Mar 25, 2024 was a sea day as we travelled approximately 400 miles between Keelung, Taipei and Naha, Okinawa. It was a nice relaxing day after a number of very full days in Taiwan.

One of the things that happened in Taipei was that a new set of conversationalists joined the ship for our journey through Japan and China, and eventually to Hong Kong. One of the new persons who joined us is James “Jim” Laurie who was a news broadcaster for both NBC News and then ABC News, reporting from all over the world between 1975 and 2000. He is now retired and a writer and lecturer who speaks at many events, and cruises, around the world. His first talk today was on Japan and the changes in Japan after World War II through today, and expected into the future. It was a great introduction into the country that we will next be visiting.