Report #60 Saturday November 2, 2024, 2024 Aitutaki, Cook Islands 8am-5pm Tendering Ashore Ship Held By Thrusters To Deep To Anchor Partly Cloudy 80 Degrees----Casual Dress

The port of call today was Aitutaki, Cook Islands.  It took extra time to get cleared by the local authorities, then it took more time to drop the tender boats, and even longer filling them, we heard later.  As we said yesterday, the ship had to stay offshore, but did not drop their anchor.  The depth of the ocean is far too deep, so the ship was held in place with the side thrusters….not anchors.  There is a designated channel that has been cut into the coral reef, but it is not all that wide.  So only one tender boat could go to shore at a time.  The boat coming back to the ship had to wait until the channel was empty before returning.  There were three tenders used today so the wait was as minimal as they could keep it.   We do know from previous stops here, that we are always lucky if we can go to this island due to the tides, reef, currents, and winds.  

 

After breakfast, we went out on deck six forward in search of the tropic birds which frequently will fly over the ship from the trees to fish for their food.  Within 10 minutes, Captain Smit came down the stairs from the bridge to see how we were doing.  A coincidence or not, we enjoyed our conversation with him about our previous visits to this island.   We also shared our experiences with the tricky landing in Rarotonga, which he agreed the winds could be a problem there.   He had no plans on going ashore today, which was too bad, but his job was to keep the ship in place for the day.  He wished us a good day, then went back up to work.  Then we went to deck six aft, and actually spotted a whale blowing in the distance.   We waited like forever for it to re-surface, but we never saw it again.    The humpbacks are here, but you have to know where to look for them.    We did see some tropic birds and many white terns.

 

We left the ship by 10:30am, where we had a 10 minute wait at the most for the next tender boat.  Open tenders were not announced yet, so it was to our advantage that we left prior to that.  Sometimes a large group of guests will wait for that message, and the line is long once again. 

 

Aitutaki is the second most populated island in the Cook Islands with about 1712 people (2016 census).   There are 15 islets in a lagoon that spans an area of up to 29 square miles.  The land portion is a mere 7 square miles.  And it is total beauty, making this island the second most visited in the archipelago.   We have yet to see such gorgeous lagoons of sapphire/aqua waters, except maybe in Bora Bora. 

 

There were no ship tours offered here.  We have always understood that most weekends, many places are closed.  Even the dock workers can refuse to work on a weekend.  So we were lucky to be allowed onshore.  Now the locals will offer private tours, either through Ubers or their own vehicles.    There was also an open-air bus that took folks around the island to beaches or cafes for a price.  Last year the going rate may have been $40 to $50 a person.    In addition, we saw another island bus offering a ride to a beach for the day, then they pick you up at a designated time for the ride back to the pier.   

 

We have always taken a long walk on the main road that parallels the lagoon and sandy beach.  It goes on for several miles.  Once we left the small village of Arutanga, we passed by a few shops, a church, and homes out of town.  Rather nice homes lined the road and many of the residents were sitting on their porches or working in their gardens.  There were some ruins of older buildings and homes that must not have stood up to hurricanes or winds.  And as in other South Pacific islands , some of the older properties had relative's graves in the front yards. 

 

One thing you will not see in Aitutaki are dogs.    They are forbidden to own them.  Now cats are allowed, and we did see several of them.  The biggest number of birds we saw had to be domestic chickens – hens with chicks and many roosters.  Mynah birds are everywhere.   Other animals we spotted were some goats and one steer or bull.  They were tethered in people's front yards.   It was so green and lush here that they are well-fed. 

 

Along the way, we passed by some shops for car or motor scooter rentals, a gas station, one fix-it car repair place, and a few small supermarkets.  There was a bakery and a couple of coffee shops as well.   Most of the walkers got as far as the shops and cafes, then stopped.   It was warm when the sun came out fully, and there was a breeze most of the time.  With all of the palm trees, casuarinas, frangipanis, and Norfolk Island pines, there was some shade along the way. 

 

It seemed like miles before we passed a very nice resort buried on the hillside.  Many folks that like to walk made it this far.     But we kept going until we reached a smaller resort that is tucked in the trees and is built on the beach.  There is an open-air restaurant where we have eaten lunch every time we come here.   Today at noontime, we had the whole place to ourselves for about an hour.  Taking a table for two where we could watch the lagoon waters and some people snorkeling there, we ordered Tui beers, followed by a shared club sandwich with extra French fries.  One of us was very happy to be able to update the Kindle, which had several favorite games expire.  The resort guest wifi was not working all that fast, so our waiter connected us to their corporate wifi.  That worked just fine.  That should be good now until we get back home. 

 

We could have easily stayed here longer, but the restaurant was filling up with their guests, and we knew it was going to be a long hike back.  All aboard the final tender was 4:30pm, but you never want to wait until that late.   Taking our time, we followed the sandy beach back most of the way.  The sand is so fine here, it packs well, making the walking much easier.  We did have to dodge hundreds of seashells and broken coral and rocks, so it was not in our best  interest to take off our shoes.   The lagoon water was crystal-clear and we could easily see some tropical fish and some sea slugs.  Many swimmers were literally walking many yards off of the beach, since the water was so shallow.   

 

Now the big treat for us was spotting many tropic birds that were nested in some trees at a resort.  They have a habit of flying out of these tall trees to go fishing nearby.  If there are chicks in their nests, both males and females will feed the young.  There were many white or fairy terns in the flocks as well.  They seem to have the same feeding patterns as the tropic birds. 

 

The heat along this waterline was so intense, we had to go from tree to tree for some shade.  There was no way sunbathers could lay in this tropical sun or they would burn to a crisp.  For that reason, we saw no one on the sandy beach….only in the water submerged while snorkeling or floating to keep cool.   

 

We made it back to the wharf area by 3pm, just missing a tender boat.  We only had a 15 minute wait for the next boat to come.  Then a stream of people appeared from somewhere, and filled the boat rather quickly.    On the way through the narrow opening of the channel, the boat driver sped up, hitting a wave, and got a lot of folks wet from the sudden spray.  Good thing most everyone had worn their swimsuits, so no one complained. 

 

The Zaandam left the lagoon area by 5pm without the hassle of pulling up the anchor.    We were on our way to the next port of Rarotonga, 142 nautical miles away.   If the winds do not cause problems, we should be outside the tender harbor by 8am.  Last year due to high winds and a deep sea swell, we could not tender to shore.  Time will tell for tomorrow.

 

We worked on photos until dinnertime.  On the way to the upper dining room, we passed by many very casually-dressed guests on their way somewhere.  It was not the dining room, but they were headed for the World Stage where a one movie time of 8pm was starting shortly.  They were showing The Notebook.      In addition, there was another movie in the Wajang Theater at 8:30pm called The Disappearance of Mrs. Wu.

 

Back to dinner, we tried different appetizers.  One was a pork and seafood spring roll, and the other was won ton chicken soup.  Two different salads were served, followed by mains of a smoked porkchop with cooked cabbage, carrots, and boiled potatoes.  Different for a change.  Desserts were one sundae and one scoop of orange sorbet.    We think the heat of the day along with the long hike will help us sleep very well tonight.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #59 Friday November 1, 2024, 2024 Sea Day #4 Of 4 Enroute To Aitutaki, Cook Islands Partly Cloudy With 6' Swell 80 Degrees----Casual Dress

Cannot believe it is the start of November already.   Where has the time gone?  Our parents always say the older they got, the faster the time went by.  Now….we get it.  They were correct.

 

At high noon, the voice from the bridge, Captain Smit, came on with his sea day report.  We have traveled a total distance of 627 nautical miles from Tonga, and have another 196 nautical miles to go to reach the Cook Islands.  The weather has remained nice, and the winds are coming from the east.  The temperatures are in the high 70's with partly cloudy skies.  Tomorrow, we will reach the aqua waters of Aitutaki, where the ship will not drop her anchor.  It is too deep to anchor according to the Captain.  We will be drifting off of the reef with the thrusters holding the ship in place.   And he also added that when we do the tendering process tomorrow, it is important for everyone to listen to the sailors when getting on and off of the tender boats.  When they say wait, you wait.

