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THIS WILL BE THE FIRST OF THREE STOPS IN THE PHILIPPINES. AS THE SUGGESTS THERE WAS A SPANISH INFLUENCE. EARLY SPAIN BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY TO THE POPULATION IN CONTRAST TO ISLAM IN MALAYSIA/BORNEO.

WE CHOSE A PLANNED TOUR TO AN UNDERGROUND RIVER IN AN ELABORATE CAVE. THE RIVER STARTS FRESH WATER AND DISCHARGES INTO THE OCEAN. IT’S INHABITED BY THOUSANDS OF BATS HANGING FROM THE CEILING OF THE CAVE. WE WERE LOADED INTO LONGBOATS POWERED BY MOTORCYCLE ENGINES ALL WITHOUT MUFFLERS! TO ENTER THE CAVE WE WERE TRANSFERRED TO GONDOLA STYLE BOATS EQUIPPED WITH OUTRIGGERS. MOST OF THE BATS WERE SLEEPING. HOWEVER WE WERE ADVISED NOT TO LOOK UP AS THEY PRODUCE GUANO WHILE AT REST. UGH! THE FORMATIONS IN THE CAVE WERE AMAZING.

TRAVEL FROM THE DOCK TO THE CAVES WAS A 90 MINUTE ORDEAL IN EACH DIRECTION. THE ROADS WERE WINDING AS WE ASCENDED AND DESCENDED THE ISLAND MOUNTAIN. DRIVERS IN THE PHILIPPINES FIND IT CHALLENGING TO GO FAST. OUR GUY WON THE RACE!

BRIEF HISTORY: LOCATED ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF BORNEO THIS SMALL COUNTRY AT ONE TIME CONTROLLED ALL OF BORNEO. THROUGH BATTLES IT LOST ALL EXCEPT THE SMALL AREA IT NOW CONTROLS. IN 1939 OIL WAS DISCOVERED. THEY COULD EXTRACT BUT UNDER BRITISH CONTROL IT HAD TO BE REFINED IN SINGAPORE. THIS CHANGED IN THE 50’S. THEY RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CHINESE TO EXPAND THEIR REFINING FACILITIES.

THE COUNTRY IS CONTROLLED BY THE 7TH GENERATION SULTANATE. THE BENEVOLENT SULTAN MANDATES EDUCATION OF ALL INCLUDING COLLEGE, HEALTHCARE, RETIREMENT STIPEND, ETC. THE SULTAN MANDATES STRICT MUSLIM ADHERENCE INCLUDING NO DRINKING, SMOKING, DRUGS. THE SULTAN HAS AN ENORMOUS COLLECTION OF AUTOMOBILES INCLUDING 2 GOLD ROLLS ROYCE. ALL ARE STORED IN THE PALACE AND WE WERE NOT INVITED.

OUR GUIDE WAS PROUD TO SHOW US 4 GOLD CROWNED MOQUES. THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL PARKS. I LIKEN BRUNEI TO A 2ND CLASS COUNTRY WITH WEALTH CONTROLLED BY THE FEW. THE COUNTRY IS TOO SMALL TO PRODUCE RICE. THE SULTAN PURCHASED AREAS IN THAILAND TO SUPPLY THEIR RICE.

WE OPTED FOR AN ORGANIZED CITY TOUR. BIG BUS BUT COVERED A LOT. THERE ARE 4 MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS – MALAY, CHINESE, MUSLIM, INDIAN AND. LAST – ENGLISH

FORMULA 1 RACES RUN THRU THE STREETS OF SINGAPORE. EXCITING TIMES.

WE SPENT TIME AT THE NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN. THE ORCHIDS WERE IN BLOOM

THIS WAS THE TIME FOR CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR – THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON. THERE WERE COLORFUL DRAGONS EVERYWHERE. WE DINED AT A RESTAURANT WHERE PATRONS WERE CELEBRATING THE EVENT.

