World Cruise--Tauranga and Bay Of Islands

One of my fondest cruise memories is of Tauranga, New Zealand. The first time we visited on a ship, the town was in their cruise port infancy. They were so excited to have a cruise ship visit that at the end of the day they had encouraged the whole town to get out and line the shore as we departed to wish us well on our journey. At least I think it was for that. Maybe they were happy to see us go.

The town sits on a narrow finger of land extending out into the sea with beaches on both sides. The ocean side was breezy with waves large enough for some surfers to enjoy. The harbor side beach was calm and inviting to many by the afternoon for a swim.

At the end of the finger of land is Mount Maunganui, a 760 foot high “mountain” with a lookout at the top. Actually it is also an inactive volcano. This wasn’t our first visit so we knew that we didn’t have to climb up to enjoy and explore the mountain. There is a track (trail) that circles the mountain and is an easy walk that takes about an hour or so depending on how often you stop to enjoy the views of the water, neighboring outcrops of land, waves crashing against the rocks or even a couple of snorkelers after mussels or clams or something they were putting into their netted bag.

Once around the mountain, we followed the very nice boardwalk along the beach, taking in the fresh sea air and enjoying the mild but sunny temperatures. A UV index was posted by the access to the beach. It was reading a UV2 which according to their scale posted meant you didn’t need protection. My dermatologist would have had something to say about that I’m sure.

At lunchtime, we returned to the ship which was relatively empty since so many had taken long excursions for the day. There were quite a few that went to Rotorua, the city with all the hot springs and geysers, or “geezers” as our tablemates called them. Apparently that’s how it’s pronounced in England and Scotland. I had to chuckle every time they said they were going to see the geezers. Eventually I told them how we pronounced it and that geezers in America meant old men.

We relaxed the rest of the day. This was a stretch of four port days and we had one more to go. But I couldn’t resist another walk later in the afternoon. The weather was just too nice. I didn’t want to waste it. During the walk, we watched groups of teenagers competing in some long boat races. Lots of energy in those kids.

The next day found us anchoring out in the Bay Of Islands north of Auckland. It is another beautiful area of New Zealand and the place we stayed a few days to start our drive around the whole of New Zealand several years ago. The plan was to find our way to Haruru Falls and then to the wharf in Paihia to take the ferry to Russell and hopefully find the green lipped mussels we had enjoyed there in the past.

After almost an hour wait, we were able to get on a tender to shore. With 3,000 people all wanting a ride, it takes a while and excursions have priority. The tender dock was near the Waitangi treaty grounds where a significant treaty was signed with the Maori. There was the beginning of a track (trail) to Haruru falls just up the road from where we were so we headed out for that ignoring the admonition from the cruise port information lady who said it was an hour and a half out and the same coming back. We’d done that much walking before. Sounded like fun.

The trail was wonderful, a little up and down and rocky in parts but not bad at all and shaded most of the time although the temps were very comfortable anyway. At the three kilometer marker I was beginning to feel it though. No way to turn around it was only halfway. I popped the two Tylenol I’d put in my pocket into my mouth and downed them with some of my water.

At the four kilometer marker we got good news. The falls were only another kilometer away. At the beginning the sign had read six kilometers so it was really only five kilometers. I felt better already. Our information lady had promised restrooms at the falls. What she didn’t tell us was that they would be locked. A little disconcerting when we finally arrived.

We took a couple of pictures of the falls and watched a group of kayakers reach the falls and turn around. Bob got out his phone and opened his Uber app. “No available cars.” That would be the message several more times when he checked along the way as we followed the route mapped by Google to get us to Paihia, an hour and a half more of walking. This time there were a few more inclines but a nice paved pathway next to the busy road we had to follow. Half of it was in the shade but then the path crossed the street and we were in the sun for the rest of the walk.

Bob kept apologizing. He thought for sure there would be Uber service. At one point, I knew for sure we weren’t going to Russell for mussels. I told him so. The closer we got to Paihia, the more I hated the thought of giving up on those mussels. As we walked, I googled where to get the green lipped mussels in Paihia and sure enough, they were available at the wharf which is where we had to go to get the shuttle to the tender dock.

