Sick, again 🤧The Great October Rest & Reboot

Well, October certainly had a different plan for me than I had for it! You know how sometimes life throws you a curveball, and it turns out to be exactly what you needed? That’s my story this month. Instead of an idyllic month of sailing and diving, I was sick in bed with colds much of the month.

Cold #1

I had a cold the second week of October. I blamed the stress of planning (and then un-planning) the trip to Dublin. Also, living on a cruise ship is like living in a giant petri dish—it only takes a few people to get a cold for it to run through everyone. It was mild, lasting 3 or 4 days and I felt fine to go diving in Palau. (it was great, see previous post)

After Palau our destination was Bitung, Indonesia. We were there 2 years ago and it's where my mom would go diving with Thalassa. At that time we weren't able to dive with them, but we did spend one night. So this time we planned to stay and dive there. 

Cold #2

We packed our gear and headed off the ship, but I had sniffles. By the time we got to the resort I was feeling really bad. Dinner? Nope. Diving? Definitely not. I essentially became a professional sleeper for a full day while Jim went off and had three incredible dives with our new friends Julie and Stephanie. Twice in one month! What gives, immune system?! 

A Promise Kept

The good news is that Jim stayed healthy thru it all and the best news for me was we got to visit Mom's tree. Jim had 3 great dives with our 2 new friends Julie and Stephanie. When they got back I had Jim take a little pilgrimage with me. Despite feeling rotten, I managed to get up and walk with Jim to the resort, now called Grand Luley (formerly Santika/Thalassa). And there it was: Mom’s best-tree-in-the-world! Five years after getting her ashes, I finally got to leave some at the base of that majestic tree—a vow fulfilled. It had been hit by lightning (I’m choosing to believe that happened the moment Mom passed), but it’s still standing tall. As Jim wisely pointed out, Mom’s ashes will just help it grow back stronger and more beautiful! 🥰

Mom's Video of "Her Favorite Tree of the World" taken in 2005 At Thalasa, Santika, Manado

Forced Relaxation: The Silver Lining

When we got back to the ship I felt a little better but still not good. I stayed in bed all day again and found some movies on the TV to watch. They were actually very good - what a treat! A documentary about the music group The Zombies (Time of the Season.) Amazing how they filled venues all over the world but didn't make enough money to feed their families. They worked menial jobs when they got back home. Thru it all they kept positive attitudes and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 50 years after their hit song "Time of the Season" was #1. The next movie "The Penguin Lessons" was based on a true story of an English teacher in Argentina and a penguin. Heartwarming, inspirational, funny, enraging - all at once. I still stayed in bed the next day as well and found one more movie to watch - not quite as good but still interesting about 3 kids who are on a mission to take a cancer patient to her mountain in New Zealand - Mt. Taranaki.

 

Hard Reset

It sucked to be sick so much this month ... BUT ... when I finally 'came to' it was like I had a whole new outlook. My perspective went thru a reboot. All the mental clutter—the email juggling, the tutorial video planning, the endless to-do list—had been wiped away. I was starting with a clean slate and a sudden burst of clarity. I decided to do some serious updating to the website and the blog. I finally ditched that old RV-at-the-Tetons banner for something cruise-related—it's about time!

Banner for our personal travel blog: GeeksOnTour.Blogspot.com

I spent many guilt-free hours on our photo album site. Check it out here. I made it using Google Sites - completely free - and it is really SO easy. This is something I need to teach! Here's the one video I already made (and I watched it myself before tackling the updates!) 
An email came in just before I got sick, asking if we would be a speaker for their online event called "DIY Trip Summit." We get lots of emails asking us for collaborations and I just ignore them, but this one seemed different. I still mostly ignored it, but I didn't delete it. After my mental reboot, I decided I wanted to follow thru on this one. They want us to submit a 20 minute video on Smartphone Photography Basics ... and maybe to offer a freebie digital product as a lead for people to sign up for our e-newsletter. It could be a good source of new email subscribers for us. Or it could be nothing - but still it makes me motivated to create. I like that, and I'm going for it. Actually, it was their request for a 'headshot' that inspired me to change the banner on our blog. I decided to use one of those photos where someone posed us at the Keyhole in Boracay ...

I'm having fun!

Now we're in Sorong, Indonesia which is known as the gateway to Rajah Ampat, generally regarded as the best diving in the world ... and we're not going 😮. But, I'm getting healthy (I saw the doctor when we got back to the ship and got some drugs (prednisone) - determined to get back to 100% - we are embracing a new mindset: committed to overcoming our FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) in order to truly relax and live this life. It’s a work in progress!

I’m feeling better, lighter, and ready to go. I even woke up feeling so good this morning that I made it to the 8 AM stretch class!

Did I tell you? I’m having fun!

Yap and Palau - Diving!

Those are island names right out of in-your-dreams dive destinations! We've known of these places, and known fellow divers who have visited (my mom for one!) for many years. 

