Most of the tours offered in Vanuatu involved swimming, snorkeling and hiking. I was interested in a UNESCO intangible Cultural Heritage unique to Vanuatu, Sandroing (in the local Bislama language) or Sand drawing. In her family letter Suzi better explains … Continue reading Sandroing in Vanuatu
After taking more than 10,000 steps walking around Nouméa I went to the Sea View pool to workout in the weightless environment of water. They were getting ready for the sail out party and already playing party music, relentless techno … Continue reading Escorted Sail Out.
The Americans in New Caledonia during the Second World War changed everything. The French created the colony of New Caledonia in the 1850s. They created a penal colony, importing French prisoners to work in the nickel mines and agriculture. That … Continue reading Colonial Hangover
In New Caledonia they are called Flèches Faîtières, they go by other names in other Melanesian communities. Sometimes they are called tikis, although that is more Polynesian and sometime referred to as totem poles. I wanted to photograph them because … Continue reading Family History in New Caledonia
Long cruises take me to distant and difficult to get to places that I have always been curious about. This trip has taken me to Pago Pago and will take me to Guadalcanal and Rabaul, plus on a trans continental … Continue reading Just Being There, Easo
“We’ve got sunlight on the sand; we’ve got moonlight on the sea.”1 When I was a kid, the South Pacific was portrayed as paradise, especially since the war had ended. Some of our dads were there and they stressed the … Continue reading Perry in Paradise
In Suva, the Fijian capital, Suzi decided to stay on board the ship, but I wanted test myself against the hot and thick air. As I got outside rain with wind tore on the tarps of some of the market … Continue reading In Suva the Touts Ride the Shuttle Bus
The elevator door opened on A deck. Usually, folks wait by the side for us to get off but there was a solid phalanx of cruisers anxious to get on the elevator. Getting off I felt like a Salmon swimming … Continue reading Testing My Limits, (Savusavu, Fiji)
I was playing with the panorama feature of my cellphone. When I was loading pictures from The Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Apia I noticed that part way through the load up the pictures appeared pixelated in a way that reminded … Continue reading I Play Abstract Impressionist.
The Samoan Islands seem destined to get me up early. This morning at 6 as we were pulling into Apia, the capital of Samoa, less than 100 miles from Pago Pago, Suzi got up to use the toilet. When she … Continue reading Welcome to Samoa
I was beginning to drift out of sleep as we were pulling into Pago Pago when my phone jolted me out of my haze. A phone call when I am in that half asleep state immediately puts me on alert. … Continue reading American-ish Samoa
We are two weeks into the cruise, at about the time most cruises are either over or ending and we just seem to be getting started. On our 14 days we have had 4 port days and 10 at sea, … Continue reading Two Fists Full of Sea Days
Snowbirds leave northern winters for warmer climes. In Alaska if they never winter over, they are chechakos. When they winter over, they become sourdoughs. As they get older many sourdoughs decide to go south for the winter and become snowbirds. … Continue reading Snowbirds
In Maui we went whale watching. But because of the fire in 2023 that destroyed the historic whaling town on Lahaina we docked at an industrial port, Kahului Harbor, on the other side of the island. We took a bus, … Continue reading Fire Refugees
The last time we drove Saddle Road across the Big Island of Hawaii it was 1979, unpaved and car rental companies didn’t allow you to take their cars on this road. We read the fine print after we drove it. … Continue reading Black Sand, Green Turtles
We got up early to be on the first tender because our friend, Karen, who lives on the Kona Coast of the Island of Hawaii offered to take us on an excursion and we had limited time in port. We … Continue reading Fountain of Fire
When we got in from our whale watch we saw two bags sitting in the entry to the ship. THEY WERE OUR BAGS! But only two? Security approached us as we were looking at the bags and asked, somewhat accusingly … Continue reading Luggage Saga, or is it Soggy Luggage?
I rolled over I bed and saw a red glow where the curtains parted. I grabbed my phone and my pants and went out onto our balcony. The sun was rising behind me. As we turned into Honolulu Harbor the … Continue reading Aloha Hawaii.
The explorations café is loaded with games. Suzi, our friends John and Pam, and I play Mexican Train Dominos. There were 6 sets. (Our set is who knows where but not here, we may find it in Hawaii). We picked … Continue reading Counting Dominos, Too Much Fun!
It’s not Déjà vu, it’s a little different from that. We’re sailing on our third R class Holland America Ship, Zaandam. All R classes have nearly identical floor plans but different decors, and with each going into dry dock at … Continue reading A Different but Familiar Universe.
And they’ll all want lifts to Brown’s Hotel ‘Cause some of them’s been travelin’ for quite a spell. All the way from Phil-a-del-fi-a (sic)NB On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe The San Diego Santa Fe railway station is … Continue reading San Diego Sidebars
My homeport is Sitka but Holland America considers three Pacific cities to be it’s homeports, Seattle (company HQ), Vancouver and San Diego Koningsdam, Niew Amsterdam and Zaandam are currently homeporting in San Diego, but with Zaandam being gone for 93 … Continue reading Homeport San Diego
Ninety Three days, forty two ports counting San Diego. We will miss two ports because we are taking an 8 day overland trip riding two classic Australian trains, the India Pacific and Overland trains. See a list of posts below … Continue reading 2026 MS Zaandam Grand Australia and New Zealand Voyage.
Our little red sutcase seems to have enjoyed its travels last cruise because it has convinced the rest of our baggage to go walkabout with it. FedEx, Contracted by Luggage Forward, picked up our bags on December 16th. According to … Continue reading Prayers to St. Anthony