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World cruise

December 2023 - May 2024
A 136-day adventure by Jane Read more
+17
  • 120footprints
  • 25countries
  • 136days
  • 585photos
  • 21videos
  • 64.1kkilometers
  • 2.0kkilometers
  • 788sea miles
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  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 23

    Sea Day 3

    January 13, North Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    Third day of morning wildlife watch. So far just 3 unidentified birds. Seas have been moderately rough and skies overcast. But there was a rainbow!

    One of our enrichment programs--La Vuelta-- explained why Magellan's ships went around the world rather than to India and back as was planned. Once in the Spice Islands area his ships could not find any easterly winds so his ships continued west. Later, since Portugal controlled the waters around the Spice Islands and to the west, Spain wanted to find a way to sail across the Pacific to the Spice Island area and back east across the Pacific to Mexico and then Spain. It took 5 failed expeditions (the ships were lost, the sailors died en route or the Portuguese captured them because they gave up and sailed west) for someone (Lope Martin--a freed slave we've never heard of) to find the easterly winds at the higher latitudes. What they don't teach you in history books!

    Russell Lee, who presented the program is an award winning writer. Among other things he has done world wide training for Hewlett-Packard. I can attest that he is a fantastic speaker.    Read more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 24

    Sea day 4

    January 14, North Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Wildlife watch report: one bird, a white tropicbird. Three humpback whales just before I arrived.

    Interesting presentation by Claudia Harbarth, an earth scientist, on how the sun influences weather on earth. As you probably know we have cycled into a period of high sunspot activity affecting the earth 's electromagnetic fields making it more likely for us to see aurora australis as we head south.

    The astronomer gave a history of manned spaceflight. Made me a little nostalgic when he discussed the Gemini program..

    We also have entertainment-- music, dancers, theatre every evening at 9 pm-- getting close to my bedtime. I managed to stay awake for the magic show.

    Stargazing with the astronomer is set up at 10 pm once the clouds clear. Having fun is hard work.    Read more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 25

    Tomorrow Hawaii

    January 15, North Pacific Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    While awaiting Hawaii I attended a presentation on the Bayeux tapestries embroidered in the late 11th century commemorating the victory of the Normans over the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Hastings. The tapestry is 230 feet long and 2 feet high. It is a wonderful pictorial history made when few people could read. The pictures are on the stairwell so there is a grab bar across each of them. I also attached a somewhat whimsical animation from the ship museum. It is 4 minutes long but this app will only accept 1 minute. If you want to see the rest let me know and I will try to email itRead more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 27

    Honolulu!

    January 17, North Pacific Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Here we are in Honolulu.

    There were a lot of choices for activities today. I chose the Tropical Rainforest Nature Walk. We went in the mountains to a botanical garden with beautiful plants. Most plants in Hawaii are not native-- they are called " canoe plants." The Polynesians brought them over by canoe and, of course, later visitors brought them by boat and plane. Hawaii used to produce sugar cane and pineapples for export and the pineapple and sugar oligarchs persuaded the US to overthrow the monarchy to ensure their profits. Now those crops are no longer profitable so coffee, chocolate and tourist momentoes are the major products.

    The guide was very knowledgeable--more than I could comprehend. I think Martha would have recognized far more plants than I did and peppered him with questions.    Read more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 27

    Good-bye Honolulu

    January 17 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We pulled out of Honolulu this afternoon so I took a quick trip downtown. I am sad to say I saw a lot of condominiums and familiar American chain stores. On the bright side I added several new birds to my life list: a zebra dove, a red vented bulbul, a common mynah and a red crested cardinal (really a tanager).Read more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 29

    On to French Polynesia

    January 19, North Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    In four days we will arrive at Bora Bora, the first island stop in French Polynesia. Meanwhile, what are our shipboard activities?

    We took a "behind the scenes" tour of the ship which covered services except the engineering and ship guidance. The restaurant area was amazing. Besides the actual food preparation and cooking they must store all the food. The logistics are overwhelming. For example 70,000 bottles of wine a voyage. Sometimes promised supplies don't show up when they pull into port. The hotel manager described their first trip to Costco--a sort of emergency run. He sent a representative over with $30,000 cash. All went smoothly until check out. No Costco card. So the mate bought the cheapest card--a personal one. Think of the credit at the end of the year--unfortunately he didn't get to keep it!

    The laundry area featured a machine that automatically washed, ironed and folded towels, sheets and pillow cases. I wonder how many hotels have one.

    We had presentations on "Mutiny on the Bounty" and albatrosses (I am still waiting to see one).    Read more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 30

    Crossing the Equator

    January 20, North Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    We celebrated crossing the Equator today by dunking those who had never crossed into one of the swimming pools. I hid!

    We had a wonderful presentation on "Moby Dick." Herman Melville wanted to write a novel about whaling, obsession with revenge
    and truth. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Shakespeare influenced his writing style--one of the reasons the text is so dense. In fact he and Hawthorne were good friends. The book was not well received in England (where they left off the last chapter) or the US. It was not until the early 20th century when it achieved literary acclaim.
    William Faulkner said he wished he had written the book himself and D H Lawrence called it one of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world. I was never able to get past the first chapter.    Read more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 32

    Another Sea Day

    January 22, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    We toured the Bridge, the brains of the ship, today. We saw all the controls and learned about the multiple back up systems. Despite all the automation they still have one crew member whose job is to scan the sea for large animals and floating debris.

    Our astronomer discussed meteors, meteorites and comets. By the way, the Bayeux tapestry I described a few days ago has Haley's comet at the beginning. I believe it is in the clip of the animation I included.

    Also the cultural anthropologist described Polynesian art. The Polynesians combine stone or wood carvings made by the men with. plaited tapas made by the women. They feel there is a spirit alive inside the pieces.

    Nautical trivia: Keel hauling was a severe naval punishment. The delinquent sailor was tossed overboard and dragged from one side of the boat to the other underneath the keel. The term is still being used to describe a rough reprimand.    Read more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 32

    Wildlife Rescue

    January 22, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    A little excitement in the wildlife watch-- a bird rescue. A sooty tern flew into the ship and was trapped by the door. They cannot fly straight up because of the way their feet are oriented. So Stephen Marsh, our wildlife expert, wrapped his vest around him, took him to the ship's railing and off he flew!
    One of my shipmates said this voyage is like being on a floating university without the exams. Last night we heard about extreme life forms, origin of life on earth, and possible areas in our own solar system for life. This morning our resident historian gave us insight about early traveling by describing the around the world travels of Isabella Bird. Then we heard about endemic birds of Polynesia. This evening the archeology and ancient culture of Tahiti.    Read more

  • TravelerWorld cruise
    Day 33

    Bora Bora -- Viatape

    January 23 in French Polynesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Finally land! Bora Bora is one of the leeward islands in the French Polynesia archipelago. One of its adjacent islands was the first one settled and it is thought that all Polynesian ancestors passed through this island on their way to other lands like Hawaii and New Zealand. Because it is leeward it is a bit dry. Ironically we had some rain.

    None the less I walked around a bit and we had a boat cruise around the island. I think tourism is their economic base. On our boat tour we saw blacktipped reef sharks and rays. They affectionately named the sharks after American presidents. You may be able to see them in the video if you look carefully.    Read more

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