 

Last year while we were coming into the harbor area, we were taking photos on deck six forward.  Captain Paul came down the outside stairs from the navigation deck, and asked if we would like to see the bridge.    Of course, we said.  That was when we saw exactly how the ship kept us in place without the anchor.  Naturally it was all done by computers and the corrections needed were automatically built in.  Fascinating as was every explanation of the ship's bridge operations.  And what a better teacher than the Captain?

 

This morning's job was turning in our passports at a station set up in every midship passenger deck elevator landing .    This morning during our breakfast, Vini, our Mariner rep, suggested that we could wait until the afternoon to turn our passports in at the front desk, thus avoiding a long line.  It was a nice thought, but we knew that by waiting towards the end time of 11:30am, there would be little to no waiting.   It took all of three minutes to turn them over for the Polynesian inspection, then we were handed receipts to use when we pick them up November 5^th. 

 

The usual sea day lectures went on but one that was interesting was about seabirds – the great ocean voyagers.  We can never learn enough about these birds, especially when we see them up close and personal.  We have certainly missed seeing the antics of the masked and brown boobys, as they do not seem to be in this area.   In the last couple of days, we have seen a total of two flying fish and only two or three single birds flying in the distance.  There are some folks that are hopeful in spotting some whales, but so far we have seen none.  Only the Captain and his officers saw one when we began this 3- day sailing eastbound. 

 

Dinner in the dining room had  a decidedly Indian theme, because we believe it is the Feast of Diwali Day in India and other parts of the world such as in Fiji.  Many appetizers and entrees had some kind of curry or masala seasoning, as well as one of the desserts.  Head Chef Kamal happened to stop by for a chat, and we wished him Happy Diwali.  He was delighted we remembered and thanked us with a bow.  Of course, that led into a discussion all about the Feast of Light and also the Feast of Colors.  He shared some stories about both holidays in his country and where he lives in southern India.  It is not that often we have a chef that is so friendly, and it is nice that he can get out of the kitchen and see how well his creations are being enjoyed. 

 

Our starters were a tuna roll, which was presented like sushi or sashimi.  The tuna was Ahi, sliced very thin and quite raw.  There was some seaweed in the roll and rice, which was served with some soy sauce.  Very different for sure.  We each had a salad, then the Club Orange special of butter basted chicken with sweet potatoes and a corn medley.   Dessert was one scoop of chocolate chip ice cream and one mandarin panna cotta.  All good as always. 

 

Tonight, Annie Frances took the stage for a concert on the 70's tunes.   Her shows are particularly entertaining  and well worth the time going.  As an alternate, the Captain had a star-gazing session at 8:30pm at the Sea View Pool.  That is - if it was not cloudy.   Chances are there were clouds because the sunset at 7:05pm was surrounded with them.

 

Looking forward to tomorrow's visit at Aitutaki, one of the most beautiful of the Cook Islands.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #58 Thursday October 31, 2024 Happy Halloween Sea Day #3 Of 4 Enroute To Aitutaki, Cook Islands Mostly Cloudy With 6' Swell 80 Degrees----Casual Dress

Happy Halloween to all!!!  

 

Today began with overcast skies and not a lot of sun.  It stayed that way most of the day with temps in the high 70's.   It is still humid, but not quite the same as Samoa, Fiji, or Tonga.  The sea swells have been over 6 feet, keeping many of us off-balance at times.   According to the Captain, these swells will decrease later in the day, and the winds will remain moderate.  The Captain also mentioned that we are sailing about 48 nautical miles from an underwater reef that may have recently been discovered.   He said he is very glad to be that many miles away from it.  So are we…..

 

Early this morning during our breakfast, Vini, our Mariner rep, came and asked if the florist had brought us a flower arrangement. This was part of our President's Club every 2- week amenity.   No, he had not, so we assumed there are no fresh flowers on the ship.  Vini said we could get some of the island flowers, similar to the ones we bought in Fiji, which was fine with us.  The florist brought the bouquet later in the afternoon and it is quite pretty. 

 

Today we all received a notice that prior to arriving to French Polynesia, we will need to turn in our passports for the local immigration's inspections.  This will take place tomorrow morning between 10:30 and 11:30am at a collection station set up on each passenger deck at the mid-ship elevators.  At that time, we will get a receipt which we keep to pick up the passports on November 5^th.   This happens quite often on a grand voyage, so the process is quick and easy as we recall. 

 

Hidden treasures of the Cook Islands, scary weather, and coral gardens were the subjects for the lectures today.  A talk on the remaining shore excursions was also presented this morning.  For the upcoming ports in the Cook Islands, there are no HAL tours since we will be landing there on a weekend.  Most everything is closed, especially on Sunday.  Last year there were a few independent excursions offered by the locals on Aitutaki, but there was nothing for Rarotonga, which ended up not mattering since it was too rough to tender ashore.  We do hope the same thing does not happen this time. 

 

There were some Halloween decorations around the ship.  When we went to the Lido for lunch, we saw a double row of carved pumpkins in the dessert end of the restaurant.  Nice to see the vegetable carvers are still talented in that special skill.   Then from 6:30m to 11pm there was a Halloween Event and costume parade party in the Lido Dome.   Some of the guests that showed up for dinner in the dining room had on costumes, but the majority did not.  Wearing something orange and black was close enough for most folks. 

 

Our meal was good starting with one shrimp cocktail, a bowl of pumpkin soup on the sweet side, and two Caesar salads.  No anchovies please.  The entrees we chose were the Club Orange special of pork bellies and one lasagna dish with a slice of garlic bread.  The best was the conservative slices of pumpkin pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Excellent.

 

The World Stage was "dark" tonight due to the special Lido Dome Event.   But you could still watch a movie in the Wajang – Ghostbusters Frozen Empire.  Something for everyone.

 

One more day at sea, and we will be at the Cook Islands.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #57 Wednesday October 30, 2024 Again, Crossing The International Date Line Enroute To Aitutaki, Cook Islands Sea Day #2 Of 4 Mostly Sunny With Some Scattered Clouds 80 Degrees----Casual Dress

The Zaandam crossed the International Date Line sometime today and here is the poem that was printed in the Daily newsletter:

 

Ladies and gents, here we go again,

October 30 makes it's return, my friends!

We're crossing the line, reversing our way,

So buckle up – it's a double day!

Yes, twice the fun, twice the delight,

One day repeated, day and night.

So settle in and don't think twice,

This date's so nice – we'll do it twice!

 

And we can add that if you didn't like yesterday, you have another chance to make it better today.  During his noon update, the  Captain said we had sailed 166 nautical miles from Vava'u , and had a further 600 plus nautical miles to go to reach the Cook Islands by Saturday November 2^nd.   Sailing almost due east, it was mostly sunny with some clouds, and the swells were 6 feet with a nice breeze.  The closest land we were passing was the small island of Niue, where we have stopped several times on past cruises.    Honestly, there is very little there and the tender ride is not always possible.  The navigation officers saw a whale spouting in the distance very early this morning, but chose not to announce it.    We shall keep an eye out for more whales on our promenade walks today.

 

There are two new guest speakers who gave lectures in the World Stage this morning.  Boat building was an afternoon activity, which indicates there will be a boat race before this trip ends.   Trivia seems to be as popular as ever, and there was even a crocheter's meeting.  There were three different sessions of bridge lessons as well. 

 

It appears that one of the most popular activities is relaxing on the teak lounges on the promenade deck.  During our afternoon walk, we found only two lounges empty on both sides of the ship.  It was also obvious to us that there were many people that were saving these lounges with all of their belongings.   And to be fair, we have not seen any notices that you cannot save your chairs here.  The rules on this deck are no running or jogging, since there are rooms under this deck. 

