Honolulu and Waikiki Beach is a photographer’s dream…Photo of our tent, one year ago…

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Last night’s sunset at 6:15 pm.

I’ll never profess to be an experienced photographer. After less than two years of passionately taking photos, I still have a lot to learn. Perhaps, in another two years, I’ll be able to consider myself in a class of an experienced amateur photographer. 

The Waikiki Trolley.

For now, I’m reveling in the pure joy of capturing moments as we see them, Tom with his keen eye for the perfect scene, sunset or moon, and me, with my curiosity for the less common scenes. Together, we find ourselves constantly holding a camera when out and about, scanning our surroundings for the next shot.

A fountain and surfer statue at Waikiki Beach.

Based on our current equipment and my inability to hold a heavy SLR camera, we make do with the camera we recently purchased, an inexpensive Canon SX50 HS. As mentioned in an earlier post, if this camera lasts for two years, we’ll be thrilled. By that time, newer technology will aid my accumulated skills.

Another surfer statue at the beach.

Some of our distant photos aren’t as clear as we’d like. Although at times, we choose to share them for their content, as opposed to their acuity. I can’t imagine hauling a tripod and multiple lenses around the world with us. The weight restrictions are a constant source of concern.

A sign describing the beaches at Waikiki.

Each night on our way to dinner, we head out early to ensure we have a chance to capture the sunset in Waikiki from the perfect location across the street from our condo-hotel. Each night is different.

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel.  Long BT (before Tom) I stayed at this hotel on a few occasions.  Now, the rooms start at over $400 a night

Other than a daily walk in the area and again going out at 5:30 for the evening, we’ve tended to stay inside the little condo in air-conditioned comfort. Each sunny day we head up to the 10th-floor veranda where there are chaise lounges for a quick 40-minute dose of Vitamin D and a little tanning.

The breakwaters at Waikiki to protect the bathers.

There’s a pool on the property but, it’s entirely shaded by trees making it useless for our occasional sun tanning. What do we do for the remainder of our time? We do what others do in their homes; laundry, cleaning up, checking Facebook and our email, banking, and financial tasks, talking and laughing. Tom often listens to his favorite radio podcast, Garage Logic, using his earpieces while I listen to the news in the background.

The surf at the breakwater should be increasing with the upcoming trade winds.

Also, we spend considerable time each day taking and preparing our photos and stories which easily fill a morning or afternoon. Preferably, the next day’s post is completed by late afternoon, leaving our evenings free to go to dinner and later relax watching a movie or favorite TV show. 

Tom thought that Spam was a popular item in Hawaii which was confirmed by this Spam sandwiches to go display at an ABC store, of which there is one at almost every block.

In many ways, it’s a simple life when one is free of “stuff,” household maintenance, and social obligations. We do miss the social interactions but after two fabulously social cruises, we’re good for a while. 

On the pier in Waikiki Beach.

In six days, we’ll leave Honolulu, heading to Maui for a six-week stay in a condo with more space where we’ll feel more comfortable. Our 40-minute flight is booked and we’ve checked our baggage restrictions consisting of a maximum of 50 pounds per bag at $35 per bag. We’ll use our travel scale to get this right hopefully, avoiding excess baggage fees.

Have a wonderful weekend, whatever you may do. We plan to.

                                            Photo from one year ago today, October 10, 2013:

This was the interior of our tent at Sanctuary Retreat’s Camp Olonana in the Masai Mara where we went on safari. It was quite a tent with AC, indoor plumbing, and electrical. The WiFi didn’t work in the tent requiring us to work in the lobby of the main building. We were so happy to be there, we didn’t mind a bit. Plus, they turned off the electrical power during the day to save on power. But, they left ours on to recharge our equipment. For details of that post with more photos of the camp, please click here.

The peculiar Hawaiian Banyan tree…The magic of coconut oil…One year ago…An injured Hippo…

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Tom, standing by only a portion of the branches that grow downward from the Banyan Tree.

Over the past few days, it has been hot, humid, and challenging spending time outdoors in Honolulu during the daylight hours. Everyone is talking about the trade winds arriving soon which hopefully will cool it off. As I write this, it’s 90F, 32C, with the weather report stating it feels as if it’s 93F, 34C.

The first Banyan Tree we discovered on a walk.

This is far from the hottest climate, we’ve experienced in our travels. Dubai, UAE was the hottest and most unbearable when we visited for 13 nights in May 2013. Although Dubai is a dry desert climate, 105F, 40C was difficult to endure.

This Banyan tree either fell victim to graffiti or is dated for some unknown reason.

Hawaii is known for its year-round tropical climate that drives many retirees and vacationers to visit for both short and extended periods. Add the beauty of the volcanic created scenery, exquisite vegetation, clear blue waters, and friendly people results in Hawaii being one of the most desired places to visit in the world.

Unusual vines fall from the tree and attach themselves building a new root system.

Some have criticized Honolulu for its hustle and bustle lifestyle, the constant stream of tourists, and high prices.  For us, we’re enjoying every moment. Much to our surprise, we’ve run into three couples we’d met on the cruise as we wandered about the streets of Waikiki, including one couple from Australia while we investigated a shopping mall off a side street. What a coincidence!

