- In June of 1961 on our honeymoon, (a short 3 day trip to the mountains in cheap motels), we promised ourselves that someday we would go to Hawaii.....someday.
18,250 days of working, raising our family, sleeping & everything in between, we are going to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary with a 30 day cruise to Hawaii, Tahiti, and the South Pacific Islands in March of 2011. We booked this trip a full year ahead knowing there was a lot to do to prepare for it.
The full inineary:
Departure: San Diego, California, US
Hilo, Hawaii
Lahina, Maui Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Nawiliwili Kauai, Hawaii
Cross International Dateline
Fanning Island, Kiribati
Crossing the Equator
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Raiatea, French Polynesia
Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Papeete, French Polynesia
Moorea, French Polynesia
Rangiora, French Polynesia
Nuka Hiva, French Polynesia
Return to San Diego, California
Plus 13 more full days at sea aboard the Holland America Flag Ship the “Rotterdam”.
Even though we are still 4 months from leaving, we have already made many decisions and completed all the necessary requirements. Planning for a trip is a big part of the fun, so I want to include you in everything! Lists, lists, and more lists!
We have guaranteed our cabin on the ship, and since we decided to drive to our port of departure in San Diego, we have reserved a hotel for a few days before and after the cruise, and arranged for them to keep our car while we’re at sea...
March blizzards are not unusual in our part of the country so we'll have to watch the weather closely as time to leave gets closer. We'll be loading the car and taking off sometime the last week in February, probably dodging storms as we work our way south and west.
We’ve also secured “house sitters” to watch everything at home while we’re gone, and other details such as setting up this blog are already taken care of. I wanted to share our trip with others so I’m hoping this is the best way. Knowing that connections will probably be slow I can only hope for the best.
We are not using a travel agent this time, but have made all the arrangements ourselves, and even though it has been a lot of work, we’re having a great time with it and haven't run into any snags yet.
March blizzards are not unusual in our part of the country so we'll have to watch the weather closely as time to leave gets closer. We'll be loading the car and taking off sometime the last week in February, probably dodging storms as we work our way south and west.
In search of sunshine
We’ve also secured “house sitters” to watch everything at home while we’re gone, and other details such as setting up this blog are already taken care of. I wanted to share our trip with others so I’m hoping this is the best way. Knowing that connections will probably be slow I can only hope for the best.
We are not using a travel agent this time, but have made all the arrangements ourselves, and even though it has been a lot of work, we’re having a great time with it and haven't run into any snags yet.
Making reservations so far ahead has given us time to read and study everything we can get our hands on about all the islands we’ll be visiting.
Choosing shore tours was not easy as there are so many things we want to see and do, and you just can’t do it all in the time alloted. So far we have chosen one tour for almost every port we’ll be visiting, hoping that we picked ones that will give us an over all view of each area, leaving some time for snorkeling and being beach bums on our own.
Choosing shore tours was not easy as there are so many things we want to see and do, and you just can’t do it all in the time alloted. So far we have chosen one tour for almost every port we’ll be visiting, hoping that we picked ones that will give us an over all view of each area, leaving some time for snorkeling and being beach bums on our own.
a luau with hula girls
a glass bottom boat & snorkling tour
a bus trip to view fauna & flora & waterfalls
volcano's
I’ve also done some shopping for clothes. With help of my daughters while there were still summer sales, I think I’m all set on the “fashion front.” Determined not to spend money on something I wouldn’t use later, I think I did pretty good....
Wanting to prepay for everything so we would not be facing bills when we get home, booking so far in advance has allowed us to do that, including arranging for ship sponsored and private shore excursions, plus some particular indulgences on board. We’ve already reserved a few dinners at the ship’s speciality restaurant, some wine for our room, internet service, and a couple of extra activity venues we are interested in.
This will also give us time to save some money for souvenirs to bring back for the family!
Soon I will be starting to lay out items we want to be sure not to forget...... One of the highlights of our trip is a visit to ‘Tabuaeran’ more commonly known as Fanning Island. It’s a very remote island with only around 2,000 inhabitants. They have no electricity, limited fresh water and limited sewer facilities. Our ship has recently added this to their itineary as cruise lines are almost the only contact the people of this island has with the outside world.... They are in desperate need of supplies so we are working on collecting what we can through our Church and local hospital and our own resources to carry with us. A pre arranged for coordinator will help us get it on and off board and distributed to the right people, but in the mean time it all has to be gathered up and boxed to go with us.
I’ve been trying to get as much done ahead of time as possible because of the holidays creeping upon us and by the time they’re over we’ll be looking at a short two months from departure day and almost time to start packing.
And you know what I forgot to mention? Remember what it was like when you were a little kid and you had to wait for Christmas? It's an excitement that just can't be described. There is a certain tightening in your stomach when you're waiting to see what's in those packages under the tree and you think the day is never going to come! What I haven't talked about is that wonderful joy of anticipation...... It's like we're almost lost in a dream world, and we can hardly contain ourselves! Not a day has gone by since we booked this trip, that we haven't thought about or talked about some aspect of it. In the meantime we wait...wait.... and wait. There is an ocean somewhere joining the sky above it, and there is a ship on that ocean waiting on you...... some day soon we'll climb on board.....
But for now you have to go through this angonizing wait with us....countdown 4 months. Close your eyes and dream along with me.....
So here we go gang, check back often as I’ll be adding information to this as we continue to get ready for our next exciting journey....
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On July 28th 1888......Excerpts from Robert Lewis Stevenson
“In The South Seas”
In chapter I. “An Island Landfall”, while coming into the Marquesas he writes...
