January 29, 2023
Jan 23 ~ KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA. KL bird park and KL tower, food market, rooftop swim, dinner (salad in a jar), 5 Crowns
Jan 24 ~ Petronas Tower tour; walkway on floor 41, views on 86, great photos, taxi back to room to watch Entrapment, snacks and pack.
Jan 25 ~ early flight to TOKYO, JAPAN. Met by Greg’s friend Sakura and escorted to Hotel Fresa Inn.
Jan 26 ~ Sadly Lane is ill and rests in our tiny room, Carolyn has a day in the city. Ropponging Hills Mall, TCV Tokyo City view, steamed buns, Cinnabon. In the afternoon, Sakura tours me to the Sen Temple, dinner, Mr Doughnut, train ride ‘home’.
Jan 27 ~ Lane joins us for the best Bonsai Garden, Tony Roma Dinner. Back home to pack and I enjoy a 3-hour hot bath.
Jan 28 ~ Due to the cold of Japan and the same is anticipated in South Korea we decide to fly straight home. South Korea can wait. We’ve been gone for 47 days.
Jan 29 ~ It’s so good to be home!!! (for 9 days)
Calendar dates:Jan 29 ~ Jami Robison celebrates 3 dozen years!
Feb 3 ~ sweet Genevieve Howell is 🖐🏻
Feb 4 ~ Callie Gerber knows 38 is great!
Feb 4 ~ Rayson Gerber feels alive at 45!
We love you forever!
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
January 22, 2023
Jan 16 ~ BALI (repeat of April 2018)…still phenomenal!…hire a car/driver, visit Mason Elephant Refuge, Express Giant Swing, Restaurant lunch, dash back to boat, 4:30 arrival on the dot! Whew.
Jan 17 ~ DAY AT JAVA SEA…rest my sunburnt(?) lower lip. Reduce talking, eating, swallowing. I’ve been fighting some type of rare flesh eating virus I got on Komodo Island last Saturday. J/K. It’s probably just some weird sunburn I got in the Great Barrier Reef. Weird because it was only 1/2 of my bottom lip and I used sunscreen, Lane did not, and it’s progressively worse after day 10!!!
Jan 18 ~ FINAL DAY AT SEA…resting my lip and hiding behind a face mask. Cross equator, pack up our room.
Jan 19 ~ This 30-day cruise ends today…in SINGAPORE!!! 4 hrs late disembarking, short on taxi’s so we hike the 2.5 miles to our room in Chinatown, in the rain. Check-in, buy snacks and an umbrella. Rest. Walk to Holy Crab for expensive crab that is too spicy to eat. After a rinse we can still barely eat it.
Jan 20 ~ SINGAPORE…Hop on/Hop off bus, both routes.
Jan 21 ~ SINGAPORE…Subway (MRT) to Sentosa - Skyline Luge, Gardens by the Bay (Super Trees, Flower Dome) pack up
Jan 22 ~ Taxi to church, bus to Kuala Lumpur, 🇲🇾 Malaysia. Hotel Stripes. Bricks n Bread…best Grilled Cheese EVAH!!!
Calendar dates:
Jan 23 ~ KC Bell blows out 37 candles!
Jan 26 ~ Shalaun Howell celebrates 42 years!
Jan 27 ~ We fly to JAPAN 🇯🇵
Jan 28 ~ Spencer Howell learns its great to be 8!
Jan 29 ~ Jami Robison is a young 3 dozen y.o.
We love you forever!
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
January 15, 2023
DAYS AT SEA AND INDONESIA
Jan 9 ~ Today is Monday and a DAY AT SEA…but it is also our substitute Sabbath. We read conference talks and our “Come Follow Me” lesson before being served fish tacos and chocolate delight in the Dining Room!
Jan 10 ~ DAY AT SEA…relax, read, lido, promenade, shop for new watch
Jan 11 ~ DAY AT ARAFURA SEA…extreme leisure living
Jan 12 ~ DARWIN…Hop on/Hop off bus, steps, souvenir pins, chocolates,
Sail-Away…Farewell AUSTRALIA!!! Right side up downunder
Jan 13 ~ DAY AT ARAFURA SEA…Hiding my sunburned lips (from Great Barrier Reef?) and they keep getting worse. Day 5.
Jan 14 ~ KOMODO ISLAND…big breakfasts, pack water, binocs, sunscreen, long sleeves, brim hats, good walking shoes…tender to shore to locate 7-8 Komodo Dragons in Komodo National Park*.
*Lane got overheated and exhausted. So much help. One man shared mints, a girl shared a fan, a guide provided a portable chair, a shop owner shared a bench and pillow, cruise couple got us next in line for the tender.
Jan 15 ~ LEMBAR, LOMBOK ISLAND…Hire a car/driver. Visit mosque, street corn, market fruits, visit drivers home and extended family.
15th ~ Samie & Ben Hale celebrate their 1sty wedding anniversary!
19th ~ we walk off this ship and tour Singapore 🇸🇬 for 3 days!!!
21st ~ Thatcher Kelley turns 7, Happy Day!!!
22nd ~ we catch a bus to Malaysia 🇲🇾
We love you forever!
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
PS
When I hit a rough patch in life, our Savior understands perfectly what I’m going through. He will give me the strength I need to not only get through it but become a better person in the process. I know he will do the same for YOU!
January 8, 2023
Gah-day Mates!
2 glorious events occurred this past week.
