be excellent travel partners.

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Alaskan Cod and an Icy Ending

9/2/2015

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I apologize for the odd order of my posts. For some reason they are publishing out of order.

Our itinerary for Alaska was Vancouver B.C. to the Inside Passage, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier, Seward and then the same in reverse back to Vancouver B.C.

Miriam and I walked around the small but beautiful port of Ketchikan. If you make the trip to this town, either plan enough time to climb the Deer Mountain Trail or pay to take a plane ride over the fjords. Miriam and I didn’t have time for a hike or money for the plane ride, so we just absorbed some vitamin D and ate our salmon sandwiches confiscated from the ship’s dining hall. I was also sold a faulty sim card from a guy at AT &T who randomly was from Oregon City (my high school’s rival) and knew people I graduated with. Next stop was Icy Strait Point. We did a lot of walking, watching float planes, and unsuccessful hunting for a glimpse of whales. We did see a lot of dolphins from the ship and a lot of bald eagles perched in trees.

Juneau provided us with great entertainment. We had the option of paying a lot of money to do a tour of the Mendenhall Glacier or we could take a 2 dollar local bus and see it ourselves. We along with an Australian couple from the ship opted for the 2 dollar option. The bus dropped us off a mile from the glacier, but the walk was fine with us. It was a perfectly clear day and the scenery was breath-taking. The glacier is 13.6 miles long and about 12 miles from Juneau. Unfortunately, since 1958 the glacier has receded 1.75 miles. There is also an impressive waterfall to the left of the glacier, which takes about 45 minutes to walk to from the main viewing point of the glacier. On the way back to town we met a Chinese family and I geeked out over discussions of Taiwanese/Chinese cuisine with them.

Skagway was another special stop because my friend Margaret (we met on a tour in Vietnam) now lives there and is a HR manager for a tour company. I contacted her several days before our arrival and she was able to get us in a tour for free! We each tipped the guide 20 dollars, but it was a steal compared to the normal 160 dollar price point! It goes to show it is all about the people you meet. The town was originally founded by an entrepreneur who foresaw the gold rush coming and wanted to cash in on the needs of all the men and women who would come to try their luck. It is amazing to think that the population of this town during off season is only 900, but throughout tourist season it hosts over 900,000 visitors. The tour took us through White Pass and parallel to the Yukon Gauge Railroad. We traversed tundra and passed through the most simplistic border crossing I have ever seen to cross into Canada. Our guide talked a lot about the plight of those seeking gold. By law they had to cart a ton of supplies per person in their party. What ended up happening is couples or families would have to spend all their life savings just to have enough horses and goods to be allowed to embark on their treacherous journey. Many died and out in the tundra murder was considered lesser of a crime than stealing clothing and food. It was all about survival. We walked across the Yukon suspension bridge and stopped for an amazing salmon bakeoff. The family who threw the salmon bakeoff were dressed in traditional gold rush era garb long beards and all. A fiddler played as we threw back corn bread, beans, salad, and of course honey baked salmon. It really was a perfect day. After the tour we went for a short hike with Margaret and took in the stunning views of the water offset by the snowcapped mountains behind it.

Next we visited the Hubbard Glacier. It is supposedly the only glacier in the world that is actually growing (I can’t verify the validity of this fact, but the ship’s crew announced it over the loudspeakers). We watched as chunks of ice the height of a ten story building crashed into Disenchantment Bay and attempted to get photos the best we could considering how far away we were from the glacier itself.

So to understand what happened next takes a bit of explaining. Technically I was on the ship for four cruises. The first was from Australia all the way to Hawaii. The second was Hawaii to Vancouver B.C. The third was from Vancouver to the Hubbard Glacier was and the fourth was from the Hubbard Glacier back to Vancouver. Let’s just say I only made it to Vancouver once.

