Monday (sick) at Sea...Day 2 of 5 Back Across the Pacific

 Monday, February 12, 2024

I woke up not feeling well and a trip to the bathroom confirmed something was going on. I crawled right back into bed and that is where I stayed all day.

Bob came and went throughout the day but I was so tired I just slept. He did stop by the main dining room to let them know we wouldn't be using our table. Later he brought back some food for himself from the buffet and ate in our cabin. By evening I was starting to feel a little better so I had him get me a tiny bowl of soup and a Diet Coke.

During the day I know Bob played pickleball, attended the watercolor class and made it to the evening show on the World Stage with Kirsti Manna performing the music of Carole King. 

I was thankful that we had no specific plans for the day and thankful for our quiet cabin and the chance to just sleep. 

The end. 😞

Sunday at Sea...Day 1 of 5 Back Across the Pacific

Sunday, February 11, 2024

The buffet was relatively quiet when we arrived around 7:30. After a week of consecutive port days I think everyone was glad for a "down day". Bob was headed to pickleball so he didn't want to eat, but he was nice enough to sit with me while I had my usual...two poached eggs on an English muffin with a bowl of Greek yogurt topped with berries and granola.

My usual. I splurged and had hollandaise sauce on one of the eggs. 

Our room was being cleaned when I got back, but I was more than happy to sit on the balcony until they were finished. Back in the room I spent time organizing some of the accumulated papers and working on the blog. Bob came back around 9 am with a bowl of oatmeal from the buffet. At 9:00 they have pickleball instruction for the newcomers so he left while that was happening. We sat on the balcony while he ate and then he went back to the sports courts. 

At 10:15 I decided to go to Billboard Onboard and work on the blog and get a good seat for the 11 am "tech talk." I was surprised to find that the Hawaii geology lecture that was taking place in the main theater was also being streamed on the many video screens in Billboard Onboard. There were enough monitors that everyone there had their own screen! Kainoa, the Hawaiian ambassador giving the lecture did a great job. The one take away from his talk was that someday a large chunk of the Big Island will break off and when it does it will cause a tsunami wave tall enough that it will wash over the top of Diamond Head on the island of Oahu!!

I had planned to stay for the "Tech for Travelers" presentation in Billboard Onboard. Today's talk was titled "Sharing Your Journey." Kristen, the CD, arrived a few minutes before 11:00 and started giving out handouts for the presentation. When I looked over the paper it appeared that the talk was going to cover how to use a smart phone camera. I'm pretty sure I have that figured out better than most so left before it even started. I walked by the Dutch Cafe just to see what kinds of desserts they have and ended up talking to a Dutch lady waiting in line who raved about the Bossche Bols and apple pie.

I hung out in the room until Bob returned at noon. The main dining room was serving Sunday brunch and I convinced Bob to go. (He prefers the buffet.) We ordered starters and a main course, but no dessert. As soon as we had finished eating we walked to the Dutch Cafe and ordered one Bossche Bol and one slice of apple pie. And...of course Bob couldn't go to the Dutch Cafe without getting a bowl of pea soup. We took the food back and ate on the balcony. (Is it obvious how much we are enjoying the balcony??)

Bossche Bol (which we referred to as a bocce ball) and Apple Pie. 

Before we sailed away from the warmer temps, I wanted some sun time by the pool. Bob wanted to attend the second watercolor class so we parted ways. There was no problem finding a lounge chair by the aft pool because the Super Bowl was being broadcast in the main theater and on the big screen at the Lido pool. I was half dozing when I felt some water drops. It was a little windy so I thought it was spray from the hot tub but then I figured out it was raining! I took cover briefly and gave it another go at sunbathing but the clouds were rolling in so I gave up.

Super Bowl on the big screen by the lido pool.

I turned on the Super Bowl on our cabin TV in time to see the halftime show...the only part I care to watch. Bob had played some more pickleball after the watercolor class and then he joined me and watched the 2nd half of the game in our cabin. It was an exciting finish...after being on the bottom for the whole game, Kansas City won in overtime!

The game ended just as we were ready to leave for our 6 pm reservation at the specialty Asian restaurant, Tamarind. The crowds were leaving the theater and also the lido pool all at the same time and getting into an elevator was impossible. Bob ran up the 5 decks of stairs to let them know that I and another couple from our floor were on the way. The three of us finally got on an elevator going down and then rode it back up to Deck 10. Sid Davis' comedy show in the main theater was postponed for a half hour to accommodate the Super Bowl award show that was being shown on TV in the theater. 