The vines before attaching to the ground.

We’ve had nothing but great dining experiences, spending an average of $57 per day including the purchase of nuts and a new plastic jar of coconut oil from a GNC store (for our teeth). Near the end of the most recent cruise, I dropped and broke a glass bottle of oil in the bathroom in our cabin. Luckily, the oil was solid due to the cool temperature in the cabin, making cleanup easier which I did myself, rather than ask the cabin steward.

Impressive tree.

In each country we’ve visited we’ve searched for organic, extra virgin coconut oil, hard to find in many locations. The 16 oz. weight prevents us from stocking up. In Hawaii, we’ll have no trouble finding it when there are GNC stores on each island which we stumbled upon yesterday. We continue to use coconut oil for keeping our mouths and teeth clean reducing tarter and bacteria. Here’s a video from Dr. Bruce Fife regarding the use of coconut oil that may inspire others to try it.

An exquisite simple yellow Hibiscus.

Tom and I have used coconut oil since the onset of our travels and during both recent cruises never becoming ill aboard ship. (We’d contracted the “cruise cough” on three past cruises). Whether it was the coconut oil or the obsessive hand washing that benefitted us, we’ll never know for sure. Perhaps, the combination of the two added another layer of protection. Coconut palms are grown in all eight of the Hawaiian islands as explained in this article. 

The ever-popular common Hibiscus in beautiful shades of orange and pink.

Speaking of vegetation, a few days ago while on a walk on the grounds outside the Honolulu Zoo (we don’t visit zoos often, preferring animals in the wild) which is next door to our hotel, we were in awe of one of the most interesting trees we’ve ever seen, the Banyan Tree as shown in today’s photos. Many tourists make a special trip to this area to see these unbelievable trees. Please click here for information on the Banyan Tree and its origins.

After looking at hundreds of flower photos online, we’ve yet to find the name of these flowers.

Needless to say, vegetation in the Hawaiian Islands is like none other we’ve seen anywhere in the world. As it cools off over the next several days due to the trade winds, we’ll further explore in hopes of finding more interesting and unusual vegetation on the island of Oahu.

Nonflowering plants may be colorful in Hawaii.

The flower growing seasons of spring and summer in Hawaii have long since passed, although we continue to find many common beautiful flowers, as we walk the busy streets in Waikiki as shown in our photos. 

We’ll be back tomorrow with many more new photos we’re anxious to share with our readers. Please stay tuned.

                                           Photo from one year ago today, October 9, 2013:

This hippo we spotted appeared to have an injury on her left shoulder. For details from that date, please click here.

Video and photo of an breathtaking sky over Hawaii…And a year ago sky in Kenya…

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This sky captured our attention for a short period
before darkness fell. 
There are times that nature presents us with such profound beauty that it’s difficult to take our eyes away. The above video we took on Friday evening from the balcony on the ship was exactly one of those situations. 
Taken aboard the ship, this intrigued us when the long narrow line along the horizon added considerable appeal to the scene.
I was inside the cabin struggling to upload a photo for the next day’s post while Tom was on “sunset watch” on the veranda in our cabin. As soon as he said, “Hurry, bring the camera. We’ve got to do a video!” I jumped up dashing outside with the camera.
The protrusion in the upper left is the ship’s bridge which was impossible to avoid in taking this shot to illustrate the beautiful coloration.

Gasping in wonder as to this exquisite sky, I couldn’t get the video going fast enough. It was so beautiful that I had trouble speaking into the microphone on the camera. I apologize for the choppy dialogue.

The reflection of the sun peeking through the clouds created quite the scene.

As passionate observers of nature, we’ve found that each area of the world that we’ve visited thus far, has its own unique signature in the sky, whether it’s a sunrise, a sunset, a full moon and a cloudy day, or night. We love it all.

We refer to these scenes with holes through the cloud with the sun filtering through as “the eyes of God.”
Months ago in Madeira, we were enthralled with the clouds and fog rolling in from the sea creating a mysterious ambiance. In early 2013, we were captivated by the sunset and moonlight in Belize and later over the Indian Ocean in Kenya. 
Wow!

Today, we’re sharing more new sunset photos in Hawaii that we were unable to post while on the ship.  With all the horrible news throughout the world, it’s a welcome relief to revel in nature’s boundless beauty.

We hope many of our readers were able to see last night’s lunar eclipse.
                                            Photo from one year ago today, October 8, 2013:
Ironically, it was a year today, that we took this photo at dusk in the Masai Mara while in Kenya on safari.  Appropriately befitting today’s story and photos.  For details from that date, please click here.

Links for tonight’s times for lunar eclipse. Waikiki, a busy place…Dining out…Not as pricey as we thought…A year ago…a favorite safari photo…

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Please click here for worldwide times of upcoming lunar eclipse.

Sunday night’s waning sun on a overcast evening; a sailboat and a glimpse of the sun in the horizon.

We took off on foot to find a restaurant for our first dinner out in Waikiki. After checking Trip Advisor, we gave up trying for top rated restaurants, many of which required a cab ride.

