December 29, 2025
Don't know if you have figured this out about me - I love to Sail! I constantly scour the ports we are visiting, in advance, trying to line up sailing trips. I have a core group of friends on the ship that feel similiarly and several also scout them out and we share info and invites! Today was the Catamaran Taboo operated by Viola Moorea, owner Leo. We had several back and forths calls & emails - but finally worked out a morning session, for a 1/2 day, for 8 people. The wind and rain were a little temperamental, but we had a great time skimming over the crystal clear turquoise water in the lagoons of Moorea!

The gang today was Delia, Scott, Gary and Christy, John and Colleen, Holly and me. We toasted with rum Mai tai's.
We snorkeled with Manta rays and blacktipped reef sharks and a variety of tropical fish. Then saw a bunch of green turtles.

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.

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)

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.