Sid jumped into the elevator with us and someone asked if he was going to be funny tonight. He replied, "not without coffee" and got off at the buffet!

This was our third time to eat at a Tamarind restaurant and the food was excellent as always. We left the restaurant stuffed and tired so we went back to our room. It was so nice to be able to relax in our own space without the noise from BB Kings that we experienced during the first half of the cruise.

Lobster & shrimp potstickers

Wasabi & soy crusted tenderloin

Sorbet

Hilo - Volcanoes National Park

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Beautiful way to start the day!

Walking through the lido pool area on our way to breakfast.

With the warm weather the retractable roof was open.

We were up and at the buffet a little before 7:00 am, but getting there just a few minutes earlier would have made life a little easier. As soon as we finished eating we gathered our stuff and walked off the ship in our last Hawaiian port...Hilo on the Big Island. The Budget Car Rental agency provided a shuttle from the ship to the airport (and the reason I booked through Budget) but when we reached the outside of the terminal the gal working there said the shuttle had just left. It was going to be about 15 minutes until it returned...so we waited.

This was the line of people waiting to get a taxi.

Eventually the shuttle did return and we were dropped off at the Budget rental facility at the Hilo airport where we had to wait in line only to be told our car wasn't ready yet. 😠 By the time we were in the Kia SUV and driving away from the airport, a whole hour had elapsed since we left the ship.

Our destination, along with many others, was Volcanoes National Park, about 30 miles from the Hilo airport. Our America the Beautiful pass got used (for the third time on the cruise) to gain entrance into the park. A quick stop at the visitor center gave us a chance to use the restrooms and ask a few questions about places Bob wanted to hike.

Entrance to Volcanoes National Park

The ranger suggested a hike into the crater of Kilauea Ike (which means "little Kilauea"). The trail shared a parking lot with the Thurston Lava Tube but when we got there the lot was full. We circled back and waited until a car pulled out.

The steep path leading down to the lava tube was filled with ferns and other tropical plants and bird sounds filled the air. Walking through the damp tunnel made it feel as if we were going down into the middle of the earth. 

Path to Thurston Lava Tube

Inside the tube looking back towards the entrance

I went back and waited in the car while Bob accessed the trail down into the crater. He was gone a little less than an hour and with his quick walking he made it about half way across the crater floor. 

Zoomed in view of people walking across the crater floor.

He encountered an 83 year old mother and her daughter who had gotten down into the crater but the mom was having a hard time. The climb back out was very steep and she wasn't sure she could make it. Bob overheard the daughter talking about calling for help so when he got back to the parking lot he reported what he had heard to one of the rangers directing traffic. That set a series of events into motion that most likely ended with a helicopter rescue. As a paramedic, Bob is always conscious of people in need and has also been on the receiving end of a rescue when he was airlifted off a mountain in the Tetons after being struck by lightning. 

We continued down the Chain of Craters road, stopping at various lookouts along the way. 

Puhimau Crater

Zoomed in view of steam coming from the crater.

We had driven this road on our previous visit but this time we went all the way (about 20 miles) from about 4000 feet of elevation down to sea level where the road ended. The temperature rose about 25 degrees in that distance from the upper 50's to the mid 80's. The size of the lava field that we drove through was mind boggling. Seeing the lava flow on the TV news during the 2018 eruption made me think it was a relatively narrow river of lava flowing down to the ocean but over the years the lava has added many square miles of land to the Big Island.

When we reached the end of the road there was about a quarter of a mile walk to get to where the Holei Sea Arch could be viewed. The cliff line was quite high but yet some of the waves were reaching the top as they crashed against the shoreline.

Holei Sea Arch

The waves were so high they reached the top of the cliff!

After driving back to the main park area, we stopped at the viewing area for the Kilauea Volcano. Steam was rising from the crater floor but no lava was visible, or at least not to us. The Jagger Museum that we had visited in 2016 was now closed and behind barricades since after the 2018 eruption the building was no longer considered safe. It will eventually be torn down.

Jagger Museum

Entrance to the museum was blocked off and eventually the building will be torn down.

On the way out of the park we stopped to check out the steam vents.

The drive back to Hilo took about 45 minutes. It would have been nice to stop at some other places (such as Rainbow Falls) but again we needed to be back by 4:30 to catch the shuttle from the airport back to the ship. We also had to allow time to stop and fill up the car with gas.

