August 4, 2025

PHILLY NEWS!

When I moved onto the Villa Vie Odyssey, last September, I was hopeful that this would be by home, for the next 3 to 6 or as much as 15 years. But I knew it was also a gamble, and kind of an experiment in if this lifestyle was for me and my next chapter in life. I was most concerned about was I going to find a new community and group of people, that I would enjoy and make new friendships with easily. I also knew with a start up company things were bound to be challenging at times, and questioned would I have the tolerance to overlook those inconviences. I am sooo happy to report, that yes I truly am enjoying all the elements and no longer question, if I made the right decision. For me this is working and well.  Therefore, with these realizations, I have decided to cut my safety net of keeping my home / condo in Philadelphia. Last week I put it on the real estate market. Below is the listing.  It's a great place, in a fabulous building.  I was really happy for 20 years here! I moved in back in June of 2005. So PLEASE tell your friends and family if anybody knows anybody interested or looking !! I am also selling all the furniture and furnishings with it or separately, depending on the Buyer's Offer.

HONG KONG

By Pat Patrick • September 3, 2026
So excited to get out and explore this huge city. Our Port is attached to a huge shopping mall - so it is a bit of a hike before we even get outside. When we do the heat hits us like a brick wall! There are typhoons, in the area and according to a local, when the storms come in, they first bring a wave of fog, heat and humidity to Hong Kong .

ENTERING HONG KONG HARBOR

By Pat Patrick • September 1, 2026
On Saturday August 29, 2026 we achieved another historic milestone on this circumnavigation of the World , we cruised into Hong Kong Harbor. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. The land encompassed by Hong Kong is confusing. It includes part of the southern coast of mainland China, just below Shenzhen, Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories . Looking at a map helps, but the rules changed so many times! I asked my buddy Chat several times, to tell me if what I was looking at was the Hong Kong that the British had owned for years. The answer was never straight forward!

HA LONG BAY, VIETNAM

By Pat Patrick • August 31, 2026
Ha Long Bay in Vietnam is one of those bucket list places I have had in my sights for years. It's the iconic picture in my mind's eye, whenever I think of Vietnam . We had made plans to go with 8 others on a brand new, swanky Red Dragon Junk boat for a harbor cruise and overnight stay, but sadly the weather did not cooperate the whole 4 days we were in port. No ships were permitted to sail, per the local government. Many of us were bummed! This is typhoon session and there was a lot of rain and high winds our first couple of days - we were hoping it would blow out the last day and we could at least do a day trip but no luck!