Moorea Day...

 Sunday, January 22. Cloudy, torrential, rain then clearing late afternoon. 25 C.

A bit of a disappointing day for such a beautiful place: Fellette was down for the count this morning as Jim, Gail and I headed out without Fellette on the tenders to see what excitement awaits us ashore. It pelted rain for a moment as we stepped ashore. We have been here before but just wanted to get out and around away from the ship.

We ended up taking a van around the entire island, total of seven people, staying usually within a hundred yards of the shore the whole time. To be honest it was so boring I felt ashamed that I couldn’t generate more enthusiasm for it. The driver guide was young, spoke several languages, English not being his best. 

We stopped several times for some wonderful outlooks swathed in a General Purpose Gray tone. At one time it rained so hard that the driver stopped and asked if we wanted to keep going up the side of the mountain for what should have been a spectacular overlook because there would be nothing to see. There was no grumbling: it is what it is!

That is the way it is, you take the good stuff with the bad. It was nice to get out and see what a tropical volcanic island looks like again: Nothing has changed, except a few more cars and better roads than a decade ago!

I am not being negative about today, just realistic. I am sure to some people today was wonderful, to others it was a train wreck: because of the rain. Great to be alive and here is all I can say!

An OK day…

A snippet of last evening’s Folkloric show. 

Coffee on the balcony as we pulled in at 6:30 AM.

A sea side lot with the original building gone, something will soon replace it no doubt.

Lots and lots of churches, the missionaries were busy here.

We saw one sad little local beach, I am sure there are many more beautiful ones.

Apparently this was a local piece of statuary that was preserved after the restaurant there closed and the building was removed. Evolution.

Apparently this is a food truck, it looks like it needs some TLC and air in the tires. Looks good though!

A sign of prosperity. A Sofitel Hotel resort. $500 a night, over the water. No mosquitoes there apparently.

A pineapple plantation across a bay. Those would be pretty expensive pineapples methinks.

Papeete

 Saturday, January 21. Cloudy, 31 C.

At 5:30 AM, I awoke, looked outside and we were just tying up in downtown Papeete. What a splendid sight and surprise to sleep through any changes in noise, I suppose the earplugs helped. The plugs were in as Fellette has a cold and makes strange noises!

Shortly after, Wally phoned and we chatted. What a neat way to start the day. We four walked off the ship around 9:45 to the Main Street in Downtown Papeete in a matter of minutes. Both couples had a domestic shopping list, some of which we bought but the search continues for many items. It is not an easy thing to pick up ‘what you forgot to bring’ on such a trip as this. In New Zealand it will be far simpler but that is weeks away. Oh pity us!

We soon recognized that we had been here before, a couple of times actually, when is a bit harder to pin down. Doug and Fellette have not yet gotten confident in using our sole US dollar credit card. The second one seems to have not made our packing list. Dummies! As a result Jim turned into my Banker today, wow his socks and now his money. I will have it sorted next time we walk off, tomorrow in Moorea!

After too many shops we decided to sit and grab a bite to eat and drink. There we just relaxed, took in the view and decided that the ship beckoned!

Fellette was ready to sit and read in the comfortable cabin for the rest of the day. I flaked out and dozed, then got up, did our obligatory visit to lifeboat procedure and wrote the blog. The day drifted away nicely. 

I am so sorry I cannot give more information about this town and the Islands, but there is no printed information on the ship. I feel the blog is incomplete.

There is a Folkloric Group of Polynesian dancers and performers coming on board around 7:00 but I will have the blog sent by that time. Hopefully I can get a decent picture or two for tomorrow. We sail tomorrow morning at 5:00 for the two hour process to get us to Moorea.

A Good Day...

That is the side of a building on the main street, just across from the ship's pier.

The busy market in the town centre: no purchases there for us.

View from the mezzanine. Sister Moe was with us here in 2014.

My usual ‘Canon Stance’ photo along the main drag.

A beautiful recreation of a Polynesian Catamaran. Some version of one of these spread the Polynesians around the Pacific.

Does that look cool! We believe that Moorea, [still French], is that island in the background. [Who knows.]

Look, Gail is emerging from a glass of beer! It must be a Mirage!

I believe I took this exact same picture of Fellette by the Amsterdam in 2014.

Papeete Tomorrow...

Friday, January 20. 28 C, hotter. Blue sky and seas at present. Now two hours behind PST at home.

Another relaxing see day for us. Fellette has a cold so we are trying to keep a low profile as much as possible. We did our usual morning routine including a bit of a deck walk. It seems to be helping my hip pain  so that makes life more tolerable and Fellette loves it.

