Sunday, February 10, 2008

Pictures Uploaded to Facebook!

I just uploaded my pictures from Leg 4 and 5 (so far) on my facebook. www.facebook.com So, if you get a chance, please check them out and take a look. I tried to get most of them up, not all of them, but most of the ones that I figured you would be interested in seeing. I hope you enjoy them. I will try to transfer them onto my blog, when I have more time (it took several hours to get all my pictures on my facebook)! By the way, we are still in Okinawa, so maybe I`ll get another chance to put more pictures up, possibly tomorrow, if we end up staying another day due to bad weather, which is very likely! So, enjoy the pictures! I`m off to the bath house, once again!

Love always, Sailor Katie :)

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Yes, we`re still in Okinawa!

Well, after staying an extra day because we had to wait for a part to arrive for the boat, we have decided to stay an extra few days because of the terrible weather in the East China Sea! Skipper has been checking the weather several times a day, constantly, and it may be getting better by tomorrow (Saturday, February 9th), so as of now we are planning to leave then. But the 30-ft seas and gale-force winds are very unappealing, so we will leave only when it`s safe to do so, for everyone! That`s just fine by me, and by everyone else, too! We are just trying to keep ourselves busy and occupied with different forms of entertainment to pass the time. We play cards, lots of games, singing, internet, going out to eat, and lots of "last-minute" trips to the bath house! It`s my new favourite place to go and thing to do! Canada should really get bath houses! I even got a nice salt scrub and back massage from a nice, sweet old lady in one of the saunas! I have had some sushi, too, while we have been here, although Okinawa does not have traditional Japanese cuisine. They have their own, traditional Okinawan foods, with a large Chinese influence (noodle, rice, meat dishes). So it is actually difficult to find sushi anywhere, but we found a few places. I am looking forward to getting to mainland Japan and having all the sushi places immaginable available! But first, we have to get to China! I am still really excited to be going to Shanghai, but I don`t want to have to go through that nasty weather that`s just to the west of us. I am having a great time, still, and enjoying all there is to enjoy on this island.
I hope everyone is doing well back home. I miss all of you so much, and I am thinking of you all constantly! I do love you all, and I am continuing to pray for you in all your different areas of life! Thank you all so much for all your letters, messages, thoughts, support, and prayers!

Love always, Sailor Katie :)

P.S. Matt, I love you. I KNOW you know I love you! Enjoy your fourth and final year of your Carpentry Apprenticeship, and I will see you not long after you are done (only 2 months, approximately)! I love you, Matthew Wayne MacDonald, and I am always thinking of you! ;)

Monday, February 4, 2008

Address for our Port in Japan!

Just to let anyone know - if any of you are interested - I now have the address to our port agent in Osaka, Japan, for the end of Leg 5! If you Fedex from Victoria/Vancouver, it will arrive within 3-5 business days. Otherwise, if it`s "snail mail" it will take approximately 4 weeks. No big deal, since we will be in Osaka until March 20th! So, here it is:

Katie Neale, Pacific Grace
c/o Waldron Norton Lilly Intl Osaka (Branch)
Heisei Shopping Agencies Ltd.
Wakasugi Grand Bldg 3F
5-25 Tenjinbanshi 2-Chome

There you go! I apologize for keeping this post short, but I have to get back to my laundry and finish that before I head over the the Japanese Bath House, again, for the second time while I`m here in Okinawa! It`s fantastic! I love it! I will have to make another visit when we get to mainland Japan next month! They are so wonderful! I think North America should get some!

Everything is going well. I went to the World`s largest aquarium up the island today, and saw amazing fish - including the world`s largest fish: 3 whale sharks! SO COOL! We are planning on leaving tomorrow, but no promises. We may stay an extra day due to weather and waiting on supplies for the boat.

I hope everyone is doing well! Thank you all for your comments, thoughts, and prayers! I miss you all and I am thinking of all of you! Can`t wait to see everyone in June!

Love always, Sailor Katie ;)

Friday, February 1, 2008

Konichiwa from Japan!