Unbeknownst to me my troubles began the second day of the first cruise. A pipe burst in Courtney’s cabin and we were flooded. She requested a new room just until the pipe was fixed. The ship gave her a vacant guest cabin. As her guest staying in her room I paid 10 dollars a day. If I were to take a vacant guest cabin myself, I would have to pay 22 dollars a day. I obviously was content to sleep in the pull down cot in her room. Not only was it cheaper, but I got to see more of her. Well at the end of the first cruise the ship charged me for that guest cabin even though we only slept there one night and it in fact had nothing to do with me. I didn’t make this discovery until a couple days into the second cruise. Courtney asked at guest services if anything could be done and their response was that the billing cycle was already closed. I felt that this was an inadequate response considering the circumstance. All I wanted was them to give me credit towards the next three cruises. So I called guest services myself and politely explained the situation. The woman I spoke with said she would call me back after discussing it with her manager. I went to the gym and felt confident that the issue would be resolved. I returned to the room and Courtney was there waiting for me. She was upset. Apparently the woman I spoke with had felt I had been very aggressive and rude. This news blew my mind considering I spoke to her for about two minutes and the entire conversation was very calm. I apologized, but said that I couldn’t think of anything I had said that would have caused the woman to feel attacked. Since this incident took place on a cruise ship it had to be blown way out of proportion because the 800 person crew while stuck at sea for months on end have nothing better to do than find entertainment out of drama. The guest service employee got the guest service manager, hotel manager, and captain involved. Courtney was threatened with losing her privilege to have guests if she was going to invite such rude people to stay with her. This event ended up costing me over 200 dollars and strained my relationship with Courtney unfortunately. She also told me that the crew had complained about me being demanding at the ship’s bar. Considering the only alcohol I had on the ship had been wine in Courtney’s presence, I obviously had a doppelganger running about making mischief. I even had one of the cooks approach me to give me a high five on how drunk I had been the day before.

Me: “Nope, it wasn’t me sorry.”

Cook: “Seriously I saw you hammered yesterday on the beach.”

Me: “Seriously I went scuba diving and would never drink on a dive day.”

Cook: “Crazy, I swear it was you. The woman I saw looks just like you.”

Well whoever she was she sure caused me some headaches. I had about six crew members I didn’t know approach me to make some sort of unwelcome comments.

To make things more unideal Miriam was scheduled to join the ship in two days when we arrived in Vancouver. I had to quickly weigh my options. We could skip the Alaskan cruise and have my parents drive up from Portland to claim us or stick with the original plan regardless of how uncomfortable things were on the ship. Getting off the ship felt like the right option considering how tense things were and I didn’t want to make any trouble for Courtney now that her privilege to have guests was in question. On the other hand Miriam had already spent 1,000 dollars to fly to Vancouver B.C. with the promise of two weeks on a cruise ship. So, I opted to suck it up and stay on the ship for Miriam’s sake.

Six days into our first Alaskan cruise a security guard pulled me aside to say Courtney had left the ship and wasn’t coming back. She had had a family emergency and was gone. The HR manager contacted me and told me Miriam and I were a security hazard and needed to leave. The security team changed Courtney’s password for the internet and thus we were left to fend for ourselves in the very very very small town of Seward, Alaska with nothing figured out in advance. Google Seward just to get a feel for what we were left to deal with. With some help from afar we got on a four hour bus headed to Anchorage and caught an absurdly early plane to Portland. The whole thing was very expensive and unfortunately created a bit of a negative end to my cruising experience. Unexpected things happen while traveling and all you can do is stay positive and deal with the curve balls thrown your way. Miriam and I did just that.

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Aloha from Hawaii

9/2/2015

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In Hawaii we stopped in Oahu, Maui, and both sides of the Big Island (Kona and Hilo). Oahu was a special experience because my godmother’s family lives there. Her sister, Karen, and her husband picked me up and took me around the island for the day. Not only did I get to spend the day with them, but Miriam flew to Hawaii to join me!! Courtney had invited Miriam to join for the Alaska portion of the cruise and ironically it was cheaper for Miriam to fly from New Zealand to Hawaii and then on to Vancouver than it was for her to fly direct. The first stop we made was at the military cemetery where my god-grandfather is buried. We left flowers at his grave and took in the beautiful view of Honolulu. We visited the famous Blow Hole, Hanauma Bay, Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, Nuuanu Pali lookout, and several viewpoints along the way. Karen took us to buy shaved ice at a famous ice cream shop which is apparently a favorite of the Obama family and we happily consumed it on the beach. As always, spending time with this part of my family was a pleasure. They are such generous and warm people.