WAKING UP IN A NEW CITY IS ALWAYS FUN AND CONFUSING. WHERE’S THE RESTAURANT? WHERE’S THE COFFEE? MORNING STUFF. WE WERE STILL GROGGY FROM THE FLIGHT. AFTER BREAKFAST I NEEDED TO GET SOME LOCAL CURRENCY. I INQUIRED AT THE DESK AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A CASH MACHINE ON ORCHARD ROAD. SO OFF I WENT ON AN ADVENTURE!

THAT AFTERNOON WE DECIDED TO TAKE A BOAT RIDE ON THE RIVER. FIRST WE HAD TO NAVIGATE THE SUBWAYS. DURING OUR PREVIOUS VISIT WE FOUND THE SUBWAYS CLEAN AND EASY TO USE. THIS ENCOUNTER WAS THE SAME. WE TOOK THE RED LINE AND TRANSFERRED TO THE PURPLE LINE. WE GOT ON A ‘BUMBOAT’. I NEVER DECIPHERED THE MEANING OF BUMBOAT. AT ONE TIME THEY FERRIED GOODS AND WORKERS AROUND THE ISLAND.

ANOTHER SUBWAY RIDE TOOK US TO MARINA BAY SANDS HOTEL AND CASINO. THIS IS THE ENORMOUS THREE 42 STORY PILLARS WITH A CONNECTING STRUCTURE AT THE TOP THAT RESEMBLES A BOAT. IT’S ACTUALLY AN INFINITY POOL WITH A VIEW. ADJACENT TO THE HOTEL COMPLEX IS THE GARDENS BY THE BAY. THIS MANMADE ATTRACTION CONSISTS OF INDIVIDUAL LARGE DOMES FOR DESERT GROWTH AND A DOME FOR HUMID GROWTH. EVERY TWO HOURS MAN MADE MIST KEEPS EVERYTHING HAPPY.

THE EXCITEMENT OF A JOURNEY IS GETTING READY, PASSPORTS UP TO DATE, VISA’S CHECKED, TICKETS IN ORDER. WHAT’S THIS ABOUT PLANE BOARDING PASSES ON YOUOR IPHONE? SO YOU’RE READY TO LEAVE, SAY GOODBYE TO THE DOG AND THE NEIGHBORS. WHAT THE…? THE UBER DRIVER TO THE AIRPORT IS 15 MINUTES LATE. HE’S ALWAYS ON TIME. A TEXT REVEALS THE TRIP WAS ORDERED FOR 2/13, NOT 1/23. PANIC!

NO WORRIES WE MADE IT TO THE AIRPORT WITH MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME TO SPARE. THE ATLANTA AIRPORT IS INTERESTING AS DOMESTIC FLIGHTS ARE ON ONE SIDE OF THE FACILITY BUT TO REACH INTERNATIONAL YOU NEED TO HOP ON A SHUTTLE BUS THAT CIRCLES THE RUNWAYS TO A SEPARATE INT’L TERMINAL. NOW WHERE’S OUR CHECCK-IN COUNTER. I’M TIRED LUGGING THESE SUITCASES! WELL, IT OPENS 3 HOURS BEFORE DEPARTURE. SO WE FIND A PLACE FOR LUNCH. NO WORRIES.

MARGARET HAS PERFECTED THE PROCESS OF GETTING WHEELCHAIR ACCESS. IT GETS YOU SPECIAL TREATMENT AT TSA SECURITY INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS EARLY BOARDING. HER SECRET IS A COUPLE OF $5 BILLS.

WE BOOKED OUR FLIGHT TO SINGAPORE ON TURKISH AIR. GOOD REVIEWS ON THE INTERNET. WE CHANGED PLANES IN ISTANBUL BOTH FLIGHTS WERE VERY GOOD, IF YOU CALL 2-10 HOUR FLIGHTS AS GOOD. WE NEEDED TO STOP SOMEWHERE AND STRETCH. A SINGLE FLIGHT LASTING OVER 18 HOURS WITHOUT A BREAK WAY TOO LONG.