 

Dinner was back in the dining room for us.   Starters were a panko-crusted brie with the berries.  However, they were almost warm at best.  We think these appetizers were on the waiter's station, and they got cold in the meantime.   Sometimes the waiters will bring extra appetizers in anticipation of several of their guests ordering them.  Our Caesar salads were fine as always.   Entrees were one jerk chicken with a pineapple salsa and one veal piccata with risotto……both were tasty, but only one of the mains was hot.   We don't know how they do it, but sometimes the plate is blazing hot, but the food is not.  Go figure?    Dessert was one scoop of vanilla and one of mint chip ice cream.   

 

The Zaandam Rep Co. presented a "Hits on 45" show in the World Stage.   It was a new twist on an old theme with radio hits from the past.  The songs featured unforgettable hits from Elvis, Bacharach, Diana Ross, Fleetwood Mac and more.    Or you could watch a movie in the Wajang Theater – Young Frankenstein. 

 

Two more sea days to the Cook Islands.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #56 Wednesday October 30, 2024 Neiafu, Vava'u, Tonga Still Here From Yesterday Due To Med Emergency Sea Day #1 Of 4 Anchored All Day Mostly Cloudy With Some Sun And Rain 80 Degrees----Casual Dress

The Zaandam did in fact spend the night at anchor in the sheltered waters of the bay in Vava'u, Tonga.   As we explained yesterday, a passenger was in need of a medical evacuation, but that could not be arranged until today.   Since we were slated to spend the majority of the day here, many of us questioned why we could not go ashore and make better use of the day.    We never did get an answer on that question, but we suppose there were good reasons not to let us loose on shore.  For one thing, we had already put our clocks forward one hour, and that would not be the same time as Tonga time.    Other reasons could be related to insurance coverage on the ship's tours, which might have not covered a second day in port.  And using the tender boats would have cost the company money.   So everyone stayed on the ship, like it or not.

 

Captain Smit came on around noontime with his talk.  They had arranged for a jet to take the ill patient to a hospital in Australia we think.  It would not arrive until 3 or 4pm at the local airport.  So this day that was supposed to be a sea day, was spent here.  The Captain promised that we have sufficient time to arrive at the next port in the Cook Islands on schedule despite the delay.  He estimated that the ship would depart Vava'u around 5pm. 

 

We kept busy as we always do, and the ship's staff had a day full of regular activities.  Lunch for us was in the Lido with salads and sandwiches.  There was an ice cream social in the Lido Dome at 2pm, but we passed on it.   Then the Captain came back on with an update after 4pm.   It seems that the airplane was delayed due to the fact it needed to re-fuel along the route here.  Now it was scheduled to arrive at the airport by 6pm.  He figured the ship would be ready to depart by 7pm after the patient was brought to shore with the medical staff in a tender boat.   They would escort the person to the airport and be sure they were well on their way before returning to the ship.

 

The bow was opened for a scenic sail away, which was a 5 mile slow sail out of the islands.  However, that did not happen for two reasons.  One was that the tender boat did not come back to the ship until closer to 7:30pm, and by then, it started to rain.  We had turned on the bow camera channel on the TV and thought it sure looked like rain.  No sooner did we say that, and people began to scatter.  Oh well, so much for the scenic sail away.  They could still watch from the promenade deck without getting very wet.   The good news was that the patient arrived at the airport and was in stable condition.  We wish the patient well and a speedy recovery.   We came to the conclusion that the ill passenger may have been Australian, and that is why they were flown back there instead of somewhere closer.  And we are certain they had very good travel insurance for the medical coverage. 

 

Tonight we decided on a Pinnacle Grill dinner at 7:30pm.  It was not crowded and we had the best service as always.  Starters were wedge salads and a shared clothesline bacon.  Tina had suggested to try the new Kalbi beef tacos for an additional appetizer.  Good thing we shared it since it came with two meat-filled soft-shelled tacos.  Really tasty as she promised.  Our mains were one 8 ounce filet mignon and one pork belly, which was more than ample.  This meal was way different than what is served in the dining room.  Tender and juicy, the pork also had a seasoned crispy crust.  It came with a side of red cabbage that may have been kimchee.  We had ordered one French fry cone to share, but the waiter brought two.   We did our best, but only finished one.    There was barely enough room for a shared dessert of the chocolate brownie stroupwafel crisp with strawberries and whipped cream.  A scoop of vanilla ice cream was on the side.  No way could we consider the final serving of the three pretty little macaroons.   Except for a table of officers, we were about the last diners to leave the room. 

 

The World Stage hosted Sarah Moir, a violinist with a flair for a show that promised to please the crowd.     

 

We will have three days at sea, heading east to the Cook Islands, arriving in Aitutaki on Saturday.  Looking forward to it.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #55 Tuesday October 29, 2024 Neiafu, Vava'u, Tonga 8am-? Anchored And Tendering Mostly Cloudy With Rain Showers 80 Degrees----Casual Dress

Today's port of call was Neiafu, on the island of Vava'u, Tonga.  The Vava'u island group is considered the most scenic with 34 islands, but only 21 of them inhabited.   The city or town of Neiafu is the capital and the second largest port after Nuku'alofa.   The deep water harbor or the Port of Refuge is the major entry point for yachts and smaller cruise ships like the Zaandam.  Most of the government agencies and services are located here, as well as the hospital, customs and police departments.  You can find a post office, shops, and small supermarkets with restaurants and upbeat bars.  It is much different than yesterday's port in that it is more rural and is also built on higher ground and hillsides.  It is as tropical as it gets with lush green growth like a jungle. 

 

Vava'u is considered a yachting playground with hidden caves, beaches and coral reefs.  Vava'u is one of the last places in the world where you can swim with whales when they are here between July and October.  It is also a place for bird-watching (although we saw very few),  snorkeling, diving, and deep sea fishing.  The main catch are the black, blue, and striped marlin, sailfish, barracuda, wahoo, tuna, and the giant trevally. 

 

There were four excursions offered today beginning with a cultural land tour to a vanilla plantation and a swim at Ano Beach.  A snack was included and a kava ceremony.  There was also a tapa cloth and mat weaving demonstration for 3 ¾ hours for $120.  The next tour went to Nuku Island and Swallow Cave  on a small boat.  You could swim with your n snorkel equipment and enjoy a pre-package lunch with one bottle of water.  That ran for 5 hours and $200.  A Polynesian culture tour and swim was 3 hours for $100 with a visit to a botanical garden and one bottle of water.   Ano Beach Cultural Experience was 2 hours for $60 where you witnessed the Umu, or underground oven, with a chance to sample the food.  A kava ceremony, tapa cloth demo and mat weaving were included also.  

 

We have been here several times on past cruises, so we knew where to go for site-seeing.  This was also a tender port.  The ship sailed part way into the harbor, then launched the tenders to take folks ashore.  This has always been a tricky port to access due to tidal fluctuations.  They have finally gotten a spot where we could exit the boat easily, and get back on with the use of portable steps.    We left the ship around 10am and met with Vini, who escorted us down to deck A once again.   We were the last to board the boat.  By the way, when Daniel, the cruise director, announced that the ship was cleared, he added that it was sunny and partly cloudy.  But more important, there was zero chance of rain.   Well, guess what?  He was wrong…..it did rain pretty hard at times, but we took his word for a dry day and left the umbrellas back on the ship.    We know better.  This is the tropics and rain can fall at any time.  Duh….

 

The ride was slow-going since the speed limit was 5 knots between the islands we were passing.  It was scenic however.  We pulled alongside the cement dock at the Halaevala Wharf where a group of locals were singing and dancing for the newcomers.   Right outside the gated area was the Utukalongalu Market, an outdoor and indoor produce market.  Inside this market, there are locally-made arts and crafts and island jewelry.  They specialize in blister pearls, and did have some for sale in the market.  It surprised us to find their prices were between $200 and $500 Tongan Paanga which is about double the US dollar.   We would have no way of knowing the quality of these pendants and earrings, so the best bet would be to stick to a pearl shop in town.   We did take a lot of photos, but bought nothing today. 