Miriam remained on Oahu and I along with the ship headed to the Big Island. Kona was pretty boring. I spent most of my day with the tango group trying to leech free Wi-Fi. The day we spent in Hilo was nice because Courtney and I were able to do a shore dive together. I had been wanting to see a sea turtle and low and behold one literally ran into my mask. It was AWESOME!

Miriam met up again with me on Maui. Before finding her at the pier, I met someone else who would become an important part of my cruise experience. His name is Ned. I knew he worked on the ship and assumed that like most crew members he would probably have been to most of these ports before and thus would know the good Wi-Fi hotspots. I sort of creepily approached him and asked if he knew a good café with strong Wi-Fi. He was a bit taken back, but offered for me to join him in his pursuit of internet. He is a singer on the ship and performs every night at the ship’s pub. We spent about two hours together and quickly got to know the basics of each other’s lives. He is from Omaha, Nebraska, but now calls Florida home-base. His girlfriend lives in the Caribbean somewhere and so at every port he madly tries to find Wi-Fi to contact her. Over the next few weeks he and I would inevitably hunt for Wi-Fi together and I would occasionally sit and listen to him play. I guess I kind of became a groupie for all the musicians on the ship. To give you an idea of how much time I spent with the tango group and Ned, crew members actually would ask me what instrument I played because they all assumed I was Argentinian and part of the tango performance group. Ha.

Anyway, Miriam and I spent the day eating chocolate covered macadamia nuts, sitting on the beach, eating vegan tofu wraps, and chatting a mile a minute. I can’t say how much it meant to me that Miriam was willing to spend so much time, money, and effort to see me. Thank you my friend!

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French Polynesia: Mo'orea and Bora Bora

9/2/2015

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The island of Mo'orea wasn’t as interesting to me as Tahiti or Bora Bora. It has an iconic mountain with a very distinctly shaped peak, which was very nice to see. What made my day was meeting up with my Argentinian friends. I haven’t told you anything about them yet, but they were the most significant part of my time on the cruise ship. In the future it will be memories of my time with them that will bring me more smiles than any of the places we visited.

I told Courtney that I really wanted to learn how to play an Argentinian card game called Truco before arriving in Argentina. I didn’t want to be that gringa who arrives and is unable to socialize with a group due to not knowing how to play a game. The next night she remembered that there was a group of Argentinian performers on the ship and she offered to introduce me. I have no problem walking up to strangers and starting a conversation, but this felt a bit invasive. They were peacefully minding their own business and then we arrive.

Courtney: “Hello. This is my friend Kristin and she is planning on moving to Argentina. She would really like to learn how to play… what was it called again?”

Me: “Truco.”

Courtney: “I have to get back to work. Thanks guys.”

So, I was left with my apprehensive babysitters. It was obvious that at first they couldn’t believe that this crazy and random American wanted to learn how to play Truco and while on a cruise ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean of all places. The group was made up of Marcelo (a classical tango pianist), Luciano (Marcelo’s son who is currently studying to do the same as his father), Javier (an amazing bandoneon player), and last but not least Marcela/Walter (the ship’s tango team). The banter back and forth amongst them is astonishing. My snappy sarcasm and ability to learn the rules of Truco quickly garnered the respect of the group and it was established that I was going to become their groupie. I began spending every lunch (2:00pm) and every dinner (8:45pm) with them. It is good that they exposed me to Argentinian habits. All meals are significantly later than what we have in the US. The only reason we ate at 8:45 was because the restaurants on board closed at 9:00pm. If they had it their way, we would have eaten at 10:30 or 11. After dinner we would often watch the other entertainers on the ship perform, play soccer on the top deck, or go back to one of their cabins for wine and Truco. We shared mate (an Argentinian drink that is bitter like green tea and is shared amongst a group out of a gourd and consumed through a metal straw), they let me listen to them compose music, we sat in the hot tub together, and spent a lot of time sitting around laughing. They lovingly call me gringa and incorporated me into their whistling system. Each person had a different whistle they would use to grab the attention of the others from afar. Luckily, whistling is one of my fortes. From what I knew of Argentinian culture before meeting them, I knew I would like Argentina. Once I spent some serious time with the Tango group, I knew I would love Argentina. I will post soon on my reflections of the Argentinian identity and what makes them so unique. Just know now that they are a social and lively bunch.

