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Bitung, North Sulawesi
October 23-25th The city of Bitung put on a very warm welcome for our boat. There was dancers and music and plaque exchanges with the captain on the deck after we were cleared from customs. They also put on a little festival specifically for us the residents of the odyssey every day we were there
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Koror, Palau
October 18-20 Another day, another new country. Today was exciting as we entered the waters surrounding Palau. Most large cruise ships cannot come here due to their size, so it is fortunate the Odyssey is a smaller-sized ship. There are two channels that allow access to the islands: the east side channel and the West
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Yap, Federation of Micronesia
October 15-16th I have lived overseas long enough, and I like to think that my geography is pretty good, but I gotta admit, the Polynesian area is my least traveled area. When we arrived in Micronesia, my lack of understanding of the region was apparent. I wasn’t sure if Yap was a country or if
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Tantalising Ternate, Indonesia
October 11, 2025 Ternate is a wonderful port destination. The Odyssey is the longest boat that they have ever had docked there. Only about three cruise ships a year will make port here. So, for most people, we were the novelty. Everywhere the passengers went, the locals wanted pictures or just to talk to us.
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After the Earthquake: Visiting Cebu
October 5-7th On September 30th, a 6.9 earthquake struck Bogo City in Cebu. There was a lot of damage throughout the island and over 3000 aftershooks. It was our last port of call in the Philipines and we were concerned about wether or not we would be able to dock there. Villa Vie Odyssey Docks
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Puerto Princesa
October 1st-2nd We had two days in Puerto Princesa. On the first day, Paul, Dave, and I went for a walk to explore the town. Leaving the port area, we were bombarded by eager drivers hoping that we would take a taxi or tricycle ride somewhere. Several followed us down the street, trying to change
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Boracay and the 1st Birthday of the Cruise
September 28-30 Boracay Island is located in the Philippines’ southern region. If you are not arriving from a cruise ship, you would need to fly to the larger island near it and then take a ferry across. As we arrived on a ship, we were able to tender from our ship straight to the island’s
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The Philippines and Typhoon Season
September 23-27 Subic Bay & Super Typhoon Ragasa We left Taiwan early in order to get out of the Super typhoon Casa’s way because we needed to get across the strait between Taiwan and the Philippines. We were marked to be in its direct path if we kept to our original schedule, which was not
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Tianan and the Rush Across the Luzon Strait
September 20-22nd Our last stop in Taiwan is in the south at Tainan. Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and was developed 400 years ago by the Dutch for the salt trade. It was Taiwan’s capital for 200 years before Taipei. It was originally supposed to be a two-day stop, but due to a
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taipei and keelung, taiwan
September 15-18th I apologise for the delays, but Taiwan and our ship’s internet system don’t get along, and I couldn’t upload pictures or videos in a timely manner. On the morning of the 15th, which was a Monday, we rolled into Taipei actually, we rolled into Keelung, which is a port across the island, but
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 - 