One activity of interest was at noon there was a Ukulele Performance put on by passengers who have had several  lessons given by some French Polynesian artists who have been on board since Panama, getting off tomorrow. One of our table mates, Adrienne, took the lessons and played in the group. Adrienne is travelling with her younger sister, [both are widowed], they are about our age. Nice to see sisters still close and having fun together.

Other than that it was just a lovely day at sea.

A Good Quiet Day…

Doug wore his Paisley vest last night and Mum her 48 year old Mu. [Picture next time].

Long-shot of Mum early morning.

This greets us twice daily: after the bed is made and after the bed is turned down at night.Cool eh?

Adrienne in red. [Some people feel more comfortable with masks.]

Take a close look at those tattoos.

A last lecture from the 'Ship Guy' today, he gets off tomorrow.

On To Papeete...

Tuesday, January 19.

The same lovely sea and sky as the last 10 days. 27 C.

It is two day’s sailing from Nuka Hiva, where we were yesterday, to Papeete. Still part of French Polynesia but a much larger population. I have to qualify any facts or figures I state because it is all based on memory and snippets that I pick up because we are not given any printed information about the ports we visit by Holland America. Cost cutting, plain and simple. Oh well, I am sure I can BS my way through 110 other blogs! [No, it will not be BS, I can make it work without BS’ing.] I have already snitched a book for a few months on Norther European Ports for use in April.

I sensed the ship pulling away late last night. Other than that wake up, I find that I seem to need at least nine hours sleep: Fellette somewhat less. My morning routine includes some on-deck stretches and a few Tai-Chi like moves, a coffee or two, some knee stretches, then breakfast then a few laps around the deck. My hip slows my pace down a bit, I find that taking an Advil eases the pain pretty well. I don’t like to use pain killers on a long term basis but I am wondering if this is arthritis rearing it’s ugly head in my hip. I will survive, disappointing though!

Fellette copes better with issues better than I do. Good for her! One thing that we agree on is that we are not 'Party People'. I like to have family, and other people I know around but not too much social interaction with strangers. Fellette and I have been together for coming up on 62 years, we seem to be quite happy with our social arrangements so far. Life aboard seems a bit different for us.

On a ship, the social interaction can get a bit intense if you are not careful. Lunchtime is an example when I / we go to the Lido, which has wonderful food and service. It can be very intense with so many people wanting to eat, all around the same time, doing the 'rocking-ship shuffle' to view, select and get their choice served by somebody behind the counter and then the bump and grind your way to find your seat. This is a far cry form our usual lunch of soup and crackers served and eaten in a very large kitchen area with only two people within earshot. See what I mean when I say it takes some getting used to? Dinner in the Dining Room at our designated table takes 1 1/2 hour minimum. What new can we talk about? It takes some getting used to!

I am writing this at 10:15 in the morning and just get carried away writing. We will soon be heading down to a talk by a very good storyteller, a US Naval Officer who is in love with anything to do with ships. He seems to have a great following as well as a great personality. We love him.

Fellette seems to be coming down with a bit of a cold so she is quite enjoying the time to read, knit and lay low. I went to two lectures today. It is a time-filler and I always learn a little. Today was a good, day, nice and quiet after a hot long day yesterday.

Good Day…

The new Library, by popular demand apparently. More like a new book store. Rather cold and uninviting but better than nothing.

At one of the lectures today, this one is by the Retired Naval Officer, a very good story teller.

Part of last night’s ‘Glamping' fare. Lovely ribs.

And beer-roasted chicken, among many other deliciously prepared options.

A very handsome well-tattooed native swiftly slid his outrigger by as we were talking on the deck last evening. A very poor shot of a terrific subject!

Nuka Hiva, French Polynesia...

Wednesday, January 18. Cloudy, 80 C.

Hurray,  Hurray we get to go ashore today!

Amazing how the only thing that we really want to do is step on solid land! Such a simple thing, but missed so much.

There is really not a great deal to do here, but Fellette and I are hoping just to walk in the bright sun for some time and take in South Sea Island Life. Swimming is not on the agenda today, nor is rain, but, you never know!

I had a good talk with our kids this morning. Actually, Wally phoned us before we had stopped moving around 6:30 AM. Pleasant surprise. I caught Jeanette and Craig a bit later, tried my sister mid morning but no answer. [We sent a good old fashioned Post Card to her today from here though.]

We have learned how to use the complicated TV now, so next we can progress to finding out what the weather is at home. [All this may seem strange to understand but there is so much to get used to onboard that it takes a bit of getting used to.]