We negotiated down the price of a large van to take us all to a public beach where we could rent kayaks. Luciano and I spent some time swimming around the reef with my GoPro and then we rented kayaks with Javier. The three of us paddled out to where a tour group was swimming with sharks and manta rays. To Luciano’s amazement I bailed ship as quick as I could to see the sharks. He kept saying, “Ella es muy valiente!” “She is so brave!” Javier remained firmly tucked into the kayak while Luciano and I swam around like two little kids in a candy shop. We were so close to the sharks it was amazing. So it cost us 5 dollars to swim with the sharks and the cruise ship passengers paid 160 dollars. That goes to show you should never do a tour off of a cruise ship.

The next day I was one of the first people off the ship because it was my dive day! I met with Laurent of Diveasy on his boat and an Australian couple on their honeymoon. We had two fantastic dives. I am really feeling comfortable underwater and am able to regulate my breathing and buoyancy so well that I can remain below much longer than my fellow divers. We didn’t see any extremely unique species, but the visibility was high. The boat ride back to shore took us past the iconic stilt huts that celebrities stay in and over the deliciously turquoise water that makes Bora Bora the place to go for a honeymoon. It was killing me not having my big camera. Laurent kindly dropped me off at the only public beach on the island because I knew the tango group would be there. Ironically he pulled up five feet from where they were all lounging. I jumped off the boat and joined my friends with a big grin on my face. We spent the rest of the day swimming underneath the stilt houses of a major resort after sneaking around its gate. Marcelo and Luciano humored me by repeatedly listing the 24 names of their dog in unison. Apparently the dog receives a new name for each major life event. I never realized a dog could have such an eventful life! Oh how I love these people!

Out of all my travels Bora Bora is the only place that 100% lived up to its glory. Most places are touched up in post cards to look even more picturesque than they really are, but Bora Bora was perfect. The water was clear and warm and even in shallow water there were tropical fish swimming around my ankles. I may never get back there, but definitely wouldn’t complain if I was offered the chance to have my honeymoon there someday.

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Buenos Aires: The City that Truly Never Sleeps

9/2/2015

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A ride on the metro in Buenos Aires will give you an inaccurate view of the personality and heart of the Argentinian people. At first glance they seem suspicious, drained, and unwelcoming. This is due to them being an over worked population fighting against a weak economy and putting up with consistent political turmoil. Petty crime is also frequent which places people on their guard. What a traveler can easily miss if they don’t take the time to peel past this outer exterior, is a vibrant, passionate, and incredibly loyal people.

Before arriving in Argentina, I was told of Argentinians fierce sense of loyalty. Once you are weighed, measured, and found not wanting, you will be welcomed into a group of dedicated friends. This devotion begins with the family and extends to normally very large friend groups. Siblings and childhood friends remain close throughout their lifetimes and often are found socializing multiple times a week. They share a deep rooted love of futbol and most have supported the same team since they could first walk. They bond through sharing a gourd of mate, grilling large slabs of beef on the parrilla at their weekly asados, and dancing until the not so wee hours in the morning at one of the plethora of boliches. I hold a deep respect for their way of life and wish that my countrymen could set work aside a bit more and take a few ques from the Argentinians.

I have been in this country for 2.5 months now and the people I am surrounded by have been nothing but warm, helpful, and incredibly welcoming. I find myself laughing almost every day and haven’t met one person I don’t genuinely like. The Taiwanese have firmly held the honor of being my favorite nationality for a long time now. Well, they have to move over because they have to share the winner’s seat with the Argentinians.

