Tropical Seas

Leaving port at Domenica, the seas were very rough and really rough all night.  Didn't sleep all night,  (Note: don't get a cabin near bow of ship) so we've been napping all afternoon, on our way to the Amazon.  We'll pass over the equator before we enter the Amazon and it will take 2 days to get to Maneus, where we're going to be for 5 days. I'm now going to try to get on FB.  I'm using the ship's computer and hate to use up time the students could be using, but....Jim:  We can't send photos yet.  Joan

Dominica

We arrived in Dominicao this morning at 8 am amidst clouds, rain and fog in the mountains.  We prepared for our trip ashore, whale & dolphin watching, with ponchos  and cover-ups and by the time we had breakfast and it was time to disembark, it was sunny and hot. But that's the Caribbean.  We went on a catamaran about 3 miles off shore and waited along with another boat.  The 4 crewmen were hilarious and we did see several sperm whales.  It was just great to be outside and off the ship for 4 hours. As soon as we couldn't see any whales, however, the girls mostly clad in itty-bitty bikinis, lay down on the net and sunbathed.  I think Rick has more photos of them than of whales.


Dominica is located in the circle of islands which include Barbados in the south to Monserrate in the north.  We sailed outside the circle where the ocean is very deep, 7000 meters.




The night before we dock in any port, there is a mandatory pre-port meeting in the Union with about 800 students, facultly, staff and LLLs.  One speaker, an architect/ historian was especially interesting as he asked us to note how similar the architecture is in Dominica as it will be in Ghana, one of the centers of the slave trade selling slaves to the Caribbean countries. And it is.


 But the funniest presentation was Dr. Bill, who is a hoot anyway, and his nurse, whose power point presentation didn't work so they wrote on big signs.  Their advice to students always includes warnings while in port about excessive drinking, drugs and of course on a ship full of 20-year-olds, sex. (If you're too young. or too conservative to read about protected sex, STOP HERE. The first thing he said was that he had invented  a "total body condom, and proceeded to show us how it worked.   He first put a mask and snorkle on the nurse's face and then covered her from  head to toe in a clear plastic bag.  Needless to say, the entire auditorium was in stitches.  But he made his point, that the only way to have safe sex was to use a condom, which by the way, are given away free outside the Health Center.


Then they had signs of things not to do: Don't get BIT; don't get HIT; don't do IT; don't get LIT and don't eat SHIT! (Fecal matter on food).  The students got it all which was his intent.

We all have to take the Global Studies course which is self-explanatory and I'm sitting in a Bob Cecil's class, Geography and Developing Countries.  I can't say enough about the caliber of students on the ship. From here out, we are advised not to drink the water, ice, fruit with skin, milk products like ice cream, and a long long list.  We have access to the Faculty Lounge which is very quiet during the day, for the Faculty, and the bar opens at 5 pm  Students are not allowed in the Lounge.  There is another big bar on the top (7th) deck where students with vouchers can purchase a limited number of drinks.  They cannot bring alcohol on board and are backpacks are searched coming on.  We however can bring alcohol on board that we buy in port or at either bar.  The swimming pool, more like a kiddie pool, is on the 7th deck also.  The food is  very good, considering, with a pasta dish at every meal, and eggs at every breakfast.  That's enough for now!  Going ashore. Phone no longer works.  Having problems with this computer and we're praying it doesn't crash.  Rick is taking it to the IT lab Monday morning where an IT man is going to look at it.  Sayonara!  Joan

Have to clear up some things.  The noise at the rear of the ship the other night was due to reducing speed[ and releasing the clutch on the drive shaft.  That's from Rick after talking to the Captain.  We successfully refueled last night in San Juan, P.R. and took off the man with the bad knee and another student, whose father had died.  Was still able to call Peta, Kylie, Marlene and Jana last night from P.R.  The decks were filled with students calling home, I presume.  Started our Global Studies class this morning which is going to be great but we don't have to be involved in the research groups, thank God.  Everyone on board has to take the class.  Today's lecture was on how maps lie!  Tomorrow we land in Domenica and plan on a whale-watching trip.  From now on, on Kylie's suggestion, we will sign off by name.  If you have any questions, ask away.  Joan

Rocking and Rolling!

