DFR Travels: January 2023

To Auckland!...

Tuesday, January 31, 26 C. A bit bouncier sea today, also a bit cooler.

Last night we went to an Italian Restaurant for dinner, guests of our American Travel Agent. Fellette and I had an enjoyable time although we felt a bit out of our element somehow. Due to a quirk of table arrangements were at a table for two, which is just like going out as we often do at home. The service was excellent, actually a bit ‘over serviced’ by some young and happy, healthy, good looking Philippine, Indonesian and other Asian youths. They are a delight to have as servers and very happy to engage in conversation with you and happy to have such a job.

The food was a bit much for us but we enjoyed what we could eat. Sorry now that I did not take pictures of the food and the servers themselves. I must be bolder!

Today was a bit different for us for some strange reason. We were up and out of the room earlier than usual this morning. We went directly from breakfast to our walking regime and did our mile on a very bumpy and bouncy deck, a bit easier than usual and there was not the usual number of walkers there today.

We expect to see some shipping as we get closer to New Zealand, also the wet weather there is a bit of a concern for the Captain and, of course, the passengers are a bit concerned about the cooler climate to start with. Time will tell of course. We personally will be a bit happy to see some signs of what we call civilization as the ports to date have been somewhat underwhelming, but interesting, so far.

It is difficult to have that balance between interesting ports or points of interest on a port day, then come back on board excited about what you ‘discovered’ that day. We keep trying though. Every port day should be an adventure. Trying to recreate an experience in a port is not the way to go. The problem is that we have seen so darn much it is difficult sometimes.

A Good Quiet Day…

I did a bad thing and asked Fellette to come out on deck and hear and see the Tongan Police Band play ‘Around the world in 80 days' as we were getting ready for dinner last night. She is a good sport!

At dinner, shortly after the after the balcony photo of the bad hair scene.

We have never been so close to the 'End of The Rainbow’ as this morning on our early walk. It was literally 200 meters away!

Tonga...

Monday, January 30. 30 C, cloudy later.

It was a bright sunny morning as we pulled into Nuka Alofa, Tonga. Our colds had subsided enough for us to venture out. Jim wanted to see the Blow Holes again and also to see the Flying Foxes as they call the very large bats that hang in the trees during the day. A price was negotiated with a pleasant enough driver and off we went. Round the whole island!

The journey took three hours, stopping many, many places for photos and just to look. We were here several years ago and things started to look familiar. They have also improved things rather substantially in my opinion. The pier appears to be in better condition, possibly a new one.

The view from our balcony was spectacular, it looked like a Disneyland Fantasyland Scene. The brilliant sun helped the picture immensely.

It is hard for me to understand how this island nation, a Monarchy of about 100,000 people can maintain itself in such fine order. Apparently Tourism is the number one industry, they also export Taro, Tapioca and a few other items but it just doesn’t add up to me. New Zealand is one of their main supporters but even New Zealand has less than 4,000,000 people I believe.

There were an unbelievable amount of Churches strewn along our route today. The driver mentioned the number of religions on the island, 17 I think, all basically Christian of some sort. Churches and Cemeteries: there seems to be one or the other sprinkled all along the roads. It made me think that to fill their lives with something other than the heat and lack of anything to really look forward to, they fill that void with religion and a form of reverence for past family members.

There was a Tsunami that hit here relatively recently, the first in eons. Many people did not heed the Tsunami warning until sadly too late for some: now they apparently believe in them, our guide told us in his broken English.

We have two Sea Days and then we are in New Zealand, Auckland first, on Thursday, February 2.

Tonight Fellette and I are going to an Italian restaurant, the Canaletto, as guests of the travel agent who has some 250 clients on board, Jim and Gail are there another night.

A Good Day…

Welcome to The Kingdom of Tonga.

These dancers and the Police Band played for us in the morning. Not sure about Sailaway as I had sent the blog by then.

The blowholes, it stretches for a few kilometres down the beach, a very rough shoreline.

Captain Cook landed here some 246 years ago. He was quite the sailor!

This coral arch was erected here some 7000 years ago. Some feat indeed. Apparently it aligns somehow with the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. [?]

Last Of Four Sea Days...

Sunday, January 29. 28 hours from Tonga. Bucketing Rain most of the day.

We are a woesome pair at present, fog crowds the horizon and rain pelts down upon us. However our colds are waning and we will join the dinner table tonight.

We are due in to Nuku Alofa, Tonga at 7:00 AM tomorrow. Hopefully to better weather than today.

We have been across the Pacific Ocean a few times, perhaps four times. The first was in 1999 on a P&O Ship Oriana when we went from England eastward through the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal. That was our first long cruise: 90 days I believe. When we left Sydney, Australia, the Pacific Islands were all new to us and so was cruising. We were 24 years younger and everything was all very exciting to us.

