(05/04/09)12:45 pm Palau | 8:45 pm LA
Day 7 in Palau

After checking my e-mail and uploading yesterdays journal, I went to Palau Community College with Shauna and Rachel. While they did they're workout, I walked around the track 6-8 times (I lost track as I was listening to my iPod while walking). Then the sun was burning me up on the track so I decided to do the stairs which are covered. Left hot and sweaty but feeling really good.

Came home and had some coconut water, coconut meat and a banana muffin. Then took a cold shower (I forgot to mention on day 5 that I finally got used to the cold water - I have to almost do the hokey pokey...put your left leg in, take your left leg out...blah, blah, blah) and washed my clothes.

Rachel and I then proceed to Dolphin Pacific and I was able to do the "Dolphin Symphony" - you get to snorkel with the dolphins after doing the "Close Encounter" (you learn about the dolphins then get to receive a dolphin kiss, shake their fin or have a dolphin landing). I got two pictures taken of me: one with the dolphin kissing me, the other where it landed in front of me and I got to touch it (again).

With the Dolphin Symphony, you first go into one area and two dolphins are swimming around. You hold your arm out and they will swim by you and let you touch/stroke them. They gave us about 10 minutes fo that. We then got out of that area and moved to another area with 3 dolphins. We got to watch the dolphins dive way down, then propel their bodies up and out of the water (so very cool!!). After that was the dorsal tow - you swim out part way and you're upright, right arm out and your left arm at your side. The dolphin comes swimming over and you grab hold with one hand then bring the other hand to the other side of the fin...then they swim you to the side of their "pen". What a rush that was!!! Amazing how fast they swim.

If you've never touched a dolphin, their skin feels a lot like eggplant...very smooth and fleshy/plump. I also learned that their eyes can move independently of each other; so one eye can be looking at you, the other eye can be looking off somewhere else. They also have two brains. One very interesting note, if they feel comfortable with you they will lie on their back so that you can rub their underside; but if you rub for too long, and they become too relaxed...they will poop. I don't remember seeing either of the dolphins with their bellies up, but one of them did move to their side facing up as it was near, and passing, me. I would have loved to have been able to hug one and or go off swimming with it into the sunset, but maybe next time...with one in the wild! :)

7:37 pm Palau | 3:37 am LA

This afternoon we went to the Palau Aquarium. Got to see all kinds of colorful/beautiful fish, a sea turtle and a 6' nurse shark. Outside of the aquarium, is a pen that has two crocodiles separated by a chain link fence. Was totally glued to the 3 lobsters in this one tank. First off, they weren't that reddish
-orange color, these were off white with some blues and turquoise. There was one in there that looked like its stuffing came out and it was working diligently to put it back in - I was totally fascinated watching it.

There's this beautiful fish called a Mandarin fish that looks/reminds me of hummingbirds...their fins flutter and are very delicate - I'll upload a video at some point.

From the aquarium we stopped to get some veggies and a few other essentials then headed home. Rachel made some more vegan cookies, homemade tortillas and then proceeded to make an enchilada pie, of sorts. She didn't feel like rolling the veggies into the tortillas, so she did a 3 layer creation. I'm not sure who cooked the rice, but I know that Shauna had prepared the black beans.
Another tasty meal. As fun as it is going to some of their favorite restaurants, Rachel's home cooking beats them all flavor-wise.

Tomorrow is Rachel's birthday, so if the weather is permitting, we plan on snorkeling at Blue Corner and Big Drop Off. For dinner we're going to The Taj, their favorite Indian Food restaurant.