Christmas on a Tropical Island

It's Christmas. I can't tell, because there's NO snow. In fact, it's just about the same weather as summer time. I'm not sure this is what I signed on for, but at least Dave keeps the AC cranked up for me. Here I am under the Christmas "tree" (houseplants,) but we did have a lot of fun gifts.



Since we were missing the snow we took Dave's new bike, a 6-pack and a pickle to the beach to swim, read and hang out in the hammock. Yes, Dave's the dork with a pirate flag. He'd fly it on a boat if he weren't grounded while the marina takes a holiday.

Out and About

The sun breaking through the clouds

Traveling through the beautiful LeMaire Channel

Me with an adelie- I wish I were that graceful!

The end of the LeMaire channel, seen from Booth Island

Some of my new penguin friends racing up the trail ahead of me

Me, at the highest point on Booth Island

Last week I got to go out on a trip up the LeMaire Channel on one of the tourist ships that had previously stopped at Palmer Station. I had never been up the LeMaire but I knew it was supposed to be spectacular. And it was- we were lucky to get bright sunshine and clear blue skies for most of the day. I met up with some gentoos and adelies and had a nice lunch with them and passed on the news from Torgeson Island, the main penguin colony closest to Palmer. It was a great day and a big adventure for this little penguin!

New Duds, New Friends

Me, posing in her my new scarf

Peter, my new friend, in his new scarf

While I was on vacation in Kwajalein with Hummy, David and Amber, it became obvious that I needed to do something to make myself stand out- not that there's anything wrong with Hummy and I having matching scarves but David and Amber kept getting us confused!
Amber asked her friend Elizabeth if she could knit me a knew scarf and she made me this warm fuzzy one- it even has tassels. While she was at it, she made a scarf for her penguin, Peter. I'd met Peter briefly on the boat trip down but this was our first photo together.

Genny Post: Back to Palmer

Amber and I had to go to the pier to pick up our issue gear, well, she did- I've got my scarf and I'm ready to head back home to Palmer Station. That's the Gould behind me, the ship we'll be sailing on soon.

This is me at the look out over Punta Arenas. I'm glad I had my scarf- it was really chilly that day.

Amber and I are rubbing the toe of the statue for good weather on the Drake Crossing. It worked for me- I felt fine the whole time, not like Amber, who got really seasick.

While on board the Gould, I took in the sunshine and sea breeze,

and visited the bridge to make sure we were still on course.

Genny Post: Vacation in Kwajalein

Hi, my name is Genny (short for Gentoo) and I met Amber at Palmer Station. She told me about another penguin friend that she had traveled with- it sounded like fun so I thought I would tag along. Here are some pictures from our first trip together, to Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands to visit her husband David.

Hawaii was great! They have spam and fruity drinks with paper umbrellas

Me and Amber in Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands

David and I waiting at the airport

Amber and I, packed and ready to head back to the States. I'm glad I don't have to carry that bag!

Wichita Zoo

We went to see the penguins at the Wichita Zoo. We figured it would be a good time to explore my heritage, and maybe identify my species. I couldn't resist this photo, even if it is poor taste.






Amber thinks I'm an Adele Penguin. What do you think?




I'm definately the smallest, but I think the South Pole stunted my growth.

Ok. So I MIGHT have gotten named at one point, Humboldt after the Penguin of the same name. It might have been these traveling companions of mine that named me. And They might have mistaken my species. You can't tell on this statue, but Humboldt penguins have black beaks.




Here's my March of the Penguins Cameo.





Dave's parents, elephants and I. I'm definitely not an elephant.

Easy (and by that I mean comfortable) Riders

So for Dave's graduation, he and I took a motorcycle camping and Road Trip. Amber was off in Antarctica, so Dave and I did all the work trailblazing and research what needs done to travel in this fashion. Amber will likely take advantage of our hard work in Spring '09 when we are planning a family trip.

Speaking of family, here I am with Dave's parents and the bike all packed and ready to roll. Dave's helmet is a bit big for me, but I'm tougher than he is. I go au natural. The neighbors cat, Stokley Carmichael, posed also.




And here's Dave and I, cheesing it up while still fresh and clean.

It took a record 6 hours for Dave to get between Wichita and Oklahoma City. That's because he took every back highway and stopped for all the tourist attractions. Yep. That's the tourist attraction.