Waikiki Beach on a sunny day.

With many popular establishments within walking distance, we decided to wing it for this short period in Waikiki when preferring to walk as opposed to taking taxis. Why pay an extra $25 a night for a round trip taxi fare when many good restaurants are nearby?

The clouds rolled in quickly for a stormy night.

After an amazing dinner on Sunday night in a popular hotel’s restaurant, Kuhio Beach Grill, we look forward to trying it another night. Each evening, this restaurant, located in the Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa, has a varying buffet theme for $29.95 on Monday through Thursday and for $37.95 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with a 20% discount for early birds between 5 and 6 pm.

We had no expectations of good food in Waikiki but the experience at Kuhio Beach Grill gave us hope, especially when the chef visited our table to discuss my dietary concerns. He made a fabulous dinner salad with grilled chicken, avocado, and veggies, adding freshly made fresh blue cheese dressing. We were impressed, to say the least.

Although at quite a distance, it was fun to see flamingos.

Tom, not a fan of salads and various side dishes, stuck to the prime rib and mashed potatoes, going back for seconds along with a few pieces of cake for dessert. He didn’t take another item off of the buffet. With crab legs, shrimp, and fabulous sides, he stuck with the meat and potatoes forgoing any of the wide selections of bread and rolls.

Once we land in Maui in nine days, our first outing will be the grocery store to buy items for preparing our own meals. Tom will then join me in eating “my way” hopefully losing a few of those “cruise food” pounds he picked up while out to sea. 

Again at quite a distance, we spotted this bird.  If you know the name of this bird, please comment. 

There are reports that claim that the average cruiser gains six pounds on a 14-night cruise. I can easily imagine how that transpires with the readily available eye-catching foods at any time of the day, including mountains of sweets and baked goods. Surely, without my restrictions, I would definitely have gained weight as well when it would’ve been difficult to resist some of the temptations. 

We’re getting used to this modest one-room condo and are doing well, especially after making the few modifications we mentioned in yesterday’s post. Neither of us feels we could live here for an extended period but with only nine days remaining, we’ll be fine.

Busy Waikiki Beach at dusk.

Walking the streets of Waikiki Beach is entertaining, to say the least. Tourists line the streets as well as the locals appearing happy to be living in Hawaii hopefully having figured out how to manage with the high cost of living. 

Yesterday, while on a walk, we stopped to read a menu at the top of a flight of stairs of a local restaurant, running into a couple we’d met on the cruise, as they exited the restaurant after breakfast. We all giggled at the irony of running into them in this busy area. They are staying at a hotel, next to ours. Small world.

The menu at the Kuhio Beach Grill as opposed to choosing the $37.95 buffet. The chef made a special chicken and avocado salad for me along with special salad dressing.

From what we’ve seen, it’s certainly no more expensive in Hawaii than in Paris, London, or any other big cities we’ve visited in our travels, including Boston and Vancouver. Urban Honolulu is rated among the most expensive cities in the US, based on varying reports online.

But, like everywhere, one can learn to adapt.  We’ve been able to dine out the past two nights for around $65 including a 15% tip, with no cocktails or beverages. We’ve found that by avoiding the added cost of beverages to our bill we’re able to keep our dining out costs under control. 

My main meal chicken and avocado salad with special bleu cheese dressing were delicious.

It’s easy to see how adding a few glasses of wine or cocktails for each of two diners, can easily shoot the bill upwards of $100. We’ve budgeted $100 a day for our meals while in Honolulu and are certain we’ll be able to stay within this amount.

As always, it’s about trade-offs. Tom purchased a bottle of brandy, duty-free, on the ship before we disembarked. If he decides to have a cocktail or two before dining out, he usually has no interest in ordering another in the restaurant, preferring tap water with his meal. I only drink water and tea rarely bothering to order bottled water with a meal providing that the water is safe to drink.  

Tom’s prime rib and mashed potatoes from the buffet at Kuhio Beach Grill. He went back for an identical second serving when the meat was so tender he cut it with a butter knife.

It’s these simple steps that ultimately save us $100’s when dining out for extended periods such as the most recent 77 days in a row.

The sunsets over Waikiki beach are amazing although we missed Sunday night’s sky clouded over. While we dined it was raining in buckets. Our server gave us a plastic bag to cover the camera, making running back in the rain to our condo less worrisome. 

Clouds rolling in.

On the return run in the rain, we stopped at a local grocer to buy creamer for Tom’s morning coffee and of course, Macadamia nuts for me. After all, we are in the land of Macadamias. Who knew that Macadamia nuts originated in Australia? Here’s a link to some interesting facts about the production of the nuts.

Honolulu/Waikiki Beach is an interesting place to visit. It’s hot, humid, and crowded and surely, we look forward to the less hurried pace of islands to come. In the interim, we’re living in the moment, reveling in every bit of our surroundings.

                                           Photo from one year ago today, October 7, 2013:

This photo was posted one year ago today from our safari in the Maasai Mara. Using no zoom on the camera, we got this photo that clearly illustrates the bugs on his nose. We were very close, keeping our arms inside the vehicle. Notice the zebra carcass behind him. He seemed relatively uninterested in us as we sat there for quite some time, watching him. This is the photo I currently use for a screensaver on my laptop which so bespeaks the extraordinary experience we had, never to be forgotten. For more photos and details from that date, please click here.