For some time, to me, the Pacific Islands have been a bit of a ‘Thing’ that we have to get through to travel around the world. Look at a map, when we get to New Zealand we will have travelled 1/4 of the way around the world, but will have been on sea days 17 of the 29 days aboard the ship. For some reason the places we have stopped at have also been somewhat unremarkable. I suppose I have to refer back to my comment the other day when I said ‘It’s the journey not the destination.’ Shake your head and get real Doug, look where you are and what you are doing!!!

I have probably been confined to our cabin for too long and have Cabin Fever.

A Long Gray Day…

The following addendum added by Craig...

Meanwhile back home, Jeanette, Robert, and Adrienne hosted a Burns' Supper with Barbara & Garth, and good friends Sue & Dave. Apparently, Dave memorized the entire traditional Address to The Haggis, and delivered it with GREAT flair and drama in a very convincing Scottish Brogue. After supper, Garth gave a moving Toast to the Lasses. Well done you guys!

It looks like a scene from a Jack London novel of an Atlantic Winter Crossing.

Thank heavens Fellette is a reader.

Our daughter Jeanette preparing this year's Burns' Supper back home. She borrowed Fellette's full length Sutherland tartan kilt for the occasion!

The happy gang all seated for a traditional Burns' Supper... Haggis and all! Niece Barbara took the photo.

3rd of 4 Sea Days...

Friday, January 27. Still the same blue sky and calm seas. 28 C.

Fellette and I have sort of isolated ourselves from close prolonged contact with people for the past two days. We both have colds, Fellette says this is the worst cold she has had. Mine is just my usual cold but I am treating it carefully with Day Quill/Night Quill. It is a bit annoying to have caught the darn thing I the first place but we expected that, unfortunately. I suppose I should’ve expressed more caution and worn a mask more as a preventative.

We do not want to give it to the Cutler’s so we have been staying away from the dining table and contact with them.

Well, this is Friday, January 27th, when we wake up it will be Sunday, January 29th. We skipped Saturday the 28th completely. And, we will be ahead of West Coast Time by about 21 hours[?]

We had a bit of a nothing day, we did our walk in the morning, took a lecture in after lunch and dinner in the room and that was about it.

Lazy Day…

It is a very large ocean!

Lots of time to read and nap, I think we are talked out!

Day 2 of 4...

Thursday, January 26. 27 C. Calm seas and blue sky.

We are chugging along 13 knots, [slow], like there is no hurry, which there isn’t! We both have colds and are trying very hard not to spread it, we really are. I am sitting here at my desk trying to write a blog, but it is hard when all we have done today is eat and walk. I attended two lectures and Fellette one, me sitting at the very top at the back so I can escape if my pill wears off or I cough or need to use a Kleenex. I seem to be able to sleep fine. Last night I woke up at 2:00, took another pill and zonked out for another four hours. It is the first cold that Fellette and I have had in three years! Good place to get it though, on sea days.

There is lots to keep people interested during these sea days. The Bridge Class people are happy, exercise classes, stretch classes, Tai Chi, Mass, How to paint with watercolour, Learn to fold Origami, Sit, Knit Needlework, Pickleball, Bingo, Team Trivia, Creative Writing classes, Mah Jong, Scrabble, Arts and Crafts, Dancing.

We cross the International Dateline tonight at 2:00 AM, which means nothing at all except that our clocks go back one more hour and we lose a day, but we make up that lost day one hour at a time, every time we move the clock back during the remainder of the voyage.

So, tomorrow we will then be three hours behind Pacific Coast Time, but, a day AHEAD, so, we will be 21 hours ahead of Pacific Coast Time. Got it? Good.

At least that is what I think might happen, I could be wrong though. I will let you know.

A Good Lazy Day…

Fellette waiting for this old Sicko to catch up on our morning walk.

Your bearded author penning the blog.

Towards Tonga...

Wednesday, January 25. Robbie Burns Day. 27 C. Gentle swell, blue sky. Still two hours behind West Coast Time.

There are four sea days from our last Port, Raiatea and our next port: Tonga. It is very difficult to describe where on a map, but we are about 3/4 of the way between South America its bulge at the top and Australia. How is that for precise navigating!

During those four days we will ‘Lose a Day'. That is right, we pass over The International Date Line and we skip Saturday, January 28. However we will then be a day AHEAD of you. Don’t overthink it!

The Kingdom of Tonga: 96.9% Christian, [Missionaries again!], a Monarchy, got independence from Britain in 1970, population 102,000, composed of 171 islands, only 45 inhabited, it is located about 1100 Miles west of New Zealand.

The Tongan Islands were originally known as The Friendly Islands as the natives were friendly to Captain Cook when he landed there in 1773.

In January 2022 a volcano erupted 40 miles north of the main island causing a Tsunami which inundated parts of Nuku’alofa, where we are going

Today was a very quiet and peaceful day for both of us. I now for sure have ‘The Cold’. To prevent the spread of this darn thing, I am going to lay low for a few days somewhat and that may prevent it spreading to other innocent souls, as it seems to be doing!!!

