For the third year in a row, we spent a couple days in the Islands of Fiji. We could never get tired of spending time here. First off, we have never stopped in the same town or place as we had in the past. Fiji is so lush and green.
While in the Islands, Kim got in some hiking, beaching and snorkeling. I actually got off the ship for the second time this trip. We are a month in and I have almost managed a perfect record. I know my friends back home have an over/under pool on my trips ashore, so I can’t tell you any of my future plans.
Just like the little boy that never spoke a word until he was 5. No one could figure out what was wrong with him. Then one day at lunch, he clearly said “soups cold”. There was a cheer, he spoke for the very first time. When asked why he had never said anything before this, he replied “everything’s been fine until now”. I don’t have a lot of stories to tell you, because everything’s been perfect.
So, I’ll show you some of our pictures.
I guess my reputation proceeds me.
Notice the dotted line pretty much follows our journey. Good discription of tetonic plates.
Kim found the hot springs. Locals cook their dinner here.
Airport built in 1959 by locals using hand tools
The Mystery of this Island is that it is uninhabited, but has an airport. I guess some people fly out here for the day to enjoy the beautiful beaches.
Sunset up at the Observation Lounge with one of my favorite bartenders, Engin. Yes, he was also on the 2024 World Cruise.
Cocktail mixing competition.
Yes, we were the end of the rainbow.
Curt and Phil are arriving in San Francisco today for the big game on Sunday.
Yes, 2 noses!
Our new friend in New Caledonia.
Chapelle Notre Dame des Lourdes
On top of the whale is a beautiful church that some hiked up to see.
Our friends showed us what they came home to during the storm. The fruit bowl was on the table and the champegne bottle was broken. I found some of my toiletries in the sink after they took a dive off the shelf.
Yesterday was by far the worst day of weather I have ever experienced while at sea.
I have experienced big waves and seas several times, as you can see from my previous blog in 2024. I have seen torrential rain storms, again see my past posts. We have experienced winds over 100 miles per hour at sea.
But until yesterday, we have never seen all 3 at once.
When we woke up, the boat was violently pitching from side to side and end to end. We opened the curtains to see the spray from the waves had covered our windows and veranda. By 11 AM, the captain came on the intercom saying that we should not go outside because we had 60 knot (70 mph) winds with higher gusts.
It was the perfect storm. Later we found out that we were skirting a typhoon. I’m not sure if we were chasing it or it was chasing us.
There were not many people moving around the ship at any time during the day. I did not take my usual position at the pool deck at 11 AM. I too stayed in my room. Fortunately, the motion of the ocean doesn’t bother Kim or me, so we were fine. However, moving anywhere, like going to the bathroom, was a challenge.
At 2:30, there was a biologist giving a “conversation” about fishes of the South Pacific and their ways to get along without getting eaten.
I should have known from my years of friendship with my high school biology teacher that he would start with a pun. Arg. He was very informative and entertaining.
I had to use my walker to get from our room to the grand salon. It was dicey, but I made it. After the 45-minute talk, I asked Kim to help me get up to the pool deck because I desperately needed some outdoor time.
When we got there, the only people other than the bartender were the couple who we had dinner with the night before. They were sitting at the only table that was marginally close to being protected from the weather. We sat with them and visited. Kim left and told me to text her when I was ready to leave and she would come to help me navigate the halls, yes, she is so wonderful, I’m the luckiest person in the world to have her.
After a while, my friends decided it was time to go back to their room. She told him if he wanted to stay out with me, it was okay with her. He said he would go to the room with her. It wasn’t 10 minutes later that he came back to the table and said the room was not a good place to be. So, we continued to visit while being pounded by the storm. Soon, a fellow Seahawk fan from Seattle came out and was thrilled to see we were out there. It was a great way to ride out the storm.
A little before 5, Kim sent me a text that she was ordering dinner from room service. Well, if you have been paying attention to me, you should know that I just got permission to go to sushi bar at the club for dinner. Another great day in paradise.
A little after 6, I grabbed my outrigger, aka walker, and headed down to the club for my sushi dinner. I texted Kim so she knew what I was doing.
The club, like everything else, was pretty empty. I sat on my favorite stool at the bar, you know, the one right next to the sushi chefs so I can watch them make the rolls and dishes. Sitting on a stool in that weather was a bit difficult, but I managed. After I had my fill of sushi, I again tasked my outriggers to take me home. Once back to our room, we watched some tv, read from our books and went to bed.
We woke up to calm seas and grey skies that soon turned blue. It’s like yesterday never happened.
What I will log as my worst weather day at sea will also be logged into my greatest memories of my life at sea.
Tomorrow, we cross the international date line and lose a complete day. No big deal you say? Well, ask our friend Bernie, it’s his birthday, he will miss it. I told him it’s like a fountain of youth. You get to stay 84 for another whole year.
We left Papeete at 10 PM, but not before we were treated to a show by local dancers, it was very nice. Notice Ross, the cruise director laying on the floor (top photo) in front. He’s wearing a suit with shorts. I asked, and he said yes, you inspired me when you ordered your suit with shorts in Hong Kong.