Our new home in Waikiki…Photos…Views…Gruesome photo from one year ago…Life in the wild…

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Volleyball, sunning and funning on the beach.

The condo in Waikiki, south of Honolulu is small, spotless, and satisfactory for the next 11 nights we’ll spend in Oahu. Based on the price of $2197 for this period and the high cost of hotels in this area, we accepted the fact that this wouldn’t be an upscale rental.

Bride and groom crossing the street on Sunday morning in Waikiki.

When we booked our four vacation homes in Hawaii over the past few years, we realized that we’d need to stay within a tight budget considering our family’s upcoming arrival in December; the cost of their airfare, the two houses, groceries, transportation, and Christmas related expenses.

View from the balcony of the condo.

We decided long ago that if we kept our costs down for these 11 nights, six weeks in Maui, and four months in Kauai, we’d help balance out the high costs for the family get together on the Big Island over the holidays.

Tom is busy in the tiny kitchen making ice tea.
As a result, we won’t whine or complain that this clean, oceanview, one-room tiny space is less than our usual expectations. It has AC, an excellent fan, free high-speed Internet, laundry facilities in the basement, a flat-screen TV and a comfortable bed.
Small bathroom sink.

The lobby and hallways are tidy and well kept. It appears that this building was a hotel many years ago, later converted to a condo complex. Having already met a few permanent residents, they seem happy living here, and for 11 nights, so will we.

Another view of Waikiki beach from the balcony.

Oddly, there are no closets, only a bar, and hangers against a wall in the room. We’ve piled up our clothing on the counters that line two walls with shorts, tee shirts, swimwear, and underwear. Surely, this workaround will be sufficient for this short period of time.

“The unique profile of Diamond Head (Le’ahi) sits prominently near the eastern edge of Waikiki’s coastline. Hawaii’s most recognized landmark
is known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history.”

The bathroom is minuscule with the tiniest sink we’ve ever seen but, the shower is adequate and well stocked with towels, soaps, and basic supplies, all of which will suit our needs.

The Honolulu Zoo is across the street from the condo.  Having spent time in Africa among wild animals in their natural habitat, we’ll never be interested in visiting a zoo.

I doubt we’ll do any cooking here. The kitchen is no more than 3 feet by 3 feet leaving little room for preparing meals of any sort. We’ll dine out when this excellent location offers many restaurants within a 10 or 15-minute walk.

Today, we’ll take a walk on the pier in the right of this scene.

With no sofa or place to sit other than the bed, Tom hauled the patio table and two chairs inside giving us a sense of having a kitchen table where we can work on our laptops and if we choose, eat carryout meals (provided we can find anything that will work for me).

The bed is against the sliding door in the small room.

As I write this on Sunday afternoon, to be posted Monday morning, Tom is happily watching the Minnesota Vikings game to which he subscribes, while I’m content running back and forth to the basement doing laundry. 

Tom is munching on peanuts while watching the Vikings game on his laptop. Notice the piles of clothes on top of the counters and the makeshift closet behind Tom.

The front desk didn’t have enough change for us to wash all of our clothing so we left out the jeans and heavy items for another day after we get to change and more laundry soap.  

Closer view of the pier in Waikiki.

Today, we’ll find a post office to mail back the XComGlobal MiFi which we’ll no longer need to use, and to explore the areas after which we’ll start checking out the area.

Only steps from the beach, we’ll enjoy the time here as we often do, wherever we may be. With easy access to local transportation, getting around will be a breeze.

A park across the street from the condo-hotel.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more photos of Waikiki. Thanks to all of our loyal readers worldwide for hanging in there with us while we were only able to post a few photos each day while cruising. Now back on land with an excellent high-speed signal, we won’t miss a beat.

Happy day to all!

                                              Photo from one year ago today, October 6, 2013:

This Crocodile has an Impala he killed in his mouth. We shot this photo one year ago today on Day 2 of our safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. For details and more amazing photos, please click here. 

Another new beginning…Hello, Waikiki for 11 nights!…Final cruise bill!…Interesting financial facts…A year ago today, first day on safari…Check out the photos!

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A Bottle Nosed Dolphin we spotted from the ship!

As we hear the grumbles of frustration from many passengers that are disappointed that the cruise ends today, we keep our mouths shut, shaking our heads in understanding.

Nothing ends here for us today by way of leaving the Celebrity Solstice. We have 11 nights in Waikiki in an oceanview condo with a washer and dryer in the building! Yippee! What more could we ask for?

Shops and restaurants in Kona.

No, it doesn’t feel like a vacation spending almost eight months in Hawaii. It now feels like a good life, leaving little time or circumstance resulting in boredom or a sense of the mundane. 

How will we ever settle down when we so love this life of constant change and challenge? We intend to continue on until we can’t, old age being the unavoidable obstacle and eventuality. 

As the tender approached the pier in Hilo, there were swimmers at the beach.