Yap

Yap is known as the place to go if you want to see manta rays. It is also famous for it's stone money - wheel-shaped rocks that can be 2 to 12 feet across, that are actually used to store a family's wealth. 

Jim was able to get a last minute dive trip in while we were in Yap and he made this video

Palau

Palau is known for it's Rock Islands. They are mushroom shaped bumps above the water, sprinkling the area. Great for kayaking. Also some famous dive sites like Blue Corner, known for it's ripping current where lots of sharks and other critters fly by. The best way to see them is by using a reef hook. You find a solid place in the reef to hook into and attach the other end of the line to your gear. Then you put a little air in your BC so you raise up off the reef and let the current take you. Of course, it will only take you as far as your hook line allows, you feel like you're flying. At this point you can relax and watch the show go by. So cool.

Palau was a 'tender' port, meaning our ship was anchored and we took shuttle boats (tenders) to and from

What a gorgeous day and gorgeous scenery

Me and Donna, leading our group 😊

Residential Cruising with Pollyanna and the Grouch

 We live in a very unique situation - a residential cruise ship, one of only 2 in the world. I happen to love it, but I know it's not for everyone. Whether or not you would like it depends on your point of view and your attitude. I find it fascinating that 2 people could be in the same situation and see things so differently, so I asked Gemini to write a story: Write a short story about Pollyanna and the grouch. They are two people on board this residential cruise ship. Pollyanna loves everything about the life aboard and the grouch complains about everything. The food, the itinerary, the cost, the other people, the activities, the beer and wine. It's all good to Pollyanna and she plans to happily live here for many years to come. The grouch has had enough and he can't wait to disembark in just a few weeks.

The following is 100% written by Gemini A.I. - it's purely for fun:

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The ocean air, crisp and tasting of salt and distant lands, was Pollyanna’s favorite cologne. She inhaled deeply, a contented sigh escaping her lips as she watched the endless expanse of the Atlantic from her private balcony. “Oh, isn’t it just divine, Mr. Henderson?” she chirped, turning to the figure slumped in the deck chair next to her.

Mr. Henderson, known to most as ‘The Grouch,’ grunted. “Divine? It’s a bit breezy, isn’t it? And I’m sure it's just exhaust fumes from the engines, not ‘distant lands.’ Don't get me started on the cost of this balcony, too. Daylight robbery.”

Pollyanna merely smiled, her eyes twinkling. “But think of the adventures we’ve had! Just this morning, the sunrise was an absolute masterpiece. All those oranges and pinks painting the sky!”

“More like a traffic accident in the clouds,” Mr. Henderson muttered, adjusting his worn baseball cap. “And the breakfast buffet was a shambles. The eggs were lukewarm, the bacon was limp, and don't even get me started on that coffee. Tasted like bilge water.”

“Oh, I thought the eggs were perfectly fluffy!” Pollyanna countered, her enthusiasm unwavering. “And the little pastries! Such a treat. I even saw Captain Petrov out there, greeting everyone with such warmth.”

“Warmth? The man’s perpetually sweating, probably from the stress of keeping this floating coffin afloat,” Mr. Henderson scoffed. “And the itinerary! Another port of call where all they sell are tacky souvenirs and overpriced postcards. I swear, they could have just sailed in circles and saved us all the disappointment.”

“But the local crafts are so charming, and the people are always so welcoming!” Pollyanna exclaimed. “And last night’s jazz band! Weren’t they just marvelous? Such talent.”

“More like a caterwauling of amateur hour,” The Grouch grumbled. “The drummer was off-beat, the saxophone player sounded like a dying walrus, and the singer… well, the less said about her attempts at ‘My Way,’ the better. And the cost of that second glass of Chardonnay! Outrageous.”

Pollyanna chose to ignore the wine commentary. “I just love all the activities! The bridge club, the art classes, even the shuffleboard tournaments are such fun. Everyone is so friendly.”

“Friendly? They’re just after your bingo winnings,” Mr. Henderson retorted, pushing himself up with a groan. “And don't even talk about the bingo. Rigged, I tell you. All rigged. I’ve had enough of this floating prison, Pollyanna. Just a few more weeks, and I’m off. Back to solid ground, proper food, and people who don’t sing off-key at every opportunity.” He shuffled towards his cabin, muttering about the quality of the ship’s beer.

Pollyanna watched him go, a soft smile gracing her lips. She understood Mr. Henderson’s perspective, or at least, she tried to. But for her, every creak of the ship, every wave that splashed against the hull, every lukewarm egg and slightly off-key note was part of a grand, beautiful symphony. She imagined many more years of sunrises and shuffleboard, of slightly flat beer and eternally charming captains. This was her home, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Conferences and Port Cancellations, Why I'm Skipping the Google Product Expert Summit

 As a Google Photos Product Expert I am part of a globe-spanning team of volunteers who answer people's questions about all sorts of Google Products on the official Google Support forums. Once each year Google gathers us all together for a conference - a PE Summit. They give us product updates, chances to get to know each other and our Google counterparts and a Party! I've attended every year since 2015 when we were called "Top Contributors." See some photos below.

