February 22, 2024

Hello from Queensland, AU. 

This is our 43^rd day aboard the Sojourn, and so far, we are having the time of our lives.  Except for the two stops in Samoa and the stop in Tonga, we have been to every port prior to this trip.   Well, now comes the uncharted waters.  We have been looking forward to this part of our trip.  All ports will now be new to us until we arrive at Okinawa Japan on March 26^th.  That’s almost five weeks of new adventures for us. 

Well, it’s Pool Chronicles time again:

Full disclosure here, this actually happened at the sushi bar last night, but it’s too good to pass up.  This lady sat down next to me and asked me if I  got anything in the room when I got on yesterday, did I get a list of the available restaurants?  I explained that we got on in LA.  Oh, well how did you learn about where and when to eat?  Well, is this your first cruise, I asked, well yes, it is.  Well, first I recommend you download the Seabourn app.  I proceeded to show her that all the bars and restaurants were listed there, and today’s menus are also available. Also, each evening you will get a daily paper listing all the activities and food menus for the next day.  After several more questions including how do I order sushi here, I showed her a menu and I again referred her to the Seabourn app.  She told me that wouldn’t work because I don’t like to carry her phone with me all the time, and besides that I can’t get my internet to work.  So, I explained to her that she needed to go to Seabourn Square on deck 7 and they would be able to help her with that.  Then she said she had been aboard for a whole day and had not met anyone yet.  I told her that there are usually single cruisers “meet and greets” on occasion.  She said, yes, they told me there was a singles cocktail hour last night, but she didn’t go because I don’t  drink.  How do I get to eat in the specialty restaurant?  Simple, just make a reservation at Seabourn Square on deck 7.  But I’m alone, I can’t imagine going to a fancy restaurant by myself.  I explained that there are probably as many solo travelers on board as couples or get out there and meet some other travelers and ask if they would like to join you for dinner.  How much crazier can this get, I thought?  Then, the bomb dropped.  She said I have to go because I have been invited to dinner by an officer, but I don’t know where to go or what officer I am dining with.  I explained that the ship has these events quite often and she would be at a table with several other guests and an officer in the Dining room on deck 4.  Just check in at reception and they will take you to the right table.  Oh, thank you, you have been so helpful and left.    

Kim showed up a few minutes later and I told her this story, to which she said, careful, or you may become her new BFF.

On a sad note:

Even paradise isn’t safe from the reality of life, it’s a sad day for us.  Friends, we realize that we are extremely lucky to be where we are, few people ever experience something like this. We are grateful and count our blessings every day. But even this magical moment is not immune to the pain of the world.

We woke up to an email from Mary, the director of the orphanage that I helped build and Kim used her nursing skills to monitor the growth of the children. The orphanage has been running successfully for over 20 years now.

Well, the Honduran government has decided to close down all orphanages in the Country and return the children to their families.

Today, they took 37 of our 70 children and there was nothing we could do to stop them. I’m sure you can all imagine what it would be like to lose your child. But how about losing 37 of them at one time? The ministry is devastated. These children have been taken from the security of a loving home and dumped into an unknown future.

Worldwide Heart to Heart has hired attorneys to help them recover the children, but it may be hopeless. I’m sure the remaining children fear for their lives and know that it’s only a matter of time before they too will be taken from their home.  These are devastating times; we know and love these children. They are family. The future of the orphanage is up in the air.  Such a sad day for all. Sorry to turn my fun and funny blog into reality, but sometimes our dreams get bit in the ass by the brutal reality of life.

I’m going to leave it right there for tonight.  Say a prayer for all orphans in Honduras before you go to sleep tonight.

More fun tomorrow, I promise!