Today, we’ll play our usual role of “cattle” herded off the ship with assigned numbers and times, making our way down the ramps to the street where hopefully, we’ll quickly find a taxi to take us to our resort hotel in Waikiki Beach. 

Check-in time isn’t until 2:00 pm. We’ll wait in the lobby, more easily entertaining ourselves with a stronger (hopefully) WiFi signal while we commence preparing Monday’s post with photos galore.

Restaurants lined the shore in Kona.

We have no delusions about the crowds, the traffic, the noise and the smells of fried foods (as mentioned by daughter Tammy about Waikiki). None whatsoever. After all, since July 31st, we’ve been in Paris, London and Vancouver for 16 nights, 15 nights and 6 nights, respectively. We know and accept the annoyances of big cities.

But, we always find ways to entertain ourselves, seeing the sites we prefer to see, taking photos, writing here each day, eating the local foods (that which I can eat and which Tom will like) until 11 days later, we’ll head to the blissful quiet of Maui, away from the usual tourist locations.

Afternoon sun in Maui, from our veranda.

Our final bill for this cruise excluding the fare was $805.88.  The fare for this 12 day Hawaiian cruise, Vancouver to Honolulu was $4116.02 which included tax, $288 tips, $175 on board credit for a grand total of $4921.90.  The average cost per day including all costs was $410.16. 

Had we lived in a vacation rental for 12 days with a rental car, groceries, dining out and other miscellaneous expenses, our cost would have been roughly at $200 per day for a total of $2400.  

Adding the cost of airfare to reach Hawaii from any location could easily have been another $2000 for a total of $4400 for an average daily cost of $366.67. In essence, the cruise cost us an additional $521.90. The benefit we enjoy is the fact that we don’t have to pay for home sitting empty with all of its expenses, while we’re on “vacation.”

Kaanapali Beach, Maui, the famous strip of hotels and resorts along the coveted popular tourist attraction. Years ago, BT, I visited this location on several occasions when long hours in the sun and late-night fun were on the agenda. Not so much of that now.

Here we begin, dear readers, another leg of our journey with no end, only two months from seeing our family at long last which ultimately was our primary motivation for visiting Hawaii at this time in our travels.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos of our new temporary home, basically, a hotel room with a tiny kitchen which will easily fulfill our needs during this short 11-day stay and of course, our first photos of Waikiki Beach, as we breathe in the smell of the ocean air, flowers, and fried foods.

Aloha.

                                               Photo from one year ago today, October 5, 2013:

Our first day on safari in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, one year ago today.

This scene was our first while we waited nearby the airport for other safari participants to arrive to drive to the camp with us. Anderson, our tour guide throughout the adventure, decided to take us for a quick peek while we waited the 45 minutes. We couldn’t believe our eyes but, it was only a taste of what was yet to come!  For details and many more exciting photos, please click here.

Hello, Lahaina, Maui…We’ll also see you soon!…

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When the trolley in Hilo stopped to pick up passengers in a strip mall, we spotted this orchid.
The thought of returning to live on these various Hawaiian Islands is exciting. This morning at 7:30 am, our ship anchored in Maui, again requiring a tender boat to get to the shore to the village of Lahaina. Since we’ll be back in Maui in less than two weeks we decided to stay on board today and tomorrow, before disembarking on Sunday. Many of the tours and shuttles are off for shopping in Lahaina. We’ll visit Lahaina later on our own.
Gazebo at the park in Hilo.

With constant WiFi problems, honestly, I’m anxious to get on land where we’ll have a good signal. This has been frustrating. In our effort to post each day, I’ve literally spent hours attempting to upload two or three photos a day. Even the MiFi from XCOM Global is receiving a poor signal.

It’s easy to post text only. But, surely our readers enjoyed seeing some photos while we sailed across the seas. Hopefully, by the time we embark on our next cruise in May 2015, technology will have improved for a better signal aboard the ship.

Pretty scenery at Liliuokalani Gardens.

We have many wonderful photos to share that we’re unable to upload due to the poor signal. Once we’re situated in our condo in Waikiki and our laundry is done (almost out of clothes), we’ll be excited to post many of these photos of the various islands we’ve seen.

Once we get these “backed-up” photos presented, we’ll continue to explore each island on which we’ll live sharing new photos and stories along the way. We look forward to doing so.

Shoreline in Hilo.

After visiting cooler climates these past several months, we certainly can feel the impact of the scorching heat in Hawaii, especially today in Maui. We like the warmer weather and in a short time we’ll be used to it as we had in
Africa for almost nine months. 

Overall, most of our travels have included hot weather except after we arrived in Madeira, Portugal, where the average temperature was in the 70’s. In Hawaii, this time of year, most days will be in the humid, sun-scorching
80’s. 

We took the trolley in Hilo enabling us to get some good shots along the shoreline..
With AC in each of the locations in which we’ll live, we’ll have a comfortable mix of cool air inside and warmth when we’re out and about, ideal to our liking. As always, there’s a short period of time for adjustment to our
surroundings, the culture, the way of life commensurate with each locale.
With only 11 days upcoming in Oahu, we look forward to settling in for the six weeks in Maui, where today we need only look across a short expanse of the sea where it awaits us in all of its glory.
Sky at dusk in Hilo.

