LONDON TO PALAU....
My longest (travelling) journey ever... 20 Dec 08.
On 20 Dec I'll be flying out to beautiful Palau, in Micronesia... because I'm flying West-wards it will mean travelling 3/4 of the way around the earth, making it the longest journey I've ever tackled. 10 flights in 15 days - the usual madness, basically. If you've never heard of Palau, don't worry... most people haven't, it's a very young country that was only created in 1994. But it's the top destination in the world for divers as it has an unparalled diversity of fish species coming in from three major ocean currents. The 'Rock Islands' are the most famous landmark of Palau, one of the world's most beautiful natural wonders. It also has a lake full of millions of non-sting golden jelly fish that is unique on the planet.
As traditional, here is a list of all my flights in case there is a crash and people wonder whether I might be affected... As much as I really look forward to discovering this delightful part of the world (this will be my first ever trip to Micronesia -- 500 miles East of the Philippines & North of Indonesia if you get the map out), I am certainly NOT looking forward to the endless flights (over 25 hours in the air !!! good job I don't mind flying, hey?). It'd better be sunny on arrival after such efforts. If not, I will lodge an official complaint to God ! :)
UA955 - United Airlines - Sat 20 Dec -
London to San Francisco, dep: 10:25, arr. 13:33 (11 H flight)
but when we land it’s already +8H in our heads
UA079 - 20 Dec still - 5 hour wait then connecting from
SF to Honolulu - dep: 18:45, arr: 22:17 (5H35) (+10H GMT)
Staying for 1 night at Resort Quest Waikiki.
The one at 2570 Kalakaua Avenue.
CO001 - Continental Micronesia airlines, Sun 21 Dec -
Honolulu to Guam , dep. 15:20, arr. 19:05 (7H40 min flight)
NB - though we only touch down in Guam for 30mns before we connect onto G0953, we will, by then, have crossed the date line meaning that we will instantly lose 24H. By doing so, we will go from being –10H GMT in Hawaii to +9H GMT in Palau !!! I must say I'm not sure what time MY head will be on by then... I'd better sleep when it's appropriate to !!!
C0953 - Mon 22 - Guam to Koror, PALAU (2 hours).
dep. 19:40, arr. 20:40 -- 3 full days later !!!! at loooong last...
Staying at Carolines Resort for six and a half nights ! :)
LOTS of excursions planned...
CO954 - Mon 29 - Koror to Guam,
dep. 02:30AM (yes !!!), arr. 05:25
CO002 - Mon 29 - Guam to Honolulu...
dep. 07:30, arr. 18:40
but we arrive on 28 Dec !!! as we cross the date line back.
We then connect onto:
YV1929 - Mesa Airlines GO! - Honolulu to Lihue (Kaui)
dep: 21:32, arr. 22:13
(last flight of the day, we'd better not miss it).
Staying at Sheraton Kaui Resort on East Coast –
i.e. on Hoonani Rd, for 3 nights.
YV1018 - 31 Dec - Lihue back to Honolulu -
Dep. 18:43, arr. 19:17
Just enough time to get ready for the many New Year celebrations, fireworks, etc.
Staying at Resort Quest Waikiki. Same as before, for 2 nights.
UA072 - 2 Jan - Honolulu to SF, (5 hours)
dep.07:50 AM (i.e. check-in at 5am!), arr. 14:56
UA930 - 2 Jan - SF to LHR, (10H30) dep. 18:53, arr. 13:20.
Back in England on Sat 3 Jan.
Having browsed 'Palau' on Google, hundreds of articles came up... but what is worth noting is that Palau was named THE Number One Underwater Wonder of the World by CEDAM -- a group of marine scientists and conservationists.
The CEDAM’s top 7 underwater wonders of the world
were as follows:
1. Palau
2. Belize Great Barrier Reef (snorkelled there in 2007)
3. Great Barrier Reef, Oz (went there in 1993, 2004, 2006)
4. Hydrothermal (i.e. Deep Sea) vents
5. Galapagos Islands (cruised there in 2005)
6. Lake Baikal (Russia)
7. Red Sea (dived there in 1993 and 2001)
You can see more on this on:
http://wisdom-uk.com/English/DisplayArticle.php?filename=English-11.htm
I also found another article that said that Palau was the only repeat destination ever used in the SURVIVOR series due to its outstanding beauty (I never have time for TV but some of you may have seen the programme?).
My longest (travelling) journey ever... 20 Dec 08.