We made it to Okinawa! After an 8-day sail we arrived in the city of Naha on the morning of January 31st. It took the most part of the day to get checked in, so none of us were able to get off the boat until dinner-time, but then we ate dinner and I went to bed shortly after then. I made the mistake of play-fighting with Jose in the Aft Cabin right before dinner, and I was practicing my kick-boxing moves on him. But he just picked me up and flipped me upside down. So I kicked him in the face (by accident, since my feet were closer to his head). Then he put me down, and Skipper suggested I hit him hard - I need to be tougher! So, I did the natural thing. No, I didn`t turn the other cheek; I wound up and gave him the hardest right hook I could muster! (As the youngest child of 4, and having an older brother who would constantly play-fight with me, toughen me up, and teach me new moves, I have a hard time not fighting back). Anyway, I must have done something wrong, because everyone heard the crack, of my fist against his shoulder, and it`s been hurting ever since! Suffice to say, I went to bed early that first night in Japan, after taking a few ibuprofin, icing my wrist, and trying to get comfortable and fall asleep. But it was still painful in the morning! So, after struggling through making breakfast and lunch - Karen helped - Sarah took me to the hospital to get an x-ray. This was my first experience of Japan! What a wonderful country! Everyone is so nice and kind, and very helpful and understanding, particularly to us foreigners! It`s great being in Japan, but there is still an American influence here, due to the fact that they still have a big Navy base here on the island, and we saw a U.S. chopper, battleship, jet, and another boat as we were coming into the harbour! But it is definitely a big culture change from the South Pacific! It`s wonderful! I really am enjoying this country! Of course, they do have the signature McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks, and some other American establishments, but they have so many different stores I have never seen before, which made it all worthwhile! Japan is a wonderful country, full of efficient and effective ways of running things (smaller, less-polluting cars, automatic escalators that turn on right before you step on, and off when you get off), and no garbage anywhere! Japan is just so far ahead of the rest of the world in technology, ideas of how to prevent pollution and garbage, and so much more! And they are so clean! Everywhere we go is so tidy and neat, and I think they have the upper-hand on health and eating right, too, with all the fish they eat and less fast food restaurants (I have yet to see an overweight Japanese person). Anyway, after getting some Yen out of the ATM (the local currency here; 100Yen is equal to about $1 Canadian), Sarah and I got dropped off at the Hospital. We talked to a lovely woman who spoke English (they found someone who could translate for us - how sweet!), but the orthopedic area didn`t have an opening until 2pm - which was too late for me as I had to be back on the boat to start dinner. So, she directed us to a clinic where we walked to and I got the x-ray. It`s not broken! YAY! I just have to wear a splint and keep it wrapped up for 2 weeks! That is really unfortunate! I can`t lift things, or write very well, and it`s just a pain in the butt! I find it really debilitating and annoying - a real nuisance! But I`ll be fine. It will just take a while to get better, but I can be patient and deal with it. But other than that, I have really enjoyed Japan! It`s a wonderful country, and I am getting really excited to be going to Hiroshima and Osaka next month! But first Shanghai! We will be here until about February 5th, and then we will leave for China, which will be a 2-3 day passage. But the East China Sea has been very rough weather as of late, so it will be a bit of a challenging trip, or so I think. But this is what makes the experience so grande and amazing! It really is an exciting and amazing trip, and I am so incredibly blessed and fortunate in so many ways! I am doing well, and enjoying myself, and I am really looking forward to all the things and places ahead that we will see and explore! Japan is my new favourite country! But still, there`s no place like home! Oh, Canada! I love you!

Take care, everyone! Thank you everyone for all your messages, emails, prayers, support, and best wishes! I love you all so much, and I do miss you terribly! I can`t wait to see you all again!

I love you and miss you so much, Matt! Take care of yourself, keep busy, and enjoy the rest of the season! It will be spring soon, and I will be home before you know it! The end of this Spring! It`s coming up! I`m so exciting!

Love always, Sailor Katie ;)