1st
What would you do if you were transported to Sydney, Australia for 5 hours? Every photo in this collage has the Opera House in it. We awoke at 3:30 am to observe our cruise ship passing the iconic Sydney Opera Hall and under the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Then during our hours in port we strolled its circumference and over the bridge. By then the day was done and we hurried to our balcony for the sail-away shots!
2nd
What would you do during a tourist excursion if you had 8 hours in Cairns, Australia? We skipped Cairns altogether and spent 8 hours transporting to and snorkeling in The Great Barrier Reef. We wore ‘stinger suits’ as protection from jelly fish and sting rays…but mostly to save the reef from sunscreen slathered bodies - seriously.
Remarkable, in deed!
Coming this week:
9th~Audrey is a totally terrific 15!
10th~Darren & Stephanie celebrate 9 years
11th~Carlie marks a marvelous 23rd year!
12th~we visit Darwin, Australia and sail towards Indonesia 🇮🇩
14th~Meredith finishes up her 30’s with flair
14th~Cameron is still on the sunny side of 50
14th~we search for Komodo Dragons
15th~Samie & Ben have accomplished 1 yr of marriage and are setting impressive goals!
(Some bday gifts will arrive late…sorry)
We love you forever,
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
PS I have always been a slow reader but I want to be well read so I brought 4 books on this cruise and have finished them all. That’s a big accomplishment for me. I also brought the October Conference Talks - Journal Edition 2022. I’m finding it very helpful. One of my favorite talks so far is by Elder Hugo Montoya.
I share his quote and ask a follow up question of you.
“My wife and I always try to be there for our children at any time, under any condition, and by any means. Each child is unique; their worth to God is great, and no matter what challenges, sins, and weaknesses they have, God loves them, and so do we.”
I ask if the reverse is not also true? Every parents worth to God is great, and no matter what challenges, sins, and weaknesses they have, God loves them, and so do we…
We appreciate when you forgive our sins and are understanding of our weaknesses and choices. Thank you for loving us!!!
Breakdown by day:
Jan 2 ~ Day at sea. Leisure living at its best. Coloring club.
Jan 3 ~ SYDNEY! We awake at 3:30th to see the night lights as we enter Sydney, pass the Opera House and pass under the Harbor Bridge. Day trip to walk the perimeter of the iconic Opera house and do the Sydney Harbor Bridge walk. Very memorable day of this 30-day cruise.
Jan 4 ~ Day at Sea. Lazy buggers. Relax, sudokus, movies, sleep
Jan 5 ~ MORETON ISLAND! Swim, skinny dip😳, buy snacks and chocolate
Jan 6 ~ Day at sea. 5 Crowns, on board trivia game, evening stretch, Main stage comedian.
Jan 7 ~ AIRLIE BEACH! Tender to shore. Tuk-tuk ride, swim in lagoon,
Jan 8 ~ CAIRNS & THEE GREAT BARRIER REEF! 7.5 hr excursion - snorkeling tour of reef, lunch, more snorkeling, exhausting, humid, hot, beautiful, wonderful, memorable.
January 1, 2023
Happy New Year. We made it to Australia…our final continent! It’s been very exciting. We are seeing, doing, hearing, feeling and tasting the iconic Aussie lifestyle.
Wombats, Tasmanian devils, Kookaburras, Roos, tall trees, lush undergrowth, falling water, farms, cities, pavlova, sheep, heat, humidity, hikes, beaches, reefs, floral life, produce, culture, global diversity, national pride, talent, kindness.
Sunday we found a congregation just in time for Sacrament meeting to begin…in Samoan😳. We were blessed! We then strolled the city streets of Melbourne (pronounced Mel-bin). Temps reached 104°! I’ve attended 3 sessions of Cruise Coloring. Delightful and relaxing.
Coming soon:
Jan 1st ~ Abriam Buggs turns 28
Jan 1st ~ Malcolm West gets birthday cake!
Jan 2nd ~ Michael Hill is now 31
Jan 5th ~ Sadie celebrates year 7!
Jan 6th ~ Sarah & Matt Lindeman married 2 years!
Jan 1-8 ~ we spend our time cruising the east coast of Australia!!!
We love you forever!!
Momma C & Dad Lane (G&G Howell)
Breakdown by day:
Dec 26th ~ Dunedin, New Zealand. No excursion today.
Dec 27th ~ New Zealand Fiordland National Park. Dusky Sound.
Great balcony views. Promenade laps. Coloring for adults.
Movie “Hunt for the Wilder People”. Great food.
Dec 28th ~ Day at Sea. Solid leisure livin. Sleeping in. 3 movies. Room
service.
Dec 29th ~ Day at Sea. Yada-yada-yada. Banana bread French toast.
Crab-asparagus eggs Benedict. 5 Crowns. Pinacolada
mocktails. Puzzles. Etc.
Dec 30th ~ Hobart/Hamilton, TASMANIA, Australia
Bongorong Wildlife Park: wombats, Tasmanian devils,
kookaburras, feed roos
Mt Field National Park: tall trees walk, Russell Falls, ferns
Curringa Farm: sheep shearing, sheep dog show, BBQ lunch
Dec 31st ~ Day at Sea. Swim, hot tub, promanade walk, sudokus,
R.E.L.A.X.
Jan 1st ~ Melbourne (Mel-bin). tram to city center, Uber to Samoan Ward.
Super hot day. Stroll and tram around the city. Very Beautiful
also.
