September 11, 2025

Day 3 - we were up and on the road to the GREAT WALL at 6 am! We wanted to beat the heat and the crowds.

There are two entry point to the GREAT WALL close to BeiJing. We went to Mutlanyu which is further out, but has gondola and lift chair options along with a toboggan option down. You walk thru a plaza that has a bunch of amenities and then along a road with tons of vendors selling all kinds of must have items! I liked a lot of the art installations along the way, we enjoyed these after, we beelined for the Lift Chair to get to the top ASAP. WOW those first views are amazing - it was truly a pinch me moment for me to be here!

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Sadly I was not allowed to ride the toboggan down from the Wall - they had an age limit - no one 60 and above. The operator would not budge for me, however several of my 60 + year old friends got to go, I was sad and it's the first time anyone has believed me to be that age on this trip. He never even asked to see my passport! RUDE!  I did take picks of my friends enjoying as I took the Chair lift back down.

TIOMAN ISLAND, MALAYSIA

By Pat Patrick • July 6, 2026
Fun day in the waters of Tioman Island, Malaysia snorkeling with friends. Life is good! It was nothing fancy, a boat & captain, who spoke minimal English and barely interacted with us, for roughly 7 hours. We started the outing spotting a group of dolphins and was quickly at anchor drop 1 of 6. The distances between the 6 snorkel spots was minimal, which gave us lots of time in the water (at least 45 minutes, at each spot) with an added stop for a lunch break at local restaurants. Even the restaurants were fast and efficient, definitely used to catering to the boat crowd.

HAPPY 4th of JULY from SE ASIA SEA!

By Pat Patrick • July 4, 2026
Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July! Here on the Odyssey we celebrated in the SE Asia Sea on our way to Tioman Island, Malaysia . We have such a talented and dedicated group of residents here, they put together a fun hour of things to celebrate and embrace a lot of what we collectively love about the USA. Even our residents from other countries - Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany , etc. joined in the fun! ( I lent my flag below for decorations)

BINTAN, INDONESIA - BUDDHIST TEMPLE

By Pat Patrick • July 2, 2026
Vihara Avalokiteshvara Graha or Guan Yin Temple is near 500 Lohan, so we also toured the grounds of this large Temple complex. It's dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy and is one the tallest brass statues of her in SE Asia. She is just over 55' tall, coated in 22 carat gold and is surrounded by scenic dragon fruit plantations. The tile work is intricate and textured with great details. The whole place is very tranquil and calming for meditation and prayer.