Wow, how time has flown since my last update.  The Pacific Ocean is so vast that I didn’t realize my virtual ride around the world just passed the northern end of the Mariana Islands.  Sixteen mountain top peaks poke through the ocean surface to make up this chain of islands where we humans seem to like four of the islands while the others haven’t even attracted the attention of the TV show ’Survivor’.  The islands are mostly dormant volcanos named after the Spanish queen Mariana of Austria following their colonization in the 17th century.  The Northern Mariana Islands is the only U.S. jurisdiction that drives on the right side of the road and uses American style electrical outlets. The island of Tinian is where the atomic bombs were loaded into the Enola Gay and Bockscar planes during WWII.  The official currency is the Australian dollar and yes you can use those Australian dollars at a McDonalds on two of the islands.  Since leaving the Statue of Liberty, virtually, in May of 2020 my journey has now reached 8,790 miles at the northern tip of the island string.  I’ll head due south for another 110 miles to pass over Guam and then due west over the final leg of the Pacific to Manila in the Philippines.  That final journey is about 1,500 miles and looks to be within sight around November.  Hmmm, should I stop at McDonalds in Guam?