To see pictures from Aruba, please click on this link:
http://s459.photobucket.com/albums/qq319/HPI_International/HPIAruba/
Now, are you ready for the story? You are? Cool, let's go...

This is the start of my vacation. The day is 12 January 2009. I am headed for Aruba. I stop at Shannon 'Ms. Macabre' McCabe's home, she has offered to drive me to the airport. I tell Shannon, that is really nice that you will drive me to Oakland. She exclaims...Oakland? I thought you were flying out of Sacramento? Paul: No, I said Oakland. Shannon: I can't go to Oakland, I am sorry, I thought you were flying out of Sacramento. Paul: Don't worry about it Shannon, I can get to Oakland by myself. Shannon: I am really sorry man. Paul: Don't sweat it, just make sure to watch my dogs HPI and Pika. Rukesh Kumar, my neighbor will be watching them too, I am glad you and Rukesh have met. Shannon: Don't worry about the dogs Paul, I will even walk them!

Now you are probably wondering why I am headed over to Aruba. I am headed over to Aruba for pleasure and to investigate the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

Quick History Lesson on Aruba:
The wind-swept island of Aruba was discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, later acquired by the Dutch in 1636. Aruba was once part of the Netherlands Antilles, but they withdrew and subsequently became an independent member of the kingdom of the Netherlands. At one time oil refining and even gold mining was the major industry in Aruba, but when tourists discovered this island, things for Arubians changed and it changed for the better. This sunshiny place of balmy perfect weather, sandy beaches, duty-free shopping has one of the most fascinating ecosystems on the planet, is surrounded by the warm, aquamarine waters of the Caribbean Sea. Yes, Aruba is paradise.

How Am I Getting There and How Will I Return?
12 Jan: Flight 90 Jet Blue Oakland to New York
13 Jan: Flight 755 Jet Blue New York to Aruba
(Through the Bermuda Triangle)
19 Jan: Flight 744 Jet Blue Aruba to Boston
19 Jan: Flight 477 Jet Blue Boston to Oakland
The Ghost Tracker (my vehicle) is parked at the Oakland International Airport - Economy Parking N6.

Where Will I Be Staying?
Talk of the Town Hotel and Beach Club Room 106

On my way to Aruba, I am cramped in with an older couple. The older guy is right next to me and he is elbowing me throughout the whole trip. Later in the flight, he takes off his shoes and socks and starts fiddling around with his feet. The thoughts in my head were unimaginable. I did everything in my power to hold down my breakfast. I was so happy arriving to Aruba and getting as far away as possible from this guy. When the jet landed, they started playing the Beach Boy's Kokomo song.

The next thing is the fun part, negotiating with taxi drivers on their prices. Finally found a taxi driver with somewhat of a reasonable price. $15.00 cash to get from the airport to my hotel. What the? It was practically an 8 minute ride. Since the taxi driver was not too friendly, I stiffed him a tip. Man, this was one grouchy taxi driver, nice taxi drivers get tips, grouchy ones don't get anything.

I love my hotel, you can feel the island breeze, a cute outdoor patio and bar, beautiful swimming pool and the interior of my hotel room is everything I wanted. Yes, I can see why this hotel is called The Talk of the Town. Big price though, over a thousand bucks for 6 nights. Ouch! Oh well, I am on vacation.

On the first day, I am exhausted and jet lagged, but my curiosity is at an all time high. I want to see the town. On this day, I would check out the Marketplace, Seaport Casino and Parlament di Aruba.

This Tuesday night, I had the pleasure of meeting a gorgeous dark haired Colombian girl named Sandra Osono. Sandra has given me many details of her country in Columbia and why she has moved to Aruba. Sandra was a pleasure to talk to and I will be keeping in touch with Sandra. This night, I would get lost in my thoughts as I listened to the reggae and salsa music at a club called Mambo Jambo and sipping on my pina colada.

It is now Wednesday and I would stop over at the Beach Bar Havana aka The New Havana Beach Bar and Restaurants. This is right across the street from my hotel and to my surprise, the Arubian women are parading around this beach without any tops. I instantly thought, just perhaps, the Arubian women might be poor and are not able to afford a full piece bathing suit, so minus the tops. Perhaps, when I get to America, I will start up a charity for these poor women, so they can have full piece bathing suits and they will not have to walk around the beach without their tops. I felt saddened at their plight.

Today, I would spend much of the day souvenir shopping and when I got hungry I would have some beef chop suey at the Kowloon Restaurant. In a location near the Kowloon Restaurant, I met Sasha (not her real name). She asked why I was walking around taking notes. I explained to her that I have heard stories about a blonde phantom woman that walks the beach of Aruba and some people think it is Natalee Holloway.

I explained that last night, I did go to the beach late at night. A beach location that some people believe that Natalee was taken to and attempted to get some EVPs. Some of the questions I have asked are: Natalee are you here? Natalee if you are here, speak to me. So far, I have not gathered any EVPs. I will continue trying.

Sasha laughed. Sasha: You are a ghosthunter, this is funny. There are many ghosts here in Aruba and many stories. The blonde phantom woman, is probably the Lady of the Mist. The Lady of the Mist is a ghost of a woman, that may have drowned. If you want to know how Natalee died, I know some of Joran's (Joran van der Sloot) circle of friends. I was told that Joran placed some drugs in her drinks and when he got her out to the beach, she went into convulsions. He had one of his friends drop her out in the ocean. Joran was scared when Natalee went into convulsions, because it was his drugs that killed her. Joran could only think of getting rid of any evidence and that was disposing of the body. That is why Joran did not call the cops, he is a coward.

Paul: Sasha, why haven't you told the cops? Sasha: The cops already know and they do nothing. I don't want to be involved and please do not use my name in your article, not my real name, you can call me Sasha, that is okay. Paul: Wow! I was expecting to just try and get some EVPs, I didn't realize I was going to talk to a person that has some inside knowledge.

After my meeting with Sasha, I watched her as she walked into a crowd of people at the local mall and vanished. I can only wonder what other information, I will find while in Aruba?

As I walked back to my hotel, I sort of was in a trance after talking with Sasha. A Mercedes pulls up and a dark haired Arubian girl stops the Mercedes and opens the door and tells me to get in! As I prepared to get in, a horn blows and I realize I was merely daydreaming. The person blowing the horn, was a large old woman in an old beat up Chevy. I was daydreaming the James Bond (Quantum of Solice) scene.

Hey, what do you expect? I am in paradise, the island of dreams...I can daydream a little bit. But, I know that this vacation is becoming an adventure and the night has not even arrived yet.

Okay, the night is here. It's Wednesday night. It's time to get friendly. It's time to interview people. My first interviewee is: Vasilisa Henriquez. Vasilisa verifies the story that Sasha told me and doesn't mind that I use her real name in my article. Vasilisa looks like a model and she has this sweet Jamaican accent. Instead of calling me Paul, she calls me Pol. I like that. Vasilisa Henriquez also tells me that Joran called his father when Natalee supposingly died. It was Joran's father that took Natalee on the boat and dumped her body. This is the story that has been told repeatedly here in Aruba.