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French Polynesia, Bora Bora
December 22-24th Our vessel is spending the next 24 days exploring nine of 121 islands throughout French Polynesia. The dates also cover Christmas and New Year, so many things will be closed for the holidays, and it will be an altogether different experience. I actually find it difficult to remember that Christmas is almost here.
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The Samoas
December 13-17th There are actually two distinct Samoas- Samoa and American Samoa. Samoa is a former British colony and, before that, a German colony. It consists of two main islands. American Samoa is an American territory, and even though physically the island is close to Samoa, they are a calendar day apart because the international
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Suvasuva, Leleuvia Resort Island, and Levuka, Fiji
December 4-10th It all began with another itinerary change. Wallis and Futuna, which would have been a new country for everyone I talked to on board, was out because they required zodiacs to tender to shore, and we do not have them. A mild grump from me, didn’t someone check the requirements when booking? Instead,
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Viti Levu Island, Fijian Archipelago
November 28-December 3rd Fiji Water is about the only reason I know about Fiji. And there are beaches. That is the sum of my knowledge about this beautiful region. I didn’t even realize it was more than one island. There are more than 300 of them, some uninhabited. Suva Suva is the capital of Fiji
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Vanuatu
November 22-26th Before coming here, I don’t know if I had ever heard more than just the name of the country. I certainly knew nothing of its geography or people. Now I think of white sand beaches, blue holes, terrible roads, cows, and coconut plantations. Lugenville, Santos Once I arrived at Santos Island, I quickly
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The Solomon Islands
November 16-19th Honiara, Guadalcanal Honiara is the capital city of the Solomon Islands and has a population of 116,000 people, 100,000 more than the last port. There is definitely more to do here, but the roads need a lot of work to make further afield trips more accessible. It takes a while to get around,
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Alotau, Papua New Guinea
November 12, 2025 One day in a brand new country seems a little short. But it only seems a little short when you reach Alotua and realize there is nothing to do unless you leave. I have no idea why this port was chosen. I’m guessing it was available and cheap. Now, some of the
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Darwin (Area)
November 2-3rd I have been to Australia twice before, but I have never been this far north to Darwin. On this cruise, we have Darwin on the way into the region and will be leaving by going through Darwin again. Because of this, I felt OK not exploring the city this time and focusing on
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Sorong, Indonesia
October 28-30th People go to Sorong for one reason and one reason only. It is considered the gateway to some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world. Honestly, if you’re not going to go into the water, there’s no sense going here at all. Most people will arrive and immediately take a ferry
Welcome to my blog! I’m Patti-Jo, an educator and travel enthusiast who has dedicated her life to International teaching and is taking a break. Through this blog, I aim to share my expertise, insights, and experiences. Join me on this journey as we explore the world of amazing travel together.
Chasing Summer - 