Again, we’ll continue to attempt to post photos while lounging in air-conditioned comfort aboard the ship in the luxurious Sky Lounge knowing full well that in almost 48 hours we’ll be off the ship to begin our almost eight-month stay in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Yum.

Photo from one year ago today, October 4, 2013:

It’s hard to believe that we were in Kenya a year ago, packing to leave the next days for a safari in the Maasai Mara, one of the most extraordinary experiences of our lives. On this date, one year ago, we experienced a power outage that prevented us from posting. Starting tomorrow, one year ago, we began the life-changing safari in the Maasai Mara. Of course, we’ll share photos each day on our daily one year ago posting at the bottom of each new post.

Hello, Kona, Big Island, Hawaii…We’ll be back soon…

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Sunset from our veranda.

After sailing all night, yesterday morning, we arrived on the opposite side of the Big Island to the city of Kona, the second largest city on the Big island with Hilo as number one.

This particular port requires passengers to board a “tender,” a smaller boat used to transport passengers to the shore when the ship is too large to dock at the pier.

Is this a houseboat, island or floating property? Once we can get a better signal we can figure it out.
They used the ship’s lifeboats as the tenders, as opposed to using locals tender boats that are often contracted to facilitate the needs of the various cruise ships arriving in the port.

Although we wanted to avoid the crowds on the tender boats knowing we’ll be on this island beginning on December 1st for a period of six weeks, we decided to go ashore to check out the city of Kona. 

View of a small portion of Kona’s shoreline.

Once we arrived at the pier we boarded the local trolley for a 90-minute ride around the Kona area, taking many good photos. Unfortunately, the poor WiFi signal on both the ship and the MiFi has prevented us from posting many photos. 

(It’s taken hours of persistence to post the few photos we’ve included here each day. We’ll catch up and post some great new photos once we get on land for a better signal. Thanks for your patience).

Again, Wednesday night was “formal” night, the third on this 12-night cruise, an unusually large number for this length of cruise. Of course, we no longer have formal wear or in Tom’s case, not a tie, dress shirt, or sports coat. Instead, he has worn his white long sleeve BugsAway shirt on each of the three formal nights.

Kona shoreline.

For me, formal night is easier. Wearing one of my three “roll-in-a-ball” long skirts with a tee-shirt, a long scarf, a belt, and a few pieces of costume jewelry and I’m as formal as I can be with what I have on hand. Many men were dressed in tuxedos and women in sparkly evening gowns.

When we were seated at the sharing dinner table for 10 with our less than formal wear, it only took a few minutes for us to settle in with the formally dressed others to become comfortable. 

When asked where we’re from and we explained our nomadic lifestyle, they all agreed that hauling a tuxedo and evening gown around the world made no sense at all. In moments, we were entrenched in delightful conversation and our attire, although clean and tidy, was quickly forgotten.

We took one of these lifeboats, used as tenders to get passengers from the ship to the pier.

Last night, Thursday, we dined with a fabulous couple we met earlier from Cruise Critic, Susan, and Mark, who hosted the slot pull last week. We took an instant liking to them and were excited to dine with them as a foursome in the dining room (casual, last night).

We couldn’t have had more fun, laughter, and also deep and meaningful conversation. How fortunate we’ve been to meet so many wonderful people on cruises, many of whom we remain in touch from as far back as our original cruise in January 2013.

Almost every morning at breakfast and every evening at dinner, we’ve met new people, each with their own interesting story to tell. We find that in many cases people are curious as to how we manage our lives without stuff or a home. They ask many questions that we happily answer candidly including the hard parts. 

I suppose if the tables were turned we’d be asking the same questions. At times, even Tom and I look at one another asking, “How in the world are we pulling this off?” 

A very dear friend from Minnesota wrote to me a few days ago, telling me I could share with her in an email “what it’s really like” as opposed to the relatively cheerful tone in most of our posts, which she reads almost daily.

I wrote back to her, unable to wipe the smile off of my face, telling her there is no “what it’s really like” other than that which we share here. Tom and I are not fighting in the background. We’re not running out of money.  We aren’t ill and hiding it. We aren’t wrought with worry and concern, keeping it to ourselves.

Our posts are presented in a vein of “what you see is what you get.” There’s no hidden agenda, no mask or veil from which we hide our true selves. Many wonder if we have an end date in mind that we don’t reveal. Not at all. Our answer to this query is simple, “We’ll keep going as long as our health is good enough to continue on.”

Maintaining our budget ensures we never run out of money, although with inflation, surely in time, we’ll have to trim some of our expenses to account for the differences. But, even that, doesn’t intimidate us. We know how to sacrifice and trim. After two years of living on a strict budget, we’re getting good at this, if we do say so ourselves. 

Tightwads? Maybe a little. Frugal? Maybe a lot. But, the motivation is sound and the result is rewarding. At the end of this month on October 31st, we’ll have been gone from Minnesota for two years. 

Time flies when you’re having fun.

