FUN-video: Last BIG Fat Vacation – Movie Trailer
December 27, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-video: Last BIG Fat Vacation – Movie Trailer
We have now officially made it to all of the New 7 Wonders of the World…and 19 out of the 21 that were vying for that title.
- In addition…we visited a total of 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites…with our modes of transportation including: 1 elephant – 2 camel carts – 2 horse carts – 3 rickshaws – 4 jeep safaris – 1 boat safari – 1 houseboat – 1 live aboard – 1 river cruise – 5 lake boats – more than 2500 kilometers driven – 9 international flights – 17 domestic flights…and it took 50+ hours to get home.
Thank god the bucket list is almost done!
- Here’s a little snippet of the trip from over 5 hours of edited video. Enjoy!
FUN-travel: Last “Big Fat” Vacation – THE END!
December 20, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Last “Big Fat” Vacation – THE END!
- We ended our India trip… at the end of India… literally! in the city of Trivandrum.
Our Best Beach Bungalow
Saving the Maldives for last was brilliant…as it was so relaxing… and the environment was the polar opposite… of the prior crazy & chaotic 6 weeks.
Mamallapuram
- Thank god the bucket list is all most done…it took us 50+ hours to get home!… And that was enough to convince us…
…it’s time to tour North America!
FUN-travel: Amazing Maalhosmadulu Atoll – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 7
December 16, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Amazing Maalhosmadulu Atoll – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 7
- Today’s Dives – only 1…can’t do more than that because of flying w/in 24 hrs…more scorpion fish…beautiful coral…rated VG!
1st & only Snorkel – saw several schools…longfin bannerfish…white collar & black pyramid butterflyfish…striped surgeonfish…but the best…was Oscar the Octopus…who put on a nice show…changing colors and textures… to match the coral…pretty amazing!
- Also, reef is coming back as I saw yellow coral sprouting!
Dive Trip Rating – Steve has been diving for 45 years and gave this trip a 9+ rating due to the pristine & thriving eco-system…diversity of fish…reef activity…coral quality…turtles…variety of sharks…and manta rays…group cheers at dinner to a great dive trip!
Striped Surgeonfish
- He also said this is for intermediate to experienced divers.
Favorite Fish Finds…group all agreed that nurse shark sanctuary….manta rays at night…and the wreck dive were major highlights.
Clown Triggerfish
- Trip to Town on Dharavandhoo Island – 4:15…basically a chance to take a walk…same place we ferry over in our dhoni to get to the local airport…2 small stores…45 minutes and you’ve walked the entire island.
FUN-fact – The average temperature year round is a high of 84 and a low of 78.
Not so FF – Carpe Vita booking agent never told us (or anyone on the trip) that we were flying back to Male to catch our international flights until two days before our departure. In the mean time our flight time changed and we had to get off the ship at 4:15 am for a 6 am flight and then sit in the airport for 4+ hours! They just lost a whole lot of points…EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED…and a terrible way to end what would have been such a great trip. (as an aside… they changed the time we were to get off the ship three times… getting earlier each time, which did not work for me at all!)
FUN-travel: Amazing Maalhosmadulu Atoll – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 6
December 9, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Amazing Maalhosmadulu Atoll – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 6
- Today’s Dives – total of 4…all drift dives with very strong currents…highlights = scorpion fish…a wall of yellow coral…(saw the video) actually a blend of …corn silk …mustard …lemon yellows….mixed with red-orange…apple green… and mauve colored coral. VG & VP (very good & very pretty)
Me & My Snorkel Yacht
1st Snorkel – not pretty coral…but some different fish…black/white thick striped dascyllus…powder blue surgeonfish aka Dory…2 unknowns…blackish bodies… one with tangerine trim outlining top and tail…other with lemon yellow.
Dory
2nd Snorkel – all the usual suspects….and orangespine unicornfish….brownish gray body with orange tailspins & anal fin…foursaddle grouper…varying shades of brown…looks like snakeskin…clown triggerfish…black upper body with large white spots on lower half…then heading out from the reef…a nice Tahitian Stingray…followed by a shark coming in! …the perfect end to my snorkel.
Pretty Parrotfish
- John‘s (San Jose) birthday celebration…after dinner & a few beers…he said “I’d come back here in a heartbeat. And I’d dive with Steve any day.” Turns out they were destined to meet…paired up as roomies…both from California… and their birthdays are one day apart.” How’s that for “dive karma?”
Today’s Snorkel Site
FUN-fact – Steve noticed me rubbing my jaw the 2nd day and suggested I needed a different mouthpiece which he just happened to have! You actually mold it to your bite so you don’t clench and my jaw magically stopped hurting. I love ya Steve!!
FUN-travel: Amazing Ari & Rasdu Atolls – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 5
December 9, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Amazing Ari & Rasdu Atolls – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 5
- Today’s Dives – total of 4…#1…not much other than a couple of turtles… rated 4…#2…just so so… #3…some saw sharks…rated 6…Steve‘s (Huntington Beach) birthday celebration…after dinner & a few beers…he said “it was a good day of diving.”
1st Snorkel Ari Atoll– both fish and coral bland in color…2 rating
- Correction – due to looking so similar…not sure if I saw Moorish idol…might have been longfin bannerfish …and Nemo aka clown fish was probably….tomato anemonefish
2nd Snorkel Rasdu Atoll – reef with large schools… more of the same…giant clams…butterflyfish…angelfish…and pretty parrotfish… plus humpback unicornfish… wrasses & reef needlefish…gobies & groupers… and huge school of blue streak fusilier…at the end.
- Dive Dhoni at Dusk
FUN-facts – Out of 13 ship mates…2 California (Huntington Beach & San Jose)…1 South Jersey…1 Florida…2 Italy…2 Croatia…1 Switzerland…3 Germany…1 Dubai.