Teddy Contemplating at Tarague
Jeff's Pirate Cove
Out and About in Guam
Drew and I spent the day with what could be seen as the Mommy Brigade. A bunch of us moms and kids caravanned from Andersen AFB to Jeff's Pirate Cove halfway down the island. (Jeff's is a restaurant tucked away from the main shopping district.) We ate lunch on the covered patio and then let the kids play on the beach. Drew and I saw our first Sea Cucumber...which actually looks like a big squishy black blob. They are harmless -- well as far as we know but I will not be touching them to find out for sure. This island is full of critters that we have never encountered before!
In the Cove
The Walkway To Our Front Door
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Our View - Our Home
After finally uncovering the missing camera cable I took a few pictures of our new home here at Andersen AFB. Buildings are made from concrete and usually only one story to protect against the weather conditions here in Guam.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
3 weeks on the Island
We arrived at Guam three weeks ago today and have learned a few things about tropical islands:
Wild Life
--Frogs in Guam are poisonous. "Do not lick the frogs" has become a sentence we have used more than once around our house. Mainly it pertains to the dogs but always good to keep the kids on their toes too. Although I think if one of the kids was licking frogs we'd have a bigger issue on our hands.
--Brown Tree Snakes constrict their prey AND strike with fangs that produce poison. Granted the poison will not be fatal but still prying a snake off you as well as simultaneously getting its fangs out of you seems way too complicated in the heat of the moment.
--The Ocean...we laughed when we read to not turn your back to the ocean. As if it's going to sneak up behind you. Turns out that the calm waters around the island are surrounded by the deepest part of the Pacific just past the coral reef. Who's laughing at the Pacific now? Not me.
--We can unpack an entire household in three days. And with utter surprise nothing of importance was broke in the journey across the ocean!
Life on the Island is definitely a slower pace. As someone told us, it's as if the island is 30 years behind the US. We have packed up the Blackberry (not worth the roaming charges); given up on my beloved TiVo working here (the horror! the horror!) and have no idea when People magazines will arrive in the mailbox. On the other hand we find ourselves settled into base housing and in a safe community at Andersen AFB for all of us. The dogs get out of Quarantine soon and we are all ready for school for all three kids. Pictures will be posted soon -- well as soon the replacement battery and charger arrive via us postal (we think we forgot to unplug the original at the hotel and not surprisingly it was not turned into lost and found) we'll share pictures as we take on island living.
Wild Life
--Frogs in Guam are poisonous. "Do not lick the frogs" has become a sentence we have used more than once around our house. Mainly it pertains to the dogs but always good to keep the kids on their toes too. Although I think if one of the kids was licking frogs we'd have a bigger issue on our hands.
--Brown Tree Snakes constrict their prey AND strike with fangs that produce poison. Granted the poison will not be fatal but still prying a snake off you as well as simultaneously getting its fangs out of you seems way too complicated in the heat of the moment.
--The Ocean...we laughed when we read to not turn your back to the ocean. As if it's going to sneak up behind you. Turns out that the calm waters around the island are surrounded by the deepest part of the Pacific just past the coral reef. Who's laughing at the Pacific now? Not me.
--We can unpack an entire household in three days. And with utter surprise nothing of importance was broke in the journey across the ocean!
Life on the Island is definitely a slower pace. As someone told us, it's as if the island is 30 years behind the US. We have packed up the Blackberry (not worth the roaming charges); given up on my beloved TiVo working here (the horror! the horror!) and have no idea when People magazines will arrive in the mailbox. On the other hand we find ourselves settled into base housing and in a safe community at Andersen AFB for all of us. The dogs get out of Quarantine soon and we are all ready for school for all three kids. Pictures will be posted soon -- well as soon the replacement battery and charger arrive via us postal (we think we forgot to unplug the original at the hotel and not surprisingly it was not turned into lost and found) we'll share pictures as we take on island living.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Journey To Guam
Thursday, July 17th
8pm Michelle and kids check out of Temporary Lodging at McChord -- Graham is already on the way to the airport in the Jeep. Accompanying him is family friend who bought the Jeep and all of the luggage.
8:45pm Graham calls Michelle on cell phone with emergency
--Jeep is stalled on side of highway right before exit to SeaTac airport. Can't figure out what is wrong with Jeep.
9:00pm Michelle and kids catch up to Graham in rental car
9-9:15pm calls for a taxi are unsuccessful – Taxis do not pick up passengers on side of highways (good to note for next time)
9:15-9:45 Graham transports Michelle and kids to airport Departures area to drop off and then swings back again with another load of luggage. Leaves friend who bought Jeep on side of road with un-operable vehicle but tow truck on the way
10:15 check into flight – minor blip when Continental attendant said we didn’t have confirmed tickets – soon after finds our reservations. Graham and Michelle can finally exhale and breathe again.
