West Plaza Downtown Koror

... the stinging cells are so tiny, their sting is not detectable on most human tissue, so tourists can enjoy swimming with them much closer than would be possible anywhere else. So, we swam with the Jellyfish and it was incredible how many there were. You could not move with out touching one, so you just float and try not to hit them. It was the coolest, creepiest thing EVER! At night, the jellyfish descend into a layer of hydrogen sulfide which is found below 15-20m of depth. SCUBA ...

... further away dive sites, the reef hooks, the rental equipment,... .   We also say bye to our hotel and the dodgy internet place: the Rock Island Café.  We were glad to have internet access. But: it is expensive. We drink their beers and eat their food but we still pay for the wireless. It is not that the food is that good: my lasagna the last night is not even hot.  If a cook cannot even serve you warm food!   Pick-up tonight at 23h30. It is NOT going ...

... will pick us up within an hour. It is a gorgeous day. We meet Matt, our pilot: bl..dy Australian. And: there we go. Matt: where is my door and where are your shoes. No worries, mate. The ride takes my breath away and tears to my eyes. The brochure says: 10-15 minutes for 75$. We fly more than 20 minutes. IF you go to Palau: you HAVE to do this. I stay jumpy all day. Bob needs his camera back, tomorrow: he is leaving and we have 3 days of diving left.

... They look bored. At 13h30 someone picks them up. For a tour, I guess. Also in the town: it is invaded by the Japanese! We do find a shop which sells cameras. I just cannot imagine our journey without camera ... . A kitty adopts me but Dr T does not allow me to take it! This is where we are staying: http://www.wphpalau.com/eng/aboutus.htm l In the evening, we ...

... take the line'. I wish I could. I manage to scream back: 'cannot see any line.' 'In front of you, grab in front of you.' Without seeing anything I reach out and do find the line. OK, I am attached to the boat now but still have to pull myself to the front of the boat. Hard work. Down. But I do not go down! I even check my weight belt. Do I have my weight belt on? Yes, but I still do not go down. Hubby pulls me. Once down there, it is OK. Nice ...

... I cannot believe it. My Hubby gears up our equipment. We sail by the 'islands'. They are really more like atolls. Inhabited, overgrown by trees and the bottom is eaten away by the corrosion of the water. By low tide, a boat can fit under there. It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life! Prettier then Pang nga, James Bond island in Thailand. The speed boat takes almost an hour. And: the Blue Corner deserves its place in the top 100. Giant groupers ...

... in the states have seen the commercial and recognize the island?! I spent a day driving around the main island here called Babeldaob and seeing the sights. I did a hike to a waterfall and on the way saw these abandoned wartime Japanese railroad tracks. The waterfall was called Ngardmau Waterfall and it was beautiful! I ...

... estimate there are 15 to 25 million jellyfish in this lake. You might be wondering who in their right mind would swim in such a lake?! Since these jellyfish have no natural enemies in the lake they have lost their ability to sting. It was a bit disconcerting however when I was swimming in the middle of them and they were bumping into me all over! I spent a day kayaking, snorkelling and checking out some other ...

... the USA took over the island chain from Japanese occupiers during WWII, Palau became a Trust Territory run by the USA for fifty years until it became fully independent in 1994. Today the small nation has an agreement with the US whereby they receive of millions of dollars of development aid in exchange for providing the option for the US military to build a base in the future. Frankly, we didn't know much about Palau prior to ...

Hello from Palau. Sorry we were out of pocket for a while but now we are back to civilization for a little while at least. Since we last talked, we have had 2 wonderful days of diving - we finally had good seas and were able to dive in the premier spots (Blue Corner where all the schools of sharks and other fish are), went to Peleliu to dive and visit the World War II relics and then went on a bumpy adventure into the northernmost island of ...