Asra Batool and Doug Koenig made a transit through the Panama Canal entering the Gatun locks where Doug’s grandfather worked as a plumber. His mother was born and raised in the adjacent US Canal Zone. As fate would have it Doug’s father, an artillery officer, was stationed In Panama at the time to protect the Canal where the two met.
While at sea, Asra and Doug sharpened their paddle ball skills with excellent coaching from the ship’s resident pro, Anand Amritraj, a former professional tennis player from India.
They got close to the Cayman Islands but not close enough. However, there were other opportunities to go ashore to many exotic places like Cartagena, Cabo, Costa Rica and Acapulco.
