I have some of the most interesting tour clients! I’ve launched this blog to share their stories–starting with a special group from Annapolis, MD. (You can meet others on the testimonials page and on my Youtube channel) Videos of their adventure are coming soon!
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Between 1943 and 1945, Tracy Layton’s father landed on the beaches of Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa. Today, in 2025, she made an emotional pilgrimage to see what her father saw and to imagine how he must have felt.
Here’s Tracy’s review on Viator.com:
Apr 2, 2025
Tracy_L
The Tour of a Lifetime!
Viator review: Saipan & Tinian 2-DAY Tour
My two days with Walt were truly unforgettable. I wanted to re-trace the steps my dad had taken when he fought as a US Marine in WW2 on both Saipan and Tinian. I had high expectations and somehow, Walt exceeded on both days. He gave me the background of the island and the war, though I truly thought I was prepared. We went to every corner of the island and from the beaches to the top of Mt. Tapochau. Walt showed me the beauty of the islands, as well as the spots where the horrors of the battles took place 80 years ago occurred. It was moving and emotional for me. The opportunities Walt gave me to see local culture, climb to new heights, and drive places and fly new ways I never thought possible are so precious to me and I cannot possibly thank you enough Walt. The photos, videos and time log were just an unexpected bonus that I will always treasure. Walt’s knowledge of Saipan and Tinian is extensive and I feel like I have learned so much from him. I will always remember my two days touring with Walt. I wish I could give him a higher rating, but I encourage anyone considering a tour on Saipan or Tinian to book your time with Walt. You will be glad you did! Thank you again Walt. I am so grateful.
On a recent flight back from Tinian with tour clients, our pilot introduced himself and shared a compliment for the DiscoverSaipan Youtube channel and relocation guide.
@Frank-l9c4j asked on my DiscoverSaipan Youtube channel:
“Do you have any thoughts on Saipan vs Hawaii? Im originally from the east coast but have lived in Hawaii for 5 years now. I’m about over it. A lot has to do with the racism towards “Hoales” or white people. They blame all of us for stealing their country. I get sick of that nastiness. But the CNMI had a different history than Hawaii does. Given that, do the locals there have the same chip on their shoulder? Im hoping the CNMI is a better version of Hawaii and is more welcoming to Mainlanders. I’d really appreciate your views. Love your channel.”
Here’s my reply:
Okay, that may seem a bit of a click-bait title, but the question asked on my “Discover Saipan” Youtube channel was precisely that: @mryeast907 commented: “Is it okay for me an extra white completely not Jamaican American to learn and speak Jamaican patois?”
Here’s what I think…
Here’s more from an airport interview with one of my tour clients who was in the entertainment industry for 40 years!
People ask why Saipan? Why not Guam? Join me on a quick run to Guam to take care of some personal business, and I’ll share a few of the travel costs and offer another point of comparison between the two islands!
From the air, I couldn’t quite make out what I was looking at. With the recent military contracts in effect and the proposed repaving of Tinian’s historic runways underway, I knew that each successive visit to the island (for my tour clients) might result in a few surprises and possibly even denial of access. From what I could see, however, these dark objects appeared evenly spaced and ran along both edges of Runway Able–the runway from which the Enola Gay took off in 1945 to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Once I landed, I found out what they in fact were…
It’s always a treat meeting the folks who pass through Saipan as tourists! Meet Keith Schmitt! For 40 years, Keith was Facilities Manager of the Chautauqua Amphitheater in upstate New York–host to an annual series of concerts, lectures and performances by a wide range of artists. During that time he met, catered to, chatted with and got an insider’s peek into celebrity life behind the scenes…and he’s got stories! Enjoy this “premier” episode, and if this goes well (i.e., if we reach 1,500 subscribers), I’ll invite him back on this or my https://www.youtube.com/@waltfjgoodridge channel for more celebrity stories from Chautauqua!
From my most recent visit to Tinian on Friday, January 24, 2025. See for yourself!