Early the next morning we headed off to the Airport because I had booked my most extravagant excursion yet. I remember agonizing over the expense, but in the end my Dad’s advice that “You’re already half way around the world, take advantage of the opportunities that presents” won out. So I flew 600 miles up …
After 10 days at sea, we were very ready to get off the ship and see some sights south of the Equator in Australia. We docked in Brisbane, at the Queensland Bulk Terminal. (Not the usual spot for a passenger vessel, which was a constant source of confusion for taxi drivers during our stay.) Experienced …
My final day in Japan, I took a train up to the historic city of Kyoto with a friend from the ship. We arrived with little fuss, and got tickets for the sightseeing hop on hop off bus that allowed us to see many different sites in the city. We enjoyed a sampling of the …
On my third day in Japan we took a bus back to Osaka from Hiroshima and on the way we stopped in a town called Himeji to see the beautiful castle there. It is the finest feudal fortress left from the Sengoku (warring states) period, and the architecture really does shine. Touring the grounds I …
Early the next morning I boarded a bus in Osaka and we headed to the Shin-Osaka bullet train terminal. The city was pretty empty still compared to the bustle I’d seen yesterday, but you can see there are signs of it awakening. Japan is very train focused and there’s a whole separate terminal for their …
Some of us on board woke up very early to watch the ship come into Osaka harbor. I was one of them and got a few shots of looming islands in the darkness. When we made our formal entry to the harbor, we were greeted by the local fire boat crew who made a sweeping …
Not an International Incident Our visit to Russia was not without drama in terms of State travel restrictions. Immediately upon dropping anchor in the harbor waters out site Petropavlovsk we were boarded by customs officials. We were woken up in groups to proceed to the union so we could be presented along side our passports …
Soaked In Sunlight Kodiak seemed diametrically opposed to our experience in Sitka. We woke with the ship nestled at a dock practically downtown with beautiful sunlight bathing the steep green hills. We ate breakfast on the pool deck as we waited for the ship to clear. It was so bright and we soaked in the …
Small Town Sitka We arrived in Sitka early on June 19th with was a misty reception. Many of us were present above decks to witness the ship drop anchor. There wasn’t really much to the town itself, but it exists amid a dramatic natural backdrop. Navigating through the protection islands to approach the harbor, a …
Origination Our circuit around the Pacific on Semester at Sea began in Vancouver Canada. We flew to the city on June 12, 2003 with giant duffle bags packed with all the personal belongings we’d need for the next three months. My parents and I arrived in Vancouver a few days before the rest of the …