Just met a girl in the hallway who asked "Where's the nearest bathroom?"  I didn't know because I was on my way to our cabin for the same thing, and NO I didn't invite her to use ours.  Last night about 2000 hours, during a discussion of a book the entire ship is reading, it sounded as if the back of the ship was falling off and the noise scared all of us.  Then we slowed to 13 knots, were told that we were refueling tonigy at 2000 hours, but it's really to drop off a passenger who hurt his knee.  Now we're doing 19 knots in heavy swell and I'm not feeling so hot.  Supposed to go to a class at 1335 but don't think I'll make it.  Love interacting with the students.  They are so bright, shy at first, but get them discussing some of the global issues we're studying, and they are very articulate, and of course, idealistic.

Leaving and Arriving

If our leaving Phoenix and arriving in Nassau is any indication of what lies ahead, we are going to have to be very patient and very flexible.  The car picked us up at 9 pm after Delta told us that we could leave at 1 am instead of 4 am.  We arrived at 10 pm with our 4 rolling duffle bags (so they could fit under our bed), got through security, went to the gate.  About midnight, the gate advised us that we shouldn't go to Atlanta because the plane to Nassau wouldn't be able to leave Atlanta because of the weather, ice and snow.  So we changed to another flight to Atlanta later in the morning.  Had to switch our bags.  Then we were advised that no planes were landing in Atlanta and Delta booked us through Detroit, Fort Lauderdale to Nassau.   Had to make sure our bags got on that flight.  Slept ? in the airport all night. Everything went well until we got to Fort Lauderdale when the ticket agent wouldn't approve our entering Nassau because we had one-way tickets! Had to produce letter from SAS declaring that we were  "in transit", plus another student, and finally we were allowed to walk up steps to a twin-engine prop Bahamian plane.  Our departure from Nassau this evening, Wednesday, was delayed because several other students could not get here because of bad weather.


We stayed Monday night at the Wyndham Resort in Nassau which is gorgeous.  I was going to watch the Auburn/Oregon game but fell asleep (with my glasses on) until 8 am the next morning.
Boarding was hot and humid and we were finally on the MV Explorer. Our cabin is great, has a balcony, a hide-a-bed for visitors and a bathtub.  Tuesday was spent unpacking and going to meetings.  You know universities!  Today was more meetings of the Life Long Learners (LLLs) the group we belong to and group meetings to meet faculty, ship captain, etc.There are 600 students, 60 LLLs, crew of 200 plus faculty and staff.  Students are from 120 different universities, 60% female, 40% male - which means they have it made I guess.

I think my phone no longer works without paying so please log on here or e-mail us at Rick's address 1schlieb@gmail.com or me at rschlieb@juno.com. It's getting a little rough and we just advanced our clocks an hour so it's time for bed!  We are excited to sail to Domenica.

DAY OF DEPARTURE (OR NOT?) JANUARY 9, 2011

Well, the first of many changes has occurred.  Due to ice/snow storms in south, our flight out of Atlanta to Nassau tomorrow was cancelled, so instead of leaving at 7 a.m. tomorrow, we're leaving at midnight tonight and hope we aren't cancelled again to Nassau.  We have to board the ship at noon on Tuesday and I assume many passengers are having the same problem.  I wonder if they'll hold the ship for us?  Ha!
Our bags are packed - 2 rolling duffles each plus carry-ons.  Bags have to fit under the bed, hence duffles that collapse.  Very difficult to pack - tropical for Brazil, Agra, India, Singapore and Vietnam, warm clothing for Hong Kong ,Beijing and Japan, then back to tropical for Hawaii.  But I'm sure we'll manage.

Two Weeks to Departure

We have finished with our shots (thank goodness), have prescriptions either filled or pending.  We need 4 months supply of prescriptions and that doesn't meet the insurance companys rules. They like 30 and 90 day limitations and do not easily change.

Christmas is over and now we get out the clothes and "stuff" we think we need to take with us. After a first look, I think we will probably have to leave some thing s at home.

The ship doesn't care about quantity other than only 2 bags, but we are limited by the airlines and their 50 pound weight limit per bag, $100 if over weight,etc. etc.

We will leave Phoenix early on Monday, January 10th for Atlanta and then Nassau, Bahamas.  That night at the Wyndham Resort and board the ship at noon Tuesday.
Students will board on Wednesday and the ship sails at 1700.