I was almost afraid to sit down at the patio restaurant. I was afraid I wouldn’t get back up. We had been walking for more than four hours with very little break. Whoever said the walk was an hour and a half one way had longer legs and a faster pace.

We had a bit of a wait for the mussels we ordered but it was a welcome rest. The mussels arrived and were every bit as good as remembered although this restaurant’s sauce had a bit more spice to it. Still, the mussels were large and tender and I was so glad we were able to get them.

The shuttle bus was only a couple hundred feet from where we ate and we got in line. They had quite a few shuttle buses for us so as soon as one was full, the next one pulled up. Well done Cunard and Paihia!

We boarded ship and collapsed on the bed for a couple hours before dinner. The next two sea days would be very appreciated.

World Cruise--The Land Of The Kiwis

 We arrived as the sun was rising and spreading its warm rays on the stately buildings of Auckland, New Zealand. Before us was the iconic Sky Tower. The cruise pier could not have been more conveniently located and the welcome to Auckland more spectacular as a tug boat sprayed water into the air to celebrate the maiden call for Queen Anne.

Before breakfast, we walked out on the promenade deck and watched our huge ship apply the “brakes” as it backed into the slip and gently moved to the pier. The shadow of the ship crawled up the side of the Hilton Hotel that is on the Princess Wharf. I wondered if those staying in the hotel were going to appreciate looking into the side of the ship for two days. We were due to stay overnight in port.

Our plan, made before the start of our cruise, was to take a ferry to Devonport which sits across the harbor. It is a little town that we had visited once before and since we’d done all the city tours in the past we opted out of pounding the pavement between the buildings.

The ferry docks were close by on the starboard side of our ship and a quick ten minute walk. Our hearts sank as we neared and saw a huge line but it turned out that it was the ferry to Waikeke Island which is almost an hour away but a very popular spot with beaches and other points of interest especially with it being a Saturday. Our ferry ride would only take twelve minutes.

Devonport was a little bigger than I remembered but still kind of quaint. One of the missions for the day was to find a hair salon. We walked several blocks and saw at least three barber shops and Bob suggested I could change my hairstyle. I’ve learned to ignore some of those comments. Around a corner, we found two hair salons and I looked them up on my phone. (We had opted into a day of international service from AT&T.) The prices made me gulp but then I remembered that it was NZ dollars and the US cost was only a little more than half of that and still a great savings over what the ship charges.

Luckily they had room for me in the one shop and I only had to wait a half hour. We grabbed a cup of tea at the café across the street and waited it out. A little more than an hour later I paid for my haircut and asked if I could leave a tip. She smiled sweetly and said, "Oh no. We don't ever accept tips." "But you did such a nice job." I insisted. She shook her head, "But thank you." I was feeling pretty good with a decent haircut and the rest of the day before us.

The information center in the ferry building had maps of the town as well as several choices for self guided walks. We picked up one that listed historical places along the waterfront which is lined with a park and we headed out. The last time we had attempted to walk the waterfront there it had started raining and we had even loaned one of our two umbrellas to another couple from the ship we were on who were unprepared. This time though, the weather could not have been nicer.

It turns out we weren’t really that interested in the history so much as enjoying the sunny day with mild temperatures and a breeze that turned a bit windy later but was oh so refreshing. The information lady had pointed out that at the end of the waterfront walk there was a naval museum and a little restaurant. It was a good long walk and by the time we arrived, we were hungry.

Bob had a great bowl of seafood chowder and I opted for a BLAT, a bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich. Both servings were huge but we managed to finish it all. Somehow it felt like real food from home. The ship’s food is good but after a while it begins to taste the same.

We meandered a bit through some side streets to get back to the center of town and in doing so passed by two cricket fields. We paused just long enough to watch a couple of hits and try once again to figure the game out. No luck. We moved on.

Back at the ferry dock there was a bit of a delay when one of the scheduled runs was canceled. No panic though. We had all day to get back and as long as we could sit to wait, we were good. When I looked at my phone’s pedometer, I saw we had already walked over five miles.  (It would be closer to seven by the time the day was done.)