 

We climbed up the side street to the main road and followed it to the Catholic Church and Convent high on the hillside.  We believe the name is St. Joseph and it resembled churches we have seen in Portugal.   The road continued out of town and we passed several homes, a small store, one of the large schools, and a few destroyed properties such as a resort and a nightclub.  On our first visit here, we must have walked four or five miles further away from town, and ended up at a beach of some sort.   The tide was out and the beach was more rocks and broken shells that anything else.  

 

So today we turned around past the school.  That's when it began raining.  First a drizzle, then heavy rain.  Remember, it was not supposed to rain at all.  We took some shelter under huge roadside trees until they got too wet.   Lucky for us, the rain let up, and we continued our way back towards town.    On the way, a few local moms with kids stopped their cars and offered us a ride.  A few other vehicles stopped, but they were taxis.  We thanked them, but said we were fine, and the rain would stop soon.  The local folks here seem a lot more friendly than in Nuku'alofa yesterday.  We remember that from our previous visits.  Even the school age kids were polite waving and saying hello.   There is a respect for the older people that sure does not seem to exist in most societies these days.  It is most refreshing.

 

We were just in time for lunch and did see that the restaurant we like was opened today.   It was a long walk down a flight of stairs to reach the harbor level,  but well worth it.  We took seats on their patio restaurant and ordered two Heinekens, then two more before our order of Hawaiian pizza was brought to the table.    Relaxing for an hour with a pleasant breeze blowing was really nice.    We did recall that last year, they did not accept American Express, so we used Visa with no problem.  Walking back up those stairs took a few minutes, but we made it back to the road. 

 

Back at the wharf, we looked over their outside tables of treasures, but did not find anything that caught our eye.   The other cruise guests made up for it, as they bought many sarongs and dresses along with the pearls and coral jewelry.  This will probably be the last stop where these treasures are affordable.    French Polynesia and the Cook Islands will have higher prices as we recall. 

 

There was quite a long line of folks waiting for the tender boat.  One filled, then another one came right away.  We made it on the second boat and got back to the ship by 3pm.  All aboard was 4:30pm and we waited for the Captain to come on with his talk.  It did not happen until 5:15pm, when he announced that we had a seriously ill person who needed to be air-lifted to a hospital.  He added that there may be a flight to Australia for this person, but it would not happen until tomorrow.  Apparently, this person will stay in the medical center on the ship until then.  For that reason, he said we will remain in the calm waters off of Neiafu overnight.  He will be able to make up the lost time in the three days it will take us to get to the Cook Islands by Saturday.  We sure did not see this coming, nor did the urgent care patient.  We wish them well.

 

At dinner, we ordered one bay shrimp Cobb with celery slaw (hold the blue cheese).  One of us had a corn fritter which was very nice.  Each of us had the Caesar salad, followed by mains of pork roast and sweet and sour chicken with extra rice.   Both came mounded up with ample portions.  Dessert was one Mexican flan and a scoop of chocolate fudge ice cream.  Usually our waiter Sarif tells us when we change our clocks, but tonight he forgot.  There was a note left on the bed with the hour ahead notice.   Right now, it is approaching midnight, so time to sign off. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #54 Monday October 28, 2024 Nuku'alofa, On The Island Of Tongatapu, Tonga Docked Starboard Side To Pier 8am-6pm Partly Sunny 79 Degrees ----Casual Dress

Well, here we are in the Kingdom of Tonga, about the only remaining kingdom in the world.   The Zaandam arrived to the Vuna Wharf in the capital Nuku'alofa on Tongatapu Island.    There are over 170 islands in the kingdom, but only 40 of them are inhabited with a total of over 101,000 native Tongans.  Located just west of the International Dateline, Tonga is the first Pacific nation to greet the new day.  Like many of the islands, Tongatapu is a raised coral limestone island, while many others are volcanic, some of which are active. 

 

There were only four excursions offered in Tonga.  Historic Nuku'alofa was a ride in an island open-air bus for 2 ½ hours for $60.  Oholei Beach and Hina Cave was 4 ½ hours for $100.  You would see the blowholes (if the tide was up), have an "umu" lunch which is cooked in the ground, and a chance to swim.  The buffet included roasted suckling pig on a spit, which is considered a delicacy here.  To reach the beach with rocks and corals, you would have to navigate 60 stairs with 30 minutes to do it all on your own.  If the tide was out (which it was), then there would be no swimming.   And restrooms were described as very limited.   There were two more tours, but by the time we looked them up on the TV, they had been erased.  Nothing was over $100 per person.  Quite reasonable compared to some of the previous ports in our opinion.

 

By the time breakfast ended, we went out to the promenade deck and caught the last of the police band welcome greeting.  Usually there are dancers and singers in full Tongan costume, but not today.   The row of vendor tents were not along the roadside either.  They had been moved to more permanent-type open-air buildings in a parking lot near the port portal.  There was an excellent info table set up with the nicest Tongan ladies, who handed us brochures and maps with tons of things to read about this capital of Tonga.  The best map had a two hour walking trail laid out with each and every site to see. 

 

We always walk past the Police Station and to the Talamahu Market where the local produce is sold.  There are also arts and crafts tables with locally-made tapa cloth items such as hand fans, purses, and tapa art paintings.   The variety of fruit and veggies includes huge taro roots, watermelons, long string beans, tomatoes and bananas.  Plantains, coconuts, and pineapples are also sold here.   Today there was a much smaller selection to choose from because the market was closed yesterday, a Sunday.  Their busiest day must be Saturday.  The shelves were half empty today.    Last year inside this market, we purchased a necklace and earring set made out of pearly white oyster shells.  The young artistic vendor carved my name and some palm trees and birds on the face of the pendant using a Dremel drill.  We looked for her today, but she was not there, and no one else was doing that personalized artwork.   Now I treasure the set even more.

 

Continuing up the street, we came upon the Catholic church of the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua.   Built in 1980, it was the first basilica in the South Pacific islands.  It is also the newest of the many churches in town.  Across the street was Royal Tombs, dating back to 1893.  Except you would not have known this was here due to a high fence that had been built all the way around this entire complex.  Signs on the fence indicated that the Chinese government was re-modeling the tombs.  The new building project would include a parking lot for cars, a tour bus section, gardens, ponds, benches and new landscaping.   Interesting to see that China has another investment here, as several other expensive projects, such as the Vuna Wharf, have been funded by that government.  We fear the day may come that China will take over and the Kingdom of Tonga will be a relic from the past.  Down towards the end of the street, we stopped to take photos of some local fellows working near the fence.  They were being directed by a Chinese boss, who warned us and other tourists not to take pictures.   This has never happened here on previous visits.  What did he think we were?  Spies or something?  Maybe we are……

 

Surrounding the Royal Tombs are the high school with 1200 students.  This building had burned down in 2000, and the Chinese government rebuilt it after the fire.  Hmmm.  The Queen Salote College, a girl's school,  and has 1000 students, all of whom wear uniforms and keep their hair braided or plaited as they say here. 

 

The most impressive of the older structures has to be the Centennial Church built of coral blocks in 1888.   Unfortunately, time and hurricanes and even a tsunami have taken their toll on this church as the entire center section has been destroyed.  At one time, years ago, we actually toured the interior of this church, but now all that remains are the façade and the side walls.   It appears that restoration work has been in progress.

 

Near this church was a property that was fenced off with some animals.  The first we noticed were the chickens….everyone has them and three little adorable puppies.   They came one by one to the cyclone fence to see of we had any food for them.   We did not, and they figured that out in a nano second.   Looking deeper into the yard, we saw wooden crates that housed pigs of all sizes.  Some of them were rather large, but their cages were not.  Maybe those pigs we saw on Dravuni Island in the mud had it better after all.