                                               Photo from one year ago today, October 3, 2013:

When our driver Edmond drove us to the market in Diani Beach, Kenya, we usually spotted baboons on the side of the road. On this particular date a year ago, the power was out in the house in Kenya as we packed for our upcoming safari in the Maasai Mara, a few days later. Please click here for details.

Hello Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii!…An unexpected outing!…New photo of us in Hilo…

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Here we are at Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo. Sam, our overly friendly taxi driver, took the photo.

It was tempting to get off the ship to go see the two houses we rented on the Big Island for the holidays with our family. But, we’ve decided to wait in order to be surprised.

The scenery along the shores of Hawaii is lovely.

The pier in Hilo is located in a highly industrial area and we’d have had to walk for miles to get to any points of interest. 

As we entered the Port of Hilo, Hawaii.

Also, we’ll be back on the Big Island for six weeks in less than two months, saving sightseeing to do with our family members when they start arriving on December 6th.

The last time we went to a Walmart, a store we never visited in our old lives, was in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico on January 6, 2013, when we got off the ship, the Celebrity Century, to purchase our first camera. Here’s Tom in front of the Hilo, Hawaii Walmart. See below as to how we ended up at this store, an entirely unplanned outing.

However, we decided to take the free shuttle into downtown Hilo. Well, of all things, we accidentally got on the bus going to Walmart! We couldn’t have laughed harder. 

Leis for sale in a refrigerated case at the Walmart store.

After spending $126 in Walmart, we weren’t laughing quite as hard. We purchased nuts, a couple of shirts, self tanning cream, shampoo, toothpaste and a few odds and ends.

Our ship is behind the Pacific Princess in the foreground.

Tom got “overly grumpy” when we had to buy a cloth bag to carry our purchases since Walmart in Hawaii doesn’t use plastic bags. I couldn’t have been more thrilled with their concern for the environment. 

Near the Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo.

After we made our purchases, we found our way to the waiting area for the free shuttle to return us and others to the ship. The expected wait time was 15 minutes at most. 

At the Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo.

As we waited while sitting on a bench, a friendly-looking taxi driver asked if we wanted a ride back to the pier.  Did we have food stuck in our teeth proving we were passengers of the latest cruise ship to arrive in Hilo?

I asked Sam, “How much?” 

Sam answered, “$12.”

I answered, “Na, too much!”

Sam answered, looking at the camera hanging from my shoulder, “How about $10 with a stop at a gorgeous site to take photos?”

The park was lovely.

We couldn’t have jumped up quicker, taking Sam up on his kindly offer. As soon as we got into his air-conditioned minivan, we all engaged in animated chatter as Sam drove us to the Liliuokalani Gardens, an exquisite park on the way back to the ship.

Oddly, Sam told us he lives on “Lyman Ave” in Hilo, pulling out his driver’s license to show us. Serendipity.  We’re hardly wanted to say goodbye to Sam after an outrageously fun time with him during the drive and at the gorgeous park. Its funny how the least expected situations turn into the most fun of all. 

An enchanting footbridge in the gardens.

Over the extended periods we’ll spend on each of three of the four islands we’ll have plenty of time to see everything that appeals to us. No paid excursion would have been more fun than our time with Sam.

As for Hilo, we searched for a bit of general information on the Hawaiian Islands and found the following. As time goes on, we’ll acquire knowledge that we’ll share with our readers as opposed to quoting other web sites. 

For now, we’re Hawaiian newbies and we prefer to be careful of that which we write until we become more knowledgeable over the next many months:

“The Hawaiian Islands (Hawaiian: Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from the island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. Formerly the group was known to Europeans and Americans as the “Sandwich Islands“, a name chosen by James Cook in honor of the then First Lord of the Admiralty John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. The contemporary name is derived from the name of the main island, Hawaii Island, as a pars pro toto.
The US state of Hawaii occupies the archipelago almost in its entirety (including the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), with the sole exception of Midway island, which is instead an unincorporated territory within the United States Minor Outlying Islands.
The Hawaiian Islands are the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the Earth’s mantle. The islands are about 1,860 miles (3,000 km) from the nearest continent.“

In these short few days in Hawaii, it’s odd for us to grasp that Hawaii is a part of the US, other than for its abundance of US products, services and of course, its economy. It appears comparable to other many other resorts/vacation/holiday island we’ve visited in other parts of the world.
 

Of course, we enjoy the easy availability of products and services from which we’ve been far removed for much of the past two years. Seeing the familiar products, chain restaurants, markets, and hotels is both refreshing and disappointing when we’ve found great pleasure is being detached from all the hype.
 
We’ll have ample time in the future to once again feel removed from the hustle and bustle of life in the US when again we take off for more remote locations in not too distant future.  
 
In the interim, we’ll enjoy every aspect of living in Hawaii, experiencing each of these  islands, each with its own unique persona. From what we saw on Tuesday in Honolulu, the prices may not be any higher than we experienced in the past locations.

With only five days and four nights until we disembark the ship, we have that wonderful feeling of not being disappointed that the cruise is ending, knowing that which lays ahead will be equally enjoyable.