Our evening entertainment on the ship was a Maori group who performed many of their traditional practices with sticks and balls on strings and even a love song which seemed a bit out of character for the fierce representation of the warriors. The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand, said to be Polynesians who arrived at the island around 1200 AD. They don’t exhibit the soft sweetness of the Polynesian traditions so much in their routines but then they had to be fierce and frightening in order to survive outside attack.

After the show, we went up on one of the top decks to see the city lit up at night. The Sky Tower was a silver silhouette and the Auckland Harbor Bridge was illuminated with multiple colors. A lovely night skyline.

The next morning we started off with what we jokingly refer to as a “laundry excursion.” The free laundry room is always an adventure. It is one of the sore points for many. The ship does not have one on every floor so they are in high demand, especially at the cost of the ship’s laundry. It has been the source of many hard feelings and even some intimidation. People removing laundry from dryers that aren’t done or jumping the line of waiting guests to claim a machine. It was reported by someone that one lady complained to a man who was using more than one washer (there’s supposed to be a limit of one washer/guest). He turned to her and told her he was not someone to mess with, he was dangerous. She reported him to the ship’s security. Don’t know what may have happened then. So far we’ve been okay. Only once found a lady unloading my washer before it was completely done. She never apologized. So, when we showed up at 8AM just as the laundry had opened, I was delighted to see no line out the door and one washer empty. It was a great excursion to begin the day.

By the time we exited the ship to find the Hop On Hop Off bus, it was misting. I hoped the whole day was not going to be like that. The Weatherbug had predicted partly sunny, no rain. When we found the stop for the HOHO, we realized it was the second, not the first, and there was no one there to sell you a ticket. We waited a bit to see if we might buy one on the bus but as we did, I suggested that the real itinerary for the day was the visit to the aquarium. Why not just take an Uber? It was probably cheaper and wouldn’t take as long to get there. We’d seen everything on this route once before.

So that’s what we did. It was about $10USD and a delightful driver who dropped us off at the entrance to the SEALIFE Kelly Tarlton Aquarium. Sometimes it pays to be old. We got senior rates to get in.

The aquarium is very nice and has a lot especially for kids to interact with. The feature attraction, at least for us, was the penguin exhibit just after you first enter. It is the only exhibit I recall of all the aquariums we have visited that has a collection of King Penguins, the really large ones that are harder to reach in Antarctica. They are so much fun to watch. Personalities emerge if you study them for a bit. I’m sure it’s fun for the caretakers.

There were a few other surprises. Several species of jellyfish were displayed that were new to us. I’m always entranced by the grace of the jellyfish as they dance through the water.

We came to a tank that had what appeared to be strange seahorses. They were called sea dragons and looked a bit like the leafy sea dragons we’ve seen but without the “leaves”. There were the usual tanks of colorful marine fish, large groupers, sharks and rays in a walkthrough clear tunnel and one large tank were we sat for a few minutes and watched some large sea turtles swim slowly back and forth. Marine exhibits can be mesmerizing.

After our aquarium visit, we walked along the water to Mission Bay. It has a nice beach area and plenty of beachside restaurants that line the main street. We finally settled on one that had a special on sandwiches and opted to split a club sandwich that was out of this world good.

Another Uber, a short walk to a convenient store for popcorn and nuts (I was craving popcorn. Bob needed cashews) and we were back at the ship. We would sail away at seven but not out of New Zealand. Tomorrow Tauranga!

World Cruise--More Tonga

The major portion of our excursion in Tonga was to be spent at Oholei Beach and Hina Cave. We drove down a graveled road and past a huge construction area and my heart began to sink. What was this place going to be like? We had to spend a lot of time here. Now I had done my homework before we ever booked this excursion way back before Christmas. I’d found reviews and even a video on the cave and beach experience. But now, I was beginning to wonder if what I’d seen was really going to happen.

The bus let us out right in front of the entrance to the “#1 Restaurant & Resort Oholei Beach”. The welcome could not have been warmer as the hostess in a beautiful deep sapphire blue skirt and top stood at the entrance and welcomed each of the visitors from the three buses that had delivered them. Inside were lots of tables, all covered in white cloths with pretty floral centerpieces set on a flowered cloth runner. It was a very large reception hall on two levels. Not a five star place (Bob pointed out later a set of wooden slats holding up a bulge in the ceiling) but very nice.