Dozy Day...

We passed Bora Bora on the way out last evening before dinner.

Fellette yesterday evening.

Gail with a cocoanut drink yesterday on the river cruise.

Photo of Doug, by Jim. Just because!

The elevators have rugs that tell us what day it is. Duh!

My best friend today.

Finally In The Water...

Tuesday, January 24. Still in Raiatea. Cloudy, 28 C.

We four were on a shore excursion at 8:00 AM this morning. Off on a catarmaran run for about 25 minutes, 28 Zuiderdamians eager to get out on a bit of an adventure. There, we went up what is called a river, but it was more like a long inlet that snaked for about a kilometer or so through the very dense jungle until the boat could go no further because the overhead canopy closed in.

It was not terribly exciting, but it was rather haunting to just be in that silent and peaceful place. There were a couple of homes along the way, one sold us coconuts to drink along the way. There is basically NO animal life at all: no snakes, no monkeys, just a few small birds, but no other critters of any kind at all. The forest/jungle floor is covered with the remains of hundreds of years of dropped coconuts and other fruits etc., rotting on the floor, but no real odour. Eerie!

Next we zipped out into the ocean and stopped at an island maybe two acres in area, wading in thigh deep water to get to the white sand beach and coconut plantation-like land mass.The water was unexpectedly warm, to me, and salty as the devil. It tasted great! It felt good be in bare feet with some roughness underfoot with sand between your toes.

Really not much to do today except ‘Take in the Experience’. It was great few hours in our busy life that we may or may not even remember in a few days. There was no great highlight of the day either, just a pleasant few hours with 24 other people who we will not remember. It just makes me think that the saying “It’s not the Destination, but the Journey” that really matters.

A Very Good Day…

Jim, Gail, Fellette on the way to the Island.

Fellette never looked so happy!

Breadfruit in the Jungle, it just drops and rots I suppose?

This man and his wife & daughter sold some of us a coconut drink: $2.00.

A very powerful but quiet craft. It takes the waves like a knife through butter, twin outboards.

Gail walked around the Island to get some steps in while some swam.

My wife in the best bathing suit she had had in her lifetime. [French!]

Raiatea, French Polynesia...

Monday, January 23. Rain, then clearing later.

First of all, I will try and give a bit of a geography lesson, Primarily for me as information seems hard to come by on the ship. People seem to use various names to describe the Pacific Islands, so I will start what I have found out and remember or think I remember.

French Polynesia is where we have been bumping around for some time. Raiatea, [is the Island where we are today and tomorrow]. The Capital of Raiatea is Uturoa, [3,778 people]. Geographically we are located many hundreds of miles east of New Zealand and the International Date Line, but have several sea days and Tonga to get over before we hit that Land mass.

Tahiti is also one of the islands belonging to this political group. Yesterday, it was the island of Moorea.

Captain Cook certainly sailed around here and was ashore of course as he roamed about this vast Pacific Ocean. It is a shame that his wife burned all his letters, it would have been interesting to hear what he had to say to her about his exploits. No wonder she burned the letters, I beleive he came home, impregnated her and went to sea again! Captain Cook’s Polynesian Navigator was born on this island, Raitea, around 1725. The Cook Islands are nowhere near here.

The town we are docked at, Uturoa, is the administrative capital of this area and it is agreed that many expeditions to New Zealand, Hawaii and other South Pacific Islands started from here. It was claimed by the British first, [Captain Cook], then Spain, and finally the French, who have it to this day.

We have found, from what we have seen of the islands, a neat, clean, and well organized people that seem to be happy, polite and happy. I don’t get the feeling that they all want to immigrate to the Big Civilized New World.

Today, we were rained out, almost before we got started. We wandered ashore around 9:45 without a real goal as we have a Shore Excursion tomorrow morning at 8:15, rain or shine in a small boat going up the only navigable river on this little island. [That should be interesting.]

The Cutler’s had a few shopping items to get when a Squall came up and it pelted down with a warm but uncomfortable wind. This is not really a Tourist Town, it is a town made for working class people who do not seem to be bothered or impressed by a few hundred aged, limping foreigners wandering around their rather weary little town on a Monday morning. Did I mention overweight visitors? You should see the overweight locals! Maybe it has something to do with the foot long Subway Sandwich-like buns they all seem to be gnawing on!

We returned to the ship after maybe 1 1/2 hours to a hot coffee and tea then hunkered down to a lazy day in Uturoa, Raiatea, French Polynesia! I fell asleep and so did Fellette, When we awoke, the rain had stopped but still overcast. There is no such thing as a bad day in Paradise. [We both needed a good lazy day afternoon Nap.

Jim and Gail invited us down for pre-dinner Champagne and Appies. Great way to start the end of a good day

A Lovely Day...