That’s an awesome itinerary. I didn’t go to all the places youre going, but Ive been to some. When I went it was Vancouver > Kobe > Shanghai > Ho Chi Minh City > Penang > Chennai > Mombasa > Cape Town > Salvador > Havana. We were supposed to go to Egypt, Turkey, Croatia and Spain but after the bombing of the USS Cole, they changed our course. I did eventually make it to Cadiz, but cant remember much. In Chennai, there’s a town that’s like 50 miles south of the city called Mahibalipuram or something like that. It has some nice temples if you can get there. Vietnam is a cool place. See if you can get to the Cu Chi Tunnels. I was just in Hong Kong last summer, and had a blast. Make sure you go up to the top of Victoria Peak. Also, every night they have a sound and light show with the skyscrapers in HK. To see it, stand on the waterfront in Kowloon near the Star Ferry terminal. When I was there, I think it started around 8. If you ask around, you can find out exactly when it is. In Shanghai, go up either the Jin Mao Tower or the Pearl of the Orient Tower. Both are on the Pudong side of the river (the side with the really tall skyscrapers; probably the side opposite where you dock). Then, to get from there back to the Bund, take the tourist pedestrian tunnel, its really trippy. Also, walk down Nanjing Rd. at night – it comes alive and is so vibrant, its awesome. In Kobe, see if you can get to Nara. There’s this park there that has a temple and there’s all these deer there. They just walk around and arent afraid of people so you can get real close to them. They actually come up to you if you get food to feed them. That was really neat. Kobe is a fun place though, you’ll have a good time. In Honolulu, go snorkeling or scuba diving, preferably on the North Shore. If you ask around, you can find places that rent the necessary equipment. Alternatively, you could go to Hanauma Bay, where I know they rent it. Its more beautiful, but much more crowded.

I saw your note about being a student and all, so I tried to suggest things that are either in town or close to where you’d be landing. If you have some money and can afford to go on some of the longer trips, let me know and I can suggest some more stuff. Of the countries on your itinerary, I have been to Spain, Morocco, South Africa, India, Vietnam, China, Japan, and Hawaii. I cant tell you much about the boat because when I went they had a different one. Its basically a cruise ship, and I think yours is better, bigger and newer than the one we were on, so it should be nice. Bring a jacket and something for seasickness. You might need those as you go around the Horn of Africa. Its not bad though. Bring a deck of cards and of course a camera. If you decide to get your pictures printed out/developed before you get home, Vietnam is a good place to do it. I think that’s about it. You’ll have a great time. My voyage (they’ll correct you if you call it a cruise:) could very well be the highlight of my life. If you have any other questions, or if you want some more recommendations, let me know. Just out of curiosity, they probably sent you a book with all the trips in it. In China, do they have anything going to either Tibet or Xinjiang? Thats cool you’re in Burke – I work in Springfield.