We all took seats and were entertained by the owner and his small band which included his youngest son (of eight children: “When you don’t have a TV” shrug) on the drums. He explained that a guide would take us to the cave and relate the history and legends of the cave. Then later, as some decided to start to the cave on their own, he said a guide would meet us there. So we started out.

The cave was 60 stone steps down to the beach and our group gathered inside the huge cave. This was what I had seen in the video but as our guide began to talk to us we learned that the traditional show that always took place in there could no longer happen. A tsunami in 2022 had completely cleaned out all the staging and lighting, etc. for any receptions or shows that used to take place there.

A rock formation that looked like a sleeping woman was said to be from a lost love. She turned to stone as she waited for her lover to return. He’d gone to Samoa. At least that’s the synopsis of the legend.

We didn’t spend a lot of time inside. It was just a great big cave at that point. We walked out to the beach where several people had already plunged into the water. I had packed a beach towel in case I wanted to walk on the water’s edge but I could see globs of seaweed and decided I’d wait for a little nicer beach. It didn’t stop others. I suspect many were the Europeans who were up at four a.m. to swim every morning in the outdoor pool onboard.

It was getting warmer and even the breeze was not helping as we climbed up the 65 steps (Bob claimed there were more going up than coming down). It was a slow go but we finally made it and found our seats inside again and purchased a bottle of cold water.

The band was still singing and playing but it soon paused so that the owner could give his testimony of how Jesus Christ had helped him through all the difficult times in his life. The “resort” was a family inheritance. His parents had owned it and ran it until his mother took ill and there was  no dialysis treatment for her on Tonga. He moved his parents and his family all to Australia where, with the treatments, his mother lived another 22 years. He then moved back to Tonga and saw the disarray the resort had fallen into. After much prayer for direction, they decided to clean it up and try to restore it. At this point, his children, several of whom had started entertainment careers gave up their lives in Australia to help their parents rebuild.

That would have been a great story right there but then came a cyclone, and another cyclone, and maybe even a third. Each time through prayer, he said, God answered and they rebuilt. In 2022 however it was even more devastating because of the tsunami that killed three of his workers and critically injured another. But God was still good. He sent World Central Kitchen that provided the help for him and several other restaurants in the area to cook over 3,000 meals a day for survivors.

Now I’m not sure exactly but I think because of that, someone helped by investing in their building of the resort. The plans are for a multi-million dollar construction project which was what we saw the beginning of as we entered. All of this story was interspersed with his constant praise for Jesus.

An invitation was extended for us to go outside to see a coconut demonstration where a young man quickly scampered up a coconut palm and cut two down. He opened them on a pick that was anchored to the ground. It was a little rough go since the coconuts were not entirely ripe but our hostess explained that every bit of the coconut was used for something.

From the palm tree we moved to the cooking pits where three pigs were roasting on spits in one. In the other were covered aluminum trays of food that had been cooking for a while underneath a covering of palm leaves. We sampled the steaming hot lamb, chicken, taro and sweet potato, all served on large banana leaves.

Back inside it took a little more time and the inside food was ready. It was quite a banquet and included one of the roast pigs. I was very surprised as the description of the tour said we were only to get some local fruit. This was an amazing banquet and was preceded with the owner saying grace.

After we were almost finished eating, the two sisters sang a couple of songs. I could see where they would have had entertainment careers. Their voices were amazing. Then the traditional dancers took over and we watched with awe as they explained and performed their motions and music. The women don’t sway their hips like the Hawaiian hula. The message of the song is communicated more with hand motions which were very delicate and graceful.

The owner announced that he had saved the best for last and in the back of the banquet hall appeared a young man of about ten years with a baton of fire. He managed that thing expertly, twirling and balancing, and even with some comedy attached. Quite an entertainer himself.

The staff was lined up as we left to say goodbye to each of us and I had the feeling that our afternoon had been more a gathering of friends, maybe even family, as we were warmly wished safety and blessings on our way to the buses.

Back at the ship, the morning dancers were back to entertain us and send us on our way as the ship left the pier and began its trip to Auckland.

The memories of the excursion and Tonga are going to last a long time.

