55 - CHUUK, FEDERATED MICRONESIAN STATES - MARCH 23, 2010

OUR ARRIVAL TIME WAS MOVED UP FROM 1:00 PM TO 11:00 AM AND IN A LIKE MANNER OUR DEPARTURE MOVED FROM 7:00 PM TO 5:00 PM. EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOT GET OFF THE SHIP I DON’T THINK ANYONE FEELS CHEATED BY LEAVING 2 HOURS EARLIER THAN SCHEDULED.

THOSE PASSENGERS ADVENTUROUS ENOUGH TO WONDER INTO THE SMALL TOWN SOON FOUND THEMSELVES BACK ON THE SHIP AND IN THE POOL OR AT THE BAR. MOST OF THE PEOPLE MENTIONED THE TOWN WAS DIRTY, MUDDY STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, AND GARBAGE ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE TOOK A PICTURE OF AN AREA NEAR THE PORT THAT WAS LITTERED WITH GARBAGE. GEORGIA OBSERVED THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE WE SAW DIBRIS FLOATING IN THE BAY.

SO MUCH FOR EDITORIALIZING.

WE WERE UP EARLY AND DECIDED TO WALK AROUND THE TRACK BEFORE BREAKFAST AND BEFORE THE HEAT BECAME OVERWHELMING. WE NO SOONER STARTED THE FIRST LAP AND THE SCENIC ENTRANCE TO CHUUK LAID BEFORE US. I SHOT DOWN TO THE CABIN FOR THE CAMERA, WE DIDN’T WANT TO MISS ANY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE, LAGOON, ISLANDS OR ISLET. OUR APPROACH TOOK CLOSE TO AN HOUR BEFORE REACHING THE PIER. UNFORTUNATELY THE TOWN WAS NOT AS ATTRACTIVE, EVEN FROM THE TOP DECK OF THE SHIP.

GEORGIA AND I MANAGED TO JUST GET TO THE MORNING BREAKFAST BUFFET BEFORE THEY SWITCHED TO THE LUNCHEON SETUP. ALTHOUGH WE TOSSED A FEW IDEAS AROUND THE POOL WON HANDS DOWN. IN AS MUCH AS A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE VENTURED INTO TOWN, IF ONLY FOR A SHORT WHILE, WE HAD THE POOL TO OURSELVES FOR CLOSE TO AN HOUR.

WE CHATTED WITH SEVERAL OF THE FOLKS TO GET THE LOWDOWN FIRST HAND ON THEIR EXPERIENCES. EACH RESPONSE REINFORCED OUR DECISION TO STAY ABOARD SHIP. INTO THE SECOND HOUR THE SUN BROKE THROUGH THE CLOUDS, THE HEAT BEGAN TO RISE AND WE WERE TURNING INTO BRIGHT RED SHRIVELED LITTLE PRUNES. WE RETREATED TO THE SHADED LOUNGE CHAIRS AND IN SHORT ORDER WE WERE BONE DRY.

THE SIGNS OF A GREAT SUNSET WERE VERY PROMISING, THE DINNER BUFFET WAS SCHEDULED TO OPEN AT 6:00, WE HAD SETTLED IN ON OUR PRIVATE VERANDA AND WE WERE SET FOR WHATEVER CAME OUR WAY.

THE VERANDA WAS SOON FLOODED WITH FELLOW PHOTOGRAPHERS LOOKING TO CAPTURE THE PERFECT SUNSET ON THEIR DIGITAL CHIPS. AS THE SHIP HEADED THROUGH THE LAGOON TO SEA, WE ALL GOT SOME GOOD SHOTS EVEN THOUGH THE SUNSET WAS NOT AS GREAT AS EXPECTED. THE SUN HAD SET, THE SKY TURNED DARK AND WE CONCENTRATED ON THE OFFERINGS FOR DINNER.

GEORGIA WORKED ON HER BOOK AFTER DINNER, AND I HEADED FOR THE LIBRARY SO SHE COULD WORK IN QUIET PEACE.