We met Scott Miller, an old AF buddy, in OKC and went camping. Miller had a few more amenities, since he brought his car. Dave and I think an air mattress would be a good trade off for the pots and pans. Fast food death and no stiff back for us, next time!

OKC is full of Harley enthusiasts. It's always a toss up, whether HD fans will cheer or shun a Buell, but we did get chased to a gas station once by someone curious about the performance. Dave was NOT a HD fan, but the Buell has pretty well grown on him. BTW, it got a completely new engine and transmission under factory warranty after this trip. It always had a clunk in second gear. Not a bad deal.

Anyway, the bikers recommended the Talamina Road crossing the Oklahoma-Arkansas border. You basically ride along a mountain ridge for miles, overlooking the country on both sides of you. Highly recommended for motorcycling. Eastern OK has a lot of beautiful, scenic highways. The key to a motorcycle trip. Once you cross the state line and feel more lost, stop at a gas station, get a map, and find the nearest highway with a dotted line next to it. Final destinations are overrated.

Here I am at a Talamina overlook.

We visited Robber's Cave, by Talihena, which was a fun little hike to this spot.

Mi Amigo's Luna de Miel

So, my crazy traveling companions decided to tie the not in late summer '07. They didn't need much in the way of gifts, so instead they asked for assistance on a honeymoon. Amber and Dave went to Costa Rica over New Years. They stayed out by Mt. Arenal, and then went to a little beach town. Costa Rica is big into eco tourism, and has a number of rafting, hikes and rain forest tours. I couldn't believe they asked me on their honeymoon, but they said I'm like a son.

Here I am, chillin' in a cloud forest with a Mangroove tree, one of Dave's favorites.




These two take books EVERYWHERE. Here's Amber and I reading at the first little cabin we stayed at.

Salute!

Jungle Hummy.

That's more like it, poolside.

They needed volunteers to bump flights. Dave talked them into getting us home on the same day originally planned, paying for a hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica instead of us paying for a hotel in the US. They got $600 airline money each! They wouldn't compensate a penguin, though, but I took full advantage of the 6 Denny's meal coupons.

Pikes Peak

Summer of '06 was very busy. Two weekends in a row we attended weddings in Boston and then Tuscon. After that, Dave and Amber took me on a road trip to Denver and all up through Northwestern Nebraska.

You've probably heard the drive through Nebraska is miserable, flat and boring. Well, it is, if you stay on the interstate. If you ever go through during the day, do yourself a favor and find a more Northern route. It's beautiful, and you can see Chimney Rock, and Car-Henge.

This trip was dedicated to seeing Car-Henge. Dave and Amber promissed themselves they'd go when they both got their cars paid off. In fact, Amber was considering a new car, but when Dave said no Car-Henge, she changed her mind. He even drew stacked cars on the back of an offer quote. The salesman was a little nonplussed at Dave.

My pictures were only on the way up Pikes Peak. I ate too much of Ginger's (a friend in Denver) food and felt too fat for pictures. Here I am on the dirt section of the road up Pikes Peak.

Ahh, snow-sweet-snow. Penguins weren't made for all this summer crap.

My Gold Rush didn't quite pan out.

I did enjoy my time at the top of Pikes Peak.

Boston

Summer of '07 was busy. The first trip was to Boston. We went to Dave's buddy Shawn's wedding, but also saw some of Dave's friends and Amber's family.

Here's a pic of Amber and me. Who said Penguins can't go to Harvard!




Oh, THAT'S how they treat us Penguins at Harvard. They stuff us and stick us in the Natural History Museum. Good thing I'm way ahead of that curve.




Ever get that horror movie feeling?





Amber's Aunt and Uncle Jean and John live as caretakers of a natural resort that once was a hippie commune until the bills had to be paid. It retains a bit of the hippie influence, if you ask me. Here I am playing in a drum circle. It really is a beautiful and relaxing place.





Told ya. Two days there and we're all hippies!





And who doesn't like to see that girl of Dave's smile???





Here's Dave and I at the General Hooker entrance to the Boston State House.





Oh, no. There's another WAGAMAMA! They took forever with Dave and Amber's food, as you can tell by the look and Amber's face. Maybe these crazies will stop eating here, and pick a nice seafood place...just like it should be.





Just before leaving Boston we visited Meng and Yiwu, Dave's Oceanographer friends from the NB Palmer. They're even better traveled than Dave and Amber. They fed us seal jerky from Norway. How cool is that? Who ever thought I'd get to eat seal?