 

World Cruise--Samoa And Tonga

Five days at sea. It would have been six but we lost February 13 to the International Date Line. Gone forever. Several hours later we would cross the Equator. We were in that little niche where the date line makes a zig zag and the equator is right near it.

Unfortunately there wasn’t much celebrating for me in the Equator crossing. I’m blaming the venison I had for dinner. I’ve never had venison before and decided to try it. I thought it tasted good but I was up all night. Let’s just say I won’t have venison again—at least not for a very long time. I thought I was doing well but the morning of our arrival in Samoa, I woke knowing I was not going to be able to go on our excursion. I was really disappointed but Bob, undaunted, promised to take pictures for me. I thanked him, sent him off and crawled back into bed.

When I surfaced again, I went out on our balcony. It was a pretty hot and humid day so I didn’t linger. There was really no reason to as we were docked at a container port and had no view of anything but shipping containers. I thought perhaps there would be a better view on the other side of the ship so I ventured out with my camera.

There was a little better view but not much. I could see a really pretty church and I took a picture from the ship, walked a little until the promenade deck was blocked because they were using the tenders. I suspect it was for security as they had hung the large banner warning other vessels to keep their distance. I was getting too warm and wondered how Bob was doing. Thankfully I saw him pack two water bottles. I only hoped he remembered to drink them.

When Bob returned, he gave me a full report of his adventure. The small bus had been air conditioned so it wasn’t too bad. They stopped at a few government buildings for pictures and then went on to the Robert Louis Stevenson home. He was a bit disappointed he said. While the restored house is original, nothing else in it was. It was all period furniture that may have looked like his. Or not.

Robert Louis Stevenson home

The real gem for Bob was the church I had seen from the ship. The inside was every bit as beautiful as the outside with wonderful stained glass windows and a lovely wooden paneled ceiling. I would have loved to see it. It was within walking distance but the sun had grown hotter and I didn’t think I could make it.

We said goodbye to Samoa and had another day at sea before arriving at Tonga, our next port of call. In all my research, I couldn’t get a good read on what Tonga would be like. Let’s just say that no one would have been able to describe the beauty and joy of the island.

My first look out the window made my heart swell with pleasure. We were docked at a pier with a long walkway, beautifully bordered by grass, that ended in a pretty building that looked like a welcome center. Below me, but hidden from my view because of the lifeboats, I could hear the Polynesian music. Different than in Hawaii and with a few yelps here and there, almost like a polka party.

I was feeling good and excited for our excursion to begin mid-morning. We received our stickers for our bus assignment and when called, filed out to the buses that were parked in a lot halfway to the big building at the end of the walkway. By the time we entered our bus, it was nearly full and the only choices left were seats in the back or on the wheel wells. Obviously there was not going to be A/C but the windows were open and there was a deliciously cool breeze blowing in.

Our tour guide, Morris, was a hoot. He looked like a college student but was all decked out in proper Tongan fare, a black skirt with a lacey kind of overlay and a black suit jacket. Later he had some sort of head piece made from coconut threads perhaps since they said they used every part of the coconut for all sorts of things like belts and items of clothing.

Our first stop took us round the block and just opposite the ship to the Royal Palace. We were cautioned not to stick our hands through the fencing to take a picture as it was considered very disrespectful. The better picture was actually taken from the ship.

There is a king and queen of Tonga and a royal family. We didn’t get much of the commentary from our guide as he was up front with no microphone and we were in back with the wind whipping in the window making it even noisier. So I can’t tell you much about the royal family as I don’t have enough internet time to research that. (Bob and I have to share our internet time and it gets a little difficult. We can only use one device at a time.)

Five minutes for pictures, which always turns into ten to fifteen by the time you unload and load 47 people, and we were on our way to the Royal Tomb. It was being renovated and there was a large barrier surrounding it so there wasn’t much to see for now.

On to Captain James Cook’s landing spot. Cook, who did a lot of exploring in the South Pacific including Australia and New Zealand, actually visited Tonga three times. He dubbed it the “friendly islands” as he saw a group of people welcoming him and with no animosity or threat. 

The sight at this spot marked where he came ashore on his third and longest visit. There used to be a large banyan tree where it is said he rested often. It since has been destroyed, probably by a cyclone, but a shoot from the tree has been preserved and is being nurtured to replace the large one.