 

Continuing down the road towards the ocean, we passed by the Centenary Church or the Free Wesleyan Church built in 1952. It seats 2000 people and is the church that the Royal Family attends on most Sundays.   Across the way from here is His Majesty's Army Forces, which is situated right next to the Royal Palace, which used to be the residence of the Royal Family.  These days it is used for official functions with royal archives and artworks.  This palace was prefabricated in New Zealand, and shipped here in 1867.  We can say it has to be the most photographed building in town. 

 

Directly across the street, there was another new build taking place, compliments of the Chinese government no doubt.  It appears there will be a new convention center here.  It also borders the British High Commissioner's residence with a flagpole and cannons from Port au Prince.  Next to this white house is the Royal cemetery.

 

From here, we followed Vuna Road for a couple of miles, walking along the seawall once again.    The tide was out, revealing the mudflats of the shallow reef.  Today there were many birds, but mostly the white face herons that expertly wander in the water and fish with their spear-like beaks.  We also saw some intermediate morph Pacific reef herons that are black and white.   Soaring up high in the sky were some frigatebirds, and along the grassy areas and mature trees, we saw numerous common mynahs.   We were hoping to see the "fishing" pigs out in the mudflats, but there were none today.   These pigs come from the yards of the houses that line the reef.   We have seen them rooting in the mud for whatever hides there.  Some years ago, we did see locals pulling out some kind of seaworms, collecting them in buckets.  Ever since the hurricane Gita hit in 2019, much of these mud flats are off limits to fishermen.  We were told it will take years for the reef to replenish itself. 

 

There is a nice small hotel and restaurant along this road where we usually have lunch and ice cold beers.  Unfortunately, they are closed to the public on Mondays and possibly Tuesdays.  Our timing has been off for a few years now.  For that reason, we did not go out to lunch today.  Many of the establishments in downtown are coffee shops, bars, or take-out.   We made it as far as Little Italy, another resort/hotel, but also closed until 5pm.    There were several benches in the shade along the way where we could watch the activity in the water.    There were a few people out near the reef's edge with nets, and some were even taking a dip in the deeper pools of the mud flats.  A few locals were tending their palm leaves, soaking them in the salty water to soften them we assume.   We saw piles of these dried palms used for weavings in the marketplace earlier. 

 

On the way back, we searched the trees for the flying foxes, or fruit bats. Seeing none, we realized the trees that housed them have been cut down.  These creepy creatures can still be seen at a different part of the island, which happens to be included in one of the bus tours.  We did pass by the Nuku'alofa Club, a private men's club where the elite gather to sip beer and play a game of snooker.    Further up the street is the town's main center and Raintree Square.  The post office and Public Service Commission Office are located there, along with a few souvenir shops and a café or two.   We sat on benches under the canopy of the huge rain tree  that has been here since WWII in 1941.  Gosh….it is older than us. 

 

Most of the government buildings are here as well as the grassy field called Pangai Lahi, that is front of the Royal Palace.   This field is only for Royal and government events like royal feasts, kava ceremonies (yes they do that here also) and parades.  We had completed the full circle in 3 ½ hours , and were ready to head back to the ship.  But first we wanted to look at the souvenir tables in the parking lot.  Most everything offered here was in the local marketplace, but we suspected the prices were higher.    Much of it looked imported, because we have seen identical jewelry in many other countries.  Even up the Amazon River, which we did on the world cruise this year. 

 

Back onboard, we made a visit to the Lido for lunch.  It was far less crowded since many folks were still on tours.   Instead of dried pizza, we opted for tuna sandwiches, a portabella mushroom with tomatoes and lettuce sandwich, and one ham and cheese torpedo roll.  Sounds like a lot, but their rolls are very small.  The containers of cookies have been moved to the opposite end of the ice cream counter.   Now there is no bunching up there as we have seen almost every day.  Duh….what took them so long to figure that out? 

 

It was almost cool again sitting on the veranda while perusing the brochures and maps.   Since tomorrow's port in Vava u is also part of Tonga,  we have ample maps and info on that town.  All aboard was 5:30pm, but we heard the Captain blow the ship's horn at least four times prior to that time.   Sometimes when everyone is back on the ship, he can  leave sooner.  By 5:45pm, the tugboat showed up as did the pilot boat.  We were ready to leave.  There was a nice sunset, not really extraordinary, but colorful.  And we got to see it from the comfort of our veranda for a change.   

 

Time for dinner, we noticed that the upper dining room was not really busy.  The lower center dining room was void of customers.  This seems to be the case on port days that are long.  We assume people are tired after a day of touring, and do not feel like dressing up.  So they go to the Lido early and are finished by 8pm or earlier.  Can't say we blame them.

 

One of us ordered an empanada with chicken and a curry seasoning, which was very mild and also good.   Smoked chicken soup was a starter for the other, and we both had the Caesar salad.

 

Mains were the blue plate special (Club Orange) chicken and the other entrée was rigatoni with prosciutto with a white wine and cheese sauce.  Nice for a change.  Desserts were one serving of vanilla ice cream and a strawberry sorbet.  So light and tasty.

 

Finally, entertainer, Annie Frances has arrived to the Zaandam World Stage for a singing performance.  She was slated for another evening almost  week ago, but we assume she did not make it to the ship on time.   The schedule was re-arranged making room for her tonight.  We know she has a good show, because we have listened to her singing on many of the South Pacific cruises. 

 

Tomorrow will be another tender port and the last one for the Kingdom of Tonga.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

359 Pictures

Report #53 Sunday October 27, 2024 Sea Day Enroute To Nuku'alofa, Tonga Partly Cloudy With Sun, 20mph Winds, 6' Swell And 77 Degrees----Dressy Night

Today is Sunday, and as you all know, it is Brunch Day in the dining room.  It doesn't begin until 10am, so many folks do a traditional breakfast with either room service, the Lido, or like us….in the Pinnacle Grill.  With the time change last night, many folks were ready for that early morning coffee.     We were.

 

The day began with a nice sunrise and mostly sunny skies with a few scattered clouds.   It was totally opposite of what we experienced yesterday in Savusavu.  We are now heading in a southeasterly direction and seem to have left the most humid and hot weather behind us for a while.  Today we doubt the temperature exceeded 77 degrees and we had a nice breeze that was almost cool. 

 

Captain Smit came on at noontime with his talk.  He reported that  we were passing some of Fiji's outer-lying islands as we sail towards Nuku'alofa, Tonga.  Tomorrow the plan is to pick up the pilot at 6:30am and be docked by 8am.  We have 219 nautical miles to go with 12 knot winds.  He expects 20 knot winds tomorrow with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70's.    That works for us.  More so if the rain stays away. 

 

We got a lot of computer work done in the morning after a short walk outside.   Then at 1:30pm we had a "safety essentials drill" that was mandatory since we have been sailing for 30 days since leaving San Diego.   This was not the full muster drill we did back then, but only the room key check at the lifeboat station.  It took all of 30 seconds.  Then we had to watch or play the safety video on the room TV. 

 

Then we were off to the Lido for our usual salads and sandwiches.  Unfortunately, the leftover pizza was so dry, the ends were curled up.   The lines were long at the ice cream corner, but the soft serve is still broken.  In fact, the lines were long at every available station.  The Brunch all-in-one breakfast/lunch menu does not really work for everyone.   There was a "Cake Me Away" display  in the Lido at 11:30am to 2pm, but was not advertised well.  We missed it.  Not that we would eat the sweets, we might just look and take a photo before it is destroyed.

 

Around 6:15pm, went out for a promenade deck walk to find that the starboard side was being deep- scrubbed and cleaned with disinfectant.   This is the first time we have seen the crew doing this work this time of day.  On other ships, it is always around 6pm.  The sun was setting on the starboard side, so we did get some photos of it before the clouds swallowed it up.