11:45pm Hicks family flies out of SeaTac
2:30am Drew has small “accident” while sleeping on Michelle’s lap. Of course Michelle forgot to pack a change of shorts for either Drew or herself. Issue doesn't appear to be too bad though.
4am PST / 6am CST arrive in Houston. Search for but cannot find new shorts for Drew in any of the airport shops. Maybe Hawaii (the next stop) will have better luck.
9:35am suppose to depart Houston—still in terminal due to bathrooms not working on on side of aircraft – Continental will provide next update at 10:15am (central standard time)
10:15 no news check in at 11:15 - Hicks Family searches for USO in airport. Once located we unload and try to relax.
10:45 Michelle attempts to step over Teddy’s drink and gets her foot caught in her capri-length pants…twists ankle but doesn’t fall on her face – little victories I guess
12pm Graham calls family friend to check up with regarding the Jeep--turns out it was only a loose hose.
New time to depart…maybe 2:57pm. Michelle and the kids take a field trip to the Space Store (NASA) store at airport. Graham calls to say plane is now boarding. Race to get back to the gate in time. Later find out that the 5 hour delay was due to a previous traveler on the aircraft flushing a diaper down the toilet, thus clogging the toilet system and causing hundreds of people to be delayed or miss their connecting flights. Hoping karma finds the toilet-clogging person.
Leave for Hawaii.
Arrive in Hawaii after a nearly 9 hour flight. Drew sleeps most of the way and Paige and Teddy take good naps. Fortunately that leg is uneventful.
Board Hawaii flight at 6:45pm. Hope that 2 of the dogs on board are ours. Sit at gate for longer then normal…waiting for a cargo issue to be resolved.
Depart at 7:15pm. Flight to Guam underway. Again flight uneventful!! Lose all track of what time it is. Arrive in Guam at midnight, Guam time: Sunday, July 20th. Lost one day. Are greeted warmly by Graham's new commander and two fellow airmen with baskets of muffins and water. Arrive at hotel and crash for the night.
Sunday at 7am -- wake up to blue skies and beaches to explore.
8pm Michelle and kids check out of Temporary Lodging at McChord -- Graham is already on the way to the airport in the Jeep. Accompanying him is family friend who bought the Jeep and all of the luggage.
8:45pm Graham calls Michelle on cell phone with emergency
--Jeep is stalled on side of highway right before exit to SeaTac airport. Can't figure out what is wrong with Jeep.
9:00pm Michelle and kids catch up to Graham in rental car
9-9:15pm calls for a taxi are unsuccessful – Taxis do not pick up passengers on side of highways (good to note for next time)
9:15-9:45 Graham transports Michelle and kids to airport Departures area to drop off and then swings back again with another load of luggage. Leaves friend who bought Jeep on side of road with un-operable vehicle but tow truck on the way
10:15 check into flight – minor blip when Continental attendant said we didn’t have confirmed tickets – soon after finds our reservations. Graham and Michelle can finally exhale and breathe again.
11:45pm Hicks family flies out of SeaTac
2:30am Drew has small “accident” while sleeping on Michelle’s lap. Of course Michelle forgot to pack a change of shorts for either Drew or herself. Issue doesn't appear to be too bad though.
4am PST / 6am CST arrive in Houston. Search for but cannot find new shorts for Drew in any of the airport shops. Maybe Hawaii (the next stop) will have better luck.
9:35am suppose to depart Houston—still in terminal due to bathrooms not working on on side of aircraft – Continental will provide next update at 10:15am (central standard time)
10:15 no news check in at 11:15 - Hicks Family searches for USO in airport. Once located we unload and try to relax.
10:45 Michelle attempts to step over Teddy’s drink and gets her foot caught in her capri-length pants…twists ankle but doesn’t fall on her face – little victories I guess
12pm Graham calls family friend to check up with regarding the Jeep--turns out it was only a loose hose.
New time to depart…maybe 2:57pm. Michelle and the kids take a field trip to the Space Store (NASA) store at airport. Graham calls to say plane is now boarding. Race to get back to the gate in time. Later find out that the 5 hour delay was due to a previous traveler on the aircraft flushing a diaper down the toilet, thus clogging the toilet system and causing hundreds of people to be delayed or miss their connecting flights. Hoping karma finds the toilet-clogging person.
Leave for Hawaii.
Arrive in Hawaii after a nearly 9 hour flight. Drew sleeps most of the way and Paige and Teddy take good naps. Fortunately that leg is uneventful.
Board Hawaii flight at 6:45pm. Hope that 2 of the dogs on board are ours. Sit at gate for longer then normal…waiting for a cargo issue to be resolved.
Depart at 7:15pm. Flight to Guam underway. Again flight uneventful!! Lose all track of what time it is. Arrive in Guam at midnight, Guam time: Sunday, July 20th. Lost one day. Are greeted warmly by Graham's new commander and two fellow airmen with baskets of muffins and water. Arrive at hotel and crash for the night.
Sunday at 7am -- wake up to blue skies and beaches to explore.
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