Just as luck would have it, again the shuttle had just left before we arrived and we had about a 15 minute wait until it returned. Two ladies from the Koningsdam were also waiting and we had a nice visit.

It was too late to make it to the dining room by 5:00 so instead we enjoyed Hawaiian night at the Lido buffet. We ate outside by the aft pool, but the music was so loud we decided to take our dessert back and enjoy it on our balcony as the ship left Hilo. The ship was scheduled to leave at 6:00 but was delayed slightly due to a medical evacuation.

A large variety of cakes were available but the only sugar free option was the Black Forest cake and it was all gone when I tried to get some. I did hear Kristen, the cruise director, commenting on how good it was so I was sorry I missed it. Bob opted for another Caribbean crepe and I helped myself to a bite of it.

The show on the main stage was a group called "Company Men" doing four-part harmony and was billed as "Motown Meets Boyband." After we left the theater we went to Billboard Onboard for the end of the set before returning to our cabin. The ship was on its way across the Pacific for the next five days so no need to set an alarm!

Kona

 Friday, February 9, 2024

Early morning approach to Kona on the Big Island.

The ship was anchored offshore by the time we went to breakfast. (There is no dock at Kona so the lifeboats are used as tenders to shuttle passengers to shore.) We ate outside by the aft pool but because the ship was stationary, there was no breeze and the smoke from the starboard side smoking section drifted over. It wasn't the most pleasant breakfast. 😒

Our backpacks were extra heavy because we packed snorkel gear, swimsuits and beach towels just in case we decided to stop at a beach. Bob was generous and once again carried mine AND his backpack (although he did make a comment in the elevator about being a pack mule.) 😄

Tender tickets were supposed to be available in BB Kings starting at 7:30 am but when we headed down to Deck 2 a crew member (actually Daisy from Guest Services) said no tickets were needed and we should go directly to Deck A. When the elevator doors opened we were directed to a line but I think we might have ended up in the middle of an already formed line. Things were moving quickly though so I don't think we were much of a problem.

As it was being loaded, the tender was bouncing and banging into the ship. I think it was one of the roughest tender boarding that I have experienced. As soon as I started to step over to the tender, it rose up. I paused just long enough that it came back down and then I quickly stepped over. With my bad knee I was worried that my leg would buckle and I would come crashing down.

The actual tender ride wasn't too bad once we untied from the ship and we reached the shore quickly. I had reserved a car from Enterprise and we were instructed to call them when we reached the shore and they would send a shuttle. I made the call and the lady I talked to said the shuttle was on the way already. We were to get picked up by a large banyan tree across the street from the dock. Just as I hung up from the call, the shuttle van was pulling in! The Enterprise office wasn't too far away but it was all uphill from the tender docks and would not have been a fun walk with our heavy packs.

Banyan tree near tender dock.

Taking care of the paperwork at the rental agency was quick and we were soon on our way. Somehow in the process of switching cabins I had lost my Chapstick so our first stop was at a nearby Walmart. The display of Maui potato chips right by the entrance door caught my eye and we purchased a bag of the onion flavored chips along with the Chapstick.

Our plan was to follow the Guide Along app tour but it was confusing trying to figure out just where the tour began. Using Google maps (and making a couple of wrong turns) eventually we hit the spot where the commentary began. We drove along the coast through the touristy part of Kona but had to skip some  of the spots that the Guide Along app suggested we stop just because there was no parking...Magic Sands, Blue Church, etc.

We did pull into Kahalu’u Beach Park and found one open parking spot. After we got out of the car I remembered that this was one place that was recommended for snorkeling and that I thought might be good to stop at later in the day. I also remembered (and saw a sign) that parking was $12 for 4 hours. As we were standing there a man approached us and started talking. He was a volunteer who was just there to give snorkeling advice and answer questions. I liked that the entrance into the water was easy (especially compared to the other well known snorkeling beach, Two-Step.) The man told us that the beach was extra crowded because there was a group of handicapped people who come once a month. I especially liked that they had a carpet laid out as a walkway into the water. The guy pointed out the sandy areas in the water where it would be OK to stand up to avoid stepping on coral and also told us that only reef-friendly sunscreen was allowed. They even had a free dispenser where you could get small amounts of the special sunblock. We left thinking we might return later in the day, but we didn't make it back.

