• JudyfromMoody
  • Laura Folk
  • JudyfromMoody
  • Laura Folk

Hawaii & down to New Zealand

Its been 3 years since we were on a cruise ship. We took the extra points and will be cruising with our friends, Rick and Darla plus Laura and Wayne. We'll travel from Hawaii to Fiji, Bora Bora then to Australia and back to New Zealand. Læs mere
  • Start på rejsen
    24. november 2022

    Heading to Honolulu

    24. november 2022, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    Bed 12:15
    Alarm 3:00
    Pulled out of Eagles Nest 4:10
    Arrive at Tyler Pounds Airport 4:30
    All checked in and heading to DFW and then Honolulu 4:38

    I can’t wait to hand out these homemade Turkey Tootsie Roll pop to some AA employees today as we fly. I am thankful for the ability to fly, to travel and to explore this world.Læs mere

  • Luggage and new friends

    24. november 2022, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Our flight to Dallas was extra long because of intense rain in the metroplex. But we got through it.

    We enjoyed meaningful conversations with 2 new passengers and hearing their life experiences.

    The nonstop flight to Honolulu was 8 hours. Long. We talked at length to one flight attendant that joined TWA back in the day.

    Because Glenn and I only got 3 hours of sleep Wednesday night. we did sleep off and on. I watched Father of the Bride and my favorite, Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

    We met George from Sulfer Springs, Texas who met his wife in the military in Hawaii and was returning with family members to celebrate and walk down memory lane. Note the matching shirts.
    All of our luggage arrived, however my big piece was heavily damaged. Glenn got a form to fill out and return to AA. In the mean time duc tape will have to work.

    We took an Uber ride to Stephen and Daisy’s home, a couple we met with A Candle in the Window. It was about 4pm and their Thanksgiving dinner family celebration was winding down. There were tables set out in the yard, kinds running wild and playing games then about 25 adults sitting around talking. A fun filled home.

    This is our home for the next two days. A small traditional Hawaiian 🌺 family that is full of love and character. Daisy homeschools 3 of her 4 kids. Stephen is a night nurse. The Rohrs attend a small Southern Baptist church. They are loaning us their car on Friday so we can visit Pearl Harbor.
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  • Dads apartment in 1952

    25. november 2022, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Dad was stationed in the army back in 1952. They lived in this apartment C. It’s still here.

    And in typical Judy and Glenn style. We knocked on the door. Met the tenet.

    We FaceTimed dad with the tennet. He loved it. Dad paid 85.00 a month. Now the rate is 1,100 per month. She said there had been some recent upgrades with AC unit installed.Læs mere

  • Waikiki

    25. november 2022, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Wonderful afternoon with Wayne and Laura.

    After the Memorial, we cautiously directed Glenn back downtown near Wayne and Laura’s hotel. We had read reviews of a Bonzi burger at a mall. We found the place. Good burgers and fries. We walked around. Then I wanted to see Waikiki beach. Check that off my bucket list.

    After dropping off Wayne and Laura at their hotel, we filled up the car with gas. 5.19 a gallon. Next your standard photo of us with Diamond Head in the background.

    Fun filled day
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  • Kauai Excursions by Darla

    27. november 2022, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Sunday morning we arrived into island of Kauai

    Rick and Darla picked up a large 6 seater car for us to explore the island. Also we had a guided tour through the radio that gave us rich history of the island. We saw three different waterfalls, stopped at a Buddhist temple that just closed and walked down a path of Rainbow eucalyptus trees.

    For lunch we stopped at a fish food truck and ate right there on the picnic table. Glenn ordered a “tacos a pastor”. Delicious.

    We made a quick stop along the side of the road on a golf course to cut up the walnut banana bread that Laura had purchased at the first waterfall stop.