 

Tonight's dress code was "dressy" and the theme of the night was Great Gatsby.    This activity began at 6:30pm and ran until 11pm and was held in the Lido Pool area under the dome.  The description said:  Live it up large like it's the 1920's.   An all-swinging dance party spectacular with a little bit of drama, as you might expect.  At the last dance party, Glenn, the hotel director, told us that he had several complaint notes in his mailbox saying that there were too many officers at that dance, and there was no room for the guests.  Now that was a first that we ever heard that.   Usually the complaints are about the junior officers who congregate in a corner with each other and do not ask guests to dance.  

 

We actually had the keyboard piano player at our dinner seating time at 7:30pm.  It was nice for a change.  Between the two of us, we had appetizers of a jumbo shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad,   a bowl of minestrone, which did not resemble that at all, and one tiny pickled beet salad with goat cheese.  Good for a change.  One of us ordered the veal Scaloppine Saltimbocca, and the other prime rib with gravy on the side.  Both were quite tasty.  Desserts were one lemon torte and a glass of raspberry sorbet.  Refreshing.

 

Tomorrow we will be in the Kingdom of Tonga.

 

Bill & Mary Ann  

 

47 Pictures

Report #52 Saturday October 26, 2024 Anchored At Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji 8am-5pm Heavy Rain All Day 81 Degrees 83% Humidity----Casual Dress

Today's port of call was Savusavu on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji.  Yesterday during his late afternoon talk, Captain Smit decided to take the small chance of rain off of the weather report for this port.   He had predicted some showers in Suva, Lautoka, and Dravuni Island, but it never rained very much at all.  Today?  That was a whole different story.

 

It was overcast and cloudy just the same as the other Fiji stops, but what started as a light drizzle, soon turned into heavy rain.  Then the heavy rain turned into a torrential downpour.  We had left the ship around 10:30am, with Vini in the lead, for the tender boat, although we knew our way to deck one then down the stairs to A deck.   Once aboard the crowded tender, the rain began to fall.  By the time we got off of the boat, and headed up the ramp to the Copra Shed Marina, we were totally soaked.  We did bring the umbrellas, but did not have the time or the room to open them.  We were in no hurry to go anywhere, since we had not booked any tours here.  

 

There were at least five excursions today, one of which was snorkeling with Cousteau (that is with the Cousteau vessel) for 2 hours and $110. Cookies and Fiji water came with this tour.   There are some tropical fish and corals in this area, but with the weather conditions, we doubt that tour even happened.  Two different tours took the folks to waterfalls at Nakawaqa with a rainforest walk for 3 ½ hours and $90, while the other trek went to Urata Waterfall & village for a swim and a song & dance performance for 3 ½ hours for $80.   A ½ mile drive would take folks to Nukubalavu village with 300 residents & kava ceremony for 3 hours and $90.  Another fun tour was a visit to the Kokomana Chocolate Farm & Factory for 1 ½ hours for $130.  Something sounds off with the time of this tour since it must have been longer than that.  

 

Back to our hike, we exited the Marina building and came out in the pouring rain, then turned left on the main street.  There were souvenir tables set up under tents that were loaded with traditional arts, woven baskets, carvings, and jewelry….mostly pearl creations that looked good, but were purely costume.  The nice lady vendors were laughing as much as we were at the bad timing for the rainfall.  The sidewalks, grass, and street gutters were filling up quickly as we squeezed around the guests that took shelter under these tents.  Remember, Captain Smit had taken the chance of rain off of the weather report, so many people never brought umbrellas with them.  Boy, is he going to get teased about this or what? 

 

Not only were the cruise passengers crowding the small town, but the locals were out and about doing their weekend shopping.  They knew all of the spots under the roofs of the many businesses to get out of the rain.  Of course, that left no room for the visitors.  One place we never miss here is the Farmers Market, a short hike up the main street.  Just like in Suva and Lautoka, the market was filled with fresh produce and local goods.  At one end was a souvenir section with more trinkets for the ladies.  A lot of people had crowded in here, so it was hard to get in and get out.  And all of the time we were here, the rain pounded down on the metal roofs and came cascading off like a waterfall.   The small streams of water came rushing down from the hillsides full force.  It's no wonder how the discarded plastic bottles and other food wrappings get dumped into the harbor area. 

 

Reaching the far end of the town, we decided to turn back and walk on the other side of the street.  We happened to see another Jack's of Fiji, a smaller version, and ducked inside to get out of the rain for a little while.  Having no intentions of buying anything, we went to the back of the store where the Indian saris and fabrics were being sold.  Lo and behold, there was one sari that stood out among the rest, since it was more suitable for a dressy blouse and scarf for instance.  It was the traditional sari length with flowers, borders and a solid color on the end. No sequins.   And it was silk.  But better yet, the price was very reasonable.  Since we did not have Fijian dollars, we asked to pay with the US dollars.   They were happy to take it, however, the bills had to be as new as possible with no folds or turned corners or torn.   We must have shown the vendor and her boss lady 10- one dollar bills before they were happy with the condition.  They blamed the local banks for being so fussy. We understood as this has happened quite often elsewhere in the world.   Usually, we always exchange larger bills onboard the ship, as they seem to have brand new money just for that reason.   And here is a hint about changing money at the front desk.  Do it early in the day, since later on, they run out of small bills and do not replenish them until the late evening or following day. 

 

Passing the same souvenir tables near the tender landing, we talked to a local lady who told us that this was the first good rain they had gotten for a while.  She added that it had been so hot, they prayed for rain to cool everything off.  Figures….they must have prayed a bit too hard.   

 

There was a tender boat about to leave, and we got the last seats available.  Facial recognition was used as we all boarded.  We sat near the side door where one of us got pretty wet with the driving rain.  On well, what's a little more water since we were soaked even with using the umbrellas.   One of the sailors handed us a towel to block the water puddling up on the seats.  Good try, but it was already too late.  We were just happy to be back on the ship at this point. 

 

Only the Lido and the Dive-In Grill are opened for lunch on port days.  We could have ordered room service, but figured it would take too long.   It came as no surprise to see the Lido full of hungry guests, some of whom must have returned from early tours.  It was the first time we had to wait in a line to get our salads.  The salad server, Samuel, knows exactly what we like, so he is quick to create a nice salad for each of us.  The pizza looked much better, since it was moving faster too.  We added a couple of small torpedo rolls as well.   The line for ice cream was 10 deep, and it appeared that the soft serve machine is still not working.  Just as well as we don't need the extra calories. 

 

One of us caught up on reading while the other worked on pictures.  All aboard was 4:30pm, and it was still raining at that time.  From our veranda, we spotted some most unusual rainbows.  A couple of them appeared on top of the water, like flat on the sea making a half circle.  We had to be quick with the camera since they faded quickly.   Then the last one appeared in half of the sky as if exploding out of the water.  Always fun to watch nature in action.  As we left the island behind, it looked as if we left the heavy rain behind.   We have a day at sea tomorrow which is fine with everyone.

 

Dinnertime had some favorites like two different types of salads.  Club Orange was jambalaya, so we passed on that.  There was a rack of veal which actually turned out to be a veal chop without the bone.  It came on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and diced carrots.  The other entrée was fettucine with chicken ragout.  Asking exactly what  type of chicken that was,  Sarif said small chicken pieces with a red tomato sauce.  It was actually like ground chicken burger cooked in the sauce and was really good.   Only one of us opted for a dessert of NSA mint chip ice cream.

 

The entertainer in the World Stage was Tommy Proulx, a saxophone player who promised a high energy show with his smooth jazz-style playing.  Then a movie, Guy Ritchie's The Covenant, was shown in the Wajang Theater.  Since we lost one hour tonight, we skipped both choices.  

 

The clocks went FORWARD one hour, which we do not prefer.  Like that matters, right?   However, we are heading southeasterly towards Tonga and need to be on their correct time.  

