Author Archives: dalnamills

Ok. Dinner with captain was the 9th. Days are running together. Time is weird also. We are always changing our clocks a hour backwards or forward. We are going over the international dateline soon and that will really take some doing on that on our various phones, iPads, and watches. Started a class in printmaking. Played bingo and won a prize. Will have a spa day that includes lots of services including a jacuzzi and a sauna. Getting lots of information from the New Zealand and Australians about what to see there. Lots of the passengers are professional travelers and are good about sharing their experiences. Tonight there will be a Chinese New Year’s party dinner out by the pool. Tomorrow is a Super Bowl party and we are supposed to be watching the game live. We are nearing New Zealand so should have good coverage connections. There was a talk offered today to explain football to non Americans. Wish someone would explain rugby!

Sea is calmer and everyone is happier. Big surprise! We were invited to sit at the Captain’s table for dinner! It was so much fun. There were 12 at the table and I am enclosing the menu. I was placed at the Captain’s right side. He just got on the ship in Papeete (the first time! He is from Italy and now lives in Lima with his wife. She is delightful and travels with him.

Another stormy sea day. Either things are a little better or I am getting sea legs. What wonder if I will walk weird in land. Sending some various pictures I got sent over from Colinda while my phone was dying.

Whew! Big waves! Lots of whitecaps! Throw up bags placed in elevators and stairs. Walking around careening into sides of the walls! Not many in dining areas. Activities are still in place so lots of things to get to. Colinda gave me a book she just finished. It is VERY thick so will be read a lot for the next few days.

Familiar territory! Went back and found a shop that could put a new battery in my IPhone within the day! No longer running out of juice in the middle of a tour after only a few hours. Captain announced there would be another change plans based off the way the storm was changing course. Storm picking up speed and intensity. We are leaving at four and heading straight down away from the storm through wind , rain, and up to 12 foot waves. We will not go to the Cook Islands as originally scheduled and instead will go south for a while, and then will turn northward and go to New Zealand. This means five days at sea.

Spent first day at this beautiful island completely wiped out from yesterday. Stayed in ship. Tomorrow we have a big day at a beach snorkeling. Also the tour includes an underwater aqua safari walk. At dinner it was announced that there was a huge tropical storm coming our way and we would be going back to Papeete dock.

Woke up to a beautiful island. Very lush and green. Took a bus tour around the island. First stop was a pearl farm. Showed us how the pearls are made by seeding the oysters and letting them grow the pearl for 18 months. Next stop was at the sacred site of Polynesia where all the islanders came to meet and decide on matters that they all had to discuss. Raiatea claims to be the island that all Polynesians come from. At the sacred site we experienced a tropical downpour and I found out that my raincoat does not keep any rain off. So went back to ship soaking wet again. Two days wet from different reasons!

Start of another leg of the tour. People coming and going. Papeete is on Tahiti Island. Very big busy city. Could see Burger King sign from the ship! (No Dr. Pepper). Tried to get a new battery for my IPhone. Also tried to buy a new iPhone: Struck out on both. Could not connect to my server here. So went shopping at the big center instead. Lots to see. Hot and very humid. Went back to ship wet all over. Dripping. Good show to lounge. All the new and old talent showed their stuff. Big yacht parked across from us. Someone said they looked it up and it cost thirty million dollars.

Strange day. Going from one island to another in an hour or so. Got to Papette, French Polynesia. Also known as Tahiti. We left at one and docked at two thirty. This was the last day of part two of the trip. People left included Nigel and the captain. Captains get two and a half months at sea then two and a half months on shore because of the stress of the job. We will have 570 passengers for part three. That is just about how many we had in part two. Colinda and Janis went snorkeling. I stayed aboard and spent $57.60 trying to get my main credit card activated. Phone kept breaking off. I got the card activated finally. We are docked with two other cruise ships right down town. I can see a Burger King all lighted up. Wonder if they have Dr. Pepper. Tour around the island tomorrow afternoon. Shopping in am.

Oh boy! Now we are really getting adjusted to island living. Lots more people here than the other islands we have visited. Had a three and a half hour tour of island highlights. Bountiful flora and fauna and gorgeous sea views. Moorea is in view of Tahini where we will be going tomorrow. There is a ferry daily and many people commute to Tahiti for work. Lots of agriculture here. Berkeley has an extension here for ocean studies Big green island with lots of old volcanoes surrounded by coral reefs that make a beautiful huge lagoon around it. Patty, sorry to say Club Med closed in 2012 and is falling down . Lots of five star hotels available. Last night we ate on deck and were treated to a floor show of Polynesian dances. Lots of costume changes and hip swinging! We all loved the show!Even a passing shower didn’t slow anything down.