Around 9:30 we went ashore in a tender: it’s been a while since we experienced that. A nice 15 minute ride to a scene sort of like a modern Ernest Hemingway novel in a lazy seaside South Pacific Island. Lots of young crew were ready to assist us older folks as we tried to synchronize stepping off the tender at the same time as the boat bobs!

We explored the area around the pier for a while and stepped out into the searing heat and headed down the road: it felt so good to be walking in the wide open space compared to the last eight days of confinement. Soon we were looking for some shade which we shared with a few other shipmates. That shade also had a lovely breeze blowing off the shore through it. Basically there was nothing of interest along the roadway which just went to more nowhere. It was like we were prisoners released and taking in our new freedom in any form.

We had been advised on the ship that there was Wi-Fi available at a pizza place along the road, so we settled in there. The beer was also cold so that  was a bonus. Later, we ordered pizzas and eventually we were magically lured back to our floating air-conditioned hotel via that magical 15 minute boat ride. 

It was a good introduction the Tropical Island Experience today, with cooperation from the weatherman. A dinner is not on our agenda tonight although I am sure the food on offer on deck tonight will likely draw us there for a bite of something. We set sail at 10:30 for Papeete (Tahiti), a two day sail.

All four of us feel that we have been here before, many years ago. There have been quite a few new buildings and improvements over the years but the old bones are visible if you look hard. This place is French and the money comes from France to support this part of what remains of numerous French Possessions. Oddly enough we are not supplied with any literature or maps at the ports we visit. That seems to have been a cost cutting casualty of the pandemic by the cruise line.

We received a very nice phone call from our two sons and our grandson late afternoon, what a nice surprise and a lift! 

I just realized today that we are 12% of the way through this trip and I don’t feel like we have even started!

A Very Good Day…

About the time Wally phoned this morning.

Cool black socks eh. Those are Jim’s!

The Pier! The ship was hovering in the bay.

Main Street.

Different Picture, the ship in the bay an a tender unloading.

At a Mound above the pier that was made into a touristy site.

Back on board our cool ship, Hurrah!

Land Ho!!!

Tuesday, January 17. 26 C. Calm seas, blue skies.

Oh Happy Day! Tomorrow we actually walk on solid land, what a treat. We 'Tender in', which means they drop five Tenders, or lifeboats, into the water and shuttle us into the concrete pier that is the only way to come in except by airport on the other side of the island. The only way from airport to port is via a windy mountainous road the takes about an hour to drive.

Nuka Hiva is a French Island which I am not sure if we have been here before or not, but I think so. After a few years they all sort of look the same, although some have more charm than others. They are all nice to visit but living on one would be a bit of a challenge for me  for sure.

Today on board was a repeat of day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7. Apparently, today there was a small ship sighted on the horizon, wow! I told you things would get exciting. Excuse my sarcasm.

Tomorrow also means that I get a chance to talk to my kids, all three of them. I am sure this is a bigger thing for me than them! 

Good Day, Because Of Tomorrow!

You can see what we have been doing for eight days: Making a skid mark half way across the Pacific!

7th Sea Day...

Well, this is what we have seen for the past week.

Not one even ship has been sighted. We did see a small bird struggling on the deck this morning. It possibly landed, exhausted on the deck, it may catch its breath and off it goes.

I wonder how many land birds drop into this vast ocean and drown. Pity.

36 hours before we see land. 

Long Day Again…

6th Sea Day. In Limbo...

 Sunday, January, 15. Blue skies and blue seas. 24 C.

The term Limbo, to me, means being stuck in a nothingness. Well, we are not stuck, but passing through Limbo out here. I have been writing a daily blog each day, then sending it off. The 'sent box' shows my email has gone but I have no way of knowing if it is getting through, or, is it too, is stuck in Limbo! 

So much for that. Now to something exciting! Unfortunately that excitement is also stuck in Limbo…

Today I actually got some emails from home, nice to know at least all is fine at home and work. Craig is handling getting my meaningless blog writings on the blog site, I think!!!. I will be nice to try and get some pictures of some South Sea Islands Stuff , in a few days, Wednesday I hope.

For Hellery I am going to try two little pictures to see if it slows down the email.

OK Day…

In The Crow’s Nest on a Formal Night: Doug, Fellette, Gail, Jim....

Inside the from Chain Locker I guess you would call it. Lots of good heavy stuff in there that can kill you in an instant. That's the ship's anchor there, suspended from 4 chains!