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

346 Pictures

Report #51 Friday October 25, 2024 Dravuni, Island Anchored Off The Coast From 8am-5pm Cloudy, Showers And Some Sun 80 Degrees-----Casual Dress

The Zaandam arrived to Dravuni Island to cloudy and overcast skies.   The temperature was around 80 degrees and there were some light passing showers.   The sea state appeared to be slightly rough with some strong winds.  By 8am, the seas leveled out enough for the tendering to begin.   

 

Dravuni Island is a mere one square mile at the most.  Like we stated, it is a tender port where you have to disembark on a floating pier….something resembling a Rubbermaid plastic puzzle.  It not only floats, but will fluctuate with the waves of the bay.    Like being on a magic carpet ride without good railings.    Less than 200 residents live on the island in a single village.  Power is supplied by generators and water appears to be collected in cisterns from rainwater possibly.   The only kids we have ever seen here are the little ones – primary school age.  There are no teenagers to be seen.  Other than a few caged pigs and some free-roaming chickens, there is nothing else here.  No grocery store, no pharmacy, not even a restaurant. 

 

The locals set up tables outside their basic houses with souvenirs like sarongs, t-shirts, and trinkets.   Other services include massages, beer, soda, and snack sales.  Some fellows were cooking chicken on the greasiest grill we have ever seen.  Locals offered fresh coconuts for the juice, and some homemade breads and cakes.  

 

There is no visible means for employment for these people, so we do not know how they survive.    We guess a few cruise ships stop here, but not that often.   So we need to do some more research to satisfy our curiosity.

 

We were in no big hurry to go ashore.   And there were no tours here, so people could go over starting shortly after 8am.    We left the ship around 11:30am well after "open tendering" had been announced.  We figured that by this time of day, most of the guests would have gone to shore.   Wrong again.  We did not need tender tickets, but when we got out of the elevator on deck A, the line had wrapped around the hallway and back up the stairway.  Vini, our go-to-guy for priority tendering, was no where to be seen. 

 

A tender boat was just being off-loaded, so we waited in the long line because we were in no hurry to go ashore.  This crowd of folks were polite and not complaining about the back-up, and as it turned out, the wait was only about 15 or 20 minutes.   If there had been two tender landing platforms opened, there would not have been a wait.  We still cannot figure out who is running the show, but they do not seem to be as well- organized as all of the other HAL ships.  

 

When we got to the tenderboat landing, there was a line of folks coming back to the ship already.  It must have been 60 people deep who may have been going back for lunch.  Anyway, by now, the sun had begun to peek out of the clouds, and it was really warm.  Since we are not really beach lovers, we took our usual walk to the right, passing the stands of souvenirs and makeshift massage tents.   The school was right there, but the little kids were on a lunch break too.  Covered wooden boxes were set up in front of the school for donations.  We wondered if the guests who brought things for Fanning Island, brought them here?  It would have made the locals, especially the children, very happy.   Can't say we saw any hand-outs while we were there.

 

The entire stretch of narrow beach was filled with sunbathers and snorkelers.  From past trips here, we can say we have never seen an abundance of tropical fish in these waters.  But it was so warm and humid, most guests were happy to be floating in the turquoise waters.  There were some local fellows that offered boat rides around the island for $10 each, which may have been in Fiji money….we did not ask.  

 

On the way past some of the rudimentary houses, we saw some wooden pens that were home to some pigs.   These are not the type of hogs we have in the states, but resemble more of a wild pig in size.  One of the pens had three smaller pigs that were wallowing in pure mud and whatever else was in that pen.  The flies were thick, so we did not linger there for long.  There were some chickens roaming around, but not many.  Some of them may have already been on the BBQ grill. 

 

The further we walked the sandy trail, the fewer people we saw.  This trail will lead to the hilltop view, but it is too much of a hike for one of us.  And it takes a lot of time since it is steep and slippery.  Once at the top, there are breath-taking views of the coastline, which one of us has seen numerous times.   The sun had come out enough to make this hike way too hot, so we skipped it today. 

 

After taking a gazillion pictures, we back-tracked and made our way to the opposite end of the island.  Near the tip down a narrow almost hidden path are the remains of what they call the Old Village Site.  Actually, all that is left here are several graves, that had been covered with strips of purple and white fabric.  It is mostly in tatters now.  One of the graves had plates and cups on the top, as if family members come here to have a meal together.  It is a dead-end path, literally, so we did not stay more than a few minutes.   It is an eerie, but peaceful spot at the same time. 

 

Then we continued on another path that led to the island's tip and the volcanic rocks that pretty much blocked the sandy beach.   The tide was coming in quickly, so we did not stay there long either.   We suspect that the backside of the island as well as the tips have a strong riptide that might drag you out to sea.  It was so littered with volcanic rocks, it would rip your feet to shreds.

 

Back near the center of the beach area, we relaxed on a veranda of an old facility that at one time had been used  for day visitors.   It was in ruins now and will not last in these elements for much longer.   We could see another very long line of guests waiting for the boat.  Better to wait here and not in the hot sun on the bouncing landing.  When the second boat arrived, we went and got in the line and made it for the ride back.   Once again, we were squished in the smaller tender.  Had they run more than three of these boats, we might have had more space.   But what do we know???

 

A Lido lunch was in order, or we could have gotten room service, which we have not done yet.  We figured it may take too long, so we went for our usual salads and some pizza.  The salads were good, but the left- over pizza slices had been sitting on the warming tray far too long.  They were dried up and not good.  So we went back to the sandwich section and picked up some torpedo rolls with lunchmeat, cheese and pickles.  Not bad. 

 

The final tender boat was at 4:30pm, and we did leave the area by 5pm under heavily clouded skies. Not much of a sunset tonight. We are now heading to the final stop in Fiji, Savusavu.   That will be another tender transfer, and we are not looking forward to it. 

 

While one of us was working on photos of the day, the other was checking out the shipboard account to see if that missing credit was posted yet.  It was there along with two other credits we always get as part of the President's Club perks.  However, even with the credit added back to our account, it was not adding up correctly.  So one of us went down to the front desk to get an explanation of what had been done.  After 20 minutes of waiting, the final explanation was given by one of the pursers that work in the back office.   Unknown to us, they had made an error with two of the previous credits, but failed to inform us they had adjusted the account.   The account just showed up differently on TV than my printed statements.  From here on, we will have to check this often in case more errors are made.   Honesty, we have never run into this problem ever on all of the ships we have sailed with HAL.  And we hope we don't have this problem on future cruises. 

 

Dinnertime rolled around quickly again.  It seems that the majority of folks still dine at the earliest hour like 5pm.  Even at that, our meals seem to take a long time in arriving.  The Caesar salads are back, except the lettuce is not romaine.  It is very close to it, and still tastes good.  Their room service chicken noodle soup is the best on this ship compared to even the world cruise.  Another appetizer was smoked duck, also tasty.   Our mains were one sauteed pork chop with fried potatoes and onions and carrots and peas.  The other entrée was chicken cordon bleu, but homemade and not frozen.  Much better and both served hot as could be.  We saved enough room for desserts of a strawberry sundae with biscotti cookie crumbles. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

286 Pictures

Report #50 Thursday October 24, 2024 Lautoka, On The Island Of Viti Levu, Fiji Docked Port Side To Pier 8am-6pm Cloudy With Some Sun 80 Degrees -----Casual Dress

Today's port of call was Lautoka, Fiji on Viti Levu Island.  It is far different from the capital of Suva.  You will not find the high-rise towers or the colonial government buildings here.  Far from it, this city is much more rural, 1960's industrial, and multi-cultural.  Going back to the late 1800's,sugar was grown here.  The demand for the product sky-rocketed and the industry took off.  But in order to hire people to work the plantations and mill, the country had to recruit cheap labor abroad.  So workers came from India and China and have been part of the population along with the native Fijians ever since.    Things were not always peaceful, but today they all seem to get along well.   Each group kept their identity and there is a Hare Krishna Temple, a Sikh Temple, and a Catholic Church and school. 