On 20 Dec I'll be flying out to beautiful Palau, in Micronesia... because I'm flying West-wards it will mean travelling 3/4 of the way around the earth, making it the longest journey I've ever tackled. 10 flights in 15 days - the usual madness, basically. If you've never heard of Palau, don't worry... most people haven't, it's a very young country that was only created in 1994. But it's the top destination in the world for divers as it has an unparalled diversity of fish species coming in from three major ocean currents. The 'Rock Islands' are the most famous landmark of Palau, one of the world's most beautiful natural wonders. It also has a lake full of millions of non-sting golden jelly fish that is unique on the planet.
As traditional, here is a list of all my flights in case there is a crash and people wonder whether I might be affected... As much as I really look forward to discovering this delightful part of the world (this will be my first ever trip to Micronesia -- 500 miles East of the Philippines & North of Indonesia if you get the map out), I am certainly NOT looking forward to the endless flights (over 25 hours in the air !!! good job I don't mind flying, hey?). It'd better be sunny on arrival after such efforts. If not, I will lodge an official complaint to God ! :)
UA955 - United Airlines - Sat 20 Dec -
London to San Francisco, dep: 10:25, arr. 13:33 (11 H flight)
but when we land it’s already +8H in our heads
UA079 - 20 Dec still - 5 hour wait then connecting from
SF to Honolulu - dep: 18:45, arr: 22:17 (5H35) (+10H GMT)
Staying for 1 night at Resort Quest Waikiki.
The one at 2570 Kalakaua Avenue.
CO001 - Continental Micronesia airlines, Sun 21 Dec -
Honolulu to Guam , dep. 15:20, arr. 19:05 (7H40 min flight)
NB - though we only touch down in Guam for 30mns before we connect onto G0953, we will, by then, have crossed the date line meaning that we will instantly lose 24H. By doing so, we will go from being –10H GMT in Hawaii to +9H GMT in Palau !!! I must say I'm not sure what time MY head will be on by then... I'd better sleep when it's appropriate to !!!
C0953 - Mon 22 - Guam to Koror, PALAU (2 hours).
dep. 19:40, arr. 20:40 -- 3 full days later !!!! at loooong last...
Staying at Carolines Resort for six and a half nights ! :)
LOTS of excursions planned...
CO954 - Mon 29 - Koror to Guam,
dep. 02:30AM (yes !!!), arr. 05:25
CO002 - Mon 29 - Guam to Honolulu...
dep. 07:30, arr. 18:40
but we arrive on 28 Dec !!! as we cross the date line back.
We then connect onto:
YV1929 - Mesa Airlines GO! - Honolulu to Lihue (Kaui)
dep: 21:32, arr. 22:13
(last flight of the day, we'd better not miss it).
Staying at Sheraton Kaui Resort on East Coast –
i.e. on Hoonani Rd, for 3 nights.
YV1018 - 31 Dec - Lihue back to Honolulu -
Dep. 18:43, arr. 19:17
Just enough time to get ready for the many New Year celebrations, fireworks, etc.
Staying at Resort Quest Waikiki. Same as before, for 2 nights.
UA072 - 2 Jan - Honolulu to SF, (5 hours)
dep.07:50 AM (i.e. check-in at 5am!), arr. 14:56
UA930 - 2 Jan - SF to LHR, (10H30) dep. 18:53, arr. 13:20.
Back in England on Sat 3 Jan.
Having browsed 'Palau' on Google, hundreds of articles came up... but what is worth noting is that Palau was named THE Number One Underwater Wonder of the World by CEDAM -- a group of marine scientists and conservationists.
The CEDAM’s top 7 underwater wonders of the world
were as follows:
1. Palau
2. Belize Great Barrier Reef (snorkelled there in 2007)
3. Great Barrier Reef, Oz (went there in 1993, 2004, 2006)
4. Hydrothermal (i.e. Deep Sea) vents
5. Galapagos Islands (cruised there in 2005)
6. Lake Baikal (Russia)
7. Red Sea (dived there in 1993 and 2001)
You can see more on this on:
http://wisdom-uk.com/English/DisplayArticle.php?filename=English-11.htm
I also found another article that said that Palau was the only repeat destination ever used in the SURVIVOR series due to its outstanding beauty (I never have time for TV but some of you may have seen the programme?).
I guess that sounds pretty promising, hey? WOW. WOW. WOW.
posted by Sylvie at 7:19 PM
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