The foliage we saw as we drove was nothing less than amazing! It is mind boggling to think how much effort we put into growing flowers and plants during the summer in Minnesota and in Hawaii they are tree sized and grow all year round!

The Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park was our next stop. It is the site of the first contact between Hawaiians and Westerners with the arrival of Captain Cook in 1779. Hikiau Heiau, a religious site, was located here and by looking across the bay we could see the Captain Cook Monument in the distance. The monument is only accessible by a long hike or by taking a guided kayak tour from one of three commercial vendors who have permits.

Zoomed in view of the Captain Cook Monument

The furthest south point on our drive was the Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (also known as a Place of Refuge.) Our lifetime America the Beautiful pass got us entry for free. A ranger led program was starting just as we arrived so we made our way to the amphitheater. One fact shared...the religious carvings are replaced about every 30 years and the ones there now are due to be redone in a few years. They are very gray and worn looking. The female ranger opened and closed her talk with a beautiful Hawaiian blessing.

While we were at the program a friend from home texted and said "where are you?" She went on to say that a 5.7 earthquake had hit the Big Island a little over an hour ago and the epicenter was in Pahala, about 30 miles from where we were! We hadn't felt anything but the captain confirmed the earthquake when we were back on the ship later in the day. After checking earthquaketrack.com it was apparent that earthquakes on this island are not a rare occurrence but this one was larger than most.

Our location in relation to earthquake (red marker)...about 30 miles.

Following the program we walked through the grounds of the religious site which was set on the lava rock beach. The Two-Step Beach I mentioned previously was just across the bay and we could see many people snorkeling from the rocky beach. (The beach's name, Two-Step, comes from the fact that the lava rocks formed a natural two step entrance into the water.) The sun was hot and my knee was getting sore so I let Bob explore to his heart's content while I headed back to the shade of the entrance building.

Two-Step Beach

When Bob returned, he asked the man working at the gift shop where we could find some place  for a picnic lunch. We were directed down a dirt road to a picnic area right on the beach. We found a picnic table overlooking the water and watched the waves crashing onto the shore while we ate the lunch we had brought along. Close to the water's edge were tide pools to be explored. The shade from the palm trees and the cool ocean breeze made for a very pleasant lunch.

Our picnic spot.

The Guide Along app suggested we next make a stop at the Painted Church. St. Benedict's Catholic Church was built in 1899 by Father John Veighe. At that time few Hawaiians could read or write so the priest taught lessons by painting murals using house paint on ordinary wood. The original art still remains and interestingly enough the one mural that has faded the most is of Hell.

The Guide Along app instructed us to turn off of the main highway onto Painted Church Road and said it would only be about 2 minutes to reach the church. We were so busy gawking at all of the amazing foliage growing along the narrow road that we drove right by the church. (In our defense, the sign was very faded and not easy to read.) 

We drove for some time still in awe at all of the flowers, trees, cacti, etc. growing along the roadside but finally realized that we must have missed the turn. We ended up making a large loop and eventually made it back to the church. There were only a few people there when we arrived and as I walked into the church one woman sitting in a pew began singing Amazing Grace. Truly a special moment!

St. Benedict's Catholic Church...the Painted Church 

Hell

The Handwriting on the Wall

The Temptation of Jesus

The day was going by way too fast. In order to get the shuttle back to the port we needed to be at the Enterprise car rental office no later than 4:00 pm. The traffic was horrendous (typical for Hawaii we decided) so it was good we allowed a little extra time for the return trip.

The clouds and rain that had been building over the mountains in the afternoon reached Kona about the time the shuttle dropped us off at the tender dock. Fortunately it was a short wait so we didn't get very wet. We grabbed a seat by the door when we got on the tender, just in time before the rain came down hard.

Dark clouds forming over Kona.

Back on the ship we hustled and got showers and changed in time to make it to our 5 pm dinner in the main dining room. The ship was still anchored and we had a nice view of Kona as we ate. We even got to see a small rainbow!

Our dinnertime view.

When we left the dining room we went out onto the promenade deck and walked outside from the back of the ship to the front where the elevator took us right up to our new room. The sun had just set and we sat outside on the balcony enjoying the orange glow in the sky.

The entertainment on the World Stage was Elliot Finkel whom we had just seen a couple of nights ago. Although he is a very talented piano player, the style of music he had performed just wasn't our favorite so we decided to skip the show. Bob watched a movie on TV while I updated my blog and got things organized for our next port, Hilo. This would be our last stop before five days crossing the Pacific.