    Fun day. Bad jokes by Glenn. Lots of laughs.
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  • Relaxing day and travel to Maui

    29. november 2022, Forenede Stater ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Sunday after returning from our afternoon adventure with our friends, we came back to the state room for a quick Power Nap - however we slept from 4:30-6:30. We slept through our dinner reservations at Gagneys.

    Monday, we stayed on the ship. We had breakfast in The Windows and then for lunch we were joined by Jon and Cindy Edwards. We sat there from 12 noon til 2:30. The Spirit left the dock at 1:30 and we were at the back on the boat. It was a cloudy and raining day

    We attended the 8:30 showing after our wonderful Cagney steak dinner. We recognized the manager of the restaurant as benign on The Spirit with us in 2020.

    This morning was a beautiful sunrise as we ate bfast out on the deck.

    Glenn is trying to watch as much of the World Cup as he can. Yesterday after riding the stationary bike and watching 1 game, he watched another game while soaking in the jacuzzi and the game was on the big screen.
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  • The Big Island

    30. november 2022, Forenede Stater ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

    What a fantastic day.

    Glenn was the designated driver. A quick drive through a Japanese garden and Banyon trees.

    We took a side trip to a quaint and winding road with lots of waterfalls and 1 lane wooden bridges.

    We stopped at Drive-in Tex for a Hawaiian donut.

    We continued on and stopped at some lava caves. Cool.

    Then back to the port by way of a lava flow.
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  • Sea Days 1 and 2

    30. november 2022, North Pacific Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    We headed out of Hilo Hawaii and was connected for the longest time as we traveled near the Hawaiian coast line. I talked with Karen.

    Our first sea day was busy with Cruise Critics Meet and Greet and also the Latitudes Social where we meet the big officers of the ship. We also met Pier and his wife from Canada. He’ll be riding his bicycle from Acapulco to Canada next April.

    And at dinner last night, we met Kristen from Michigan. While at dinner I was able to receive text messages and learned about moms fall.

    During the magic show, Sherrie texted me again with additional and helpful information about moms surgery. At the same time we went to the internet guy so he could set up my iPhone and he told us that iPhone to iPhone can receive text messages. That’s extremely good news.

    On the 2nd Sea Day, Glenn and I met Mike and Terry from Frisco, Texas. We invited them to the worship service we’ll be doing on Sunday.

    I went up to the Sit and Stitch and visited with Laura and chatted with Joshlynn from Canada.

    We watched the last half of Its a Wonderful Life. And played 2 rounds of Left, Center Right. I won the second game.

    We can not receive emails and attachments unless we sign in and use some “free” minutes we are allowed - not very minutes

    I’ll add more photos when I’m connected to Wi-Fi while on the land. Meanwhile we have 2 more Sea days.
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  • Day 3 and 4 at Sea

    4. december 2022, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    2 more relaxing days at Sea.

    We had dinner on Saturday night with Rick and Darla plus Wayne and Laura. We then went to the 8:30pm show.

    Another round of L, C, R. We lost.

    Glenn and I hosted the worship service, then got the 2nd half of England vs Some Africa team. England won.

    We enjoyed sunset dinner. I’m trying potato pot pie for dinner.

    The Edwards are not going on the excursion tomorrow, so we’re trying to find a replacement for them so they don’t loose their money.

    Tomorrow Glenn and I will be swimming with the sharks, snorkeling off of a catamaran, and cruising around the small island of Raiatea, French Polynesia.

    We just ran into an employee that worked on the NCL Star that we were on in 2017. This is the cruise where we “were a drift at sea” where the isopods went dead and we completely missed New Zealand and got fully refunded.
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  • Raiatea, French Polynesia

    5. december 2022, Fransk Polynesien ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Perfect and fun day. Check this off my bucket list. I swam with the sharks. Glenn and I are on an all day excursion with Darla.

    Then we went to a vanilla farm. Learned a lot.

    Then snorkel. Beautiful.

    Lunch. And Pearl farm.
    Mauro helped me navigate thru the corals. He was the best.