                                          Photo from one year ago today, October 2, 2013:
 
None of our photos were posted on this date. However, we did post a story about “worrying” we loved to share with our readers who may have missed it. Please click here for details.

A flowerful walk in Honolulu…New photos…Preparing a post as opposed to uploading a post…

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Wow! The greenery and flowers in Hawaii amazed us as we walked the streets of Honolulu taking these photos.

Yesterday, we had mixed feelings about getting off the ship in Honolulu. The heat, the humidity, the lines at the ship’s security both coming and going, and the fact the port of Honolulu is located in a mostly business district, made it somewhat unappealing.

Add the fact that we’ll be on this island for a combined 20 days over the next several months, our plan has been to see the sites while we’re on our own, as mentioned in yesterday’s post. Why pay to see the city when we’ll be able to grab a free or low-cost bus directly outside our condo?

Many exquisite flowers bloom year-round in Hawaii 

With our family coming to Big Island, paying exorbitant fees to go sightseeing at this point becomes less of a priority when we’re watching our spending to a “t” in preparations for the upcoming big expenses for December/January.

In any case, we decided to “wing it” and head off the ship for a walk-in busy Honolulu, staying out for a few hours in the bright hot sun, stopping periodically to take photos.

We seldom find orange flowers but in Hawaii…

The location for taking photos wasn’t ideal when we’d have had to walk considerable distances to make our way to more “natural” areas away from the skyscrapers.

However, the time wasn’t wasted when the Hawaii I knew from 30 years ago, loomed before us with beautiful flowers growing at every turn. As our readers are aware, we both have a penchant for exquisite vegetation, particularly flowers.

Tom is thrilled to be in Hawaii.
Tom has become my expert “flower spotter” with a keen eye at long distances, often inspiring us to continue on an otherwise unlikely path for a single photo. Yesterday, was no exception as my “overly bubbly” self squealed with delight each time we stopped for a shot.

Too far away from good scenery photos plus, taking photos of skyscrapers holds little interest in finding flowers a most appropriate subject. We share these with our readers today, our favorites of the lot.

Beautiful!

I haven’t mentioned much about the new camera we purchased at a price of US $369 (duty-free) on our last cruise. It’s a relatively inexpensive Canon Power Shot SX50 that does everything we could possibly need or want. 

Why not purchase a higher caliber camera? The answer is simple. With constant travel, humid and hot weather conditions, we’d rather purchase a new camera every few years for the latest and best technology in a reasonable price range than cart around an expensive camera we’re fearful of losing, dropping, or having fall prey to rough handling and weather conditions.

These flowers so well depict Hawaii’s gorgeous colors.

Oddly, we still use the old Sony camera when we want to slip it into a pocket and not bear the weight around my neck. Since I don’t carry a handbag except on “travel days,” this newer Canon is heavier requiring a bigger commitment when carrying it around. 

So far, we’ve been pleased with the photos which don’t look a whole lot different than the photos we took using the Sony, minus the spots on the inside of the lens (which require I use an app to remove them). The new camera is usually a better option.

I can’t recall seeing yellow hibiscus.

Yesterday, when we walked around the immediate Honolulu area we’d brought the Canon resulting in some fairly decent photos we’re pleased to share here today.

Based on the time zone over the next eight months, we’ve found that it’s necessary to write each post the day prior to it being uploaded to our site. The web software allows us to upload a post at a specific date and time which we’ve set for 3:00 am Mountain Time.

This is the Hawaii I recall; hot, humid and hazy, and gorgeous.

The reason we’ve done this is for those readers who were used to seeing a new post when they awoke in the morning. When we were in Kenya, exactly one year ago, we were located in the East African Time Zone. The time difference between Hawaii which is located in the Aleutian Time Zone and Kenya is a whopping 13 hours. 

Along the way in our travels over these past almost two years, we’ve made an attempt to ensure that readers can expect to see our posts at familiar times of the day. It may not have always been perfect but, we try.  Please write to us if you have any comments or question regarding this topic

We’ve never seen this plant.

Thus, as I write this post it is September 30 in the afternoon. However, it will become available in the upcoming middle of the night here in Hawaii. As a result, we set it up to automatically post at 3 am. 

First thing each morning, Tom proofreads for errors while I make the necessary corrections which may not appear corrected until after you’ve already read the post.  Please excuse our errors. This is a reality of posting the equivalency of an essay each and every day, a perfect scenario for making errors that are easily missed by my own proofreading.

Vibrant color.

Today, as you read this, we’ll be on our way to Hilo on the Big Island as the cruise sails into Day #8, soon ending on Day #12, back in Honolulu. This particular cruise continues on to Sydney, Australia on October 5th, the day we disembark. On May 24, 2015, that we’ll board RC Legend of the Seas for our journey to Sydney, Australia.

We love cruising. We love life as homeless nomads. We’re both grateful and appreciative of this life we live. Please continue to share this journey with us. We appreciate and love that you do.  

                                            Photo from one year ago today, October 1, 2013:

Ironically, it was one year ago today, that we booked the condo in Club Intrawest in Vancouver, that we left only eight days ago to board this ship. For details from that date, please click here.