August 4, 2025

Time Zones! What time is it here? In Philly?

I am feeling well rested - as we seem to be gaining an hour of sleep, almost every night of this 10 day crossing to Japan. But am I? Who knows what time it is ? The most common question asked by us, each day. I have made calls and video chats with my doctor, colleagues and various friends and have been so unsure of what day and time it is there, before I call. Now that IDL change has settled in, I am getting a little more confident!


Fellow Resident and blogger Basia summed it up nicely on her last post - thought it was worth sharing excerpt below:


Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

August 3, 2025

Day 309: August 3, 2025 – At Sea

Our 10-day voyage from Alaska to Japan involves 7 time zone changes plus a dropped day, leaving many of us struggling to keep up. Since we are in the middle of the ocean and not tied to any land, phones don’t automatically update correctly.

I see the Change Your Clocks Back reminders, but did I already do that before I went to bed? Or was that the night before? Or did I adjust my laptop but not my phone? At one point, I had four different times showing on my laptop, phone, TV, and watch.


Our chat group sounds like a Who’s on First, What’s on Second skit:

Person A: Good morning. It’s 7:05 AM, right?
Person B: No, it’s 5:05 AM, we switched clocks again.
Person C: I though we weren’t switching back today. I thought it was 6:05 AM.
Person D: My TV says it’s 8:05.
Person C: What location did you set it to?
Person B: I used Magadan, Russia.
Person E: Efate, Vanuatu worked for me.

KUANTAN, MALAYSIA

By Pat Patrick • October 12, 2026
Just the other day a friend asked me if I got enough down time while living this lifestyle. My answer was "you have to make it !" In the beginning, it was go, go, go, every port. We had lots of FOMO ( fear of missing out ) and we tried to cram in as much as possible at every port. Sea days, were our only down time and there were never enough. It was a tad exhausting. Now two years into this life, I can say there are some ports that just don't call me and I opt to get other things done. Kuantan, Malaysia was one of the Ports. I never got off the ship, either day we were here. I intended to this morning, but we had storms with loud thunder late into the night and then was awoken by a crew alarm around 6:45am. My energy was low, there were shuttle issues, town was an hour ride away and there is alot of air pollution, ( due to neighboring Indonesia burning organic materials, in preparation for the upcoming monsoon season ). So I bagged my plans and continued working on my never ending TO DO LIST!

Sad Passing of ODYSSEY Shipmate

By Pat Patrick • October 11, 2026
During our two years of sailing we have had several Shipmates come and go for a variety of reasons. Their health, has sadly been the reason for many departures. Cindy Harvey , would have loved to have lived out her days here on the Odyssey and even bought a second cabin and had an adjoining door added, to have a care provider, stay with her full time. However, Cindy's limited mobility, pain and confinement got to be too much - so she left us a few months ago. She went to an assisted living facility, on the coast of Oregon, to be near her family. Tragically she fell, was trying to recover, slipped into a coma and sadly passed away this week.

SANCTUARY OF TRUTH MUSEUM, CHONBURI, THAILAND

By Pat Patrick • October 8, 2026
The Sanctuary of Truth Museum is the world's largest hand carved wooden castle, located on the coast of Pattaya, Chonburi Province, Thailand . Conceived in 1981 by Thai visionary Khun Lek Viriyaphun the structure is built entirely from 4 types of wood - Teak, Mai Daeng, Mai Takien & Mai Panchaat and put together using Thai nailless wood joinery - mainly dovetails, carrying poles and tongue & groove. We started the tour in the workshop where the artisan, mainly woman, were hard at work. Since conception, the Museum has been an active construction site, thus we all wore hardhats! The artisans continue handcarving sculptures and columns, daily and will most likely continue for years to come.