Our Guam Experience

We have had an amazing opportunity to travel to beautiful Guam to work with the National Pesticide Safety Education Center on an invasive species project. This is most of the group that traveled. Betwin and his wife opened their home for a traditional meal. Bill and I weren’t able to join them because our flight didn’t arrive till 2 days after everyone else. 

This is the typical Guamanian greeting: Hafa Adai. 

Our hotel was on the beach. I could have stayed here much longer. The water was truly the aquamarine color and so clear. 

We were able to snorkel right there. 

The work started with a meet and greet at Guam EPA office. This meeting brought a lot of different agencies together to discuss how they can work together more effectively to control several invasive species, the green tree snake, fire ants, and the Rhino Beetle. The green tree snake has eaten most of the birds in the jungle and the Rhino beetle has desimated the coconut trees, which is an important crop in their economy.  


This is one example of a control method for the Rhino

And this is the other method that seems to work better. 

This is the plumeria tree where the flowers come from for the leis. 




We visited the University of Guam to deliver a worker protection program. Take a look at their view. Imagine coming to work everyday to this. 

The island isn’t too large, about 32 miles long and 4 miles wide. With the speed limit 35 MPH, it took awhile to get around the island but it was a gorgeous drive. 

This is the spot where the Americans first landed during World War II. It wasn’t that tranquil then. Now it’s a National Park. 




A colleague, Dean Herzfeld from Minneapolis, had a car and drove us around the island with a lot of stops to walk and take pics. 




I was amazed at the size of that philadrendon leaf. The vine was growing up a tree




We stopped at several World War II museums. Interesting to learn the Japanese side as well as the American view. 

As we were walking on the beach, there were a group of firemen celebrating some of their firefighters’ retirements. They invited us in to celebrate with them. The people of Guam are so welcoming. 





This is a type of necklace they make for celebrations. It’s leaves are used to make Chanel #5. Very aromatic. 


We were able to taste several of the island’s different foods. 

Of course, what would a trip to the islands be like without a Polynesian dance. 

Play time is over. It’s time to get back on the big United bird to head home. 

3 hours to Tokyo

11.5 hours to Chicago 

1 hour to State College

Yep, it was worth the long airplane ride. 

Leaving North Carolina for Virginia Beach

We are sad to be leaving North Carolina but we have another fun journey ahead at Virginia Beach with Fred and Janet Powell. 

Fred and Janet are hosts at First Landing State Park in Va Beach and receive free off-season camping for their hosting duties. They invited us to meet them there. So away we go!

All tucked in our spot for the next few days. Now for some exploring. First Landing has the Chesapeake Bay on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. 

Took a walk along the beach. It is much cooler and windy here. 

Fred drove us around and we stopped for a light lunch at Buba’s, She crab soup and a salad, and Oysters Rockefeller ... yummy. 

April 22 - Bandon by the Sea

Today’s hike was very different from all our other hikes. We walked the beach for about 2 miles. It was very windy but Lenny and Reuben still walked. Waves were crashing. 

And did I say just how windy it was ...

Back to the camper for lunch. Then more exploring. 

The campground owners told us about a place we could hike with the dogs (Lost Lake) so away we went. It was a coastal forest. Very different than anything we had hiked before ... some forest and some dunes. 

On our way back we saw the famous cranberry bogs. The town of Bandon has the largest supply of cranberries. There is an Ocean Spray plant just up the road from our campground. 

Time for a sunset.