JODI AND JUSTIN'S WEEK - MARCH 22-23

Days 1 AND 2 of 9

Bird-tastic Waikiki adventure

"Welcome to Saipan" is a phrase often used when plans change when traveling to this island. Such is the case for Jodi and Justin. They were scheduled to arrive around 8 pm March 21 - just  ,after the Saturday gospel meeting ended at Maturana. Not to be. Plane mechanical difficulties in San Francisco delayed their departure from that fair city long enough to miss the connecting flight in Honolulu. When they finally got there, a 24-hour layover was required. No problem! United put them up in a hotel for the night and they had time to stroll down Kalakaua Avenue the next day and meet the Bird Man of Waikiki (I made up the name), but Jodi was mesmerized by the parrots and other birds just sitting on perches unfettered. "Can i hold them?", she asked. "For a fee", replied the Bird Man of Waikiki. "Name your price!!", says Jodi and the deal was done (for an undisclosed pile of cash). A 7-hour flight to Guam and a 50-minute hop up to Saipan and there they were at 9 pm Sunday evening!

Chamorro island greeting (Welcome")

Our tourist welcome sign

Papa gets a hug

There they are!

 So, after a good night's sleep (right - with 7-hour jet lag), everyone was up at 6 ready to head up to Maturana for convention clean-up. Jodi and Justin pitched in along with the rest of the Saipan "crew" and we were done by noon. Justin inquired about the bananas that seemed to be hanging all over the place and Arnold led him up to a tree that had been blown over in the typhoon. Alfie followed us up and did the service of carrying the huge bunch down to our car.

WOW! These are awesome!

Now THAT'S a bunch of bananas!!

Thanks Alfie 

Hmmm - let's try one of these

The rest of the day was spent at the American Memorial Museum learning the history of this island as a foundation for seeing the island itself in days to come. Our very early blogs give more on the special place Saipan had in WW II.

We finished Day 2 with dinner at Himawari - a hole in the wall  Japanese restaurant attached to a grocery/bakery/hardware store on a back street in Garapan Village - look it up on Travelocity and check out the reviews!