Around the world in 218 days

When I go on a vacation, it is usually for one or two weeks and takes me to a great resort or on a cruise to a small corner of the world. When St. George residents Robert and Joanna Taylor went on vacation, they saw the world — literally. Picture making your home on a luxurious cruise ship for seven straight months as you circle the Earth — now that is a vacation.

In celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary, the Taylors wanted to do something big. Because they love cruising and they were “getting old,” they decided to do “one last big one.” They met with their travel agent Kim Rubel and planned out every detail. They chose a ship with Holland America Lines that was not too big and not too small. They sailed on the Amsterda, which holds just less than 1,400 people. The vessel’s small size allowed them to get to know the ship well, and after a short time the ship felt like home.

The Taylors started cruising in 1980 and thought their first ship was “wonderful, but the ships now are incredible.” Now, they look back at that first old, tiny ship they set sail on in 1980 and are pleased with how cruising has progressed. Joanna enjoys everything that goes on in the ship and can often be found relaxing while reading an interesting book from the ship’s well-stocked library. Robert likes the food and exploring the exotic ports.

“There was a great variety of food on the ship, which never got boring,” he said. They had the same wonderful waiter for the entire trip and when they were in Indonesia, he was able to bring his family on board for a visit and the Taylors enjoyed meeting them. The service on board was incredible. “They worked so hard to take good care of us,” Joanna Taylor said.

Onboard, they had the opportunity to make friends from all over the world. They even ran into some people they had previously cruised with.

“People with seemingly nothing in common somehow connect on ships and become friends,” the Taylors said.

The stage entertainment on the ship was good, but what they really enjoyed was when Holland America brought on entertainment from the regions they were sailing to, including Australia, China and Indonesia. “Their costumes were beautiful and their performances were spectacular,” they said.

An employee of the Days Inn on Industrial Highway, who Lower Pottsgrove police said last week was being investigated for an alleged theft at the hotel while he was off duty, has “confessed” to taking money rom a cash drawer there, department criminal investigator and Ofc. Christopher DiPiano reported.

Jason Norwood, 33, whose address was listed only as Pottstown, was said by DiPiano to have fled the area, but was taken into custody by the Pottstown Police Department several hours later on unrelated charges. It was during a later interview that Norwood discussed his role, according to the police report, and was charged with theft.

He was arraigned Aug. 11 by District Justice Edward Kropp Sr. and remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Eagleville; a preliminary hearing was to be set for later this month.