We sailed in 2019, so this photo of cruising on the MS Noordam is now almost two years old. The ship was packed with plenty of travelers from around the world, but occasionally it was possible to get a photo with nobody else in sight. The glass panels just beyond the decking are for the pool area on the Lido Deck. Those panels slide open to create an entirely open space for the … [Read more...] about Friday Fotos – looking back at cruising on the MS Noordam
Travel Journal 2019
Friday Fotos – beauty everywhere at Easo, Lifou botanic gardens
When we began planning our trip to New Zealand, I laid down one rule—I would not fly both ways. The rule might seem kind of strange, but consider the two options—crammed in a jet for half a day or spend two weeks being pampered on a cruise. That’s how we wound up spending a month on the MS Noordam. One of our first stops on our return trip to the US from New Zealand was the … [Read more...] about Friday Fotos – beauty everywhere at Easo, Lifou botanic gardens
Travel Journal – May 8 – We (almost) did Diamond Head
In all the trips we’ve made to Hawai‘i, we’ve never hiked Diamond Head. With four days in Honolulu after our cruise, we decided to get adventurous and make the hike up Diamond Head. We’d heard stories about the climb and read up on what to expect. I would have liked to have done this hike earlier in the day, but we took the Hop on, Hop off bus to get here and were limited by … [Read more...] about Travel Journal – May 8 – We (almost) did Diamond Head
Travel Journal – May 4 – last day at sea
We’ve apparently survived the long journey from Sydney to Honolulu via cruise ship. Last night was our final gala night—and we missed it. There were lots of people dressed for the evening—for the men it was suits or sport coats and ties, and for the women it was cocktail or evening dresses. But, there are also many passengers who don’t participate in the gala evenings. Some … [Read more...] about Travel Journal – May 4 – last day at sea
Travel Journal – May 2 – Lautoka
Lautoka was a pleasant surprise—so lush and green and the people were very friendly. Our tour took us to a community center where we were greeted by a group of locals who sang and danced for us. As is the custom in this part of the world, our bus elected a chief, who spoke for us after the local chief welcomed us. This was also a kava ceremony, which is a local drink that’s … [Read more...] about Travel Journal – May 2 – Lautoka