With P, floating home.

Kiwis are well represented on the 59th voyage. We rock! On the South Seas to Auckland, I noticed familiar changes: the sun’s light was sharper, the weather became changeable, and the Southern Cross appeared in the night sky.Risa, P and I woke early before dawn. The Peace Boat silently passed by Rangitoto and the first shards of morning light began to emanate over Auckland’s Eastern Suburbs. This was a special sunrise (ok, the only sunrise), that we woke for on the voyage. I was coming home for Christmas. (more…)

Moorea Island, Tahiti

How cruel to sail across the vast Pacific Ocean to stop in tropical Tahiti for only one day. We ferried straight to Moorea Island, some 40 minutes from Papeete. Meg had sleuthed out a dive shop and they drove us around coast of the island. We gazed out to the intense teal colour of the shallow reef and craned our necks to marvel at Moorea’s cliffs, jagging vertically up from the dense tropical jungle. It might just be the most perfect tropical island I’ve seen in my life. It was about to get better. (more…)

The Peace Boat anchored off Rapa Nui

Oh, the sacred sight of land! The Peace Boat anchored a mile off the exposed coast of Rapa Nui, Easter Island. The weather and swells cooperated and tender boats shuttled tour groups to the island 8 at a time. I hoped I would be just as lucky the next day when I had my chance to get off. So, for a day I just hung out on board and watched the coast near Hanga Roa. A Rasta local came on board to teach the Japanese how to stone carve for $30. The day’s highlight (other than just relaxing beside the pool) was the stonking cultural performance that night by a Polynesian cultural group. It rates as one of the best I’ve seen. (more…)

Huacachina sandboarding

I was pumped for Peru. This was one of those all too rare overnight ports. Risa and I jumped off the Peace Boat at 7am and into a taxi. From the notoriously dodging port area we cruised into central Lima overtaking loaded people movers painted up like football team buses. Inconveniently there is no central bus terminal in Lima, so after getting it wrong once Risa fluently asked for the right directions. In no time we were charging down the dry and barren coastal desert watching a ripped DVD of Troy. After 4 1/2 hours we changed to a taxi in Ica, which took us to the doorstep of a little slice of paradise. (more…)

Iguana Park

For a day we were in the middle of the world and I was the center of attention. I had my 28th birthday on the equator in Ecuador! To think that for the past 5 years I have had my birthday in 5 different countries…Wow!

We headed into the port city of Guayaquil early Sunday morning and walked the new waterfront promenade known as Malecon 2000. Friends spontaneously jumped out from behind corners and sung ‘happy birthday!’ just so I couldn’t forget all day. No one was keen to eat Iguana empanadas but we all wanted to see iguanas. A few blocks away in Park Bolivar, we were astounded to see 20 or 30 big’ins roaming the park without cages, being fed, drinking from ponds, climbing trees and basking in the sun. Very cool. (more…)