Back on the bus, we were on our way to our major activity of this excursion, the beach and a cave.

World Cruise--Another Day In Paradise

Day two in Honolulu found us taking a taxi after breakfast to the airport to pick up a rental car Bob had reserved a couple days before. On our sea days, I had mapped a drive around the island to see some of the points of interest we had visited before. After our let down at the mall, I’d added a stop at a shopping center that was north of Honolulu and hoped for the best. It showed a nail salon and a barber but no price list.

The traffic was awful going to the airport and the taxi meter registered $50 including the tip that Bob gave. It was half of the cost of our rental car. It took us a while to get out of the traffic and headed north on the highway. We found the shopping center without much trouble and the salon and barber. The money we saved on the nails and haircut covered the cost of the taxi. So far so good.

Our first tourist stop on the way to the north shore of Oahu was the Dole Plantation. The place was packed and we had to park in overflow parking. We’d been here before and taken the tour so we just walked around a bit and enjoyed the free part of it that included a little garden of pineapple plants.

Waimea Falls was a place we wanted to revisit and we drove to where the park is. To our surprise, it was closed on Mondays. What? Should have done a little more research on that one.

Out on the road again, we pointed the car for the north shore beach that is the scene of all those exciting surfing contests. Actually all along the north shore it is like one long beach and even before we got to our destination, we could see the huge waves rolling in. Cars were parked along side the road for more than a mile with surf boards being unloaded and carried down to the shore.

Rather than park where the lot was officially for the beach, we joined the others and pulled into a spot on the side of the road and followed two girls who were headed for the beach. There was an alley way between the houses that allowed access.

The beach was amazing as were the waves rolling in and breaking along the shore. They were so large they dwarfed the surfers and it took a while to see that the little dots on top of the waves awaiting the right moment were actually people on surf boards.

We spent a little time there watching in awe and of course, I had to put my feet in. The water was not as cold as I thought it would be and I almost enjoyed a full body immersion when a wave ran into the shore farther than I expected. I was up to my knees in surf and hoping to keep my balance as the water ran back out and the sand around my feet shifted.

It would have been nice to linger but time was ticking and we were only half way around the island. Lunch was had at a food truck stop where the king of food trucks was Giovanni. Their specialty was shrimp and the truck is covered in signatures of those who have eaten there. We split a plate of lemon buttered shrimp and rice.

We followed the road that goes down the east side of the island and enjoyed stunning views of ocean, beach and lush green mountains. Our next stop was to be the Makapu’u Point light house. I’d taken a good picture of it from our whale watching boat and there was supposed to be a trail that led out to it. What the information should have said was “led UP to it.” We saw the trail leading up a mountainside which I guess led around to the other side for a view of the lighthouse. We drove on.

A quick stop at the blowhole to see that it really wasn’t blowing much and we began to worry that our time was running out. We had to have the car back and grab a taxi to get back to the ship by 5:30. Remembering all the traffic, we decided that we would skip going to see the snorkeling bay at Halona Beach Cove. As we passed by the park entrance, we saw it was closed as well. Does everyone get Monday off?

That left just one place that we weren’t sure we would have time for but it worked out to take just one really quick look at the Punchbowl Crater where the national cemetery is. The graves aren’t marked with white tombstones as they are in other national military cemeteries.

The traffic wasn’t as bad as the morning had been and we made it to the airport with about an hour to find a taxi and get to the ship. The problem arose in getting the taxi. The line for the taxis was already long and there was only on or two taxis showing up at a time. There must have been a lot of arrivals because by the time we got in line, it had almost doubled. We waited a good twenty minutes before a bunch of taxis began showing up and eventually we got one, a good one. He took us a different route to the ship and it only cost $40 including tip. We arrived 45 minutes before the passenger deadline for boarding before sail away. It did give us a little scare though. A little more traffic and we would have been flying to Samoa.

 

World Cruise--Day One In Paradise

Sunrises. Sunsets. Blue skies. Warm breezes. It doesn’t get much better than that. Our two days in Honolulu couldn’t have been more perfect where the weather was concerned. We had arranged through Viator for a whale watching tour with Majestic by Atlantis Cruises. I love the options you get by booking through Viator. Not only is it usually less expensive than a ship’s excursion but they don’t charge your credit card until 48 hours before the tour and it gives you the option to cancel without penalty before that which allows for flexibility if the ship’s itinerary should change or the weather looks to be bad that day.