The interval was passed on deck in the silence of expectation, the customary thrill of landfall heightened by the
strangeness of the shores that we were then approaching.
Slowly they took shape in the attenuating darkness.
Ua huna piling up to a truncated summit appeared the first upon the starboard bow almost abeam arose our destination.
Nuka hiva whelmed in cloud and betwixt and to the southward the first rays
of the sun displayed the needles of Ua up.
These pricked about the line of the horizon like the pinnacles of some ornate and monstrous church they stood there in the sparkling brightness of the morning, the fit signboard of a world of wonders.
The land heaved up in peaks and rising vales it fell in cliffs and buttresses its colour ran through fifty modulations in a scale of pearl and rose and olive. and it was crowned above by opalescent clouds. The suffusion of vague hues deceived the eye. The shadows of clouds were confounded with the articulations of the mountain and the isle and its unsubstantial canopy rose and shimmered before us like a single mass.
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December 30th, 2010
The snow is blowing outside this morning, Colorado is having a winter blizzard and it is a welcoming sight as the moisture is needed so badly....... However; it's very cold, not fit to be out for man nor beast so here I sit dreaming again......
We're down to 63 days left before our ship actually leaves towards the open waters of the South Pacific. I am still pinching myself that it is really going to happen!
WIth much to do it will be soon time to start packing.....at least making piles of things to take, I have my lists pretty well completed. One big announcement is that I finally got Jim to go shopping.. He has a new summer suit hanging in the closet, several new pairs of shorts and casual pants, and some beautiful new shirts and ties. With only a little grumpiing he patiently allowed the men's store attendent to assist in choosing some different colors other than denim blues or gray grease.... :)
We got through Christmas with everything now put away and the house back to normal, only had to make a "few" trips to the camper to retrieve some things we had left there this summer but was needed in our kitchen...... We're busy trying to get as much done for our anniversary party this coming June so we won't have so much to do towards that when we return from the cruise in April. Time is going quickly but believe me, I wish I was leaving tomorrow!
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Oh dear...... I had posted the address to some friends so they could view this blog and I just went back to look at pictures of some of our trips...... We look so young and in such good shape in some of them.
Sad to say we've since aged, and gained weight..... I hope they won't be too disappointed when meeting us in person!
Following is a more recent picture taken this past summer in 2010..... geez, maybe this isn't even a fair representation of what changes this winter has brought!
Going over lists today there is still a lot to do.
Jim is having a sports coat altered that we need to pick up at the men's store, and he also needs to shop for some new boots...
I still need to find a pair of water shoes, none in any of the stores I've been in so guess I'll have to order off the internet....
We still need to shop for "fanning island", I'm interested in taking bulk amounts of writing materials for the school and we're waiting to hear from the medical rep on excatly what supplies are most needed.
We want to check with our doctor about what meds to take in case one of us gets sick, I have a pretty good idea but need some guidance and possibly a prescription or two just to be on the safe side.
Double check on our reservations at the San Diego hotel to make sure everything is set in stone.
Call our car insurance agent to make sure we have the right insurance while the car is in the parking garage for a month. Since it's CA we need to know about earthquake coverage, plus any damages while in the garage. ok, so I'm paranoid!
Need to call our credit card company to make sure they know where we'll be and won't hassle Jane at the shop if they see a purchase from Bora Bora... Their security measures are great but they can also be a pain....
Still trying to decide whether or not to pre order a spa treatment while on board, they are so expensive
Fix up our emergency bag....just a few items I want to be sure and take that doesn't fit into any real catagory....
like:
flashlights
duck tape
coffee mugs
one cup coffee pot
alarm
highlighter pen
chargers for computer
USB backup
business/contact cards
eyeglass repair kit
camera & extra batteries & charger & extra card
thank you notes for crew.
And the list goes on, but you get the idea ........
Jim has two full suitcases and I have two
plus our carry on’s that we’ll check
Then we'll take a "road bag" for the trip out there and 3 nights in motels with just comfortable riding clothes. These will be left behind in the car while we're gone....
We will also take our small backpack on board with us with all the essentials if case they’re needed before our luggage gets to our room....medications, water, all paper work, passports.......
So many little details to think of, I'm also trying to get
◦ lot of things taken care of for the party in June before we go because there won't be much time when we get back.....
Wow! I'd better get to work!
Wow! I'd better get to work!
<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>
33 - 30 and counting......
JANUARY 28th - 2011
We will leave by car for the trip to San Diego 30 days from today to arrive at our hotel
We will leave the San Diego Pier on the ship in 33 days.
About a week ago I reached a point of “Pre Cruise Depression” knowing that soon the dreaming would be over, and the trip would be over! I honestly wished I could make the calendar stop and just allow these moments of anticipation stay with me forever. The joy has been in planning but that is soon coming to an end.
We now have all of our committments, shopping, party planning, and most of the lists checked off. All that’s left is packing.... We will start laying out suitcases next week, filling the various bags with extra things we’re taking and hanging clothes where they’re handy to fill the cases. As always with human nature we’re never satisfied, and time really is going too fast now.
We still have just a little shopping to do - - - - - -
we need a new umbrella
I need a hat
I still need to lose 30 lbs and get my bikini body back
What am I forgetting
HERE'S THE BEST IDEA YET!
NEXT ENTRY WILL BE WHENEVER I GET TIME
OR
WHEN WE ACTUALLY HIT THE ROAD
STAY TUNED
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