Since we left French Polynesia, we have been rocking and rolling. When we got up this morning our veranda was soaked with sea spray and some of our toiletries were dumped off the shelves. I don’t go anywhere without a walking stick for extra balance, today I might just break out my walker.
As we left Hawaii a week ago, one of the nose pieces on my glasses broke. Timing is everything, if they broke a day before, Chris and Margo could have taken us to Costco and I could have had them fixed for free. In Papeete, Kim’s stealth research found an eyeglass store that was open on Saturday and took my glasses to them. They fixed them and would not charge us anything. Kim came back to the ship and grabbed a handful of the dark chocolate bars they leave on our pillows each night and took them back to her, she was greatful. So, if you are ever in Tahiti and break your glasses……..
Well, the big news in the Sharp family is that the Seattle Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl. We have been able to watch all of the games here on the ship. There are several Seahawk fans on board and the ship is planning a Super Bowl party in the Grand Salon, where the game will be broadcast on the giant screen. It will be Monday at 1:30 PM our time and we will be in New Zeland. Unfortunately, it will be a feed from Australia and not have the American commercials.
I’m not a huge better, but the day after last years Super Bowl, I had my son, the one that lives in Reno, place 3-$100 bets for me. $100 for the Hawks to win the Conference, $100 to win the Division, and $100 to win the Super Bowl. By placing these bets a year in advance and taking into account the Seahawks get little respect or attention in the league, the odds were fantastic. I also bet the one LA Ram fan in our Beer group that we would end the season with more wins than the Rams, that was a bet for $200. It started as a $100 bet, but half way through a mid season game where the teams were playing each other, I offered to let him out of the bet early for $50, he suggested we double our bet instead, so, we did. So, last week when the Seahawks beat the 49er’s to win the Confrence, I collected $700 from my Reno bet and $200 from my friend. then Sunday when we beat the Rams to win the Division and get into the Super Bowl, I won $2,900 from Reno. When the Seahawks win the Super Bowl next week, I stand to win about $10,000.
My children (3 on the right) are enjoying the use of my 6 tickets in my absence. Curt and Phil are going to San Francisco to attend the Super Bowl in person. Attending a Super Bowl has been on my bucket list for years.
We are about where the tip of the pen is.
When the rain and wind got too much for almost everyone else, I just asked for an umbrella.
Oh look, it’s one of the Golden Girls from that tv show.
There’s a reason they should start the show each night earlier than 9:30.
One of the fun things to do on board is boat building. You must build your boat out of recycled trash found on the ship. This year there were 6 teams. The ship must carry a 2.2-pound, 1 kg tin of caviar from one end of the pool to the other. Three boats successfully made the journey.
This was the clear winner.
Bora Bora was a rain out. Quite litterly. No beach day for us. However, it was nice and warm. I sat by the pool and watched the rain. We never saw the top of the mountain this time.
Here in Paradice, it rains champagne. See the bubbles on the deck?
Another day, another Island and better weather, still rainy, but with dry breaks. Huahine Island is very beautiful.
Another ad for small ships, look at how narrow the entrance to this bay is here. No way a larger cruise ship could ever stop here. All the better for us.
As we sail away, Kim and I enjoy sitting on the quiet deck. I’m out where the wind is keeping me cool , that little orange dot tucked in the center of the ship is Kim keeping warm out of the wind. No surprise there.
This morning, we are in Papeete, Tahiti. This is the end of the first leg on our trip. 85 passengers get off here today and head home. I’ll let you know soon how many get on here, hopefully not too many. I don’t know why I even say that it is never crowded anywhere on this ship, ever.
Here’s a breakdown of where the passengers live, by country. Notice that there are no Asian cruisers, that’s very unusual. I also took note that there were no women pushing their husbands in wheelchairs, although, there were several women in wheelchairs this time, that is very different from what we normally see. When I see a woman pushing her husband, I pray that never happens to us. If a wheelchair ever enters our relationship, I would be happy to push Kim everywhere.
Well people, it finally happened!
It’s time for Pool Chrinicles, you just can’t make this shit up.
When talking about the cold weather in the US, the guy at the table next to me said “I’m worried about my kids, they’re going to freeze, they have no heaters in their house, all they have is a heat pump”. I’m assuming that all my readers know enough about heat pumps and the term HVAC, which stands for heating, ventalation, and air conditioning. I guess they must have just bought an eat pump, they left out the H part.
Another guy says “we broke 2 records today, we were only ashore for 20 minutes and we didn’t spend a dime. Both were probobly because we realized we had no cash or cards with us”.
As one couple got up from their table, he said “We’ll see you in the Observation Bar at Gin til 5”.
On Bora Bora the ship announced that all 4 x 4 tours were cancelled due to incliment weather. Guess they don’t understand the workings of a 4 x 4.
And, this morning a lady told Kim to enjoy her youth while she can. I told you we are on the young side of the curve.