I could go into detail about all the places I have visited in Buenos Aires, yet that isn’t what my time here has been about. What really matters is the people.

To the friends I have made here,

Thank you for being so accepting and open to a strange Yankee like myself. I am so thankful to have met you all and look forward to sharing a lifetime of friendship. So cheers to years of laughter and most definitely lots and lots of food.

Love,

The Gringa

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The Pacific Northwest: Home of the Worldly Gnome

9/2/2015

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After the stress of getting kicked off the cruise ship and the early morning flight, landing in Portland felt like a huge relief. The crazy thing was that I was so focused on just logistically getting home, I never really fully processed that I was going HOME. It had been a year and a half since my last visit and it was time to see my parents and to breathe in the clean fresh air of the Pacific Northwest. With Miriam by my side we arrived in the place that I called home for the first 18 years of my life. We spent a day exploring Portland with my friend from university, Andrew. We took Miriam to the world’s largest used bookstore, contemplated waiting in Voo Doo Doughnuts’ long line, and strolled past Portland’s famous food carts. Another day my dad drove us to Timberline Lodge and we hung out on Mt. Hood. Most of our days were dedicated to me going through piles of my childhood stuff. Yes, I am a pack rat and yes my mother likes to point this out almost every time we talk. In her defense I have lived outside of the US for years and my infrequent visits mean that all my belongings are just taking up space in my parents’ house and collecting dust.

I got to see many friends and met my god-brother’s newborn baby girl and my brother’s newborn baby boy. Oh how life has changed since I left. There have been weddings, births, and deaths. All of which I wish I had been there for. This is the one negative to the life style I have selected for myself- you sometimes miss out. All I can say to my family and friends back home is that I love you all and even if I am not there often, you are with me in my thoughts.

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Celebrating 28 Years of Life

9/1/2015

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In my last post I forgot to mention the birthday dinner Courtney threw for me. She made a reservation at one of the ships fine dining restaurants. It was at an all you can eat Italian restaurant and was absolutely delicious. Our dining mates included the following: A robust Romanian woman whose right eye twitched a bit, a quiet petite woman from Malta, a domineering red headed Canadian woman, Courtney, and me. It was the most obscure and random mix of people from varying ages and backgrounds. Now I have never been a drinker. I do enjoy wine, but have never consumed copious amounts of it. That night there was a lot of wine. I just sat back with my glass and observed the absurdity of what unfolded and wished that it was socially acceptable for me to use my GoPro at a social dinner of this nature.

It all began with everyone quietly looking at one another. None of them are very familiar, but are among the small group of women working on the ship and came together in an effort to give me a “girls night out”. I love these awkward scenarios oh so much. The Romanian woman broke the silence with an explanation of how butter back in the Soviet Days was much better for you. The following is a direct quote please mentally read this with a thick Romanian accent: “You know, the girls back then didn’t have cel… celious… cell… you know fat legs.” This led her to explain that her current status of being overweight is not due to bad food as a child because in fact she along with all the other Romanian girls of that era was very thin. According to her she is currently 30 kilos overweight due to being viciously attacked by a dog when she was in her mid-twenties. Apparently she was so emotionally distraught over the attack that she turned to food for comfort and is now seeking psychological treatment in an effort to curb her appetite. “My doctor is trying to hypnotize me to make me forget the dog bite. It was very bad you know. Now all I have are these white scars across my face. Can you see them? They are very clear under a bright light. I hate having bright lights in my faaace.” It took every ounce of my will power not to laugh. Not that I think someone having a traumatic experience is funny. What was funny was how random it was and the story told in that accent was like a film. In my head I kept thinking, “Yep, I have just stepped onto a movie set. Where is the director? Can I have a leading role?” Then it was time for the Canadian to tell us the 40 minute story of how she tried to cross the Zimbabwe border without proper paperwork. Keep in mind none of this conversation was linked nor did it contain any sense. Meanwhile the woman from Malta struggled to remove lipstick from her teeth and remained silent. Surprisingly, I too remained silent. My normal womit (word vomit as my friends like to call it) was held back due to the sheer enjoyment of observing. Courtney coaxed me to take a bit of her basically raw steak, I said no. At one point the hotel manager approached and asked while looking at me, “Who is paying for this meal?” I piped back in response, “You are!” I was of course kidding, but he did. Thank you kind sir. At the end of the meal I made it back to Courtney’s cabin in spite of wearing her overly tall high heels and having consumed more wine than normal. As soon as the door was closed she looked at me sheepishly and kind of apologized. All I could do was laugh.