 

Like on past visits, Jack's of Fiji, a major department store, provided complimentary shuttle buses to their downtown store starting after 8am.  For some reason, they did not provide that ride last year.   We chose to walk to town after leaving the ship around 11am.  Even though it appeared to have rained heavily last night, it never did rain all day.  The skies were completely cloudy, and it was hot and humid, but it stayed dry.  Of course, we packed the umbrellas and some bottled water anyway.    When we saw most of the locals packing umbrellas, we knew we were not alone in expecting to get wet.  Actually, it might have felt good. 

 

A big operation was taking place in the harbor.  There was a dredging vessel sucking sand from the harbor, and transporting it through pipes to the outer bay.  At the end of the pipe, there was a fountain of sand blowing high in the air.  At first, we thought it looked like they had struck oil.  We have seen similar dredging operations in the Panama Canal Zone, but  in that area, the sand and debris is loaded onto floating barges and taken far away from the canal.

 

Leaving the gates of the pier area, we walked past a huge pile of wood chips from a lumber mill.  We know these are not used for heat, but might be used for landscaping or cooking.  Once we hit the main road, we turned left and read the series of signs that depicted the early history of the sugar industry in Lautoka.   In contrast to that, the next big building we passed was a very nice McDonald's.   And this is where the main part of downtown was located.  It only took about 30 minutes to get here.  

 

Two days ago while we were in Suva, local tour guides were selling excursions for Lautoka today.  They included four versions of a beach tour.  The most expensive was a ride to Beach Comber Island with lunch (all- inclusive and no hidden costs) 5 hours and $90.  First Landing Beach Resort was 2 – 3 hours for $50, while Natadola Beach was 5 hours and $40.  The last option was Denarau Island (Hilton Resort) for 3 hours and $30.  Most all of them required you to bring your own snorkeling gear.  A few places had them for rent.  We thought these options were pretty reasonable.  Lautoka site-seeing and Country sites with a mud pool stop were both 2 – 3 hours for $50.  Or site-seeing with a beach stop for 4 hours was $70. 

 

The ship's tours included Kula Eco Park for 5 ½ hours for $120 or Sail to Tivua Island on a beautiful three-masted sailboat was $200 for 6 ½ hours.   A trip to a natural mud pool was $150 for 3 ½ hours, or Tau Cave and zipline for $190 and 5 ½ hours.  Leisurely Nadi was a long drive to another city for shopping and refreshments for 3 ½ hours and $80.  Anyway, this gives you all an idea of what some of the extra costs may be when cruising.  We happened to be coming out of the Pinnacle after breakfast, and almost got run over with the guests barreling down the stairs to be the first in the sailboat.  Things never change, do they?

 

During the early morning after the arrival, Daniel had to repeat the mandatory message about bringing food over to the island.   There could be stiff fines involved if you ignore this.  For the first time on this trip, one of us was stopped and asked what I had in my bag.  It was two umbrellas and a bottle of water, but the local official did not take my word for it.  I gladly opened the bag and showed him that I had no foodstuff.  It was obvious to us that some passengers before us did take off food despite the stern warning.  If we were in New Zealand or Australia, for instance, you would be subject to a fine.

 

We made our way to the Lautoka Market, which rivaled Suva's Marketplace in size and huge assortment of produce.  This warehouse is so big, one could get lost in there.   Not only are the vendors located inside the building, there are almost as many outside, selling their food stuff while sitting on the sidewalk with tarps under their produce.   On one side of the market, is a closed-door fish market.  Inside there is a row of sinks with tile counters where the fish are displayed for a quick sale.    All types of fish are sold here such as small tuna, barracudas, red snappers, and even the tropical fish, like the pretty parrotfish and striped groupers.  Most of the catch was fresh, because the smell was not that bad.  We figure by the end of the day, most all of it will be sold.   At another end of the building was where the fresh fruit was prepared and sold for snacks.  The little pineapples they grow here are cut in neat strips and sold on a stick for 50 cents Fijian or 25 cents USD. Some of the food things were foreign to us, so we asked what the pile of brown grass was.  Turned out to be a type of seaweed that when cooked, tastes like custard.  Really?   The vendors were most friendly and welcomed us to take all the photos we wished.  One nice lady even offered us a taste of her kava brew, but we said no thanks.    Been there, done that.  It is an acquired taste for sure.   One common vegetable we did not see in Suva or here was corn.   Not grown in this climate, it is not part of their diet. 

 

From here, we back-tracked and passed by dozens of shops that carried mostly traditional Indian clothing like the saris and punjabis.  One whole street was filled with kids, women's, and men's clothing and shoe stores.   Another block was electronics and housewares.  And we happened to be here close to the Indian feast of Diwali, which is the festival of lights.  Many signs were posted in the store windows, but we did not see the sidewalk chalk drawings or votive candles lit like we have in the past.  Bet they banned the candles due to fire safety.

 

There are a bunch of cafes and restaurants in this downtown area, but they mostly cater to the Indian and Chinese or Fijian cuisine.  We have never found a good place for lunch, but our luck was about to change.  At the end of downtown, there is a park where we head down to the waterfront promenade.   For one thing, it is much cooler along the water compared to walking the main highway back to the ship.  We always passed a very nice hotel by the name of Tanoa Waterfront.  Part of the hotel features a restaurant that always looked closed or appeared to be a buffet-style café.  Perhaps we were always too early, and it was closed.  But today we went closer to see if there was a menu posted on the door, and a waitress came outside to ask if she could help us.   Well, yes she could.  We went inside, checked out the menu for their full service lunch and discovered they had a full page dedicated to pizza. How about that?   She seated us at an inside table with air-conditioning and brought us two Fiji Gold beers.  Then we ordered a 14 inch Hawaiian pizza.  It was close to 1pm, and we would guess the restaurant was half full with local customers.  

 

Then all of a sudden, a line of guests formed at their counter where a buffet had been set up.  It appeared that a convention of educators were beginning their lunch break and there must have been up to 100 hungry people filling up the room – inside and outside.   The Fijians are known for their hardy size, and these folks were no exception.   We never saw plates heaped so high with mostly rice, veggies, and some kind of fried chicken and fish.  They were good eaters, and even enjoyed a bowl of ice cream and maybe cake in the hour they were given to dine.    The staff did a great job accommodating this group, as well as the existing customers like us that were already there.    By the way, the pizza was really good, loaded with ham, cheese, and sauce, and quite ample .  So now we can put his place on the list of "must-return" restaurants. 

 

We followed the seawall walk on the way back to the pier, then checked out the vendors that had tents of souvenirs for sale.    Last year, one of us bought a one-size-fits-all silk-like pullover tunic from the Jack's of Fiji collection on the pier.  Today, there were some racks of generic island clothing, but nothing to match the quality of the one we already have.  However, there were a few tables of jewelry and one necklace and earring set that caught our eye.   The seller said she made these herself and they were one of a kind.   The price was right, and of course, we did buy one set for a keepsake. 

 

It wasn't long after that the ship left the port and is now headed towards Dravuni Island, a private little island that is only big enough for one ship.  It looks as if rain is predicted there as well.  But like today, maybe their forecast is wrong. 

 

Dinner was good and we even had our Caesar salads, although the lettuce was not romaine.  It was definitely Fiji lettuce which is leafy green and almost the texture of butter lettuce.  We shared an appetizer of sesame breaded chicken tenders as well.   One entrée was oxtail bourguignon with a creamy type of potato, and the other was panko-breaded shrimp on a bed of rice, which I added some soy sauce.  Really tasty.   Desserts were one orange sorbet and a panna cotta served in the cute one cup mason jar. 

 

Planning on sleeping quite well tonight after three days of long walks.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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