Port Addresses

Only sixteen (16!) days until I leave! With that in mind I thought it would be good to let you know Internet access on the ship is limited--and sloooooooow--so I won't be able to e-mail/instant message you as much as I would like too. Also, phone calls from distant lands, and the middle of the ocean, are too expensive. So, aside from this blog, communication will be limited! I'll try to send as many postcards as possible but letters from you would be lovely as well...I am posting addresses for any of you interested in sending me mail--just make sure to heed the bolded dates and don't send any packages, as customs may intercept them.

Mail for Puerto Rico, send by January 24th
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives February 7, 2007
Cruise Plus Service & Sales
1760 Fernandez Juncos Avenue
San Juan, PUERTO RICO, 00909


Mail for Brazil, send by January 18th
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives February 17, 2007
Oceanus Agencia Maritima
Av. Estados Unidos, 397,
Room 601-604
40018-900 Salvador, BAHIA-BRAZIL


Mail for South Africa, send by February 16th
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives March 2, 2007
John T. Rennie & Sons
PO Box 702
1 Thibault House
8000 Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA


Mail for Mauritius, send by March 1st
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives March 15, 2007
Ireland Blyth Limited
1 Queen Street
P.O. Box 53
Port Louis, Mauritius


Mail for India, send by March 11th
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives March 25, 2007
J.M. Baxi & CO.
Rajaji Salai
Channai-600 001, INDIA


Mail for Malaysia, send by March 19th
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives April 2, 2007
Inchcape Shipping Services SDN
4th Floor Unit 4B
Wisma Saw Chong Thuah
39-c, Pengkalan Weld
10300 Penang, MALAYSIA


Mail for Vietnam, send by March 26th
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives April 9, 2007
General Forwarding & Agency
5th Floor OSIC Building
8 Nguyen Hue Avenue
Dist. 1, Ho Chi Minh City, VIETNAM


Mail for Hong Kong, send by April 3rd
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives April 17, 2007
Inchcape Shipping Services (HK) Ltd.
Units 1802-1805, 18th Floor
No. 3 Lockhart Road
Wanchai, HONG KONG-CHINA

Mail for Qindao, China, send by April 7th
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives April 21, 2007
Penavico Qingdao
21 Wuxia Road
Quingdao, 266002, P.R. CHINA


Mail for Japan, send by April 11th
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives April 25, 2007
Inchcape Shipping Services
Kenryu Bldg II, Room 303
6, Kaigan-dori, Chuo-ku
Kobe-shi, Hyogo-Ken 650-0024, JAPAN


Mail for Hawaii, send by April 23rd
Lydia Gearhart
Care Of: MV Explorer
Arrives May 7, 2007
Inchcape Shipping Services
Gentry Pacific Center
260 North Numitz Hwy, Suite 103
HONOLULU, Hawaii 96817, USA

My Bon Voyage Surprise Party

Tomorrow is my last final of the semester, and then I'll be packing up and heading out! These few days have been bittersweet--exciting because I am going to have an amazing time, but sad because I finally feel like I am making lasting friendships. I don't want to miss out on all the goodtimes I know will be rolling while I'm at sea!

Friday night Katie was supposed to pick me up from work. Instead, the boys showed up and said they were taking me out to the Mongolian Buffet !? I should have been suspicious then, but hey, I'm gullible! I said I thought that sounded horrible--we went to Applebee's instead. It was a good time, and I knew they had taken me out because this was our last weekend together. On the way home they were singing the Backstreet Boys (of course) and I teared up. It meant so much to me they had thought enough to plan something like that. I had been hoping we would have a goodbye party, but going out for dinner was good, it made me feel special and I knew I was going to miss them.

When we got home I walked into my apartment to change out of my work clothes, assuming we had a night of guitar hero ahead of us, and nothing more. The apartment was dark, and I didn't know where Katie and Kay were, or why I hadn't heard anything about what was going on for the evening. Still clueless, I was saying something like "where are my roomates, why is it so dark in here?" when the lights were flicked on and everyone jumped out at me, laughing and hooting "bon voyage." They were all dressed like pirates and drinking bumboo juice!

The whole night was wonderful, I've never had a group of friends, muchless a group of friends that cared like these guys do. I had been convinced everyone forgot/was too lazy to/didn't care enough to throw me a party, but I understimated the whole crew, seeing as how my bon voyage party had been in the works for two weeks. I even had a secret facebook group!

Lots of tears that night, but they were happy tears. I'll miss everyone, thankyou so much, it means more than you know.

xoxo