This year the PE Summit is being held in Dublin. Google makes the travel arrangements and pays our way to these events, but only with one round trip ticket. Since I now live on a cruise ship I can't leave and come back to the same place and expect the ship to be waiting for me. When I registered for the conference, we were in Alaska. I looked at the itinerary and saw that the ship would be in the Philippines in October so I asked for round trip flights from Manila. Then I set about making my own flight arrangements to get from the ship to Manila at the beginning and back to the ship at the end. 

The Itinerary That Ate My Energy

The ship went thru several itinerary changes that required me to change my flights. The end result was 6 days of travel in order to attend the 3 day conference! Here's the timeline:

1. Event scheduled for Dublin Oct 8-10
2. Ship will be in the Philippines on those dates, so I requested round-trip from Manila, leaving Oct 6, return Oct 11 (roughly 19 hours of travel each way including layover in Abu Dhabi)
3. Oct 5 Ship is in Bohol (Tagbilaran City) I can fly from Bohol-Panglao Int'l airport to Manila MNL (about 8 hours including layover in Manila)
4. Oct 11 I can fly from Manila MNL to Guam GUM and get a hotel to wait for the ship to arrive in Guam on Oct 13. (overnight in Manila then about 4 hours to Guam and overnight in Guam)
5. Guam Cancelled: next port = Saipan. Flights from Manila to Saipan stopover in Guam, so keep the flight to Guam and add Saipan for 1 more hour
6.  Saipan cancelled: next port Yap. Once again, no direct flights from Manila to Yap so keep Guam and add Yap. Only 2 flights/week go to Yap so add another night in Guam then 2 hours to Yap. Ship doesn't get there till Oct 15 so add a night in Yap
7. Bohol port cancelled and replaced with Cebu. Cancelled the Bohol flight to Manila and added Cebu to Manila. Nice, shorter flight this time. Cool.

The Final Straw

And then, this week, fate delivered the final, chilling nudge. The news of the earthquake in Cebu, Philippines, where I was scheduled to fly from on Monday, sealed the deal. While the airport wasn't directly affected, the potential for lingering side effects—aftershocks, strained infrastructure, just general chaos—was the last weight that tipped the scales.

What had once seemed like a challenging but doable adventure now just felt reckless. The mental gymnastics and logistical juggling were simply not worth it. 

So, I officially threw in the towel. Registration canceled. Manila-Dublin flights canceled. Cebu-Manila flight canceled. And those labyrinthine flights and hotel stays for Guam and Yap? Canceled, canceled, canceled.

A huge wave of relief has washed over me. Instead of spending six days stressed out and stuck in airport purgatory, I now have ten unplanned, glorious days to simply enjoy my wonderful Odyssey at sea.

Sometimes, the best adventures are the ones you cancel. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!

Boracay and Puerto Princesa

 

Boracay

We ended September at a delightful Philippine island called Boracay. It's #59 in the map above. If you click the map, you'll be taken to our complete "World Tour" interactive map where you can click on the numbers and see more. We had no plans at this port, we didn't even get off the ship on the first day. For the second day we just wandered. We took the tender to shore, then hopped on the local bus to see where it would take us. We ended up at a place called The Keyhole. It's a picturesque arch in the rock at the end of the island and people actually lined up to take their photo. There was this guy at the front of the line who took your phone and told you how to pose. How fun! 

Then we got back on the bus and headed to the beach. It started raining and we sought refuge under a tarp where some locals were selling rum drinks. Gee, what a coincidence! A rum drink under a tarp, talking to locals is a perfect way to pass a rainy day on a beach.

We continued down the beach, stopping ocasionally for someone to admire Jim's mustache, and ended up at a wonderful open-air restaurant with a saxophonist.

Puerto Princesa and the Subterranean River

Next stop - Puerto Princesa. We signed up ahead of time for a tour on the subterranean river - I think we paid $120 each. I thought it was well worth it. A van picked us up right at the ship and we drove nearly 2 hours to get to where we got on a traditional outrigger boat for about 20 minutes to the mouth of the river. We had a beautiful day!

This is a major attraction and they've learned how to protect it. NO talking allowed. So, the tour guide did not come with us ... tour guides are noisy! They had audio devices with earbuds so we could hear a commentary. There are lots of bats in the cave and noise is a problem for them, not to mention the fact that if there's lots of talking we don't get to hear the silence and the sweet drip, drip, drip of the water from the walls into the river. Yes, some of it is water and they refer to it as "holy water' but some of it comes from the bats, so they call that "holy shit!" The helmets are to protect us from the latter 😊