Cedar's South Pacific Adventure

Airport Travel Can be Painful

cedarkehoe — Fri, 5 Dec 2014 12:29:00 GMT

So - first my flight out of SF gets cancelled. Rescheduled out of Sacramento is an improve. All is good. Then flight out of Sacramento is two hours late. OK I still make my Fiji flight. One very long flight - 11 hours in the air and I didn't sleep at all. I have a large man next to me and I just couldn't find a sleep spot. They I land in Fiji to learn that my flight to Vanuatu is cancelled as they can't find a pilot. So new flight is tomorrow. I elect the nearest hotel as I have a splitting headache one that needs rest and medication to recover from. I am feeling my age. I do not recall having having jet lag issues at 25 - but then again I do not recall much about being 25. So no fire dancers to kick off my first day of travel but another opportunity will occur. Just give me that pill.

Photos: Cedar Photos

cedarkehoe — Fri, 5 Dec 2014 09:09:00 GMT

Ocean Photos

Day One - Flight Cancellation

cedarkehoe — Thu, 4 Dec 2014 03:15:00 GMT

Already my first flight was cancelled. However; I spent 40 minutes on the phone (on hold) and finally got a talking American Airlines person and I got a new flight out of Sacramento – so it’s an improvement – I do not need to drive to San Francisco now. I leave at 3:30 this afternoon. I arrive in Vanuatu just in time for a fire dancer’s show at Mele Beach. I will take a photo of the fire dancers and sent it as it was why I did fire dancers at my retirement party. Then Saturday I hit the water and have two dives scheduled in Port Vila and then a walk in the park as the locals have a Christmas light show this weekend.

That’s about it for plans I really only have the first week worked out after that it’s very flexible.

I have too much luggage; 80 pounds total. 20 pounds of it is all electronic stuff (computer, GoPro, camera, iphone, binoculars, cables, underwater housing). The first time I went to Vanuatu (30 years ago) my total gear was all in one bag and likely only 35 pounds. Now I have a duffel bag of dive gear (40) pounds, a small suitcase (20 pounds) and my daypack (another 20 pounds). I keep finding more things to add and I then tell myself I have too much luggage. But 5 months is a long time for only 4 outfits total. I will be interested to see what I return home with!

Retirement

cedarkehoe — Mon, 1 Dec 2014 09:20:00 GMT

Honored; I have been.

This last month of work as been the best month of my life. I was honored by retirement parties, lunches, speaks, gatherings and friends all taking time to thank me for my contributions as an employee. We go to work, day after day, and we likely don't realize the impact that we have on others. I was so lucky that for the last month people have gone out of their way to tell me now I have impacted their lifes in a positive way. That feels so good - it makes my heart expand. I am so grateful for the people who stopped by my office just to tell me that they valued my contributions. People who now recycle more or they enjoy their work but most of all they CARE about the environment. I am so proud that my career did result in making this world a better place for the next generation. The Special Waste Collection Center is a facility that will benefit our region for decades to come. I thank all of you for helping me make that a reality.

Now I begin my adventure. First stop - Vanuatu - in the South Pacific.

Photos: Family Work Related

cedarkehoe — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 09:43:00 GMT

Family Work