Skipping all the way forward in time to my birthday this month, we took an incredible dive vacation to Manado, Indonesia. On the way we spent 4 days in Singapore with our friends Vanessa and George Spencer. Part of the time we spent walking the streets of Singapore, and part just lazing around the flat, and the rest enjoying wonderful meals with friends. A highlight was The Night Safari. It is basically a zoo of nocturnal animals. Between the tram ride and walking trails, we got to view creatures in their night environment: tigers, owls, and flying foxes to name just a few. A favorite of Neil’s is the Tarsier who we nicknamed Gollum (big eyed, web footed creature from Lord of the Rings.)

From Singapore we flew direct to Manado on the island of Sulawasi near Borneo.  The Bunaken Islands, just off Manado, have been dedicated as a marine reserve and they have absolutely incredible diving – some of the best in the world. The reef is about 10 feet deep for several feet from shore then drops almost straight down for over 300 feet and it is all covered in beautifully colored life. Of course we only dive to about 100 feet and can just keep looking down, down, down, or up at the sun filtering down the wall.

Neil got us a new digital camera and housing right before we left and we were learning about the camera on the trip. We took nearly 1000 photos and mini-movies in the 8 days of diving (of course we won’t subject you to all of them but a few are on diving web pages for you to enjoy.) We took the laptop so we could get a better idea of how they were turning out instead of just having the tiny monitor on the camera to view them.

On the recommendation of a friend, we went to Lembeh Strait for two days of our diving. It is what they call muck diving, mostly mud and sand on the bottom, but amazingly full of marine life. I had never seen most of the creatures we saw diving there. One of the funniest was a crab holding a sea urchin on its back (for protection) and running along the bottom carrying it.

On the way back we had a 14-hour layover in Japan. We took the train into Kyoto and spent the day touring temples and the historic part of the city. It was perfect weather and we had a great day walking the streets and alleys. The “Gold Pavilion” is quite impressive. It has been rebuilt a few times (due to fires) and is gold leaf on the second and third floors of the temple. A very popular tourist spot, and we could see why. The best flight layover I ever had.

The trip to Manado was our vacation together this year. Neil’s daughter Mailea graduated from high school last June and we went to California for her graduation. Then Neil, Mailea and Ari flew off to tour Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria (and a stop at Cape Cod to visit Neil’s brother) for five weeks. They had a wonderful time but that is their story to tell. Mailea has started college at Sonoma State and Ari is in her junior year at Arroyo Grande High.

I went to Ridgecrest after her graduation to visit Melanie and Warren’s families (to see my nieces and nephews.) Then Mom and I flew together to Ohio and I stayed with Dad and Jane. I hadn’t been to Ohio in 7 years and it was great to see the extended family. Caught up with most of the family by making it to a reunion on Dad’s side and a cousin’s wedding on Mom’s side. In between, I borrowed Dad’s truck and drove to Asheville, North Carolina where I had a great visit with Bill and Peggy in their new home there. Fortunately they will be back on Maui the end of October to be in their “winter home” for 6 months.

Dad and Jane visited us on Maui in February. I still like it that they come here once a year and I can just go to Ohio every 7 years! We had a beautiful evening at the Old Lahaina Luau one night, and they took the submarine ride off Lahaina’s coast. I think they had a chance to relax. I am hoping they will stay a little longer than a week this coming February.
Mom is coming for Thanksgiving. It has been a while since she has been to Maui. Her life is full with grandkids, racquetball, square and round dancing, bowling, and volunteer work. Plus she gets some travel in there to jazz festivals, cruises to Mexico and through the Panama Canal. I am so glad she is coming to Maui in between. She is looking to do a cruise to Greece this March. She and I need to start talking about our next trip together.

Neil’s mom, Jean, and her friend Morley took an exciting trip to Tonga in March and then spent 10 days on Maui. It was so fun to see them. We snorkeled, whale watched, toured the aquarium, and had lot of good dinners. They came back in June to house-sit for us while we were on our trips, then stayed a few extra days so I got to spend time with them.

It has been wonderful to have so many friends visit Maui this year that we got to spend time with. I always wish there was more time in a week. Maui is a place to play, and I have to squeeze work in there somewhere. I am still working at the Maui Ocean Center, now commonly called Aquarium Maui, so people will know we are an aquarium. For my birthday, I got to go for a dive in the Open Ocean tank! (750 thousand gallons with 23 reef and sandbar sharks, stingrays, sa potted eagle ray, and about 99 species of other fishes.) What a treat. I loved it.

Neil and I are doing wonderful and we love our little cottage on the ocean. We celebrated our 3 year anniversary this month. Neil asked me for a date on my birthday three years ago and it is still the best birthday present I have ever had (he didn’t know it had been my birthday till months later.)

Dad and Jane have been doing some traveling this year visiting Washington D.C. and the Smoky Mountains. Dad still delivers motor homes but it has been slow the last few months. Pamela and Chris enjoy serving at their church in Lawndale (Los Angeles.) They loved having Quentin with them 3 ½ months and bought a video camera to record him. Jason has been staying with them since June and will be moving out on his own the end of October. Melanie and Will have a teenager in the house now (Madison) and a lively 6 year old (Will). Both are in soccer and Madison plays a good game of basketball in the season. Will was the coach of the team last year. Grandma gets to almost every game. Warren and Lauranna sound really happy. Warren is getting almost too many hours at his plumbing job but they seem to be able to get weekends away to camp and go dunebuggying. Lauranna is taking care of their grandson, Antonio, who will be one in December. She seems to have acquired a few other kids when school ends each day.

Quentin is a joy when I get a chance to see him. He just turned two years old and he seems so smart and advanced. Is that just a proud Aunt talking? Vajra lives between a place in Hana (2 hours from me) and her mom’s place. Phone contact is hard so I don’t have regular visits right now. I just enjoy the time I do get to see him.

As we approach the end of this year and the holiday season, I wish everyone a joyous and loving time

Written October 2002