THE NEW ISTANBUL AIRPORT WAS SPECTACULAR. WE SPENT TIME MUNCHING OUR WAS AROUND THE BUSINESS LOUNGE AS WELL AS WALKING AROUND THE AIRPORT. MARGARET HAD BOOKED A WHEELCHAIR TO GET HER FROM THE GATE TO THE LOUNGE. FOR SOME REASON THEY BOOKED ONE FOR ME TOO. SO WE HOPPED ON THESE ‘SCOOTERS’ AND ENJOYED THE RIDE. MORE $5 GRATUITIES.

36 HOURS AFTER LEAVING PAWLEYS ISLAND WE WERE IN BED AT OUR HOTEL. TRAVELING WAS EASIER WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER…

WELCOME TO THE LATEST WOLFES BUCKET LIST ADVENTURE. AFTER COVID LOCKDOWNS, KNEE SURGERY AND REHAB WE DECIDED TO RESUME OUR TRAVELS

ON TUESDAY JANUARY 23 WE FLY HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD TO SINGAPORE. WE’RE STOPPING IN ISTANBUL TURKEY HOPEFULLY TO DO A LITTLE SIGHT SEEING DURING A 9 HOUR LAYOVER. AFTER 2 DAYS IN SINGAPORE WE BOARD OUR CRUISE SHIP, THE OCEANIA RIVIERA. THE SHIP VISITS BRUNAI, PHILIPPINES, CAMBODIA, VIETNAM AND ENDS IN BANGKOK. AFTER TOURS AT EACH AND OF COURSE SHOPPING, WE HEAD NORTH TO SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA. THE WEATHER WILL BE MOSTLY SUB TROPICAL SO WE ENJOY LIGHT WEIGHT AND EASY WEAR. THE CATCH IS BOTH ENDS – ISTANBUL AND SEOUL WHERE IT’S PREDICTED TO BE IN THE 30’S.

LAST DAY IN GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS. SANTA CRUZ IS THE LARGEST INHABITED ISLAND. THE WEATHER DIFFERS FROM THE OTHER ARID ISLANDS VISITED. SANTA CRUZ RECEIVES FREQUENT RAINFALL AND IS LUSH.

IT’S HOME TO THE LAND SEA TURTLES RESCUE SITES. THESE MASSIVE CREATURES LIVE ON LAND AND SPEND TIME COOLING OFF IN MUD PONDS. ITS REPORTED THE CHARACTER OF ‘ET’ FOR THE MOVIE WAS A RESULT OF A STEVEN SPIELBERG VISIT. WE SAW YOUNG AND WELL AS SENIOR CITIZEN TURTLES. AS WE WERE LEAVING WE ENCOUNTERED 2 JUVENILE TURTLES WALKING ON THE ROAD AWAY FROM THE CENTER. 

STEEP CLIMB TO A ROCKY PLATEAU SUMMIT OF AN EXTINCT VOLCANO. VERY LARGE COLONIES OF NAZCA BOOBIES, RED FOOTED BOOBIES, BLUE FOOTED BOOBIES AND GREAT FRIGATE BIRDS. WE WERE LUCKY TO OBSERVE A SMALL OWL, THE ONLY REAL PREDATOR ON THE ISLAND. 

IN THE MATING SEASON THE GREAT FRIGATE BIRDS EXPAND A RED BLADDER ON THEIR CHEST TO ATTRACT A PARTNER.

BIRDS DISPLAYED NO FEAR AND WERE EVERYWHERE AND WERE CURIOUS OF VISITORS. WHILE WALKING YOU HAD TO AVOID STEPPING ON JUVENILES. 

WE WADED ASHORE FROM A PANGA ONTO THE BLACK VOLCANIC SAND OF SANTIAGO ISLAND. THE SEA LIONS AND FUR SEALS JUST MOVED A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE BEACH TO ACCOMADATE US AND THEN CAME WADDLING BACK TO WATCH US. WE HIKED OVER LAVA ROCK TO THE SUMMIT OF THE ISLAND. GREAT VIEWS AND ALONG THE WAY: MARINE IGUANAS, GRAY HERONS AND MORE SEA LIONS.