The whale watching boat was only an eight minute walk from our ship. We had a leisurely breakfast and then walked to the boat and beyond to the Aloha Tower. There was a marketplace there where we thought we might grab a coffee and look in the shops. We didn’t count on it being Sunday and since the area was associated with the Hawaiian Pacific University, there were no students around for classes and the shops were closed. We found one lone coffee café open and purchased some drinks then sat down to call our AT&T service who had shut down our data usage.

Long story but the crux of it was that in order to avoid charges for Cellular at Sea, we had to place our phones in airplane mode on the ship to shut down any data roaming even if data roaming was turned off which was our usual procedure for a cruise (a hundred cruises and this was a first). Something had obviously changed either with our service or with the way Cellular at Sea works. It was a costly discovery but thankfully AT&T shut it down until we figured it out.

Our data problem worked out, we wandered around a bit and then received a message that we could board the Majestic at 10:45 for our 11:30 tour. We headed to the boat, showed our voucher for our tickets and boarded a very large three decker boat with an open deck on top. The lower decks had inside tables, the first deck set up for kids’ activities and the second with a bar and snack food including sandwiches. We made note of that and decided we would have lunch a bit later.

By the time we made it out of the harbor, the sea was a little choppier but not too bad. Our naturalist told us that we would head for Diamond Head as there were whales reported to be seen there. We did not expect to see a lot here in Honolulu since most of the whales made their way to Maui where there was a larger and more protected area for them to calve their babies.

Actually we told ourselves we didn’t care if we saw whales or not. It was such a pleasant day and the views of Honolulu and the mountains behind it were lovely. I had a Hallmark moment when I saw the pink hotel from one of their movies.

Suddenly fingers pointed and our naturalist directed our attention to a spout where a whale had surfaced. We moved closer and I think the whales moved a bit closer to us as well. 

We floated around for about an hour, moving once in a while to get closer to the small pod of whales that surfaced on occasion. Several times we saw a tail flip into the air as one would dive. There were no breaches and in all our times whale watching we have never seen one. We were surprised however years ago when we were boating out to a dive spot near Maui and suddenly one breached straight into the air next to our small dive boat. We all sat stunned by the suddenness and wonder of it all.

Our whale watching over, we started back to the ship. There was a shuttle that would take us to the Ala Moana shopping mall. A huge mall (several football fields long/wide), we thought it was sure to have a nail salon and a barber to meet our needs. When we started roaming the mall, I realized there was little chance that what we would find would be anywhere near our comfort zone in pricing. The stores were all upscale, Nieman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Rolex, Gucci, etc. Sure enough the nail salon and barber shop we found were just as expensive as the ship’s offerings.

It wasn’t a wasted trip though. We found a Cinnabon and had two good coffees and some small bons before walking a mile to find the shuttle stop again. The mall was really confusing and was three floors as well. We made it though and were dropped off at the cruise terminal in time to shower and dress for dinner and watch a glorious sunset.

World Cruise--A Rainy Day In San Francisco

Pulling the drapes open, we looked out a pouring rain and wind whipping it around. A check of the Weatherbug showed that it wasn’t going to get much better. But…the Weatherbug hadn’t been quite right the day before so we went off to breakfast hoping that perhaps there would be enough of a break that we could finish our wish list for San Francisco.

By the time we were done with breakfast, the weather app’s radar was showing the promise of a possible short break. We took our insurance umbrellas, dressed for the cooler weather and headed out to find the cable car by Fisherman’s Wharf to ride into the heart of the city.

The cable cars have been in operation for over 150 years. There was a time where they faced extinction but thanks to the efforts of a group of dedicated people, they were saved and continue to operate to the amazement of all who come to ride them.

There are several loops of cable that run through the city. The cars hook into the cable and are pulled up the streets, some of which are very steep. A driver in front and a brake man in back, they work in tandem to slow the car on descent and move forward up the hills. It’s quite an operation especially when the traffic causes havoc. During one of our rides, a car played chicken at an intersection. We stopped suddenly and the operator laughed and said, “You can’t make this stuff up.”  (I’m sure he wanted to do and say something more than that.)