    It was a very special day.
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  • Biking on Bora Bora

    6. december 2022, Fransk Polynesien ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Today was all about renting a moped scooter to tool around this beautiful island.

    We had to walk about 1/2 mile to find a family owned business. $50.00 for the whole day. It only took us 2 hours to drive around with stops.

    At first I was sitting behind, then we switched and I sat in front with Glenn still driving.

    We tried to get on Wi-Fi at st James restaurant but I wasn’t successful.
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  • Moorea Island

    7. december 2022, Fransk Polynesien ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    The name of this island is Moorea, which means “love”. Personally, I think it is just as beautiful as Bora Bora.

    We contracted a gal with 10 passenger van to take 2 other couples around. One couple (mike and Ann) from DC - use to work for Washington Redskins.

    A view from a mountain top.

    We stopped at a pineapple distillery.

    Then several stops along the road.
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  • The US Embassy

    8. december 2022, Fransk Polynesien ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    As we’re we’re finishing bfast, Glenn ran into Jon and Cindy Edwards. We had dinner together the first night in Honolulu and then again 2 days later.

    After that, we never saw them. Cindy tested positive for Covid and was in isolation down on the 4th floor. The next day, Jon joined Cindy. They were in “prison” the whole trip. Quarantine! Their initial plans were to get off here in Tahiti and stay at a resort for 2 nights.

    We are here in Papeete, Tahiti for the day. We found a farmacia for a bandaid for Glenn, then we stumbled upon the US Embassy-McDonalds. - no Wi-Fi.

    So we walked along the boardwalk and found a cute cafe called Wonderland. We chatted with Ellen via video. Then we walked along the boardwalk. It’s pretty hot here. We walked back to the boat among the crowd that was embarking today. Lunch in The Windows!
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  • Shark Tank

    9. december 2022, Fransk Polynesien ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Today, we swam with sharks and stingray. Pretty cool. We went to 2 coral gardens and watched the G bcorals and colorful fishes.

    Then another place where the sharks and stingrays would swim right between our feet. Way too cool.

    We had sushi for lunch as our guide showed us how he prepared the tuna with lime and vegetables served in the coconut CV bowl..
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  • Bora Bora Snorkling Day

    11. december 2022, Fransk Polynesien ⋅ 🌧 77 °F

    Wow! Wow! and Wow!

    A full day of swimming with stingrays and sharks.

    It was snorkeling in the reefs. I held onto Glenn’s hand as he guided me through the corrals. At one point, the guide had given us some stale bread to feed the fishes. The beautiful striped fishes were swarming around Glenn’s hand.

    We had a banquet feast where the main dish was an whole pig cooked underground. We had fresh pineapple, tapioca root, bananas and bar b que fish served on large green palm leaves. We ate with our fingers. The color of the blue waters here is indescribable. And the water is so so C.L.E.A.R.
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  • Dravuni, Fiji

    17. december 2022, Fiji ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    This day, we stopped at the island (population 250) and only 1 mile long. Lots of good snorkeling nearby.

    Glenn and I paid 10.00 each for a 30 min boat ride around the island.

    The water was so so clear. Unbelievable.

    We returned to the NCL Spirit for a quiet afternoon.

    We’ve been meeting new friends and enjoying the SEA days ahead, before landing in Sydney Australia.
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  • Sea Days

    20. december 2022, Coral Sea ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were Sea days.

    We played LCR, had a
    Private Philippino lunch with about 20 new friends.

    And then at 5pm we met with some Australian friends where on the 2020 NCL Spirit during the beginning stages of Covid and heard their heroic stories of flying back to their home in Brisbane Australia.

    We attended the 8:30 NCL cast production of Christmas Spirit with holiday songs and dances.”

    Glenn has started to wear his Santa Claus Christmas hat. He also watched the World Cup final while soaking in the hot tub. Argentina won.
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