My 28th birthday wasn’t celebrated with my family nor my best friends, but it was enjoyable and made me realize that no matter where you are in the world there are good people to share life’s events with.

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French Polynesia: Hunting for Dinosaurs in Tahiti

9/1/2015

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Many researchers of human migration believe that the Great Polynesian Migration occurred around 1500 BC and settlements were established in the islands around 200 BC making the islands of French Polynesia one of the last places on Earth to be settled. The islands first made it into the European consciousness during Magellan’s expedition in 1521. The islands were also visited by Dutch explorer Jakob Roggeveen in 1772, British explorer Samuel Wallis in 1767, and more famously by British explorer James Cook in 1769. For a very short period of time the islands came under the governance of the Viceroy of Peru. While under the Spanish, Christian missions were built. They were then quickly overtaken by British Protestants. Unfortunately, these religious missions did a lot of damage to the material culture of the indigenous population. They desecrated holy sites and forbid the locals from worshipping and carving wooden totems. They also established schools that prohibited students from speaking their native language in hopes of “civilizing” the local population. Thus, they greatly prevented the passing on of the Polynesian oral traditions. In 1842, France declared Tahiti and Tahuata a French protectorate. Fast forward past some conflict with the British to the 1880’s and the status of the islands was increased from being a protectorate to a colony of France. In 1946 French citizenship was extended to the people of the French Polynesian islands and their status was changed to territory. This is an obviously overly watered down history. The overall point is that many locals do not like their French governors and prefer not to call their country French Polynesia. I thought it was very interesting how the populations of the different islands really differed in regards to language. On Tahiti the people spoke French, but many still spoke their native tongue. This was not the case on touristy Bora Bora, which was more like Hawaii in the fact that the native language was forgotten long ago. One of my tour guides said that currently there is a push in Tahiti to bring the local tongue back into the elementary school curriculum.

My day in Tahiti was so fulfilling. I contacted the number one off-roading tour company on trip advisor and was picked up with five other strangers from the pier. There was a Swedish couple, an Australian couple, and a woman who worked in the art gallery on the ship. We all hit it off well and greatly enjoyed sharing the tour together. The tour guides were beyond excellent. The owners name is Teiva Tiaipoi and his email is: teiva.tahitidiscovery@gmail.com.

They drove us in a 4WD vehicle to the interior of the mountainous island. As we went they stopped to show us plants and to tell us stories of the island’s past. Teiva showed us how his grandfather would summon him by taking a large shell and knocking it on a hollow tree. The deep sound resonated through the forest and would be audible from a far. He said this is how the locals sent out warnings that an enemy was approaching and for the women to move to the interior. He also showed us two large flowers. The local women use the dye from the flower as lipstick and the juice from the inside of the stem as make-up remover.

As we moved farther into the interior Teiva joked that we should keep our eyes open for dinosaurs. The landscape really did look like Jurassic Park! We stopped at a nice spot for swimming and checked out a couple waterfalls and then headed to a resort high up one of the mountains for lunch. As soon as we arrived heavy rain set in and we were lucky to be undercover. Our lunch was a traditional dish made up of raw tuna, chicken, and vegetables. To be honest I couldn’t stomach the raw tuna. I like sushi and have eaten a lot of sashimi in my day, but this tuna just wasn’t going to make it to my stomach.