Our first cable ride took us to within a block or two of a Target store where we managed to find the rest of the things we needed that weren’t behind lock and key like at the CVS and Walgreens. Bob’s backpack full, we headed back, now in the rain, to the cable car turnaround.  We decided to take a short cut through Bloomingdale’s with Bob’s admonition that we weren’t buying anything. Too bad. Everything was on sale as it was going out of business. We did pick up a free bag for our umbrellas which worked out well since they were drenched and dripping.

The turnarounds are platforms that the cable car pulls up on, is disengaged and the operators get out and manually turn the car on the turntable to head in the other direction. It’s all done quickly. The car is loaded with passengers again and it goes on its way.

This time we got off the cable car at the stop for the museum and the central operation. Giant wheels and gears moved the cables throughout the city. There were several older historical cable cars on display but the main attraction is just the amazing operation of the whole thing. The other amazing thing is that it is free admission for the museum.

We waited in the rain at another intersection near the museum that would take us closer to Pier 39 where we wanted to stop for lunch. The umbrellas may not have insured it wouldn’t rain but they did protect us pretty well.

The cable car finally came. They are usually about 20 minutes apart but this was not high tourist season so it may have taken a bit longer.

We reached the end of the line and walked down to the Wharf. Rain was coming down pretty hard now and we started to pass a restaurant with outdoor seating where two guys were encouraging people to come in and eat.

“Indoor seating?” Bob asked. The guys nodded and pointed to the door.

Inside was a bit like you would expect a seaside restaurant that had been there for a long time. We would discover later that it was a third generation operation. When business is slow you get to talk to owners. He was fascinated with us taking such a long cruise and was looking forward to his first soon, a much shorter one. He cheerfully split our cup of clam chowder and the lobster roll we ordered for the two of us to share. I couldn’t decide if it was because business was slow and he was happy to have us or if it was our white hair and age since he’d lost his mother not long ago but we felt well taken care of.

As we started out, Bob mentioned that we wanted to try taking a Waymo, a driverless taxi, and asked where the best place to call for one was. Bob had already downloaded the app which was  bit like the Uber. The manager told us to just stay under the over hang outside that when we ordered it, it would pull up in front of the restaurant.

Sure enough it was about five minutes later, a white Jaguar with all the paraphernalia of the driverless car stopped in front of us. On the top of the cab was a rotating bubble that had Bob’s initials flashing to indicate that it was our Waymo.

To get in, you had to push an unlock button on the app and the handles popped out of the doors. We got into a very nice clean car with several display screens, one in front (as if a driver would use it) and one between the front seats facing us with a welcome message and a spot to touch to start our journey when we were ready.

A nice smooth female voice told us to sit back and enjoy the ride and instructed us that we needed to secure our seatbelts for safety. We did that and the car proceeded forward.

At first it was kind of a weird sensation knowing there was no one in the driver’s seat. I watched as the steering wheel turned to take us down another street. Marveled at the stops it made for traffic lights and stop signs and smiled as other tourists were snapping pictures of the car, just as fascinated as we were.

The pier for our ship was only about a ten minute ride and the car pulled up to the curb opposite it. I don’t think they are allowed on the pier like a regular taxi. The voice told us we’d arrived and thanked us without ever asking for a tip. Bob also marveled that the “driver” spoke English.

Since our ride was short, we didn’t get to explore some of the other features of the car like choosing our own music or asking for help like our friends did when the car wouldn’t go down the famous crooked street of San Francisco. Apparently there are some places it’s not allowed.

While I thought I would be fearful of the ride, once it began, I relaxed and really enjoyed it. Maybe I could get used to some new technology after all.

We decided to delay dinner so that we could watch as we sailed out of the bay under the Golden Gate Bridge. Our departure was delayed for almost an hour. Not sure why but soon we were on our way after the sun had set. It was way too cold and windy and rainy to go out on the deck to take pictures although some brave souls did. My picture was through a rainy window.

San Francisco had turned out to be a whole lot more fun than we had ever expected, even in the rain.