September 18, 2025

This is our last Japanese Port for awhile. Sad to leave!

Again forgot to take pictures, so these are from Internet. Went to Yonehara Beach with Sherrie, Bob & Sarah, JR (didn't come to lunch) and Scottie and a whole bunch of other ship people were there too! It was about a 1/2 hour drive from Port.  A really nice sandy beach with a great reef for snorkeling. We were in the water for hours and then went back into town, near the Port for one last Japanese meal. We all wanted Tonkatsu ( the delicious dish made of juicy, tender pork coated in a crispy panko and fried until golden brown. Our again, very nice, van driver, this time, recommended a place and took us right to the front door! Sooo good with cold beers!

I tried the filet and the others all went for loin. I thought my 3 pork nuggets were juicier! What a great way to end our time in Japan!

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.