Fortunately, the rain lightened up and we were able to visit a very important site for the Tahitians. Teiva spoke about the migration of the Polynesian people and that some people believe the Incas were descendants of Polynesian migrants. The distances between the islands they traversed by hollowed out canoes is impressive. He showed us a very famous piece of volcanic rock brought to Tahiti from the Big Island of Hawaii by canoe. He also told us about the creation of the islands and the significance of the different Polynesian goddesses and gods.

We made it just in time to a famous black sand beach for sunset and visited the lighthouse. I expressed my desperate need for Wi-Fi and one of the guides even offered for me to come to his house. On the way back to Papeete we spent a few minutes watching the local hula dance teams prepare for a large competition. It was a perfect day that involved both exploring the outdoors and learning about the local culture. Thank you Teiva for sharing your passion and deep seeded respect for Polynesian culture with us.

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Crossing the Pacific: Australia and New Zealand

8/28/2015

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My transit to Sydney was draining. I had a 9 hour layover in Japan and then a four hour layover in the Gold Coast airport. I finally made it to my hostel and quickly befriended my bunk mate. Amber recently graduated from university in the States and is now in the middle of her working holiday visa in Australia. She had just quit her waitressing job in Melbourne and wanted to experience working life in Sydney. We went to dinner with two British guys she had met while traveling and walked around the city. It was nice to share a meal with others and to catch the evening firework show over the harbor. The next day I walked to the Opera House, watched birds steal my overpriced mushroom vegan burger, chatted with a lovely retiree while gazing at the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and strolled through the botanical gardens on my way back to the hostel. My time was very brief in Sydney, but I could tell it was a city worth revisiting.

The sole reason I flew to Sydney was to begin a completely different chapter of my travel. At 8:00 am something big pulled into Sydney harbor and it was going to become my new home- The Radiance of the Seas. While traveling alone in Turkey in 2012, I met a fellow American named Courtney. We hit it off immediately, so much so that the hostel owner joked that we must be sisters without knowing it. We rerouted our travel plans so that we could continue together. Ironically, that was the same day I met Jane (my Taiwanese friend) another important person in my life. Courtney is an Environmental Captain of a Royal Caribbean ship. She is responsible for making sure that the ship always follows local and international environmental laws, manages waste dumping, etc. As a high ranking officer she not only has her own cabin, but is able to invite guests for a meager 10 dollars a day. Over the years we stayed in touch and she offered several times for me to come join her on the ship. Well in 2014, over a Skype update it was decided that it was time to make our discourse a reality. So the Radiance was to become my home for 5 weeks as it crossed the Pacific Ocean.

The instructions I was given were to tell the security team I am Courtney’s friend and that they would call her. Conveniently all the security guards on the peer worked for the harbor and not the ship, ergo none of them knew this Courtney nor did they care. In order to get to the ship’s security team I needed to have a ticket. Well I didn’t have a ticket and try explaining that to these guys. So after a good 30 minutes of pleading, one guard went to the ship to inquire. I was guided to the ships’ security team and they all knew of me and said that Courtney had been talking about my arrival nonstop for months. It was a very nice welcome. Courtney made sure her workload was light for the day and we had lunch together. It was so great to see my friend after so many years. It is funny updating someone you haven’t seen in so long. It really makes you realize how fast and drastically life changes. Just as the sun set, I fought the strong winds on the top deck to watch the Opera House and the bridge fade in the distance. What a perfect beginning to my life at sea.

The next two days were a bit rough due to a large storm hitting the region. We had actually been lucky that we left when we did. Several cruise ships that left a few hours after us were hit hard by the storm and forced back to Sydney. Between the extra-large waves and being new to living at sea, my body shut down and I slept 13 hours each day. Courtney told me that is normal and to just take the sleep since I had nothing better to do. If you have never done a long cruise, you may be thinking, “Oh man sea days sound so relaxing.” No, you are wrong. They are boring. I had a whopping 19 sea days. I am not complaining, I am informing.

One overcast and grey morning a large green landmass appeared, we had arrived to the stunning southern island of New Zealand. It actually felt like we were pulling into the fjords in Norway (warrant I haven’t been there). We snaked through a waterway which was tightly hugged by wooded green hills on either side. A light fog hung over the land and it began to drizzle. The first port we came to was the sleepy town of Picton. We disembarked into a large lumber yard with no buildings in sight. We had to be bused into the town, which had one main street. The highlight for most guests was the library which offered free Wi-Fi. There were two special things about that day. 1. My friend Miriam was coming to meet me for the day. 2. It was my birthday.

You may recall that I met Miriam in the back of a truck heading to a kayaking trip in Laos. The day we met I asked her to share a kayak with me to her chagrin. She had hoped to partner up with one of the guys of the group haha. Nope, she was stuck with me and good thing too because we are now close friends. She is from Germany and like myself, got burned out working for a large company. She decided to hit the road for a one year round the world trip. After meeting in Laos, she changed her plans to spend ten days with me in Cambodia. When we said goodbye, I thought it was going to be for a year or two. She was heading to New Zealand to obtain a working holiday visa. I don’t know if you have heard of these or not. I hadn’t, until I started traveling. It is very popular for Europeans, Americans, Asians and some South Americans to go to Australia or New Zealand for a one year working visa. Since both countries have small populations they have a high demand for labor. To assist with their deficient the governments set up a very simple visa program to encourage back-packers and other young people to come and work. You can not be over the age of 30 at the time you apply. In some cases, it is possible to get a second year visa. For example, the British can get one if during their first year of work they worked in agriculture for at least three months. This opportunity for some reason does not extend to Americans. Point being, she was there Woofing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). What I didn’t know at the time was that Miriam was supposed to have moved on to the north island already, but had waited 5 days in the small town of Picton for my arrival. That is a true act of friendship because Picton doesn’t have much to offer. The reason to make a trip there is for trekking, dolphin/whale watching, and boat tours of the surrounding Marlborough Sounds. All of which would be amazing if the weather was nice.

We walked around a bit and decided due to the weather the best thing we could do would be to go back to the ship for a free lunch. Courtney had already submitted a request for Miriam to have a day pass for the ship. We reached the lumber yard and the port security had Miriam’s name and passport number written down as being approved for a day pass. When we got to the ship’s security guard, he said there was no paperwork approving Miriam to board. I asked him to call Courtney and he said no. We waited about 45 minutes until I decided to take things into my own hands. I knew that the port authorities had paperwork approving her, so I went up to one of the officers explained the situation and requested a copy of the paper. He was a lovely man with large Scottish like ears (I am of Scottish heritage so I can relate). He jovially shoved a miscellaneous pile of stuff off his passenger seat and told me to jump in his truck. He whisked me to the gate and in a matter of five minutes I had the necessary papers in hand. Let’s just say the whole thing ended up being way more public than I intended and the security guard we had dealt with was in a bit of hot water. He had looked at Miriam and me as being young nobodies and didn’t feel the need to assist us.

On board Miriam was impressed by the excessive amounts of food options and rejoiced over the discovery of black olives (apparently they are really expensive in New Zealand). We had a nice meal and then it was time for her to head back to Picton. The next day she caught an early morning ferry to cross to the north island where she met me in Wellington! I don’t have much to share about Wellington other than it is the capital of New Zealand and the second most populated city in the country. It was very clean and in many ways reminded me of Portland. We soaked up the sun at the peer while eating fish and chips and discussed life. It had been so nice spending two days with Miriam that I didn’t want to say goodbye again and this time for sure for a couple of years. We parted and I went back to watch one of the crew’s performances.

I will definitely be going back to New Zealand to explore Hobbiton, trek through the mountains, and float through the Waitomo glow worm caves. New Zealand was followed by 5 sea days which were greatly improved by a boisterous and passionate group of Argentinians. More on them next post. Next stop French Polynesia!!!

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Hi, I'm Kristin!

I am an avid traveler who also loves photography, history, and food. Life is short and I am trying to gather as many special memories as I can.

Hi, I'm Kristin!

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